Ty Boespflug

Finalist
University of Oregon
$1,500 Scholarship and Hearst Medallion

Title: This Is the Tenderloin

The Tenderloin is a 50-block neighborhood situated between Union Square and the Civic Center in the middle of San Francisco. While a once prosperous area known for its underground speakeasies and gambling parlors, the TL now holds a reputation for its high crime rate, open drug dealing and considerable homeless population. But for many, the Tenderloin offers a second chance at life, boasting a caring community of nonprofit organizations and activists working collectively to improve the area and cherish its unique diversity.

Since she officially moved into the TL from East London almost a decade ago, Pam Coates has served on the board of the Tenderloin Community Benefit District, she’s acted as a counselor for tenants living in SRO’s and was a director for the TL Housing Clinic. Pam and many other residents of the Tenderloin district are making active efforts every day to increase awareness of the TL and to better the lives of the less fortunate within it. From Satwinder “Bill” Multani, a shopkeeper who prides his work on bettering the community’s health through fresh organic produce, to the butcher on Gary Street who closes early to deliver food to the local shelters and dining halls, the Tenderloin is home to an eclectic group of residents, each one contributing their own aura to the vibe of the TL.