Who we are
The Compton’s x Coalition is a community-powered campaign to remove the GEO Group—a private prison corporation—from 111 Taylor Street, the historic site of the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot.
We are committed to liberating and stewarding this historic place.
Together, we’re fighting to ensure the legacy of Compton’s reflects liberation—not incarceration.
Why This Matters
In 1966, trans women stood up to police violence and systemic criminalization at Compton’s Cafeteria in San Francisco’s Tenderloin. That uprising was one of the first known acts of collective queer resistance in the country.
Today, the very building where the riot happened is operated by GEO Group, a multibillion-dollar private prison corporation known for labor violations, migrant detention, and human rights abuse.
This is a betrayal of everything Compton’s stood for.
What We’re Fighting For
Kick GEO Out: Pressure state and local agencies to end GEO’s contract by June 30, 2025—and prevent it from being renewed.
Protect the Site: Secure full historic landmark status to prevent redevelopment or displacement.
Honor Compton’s Legacy: Transform 111 Taylor into a trans-centered community hub rooted in housing justice, mutual aid, and cultural memory.
Build Power for the Long Term: Establish community ownership through models like a land trust, and ensure ongoing stewardship by the people most impacted.
Our Values
Centering the trans experience in a way that is not virtue signaling but helpful in a tangible way.
Committing to anti-carceral work following the legacy of the riot against the police.
Opposing gentrification and capitalist real estate development values that displace the most vulnerable.
Acknowledging the housing crisis and the challenges faced by marginalized communities in the Tenderloin.
Affirming decolonial solidarity with Indigenous communities in the Bay Area and beyond.
Advocating for reparations for the ongoing harms caused by slavery and colonialism.
Addressing ecological interconnectedness with the more-than-human world in times of climate catastrophe.
Who’s Involved
We’re a growing alliance of trans organizations, cultural institutions, legal advocates, and local organizers.
Join Us
We’re building a future where 111 Taylor stewarded by the people—not prison profiteers. And we need everyone in this fight.