An advocacy group called "Community Spaces SF" released Safe Places, Community Spaces, a documentary video on Wednesday. The video is comprised of interviews with people enjoying the J.F.K. Promenade and the Great Walkway.
Should every street in San Francisco be dominated by relatively wealthy motorists, or should cars be banned in certain areas so people can walk, bike, and otherwise enjoy spaces in safety? Anyone who follows the debate closely knows those who want the J.F.K. Promenade turned back into a highway, and the Great Walkway turned back into space dominated by auto traffic 24/7, often foisting a false narrative that people who ride bikes, walk, and just want to enjoy these spaces are exclusively able-bodied, white, wealthy, and elite. Regular people, they claim, drive to work and need these roads for their cars.
"What's special about J.F.K. and the Great Walkway is they're large expansive places with room for people to enjoy nature's greatest gifts to our city," explained part-time advocate and Outer Sunset resident Lucas Lux. "They're inviting to everyone and allow people to build community and connections."
Lux and others with the group "Community Spaces SF" decided to make their 15-minute documentary to show examples of who really uses the Great Walkway and J.F.K. Promenade. It's actually an incredibly diverse group of people. "It's easy to find people in mobility scooters or in a wheelchair using the space. It's easy to find any type of person using the space," said Lux, who hosted and directed the film. "You see every type of person sharing the space together."
"It's been really fun to go through the editing process, because you have to really listen to what people say, and you have to do a good job of hearing their voices and not misinterpreting," said Parker Day, who edited and helped produce the film. "I enjoyed listening to each of these interviews and understanding where they're coming from."
Day develops online training programs for companies and was the only member of the group with professional production experience. "We started shooting around Christmas," he explained. From the group's website about the movie:
Spaces like JFK Promenade, Great Highway Park, and Slow Streets have changed the lives of San Franciscans by giving them more spaces to build community. Hear from your neighbors who love these spaces including Carol, who rediscovered Golden Gate Park on a mobility scooter, and Gene, who brings youth he mentors to JFK Promenade to ride bikes away from the violence in their neighborhoods.
Day will be editing shorter versions of the interviews for use on Twitter and other social media platforms for those who may not want to spend 15 minutes watching the full documentary. Lux told Streetsblog that part of the point of making the videos is that many people don't have time to spend advocating and going to city hall, which skews perceptions of who actually wants these spaces to remain car-free. The idea is to give a voice to the people who don't have time to speak out. "It's a challenge of advocacy--most people don't want to or can't advocate. They just want to enjoy these spaces with their friends and family."
Be sure to check out the full video:
To learn more, or to get involved, check out the Community Spaces SF web page.
