More ways to celebrate car-free JFK (plus photos from the campaign)

/ May 5, 2022

We are NOT done celebrating!

“This is real,” I kept thinking to myself as I looked at everyone on car-free JFK last Thursday. We were celebrating the April 26 vote that made 1.5 miles of safe, car-free space on JFK Drive permanent. “This is forever.”

It was a moment I had been afraid wouldn’t happen, despite the overwhelming support for car-free JFK (soon to officially be called ‘the JFK Promenade’). This was such a hard-fought win. And it happened only because so many people and organizations were united every step of the way. If you’re reading this, I bet you helped in some way big or small (and every bit mattered, so truly: thank you).

Well, we are not done celebrating this historic moment for our health, safety, and climate – and building even more momentum to transform our city’s streets.

So I hope you’ll join me at one of these upcoming JFK Promenade events!

The City’s official JFK Promenade celebration: Saturday, May 7 from 11AM to 2PM

There will be a parade, a marching band, activities for families, and more! Mayor Breed will sign the legislation making car-free JFK permanent at ~12:15PM. Learn more.

Walk and talk on JFK Promenade: Tuesday, May 10 at 5PM or Wednesday, May 11 at 12PM

Join me for a stroll to chat about the campaign and swap ideas on ways JFK Promenade can be made even better. RSVP to walk with me.

Celebratory bike ride for kids on JFK Promenade: Saturday, May 14 at 11AM

This is being organized as part of an international ‘Kidical Mass’ event! Learn more and RSVP.

I also want to share some of my favorite photos from the campaign since the fall (see below). Click on the photo view the full image in high resolution. If you have great ones to add, send them to me at marta@walksf.org.

: On November 12, a walk / run brought out big numbers of supporters. Photo by Emily Huston.

: Photo by Walk SF.

: Talking with so many people about car-free JFK was key to the campaign — because most had no idea it could easily go away. As soon as they found out, they were eager to take action! Photo by Walk SF.

: Paul Wermer and Carol Brownson were both passionate advocates throughout the campaign. Photo by Emily Huston.

: Anytime that volunteers were out on car-free JFK, they met folks who absolutely loved the space and found it critical for their mental and physical health. Photo by Walk SF.

: Andy Thornley (center), has been part of pushing for a permanent car-free JFK for decades. Photo by Emily Huston.

: Susan George and Miles Epstein supported the campaign at every turn. Photo by Emily Huston.

: A group of young climate leaders celebrating car-free JFK. The largest source of climate emissions in San Francisco is transportation, especially private vehicles. Photo by Walk SF.

: Every time we were out on car-free JFK collecting signatures, we had overwhelming support from passersby. Many said car-free JFK was the best thing to ever happen to San Francisco. Photo by Walk SF.

: Photo by Emily Huston.

: Walk SF and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition had teams of volunteers out on car-free JFK for months. Thanks to these amazing volunteers, we collected 10,000 postcards in support of making car-free JFK permanent. The postcards were delivered to the Supervisors at City Hall before the final vote. Photo by Walk SF.

: Janelle Phung of Walk SF spoke to people on JFK about the upcoming vote in both Chinese and English. Photo by Walk SF.

: This campaign always had a lot of love going for it. From the February 12 rally. By Sergio Ruiz.

: Dragon dancers at the February 12 rally. Photo by Sergio Ruiz.

: Walk San Francisco’s executive director Jodie Medeiros spoke at the February 12 rally. Photo by Sergio Ruiz.

: Marta Lindsey from Walk SF presented Supervisor Mandelman with a Valentine that read “We luv u for supporting car-free JFK.” He loved it! Photo by Dan Nguyen-Tan.

: Ruth Malone, RN, PhD speaks at the February 12 rally about the importance of car-free JFK for public health. Photo by Jim Watkins.

: Wesley Tam from Urban Environmentalists spoke at the February 12 rally in English and Cantonese. “You might not have known this, but you’re at a climate rally right now!” he said. Photo by Zack Subin.

: Photo by Sergio Ruiz.

: San Francisco Bicycle Coalition executive director Janelle Wong spoke at the February 12 rally. Photo by Sergio Ruiz.

: Supervisor Matt Haney spoke at the February 12 rally. Photo by Sergio Ruiz.

: February 12 rally photo by Jim Watkins.

: At the February 12 rally, RN Becca Cordes stood with her children and shared why health care professionals believe car-free JFK is critically important. Photo by Jim Watkins.

: Photo by Sergio Ruiz.

: Photo by Sergio Ruiz.

: At the February 12 rally, hundreds of people shouted in unison, “We love car-free JFK!” Walk SF’s Marta Lindsey took a video she sent to all the Supervisors. Photo by Jim Watkins.

: Photo by Jim Watkins.

: Photo by Sergio Ruiz.

: Musician Doug Goodkin led people in a call-and-response song in support of car-free JFK at the February 12 rally. Photo by Jim Watkins.

: Photo by Sergio Ruiz

: Children and parents were powerful advocates throughout the campaign. Many gave public comment on April 26. February 12 rally photo by Jim Watkins.

: David Miles, Jr. has always had the vision for car-free JFK. Photo from the February 12 rally by Sergio Ruiz.

: The passion from the car-free JFK volunteers can’t be overstated. Whether they were out on JFK or behind the scenes, their contributions made the difference with the campaign! Photo by Walk SF.

: For the March 1 rally at City Hall, volunteers taped together giant quilts of the postcards signed in support of a permanent car-free JFK. Photo by Walk SF.

: At the March 1 rally at City Hall, we laid out thousands of postcards that volunteers had taped together into quilts. Photo by William McLeod.

: At the March 1 rally, parent Kit Lam spoke about his change of heart with car-free JFK, and how important it became to his family and how he wanted it to stay. Photo by William McLeod.

