Academy Forum: Exploring the Realities and Finding Hope for Unhoused Women

Moderated by Honey Mahogany, Activist and District Director for Assemblymember Matt Haney. Our panelists include:

• Kara Zordel, Community Forward SF
• Kimberly Ellis, San Francisco Department on the Status of Women
• Rebecca Jackson, Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice Cameo House

6:00pm — Doors Open, mingling & drinks

6:45pm — Program Begins

8:00pm — After Reception

What is it like to be an unhoused woman in San Francisco? What makes the journey into, through and out of homelessness different for women than the rest of the population? How can we better serve women and non-binary individuals during a time when women’s rights are going backward nationally? Join us for an engaging Academy Forum moderated by Honey Mahogany with special guests Kara Zordel, Community Forward SF CEO, Rebecca Jackson, Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice Director, and Kimberly Ellis, Director for the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women.

For decades, Community Forward SF has run the City's only women's drop-in center that is open 24/7 to provide safety and low-barrier services to unhoused cis and trans women and gender nonconforming individuals. They also operate a 56 bed transitional housing program for women. Through this conversation, attendees will learn about the safety net (or lack thereof) for unhoused women and proposed solutions that could make a significant impact on the nearly 3,000 women who experience homelessness on a given night in San Francisco.

TO ATTEND

Academy Forum events are open to all. Please reserve your general admission spot for this limited-capacity indoor event.

TICKETS

• FREE for Academy Members
• $20 Non-Member / Guest of Member

MEMBERSHIP

The Academy is currently accepting new memberships. If you are interested in becoming a Member and enjoying all of the associated perks and benefits, please click here to learn more.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

Kara Zordel

Kara Zordel serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Community Forward SF and has over 20 years of experience leading nonprofits with the mission to end chronic homelessness. Kara joined Community Forward SF in 2019 after leading the national award-winning best practice, Project Homeless Connect. Prior to Project Homeless Connect, Kara created the first-of-its-kind housing program in New York City that housed and empowered upwardly mobile women who had previously been unhoused. She also led social services in the South Bronx, worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency post 9/11, and has worked for UNICEF Tanzania.

Kimberly Ellis

Kimberly Ellis serves as the Director for the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women where she leads efforts inside the City’s operations and advocates at the local, state and federal level for resources and policies that create greater opportunities for women and girls and empowers them to build pathways to healthy and prosperous futures and to thrive. Named the most powerful unelected person in California Democratic politics by the Sacramento Bee, Kimberly Ellis has helped shape the landscape of progressive and grassroots politics in California and beyond. For nearly a decade, Kimberly led Emerge California with incredible success, growing what had been a regional training program into a statewide electoral powerhouse for Democratic women, earning her the reputation for revolutionizing Democratic politics in the Golden State.

Rebecca Jackson

Rebecca Jackson is the Cameo House Director for the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice and a powerful advocate for systems that impact homeless women and their children in San Francisco. Her personal lived experiences and survival of domestic violence, racism, addiction, homelessness and incarceration inform her work and fuel her desire to be a positive example and role model of change for others. Rebecca extends her advocacy and activism on women’s issues by being a voice and is the co-chair of the SF Women’s Housing Coalition, serves on the board at Hamilton Families and is a member of the SF Re-entry Council Women’s 1st Subcommittee, Treatment on Demand and SF Taxpayer’s Women’s Working Group. She is proud to own a small business, Rebecca J’s Decor & Events that has been doing work in the Bay Area for over six years.

Honey Mahogany

Honey Mahogany is a performer, small business owner, and activist who grew up in San Francisco. Honey received her Masters in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley, and her work as an advocate, culture creator, and change maker has earned her recognition from the City of San Francisco; the State of California; Sainthood from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence; and awards from numerous organizations including the Imperial Court of San Francisco; Harvey Milk Democratic Club; Trans Day of Visibility; and the Women's Foundation of California. Honey is a co-founder and served as the inaugural Executive Director of San Francisco's Transgender District, she is a founding queen of Drag Story Hour, a co-owner of the Stud Bar, a singer with nu-metal group Commando, and recently ran a historic campaign for District 6 Supervisor in San Francisco. Currently, Honey is working as the District Director for Assemblymember Matt Haney and serves as Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party.

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and food items are available for purchase. Our menus can be found here. Academy Social Club Members receive certain beverages complimentary. Ask your bartender or host for details.

CLUB INFORMATION (FOR MEMBERS)

The Club will also be open during regular hours for Members and their guests not attending this event.

SAFE SPACE

The Academy is a safe space for all—in particular members of our LGBTQ+ community. We encourage you to learn more about our safe space principles & policies by clicking here.

ACCESSIBILITY

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. The event venue has an accessible entrance and restroom facilities. Please contact us if you have questions or specific requests regarding access.