Town Hall Meeting: November 2019
Meeting Notes
NOV 20, 2019 PUBLIC TOWN HALL
Re: NEA Grant
Location: SF Filipino Cultural Center
Time: 5:30-7:30 pm
AGENDA
INTRODUCTIONS/RECOGNITIONS - 5:30 pm (actual: 6:00 pm)
WELCOME BY SUPERVISOR MATT HANEY - 5:35 pm (actual 6:05 pm)
For the past 10 months since taking office, Haney’s office has been working with SOMA Pilipinas and has been achieving major wins in the District with SOMA Pilipinas & the Filipino community’s support (jobs-housing linkage fee, COPA, etc)
SOMA Pilipinas is helping to pave the way for cultural districts
The type of open community process as exhibited in this town hall is a model for how to engage with community and get input not only for other cultural districts, but for how the City can engage with communities throughout SF
The future of SF is Filipino; the community has been here for over 100 years and are continuing to lead the way
We need to center and celebrate the communities that have helped build and contributed to SF
BACKGROUND AND HIGHLIGHT OF SOMA PILIPINAS - 5:40 pm (actual 6:10pm) (Presented by Raquel Redondiez, SP Director)
CREATION OF SOMA PILIPINAS:
Though the SOMA has been a Filipino cultural center for decades and the concept of the district has been years in the making, the SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District was established and formalized by SF in April 2016
The goal of the district is “to preserve and further develop SoMa Pilipinas as the regional center of Filipino culture and commerce recognize the historical and present contributions of the community and neighborhood, to stabilize Filipino residents, business, and community-serving institutions”
The cultural district is made up of many stakeholders including residents, businesses, organizations
STRENGTHENING THE CULTURAL DISTRICT:
April 2018: the City passed the Cultural District Ordinance
November 2018: Hotel Tax established base-line funding for cultural districts
March 2019: Began National Endowment for the Arts Strategic Planning Process (creative placemaking)
Sept/Oct 2019: Cultural District Accelerator Training
December 2019: SOMA Pilipinas will launch Governance Process: Dec 9, 5:30-7pm info session. SOMA Pilipinas is currently under FADF, but will launch process to become 501(c3)
January 2020: SOMA Pilipinas will begin CHHESS (Cultural Heritage History Economic Sustainability Strategies) Process which will include producing a CHHESS report to guide how the cultural district will develop over the next three years
2019 HIGHLIGHTS:
History & Heritage: 300 people went on Ethno-Tours led by Gene Alejo (over 30 groups). Will resume tours in March; currently training more community members to host Ethno-Tours
Community Celebrations
Golden Debut - Partnership with SP, BEC, Kultivate for seniors
Heroes in Our Windows Mural - SOMCAN
Fil-Am History Month Celebration at City Hall (UP 25th and Bindlestiff 30th Anniv)
TANAW II - Liwanag Book Launch
3rd Season of Undiscovered & activation of Undiscovered Basketball Court
Natoma Block Parties - SOMCAN
Sold out Tagalog Shows at Bindlestiff
Kultivate - Successful completion of crowdfunding for Republika, a permanent Filipino retail and business incubator on Mission between 4th & 5th Streets that will premiere in 2020
Advocacy & Policy
Protected Victoria Manalo Draves Park from Shadow Project (1025 Russ Street)
Supported COPA and passage of Jobs Housing Linkage Fee
CHHESS PROCESS - 5:50 pm (actual 6:18 pm) (Presented by Julia Sabory, MOHCD)
Julia Sabory is the City’s Cultural Districts Program Manager with MOHCD
Cultural districts have three visions: 1) Celebrate culture; 2) Strengthen community, traditions, heritage; 3) Coordinate with the City to best serve the districts’ communities
The Cultural District Ordinance passed in 2018 mandates the production of a CHHESS (Cultural Heritage History Economic Sustainability Strategy) report
This document is a strategy plan for each cultural district for the City to be accountable to
The report is meant to list out strategies and prioritize the needs of the cultural district for the next 3 years
It’s a community tool to preserve and strengthen the community and set the communities who live and are served by the cultural districts up for wins
The report will be presented to the Board of Supervisors and be passed as legislation
Every 3 years, the CHHESS report will be revisited by the City, key departments, and the cultural district/community to see if all stakeholders are on track for goals that the community has set
