By Quintessa Williams
San Francisco’s Mayor, London N. Breed, has announced a plan to bring a satellite campus of a historically Black college or university (HBCU) to the city as part of her 30 by 30 initiative. The proposal, named Black 2 San Francisco, aims to increase the city’s population by 300,000 residents and students by 2030.
The Black 2 San Francisco initiative, led by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, will offer a city grant to a selected HBCU to aid in the establishment of a satellite campus in downtown San Francisco. The campus will cater to both Bay Area residents and HBCU students from all over the country.
Additionally, the program intends to create educational and philanthropic partnerships between the upcoming HBCU campus and local public, private, and nonprofit organizations. To kick off this initiative, the city of San Francisco is hosting a summer intern program for 60 students from HBCUs throughout the United States. The participating students will receive internship placements, participate in academic workshops, and learn about the culture of San Francisco.
“Bringing an HBCU satellite campus here will boost our downtown and our economy while bringing new minds and ideas to grow within our world-renowned culture of innovation,” said Breed. “We have been building partnerships with HBCUs across the country, and we are bringing our first cohort of students here this summer, all part of our larger 30 by 30 initiative to help revitalize downtown. San Francisco is seizing the opportunity to be a center of excellence with a commitment to higher education as a key part of our city’s future.”
Breed was sworn in as mayor of San Francisco on July 11, 2018, making her the first Black woman mayor in the city’s history. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Davis and a master of public administration degree from the University of San Francisco.