: At the March 1 rally, a child brought her own petition to save car-free JFK. Photo by William McLeod.

: Supervisor Dean Preston was an outspoken supporter of car-free JFK since early on, stating that it was necessary in a city with a traffic safety climate and a planet in a climate crisis. Photo by William McLeod.

: David Miles, Jr. at the March 1 rally. Photo by William McLeod.

: Deep Jawa of San Francisco League of Conservation Voters had his daughter join him on March 1 to talk about why car-free JFK is climate action. Photo by William McLeod.

: Walk SF’s executive director Jodie Medeiros spoke at the March 1 rally at City Hall. Photo by William McLeod.

: After the March 1 rally, David Miles, Jr. and other District 1 constituents visited the office of Supervisor Connie Chan.

: A group of moms in support of car-free JFK delivered letters signed by hundreds of parents to City Hall before the final vote. Photo by Teresa Hammerl.

: Volunteers put hundreds of hours into the car-free JFK campaign. This is right after we hit our goal of 10,000 signed postcards, which were delivered to Supervisors two days later. Photo by Eso Eco.

: Dr. Stephen Gamboa, Dr. Olivia Gamboa, and RN Rebecca Cordes brought a letter in support of car-free JFK signed by 70+ health care professionals to City Hall. Photo by Walk SF.

: Before delivering the 10,000 postcards to the Supervisors at City Hall, volunteers spent hours sorting postcards by district. Photo by Walk SF.

: Seven local climate and environmental groups came together in support of car-free JFK. This polar bear helped deliver a letter from the groups to City Hall before the final vote. Photo by Walk SF.

: Deep Jawa with San Francisco League of Conservation Voters and Eva Holman with Mothers Out Front brought a letter signed by 7 climate organizations in support of car-free JFK to City Hall. Photo by Cambria Minott.

: Volunteers contributed hundreds of hours to the car-free JFK campaign. Photo by Walk SF.

: Walk San Francisco’s executive director Jodie Medeiros at the rally on the morning of April 26. “The #1 reason we need car-free JFK is safety,” said Medeiros. Photo by William McLeod.

: San Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s executive director Janelle Wong spoke at the March 1 rally at City Hall. Photo by William McLeod.

: David Miles, Jr. at the final rally before the April 26 vote. Photo by William McLeod.

: Supervisor Matt Haney’s final vote was on car-free JFK, and he was passionate from early on about keeping “the rose that grew out of the concrete” during the pandemic. Haney is now an Assemblymember for District 17. Photo by William McLeod.

: From the April 26 rally at City Hall. Photo by William McLeod.

: Supervisor Rafael Mandelman was a strong supporter of a permanent car-free JFK from early on. He spoke at almost every rally we had. Photo by William McLeod.

: Throughout the campaign, Supervisor Dean Preston strongly advocated for car-free JFK as a necessary step for a city in a traffic safety crisis and a planet in a climate crisis. Photo by William McLeod.

: David Miles, Jr. at the final rally before the April 26 vote. Photo by William McLeod.

: Robin Pam of KidSafe SF spoke about why car-free JFK was critically needed by families. Photo by William McLeod.

: The room was packed on the morning of April 26 at the start of the hearing on the fate of car-free JFK. Public comment would ultimately take ten hours. Photo by William McLeod.

: David Miles, Jr.’s hat stands out in the packed room at the final hearing on April 26. Photo by William McLeod.

: A victorious moment for advocates on the steps of City Hall at around 9:30PM on April 26 after the vote that made car-free JFK permanent.

: This headline from the San Francisco Examiner was one we had dreamed of… and it happened!

: Musician John Elliott’s song, “Keep It Car-Free,” became an anthem of the campaign. He performed it at the car-free JFK celebration on April 28, as well as during public comment on April 26. Photo by Walk SF.

: At the April 28 victory party for car-free JFK, Walk SF executive director Jodie Medeiros celebrated with City Attorney David Chiu and State Senator Scott Wiener. Photo by Walk SF.

: David Miles, Jr. has fought for car-free JFK since 1982. His grin says it all at the victory celebration on April 28. Photo by Cambria Minott.

: April 28, 2022, was the exact two-year birthday of the 1.5-miles of car-free space on JFK Drive. We will celebrate this every year now that it’s permanent! Photo by Cambria Minott.

: A banner from the celebration of Mayor London Breed signing legislation in support of a permanent car-free JFK. So grateful to everyone who played a part! Photo by Jim Watkins.

: During Mayor London Breed’s speech on May 7, 2022, Walk SF supporters held signs in gratitude. Photo by Jim Watkins.

: At the May 7 signing of the JFK Promenade legislation, Lian Chang spoke on behalf of the many parents who pushed for a permanent car-free JFK. Photo by Walk SF.

: The moment after Mayor London Breed signed legislation making JFK Promenade permanent on May 7, 2022. Photo by Jim Watkins.

: The moment after Mayor London Breed signed legislation making JFK Promenade permanent on May 7, 2022. Photo by Jim Watkins.

: Janelle Wong, executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, Mayor London Breed, and Marta Lindsey with Walk SF at the signing of the JFK Promenade legislation. Photo by Walk SF.

: Walk SF members and car-free JFK volunteers gather with Mayor London Breed after she signed legislation making JFK Promenade permanent on May 7, 2022. Photo by Jim Watkins.

: An incredible moment with Mayor London Breed after car-free JFK officially and permanently became the JFK Promenade on May 7, 2022. Photo by Jim Watkins.

Does car-free JFK mean a lot to you? As a small nonprofit, the car-free JFK campaign was a BIG lift for us. So if you’re feeling grateful that you and future generations will have JFK Promenade forever, please consider a donation to Walk SF.

Donate now

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