[JTF Alert - 5/12/23] State Budget Briefing TODAY + KOHO SF

Spring is in full bloom and that means it’s BUDGET SEASON! Join Assemblymember Phil Ting, Chair of the Budget Committee, for a Budget Town Hall TODAY, Friday, May 12, 12:30 - 2 pm, at the Milton Marks Conference Center, 455 Golden Gate Avenue. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP here.

A message from Susie Kagami: “KOHO SF is excited to bring the long-standing and modern traditions of Matcha to YUM YAMS, a street and food festival in its fourth year in the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District. This year’s festival will feature 40 food and retail AAPI vendors, a formal Omotesenke Tea Ceremony demonstration, Ube & Matcha Art with Kristian Kabuay, a Jan Ken Pon Contest, Taiko and Tinikling performances by the ASAWA SOTA World Music Department, Kulingtang Dialect, and DJ Hideemode. The 5M Park stage curated by Women’s Audio Mission will feature musical performances by DJariB, Joyous Dawn, Maya Songbird, and Wild Choir.”

Date: Saturday, May 13

Time: 12pm-5pm

Location: Kapwa Gardens at 967 Mission St & 5M Park at 44 Mary St.

* Free to Attend

6:45 pm, Tues, 5/16. Enjoy a baseball game, pick up a complimentary bucket hat (be sure to arrive early!), and support the JCCCNC! Tickets available here.

Message from the San Francisco Giants: “In Community Partnership with the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California, the Giants are proud to invite you to celebrate the rich history of Japanese culture at our annual Japanese Heritage Night. Your Special Event package includes a ticket to the game against the Phillies and a Japanese Heritage/Giants co-branded bucket hat. Be sure to get to the ballpark early as we celebrate Japanese Heritage Night with a pregame field performance by Uzumaru, a Yosakoi team that was established in San Jose, which hopes to help promote Yosakoi through their endeavors as well as a National Anthem Performance from Chorale May, a San Francisco-based Japanese men’s chorus group.”

10 am - 2 pm, Sat, 5/20. Community service opportunity. Everyone welcome. Lunch provided ! RSVP by 5/15 here.

Join us for the 3rd Annual Story Circle presented by First Voice, 10 am - 12N (virtual), Sat, 5/20. Get more details and RSVP here. Message from our friends Brenda Wong Aoki and Mark Izu: “The Story Circle of the Japanese Diaspora gathers together the lost tribe of people of Japanese descent who were forced to scatter during the incarceration.”

SAVE THE DATE: The Japanese Benevolent Society of California (Jikeikai), with the support of the Japanese American Religious Federation (JARF), will hold its annual Memorial Day Service at 11 am, Mon, 5/29, at the Japanese Cemetery, 1300 Hillside Boulevard, Colma. Each year, over 200 people attend this annual service.

The San Francisco Planning Department, in partnership with the Japantown Community Benefit District, the Japantown Task Force, and the Nihonmachi Parking Corporation, is seeking input on the Osaka Way/Buchanan Mall upgrades project. Join us for an Open House to share ideas for upgrades to the pedestrian portion of Osaka Way/Buchanan Mall, between Post & Sutter Streets.

The Planning Department will give a short presentation at 6 pm (will be recorded) Please join us for refreshments and door prizes! For those of you with children, kid's activities will be provided. Interpretation and printed materials will be available in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP here.

Announcements from District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston:

Be the Jury Program: The San Francisco Superior Court is piloting a new program to pay eligible participants $100 a day for jury duty. The “Be The Jury” pilot program was created with the goal of establishing juries that are more reflective of San Francisco’s diverse communities. Learn more about the program by calling 311 or visiting the Superior Court’s website at bit.ly/BeTheJury

District 5 Legacy Businesses: Are you a small business owner in D5 whose business has been in the community for 30 or more years? Reach out to the District 5 team so we can explore your options for registering as a legacy business. Our neighborhood commercial establishments – including retailers, restaurants, bars, manufacturers, service providers, and more – give the city character. Preserving our longstanding businesses is critical to maintaining that which makes San Francisco a special place. In addition, registration as a legacy business gives our small businesses access to city grants and preservation programs. Reach out to our office at PrestonStaff@sfgov.org for more information.

To receive Supervisor Preston’s newsletter directly, sign up here.

MAY JTF MEETINGS

For agendas and Zoom links, go to the JTF website.

Wed, 5/17/23, 6-8 pm: JTF Board Meeting
Tues, 5/23/23, 5-6 pm: Peace Plaza Committee
　　　　　
JTF各委員会の5月定例ミーティングの開催日と時間のお知らせです。議題内容やZoomリンク等は、JTF website からどうぞ。

Photo credits: Official event, organization websites.