Candidate for
Supervisor; County of San Francisco; District 11

A San Francisco Success Story

Jose Medina is unafraid of adversity and challenge. In fact, he thrives on it. Born and raised in Littlefield, Texas - also known as the hometown of Waylon Jennings - his mother Ruth died when he was two years old. His father Leon had to travel great distances just to find work. So Jose was cared for and raised by a sister and members of his extended family. Those early years left an indelible impression on Medina, who attributes the racism and indignities of growing up in a segregated Texas town to his early commitment to public service.

Medina made the journey to California when he was eighteen. One of his first jobs was as a Library clerk, driving the San Francisco Library's bookmobile, and staffing the Excelsior Library. His next job was as a Deputy Court Clerk working the night shift. He got his first taste of activism when he left California for the South to work in the Civil Rights Movement where he acted as a campus coordinator in the dorms at Loyola University in New Orleans. This led to his investigating the hiring practices of companies along the Mississippi River.

Upon returning to California, he was asked to conduct a research project at Santa Clara University. It was there he met Raquel, a student and fellow activist committed to the same ideals. She would become his wife for 35 years and counting. After he and Raquel were married, Jose went to work as a consultant for Interstate Research Associates, a company doing economic development in the West.

It was at this time that he was singled out for the Robert F. Kennedy Fellowship. Personally chosen by the Kennedy family, Jose was one of twenty-one fellows deemed the best and the brightest from across the country. These fellowships were created by the Kennedys to reflect the spirit and carry on the important work of Robert F. Kennedy.

Jose used the one year paid scholarship to work within the San Francisco community. It was during this year that he founded the ground-breaking La Raza Information Center, whose services have created a lifeline to the community for more than 35 years. Jose and Raquel were expecting their first child at the time and the young couple's meager resources were severely strained. But they were determined to give birth to both a baby and the Information Center, moving into the garage next to Jose's father's house and paying staff salary from Raquel's earnings as a bank teller.

Jose Medina was a disciplined twenty-nine year old high school graduate with a developed social conscience when his co-workers, all Harvard MBA's said they thought it was time for him to get an education.

Jose was accepted to the Harvard Graduate School of Business. Two years later, he returned to San Francisco. Having discovered a hunger for education, he went on to attend City College of San Francisco, where he was elected Student Body President, San Francisco State University, where he has been inducted to the Alumni Hall of Fame with an Urban Studies degree, and Hastings College of the Law.

While attending law school his political career started to take shape. Then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein contacted Jose to ask him to serve on a City commission, calling him "San Francisco's best kept secret." She appointed him to the Relocation Appeals Board which serves displaced San Francisco residents and businesses.

When Jose was in law school he founded the Instituto Laboral de La Raza, a public interest workers' rights and labor mediation organization that continues to serve hardworking people of all races for almost 30 years. Serving as Executive Director from 1982 through 1995, he continued to fight against discrimination on the basis of race, national origin and age and represented people people facing discrimination for their HIV status and people facing discrimination based on their sexual orientation.

Three mayors - Dianne Feinstein, Art Agnos and Willie Brown have acknowledged Jose Medina's experience and ability by appointing him to City commissions that require exceptional skills, sound judgment, community involvement, and accountability like the Board of Permit Appeals and two terms on the San Francisco Police Commission where Jose is best known for defending Dolores Huerta, head of the United Farm Workers.

With over 93,000 votes, Jose finally earned election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1996 as the first Latino ever elected to the Board of Supervisors in their own right. Jose was also the only Supervisor elected from the Southeast part of San Francisco. Earning $23,000 a year, Jose accomplished many great things on the Board of Supervisors including the creation of the Valencia Bicycle Lanes, saving Laguna Honda Hospital, and advocating for public safety for parks, youth, and victims of Hate Crimes.

For Jose's remarkable job on the Board of Supervisors and proven loyalty, Jose Medina was appointed as the first Latino Director of the California Department of Transportation. Jose created the Office Civil Rights, re-established the CalTrans Small Business Council, achieved 90% Project Delivery, and earned "State Manager of the Years" honors during his tenure.

Jose Medina is a man of true courage whose more than 30 year record of accomplishment and public service - prepare him like no other candidate - to best serve District 11 and all the people of San Francisco.