Every cultural district has to produce a CHHESS report and engage with community, so there will be a Town Hall for this CHHESS report in the future
Japantown held their Town Hall last week, and it fostered important and critical conversations and visions for their cultural district for the next 3 years
INTRODUCTION OF NEA PROCESS / ARTIST CONCEPT DESIGNS - 5:55 pm (actual 6:22pm) (Presented by Rachel Lastimosa, SP Arts & Cultural Administrator)
NEA: National Endowment for the Arts
SOMA Pilipinas was awarded an NEA grant - called the “Our Town” creative place keeping/making program grant - for higher Fil-Am visibility through urban design, public art, and public realm improvements
The Filipino community in the SOMA has already been planning to increase public art and urban design in the neighborhood as early as 2017
Since there have been multiple design charrettes and urban design workshops over the years, SOMA Pilipinas has gathered a lot of information and ideas of Filipino design elements and concepts and wanted to incorporate these elements and concepts into the everyday life throughout the neighborhood
Since 80% of development in San Francisco is concentrated in the SOMA, the SOMA holds a lot of burden in the City
However, with all of this development, SOMA Pilipinas has the opportunity to work in partnership with developers and stakeholders to install public art, shape the public realm, and visibilize Filipino culture and Filipinos who live in the SOMA
This NEA grant can help build a public realm portfolio for future developers so they can see what the community has created and compiled and what type of art and cultural elements the community wants, as well as show that these elements were agreed upon through a public process
In August, SOMA Pilipinas issued a call for artists to create concepts for gateway designs, plaques, signage and markers, and special crosswalks
There were 9 artists and 13 designs; these were first showcased at the Undiscovered Night Market in October 2019 for feedback and input; today’s town hall is another opportunity to receive input and feedback
SOMA Pilipinas will be releasing an online survey to provide another opportunity to gather input and comment on these designs
ARTISTS PRESENTATIONS & FEEDBACK - 6:00 pm (actual 6:27 pm)
DESIGN PRESENTATIONS:
BASTOS COLLECTIVE (Presented by Mariela & Paolo, third member Erina Alejo not present)
Design made for future plaques throughout SOMA Pilipinas
Originally wanted to incorporate Filipino symbols and textures such as the sampaguita, jeepney, capiz, and bamboo, but decided to put the faces and people that you would find in SOMA Pilipinas, including: Veterano, child/family, woman in traditional clothing, Lola, and youth activist
The diverse set of people depicted in the plaque are symbols of a community that is fighting to thrive
On the plaque, there is a SOMA Pilipinas logo as well as a QR code that could be scanned and can link people to the official SP website
MEL VERA CRUZ
Designs for SOMA Pilipinas crosswalks
Three different types:
Tagalog phrases: “Magandang umaga,” “Ingat,” “Tuloy po kayo” - phrases are meant to be welcoming dialogue for those who traverse the street since hospitality is a major Filipino value and trait
Stencils: Relatable icons i.e. carabao, sampaguita, jeepney which helps the community feel connected to their culture and provides “stamps” or “tags” to let residents and visitors know about the Filipino presence in the area
Hinabis: Universal, no political agenda, abstract, timeless, and aesthetically pleasing, yet culturally significant (can view this design element at the mural on Bayanihan Center)
FRANCE VIANA
Designs for boundary and place markers
Identified Filipino values that could be embodied in design
Radical Hospitality: Filipinos are welcoming and open their homes and tables for all. Filipinos often have the traditional big wooden fork & spoon hanging in their kitchens to show how welcoming their homes are and how important food is to Filipino culture. The enormous wooden fork and spoon sculpture would signify the boundaries of the district.
The wooden sculptures would be the color purple, which is the color of ube, but is also a significant color to other areas near our district, such as the Leather & LGBTQ cultural district, further signifying how welcoming the district is to all. The spoon and fork are metaphorically stating, “We have set a place at the table for you.”
Could potentially carve Filipino heroes and heroines of Philippines and SOMA in the spoon & fork
Being “Punny:” Upo/upuan bench (seat that is in the shape of the upo vegetable). Could be placed near the community gardens in SOMA.
