City andCounty of San Francisco

Commission and Department on the Status of Women

Annual Report 2004 – 2005

Mayor Gavin Newsom

Commission on the Status of Women Members

Andrea Shorter, President

Angela Williams, Vice President

Andrea Evans, Commissioner

Dorka Keehn, Commissioner

Jing Xu Lee, Commissioner

Carolene Marks, Commissioner

Katherine Munter, Commissioner

Department on the Status of Women Staff

Emily M. Murase, PhD, Executive Director

Rosario Navarrette, Deputy Director

Bernice Casey, Acting Policy Analyst

Caroline Donnola, Senior Policy Analyst

Richard Eijima, Secretary

Justine McGonagle, Justice and Courage Coordinator
Carol Sacco, Policy Analyst

Michel Turner, Grants Administrator

Table of Contents

I. Mission Statement

The mission of the Commission and Department on the Status of Women is to foster the advancement of the status of women and girls, particularly those issues that impact marginalized women and girls, both within the City and County government and in the private sector.

The Commission on the Status of Women was established in 1975 by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. In 1994, the citizens of San Francisco passed Proposition E to make the Commission a permanent Department under the City Charter. Today, the Department strives to make a positive impact on the women and girls of San Francisco through policy support and development, funding of community programs, and continually working to meet the ever-changing needs of women and girls.

We look forward to continuing the relationships we have built and to supporting the women and girls of San Francisco . We are pleased to present our 2004-2005 annual report for your review.

II. Overview of Strategic Changes

In July 2004, Emily Moto Murase, PhD was appointed to the position of Executive Director of the Department on the Status of Women by Mayor Gavin Newsom, after serving two terms on the Commission on the Status of Women as an appointee of Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. As Commissioner, Dr. Murase lead the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Task Force as Chair, overseeing the local CEDAW Ordinance that San Francisco passed in 1998. She served as Vice President and later President of the Commission assisting in the development of policy direction for the Department, with a focus on human rights and girls. With her appointment, Mayor Gavin Newsom demonstrated his belief in her ability to lead the Department and her commitment to the women and girls of San Francisco . In August the Department staff participated in a planning retreat to strategize on how to work as a new team and effectively address the needs of the Department and the community while undergoing major changes at the Department.

On October 7, 2004, the Commission, the Department and the Friends of the Commission hosted a Welcome Reception for Emily Murase at the Asian Art Museum at their new Civic Center location. The reception also allowed the Department to highlight our recent Public Service Announcement on Domestic Violence Awareness. The producers and some of the actors were in the audience, including former Commissioner Juanita Miles who spoke briefly about the importance of education and awareness on this important issue.

The Commission on the Status of Women held their annual retreat in December 2004 and developed a one-year strategic plan to support and direct the Department's work for the year

(Appendix A). The strategic plan focused on and outlined goals in the areas of the Budget, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Violence Against Women Program and Policy, the Justice and Courage Project, Girls, and Health issues. As a Department of the City and County of San Francisco it is difficult to predict what issues affecting women and girls will be brought before us. Major issues that arose during the year, that are not outlined in the strategic plan included sexual harassment in the schools, and labor conditions for exotic dancers.

III. Community Events and Activities

The Commission and Department are committed to serving the women and girls of San Francisco. We recognize the unique and supportive environment the Mayor, Board of Supervisors, and the larger San Francisco Bay Area community provides. Supporting the community and their efforts is a vital part of building a better society.

Recognizing the need to reach out to communities through non-traditional means of advertisement, the Department placed an advertisement in the Filipina Women's Network resource guide for their production of the Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues. The Filipina Women's Network V-Day campaign helped Filipina women break the silence and raise money and awareness to stop violence against Filipina women and girls. The performances were held in March at the Herbst Theatre and were hugely successful at raising money and awareness of domestic violence in the Filipina community.

