SAN FRANCISCO—On Friday, May 8, Mayor London N. Breed and various associations launched the ‘Dear SF’ campaign.
The other organizations involved in the creation of the program are the San Francisco Entertainment Commission, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, the Office of Small Business, and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.
Dear SF’s Instagram page defines it as “a multimedia open letter campaign inviting San Franciscans to share their pride for local businesses and the entertainment community.”
According to the official announcement, the campaign is centred around asking San Franciscans to “share their love for local small businesses, event venues, and the people who make them special.” It is meant to acknowledge the ways in which these businesses have had to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To further support small businesses during the pandemic, the city of San Francisco will still celebrate Small Business Week 2020 even though the federal government cancelled the event. Dear SF will reportedly lead to the ‘Virtual Small Business Week’ by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, as well as the ‘San Francisco Virtual Nightlife and Entertainment Summit 2020’ by the city’s Entertainment Commission from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. on May 18.
The announcement asks city residents to “join Dear SF by posting your photos, videos, and love letters to San Francisco. We want your expressions of support, pride, and love for these businesses and the folks who make them special.”
To participate in the Dear SF campaign, follow its Instagram account, and share your #DearSF letter and a photo or video on social media. The City requests that you tag @SFEntertainmentCommission, @SFOEWD, and @dear_sf, and use #DearSF.
“Dear SF, we know these are challenging times, especially for our small businesses, but we also know our community is strong and resilient. Now more than ever it is important to celebrate our businesses in the community, from our neighborhood corner stores and nail salons, to our concert halls and theatres,” Breed said. “While we may be apart, we can still come together as one city to lift up one another and share messages of positivity and hope. We will get through this together.”
