We won.

Movements happen one step, one door knock, one conversation at a time. Until it’s thousands. That’s why I knocked on 14,000 doors in the movement to create our best San Francisco.

It’s an honor to be given the opportunity to lead the next steps as a newly elected city supervisor.

My campaign activated and energized many residents who volunteered their skills and talents to effect change and fix San Francisco. This largely parent-powered effort is about ensuring our city is a safe and joyful place for everyone.

There is much to look forward to.

Our best San Francisco is a place where streets are safe from crime and safe for pedestrians and cyclists. Where we make room to house the families, workers, innovators, and artisans that define a city. Where we celebrate the joy already in San Francisco as we fix things.

Watch a highlight video from my election night speech. We called it a volunteer appreciation party because, win or lose, election night was about the people who are determined to keep growing our movement.

Defenders of the status quo tried to dismiss our campaign, but they missed the bigger picture.

We created a movement of thousands of ordinary residents that can’t be dismissed. We also educated and engaged thousands more residents through my SF Politics 101 presentations.

I've lost campaigns, but there is power in those losses.

Each campaign won more votes than the previous and we organized a growing network of residents who want to replace the failed status quo with sensible solutions. They no longer feel powerless or alone.

Our network of residents was instrumental in three big wins this year.

We recalled an incompetent school board and an ineffective district attorney — two key steps to get our city working for everyone. Electing new city supervisors is the third step to fix San Francisco.

We made history defeating an incumbent supervisor against all odds.

I’m confident our persistence will result in even more wins. In upcoming races, our movement will back candidates committed to what residents need: safer streets, better schools, more housing, and vibrant small businesses.

Change isn’t easy when the status quo is threatened. The machine behind the incumbent I unseated attacked me with scorched earth intensity. I held my opponent accountable on the issues. But I was subjected to an extraordinary barrage of ugly and outlandish attacks by well-funded and established organizations.

As a lifelong Democrat, it was disappointing to see fellow Democrats use these tactics. It’s fair to point out and critique policy positions based on the facts. But San Francisco is not the place to bully and belittle candidates while spreading misinformation.

It’s important to debunk all the misinformation that flooded every voter’s mailbox and saturated social media.

We ran a clean campaign with a positive vision for our best San Francisco.

Thank you for voting for change. Thank you to the volunteers and donors in our movement. It will continue to grow — because we deserve to live in a city that works.

Be part of the movement to create our best San Francisco. Join me along with the these changemaking organizations:

Thanks for your support,
Joel Engardio

We Won — Because We Are a Movement