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CULTURAL DISTRICT:
"A geographic area or location within San Francisco that embodies a unique cultural heritage"
The Cultural District Program brings together San Francisco Community leaders and various City Departments to actualize visions and create change for a better present and future.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
October is Filipino American History Month!
SoMa has many events happening throughout the month of October including the Nursing These Wounds and Liwanag Launch hosted by Yerba Buena Gardens, the International Book Festival with San Francisco Public Library, the UNDSCVRD Creative Market, and Ancestor Altars-All Souls Day at Kapwa Garden! For additional information on these events, visit the SoMa Pilipinas website.
Celebrate Latinx Heritage Month with Fiesta De Las Américas!
On Saturday, October 8th, enjoy a fun family picnic-style celebration with folkloric dance, music, and more! We are highlighting various regions of the Américas, including North America: American Indian/NativeAlaska, First Nations (Canada) Central America: El Salvador, Honduras, Belize The Caribbean: Bahamas, Trinidad y Tobago, Cuba, Dominican Republic South America: Bolivia, Brazil, Haiti
Día de Muertos
Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is when families gather to honor and remember deceased loved ones. It is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit the living families in homes, businesses, and cemeteries. The Aztecs honored their dead with fiestas and rituals during the harvest season. They viewed death as the beginning of the cycle of seasons and life.
We celebrate the Day of the Dead on November 2nd by creating sacred spaces with art installations, performances, and a walking procession, which help us contemplate our personal existence, mortality, and celebration of life.
The American Indian Cultural District, Calle 24, CLECHA, Mission Merchants Association, and MEDA invite you to attend Calle Limpia Corazón Contento (Clean Street Happy Heart), the second community event of a quarterly series to clean and revitalize the 16th and 24th Street corridors!
The event will take place Saturday, October 22 from 10 AM-4 PM. Revitalization efforts include volunteer street cleaning through a culturally relevant community building practice and providing support and essential information to community street vendors and small businesses.
Are you interested in volunteering? Fill out our volunteer form here: https://forms.gle/D1yjQzfEHXMLtLTv5. Volunteers do not have to stay for the entire event and we appreciate any time you can offer!
"LeatherWalk is the Leather District’s annual SOMA celebration and march.
We will walk together, starting across from City Hall, pausing at favorite neighborhood spots for entertainment and beverages. This year, we will end up at the celebration of body positivity called the Bearrison Street Fair! A Ceremonial Leather Pride Flag Raising will take place at Eagle Plaza at 3 pm."
Volunteers are needed from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm! From 11:00 to 11:30 am, you will welcome folks, accept donations, collect names and email addresses, and hand out commemorative LEATHERWALK 2022 pins. For more information visit the Leather Cultural District website.
Experience Japan's Craft Valley
"Craft Valley" is an area of Japan that spreads across Toyama Prefecture, northern Ishikawa Prefecture, and northern Gifu Prefecture. This area has a distinctive cluster of traditional artisans and craftmakers. Come and experience the regional culture of Japan in San Francisco Japantown. These events will be held at the Japan Center Kinokuniya Building, 2nd floor from 11 am-6 pm. For more information visit the Japantenna website.
Events and Dates:
Japantenna Craft Valley: October 7-9
Japantenna Oshu: October 21-23
Japantenna Kobe: October 28-30 and November 4-6, 11-13
PROGRAM AND COMMUNITY UPDATES
SCCD is a Heritage Hero!
"On Saturday, September 17, the Sunset Chinese Cultural District was honored as a Heritage Hero by SF Heritage. We appreciate the honor, especially as it was bestowed upon us by our sister cultural district executive director Sharaya Souza of the American Indian Cultural District."
Sunset Autumn Moon Festival
The Sunset Chinese Cultural District was proud to host the return of the Sunset Autumn Moon Festival on September 10. The event included a vaccination clinic, health resources, a kid's zone, as well as cultural and community performances. We were honored to be recognized by Assessor-Recorder Torres and Sheriff Miyamoto at the event. This event had a hiatus during the pandemic, and we saw approximately 1,000 people in attendance!
Small Business Training Grant
Calle24 has developed a grant for small businesses that have attended an approved training program with Calle 24. This will pay for startup and operating costs like inventory, hiring, equipment, rent, and utilities. Grant awards will range from $5,000 to $50,000. Calle24 has an approved training program for this grant!!
Grant Tiers:
- $5,000 No Storefront & Street Vendors
- $10,000 Mobile Vendor
- $15,000 Existing Businesses with Storefront
- $25,000 Startup New Storefront
- $50,000 Existing Business New Storefront Expansion
If you want to enroll in one of Calle 24 available trainings, email business@calle24sf.org or call 415-532-9955.
First Entrepreneurial Cohort Completes Leather Training Program!
In September, six members of the first cohort of our Entrepreneur Training Program graduated after making their Final Business Presentations to a panel of expert business owners. The second cohort will begin early in 2023!
The LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District’s Entrepreneur Training Program is a 9-week program where 6-8 entrepreneurs from the Leather community will work as a cohort to learn the know-how to build their businesses from the ground up. For details about the program and criteria click here!
Come shop with some of the finest local queer and kinky artists, artisans, and craftspeople. In addition to queer and kinky artists and craftspeople, we added the Rough Trade Gear Swap and a beer bust at the Eagle to our monthly street fair. SOMA Second Saturdays will be hosted on Saturday, October 8th at Eagle Plaza, 12th Street between Folsom and Harrison.
Volunteer Opportunity:
Entrance Greeters are needed to greet attendees at the entrances of monthly arts and artisans vendor fairs and SOMA Second Saturdays! Shift times are 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm, or 2:00 - 5:00 pm at Eagle Plaza, 12th Street between Folsom and Harrison. Volunteers are welcome to come early to shop at the Soma West Farmers Market immediately before our event in Eagle Plaza. Visit https://sfleatherdistrict.org/volunteer/ for additional information.
SFAAACD collaboration with SF Planning
SFAAACD has been meeting regularly with the SF Planning Department to establish a notification process when they receive Conditional Use Authorization applications on behalf of the Bayview District. The leaders of the Cultural District intend to clarify this process and regularly provide updates to the community. For more information on receiving Development Approvals visit https://sfplanning.org/permit/developers.
Free COVID-19 testing at the Collingwood Parking lot!
COVID-19 testing will also be offered without any appointments at the Collingwood Parking Lot on 18th Street between Collingwood and Castro Street every Saturday. . More information is available here!
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
