Celebrating Our City's Champions of Change

Our Gala Committee co-hosts are pleased to announce that our first Champion of Change is none other than Mayor Daniel Lurie.

Since being sworn into office, Mayor Lurie has immediately gone to work pushing bold transformational change in San Francisco to reshape the way our government works, to prioritize and tackle our public safety challenges head on, and to revive and revitalize our downtown – the beating heart of our local economy. Mayor Lurie is also leading change on policies to improve collaboration and congeniality across our city and City Hall.

Mothers Against Drug Addiction and Deaths (MADAAD) is a grassroots advocacy group founded in August 2021 by mothers directly impacted by the fentanyl crisis—some who have lost children to overdose, and others whose children continue to struggle with addiction on the streets.

MADAAD has become a force for change in San Francisco, leading efforts to shut down deadly open-air drug markets and pushing relentlessly for vulnerable people to receive the mental health care and addiction treatment they urgently need. Their courage and determination make them true champions within our city’s civic landscape.

The Nor Cal Carpenters Union represents tens of thousands of skilled tradespeople building the infrastructure and housing that our region depends on. More than just a labor organization, the union is a powerful advocate for working families, championing fair wages, safe working conditions, and pathways to economic opportunity for all San Franciscans.

The Nor Cal Carpenters Union has demonstrated unwavering commitment to our community—from training the next generation of skilled workers through robust apprenticeship programs to advocating for policies that address our housing shortage and create good-paying jobs that strengthen our local economy. Their dedication to taking on the entrenched laws and fighting to end California’s housing shortage for working people, while lifting up the workers who will build those homes, is what makes them a cherished champion for change on housing.

GrowSF is a grassroots political organization that has transformed San Francisco's civic landscape through voter education, accountability, and winning elections. What began four years ago as a mission to flip the Board of Supervisors has grown into the most influential political organization in the city, trusted by hundreds of thousands of San Franciscans.

Their relentless focus on real solutions—building more housing, creating safer streets, tackling the drug crisis, and making government more effective—has shifted the conversation and the outcomes in San Francisco.

Their dedication to empowering everyday San Franciscans with clear, honest information and holding elected officials accountable has made democracy work better in our city. They've proven that when voters are informed and engaged, transformative change is possible.