Jeff Adachi Way needs your support: Sign petition and send an email to City Hall

Jeff-Adachi-1959-2019-poster, Jeff Adachi Way needs your support: Sign petition and send an email to City Hall, Local News & Views

by Supporters of Jeff Adachi Way

Earlier this year, we lost longtime San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi. While his death has been a tremendous loss to the community, his legacy has inspired many to continue carrying the torch and advancing his vision for justice.

District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney has been leading the effort to carry on Jeff’s legacy by renaming Gilbert Street – the very street that Jeff would walk on every day between the Public Defender’s Office to the Hall of Justice – to Jeff Adachi Way.

For the name change to become a reality, the community needs to show up and support this effort! Two easy steps go a long way:

  1. Sign the online petition to support Jeff Adachi Way, at https://tinyurl.com/jeffadachiwaysf.
  2. Organization or business: Send a simple email of support on your organization or business letterhead to Supervisor Haney, haneystaff@sfgov.org, and to Mayor London Breed, mayorlondonbreed@sfgov.org.
  3. Individuals: Send a simple email of support to Supervisor Haney, haneystaff@sfgov.org, and to Mayor London Breed, mayorlondonbreed@sfgov.org, saying “I support renaming Gilbert Street to Jeff Adachi Way.”

Sending letters of support and signing the petition is the best way to show City Hall that this is what the community wants!

“Supporting the creation of Jeff Adachi Way is an excellent way for SF to honor and carry on his legacy.”

Jeff’s dedication was apparent throughout his life. He began his tenure as a deputy public defender at the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office in 1986. Through his drive and dedication, he was elected as Public Defender of the City and County of San Francisco in 2002, where he served until his passing.

As a champion of the marginalized and downtrodden, he revolutionized the Public Defender’s Office, brought critical resources to the department, and truly made it a workforce that provided effective, high-quality and holistic legal defense. Jeff hired, inspired and mentored others who shared a similar vision of justice, equity and compassion. Under his leadership and advocacy, the Public Defender’s Office of San Francisco has become a guiding light for many public defender offices across the country.

While he was a fierce advocate for racial justice, civil liberties, criminal justice reform and immigration rights, he also invested in the community. During his tenure at the Public Defender’s Office, he helped develop programs like Mo Magic and Bayview Magic, which aim to empower and advance the health and resources of disadvantaged youth and their families.

Jeff-Adachi-speaks-for-Idriss-Stelley-Foundation-in-SFBV-ISF-backyard, Jeff Adachi Way needs your support: Sign petition and send an email to City Hall, Local News & Views
Jeff Adachi speaks for Idriss Stelley Foundation in the Bay View’s backyard!

Jeff was also an author and award-winning filmmaker. While many separate their hobbies from their work, his dedication to justice was even displayed in his documentaries, all of which focused on racial justice.

He was an outspoken advocate and was fearless in the pursuit of justice for his clients, even if that meant demanding accountability from the San Francisco Police Department and the local judiciary. Even though this was not easy, Jeff fought against police overreach and for constitutional rights; it’s critical that San Francisco continues to uphold the same standards and principles that Jeff spent his entire life defending.

Jeff Adachi has left a lasting impact on our communities and deserves to be recognized for his legacy and decades of public service. Supporting the creation of Jeff Adachi Way is an excellent way for San Francisco to preserve, honor and carry on his legacy.

To learn more and get involved, contact rebecca.young@sfgov.org.