The Commission and Department on the Status of Women once again joined with the Board of Supervisors to present the annual Women Making History Awards at a regularly scheduled Board meeting in March. Each year, in honor of Women's History Month, the Commission and Department ask the Board of Supervisors to select a woman to acknowledge for Women Making History Month. The national theme for 2005 was Women Change America and it honored and recognized the role of American women in transforming culture, history and politics as leaders, writers, scientists, educators, politicians, artists, historians, and informed citizens. Honorees were acknowledged at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, March 22 in the Board Chambers. A reception followed the Board of Supervisors presentation and honorees and their friends and families had an opportunity to meet one another and share stories. The following individuals were honored:

• Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier honored Lisa J. Stevens, Community Banking Regional President who oversees 77 branch offices, accounting for $11 billion in deposits for Wells Fargo.
• Supervisor Tom Ammiano honored Delia Medina, a member of Local 2's Executive Board and tireless advocate for justice and labor rights.
• Supervisor Chris Daly honored Lolita Kintanar, Program Director at Canon Kip Senior Services, serving low-income and homeless adults aged sixty and older.
• Supervisor Bevan Dufty honored Carol Yenne, President of the Noe Valley Merchant and Professional Association and owner of Small Frys Children's store.
• Supervisor Sean Elsbernd honored Patricia Pinnick, a dedicated school teacher for 49 years and fourth generation San Franciscan.
• Supervisor Fiona Ma honored Dawn Stueckle, co-founder and Executive Director of Sunset Youth Services, working with youth to develop campus-based support groups.
• Supervisor Sophie Maxwell honored Lynn Westry, a long-time advocate working in the Bayview/Hunter's Point community to bring the voices of victims to the public.
• Supervisor Jake McGoldrick honored Sue Lee, Executive Director of the Chinese Historical Society of America, the oldest and largest organization dedicated to the preservation of Chinese American history.
• Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi honored London Breed, Executive Director of the African American Arts and Culture Complex. Ms. Breed uses her leadership and ingenuity to promote positive change through art and culture.
• Supervisor Aaron Peskin honored Krystn Kuckelman for providing the vision and inspiration to renovate and update the Helen Wills Park, successfully changing the face of recreation on Russian Hill.
• Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval honored Alice Bulos, the grandmother of Filipino politics. She has been an inspirational spokesperson on behalf of the rights and benefits due to Filipino veterans who performed U.S. military service during World War II.

In 2005, after much anticipation, we released the 2005 Social Services Directory for Women in San Francisco. The directory is a comprehensive guide representing an important means by which individuals can access nonprofit and government services available to residents within the City and County of San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. The directory, while focused on services for women and girls, also provides services and information useful to men and boys.

IV. United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

The Department on the Status of Women is charged with implementing a local ordinance, adopted in 1998, that reflect the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), an international bill of rights for women. The local CEDAW Ordinance requires the City to ensure the protection of human rights including the elimination of discrimination against women and girls. The Department's work on the implementation of CEDAW continued with the development of a 10-member Committee charged with carrying out the Five-Year City-Wide Action Plan established by the CEDAW Task Force before it sunset June 30, 2003.

The Five-Year City-Wide Action Plan identified several principles to move the City towards full implementation of CEDAW with an overall vision that the public and private sector will fully adopt and integrate CEDAW into their structures and that the CEDAW framework will form the basis of employment, services, and budgeting decisions affecting the women and girls in San Francisco. The five principal areas outlined in the Action Plan include: 1) implementation of women and girl's human rights; 2) the right to an adequate standard of living; 3) the right to bodily integrity, which includes mental, physical, and sexual safety and well-being; 4) the right to access adequate health care, including resources to ensure mental and physical well-being, not just the absence of disease; and 5) the human rights of girls to education and social services.

