Anthony also had the pleasure of presenting a proclamation to Kathy Coleman, which recognized Tuesday, September 23 as Kathy Coleman Day in the City of San Diego! Kathy has been serving up kindness and community at Brother’s Family Restaurant in Allied Gardens since 1994. From ‘Grandma Jennie’s Pancakes’ to her generous spirit, Kathy has created a true home away from home for San Diegans. 

 

Kathy’s widespread, positive impact is evident. You flooded my social media posts with glowing words and thanks to Kathy for her over 30 years of outstanding service. Congratulations, Kathy, and thank you for all that you do! 

Intending to instill fear against our Jewish, LGBT, and black neighbors (among others), faceless bigots targeted Del Cerro and other District 7/citywide neighborhoods repeatedly with hurtful, false, and intimidating flyers. But those faceless bigots failed to consider that, here in San Diego, we stand strong and united against all forms of hate.  

 

Just over two years ago, we called a press conference to state loud and clear that San Diego was prepared to act. It took us working with our state partner Assemblymember Ward to get it done, but one year ago as of last Friday, we passed AB 3024, the Stop Hate Littering Act. This law deters hate by raising the penalty of dropping flyers with the intent to terrorize to $25,000 per infraction.  

 

Though the work continues to protect our communities from violence and hate, the stakes are now that much higher for those who seek to spread fear. Thank you to all our partners who worked together to make this important legislation possible. 

Another successful Coffee with Campillo in the books! Thank you to everyone who came out to Bayside Community Center with your questions, concerns, and feedback. My job as your City Councilmember is impossible without regular, honest conversations with District 7 and citywide residents, so I deeply cherish these opportunities and appreciate all who make the time to attend. 

 

Stay tuned for details on the next Coffee with Campillo. We hope to see you there. 

The students of today are the leaders of tomorrow. That’s why academic opportunities like Francis Parker’s Leadership Course are so instrumental to our future success and progress. Last month, I had the pleasure of speaking at Mr. Yaley’s honors level course for Francis Parker Juniors and Seniors, which is “grounded in diverse modes of leadership—from servant leadership to transformational and team-based approaches” and instructs students to “explore how character, communication, and perspective shape effective leadership” (Kevin Yaley). 

 

I shared my strategies as a leader with the class. Within my office, I follow the guidelines of Unreasonable Hospitality, written by Will Guidara, which I’ve mentioned here before. As an elected official, I prioritize honesty, integrity, and care for all those I represent. Thank you to Mr. Yaley and to his students for the warm welcome and great conversation! 

One of San Diego’s biggest strengths is its tourism economy, which not only generates revenue through well-loved, annual events but also attracts new and exciting events for San Diegans and visitors to enjoy! 

 

Mission Valley’s Handlery Hotel is hosting one of those new events for the Halloween season. Scream Diego 2025 is the “newest pop culture event in San Diego, celebrating all things horror and scary!” The convention will feature panels, over 30 local and traveling vendors and artists, live entertainment, short film screenings, a kid’s scream zone, costume contests, and more. 

 

Horror is not quite my thing—but it might be yours! If you’re interested in attending, you can learn more here. 

The City of San Diego boasts a large number of creatives who spur a thriving artist economy and whose work is often showcased in citywide art events like the ArtWalk at Liberty Station. 

Serra Mesa artist Silvana Barrios is one such artist. Her background and inspiration to create organic sculptures with porcelain, photograph nature, and create outstanding pottery was recently featured in a San Diego Union Tribune article, linked here. Author Lisa Deaderick interviews Barrios and discusses a range of topics from her appreciation of her Serra Mesa neighbors to her career progress as an artist. 

 

Barrios notes that her “childhood in Argentina...was a beautiful combination of the city, the countryside, and summers by the ocean, it was the plants, shells, and texture available to her in nature providing her with plenty of lessons.” 

 

“Today, at 47, she creates and sells her work through her website, June (shop.quierojune.com), and lives in Serra Mesa with her husband, Juan Pablo Gonzalez, and their son, Francisco. She credits the women in her family for the artistry of their sewing, crocheting, and mending paired with their resourcefulness and creativity, saying that she “inherited their love for making, not for perfection, but for beauty in the everyday.” 

 

Thank you, Silvana, for your beautiful and thoughtful contributions to San Diego’s arts and culture community.  

What does it take to save a life? Ask 17-year-old Tierrasanta resident and Cathedral Catholic student, Nikki Hank, and she’ll tell you that it only takes the courage to lead by love.  

 

Last month, Nikki and her mother noticed a woman suffering from various issues while lying on the side of the freeway near the I-15 and Balboa Avenue. Despite being a total stranger to this woman, Nikki chose not to look away—instead, she offered comfort, built trust, and physically intervened to keep her safe until emergency responders arrived. She provided water, led the woman through breathing exercises, and worked to prevent the woman from jumping into the freeway multiple times.  

 

The woman Nikki saved was in deep crisis, and through Nikki’s courage and compassion, she was reminded that her life still matters. Her bravery to intervene in this tense situation reminds us, especially during Suicide Prevention Month, that empathy and human connection are powerful tools.  

 

Nikki’s choice to act with love and courage meant the difference between despair and hope, and even life and death. Nikki embodies the very best of our city: compassion, integrity, and service to others. It is my honor to not only recognize as Nikki as September’s Local Luminary, but also to officially proclaim Nikki Hank Day in the City of San Diego, which allowed us the opportunity to celebrate her at City Council.

 

Thank you, Nikki, for your shining example of courage and love! 

PSA! If you are planning to head to Mission Trails Regional Park soon, please note that there are partial road closures due to the East County Advanced Water Purification Project.  

Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation shared that park users can expect “weekday access to Father Junipero Serra Trail” to be limited during the following windows: 

 

Weekdays (Monday-Friday, 7AM-4PM) until Spring 2027: 

• No through access for park users at the construction location between Gate 1 (near Visitor Center) and Gate 10 (Old Mission Dam) along FJST on weekdays. 

• Park users can use FJST, but will need to turn around at construction sites during the work hours, 7AM-4PM on weekdays. There is an INTERACTIVE MAP that can help you plan your visit. 

Outside of weekday work hours and on weekends: 

• The full length of the trail will be passable on weekends and outside of weekday work hours (7AM-4PM). The excavations will be fenced off outside of work hours. 

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the folks at Mission Trails Regional Park, who can be reached at (619) 258-4644, if you have any questions regarding the project or impact.  

Last month, we celebrated a huge milestone for behavioral health in the City of San Diego: the Grand Opening of Father Joes Villages new detox facility. I was joined by Supervisor Aguirre, Councilmember Whitburn and others, including the incredible team at Father Joes, to tour the facility and share our excitement.  

 

This center will increase the number of Medi-Cal eligible detox beds in the City of San Diego from two to FORTY-SIX — 23x more. We changed the permitting rules in San Diego in order to make it easier for behavioral health providers like Father Joe’s to do their lifesaving work. As a result, so many more people are going to be able to make the courageous decision to take back control of their lives. Thank you to the Father Joe’s team for their great work in getting this facility off the ground.