How I Overcame My Doubts and Got a Seat at the Table

As a longtime activist, I always thought I’d be more comfortable demonstrating in front of San Francisco City Hall, not sitting inside in a meeting room as a member of a city commission. But life can surprise you. Here’s how I went from concerned citizen to city animal commissioner - and brand new BayWoof columnist! 

Like many, I’ve tried to respond whenever I’ve seen or heard of an injustice, and I’ve always loved animals and tried to do what I could to help them. But it was only after a change in my housing situation about ten years ago that I could finally start caring for animals in a way I’d  always wanted to do. In addition to volunteering at an animal rescue organization, I was now  able to adopt senior animals, including some with special medical needs and some who were considered hospice candidates. 

A life with animals is always beautiful, sometimes heartbreaking, and often very, very busy. But, even though my commitments felt hectic at times, I sensed there was more I could do. Opening my life and home to these furry friends in need, I began to feel an even stronger purpose. I started to think about other ways I could make a difference. 

It was during this time that I happened to read a column in the San Francisco Examiner about community involvement and the city’s various commissions. The article listed commissions for almost every interest or concern, including some I’d heard about, but others that were new to me. While skimming the list, I was suddenly reminded there was a city commission for animal issues. 

I hadn’t thought about the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare as an option until I saw its name listed in that article. Even so, I was well aware of its history and of the many issues the commission had championed, including banning foie gras, prohibiting fur sales and ending the declawing of cats, as well as relocating elephants from the San Francisco Zoo to a better life at a wildlife sanctuary. I had attended past commission meetings as a member of the public and been impressed by the commissioners’ professionalism and compassion. I decided to apply.

I labored over my application, writing, rewriting, rethinking, and refining my responses over and over again. After many revisions, I finally submitted it to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and crossed my fingers.

While waiting to hear back from the Board, I continued to attend commission meetings. Sometimes I was the only member of the public in attendance. Other times it was standing room only, with even more people waiting out in the hallway. Whether it was just me in the audience or a cast of many, I continued to be impressed by the commissioners’ diligence as they discussed issues and worked their way through the agenda. But I also began to have doubts about whether I could do this.

At one of these meetings, I saw a newly appointed member attending her first meeting as a commissioner. She seemed to effortlessly ease into her new role and, had I not known it was her first meeting, I’d have thought she’d been a commissioner for years. Seeing this made me feel a little more comfortable about having applied for a seat, even though I knew that my socially awkward, verbally clumsy, but loveable self probably wouldn’t make the transition quite as smoothly. 

Still, I continued to worry about a number of things. Would I be able to adhere to meeting procedures (after all, Robert’s Rules of Order was just a book I’d seen a few times on a shelf in the reference section of a bookstore)? Could I keep my composure when hearing about animal conditions that might make me angry or leave me on the verge of tears? Would I be able to add anything meaningful to discussions involving life and death situations without sounding like an airhead? Although I was nervous about almost every aspect of serving on the commission, there was something even stronger within me that told me I could do it if I was given the chance.

Fast forward to the present, and I am now a member of the San Francisco Commission of Animal Control and Welfare! I’ll finish my first year of service in September and am happy to report I’m feeling much more comfortable in my official role. In fact, I’m now serving as the commission’s Secretary. I’ve even Googled Robert’s Rules of Order.

As a sitting commissioner, I plan to use this new column in BayWoof to share my thoughts on issues that are being discussed in our commission meetings, as well as historical information about the commission and some of the details and logistical challenges that we encounter in holding our monthly meetings (the commission is currently meeting remotely, but hopes to return to in-person meetings as soon as it’s safe to do so). Of course, the views expressed in this column will be mine alone and do not reflect an official policy or position of the commission unless expressly stated. 

To paraphrase an old saying, there are times when you want a seat at the table and there are times when you need to flip the table over. Though I’ve never been the table-flipping type (only in my dreams), I certainly understand the need for that kind of action and have supported my table-flipping friends in the past. 

But right now, I know I can do more seated at the table.

In short, I’m glad I overcame my doubts and feel incredibly fortunate to be a sitting member of the San Francisco Commission of Animal Control and Welfare. I look forward to keeping BayWoof readers up to date on the commission’s latest discussions and actions with this new column. 

The next meeting of the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare will be held at 5:30PM on Thursday, September 17th. The meeting can be viewed at https://bit.ly/2EqVlFc (Commission meetings are currently being held remotely). Members of the public who wish to provide comments can do so by calling (415) 655-0003 and entering access code: 133 494 7414 then #. When the public comment period is announced, callers should enter *3 to be added to the speakers queue (there’s a two minute limit for comments). 

Please be aware that the views and opinions expressed in this column are those of Commissioner Torres and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the San Francisco Commission of Animal Control and Welfare.