By Kim Christensen
On the steps of City Hall, San Francisco Mayor London Breed was beaming as she announced The Women and Families First Initiative in May. It would provide targeted job training for 300 women in industries that are expected to grow during the city’s economic recovery from the COVID crisis. Childcare is also an important part of the recovery strategy, and the initiative would support approximately 800 children with childcare tuition credits.
Mayor Breed is proposing to allocate $6 million in her proposed budget for the next two years to support The Women and Families First Initiative. The Mayor’s budget was introduced on June 1 and if approved in the budget process, the initiative will launch in late summer.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed announces Women and Families First Initiative on May 26, 2021. Photo by Seismic Sisters.
“Women, and particularly women with children, have experienced higher rates of unemployment throughout the course of the pandemic. Even before COVID-19, women were getting paid less than men doing similar work,” said Mayor Breed. “As we move forward on our recovery, we have an opportunity to make San Francisco a more equitable and supportive place for women and their children. With this initiative, we’re working to make sure that women have employment opportunities that can get them on a path to a fulfilling career, and that more families can access high-quality, affordable childcare so their kids are taken care of and parents can return to work.”
The Initiative would be done in partnership with the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, Human Rights Commission, Office of Economic and Workforce Development and non-profit service providers, offering training programs for 300 women that can lead to career opportunities in the fields of healthcare, technology, construction, hospitality, and emerging industries.