#TLTogether with Neighbors Nicole & Israel

The #TLTogether series highlights the incredible people who are part of the Tenderloin’s diverse community—neighbors, small business owners, nonprofit workers, creatives, and more.

This week, meet Nicole and Israel. They’re neighbors, community advocates, and parents raising two young boys in the Tenderloin, with a daughter on the way!

And, whether it’s through their work with City Impact or meeting neighborhood block safety groups; or sparking courageous conversations with groups like the Faithful Fools—their message is one of hope, healing, and positive change.

Here’s a bit about the two—from their journey to the Tenderloin and how it the neighborhood has found a permanent place in their hearts.

Where are you originally from and what brought you to the Tenderloin?

Israel: I am originally from the Carolinas and Atlanta, GA. God brought me to the Tenderloin; God led my wife and I here to serve at City Impact after getting married.

Nicole: I am originally from Flint, Michigan. I moved to San Francisco from Boston at the end of 2013 and was looking for work in the non-profit world. I was introduced to the good people over at SF City Impact and I have been working in the TL off and on since then. I eventually moved to the Tenderloin back in 2015 before getting married to Isreal in 2016.

What do you love about the Tenderloin? 

Israel: “I love the openness of the Tenderloin, people tend to be unapologetically who they are in the TL. It’s an environment where many are very open with where they are and that’s a huge platform for change in the right circumstances. I also love the diversity here.”

Nicole: “I love how friendly people are here. There is a nice pace of life, positive energy, and a sense of hope that most people tend to have. I also like the convenience and quick access to transportation, stores, and food in the Tenderloin.”

What’s something you want to improve about the Tenderloin?

Isreal: I would like to improve the unity in the Tenderloin and see more opportunities created for healing and rehabilitation.

Nicole: Where to begin? There are too many things to list. But I will say in the short term the pee, poop, trash, and needles on the ground are basic things that need to be resolved/improved immediately. I would also like to see painted sidewalks with drug-free/encampment-free kid zones and senior (citizen) zones throughout the Tenderloin happen in the short term. In the long term, I would like to see open-air drug use go away, along with any other enabling entities, laws or policies…plus, more opportunities for rehabilitation.

What’s one thing about you that might surprise people?

Isreal: I am a musician, I have times of self-doubt where I don’t feel so confident and put together.

Nicole: I experienced an armed robbery of a restaurant while I was eating there in Detroit MI back in January 2013. As a result, I have a hard time sitting anywhere where I can’t see the door or with my back turned away from people.

You can find Nicole and Israel out in the neighborhood and by visiting their website, The Rich Are Sons.