Respect for Ancestors & Elders: Ancestor boat bench. Bench with two ancestors rowing in a boat, signifying the soul’s journey and relying on ancestors for guidance and support along the journey
Filipinos love the “old,” but also embrace the “new:” Babayin alphabet but in hip hop style
NIKI WATERS
SOMA Pilipinas is in the Heart marker/signage design
Design concept inspired by memory of grandmother and song, “Bahay Kubo” and design of nipa huts (bahay kubo)
Idea would be to have lamp posts scattered throughout SOMA (similar to lamp posts in Chinatown) with bahay kubo on top of the posts to signify concepts of home, family, and food
CAMO Design Studio (Presented by Christina Antiporda & Marcus Owens)
CAMO recently partnered with OEWD to create Undiscovered Basketball Court
Focused on gateway and crosswalks
MABUHAY Gateway with “living walls” near VMD park: Concept created with feedback from community about wanting to see more plants and greenery
Filipino star emblem at 6th St. & Ahern Way: Build this structure around the highway overpass to transform it from something unpleasant to something artful and bright
California Poppy/Sampaguita crosswalk on Mission St. & Yerba Buena near St. Patrick’s Church
Bamboo crosswalk at 4th St. & Folsom: Bamboo lattice. Design of bamboo put together in traditional ways to make a pattern in the crosswalk
FEEDBACK
Desi Danganan: While this is part of the playbook and portfolio for developers, we can do some of these designs now. At Republika, we can put some of these designs on our windows. However, we should think more about art and designs along Mission Street since this will be the commercial corridor of SOMA Pilipinas.
Community member (name not shared): Likes the flower crosswalks (CAMO, poppy/sampaguita) but there are actually two national flowers in the Philippines. The orchid (waling waling) is also important in our culture; we should incorporate this into the design.
Community member (named not shared): Since we have so many freeways in the SOMA, we should add more art and murals onto freeway entries and exits.
Community member (name not shared): We should consider more than just sampaguita, how about lanzones, ilang-ilang, sarimanok?
Community member (name not shared): All of the ideas are great, but the problem is that SOMA Pilipinas has a lot of homeless people and some parts of the neighborhood are dangerous, so residents, especially children and families, cannot enjoy the public art. Areas must be clean first or else the art will be useless.
Rachel responds: In the CHHESS process, community can discuss strategies to elevate the needs of the SOMA Youth & Family Special Use District, safe/clean streets, and how to promote better housing and services for all neighbors in SOMA
Greg Roja: Excited to see this work and looking forward to executing these designs. But how will we get funding? Will developers fund these? We need to keep pushing for this, as we also know that these ideas and concepts will be part of a bigger political conversation.
Raquel responds: Some projects are small but we have been partnering with the City and creating community agreements with developers to secure funding and support i.e. DPW and utility boxes, gateway project on 6th Street with developer as part of infrastructure requirements.
UPCOMING EVENTS & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS - 6:45 pm (actual 7:05pm)
Dr. Kempis: Showing of “Pagbalik” (?) at SFFCC on Saturday 11/23. Showings at 1:15 pm & 4:30 pm. Tickets are $20. Award ceremony at 3:00 pm.
Rachel Lastimosa: Liwanag is a reissue of 1975 arts anthology. Creating a third volume that will feature new artists and will have a call for artists in spring of next year for release in Oct. 2020. Also, album release at Amado’s in the Mission this Friday 11/22 7:30pm-11:30pm.
Charles (Filipino Community Center): Trying to raise donation funds for those affected by earthquakes in Mindanao. Contact FCC for info.
Zach (Mabuhay Health Center): Saturday 12/7, 10th year celebration. Contact if interested in performing, showcasing art, music, etc.
Luisa (BEC): Put Census 2020 on the radar. Recently, six Bay Area Filipino-American community organizations formed the Bay Area Filipino Complete Count Committee (BAFCCC) to ensure that all are counted accurately and for census awareness.
Glen (DCYF): Saturday 11/23 1-3pm Family Summit at Gene Friend Rec Center. This summit is for the Community Needs Assessment. Community should come out and tell DCYF what type of services community would like to be funded for children, youth, and families. Great advocacy opportunity and can help guide funding priorities for 2023-2028.
Gina (Undiscovered): Tuesday 12/17, 6-8 pm. “Report back” to the community on past three years of Undiscovered i.e. what has been done/accomplished and what to look forward to next.
Commission of Filipinos Overseas: Conducting series to build ties between Filipinos in the Philippines and those overseas. 10-12 million Filipinos working outside of PI throughout the world. There is the upcoming 2020 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas. Nomination deadline is July 31, 2020. Check out cfo.gov.ph for more information
Other events coming up:
Parol Making Workshops - Fridays
Bindlestiff Gala - Saturday 12/7
Undiscovered Holiday Market - Sunday 12/8 @ Westfield under the dome
United Playaz annual gun buyback event: Saturday 12/14 8am-12pm
Parol Lantern Festival Saturday 12/14 (17th year)
Pasko sa SOMA 12/20
END OF TOWN HALL - 7:20 pm