San Francisco politics just got spicier than a Mission District hot sauce.

The Great Highway closure has become more than just a transportation issue – it’s a full-blown political drama pitting wealthy tech donors against Asian American community leaders who feel increasingly sidelined.

Money Talks, Community Walks

Local Asian American organizers are calling out the disconnect between grassroots activism and big-money influence. Selena Chu, once a supporter of Supervisor Joel Engardio, now leads a recall campaign that feels like an uphill battle against well-funded opponents.

The Billionaire Blindspot

Tech leaders like Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman are pouring hundreds of thousands into local campaigns, but community leaders argue these outsiders don’t truly understand neighborhood dynamics. Albert Chow, a local hardware store owner, bluntly described these donors as “long on money and short on history”.

Breaking Political Alliances

The recall effort has exposed deep fractures in San Francisco’s political landscape. While Asian American voters were instrumental in previous recalls, like ousting school board members, they now feel their priorities are being ignored by mainstream moderate groups.

As community leader Josephine Zhao put it, “They threw us under the bus”. The message is clear: money doesn’t always equal understanding, and community voices can’t be bought or silenced.