On the Picket Line, I Rediscovered the San Francisco That I Love

This strike was one of the most profound experiences of my life.

I had never felt so exhausted and so alive at the same time. Each day was a rollercoaster of emotion, physical fatigue, and deep joy. And somehow, within that, last week became a collection of core memories I will carry with me forever.

As educators in the San Francisco Unified School District, we care for and educate more than 50,000 students. We teach, counsel, feed, coach, support, and protect them every single day. Last week, the city showed up for us in ways that made us feel truly seen, valued, and held. The honking cars, the handwritten signs, the emails, the stream of positive comments, the rally crowds, the strangers thanking us on sidewalks, in coffee shops and on the bus. It was overwhelming, in the best way.

I am born and raised in San Francisco. Neither of my parents were from here. My father was American, my mother a French immigrant. Neither had college degrees. They arrived in the city in the 1970s and fell in love with a place that embraced art, rock and roll, culture, individuality, love, rebellion, and belonging. A city that made room for dreamers, makers, outsiders, immigrants and working-class families alike.

My father spent his entire career as a stained glass artist in the city. If you’ve ever watched Mrs. Doubtfire, you’ve seen his work. Those iconic stained glass doors in the Victorian house were his. My mother was also an artist, but when I was born in 1979, she made a pragmatic decision that one of them needed a job with healthcare. So she went downtown to a temp agency. Coming from a tiny mountain village in France to working as support staff in an international law firm was a radical shift, but she embraced it because it provided stability for our family.

That balance between art and survival, beauty and practicality, passion and security is part of San Francisco’s DNA.

The public and private school relationship in this city has always been complex. “Where did you go to school?” is often the first question anyone asks if you grew up here. Families move between systems for countless reasons. I attended French schools, became the first in my family to graduate from college, and in 2001 entered public education as a teacher. In San Francisco, many of us cross these lines. We live layered lives. That is part of what makes this city vibrant.

What gives San Francisco its soul are the working-class families who create its culture. The teachers, nurses, artists, musicians, cooks, drivers, service workers, childcare providers, and support staff who fuel the music, food, sports, art, and style that define the city. They are the heartbeat of San Francisco. 

This historic strike made that truth impossible to ignore.

Financially, emotionally, and mentally, this was incredibly hard. But we were striking for the right reasons. Because when you prioritize the working conditions of adults, you prioritize the learning conditions of students. These two things cannot be separated. Stable schools require supported educators. Thriving students require adults who are not burned out, underpaid, and stretched beyond sustainability.

Public education is one of the greatest investments a city can make. It is where opportunity begins. It is where children are seen, fed, taught, protected, and inspired. If we want a just, creative, dynamic city, we must fund the systems that nurture its future.

What carried us through last week was massive city solidarity for our union. San Francisco remains a union town, and I’ve never been more proud to represent this group of educators. The honks, waves and cheers from passing MUNI buses, cars and SF Recology trucks. The emails to the superintendent and mayor on our behalf. The messages from parents  and students full of love. The strangers offering coffee, donuts, hugs, and encouragement. The shared chants and dancing while picketing. The collective movement.

During our gatherings and marches, the crowd was often dressed in red. “Red for Ed”, but it was also filled with red and gold Niners gear. It felt symbolic. A reminder that this city knows how to rally. That we understand collective joy, collective struggle, and collective pride.

San Francisco has always been a place where people come together around big ideas, justice, culture, and care. This strike reminded me that this spirit is still alive and well.

With joy in our hearts, we are going back to our schools. This week reminded us of the power of collective care and San Francisco solidarity. Bang Bang Teacher Gang.

Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely is a San Francisco public school teacher, founder of Big Belly Breathing, and co-host of the podcast Valkyries, Say Less.