20 Good Things That Happened in the Bay Area in 2020
By: Aida Agayeva
Tags: 2021, San Francisco, 2020, Life, Bay Area

This year held so many surprising hardships — the pandemic, wildfires, deaths, racial injustices, climate change, wars, and much more. It was such an incredibly strenuous and heavy year, and it was so difficult to tear ourselves away from the doomscrolling, that it was easy to miss the positive moments. Yes, really, there were quite a few pieces of good news that fell under the radar as emergency after emergency dominated our attention.

In an effort to send off 2020 with some modicum of optimism and light, here is a list of 20 positive things that happened right here in the Bay Area this year.

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1. Stations for the Unhoused

Just as the pandemic was starting to get scary, the demand for basic sanitation services for unhoused people was high. Although Mayor Libby Schaaf promised expansion of sites, no new sanitation stations were built. So Oakland activists from the United Front Against Displacement took matters into their own hands and built water towers and hand-washing stations for the unhoused. Knowing the risks, they remained conscious of social distancing and were persistent with their efforts. The organization has provided numerous resources to those in extreme need and if you would like to support, they are taking donations on their GoFundMe.

2. Oakland A’s donate lunch to medical professionals

Kaiser Permanente medical professionals were surprised with pizzas for lunch as a thank you from the MLB team. As the A’s health care partner, the staff snapped a pic and were thankful for the appreciation and good eats. The Oakland A’s also donated $17,000 to the Alameda County Foodbank to make sure that everyone else can get lunch, too.

3. Bay Area animal shelters see a rise in adoptions

The rise of folks adopting animals has brought immense joy to shelter staff and families at home seeking new furry friends to love. San Francisco SPCA president Jake Steinman said that there was a waiting list of more than 1,000 people ready to foster animals and find companions through the tumultuous year of 2020.

4. A kidnapped lemur is returned safely

It appeared that Maki the lemur had been stolen out of his enclosure from the San Francisco Zoo. A hunt pursued for the elderly ring-tailed animal which ultimately ended with a five-year-old boy and a playground. James Trinh and his family found the lemur playing on his church’s playground equipment and notified officials immediately. The story and reunion were broadcast nationwide. The lemur returned safely in good health to the zoo.

5. The rise of youth-led organizations

This year especially, young people have taken to political action, and the number of youth-led organizations has grown. With the hopes of creating a better future, young people are getting out and making a difference throughout their community. Some Bay Area organizations to mention are: Empower to Change, a Bay Area platform and political action committee dedicated to creating systemic change and advocating for increased civic engagement; Youth Advocates for Change, another nonprofit focused on amplifying young voices and inspiring local action; Youth vs. Apocalypse, composed of a diverse group of climate change activists working to fight for a livable climate and just world.

6. Community through art in the Castro

The power of art is undeniable. We saw this power particularly in a brighter and more colorful Castro Street earlier this year. The Castro community came together to paint more than 20 boarded-up storefronts. The project was led by the Castro Merchants, the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District (CQCD), and Paint the Void. The talented artists within the community have brought incredible joy and wonder to the streets, all thanks to their talent and solidarity.

7. Off Their Plate raises money for brave frontline workers

Nonprofit Off Their Plate raised money to give directly to local restaurants and provide frontline workers with tasty meals amid the coronavirus pandemic. Plenty of local Bay Area restaurants became involved, and the organization has reached over 3 million dollars in donations. You can donate specifically to their San Francisco chapter or another city through their website.

8. The #MillionMealsChallenge

Alaska Airlines partnered with the San Francisco Mayor’s Office to donate 40,000 airplane snacks to Bay Area families in need. The airline has donated over a million meals to local communities, and hopes to double their impact.

9. Golden Gate Park’s Ferris Wheel is unveiled

The 150-foot SkyStar Observation Wheel stood strong this year with breathtaking views in honor of Golden Gate Park’s 150th anniversary. The wheel, which gives riders 12 minutes of beautiful sights, has quickly become a fan favorite. While the Ferris Wheel is currently closed, you can reschedule or reserve your ride on their website.

