The story of San Francisco’s community-led response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Synopsis
In The Heart of Access, frontline community workers, public health staff, and leaders speak about their collaborative efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco’s historically marginalized communities – communities of color experiencing the highest health and social disparities. By following the leadership of community-based organizations, the city attained one of the lowest COVID-associated death rates and highest vaccination rates of any metropolitan area in the US. From day one, community groups formed essential hubs to meet the basic the needs of essential workers, elders, and the unemployed. Drawing from lessons learned during the AIDS epidemic, the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) knew early on that community advocacy and leadership would be key in how well the city could respond to a public health crisis. With support from SFDPH, these hubs transformed into low-barrier testing and vaccination sites to equitably serve neighborhoods disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The Heart of Access documents not only the San Francisco model of vaccine access – a network of hyperlocal, culturally responsive vaccine sites led by trusted community ambassadors – but also demonstrates what equitable healthcare access and support could look like.
A Message from Dr. Berta Hernandez
COVID was an unprecedented global crisis that took everyone by surprise. Despite all odds, community organizations, city workers, university partners, and community members found a way to navigate these tumultuous times, working together tirelessly to sustain the communities most hard-hit by COVID. Communities that have been historically excluded came together in beautiful and unexpected ways with one mission in mind: to save the people, to save the city. The lines that divided us disappeared; we were galvanized by our camaraderie and solidarity. In late 2022, the workers and community members that spearheaded these efforts met to reflect on their experiences. We wanted to keep the momentum going, to sustain what we’ve built. We did not want to go back to pre-COVID times because we knew that the community-centered effort we created together was what health care and public health could look like. We need to identify resources to advance this vision and the support of local community organizations to help drive it. That’s where the idea to create a video to document our experiences emerged. As the People Development Manager at the SFDPH Center for Learning & Innovation (CLI), I received enthusiastic support from the department to undertake this project. With funding from the CDC to help us disseminate key lessons learned from our shared experience through the pandemic, CLI partnered with Wendy Martinez Marroquin of AllThrive Education to produce the film. We quickly realized that the process of creating the documentary became so much more than a record of what happened. In the process of telling our stories, we thought of the lives we lost, the fragility of our communities, and the undeniable need to strive for equity. We were so proud of the work we did but we also realized we needed a way to heal from the trauma of COVID and racism. We were lucky to work with AllThrive and OLU8, who understood all this and facilitated our storytelling process in ways that were reflective, profound, and transforming. They created a beautiful film that serves as a powerful testament to the determination, compassion, and resilience of our communities. 
