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Reparations for Black people are still on the table in San Francisco, but the path forward remains unclear.

The big picture: San Francisco is among a growing number of places looking to atone for slavery.

California, in June, released its own report detailing how the legacy of slavery continues to harm Black people today.

Meanwhile, the city of Evanston, Illinois, in 2019 implemented a reparations program that has the approval of most of its residents.

Driving the news: City Supervisor Shamann Walton, who wrote the 2020 legislation to establish the African American Reparations Advisory Committee, next week plans to introduce a resolution that would urge San Francisco to issue a formal apology to Black people for past harms, Walton's office confirmed to Axios.

Some of these harms entailed the displacement of the city's Black population. 

The urban renewal of the 1960s and '70s, for example, shuttered 883 businesses and displaced 4,729 households in the Fillmore District, a neighborhood once known as the Harlem of the West, according to the reparations committee.

Context: A formal apology is just one of more than 150 recommendations the committee made to the city in July.

Other recommendations include $5 million payouts to each eligible person and the creation of an afrocentric K-12 school.

In September, city supervisors passed a resolution accepting the final reparations report. But that didn't mean the recommendations would be implemented.

The intrigue: In June, Mayor London Breed approved a budget that set aside $4 million over the next two years to set up an office of reparations that would oversee the implementation of any of the recommendations.

The money would be used to set up the office, create an eligibility database and more. But it's unclear whether that money will be spent on such an office.

What they're saying: The mayor "does not believe that addressing the needs of the African American community requires adding more bureaucracy and a whole new office; this work can be done with existing staffing," mayor's office spokesperson Parisa Safarzadeh told Axios via email.

While Breed believes "reparations are an issue best handled at the federal level," her office "remains committed to reforming local policies to help address decades of disparities and disinvestment" that impact communities, including the Black community, Safarzadeh said.

Meanwhile, it still needs to be determined which, if any, of the more than 150 recommendations the city will implement and what the funding source will be, Natalie Gee, a spokesperson for Walton, told Axios.

Tinisch Hollins, vice chair of the reparations committee, still believes there's a chance the other recommendations could be implemented, but said it depends on political will, leadership and resources.

The bottom line: The reparations recommendations report was meant to serve as a guiding document on how to repair the harm done to Black San Franciscans, Hollins said.

"There's endless potential for the recommendations to be revisited and implemented over time," Hollins said.

Yes, but: Hollins said she observes the city government trying to "leverage what currently exists" to address the disparities the report highlighted, and cautions "that those things are not necessarily reparations. Those are things that should be happening anyway."

What's next for reparations in San Francisco

Reparations for Black people are still on the table, but the path forward remains unclear.

Photo illustration of a silhouette of a Black woman with collaged archival photos, fragments of dollar bills and a redlining map.

Photo illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios. Photos: Clarence Gatson Collection/Gado/Getty Images, Dave Randolph/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images, National Archives via Mapping Inequality

Reparations

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Reparations for Black people" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2023/07/13/san-francisco-reparations-committee-final-report" data-vars-content-id="df677ced-0a10-456c-b6eb-c4ace2665dae" data-vars-headline="What&#x27;s next for reparations in San Francisco" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2023/07/13/san-francisco-reparations-committee-final-report" target="_self">Reparations for Black people</a> are still on the table in San Francisco, but the path forward remains unclear.The big picture: San Francisco is among a growing number of places looking to atone for slavery.

Culture

News

It's finally December, and you know what that means — a whole lot going on. 

Since we compiled a list of notable holiday markets earlier this week, here are some non-holiday-themed events to check out if you're more of a grinch (like myself).

🦁 Disney's musical "The Lion King" is playing at Orpheum Theatre through Dec. 30. Tickets are $60 and up.

❤️‍🩹 The National AIDS Memorial is holding a day of observance for World AIDS Day at Golden Gate Park from noon-2pm Friday. Programming will focus on conversations with community leaders from across the U.S.

