Joint Statement on Retention Practices
Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club and Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club Logos
Contact: cochairs@alicebtoklas.org & communitcations@milkclub.org
The Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club and Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club are deeply concerned about the recent firing of LGBTQ staff and senior leadership across San Francisco city government. LGBTQ voices are essential in shaping the policies and practices that impact our city, yet we are seeing those voices pushed out of the very spaces where decisions are made.
These layoffs are hitting the very departments responsible for delivering care, equity, and accountability across San Francisco. Early reports show at least 22 workers cut from the City Administrator’s Office, 10 from the Human Services Agency, nine from the Department of Public Health, and additional staff across the Mayor’s Office, Human Rights Commission, Arts Commission, Ethics Commission, and Department of Human Resources, among others. The Office of Economic and Workforce Development alone has lost 14 employees across all levels.
The removal of experienced public servants, including queer leaders, women, and Black women in senior leadership, raises serious concerns about the direction of workforce development in San Francisco. These decisions not only diminish representation, they weaken our city’s ability to serve vulnerable communities who rely on leaders with lived experience and deep community ties.
This pattern signals a troubling shift. At a time when our communities are facing real challenges, we should be investing in diverse leadership, not dismantling it. The loss of these leaders undermines trust, disrupts continuity, and sends a message about whose voices are valued in City Hall.
The Mayor’s proposed budget reflects a broader pattern of disinvestment in the very communities most impacted by these workforce decisions. Millions of dollars in cuts are being directed at LGBTQ+ services, immigrant support, and communities of color— including approximately $1.7 million from services for transgender and gender nonconforming people (impacting 2,500 individuals), $1.4 million from HIV/AIDS services (impacting 2,000 people), and $3 million from broader LGBTQ+ support systems (impacting 4,600 people). Immigrant communities face an additional $20 million in cuts across legal services and language access programs, affecting an estimated 30,000 residents. These reductions, alongside a reported $643 million deficit and the elimination of the 127 city jobs across 18 departments, demonstrates fewer resources, fewer trusted providers, and fewer community-informed voices within government according to the People’s Budget.
We call on the Mayor and Board of Supervisors to prioritize equity in hiring, retention, and leadership. San Francisco must recommit to building a workforce that reflects the full diversity of our city. Representation matters, and our communities deserve to see themselves reflected in the leadership that serves them.
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