The CEDAW Committee, composed of department representatives and community members, convened for the first time in September 2004 and developed a work plan to complete three projects for the coming year: 1) to conduct a city-wide CEDAW training for departments to understand and adopt CEDAW principles throughout their operations; 2) research and produce a gender parity report of City employees; and, 3) to develop a gender equity youth recreation program made possible through grant funds.

At the end of February, Dr. Murase traveled to New York to participate in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women meetings. Over fifty organizations and 200 representatives from around the world gathered to discuss key issues effecting women: gender budgeting, violence against women; education, employment, and health. Groups caucused to determine a set of recommendations to submit to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Dr. Murase attended the High Plenary Session of the United Nations Commission where the audience heard from senior officials about progress that their countries have made in advancing the status of women. In April, Dr. Murase returned to New York to testify before the New York City Council to discuss San Francisco's work on CEDAW and to support the work of the New York Human Rights Initiative that has been promoting CEDAW legislation before the New York City Council.

In March, the Team-Up for Youth Foundation awarded the City and County of San Francisco a $30,000 grant for the "Vital Choices for Strong Girls" afterschool program. This program represented a collaborative effort, spearheaded by the Department, between the Recreation and Park Department, the Mayor's Office of Community Development, and the Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families to create a proposal that provides disadvantaged girls with athletic opportunities. The program is scheduled to start in the fall with girls from the Bayview/Hunter's Point neighborhood.

In June, Dr. Murase reported on San Francisco's CEDAW work at the Women's Institute for Policy Research International Conference in Washington, DC . She served on a panel that addressed different strategies for promoting the rights of women. Her remarks will be included in the conference proceedings. The audience of nearly 1000 participants included academics, policymakers, and service providers from across the country and overseas (e.g., Africa, Europe, Asia). In this way, the Department has showcased San Francisco 's pioneering CEDAW work in national and international fora.

V. Violence Against Women Intervention & Prevention

Since the inception of the Commission and Department on the Status of Women, support of policies and programs addressing violence against women awareness and education has been the backbone of our work. We continue to address this priority, and the Commission and Department are committed to creative collaboration, government and community partnerships, and innovative strategic planning to bring an end to violence against women.

A. Violence Against Women Intervention & Prevention (VAW) Grants Program

One of the primary functions of the Commission and Department is to provide comprehensive services for women experiencing domestic violence and sexual assault through the distribution of grant monies to community agencies providing direct services. These community agencies, called Partner Agencies, provide much needed direct services in the areas of domestic violence shelter programs; crisis services; transitional housing; intervention and advocacy programs; and prevention, education and training.

This was the first year in the Department's three-year funding cycle for the VAW Grants Program. In early 2004, the Department issued a Request for Qualifications, convened a Bidder's Conference, and subsequently awarded $1,761,256 in funding to nineteen (19) Partner Agencies for 25 unique programs that address violence against women in San Francisco. Total funding amounts by category are listed below:

SERVICE CATEGORY FUNDING AMOUNT

Domestic Violence Shelter Programs $476,968

Crisis Services $503,612

Transitional Housing $173,054

Intervention and Advocacy Programs $227,229

Prevention, Education & Training $380,393

TOTAL $1,761,256

See Appendix B for a performance summary of the VAW Grants Program.

B. Policy Initiatives

The Department's goal in the area of violence against women policy is to increase public awareness and understanding of violence against women. We work collaboratively with City departments, Partner Agencies, and community groups to ensure the coordination of services and the development of sound policy meeting the needs of women and children.

Department staff attended Green Book Steering Committee meetings throughout the year. The Green Book Committee is funded to address the effective intervention in domestic violence and child maltreatment cases by focusing on the intervention of children witnessing domestic violence. The committee spent the past four years examining multidisciplinary, individualized case management for families with child abuse and domestic violence and worked to develop systems that are helpful, accessible, and accountable.