🎼 The San Francisco Opera is performing Donizetti's "The Elixir of Love" at a one-night event at 7:30pm Friday at Hotel Adina. Tickets start at $39. 

🎭 SF Mime Troupe Studio Theater is holding its annual Saturnalia Solstice Party with circus, dance, music and comedy performances. Shows kick off Friday at 8pm and run through Dec. 16. Tickets are $35-$55.

Things to do in San Francisco this weekend

On the docket are "The Lion King" musical, circus performances and a day of observance for AIDS.

Illustration of the Axios logo drinking a margarita. 

It&#x27;s finally December, and you know what that means — a whole lot going on. <ul><li>Since we compiled a list of notable <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="holiday markets" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2023/11/29/holiday-markets-to-visit" data-vars-content-id="c5554804-fb72-432a-ab90-4547bb5d76da" data-vars-headline="Things to do in San Francisco this weekend" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2023/11/29/holiday-markets-to-visit" target="_self">holiday markets</a> earlier this week, here are some non-holiday-themed events to check out if you&#x27;re more of a grinch (like myself).</li></ul>

Things to Do

Music

Taylor Swift was the most-streamed artist on Spotify this year in San Francisco. Drake, SZA and Peso Pluma are among the top 10. 

The top three most-streamed songs were "Kill Bill" by SZA, "Ella Baila Sola" by Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma, and "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus.

The top three most-streamed genres were pop, rap and hip hop. 

What's happening: Spotify Wrapped dropped Wednesday, naming Taylor Swift as the most-streamed artist globally and unlocking over 574 million listeners' top streamed songs, artists, albums and podcasts of 2023.

Here are Megan's top songs and artists in 2023:

🎵 Three most-played songs: "Float (feat. Seun Kuti & Egypt 80)" by Janelle Monáe, "AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM (feat. Kendrick Lamar)" by Beyoncé and "I Like That" by Janelle Monáe.

🎵 Three most-played artists: Janelle Monáe, Beyoncé and Doja Cat.

AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM (feat. Kendrick Lamar)

San Francisco's Spotify wrapped

The top three most-streamed genres were pop, rap and hip hop.

Taylor Swift performs onstage during Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara in July. Photo: Jeff Kravitz/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management 

