SOMA Pilipinas at the Heart of Downtown Recovery with Explosion of New Public Art, Restaurants and Jeepney Tour

Filipino Cultural Heritage District rolls out Equity Vision for Downtown Reclaiming Spaces through Collaboration, Creative Place-making and Cultural Arts

The "Mahal Jeepney" is a 1948 model Willy restored and owned by local superstar musician Tori Y Moi, who donated it to SOMA Pilipinas last year and is now a cultural asset for the district. 

June 20, 2024, San Francisco, CA  –

SOMA Pilipinas, the city and state recognized Filipino Cultural Heritage District proves to be a leader in revitalizing downtown San Francisco by creating a new narrative and cultural boom through innovative economic recovery strategies rooted in equity, community, collaboration and cultural arts.  

Just in the last year, ten new Filipino murals, public art pieces, and colorful crosswalks have been completed with many more coming in the near future. Three new Filipino-owned restaurants (Mestiza, Sarap Shop, and Izzy and Wooks) have opened in downtown just in the last two months and are already receiving rave reviews. Earlier this month SOMA Pilipinas launched the inaugural Mahal Jeepney tour of the cultural district.

“Despite decades of displacement and a global pandemic, Filipino artists, cultural institutions, activists and entrepreneurs continue to be at the heart of SOMA’s cultural scene, community life and economic resilience. We’re excited that the Filipino community is finally getting the recognition that we’re due as we contribute to downtown's recovery and continue to fight for equity and sustainable community and economic development,” shares Raquel Redondiez, Director of SOMA Pilipinas.


Seeding a Thriving Downtown

The city recently announced exciting plans to transform the 4th floor of The Emporium into a dynamic hub dedicated to Filipino cuisine and retail. This new development with Kultivate Labs is part of a broader strategy to revitalize the downtown area and tap into the success of Filipino arts, culture, and entrepreneurship.

SOMA Pilipinas and Filipino small businesses were instrumental in advocating for a small business mitigation fund on the heels of the Nov 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit that impacted hundreds of small businesses downtown. Their advocacy created a 2 million dollar fund and 200 businesses and cultural institutions in and around the Yerba Buena will receive a grant of $10-15k this summer. 

“Operating in downtown San Francisco has been a challenge but we’re excited about all the new art and cultural activities in SOMA Pilipinas, and being a  part of a rich ecosystem of Filipino arts, cuisine, and entrepreneurs.”  shared Manuel Ramirez, owner of Bonchon and Izzy and Wooks, the first restaurant to open in the Metreon since the pandemic.  Manuel and his partner Cheryl are the newest Board Members of the Yerba Buena Community Benefits District.

SOMA Pilipinas Blooms with Public Art

SOMA Pilipinas is now home to 10 new public artworks, with the most of them created in the last year, including:

The latest addition to the district's cultural assets is the “Pagsasama-sama” mural (located at 1048 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94103) meaning “joining together” in Tagalog, by local artist ChiChai. This mural symbolizes the unity and collaborative efforts of community members in revitalizing and reclaiming spaces for Filipino arts and cultural activities. A mural unveiling will take place on Jun 26, 2024.

PAGSASAMA SAMA (Tagalog for” joining together”). This mural, painted by ChiChai Mateo, with the support of Lloidy Fontanilla and Lorenzo Tamayo Lee.

SOMA Pilipinas has been forging collaborations and partnerships with the city’s Office of Economic Workforce Development (OEWD), and organizations like Children’s Creativity Museum, Kultivate Labs, SF MOMA, SOMA West CBD, Yerba Buena CBD (YBCBD), and Parangal Dance Company, to name a few.

Upcoming summer projects and events include:

  • Pagsasama-sama mural unveiling and jeepney tour, Wednesday, June 26, 2024, 2:30-4:30pm 

  • Mahal Jeepney Tours open to the public starting in July, people can follow on @somapilipinas Instagram for updates.

  • Restoration of the first mural dedicated to Filipinos in San Francisco, “Lipi ni Lapu Lapu”, unveiling July 2024

  • “Sa Amin” a new film on the history of Filipinos in the South of Market neighborhood premieres in Los Angeles (July 20), San Diego (July 27), and San Jose (Aug 30)

Historical and Cultural Significance

Recognized as San Francisco’s Filipino Cultural Heritage District in 2016, SOMA Pilipinas serves as a crucial cultural and economic hub for the region's substantial Filipino community. Despite a strong presence and contribution to the cultural arts ecosystem since the 1990s, many legacy Filipino cultural groups, including SOMA Pilipinas, struggle with securing dedicated spaces due to institutional racism, displacement, and high real estate costs.

SOMA Pilipinas honors over 120 years of Filipino history in San Francisco, dating back to the Philippine-American War (1899-1902). The district is a pivotal cultural center for Filipinos in California, who represent the largest and fastest-growing Asian-Pacific Islander community in the state. Home to thousands of Filipino families and seniors, SOMA Pilipinas is also an employment hub for Filipinos in various sectors.

The district is home to unique cultural institutions like Bindlestiff Studio, the nation’s only dedicated Filipino-American performance space, and Arkipelago, one of just two Filipino-American bookstores in the U.S. High-profile annual events such as the Pistahan Parade and Festival, the Parol Lantern Festival, and Kultivate Labs’ Undiscovered SF festival bring over 50,000 visitors to the district each year.

For more information visit somapilipinas.org

###

About SOMA Pilipinas

SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District was officially recognized by the City of San Francisco in 2016. It is dedicated to preserving and promoting Filipino culture and history, supporting community artists and cultural workers, and fostering economic development through cultural arts and community partnerships.

SOMA Pilipinas