American Planning Association

In 2017, San Francisco designated six blocks of the Tenderloin neighborhood as the Compton’s Transgender Cultural District. In the first episode of APA’s podcast series No Small Stories, host Lindsay Nieman and producer Kelly Wilson visit the area to learn about how it’s fighting gentrification and displacement, encouraging the city to rethink its approach to historical preservation, and creating a safe, economically productive home for the city’s transgender community. In their own words, district cofounders Aria Sa’id and Honey Mahogany describe the challenges and successes in launching the world’s first ever transgender cultural district. Listeners also hear from transgender activist Felicia Elizondo, San Francisco Planning Department senior planner Shelley Caltagirone, and Carolina Morales, legislative director to Supervisor Hillary Ronen. Each person's perspective adds critical context and depth to a fascinating planning story.