Spotify

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Taylor Swift" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/06HL4z0CvFAxyc27GXpf02?si=7dffdf645e654df4" data-vars-content-id="09f2ab3c-23c9-49e8-9a4d-1b43016b751f" data-vars-headline="San Francisco&#x27;s Spotify wrapped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/06HL4z0CvFAxyc27GXpf02?si=7dffdf645e654df4" target="_blank">Taylor Swift</a> was the most-streamed artist on Spotify this year in San Francisco. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Drake" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4?si=bad431feb30945f7" data-vars-content-id="09f2ab3c-23c9-49e8-9a4d-1b43016b751f" data-vars-headline="San Francisco&#x27;s Spotify wrapped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4?si=bad431feb30945f7" target="_blank">Drake</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="SZA" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP?si=d4b859f748ec4bbf" data-vars-content-id="09f2ab3c-23c9-49e8-9a4d-1b43016b751f" data-vars-headline="San Francisco&#x27;s Spotify wrapped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP?si=d4b859f748ec4bbf" target="_blank">SZA</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Peso Pluma" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/12GqGscKJx3aE4t07u7eVZ?si=4a8811024ff3497e" data-vars-content-id="09f2ab3c-23c9-49e8-9a4d-1b43016b751f" data-vars-headline="San Francisco&#x27;s Spotify wrapped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/12GqGscKJx3aE4t07u7eVZ?si=4a8811024ff3497e" target="_blank">Peso Pluma</a> are among the top 10. <ul><li>The top three most-streamed songs were &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Kill Bill" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/track/1Qrg8KqiBpW07V7PNxwwwL?si=e62a54f0457243b1" data-vars-content-id="09f2ab3c-23c9-49e8-9a4d-1b43016b751f" data-vars-headline="San Francisco&#x27;s Spotify wrapped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/track/1Qrg8KqiBpW07V7PNxwwwL?si=e62a54f0457243b1" target="_blank">Kill Bill</a>&quot; by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="SZA" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP?si=keU6pejrRh-GeqmZK7sjFw" data-vars-content-id="09f2ab3c-23c9-49e8-9a4d-1b43016b751f" data-vars-headline="San Francisco&#x27;s Spotify wrapped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP?si=keU6pejrRh-GeqmZK7sjFw" target="_blank">SZA</a>, &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Ella Baila Sola" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/track/3dnP0JxCgygwQH9Gm7q7nb?si=10ab28635be9449a" data-vars-content-id="09f2ab3c-23c9-49e8-9a4d-1b43016b751f" data-vars-headline="San Francisco&#x27;s Spotify wrapped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/track/3dnP0JxCgygwQH9Gm7q7nb?si=10ab28635be9449a" target="_blank">Ella Baila Sola</a>&quot; by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Eslabon Armado" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/0XeEobZplHxzM9QzFQWLiR?si=e69f481189594683" data-vars-content-id="09f2ab3c-23c9-49e8-9a4d-1b43016b751f" data-vars-headline="San Francisco&#x27;s Spotify wrapped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/0XeEobZplHxzM9QzFQWLiR?si=e69f481189594683" target="_blank">Eslabon Armado</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Peso Pluma" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/12GqGscKJx3aE4t07u7eVZ?si=d62bd9550d714041" data-vars-content-id="09f2ab3c-23c9-49e8-9a4d-1b43016b751f" data-vars-headline="San Francisco&#x27;s Spotify wrapped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/12GqGscKJx3aE4t07u7eVZ?si=d62bd9550d714041" target="_blank">Peso Pluma</a>, and &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Flowers" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/track/7DSAEUvxU8FajXtRloy8M0?si=794bb7c1703c49ab" data-vars-content-id="09f2ab3c-23c9-49e8-9a4d-1b43016b751f" data-vars-headline="San Francisco&#x27;s Spotify wrapped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/track/7DSAEUvxU8FajXtRloy8M0?si=794bb7c1703c49ab" target="_blank">Flowers</a>&quot; by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Miley Cyrus" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/5YGY8feqx7naU7z4HrwZM6?si=ZdlSuwJ0THOkk2z-SI2QgQ" data-vars-content-id="09f2ab3c-23c9-49e8-9a4d-1b43016b751f" data-vars-headline="San Francisco&#x27;s Spotify wrapped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/5YGY8feqx7naU7z4HrwZM6?si=ZdlSuwJ0THOkk2z-SI2QgQ" target="_blank">Miley Cyrus</a>.</li></ul>

Latino

Axios Latino

Data: Pew Research Center and U.S. Census Bureau; Chart: Axios Visuals

California still has the largest population of undocumented immigrants in America, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center.

But the state experienced the biggest decrease — a loss of 150,000 immigrants — between 2017 and 2021, per the study's estimates.

State of play: The Pew Research Center puts the U.S.' undocumented population at 10.5 million in 2021, which is the latest available data.

Around 1.85 million were in California and accounted for about 5% of its total population.

Zoom in: San Francisco County recorded roughly 43,000 undocumented immigrants in 2019, per an analysis by the think tank Migration Policy Institute.

China and Hong Kong were the leading regions of birth, followed by Mexico and El Salvador, the analysis found.

Between the lines: While San Francisco has long held itself as a sanctuary city that welcomes immigrants, increasing concern over fentanyl trafficking has led local officials to consider excluding fentanyl felony dealing from protections against deportation.

Polling earlier this year found that 70% of potential San Francisco voters supported the move.

Yes, but: Immigration advocates counter that many undocumented immigrants end up in positions of drug dealing against their will and that such punitive policies have proved ineffective.

