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San Francisco Glide church reverend steps into role welcoming LGBTQ community

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San Francisco Glide church reverend steps into role welcoming LGBTQ community


SAN FRANCISCO — Song and spirit fill the air at Glide Memorial Church Sunday mornings as Rev. Marvin White takes the stage to lead an inclusive sermon. 

In his official capacity as the minister of celebration for the historic church, he’s continuing his beloved predecessor Cecil Williams’ message of welcoming with unconditional love — but with his own twist. 

“I remember asking Cecil because people would say you’re not Cecil or you’re the next Cecil,” he told CBS News Bay Area. “I went to Cecil and said ‘What do I do with this?’ He said ‘You have to be you. We saw you and that is what we invite you to bring to this congregation.’”

One of his first acts as the new leader of Glide, he chose to hoist the Pride flag directly outside of the sanctuary. It was a first for the historic congregation in the heart of San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. 

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“That is one of my favorite sights, the flag flying through the windows. You can see the LGBTQ flag,” said White. 

He’s on a mission to do his part to beautify the congregation with the intent of showing anyone who steps foot inside that they, too, are worthy of beauty. 

“The other side of being gay is that I’ve been on a campaign to make sure that beauty and aesthetics are a part of unconditional love and how we serve community,” he explained. “If we don’t have a building people are proud of, we won’t be the community anchor people need.” 

And he’s doing just that through the lens of his upbringing as a member of a religion that he knew couldn’t accept him for being gay, but with a longing for a spiritual home. 

“From being a Jehovah’s Witness, to staying away from church to chasing boys into their churches and being told not to stay at those churches because my freedom would put their freedom at risk, and understanding that all of that was created, so I would never come into my power as a Black queer prophetic man who has particular access to the divine,” said White. 

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But he applies that story to his practice, using himself as an example of why the church should welcome with unconditional love as clergy leadership across the Christian faith grapples with growing calls to expand queer people in their ranks. 

“When the church runs out gay people, they’re saying, ‘You’re too powerful and I can never have you get too close to your power.’ And we believed it wholesale,” White said. “I want to explore the return of ourselves to ourselves and what an amazing world to live in for queer folks from coming back into their spiritual power.”

His journey to Glide is as unpredictable yet thoughtful as his outfit choice for Sunday mass. But one that can only conclude with fate. 

“When I was 18, I came to Glide. I didn’t understand it,” White recalled. “I was like what is all of this. There are Black people, white people, gay people, straight people, people saving seats like they’re at Stern Grove.”

And now with White in the Pulpit, 40 years later, the scene remains.

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“Sometimes I’m still like looking over my shoulder to see if it’s me. That I’m here,” said White. “I just have to step into it, not on top of it or over it. I don’t have to make my mark or over I just have to step into it and that’s what I’m doing.”



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New SF supervisor supports reopening Great Highway on weekdays

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New SF supervisor supports reopening Great Highway on weekdays


SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Alan Wong, the new supervisor for District four in San Francisco, has publicly expressed his support for reopening the Great Highway to vehicles on weekdays. This statement comes amid ongoing debates surrounding the highway’s conversion into a park last spring, which was met with mixed reactions from the community.

The Great Highway was transformed into a public park earlier this year, a change that many residents have embraced, while some local neighbors have pushed back. Joel Engardio, the former supervisor who supported this conversion through Measure K, was recalled this year, highlighting the division among constituents in District four.

Wong, who was appointed as supervisor following Engardio’s recall, filed paperwork to run for the elected position on the board. His term is set to last until January 2027, during which he aims to solidify his platform around reopening the Great Highway.

In his statement, Wong emphasized, “I believe my values align with a majority of Sunset residents who support reopening the Great Highway to cars on weekdays. As a result, I am prepared to be one of four supervisors needed to sponsor a ballot initiative to restore that compromise.” This suggests Wong’s intent to address community concerns head-on while building a wider consensus.

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Prior to its conversion, the Great Highway allowed vehicles during the week and served as a park on weekends, a compromise Wong supports restoring. He aims to return to this model in response to feedback from local constituents.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KRON4. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KRON4 staff before being published.



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Women’s volleyball professional team headed to San Francisco

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Women’s volleyball professional team headed to San Francisco


Pro volleyball will soon be coming to San Francisco and this latest team is part of a surge of women’s sports.

League One Volleyball officially launched this year with six teams. Now the league has announced it’s expanding to nine teams, and that one of those expansion teams will be based in the city by the bay.

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Three-time Olympic volleyball medalist Kelsy Robinson Cook is on the ownership team for LOVB San Francisco, bringing professional volleyball to the city. “Can tell you it’s going to be amazing,” said Robinson Cook. “Then, when you bring in the fandom of the Bay Area and SF I think personally it’s going to make for an incredible atmosphere.”

Team ownership said starting a team in the Bay Area is a natural with colleges and universities in the region turning out top talent. “It’s the number one sport for women and girls and I think that just speaks volumes as to where we’re headed, not only in club and college, but professionally,” said Robinson Cook.

Pro women’s volleyball is part of a growing list of professional women’s sports teams calling San Francisco and the Bay Area home.

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The women’s professional baseball league announced plans for a team in San Francisco. Bay FC and the Golden State Valkyries are already proving there is a market for professional women’s sports.

When pro-volleyball was looking to expand, San Francisco was a natural choice. “You’re seeing Bay FC, the Valkyries, the success that they have, and this market loves sports, and they’ve also proven they love women’s sports,” said Robinson Cook.

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San Francisco leaders said the city has already proven that it supports pro-women’s teams, and will welcome professional volleyball. Mayor Daniel Lurie pointed to the city’s rich sports history and enthusiasm to support the home teams. “Now, as we saw with the Valkyries selling out every single home game last year, there is an appetite, there is a fan base, and this new league understands that,” said Mayor Lurie.

At this time, there are still a lot of questions up in the air, including exactly where LOVB San Francisco will play. Organizers say they have a lot of plans in the works to get the team ready to bump, set and spike starting in January 2027.

 

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Body cam footage released in South San Francisco police shooting

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Body cam footage released in South San Francisco police shooting


(KRON) — The South San Francisco Police Department released video Thursday showing what led up to two officers shooting a man who authorities said was armed with a knife.

On December 8 at around 5:10 a.m., police arrived at the 900 block of Sandra Court on the report of a man under the influence of drugs and making threats to kill himself. When officers made contact with the man, identified as 28-year-old Luis Francisco-Manzo, he initially complied with orders, authorities said.

Officer-worn body camera video shows Francisco-Manzo walking toward officers in the entrance hallway of an apartment complex with his arms raised. A small dog barks as officers give repeated commands. Suddenly, Francisco-Manzo appears in the entranceway next to officers as one calls out, “He’s got a knife.”

South San Francisco Police Department officers shot Luis Francisco-Manzo on December 8, 2025. Authorities said Francisco-Manzo charged at officers while armed with a knife. (Photo: South San Francisco Police Department)

Officer Brendan Hart, who has been with SSFPD for eight years, fired a Taser at Francisco-Manzo, but it did not have the intended effect, police said.

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Four gunshots are heard in the body camera video. Police said Officer Hart and Officer Martin Corona were the officers who discharged their weapons. Officer Corona has seven years of law enforcement experience with over four years at SSFPD.

(Photo: South San Francisco Police Department)

Francisco-Manzo was transported to the hospital in critical condition. On Thursday, authorities said he continues to recover in the hospital. No officers were injured in the incident.

The police shooting remains under investigation by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.



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