Central City has lost a leading advocate

Steve Conley passed away Friday evening, January 23, in the company of six close friends at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. Steve was well-respected in the Central City, as he has been serving our community here for more than a decade. He was a good friend to many of us. More than that, he was friend to the community in the Tenderloin area.

Mr. Conley lived a long and active life. There are many things about him you may not be aware of. Please join with us as we celebrate the life of a very active community organizer.

As many of us knew, due to his distinctive beret, Mr. Conley served honorably in the Vietnam War. He was one of the few who was able to turn that experience around, to the benefit of us all. Many of us believe that his exposure to war may have been at the core of his compassion for those around him. He had a very sharp mind, and was always inquisitive. He was known to be a true man of the world, curious about how life works and how to make it better.

Conley was an accomplished community activist, working on the board of leading advocacy organizations such as the North of Market / Tenderloin Community Benefits District, the North of Market Planning Coalition (NOMPC), and was Media Director for the Tenant Associations Coalition. He was cofounder of the Alliance for a Better District 6 and Central City Democrats and served on their boards their entire history until now. His absence will be keenly felt, as he was a true intellectual in the San Francisco Progressive community.

Mr. Conley worked more than 20 years in media production, most notably at KPFK Radio where he worked from 1992 to 2000 in various roles, from Public Affairs Production Coordinator to Morning Magazine Producer to overall Production Director. He had skill in managing staff, writing segments, coordinating news sources, public affairs, voice-overs, and many other skills. He created the still-running and popular afternoon drive-time program, Beneath the Surface.

Conley previously worked as an international correspondent in such far-flung places as Asia, the Middle East and Europe on topics of human rights, economics, social movements and war. More recently he has been utilizing his skills as he moderated many public events such as the 2007 Mayoral candidates debate and various town hall meetings.

He always had a studied and deliberate delivery, and always kept control of his guests who would debate with various levels of ferocity. The fact that he was able to guide difficult guests such as “Grasshopper” Kaplan during the Mayoral debate is legendary, as Mr. Kaplan decided he needed to resort to lying down in front of the entrance doors (leading to his arrest) during the debate, in order to make his particular point. Nobody to this day is sure what that point was. But because of Mr. Conyer it was clear to Mr. Kaplan that the point would need to be made outside of the forum he was in charge of.

Veterans groups were always an important part of his life. Little is ever disclosed about the meetings he led, but there are many veterans who are grateful for his participation and leadership.

Arrangements and memorial services are pending.


Community members have established two memorial funds. If you wish to make a (tax-deductible) contribution, please make checks payable to:

San Francisco Study Center ( please write “Steve Conley Memorial Fund” in the memo field)
PO Box 425646
San Francisco, CA 94142
An acknowledgment will be sent to the address accompanying your check.

Northeast Community Federal Credit Union (NECFCU)
(Be sure to write“Steve Conley Memorial Fund” in the memo field)
288 Jones Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

Cards and personal communications may be sent to:
Friends of Steve Conley
PO Box 420846
San Francisco, CA 94142

Any other inquiries may be directed to: (415) 820-1412