Data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission also shows that U.S. citizens made up 88% of federal fentanyl trafficking offenders in the 2022 fiscal year.

Of note: Local community-based organizations say they are concerned that rising anti-immigrant rhetoric across the nation — especially comments made by national figures — could lead to an uptick in hate incidents in the Bay Area.

"We are really still very much in an anti-immigrant climate, where immigrants are being blamed for a whole host of issues, national security to the fentanyl crisis and crime," Cynthia Choi, co-executive director of San Francisco-based nonprofit Chinese for Affirmative Action, told Axios.

The big picture: The population of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. is becoming more diverse, and Mexicans now have the smallest share they've ever had, the Pew study notes.

Why it matters: Geopolitical conflicts, climate change and more sophisticated smuggling networks are driving more migrants from Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Asia, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa to make dangerous journeys to the U.S. without permission, absent many legal options for entry.

Details: There were an estimated 4.1 million Mexicans living in the U.S. without authorization in 2021, or 39% of the undocumented population — their lowest share in recent history.

After Mexicans, the largest share of the unauthorized population are, in descending order, Salvadorans, Indians, Guatemalans and Hondurans.

Caveat: The new estimates do not reflect the past two years of historically large numbers of illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border.

What they're saying: "We're getting unauthorized immigrants from all parts of the world now in ways that we didn't used to," Jeffrey Passel, a senior demographer at Pew Research Center and author of the report, tells Axios.

San Diego

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California's falling undocumented immigrant population

San Francisco has long held itself as a sanctuary city; concern over fentanyl trafficking could be turning the tide.

Unauthorized immigration

California still has the largest population of undocumented immigrants in America, according to a new study by the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pew Research Center" data-vars-click-url="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/11/16/what-we-know-about-unauthorized-immigrants-living-in-the-us/" data-vars-content-id="07b34c4d-a314-4d5f-897a-29faa78fb1f5" data-vars-headline="California&#x27;s falling undocumented immigrant population" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/11/16/what-we-know-about-unauthorized-immigrants-living-in-the-us/" target="_blank">Pew Research Center</a>.<ul><li>But the state experienced the biggest decrease — a loss of 150,000 immigrants — between 2017 and 2021, per the study&#x27;s estimates.</li></ul>

Politics

FuncheapSF, an events guide for the city, has been a staple in San Francisco for the past 20 years and has continued to thrive amid the rise of social media and the pandemic-related lockdown.

Context: FuncheapSF highlights hundreds of events in San Francisco and other parts of the Bay Area every week, its founder, Johnny "Funcheap" Hayes, told Axios.

The listings are a mix of new, unique events in the city plus some annual staples like Hardly Strictly Bluegrass.

Why it matters: Whether someone has just moved to San Francisco or has lived here for decades, there's an endless amount of things to do and discover.

Flashback: FuncheapSF launched in 2003 in the aftermath of the dot-com crash.

Hayes had recently moved to San Francisco, where he struggled to find work and found himself "with nothing to do, no money [and] lonely," he said.

After perusing event flyers on street poles and scouring listings in the San Francisco Bay Guardian and SF Weekly, he would post a list online of some cool events he found, asking if anyone wanted to join him.

Hayes' posts gained traction and "then people started sending me suggestions of things to add to the list," he said. "That's kind of the genesis of how it started."

The intrigue: FuncheapSF has never been inherently profit-driven, which helps the site stay focused on what readers want, Hayes said.

During the pandemic, FuncheapSF shifted to being more of a community resource, where people could find information about food banks, parks in the city with great views and more.

"It reminded me how important being a great resource is to people when they need it, whether it's in bad times or good times," he said.

Between the lines: Over the years the city has done a better job of bringing events to a variety of neighborhoods, in part due to the negative press cycle around San Francisco, Hayes said.

Hayes pointed to new events like the holiday lights projection Let's Glow, the Bhangra & Beats Night Market and concerts in McLaren Park.

