London Breed Becomes San Francisco’s First Black Female Mayor

London Breed has become the first African-American woman elected mayor of San Francisco. Breed, president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, gave a brief celebratory speech to her supporters late Wednesday on the steps of City Hall after her opponent, former state Sen. Mark Leno, conceded in a tight mayoral race. “I’m so hopeful about the future of our city. I’m looking forward to serving as your mayor, and I’m truly humbled and truly honored,” Breed was quoted as saying by the San Francisco Chronicle. Breed, who grew up in poverty and lost her sister to a drug overdose, hailed her win as a beacon of hope for all those who feel they have the odds stacked against them. “The message that this sends to the next generation of young people growing up in this city is that no matter where you come from, no matter what you decide to do in life, you can do anything you want to do,” she said. She will serve until 2020 and finish out the term of the late Mayor Ed Lee, who died in December.