Member Spotlight: Luis Castillo

Tell us a little bit about yourself! How long have you been involved with SDA and what have you been working on? What drew you to organizing with SDA?  

More than 2 years. I've been working on the Hallidie Plaza Elevator fixed. It's for all the people who are disabled. The main thing for me is that it's so inconvenient. Most of the time I can't use the elevators. The Hallidie Plaza one has been broken for years. The one on fourth and Market is really old. You got to transfer between two elevators. It breaks down all the time. It was broken for a whole week recently. People trying to fare evade are using the elevator, waiting for someone to use the Clipper Card and then they crowd on behind you. I helped lead two actions about the Hallidie Plaza elevator and turned up week after week to the Capital Planning Committees. Dean Preston was interested in helping us out and now he's out. Aaron Peskin said, "I remember you, you wanted the elevator fixed. I'm still working on it." It be nice to talk with Scott Weiner, to find out if we could do something with the state and the city. For Prop L we did some publicity. I was on one of the brochures. I went to 24th and Mission and also Market 5th to pass out flyers. There was a lot of enthusiasm with the people I talked to.

What kinds of campaigns would you like to work on in the future at SDA? What do you want us to win in the next few years?

I want to work with SDA on getting the Hallidie Plaza elevator getting repaired. It's been so many years. A lot of people have children and seniors need the elevator.

What do you like to do for fun? What do you wish more people knew about you?

I like working in the community. It makes me happy working with Safe Passage. I work with the families bringing children and they say hi to me. I like going to the Bay and watch the ships go by. Every once a while I like to take a ferry.