In October, for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Department collaborated with the California Alliance Against Domestic Violence and hosted an all-day training titled Domestic Violence and Technology Safety at the Cultural Center of the New College of California, located in the Mission District. The training was attended by Partner Agencies, law enforcement, community organizations, and individuals from jurisdictions throughout the Bay Area who were interested in learning about and how to protect oneself from this new and alarming trend in stalking and violence.

The Department, along with the Friends of the Commission, partnered with the Verizon Wireless Foundation to produce three public service announcements (PSA) focused on domestic violence awareness and created an accompanying Domestic Violence Resource Guide. In addition to distributing the PSA via television and radio, the campaign included a print campaign with posters displayed at bus shelters throughout the City. The Mayor joined us for an afternoon press conference at the Gum Moon Women's Residence in Chinatown to announce the release of the PSAs and lend his support to community and private partnerships working to end violence against women. Supervisor Fiona Ma and Supervisor Michaela Alioto-Pier, the Friends of the Commission on the Status of Women, and the Verizon Wireless Foundation all presented at the press conference.

The spring of 2005 welcomed an opportunity to hold a conference for our Partner Agencies. The workshop entitled Capacidad: Building Capacity was held at the Mission Police Station Community Room and was open to our Partner Agencies and the community at large. Attendees heard presentations on a variety of topics including funding strategies from CompassPoint non-profit management consultants, case management models from the Department of Public Health, and health and housing options. Staff from the Mayor's Budget Office presented on the historic deficits and strategies for addressing them in the City budget. Over thirty people from the community and our Partner Agencies attended this informational workshop.

VI. Justice and Courage Project

The mission of the Justice and Courage Project is to pursue, relentlessly, the recommendations outlined in the 2002 report Justice and Courage: A Blueprint for San Francisco's Response to Domestic Violence (available at www.dosw) that rose from the brutal murder of Claire Joyce Tempongko allegedly by her ex-boyfriend in October 2000. Subcommittees work to meet specific goals and objectives and report to the Justice & Courage Oversight Panel, a body of the Commission on the Status of Women that is chaired by Commissioner Dorka Keehn and composed of community leaders. The Oversight Panel is charged with overseeing implementation of the 2002 recommendations. The Department of Justice approved a request by the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice and the Department on the Status of Women to fund, among other initiatives, the work of the Justice & Courage Project for an additional two years.

August of 2004 welcomed the addition of two new Oversight Panel members, Supervisor Fiona Ma and Executive Director Murase. Supervisor Ma assumed the position of Co-Chair and, in October, Dr. Murase petitioned the Board of Supervisors Rules Committee to allow the Department on the Status of Women to be included in the JUSTIS Governance Council, a body charged with the implementation of the database hub for criminal justice agencies. The request was forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for a full vote and was approved on November 2, 2004. Also at the November 2, 2004 Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisors approved Supervisor Fiona Ma's resolution to urge the Mayor to increase the reward for Tari Ramirez, the prime suspect in the brutal murder of Claire Joyce Tempongko, from $35,000 to $50,000.

The Resources Committee forwarded two proposals to the Interdepartmental Communications and Coordination Committee (ICCC), both of which were approved and forwarded to the Oversight Panel for approval. The first recommendation suggested the creation of a domestic violence training collaborative for San Francisco's criminal agencies that would pool existing resources and attract new funding to create a centralized training collective to provide mandated domestic violence training. The second recommendation was to hold a Funders Summit to brainstorm funding strategies to implement recommendations from the Justice and Courage Project.

In October, the Justice and Courage Oversight Panel held their first community meeting at the Women's Building. The idea to hold a meeting in the community originated at the Commission's strategic planning retreat and was highly successful, as many individuals and organizations who might not otherwise have participated attended the meeting. As part of our outreach efforts, flyers for the meeting were translated into Tagalog and Spanish and language translators were available on-site.

