In 1967, Scott McKenzie released a song that would forever become part of San Francisco’s history: “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers In Your Hair).” Denhi Donis was 10 when the song came out, and was living in her native Ixmiquilpan in central Mexico, unaware that one day she would become a San Francisco institution herself — the city’s own Flower Lady.
Donis became widely known in the Mission District and Bernal Heights over the last three decades for sharing flowers, and was particularly a fixture at poetry readings, art events and live music performances. At spots like Radio Habana and Bissap Baobab, she could be found giving flowers away for free to musicians, artists and community members.
But in recent years, Donis made headlines for another reason: Last September, at 66, Donis was evicted from her home of 16 years in Bernal Heights, just months after she had gone through two surgeries, making her yet another victim of the widely controversial Ellis Act. What followed were months of couch-surfing and temporary rental spaces. At times, Donis even applied for shelters, but she says she never heard back from them.
Five months later, in March, Donis landed on her feet. But the months she spent without a home clearly weigh heavily on her — as well those close to her, who say Donis’ challenges reveal a severe lack of support for lower-income seniors in San Francisco.
“You would hope that a parent who’s a senior would have some kind of stability or safety net,” said Donis’ daughter, Maya Luna. She said the past few months have been difficult for the family.
Prior to Donis’ eviction, there were months of protests and petitions to pressure her landlords, Thorsten Gernoth and Blanca Estela Rodríguez, to let Donis stay. In the end, those efforts were unsuccessful: The flower lady had to pack up and leave her home in Bernal Heights.
Donis thinks often about the anxiety of those few months without a home. “It was very difficult and very stressing not knowing where I was going to land,” she said.
According to Donis, she applied to receive shelter on Sept. 18 of last year, just 12 days before she had to move out of her home. But she says she never received a call back. Mission Local could not independently confirm this.
Her health also suffered during this time. Donis has battled cancer, and notes that she spent almost half a year without a home just months after having major abdominal surgery.
“I’m still dealing with a lot of challenges with my health,” said Donis. “They [doctors] haven’t been able to resolve the situation that I am in. So, yes, a lot of visits to the hospital.”
Luna said that Donis’ situation had a ripple effect on those close to her.
“Instability like that creates a lot of challenges in how we’re able to interact emotionally in our day to day, as well as how we’re able to use proper cognition,” said Luna, who is about to graduate from San Francisco State University with a degree in psychology. “I’ve been in school throughout this process, and there were definitely a few semesters that were extremely challenging.”
As for her new home, Donis said it was pure “magic” that finally ended her housing search. At a farmer’s market, a merchant asked her how her housing situation was going. When Donis described her situation, another customer informed her that a neighbor was looking for a roommate. That interaction became the end of months of housing instability.
Donis said she continues to come to the Mission District, but not as much as she did in the past. Currently, she said, her main focus is speaking out on behalf of the Palestinian people and protesting what she called a genocide of children. “If someone asked me to give up my life right now, I would do it,” said Donis, becoming choked up. “I would do it right now.”
Donis added that she will continue to distribute flowers because it is part of her identity as an Indigenous Otomi, who are native to central Mexico. Her name in Otomi, she said, means “flower.”
“I bring flowers because of my culture, which has resisted colonization even with our teeth,” said Donis. “The Otomis are mystical people, warriors. You will never see a ceremony without flowers.”
Donis asked to share this letter in this article.
I am weeping. Long live the flower lady. She is san Francisco’s Saint Francis.
As an indigenous person she really should be cognizant that the Jews are the original inhabitants of Israel and not arabs. Jumping on the trendy palestinian cause is feeble minded, and she risks becoming a greta-thunberg-has-been joke. The Maori’s of New Zealand recognize this. And they respect that the Jews are one of the few indigenous people to claim their land back. Also the Jews were willing to share the land as far back as 1947, but the arabs were foolish and unreasonable, and that’s why you have the current situation. Maybe someday they will learn to compromise and deal with the reality of Israel. But as long as they keep chanting from the river to the sea nonsense they will suffer.
Yes I know the Donis and he daughter very well , I used to let her sell her flowers in the corner of coffee shop on Cortland and Bennington :Progresdive Grounds , I am not there anymore , she is beautiful lady
I really, really hope Apple tech engineer Thorsten Gernoth and his wife “artist” Blanca Estela Rodriguez never get a good night’s sleep.
It’s always the low and middle-income people who respond to the needs of the poor. I know Benioff and Bezos make charitable contributions, but they and other gazillionaires could sell a mega-yacht or two and end homelessness.