"San Francisco's got so many awesome little pockets to discover and you just need that little impetus to get out of your little comfort zone," Hayes said.

What to watch: FuncheapSF has about 150,000 newsletter subscribers and around 400,000 unique visitors on its site per month.

Hayes envisions growing his audience and expanding the site to highlight more events in the Bay Area, outside of San Francisco, potentially with the help of city-specific Funcheap ambassadors.

"Anybody who just sits back and says, 'Let me stay on the treadmill and not change it up,' is doomed to irrelevancy at some point," he said.

How 20-year-old FuncheapSF stays relevant

The site highlights hundreds of events in San Francisco and other parts of the Bay Area every week.

Johnny "Funcheap" Hayes at the Stern Grove Festival this year. Photo: Courtesy of Johnny "Funcheap" Hayes

FuncheapSF, an events guide for the city, has been a staple in San Francisco for the past 20 years and has continued to thrive amid the rise of social media and the pandemic-related lockdown.Context: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="FuncheapSF" data-vars-click-url="https://sf.funcheap.com/" data-vars-content-id="5ad2ebcc-30cf-4d8e-9334-4901826bebae" data-vars-headline="How 20-year-old FuncheapSF stays relevant" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://sf.funcheap.com/" target="_blank">FuncheapSF</a> highlights hundreds of events in San Francisco and other parts of the Bay Area every week, its founder, Johnny &quot;Funcheap&quot; Hayes, told Axios.

Latest news on Wall Street, Corporate America and financial regulation.

Business

The holiday season is officially upon us, which means there's a plethora of activities to experience in the city. 

Here are five events that caught our eye:

30+ local artists, live music, screen printing and more. 

Sunday from 11am-4pm at the Engine 43 Art Studio aka the Princess Diaries house in the Excelsior.

Crafts pop-up featuring AAPI and women creators.

Holiday party with performers, music, dance floors and shops. 

Weekends through Dec. 17 from 10am-6pm at the Cow Palace.

Crafts and food items from local vendors.

Crafts from 50+ artists and holiday treats.

Sunday from 11am-5pm at Hunters Point Shipyard, Building 101.

Five holiday markets to visit in San Francisco

There are spots all over the city to get your festivities on.

Illustration of a shop inside a snowglobe. 

holidays

The holiday season is officially upon us, which means there&#x27;s a plethora of activities to experience in the city. Here are five events that caught our eye:

Food and Drink

A growing share of San Francisco Bay Area homeowners are selling their houses at a loss, per data Redfin shared with Axios.

Why it matters: The Bay Area's housing market is undergoing a course correction, but potential homebuyers are still finding home prices to be out of reach due to high interest rates.

Driving the news: More than 3% of U.S. homes sold at a loss between August and October — up from 2.4% a year ago.

The median loss was around $40,000, per Redfin data.

Zoom in: Roughly one in seven (13.6%) of Bay Area homes sold at a loss from August to October — up from about 9.2% a year ago.

The median loss was around $122,500, per Redfin data.

Across the nation, the highest proportion and largest losses were in San Francisco, where the region has experienced outsized home-price declines, according to Redfin.

What they're saying: Home prices have declined in the Bay Area for a few reasons, according to Redfin researchers Lily Katz and Sheharyar Bokhari.

The Bay Area is home to the most expensive real estate in the country, so housing costs had "a lot of room to come down," they wrote in September.

The area has also been hit hard by tech layoffs and affected by the rise of remote work enabling people to relocate to cheaper areas, they said.

The other side: Some markets have even been stronger for sellers this year. The proportion of losses in D.C., for instance, has shrunk since last year.

Zoom out: Losses were least common in Providence, Rhode Island; Anaheim, California; San Diego, Boston and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Between the lines: There's still a housing shortage in the city of San Francisco, and local officials last week missed a deadline to pass legislation designed to expedite the housing approvals process, The San Francisco Standard reports.

