Civil Rights

By Robert J Haaland

As someone who's grown up facing discrimination, I know that it takes a major commitment to economic and social justice and civil rights to achieve a just San Francisco.

I will work to ensure that the Police treat all San Franciscans with dignity and respect. There is nothing more fundamental to civil rights than ensuring that we are all treated equally in the justice system. I have worked for and will continue to fight for reform in the Police Department to ensure equal treatment of all individuals. I have also worked to hold individuals in the Police Force accountable for wrongdoings. As a legal intern for Bay Area Police Watch, a project of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, I helped to organize city residents after Aaron Williams was killed in 1995. Together, we forced the Police Commission to hold Officer Marc Andaya accountable for Williams' death.

I will be a champion for LGBT civil rights. As Vice-President (for four years) and then President (for one year) of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, I have been a champion for LGBT rights as well as for other oppressed communities. As an advocate for free speech and civil liberties, I spoke out when the SF Chronicle decided to pull a reporter from the Marriage Equality story simply because she was married to someone of the same sex. When the trial of the alleged murderers of transgendered teenager Gwen Araujo was declared a mistrial, I helped to organize an emergency rally to ensure that the District Attorney would retry the case. I will continue to find ways to advance civil rights for LGBT individuals and families.