The Jamestown Sense of Belonging: Norma’s Journey ⚽️

Norma started at Jamestown as a soccer player when she was a youth. Her participation grew from young player to coaching, to now managing all the programs in the Sports department. As part of her Jamestown journey, and now in her current role as Interim Sports Manager, Norma is continuing to support soccer access for all.

Norma understands that adult mentors, like sport coaches, can play an important role in the development of youth and their athletic performance. She strives to connect coaches with additional training to help players reach their full potential. Soccer teaches life lessons in addition to creating great leaders and has the power to bring people together, no matter your background. Norma has worked with kids with disabilities, different income levels, and a variety of cultures and genders.

Norma enjoys supporting all groups and abilities that most people might not traditionally work with. Her passion for creating a space of belonging is inspiring.

Part of riding the waves in our work is recognizing the importance of needed social change. Title IX helped create access for girls and women and there are still issues for women of color that Norma and the Sports Department are actively working to address. “It is really important to be there for players who identify as non-binary or trans and create inclusive spaces to support them and provide them with opportunities to be leaders and to think outside the box.”

Thanks to Norma for empowering our youth through Sports and growing her vision at Jamestown. Help us continue to create spaces of belonging for all youth by donating today!

To learn more about Norma and her vision for supporting our community, please read below

How have your past experiences helped you with working with youth sports at Jamestown? 

Working with different groups and populations has helped me be mindful about differences. I had the opportunity to work with kids with disabilities, different income levels, and different backgrounds. Wherever I work, I like to create inclusive spaces and high quality programming, to help youth and families be on the same level as other families with more resources. I like supporting groups that most people don’t usually work with - it is more rewarding. I appreciate when these kids start thinking about other opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t be possible for them. In coaching, I try to support and build a culture of being included and to give kids the space they need to see what they can become. 

In my role as Interim Sports Manager, I want to provide more youth development in addition to sports by investing more into coaches. I believe the more you invest in folks who work with youth everyday, the more it adds to the program and the youth’s education. The more coaches stay learning, the more they improve. It’s better all around and the kids stay in soccer longer. 

What was your entry into Jamestown? 

I played Jamestown soccer when I was younger and when I got older I became the managing coach. I worked at Jamestown Summer Sports Camp “Movement, Voice and Play” (or MVP). There I led activities that involved other skills, like math. You have the kids count, where the game's points change every round. You help them keep track of their score card and then help them add it all together. I’m excited about this year, I’m taking training to think of other ways to implement these kinds of activities.

What’s the strongest part of Jamestown?

Everyone, including our coaches that are in front of the kids everyday, keep everything running and form the biggest relationships with the kids. Jamestown would not be possible without our quality people, especially people that look like them and speak their language – that shouldn’t be overlooked, it matters. The work isn’t easy and not everyone can do it well!

How did we “ride the waves” of change in Jamestown in the past year?

For Girls Got Girls (GGG), we offered condensed programs and it gave them a sense of community in their schools, and it worked very well! Even seeing the teams coming together, they bonded. The schools that did not make it to the finals come to cheer the other teams and that created a sense of community. Now we added fall seasons to the elementary team because now we have that sense of community. 

We want to introduce soccer to players - we don’t prioritize winning, even though it's great. We teach youth healthy ways to compete and work together with other people, and how to support each other. Of course there is competition in it but that’s not the only point. Sending more female leaders out into the world is needed. 

Anything else you want people to know about Jamestown?

Jamestown Sports is really affordable for families compared to soccer clubs that cost about $2,000 or more per kid. But Jamestowns provide a quality program that helps give all youth the opportunity to play soccer without money being a barrier. 

Supporting players who identify as non-binary or trans is really important. It has not been that long since Title IX passed. We give these players opportunities to be leaders to think outside the box, and to help families understand that these youth are going to take those skills and become their own leaders in whatever fields they choose (it does not  have to be in soccer). We are sending these players out into the world back to family and community, hopeful that they will continue to give back. 

Jamestown Journey: Natty Teen to Now Natty Beacon Director

Natty has been part of the Jamestown community for more than 15 years. Her entry into the organization was as a middle schooler in our tutoring program at Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 (BVHM). As soon as she was old enough, she quickly took on the opportunity to give back in her own way by becoming a tutor herself. Working closely with youth at a young age inspired her to continue her career in youth development. 