In the fall, Department staff participated in the planning for the annual rally to remember Claire Joyce Tempongko. The rally Remembering Claire Joyce, Transform the Violence was held on the steps of City Hall on October 22. The image of a butterfly was used to represent the transformation to a life free of violence. The rally was sponsored by the Tempongko Family, Domestic Violence Consortium, Alliance Against Asian Domestic Violence, Justice and Courage Project, Department on the Status of Women, Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach, La Casa de las Madres, Asian Women's Shelter, Resolve to Stop the Violence Project, Survivor Restoration Program, Cameron House, Victim Services Unit – District Attorney's Office, Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse and Glide Memorial Church.

As part of continued community outreach efforts, the Department convened members of the Filipina community to initiate a planning process around a Filipina Advisory Committee to the Justice & Courage Oversight Panel. Planning meetings were held beginning in January 2005. A major finding from this planning process was the high degree of fragmentation within the Filipina community, between business leaders, the clergy, service providers, and educators. The Department spearheaded efforts to include representatives from a variety of segments of the community to participate in the planning process.

In March, the Department organized a Funders Summit to explore ways to partner with local foundations and businesses on priority initiatives of the Justice & Courage Project, namely the Domestic Violence Cross Training Institute. This has led to an on-going dialogue with community partners on seeking non-governmental sources of revenue.

VII. Girls

The Commission and Department underscored their commitment to girls with the 2003 release of A Report on Girls, Benchmarks for the Future (available at www.dosw). The report provided a review and analysis on the status of girls on social, economic, educational, health, and criminal justice issues. For the Department, the report provided guidelines and concrete measures for other policy areas, such as the Violence Against Women policy, and funding allotment, and the work of the CEDAW Committee and Justice and Courage Project. The Girls Report increased our resolve to support other City agencies and community organizations working to address the unique needs of girls and young women.

Department staff participated in the Children, Youth, Arts, and Education (CYAE) Cluster Group to address policy priorities directly affecting children and their families. Cluster group members, made up of representatives from City departments, meet bi-weekly to identify key issues within departments and develop strategies to recommend to the Mayor for his review and continual support.

April 28, 2005 was the annual celebration of Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.

The Department created and distributed a newsletter describing the history of the Take Our Daughters to Work Day and the development and inclusion of sons into the celebrations due to the changing life choices and responsibility among families. The newsletter included suggested activities designed to encourage girls and boys to think about their lives, future dreams, and responsibilities of work and family, as well as a list of resources for additional information.

In May of 2005, the San Francisco Unified School District faced charges of sexual harassment and rape on school campuses. Department staff testified before a Board of Education Committee meeting and provided Board members with copies of the Girls Report and the Department's sexual harassment pamphlet. In addition, we offered our support and assistance in developing solutions combating harassment and violence in our schools.

VIII. Employment and Economics

The Commission and Department have continued to provide resources and technical assistance to women facing harassment, not only of a sexual nature, but of an economic nature as well. The Department continues to monitor harassment complaints from the Department of Human Resources and take seriously the allegations of discrimination brought forward by women and community members.

In September the Commission held the first in a series of pubic hearings on the labor and safety conditions of exotic dancers, an issue first brought to the Department's attention by exotic dancers who alleged that dance clubs were charging the dancers illegal and exorbitant fees to work. In order to pay these fees, and thereby keep their jobs, dancers alleged that they were forced to commit acts of prostitution, which were encouraged and promoted by the dance clubs, in private booths. The Commission began an investigation that included extensive verbal and written testimony by current and former dancers on the labor and safety conditions of these clubs. Additional testimony came from the California State Labor Commission, Department on Industrial Relations, police officers, dance club owners and their attorneys, attorneys representing the dancers in class action suits, and many community members.

Based on several months of testimony and information gathered as part of the investigation, the Commission passed, in March, a landmark resolution calling for the City Attorney to develop legislation that would underscore the state prohibition on fees to work, introduce safety measures, including a prohibition on private booths, and create an enforcement mechanism to ensure fair labor practices and a safe work environment in the exotic dance clubs. Draft legislation was pending at the close of the fiscal year.