10. An aspiring barista serves free coffee

San Francisco-based aspiring barista Ben Ramirez hopes to open his own coffee shop someday. While at home, he started practicing his techniques and utilizing his window and coffee machine to give essential workers coffee for free.

11. Bald Eagles thrive in the East Bay Park District

At Lake Chabot, Del Valle Park, and Ardenwood Farm, pairs of bald eagles are seen with their offspring. The East Bay Regional Park District has provided refuge to many endangered species, and now these new baby eagles can call it home, too.

12. Collection of 25,000 baseball cards donated to 9-year-old girl

Kevin Ashford of San Jose has been collecting baseball cards since the ’90s, and in total amassed over 25,000 cards. After nine-year-old Reese Osterberg lost her collection and other belongings in California’s Fresno County Creek fire, Ashford donated his treasures to Osterberg.

13. Immigrant Women of Color will serve on San Francisco Board of Supervisors

This year’s election saw many women of color voted into local offices. Connie Chan, an immigrant from Hong Kong, and Myrna Melgar from El Salvador will bring their diversity and passion to Bay Area politics. Melgar is the first Latina in 25 years to hold a San Francisco Board of Supervisors seat, and Chan’s immigrant experience will bring some much needed perspective and representation so that the board can better serve their community.

14. Facebook pledges to spend $150 million for low-income housing

Facebook’s community housing fund will build at least 2,000 units of low-income housing as part of their pledge from 2019 to invest $1 billion on housing in the Bay Area. The units will be for families making no more than 30% of the medium income in their area. David Wehner, Facebook’s chief financial officer states, “This is extremely low-income housing, which is a particularly acute need during the Covid crisis and also an area which has suffered a lot from the underbuilding that we’ve had in California over the past several decades.” Affordable housing is always good news, and will benefit those most in need.

15. Movies make a comeback with drive-in theaters

As theaters closed and films proceeded to come out, those stuck at home found ways to get the movie experience right from their car. Many attendees in San Jose and Concord found refuge through drive-in theaters in their cities. The West Wind Solano Drive-In in Concord saw a surge of moviegoers, and is thankful for the strong turnout. Many drive-ins have done themed movie nights for Halloween and will do so for Christmas, too.

16. The Wildlife Disaster Network treats animals impacted by fires

In a partnership between The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Wildlife Disaster Network focuses on treating animals impacted by the awful wildfires that California has experienced. The partnership has “taken steps to refine protocol” and will use the work of veterinarians, biologists, and experts to help provide resources to all wildlife in need. With all of the horrible fires this year, the animals have certainly suffered, but hope remains as they get treated.

17. UC Berkeley offers ‘Science of Happiness’ course for free

This year, the University of California, Berkeley offered its eight-week course online for free to anyone who wanted to enroll. Led by professors Dacher Keltner and Emiliana Simon-Thomas, the course focuses on mindfulness, the fundamentals to leading a happy life, and kindness within a community. Many have already signed up — the nature of happiness is sorely needed this year.

18. Music from home

Members of the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band, the first openly gay musical organization in the world, have turned their homes into recording studios and played music together to help lighten spirits during the pandemic. The band performed a song that Bay Area folks know all too well. You can watch the band come together and perform “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as a message of love and strength to get through this difficult time.

19. Bay Area air pollution drops

As lockdown began, air pollution dropped in unprecedented amounts. The decline in carbon emissions showed the effects of commuting. According to a study from UC Berkeley,“In the six weeks after the San Francisco Bay Area instituted the nation’s first shelter-in-place mandate in response to the growing Covid-19 pandemic, regional carbon dioxide emissions dropped by 25%, almost all of it due to a nearly 50% drop in road traffic.”

20. City Lights Bookstore raises almost $500k to stay alive

The landmark bookstore was met with a scare this year when faced with the economic hardships resulting from the pandemic. Elaine Katzenberger, CEO of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers, took to GoFundMe and asked the community for support. With over 10,000 donors, the fundraiser has surpassed their goal and raised almost half a million dollars. As a San Francisco treasure and memorable place for residents, the response from strangers has been phenomenal.