New Post for Heir to S.F. Dynasty
SAN FRANCISCO — Disability rights advocates were hopeful when they heard who would be serving the rest of Mayor Gavin Newsom's term as county supervisor.
Not only is Michela Alioto-Pier a member of a powerful San Francisco political dynasty, she is also one of their own.
Paralyzed by a ski-lift accident 22 years ago, Alioto-Pier is the first supervisor in the city's history to use a wheelchair. Some disability group leaders believe that distinction will help propel their issues into City Hall and are waiting for her to prove herself.
But she's not one to be told what to do.
"People with disabilities are smart, thinking, caring individuals who have a lot of other concerns," Alioto-Pier said in a recent interview. "So it's insulting to everybody to think our world revolves around our disability."
Alioto-Pier, 35, who represents mostly affluent sections of San Francisco, said her job is to represent her entire district -- in which most of her constituents are not disabled.
The mother of two hails from a rich family line that has helped shape San Francisco's political landscape. Her aunt, Angela Alioto, served on the city's Board of Supervisors for two terms beginning in 1988. Her grandfather, Joseph Alioto, was a popular mayor who served from 1968 to 1976.
The family's influence on the Bay Area dates to the beginning of the 20th century, when her forefathers -- immigrants from Sicily -- helped establish Fisherman's Wharf. Alioto's restaurant is still a landmark there.
Alioto-Pier has made headlines of her own. She was a port commissioner before her appointment to the board. She unsuccessfully sought office for California secretary of state twice, narrowly losing to Republican Bill Jones in 1998. Two years earlier, she also lost a bid for a congressional seat for a district that extended from Napa to the Oregon border.
In spite of her reluctance to be pigeon-holed, Alioto-Pier is a quiet advocate who doesn't shy away from taking on causes on behalf of disabled people.
She was the disabilities constituency coordinator for the Clinton-Gore campaign, a participant in a United States-Japan summit on disability and was appointed by President Reagan to the National Council on Disabilities advisory board.
Alioto-Pier, who was appointed in January to complete Newsom's term when he was elected mayor and who faces election in November, said she was no stranger to double standards and insensitivity, even at the highest levels.