In December the Department responded to a request by the Taxi Commission to present on the issue of sexual harassment. Staff gave an overview of sexual harassment and explained the two basic types of sexual harassment and gave examples of inappropriate behavior that could be interpreted as harassment. At the conclusion of the presentation, staff provided a list of resources to contact for additional information.

In March, the Department in partnership with the Friends of the Commission on the Status of Women revived its annual Women in City Leadership Luncheon. This luncheon provides women in City Government, including appointed and elected women the opportunity to meet, exchange information, and network. We were joined by over fifty women all part of the diverse make-up of San Francisco 's leaders.

IX. Health

Commissioners and Department staff continued to build ties and work with the Office of Women's Health at the Department of Public Health to address health issues for women and girls. The Women and Girls Health Advisory Committee tackled issues ranging from breast cancer and reproductive rights to free summer food programs for youth to domestic violence awareness in faith based communities.

In November 2004, the voters of California passed Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) which has to potential to change access to and delivery of mental health services in San Francisco and throughout the State of California. In order to receive funds, each county is required to submit a three-year plan to the State of California outlining how funds will be used to achieve MHSA goals. Department staff attended the MHSA Planning Sub-Committee meetings and spoke on the importance of mental health services for women.

In March, Department staff hosted a resource table at the Fifth Annual Young Women Health Conference sponsored by State Senator Jackie Speier and University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) Center of Excellence in Women's Health. More than 1,400 girls and young women attended the conference focusing on the theme A Day to Inspire a Lifetime: Strong, Proud, United. The goal of the conference was to identify and address health needs and engage young women in addressing solutions to health issues and offering resources and information in their community. The Department handed out copies of the Respect is What's Sexy poster, the Girls Report, and the Domestic Violence Resource Guide.

In May 2005, Commissioners and staff attended the groundbreaking Women's Health Summit, designed for advocates, educators, public agencies representatives, and researchers to think tank around issues of access to health care, funding dynamics, and collaborations as a vehicle for solutions and social change. The summit, featuring welcoming remarks by Mayor Gavin Newsom, was convened by The Women's Community Clinic, the Office of Women's Health Department of Public Health and the UCSF National Center of Excellence in Women's Health.

X. Budget

In August, Executive Director Murase submitted a request to the Mayor's Budget Office and the Controller's Office to carry forward monies leftover from the previous fiscal year in order to replace a failing computer server, fund a program evaluation for the VAW Grants Program, and fund the Safety and Accountability Audit for the Justice and Courage Project. The Department received all of the requested monies, but was only able to replace the computer server before the remainder was allocated to offset mid-year budget cuts required in the fall.

The fall was particularly challenging as the Department faced projected cuts that would have had a deleterious effect on both Departmental staffing and operations and monies for vital services for women in San Francisco. Together with the Commission, the Department devised a plan to absorb all of the mid-year cuts to protect the direct services provided by the Partner Agencies. Initial plans called for reducing the number of staff from 7.0 FTE to 5.0 FTE. After arduous negotiations, the Department agreed to eliminate the Deputy Director position and a vacant policy analyst position, but added a temporary secretary position, leaving the department with

6.0 FTE remaining. In addition to relinquishing carry forward monies and reducing staff, the Department further absorbed cuts to administrative expenses, including training, materials and supplies. However, no reductions were imposed on the VAW Grants Program.

In the spring, Executive Director Murase presented the Department's budget to the Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee for approval. The Department spent many hours calculating and recalculating budget figures and scenarios to minimize negative impacts on the Department and Partner Agencies due to proposed cuts. Given that the Department absorbed all of the mid-year cuts, it was forced to consider cuts to the VAW Grants Program. During the budget process, Executive Director Murase advocated for restoring staff resources and protecting funding for the VAW Grants Program. At the June 23 Budget Hearing, the Board of Supervisors Budget Analyst Harvey Rose did not recommend further cuts to the Department's budget and the Supervisors on the Budget and Finance Committee approved add backs that restored staff resources and protected funding for the VAW Grants Program.

