 | The Bernal Story: Mediating Class and Race in a Multicultural Community Subjects: Bernal Heights (San Francisco Calif.); Community development -- California -- San Francisco; Community life -- California -- San Francisco; Intergroup relations -- California -- San Francisco; Culture conflict -- California -- San Francisco; Conflict man; For eight years, the San Francisco neighborhood of Bernal Heights was mired in controversy. Traditionally a working-class neighborhood known for political activism and attention to community concern, Bernal house a diverse population of Latino, Filipino, and European heritage. The branch library, beloved in the community, was being renovated, raising the issue of whether to restore or paint over a thirty-year-old mural on its exterior wall. To some of the residents the artwork represented their culture and their entitlement to live on the hill. To others, the mural blighted a beautiful building. To resolve this seemingly intractable conflict, area officials convened a mediation led by Roy, an experienced mediator and Bernal resident. The group, which reflected the wide range of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds in the community, ultimately came to a strong consensus, resulting in the reinterpretation of the artwork to reflect changing times and to honor the full population of the neighborhood. Beth Roy is a long-time mediator in the San Francisco Bay Area. Trained as a sociologist at the University of California, Berkeley, she teaches there in the Peace and Conflict Studies program. |
