Dispatches from the Field: A San Francisco Liberal reports from across the U.S.
Listen to Kevin read this post
Since Memorial Day, I have traveled to sixteen far flung communities from Kake, Alaska (population: 500) to Miami, Florida (population: 2.6 million). I began these travels just as the moniker “San Francisco Liberal” started hitting the airwaves. The timing was enlightening for me.
There I was — a 62 year-old Asian Pacific Islander, gay, gender non-conforming and long-time San Franciscan — bringing rarified notions such as kuleana, pono, and the importance finding balance through The Five Elements to deeply red communities such as Ogden, Utah, Juneau, Alaska, Woodinville, Washington, and Lawndale, North Carolina. Such is the life of a Transformative Justice practitioner!
The good news? I made it out not only alive but also refreshed.
The better news? I met kindest, most welcoming and hospitable people every place I visited.
The current discourse in the United States might lead you to assume that I would receive a different reception in these communities, and for good reason. The “threat” of a San Francisco Liberal has basis in fact. Only seven percent of San Francisco’s population is registered Republican and the city has not had a Republican mayor since 1964.
San Franciscans, such as Dianne Feinstein and Nancy Pelosi, held influential positions in Washington D.C. for decades. And now another San Franciscan has a good shot at becoming the next Commander in Chief. To many Republicans, the danger posed by San Francisco Liberals is real.
I ventured to these Red State communities knowing that folks might have formed their own stories of who I am and what I stand for based on where I am from. While I did not intend to deny these stories, I also hoped I would have a chance to show them a fuller picture of who we San Franciscans truly are.
I introduced myself as the son of Bob and Mary, the spouse of Greg, and the parent of Rafael, Santiago, and Conner. I talked about my struggles as a small business owner trying to make ends meet in these economic times. I talked about the demands and joys of caring for an aging parent. I talked about the music that shaped me as a young person, my influential teachers, the make and model of my first car (1978 Datsun 510), my love of ice cream, and my passion for root beer.
More importantly to me, I asked them about who they are and whose they are. I asked them to share their hopes and struggles for themselves, their families, and their community.
These conversations brought me to the place I love, where I have often found that, despite our differences, we share not only common ground — but an ability to reach higher ground. People everywhere want to know how we can create conditions for everyone in our community and country to manifest their best selves and thrive.
My travels changed me and shone a light on an abiding faith in the power of the work we do. Over the next several weeks, I’m going to share stories of my experiences as a San Francisco Liberal visiting these wonderful and welcoming communities.
We will journey from planting season at Roots and Branches Farm in Lawndale, North Carolina to harvesting season with Uncle Joel Jackson in Kake, Alaska. In between, you will meet my teacher— Katherine Metz from Woodinville, WA. We’ll take a roadtrip across New Mexico with Theresa Pasqual and gather with my childhood friends in Indianapolis for the Drum Corps International Championships. You will meet the unsung essential workers in Miami-Dade County as they prepare for the storm season, and educators in Ogden, UT and Skokie, IL who work hard to create a community where everyone belongs.
In these divided and sometimes combative times, my hope is that these stories provide a vision of a world that could be. That will be.
Stay tuned for my next post from The Roots and Branches Farm in Lawndale, North Carolina.
Kevin John Fong is an internationally recognized cultural translator, facilitator, and speaker in transformative justice, leadership development, and building beloved communities. Kevin is the Founder of the Kahakulei Institute, whose mission is to weave people and possibilities to cultivate communities of belonging.
Kevin is a featured host on the CNBC News series, Changing the Narrative, and the author of, “The Five Elements: An East Asian Approach to Achieve Organizational Health, Professional Growth, and Personal Well-Being.”
Most importantly, Kevin is the child of Bob and Mary; the spouse of Greg; and the parent of Rafael, Santiago and Conner. Kevin lives in the traditional land of the Ramaytush Ohlone people, now known as San Francisco, CA.