XI. Other Work

The Department on the Status of Women has had a wealth of volunteers, student interns, and YouthWorks interns this past year. San Francisco YouthWorks is a city-wide employment program that provides youth (10^th-12^th grade high school students) with an opportunity to enhance their skills, gain working experience, and increase their awareness of government in a supportive environment. Adrienne Castro, a student at John O'Connell High School, spent the fall semester at the Department. Ken Mai is a senior at Lincoln High School and has been at the office for the past year through the YouthWorks Program.

Julie Gamble and Alexys Vasstrom spent the summer with the Department as college interns. Ms. Gamble is a senior at Northwestern University, majoring in European History and Gender Studies and Ms. Vasstrom is a senior at Goucher College, majoring in Psychology and a minor in Peace Studies. In addition, Rhianna Babka, a case manager with Compass Community Services, volunteered her time to research health issues.

The Department participated in the World Environment Week (June 1-5, 2005) held in San Francisco and staffed a booth at the Fort Mason Green Cities Exposition. Over 100 copies of the Domestic Violence Resource Guide were distributed.

Department staff participated with the Mayor's Office of Community Development in support of Project Connect throughout the year. Within a short time period San Francisco, under Project Connect, Mayor Gavin Newsom's proactive approach to reach communities and provide needed services, saw a 50% increase in the enrollment in Community Based Organization programs compared to last year in targeted areas. Another positive result of Project Connect is the increased collaboration between San Francisco 's communities and city agencies.

In addition, we continued to strengthen and develop relationships with elected officials, community members, individuals and organizations. Highlights of some of our partnerships and accomplishments this past year include:

• Commissioners and staff were on hand for the Hospital Council's release of their report, A Portrait of the Health of San Francisco. (September 2004)
• Commissioners and staff participated in a conference at the Violence Against Women Statewide Prevention Project. (September 2004)
• Executive Director Murase meet with a delegation of women representing government agencies for the Aomori Prefecture, located in Northern Japan. (September 2004)
• Department staff hosted a resource table at a voter education event held at the Women's Building sponsored by the Women's Leadership Alliance. (September 2004)
• Department staff attended the Mayor's Press Conference on Truancy at John O'Connell High School where he announced the release of a new campaign and citywide support for getting kids back in school. (October 2004)
• Department staff hosted a resource table at the Community Disaster Preparation Fair at the Marina Green. (October 2004)
• At the recommendation of Commissioner Keehn, department staff attended a two day conference at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at Stanford on Valuing Families: A Debate Over What Works and Supporting Boys Resilience: Expanding Definitions of Masculinity and Manhood. (October 2004)
• Department staff presented an overview of San Francisco's implementation of CEDAW to the Women's Group of the Japan Society. (November 2004)
• Commissioners and staff members joined women from across the state to participate in the California Women's Agenda and California Commission on the Status of Women's conference Beijing+10, a look back at ten years of progress. (December 2004)
• Commission President Shorter and Executive Director Murase participated in an hour-long taped radio interview at KNBR Radio with Public Affairs Manager Gimmy Park-Li, to discuss the important work of the Commission and Department. (November 2004)
• Department staff attended the day-long conference sponsored by the Department of Children, Youth and their Families, From Talk to Action: Moving from the Strand of Service to the Webs of Care. The conference provided an opportunity to hear from a number of City departments and community organizations working on youth issues. (April 2005)
• Once again, the Department on the Status of Women was a supporting organization for the Professional Business Women of California 16^th Annual Conference to be held at the Moscone Center. (May 2005)

Finally, we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the tremendous support we receive from the Friends of the Commission on the Status of Women. It is through their support of the Department's work that we were able to achieve so much this past year.