California's housing department granted the city another 30 days to pass the bill, which would eliminate certain review processes in housing projects.

If the city fails to meet this new deadline, San Francisco's control over its housing policies could be in jeopardy. 

The bottom line: Sellers are still on top in this low-inventory market. Those who've been in their homes for a long time can make a profit, per Redfin.

One in seven San Francisco Bay Area homeowners selling at a loss

Across the nation, the highest proportion and largest losses were in Bay Area.

Illustration of a real estate sale sign shaped like a downward point arrow

Housing

A growing share of San Francisco Bay Area homeowners are selling their houses at a loss, per data Redfin shared with Axios.Why it matters: The Bay Area&#x27;s housing market is undergoing a course correction, but potential homebuyers are still finding <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="home prices to be out of reach" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2023/10/23/housing-affordablity-income-san-francisco" data-vars-content-id="012acf2d-abfd-43e0-b773-0d8e49737355" data-vars-headline="One in seven San Francisco Bay Area homeowners selling at a loss" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2023/10/23/housing-affordablity-income-san-francisco" target="_self">home prices to be out of reach</a> due to high interest rates.

Real Estate

Golden Gate Park's famed Stow Lake is set to be renamed following a series of public hearings, and over a dozen potential new names have been submitted by the public.

Why it matters: Stow Lake, a doughnut-shaped body of water created in 1893, is named after a 19th century politician who wanted to force Jewish people out of California.

Local Jewish groups have pushed the city for years to rename the lake, which is known as a scenic hub for strolling, picnicking and boat-pedaling.

Dr. Ho Feng Shan Lake, for the Chinese diplomat who issued unauthorized visas to Jews fleeing the Holocaust and later retired in San Francisco.

Joan Davenny Lake, for the Jewish teacher and San Francisco native who was killed in a terrorist attack on Israel in 1995.

Mary Ellen Pleasant Lake or Pleasant Lake, for the Gold Rush-era local abolitionist who was the first Black woman to become a self-made millionaire.

Lake Hall, for the civil engineer William Hammond Hall who designed Golden Gate Park.

Patrick Quigley Lake, for Golden Gate Park's foreman of construction who helped transform its landscaping over four decades.

Wong Kim Ark Lake, for the Chinese American whose 1898 Supreme Court case established precedent for birthright citizenship. 

Ramaytush Ohlone Lake, for the Ramaytush Ohlone people who are native to the San Francisco Peninsula.

Blue Heron Lake/Heron Lake or Turtle Lake, for the wildlife in and around the lake.

Mikveh Lake, for honoring the Jewish bath or immersion ritual.

Of note: The list is not final. The office of Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who is leading the renaming effort, is accepting submissions on a rolling basis.

The San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission will make the final decision — it is not required to choose a name put forth by the public.

Idyllic lake in Golden Gate Park gets new name options

The popular destination is currently named after an antisemitic politician from the 19th century.

People ride a pedalo at Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park in October 2022. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Golden Gate Park&#x27;s famed Stow Lake is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="set to be renamed" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2022/10/25/golden-gate-park-lake-name-prompts-call-for-change" data-vars-content-id="1a931b9e-ef2e-43a7-8f08-dd091e412873" data-vars-headline="Idyllic lake in Golden Gate Park gets new name options" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2022/10/25/golden-gate-park-lake-name-prompts-call-for-change" target="_self">set to be renamed</a> following a series of public hearings, and over a dozen potential new names have been submitted by the public.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Stow Lake" data-vars-click-url="https://sfrecpark.org/facilities/facility/details/Stow-Lake-410" data-vars-content-id="1a931b9e-ef2e-43a7-8f08-dd091e412873" data-vars-headline="Idyllic lake in Golden Gate Park gets new name options" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://sfrecpark.org/facilities/facility/details/Stow-Lake-410" target="_blank">Stow Lake</a>, a doughnut-shaped body of water created in 1893, is named after a 19th century politician who wanted to force Jewish people out of California.

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