San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie brings historic plans to Chinatown for inauguration day

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco is gearing up for a historic moment as Daniel Lurie prepares to be sworn in as the city's 46th mayor on Wednesday. Lurie's packed schedule and groundbreaking plans are already turning heads.

On Monday evening, the stage was nearly set outside San Francisco City Hall, where the inaugural ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. Crews worked diligently laying down ground coverings, doing microphone checks and more to prepare for the event, which marks a new chapter for the city.

In the days leading up to his swearing-in, Lurie has been highly visible across San Francisco, engaging directly with the community. Over the weekend, he participated in neighborhood beautification efforts across six neighborhoods including the Tenderloin, Bayview, and Mission.

"He's out here, working in the community," said Maurice Campbell, a San Francisco resident. "That's a good thing. We see him trying - now we'll see what's next."

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Lurie also continued announcing key appointments for his administration. On Monday, he named Alicia John-Baptiste as the city's new chief of Infrastructure, Climate, and Movement. On Tuesday, he will participate in an interfaith ceremony at Congregation Emanu-El.

Bill Lee, a former city administrator who has served under five different mayors, noted Lurie's proactive approach. "It's very unusual after an election for a mayor-elect to still be out there every single day," Lee said.

Lurie's inauguration day is shaping up to be just as active. He plans to start the day volunteering at St. Anthony's, walking through the Tenderloin, and enjoying hot chocolate with his family at Ghirardelli Square before the swearing-in ceremony.

The evening's events, however, are what truly set this inauguration apart.

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"For the first time in history, the celebration will take place in the heartbeat of San Francisco, and Chinatown is the heartbeat of Asian America," said Charles Jung of the Asian Justice Movement.

The nonprofit BeChinatown will host a special night market, headlined by San Francisco native and Grammy-nominated EDM artist Zhu, along with DJ Ruckus.

Additionally, the historic Far East Café will transform to host a "unity dinner" organized by eight community groups. The number is not on only auspicious, symbolizing good luck and fortune in the Chinese culture. The event will welcome over 800 guests. Those expected to attend include Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis and Attorney General Rob Bonta.

"This is symbolically very important," Jung said. "Even though Asians make up about 35% of the population of San Francisco, sometimes the community doesn't feel like its concerns are always taken into account."

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Jung emphasized how despite the event being in Chinatown, it would showcase the city's diversity.

"It's very important to be recognized in this way, especially after the experience of the pandemic," he said.

While the event will take place in Chinatown, Jung highlighted its broader significance for San Francisco's diverse population.

"It's not just Chinese, but Hispanic and African American communities will also see representation within the Asian community, including Korean, Japanese, and Filipino cultures," he explained, adding that the celebration reflects the city's rich diversity. "It's also a celebration of the diversity of San Francisco. We have people represented from the East Side, West Side, progressives, moderates, and different facets of culture in our great city," he said.

The evening will also feature a private fundraiser at another Chinatown restaurant and an afterparty in the neighborhood.