Throughout the years at Jamestown, Natty has held many important positions such as Link Day Teacher supporting youth as they begin their school day, and as a Program Assistant, managing the many enrichment activities we support at our afterschool sites. Today we are fortunate to have her dedicated leadership as the James Lick Middle School Beacon Director, strengthening the connection between the daytime classroom and afterschool programming for students and families. 

I would never have thought in a million years, this is where I would be at.

Thank you Natty for choosing to grow with us in supporting youth and families.  

Give today and help Jamestown support growing leaders from within allowing us to remain a strong force in the community for another 50 years. 

To learn more about Natty and her vision for supporting our community, please read more below:

Do you have any great memories in any past Jamestown positions? 

I really enjoyed being a Tree House Facilitator at BVHM. I led their first girls group for 3 years. I love watching them grow as teens, problem-solve for themselves, and helping with their social and emotional learning. I saw how much the program changed them in really great ways.

I want to help them build better relationships with each other and their teachers– to have them feel like they can add more seeds in the garden of our community together.

What’s Jamestown's biggest strength?

I love what Jamestown's stands for - we help develop young staff into great tutors and teachers. It’s such a rewarding job - I get to see the community, staff and myself grow. In my current role, I appreciate getting the opportunity to build relationships with the school day staff and families feel the stability with my presence and involvement. I love that everyone feels welcome and is a part of Jamestown regardless of status, race and gender.

What are your hopes for our community?

In the future, I want to see our staff in more leadership roles, taking what they are already doing and turning it into more. For example, during the pandemic, we started self-care workshops with students, where we created space to meet and talk about our feelings and how to care for ourselves. The self-care class can become a self-care seminar with parents, and turn into something bigger.

Please send your donation today!

Thanking and Honoring Loco Bloco Co-Founder, Jose Carrasco

In its 28th year, thanks to many community members, especially Jose Carrasco, Loco Bloco has gone through many transformations, celebrating cultural arts and supporting young artists to flourish in their craft. Most recently being recognized at SF Carnaval as a 1st place winner in the 2022 Parade, and earning The Ellen Magnin Newman Award from the SF Symphony in spring 2021.

Jose Carrasco dancing in the streets of San Francisco in 2022’s SF Carnaval 

(photo source: William Jenkins from Mission Local)

We want honor and thank Jose for all his decades of hard work and dedication to Loco Bloco, as he transitions out of this formal role as Artistic Director. 

Looking Back: Jose Carrasco

Jose spent most of his childhood and youth in Louisiana and marveled at the grandeur of Mardi Gras. Soon after moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 1980’s Jose was introduced to San Francisco Carnaval while working on social justice.

In 1994, he joined efforts with Karla Castillo, creating cultural arts programming for youth, which soon blossomed into Loco Bloco. Together with other community based artists and members Heather Watkins, Tanya Mayo, Patricia Ovando, Abdi Jibril, Eric Norberg and many others, Jose continued to create the now legacy of Bay Area Afro-Latinx youth culture. 

In a short time, Loco Bloco grew into an emblem of youth power through music and dance in the Bay Area, performing not only in protest marches for social justice, but also on stages with internationally acclaimed artists, like Tito Puente Jr. and John Santos. Loco Bloco being youth led, they became leaders in the composition of dance and music, infusing hip-hop rhythms into the instrumentation.

Jose Carrasco is pictured above in a red kangol bucket hat as Loco Bloco leads a performance in Vieques, Puerto Rico. (photo source: Loco Bloco Concilio Facebook) 

Loco Bloco: Artistic Reimagination 

Rather than shutting down programming, Loco Bloco found ways to thrive during the pandemic and meet the needs of isolated youth and families to practice cultural arts while maintaining physical and mental wellness. Rehearsals were moved to parks for two key performances, Carnaval and ReclaMisión (Dia de los Muertos), which were staged safely in outdoor settings traveling to a variety of San Francisco neighborhoods.

Loco Bloco met the community where they were at, reminding them that art could heal. The performances were received enthusiastically by audiences, who were invited to enter a world outside isolation and connect. Jose’s vision continued, always including and imagining a world beyond the barriers that weigh communities of color down. 

Transitioning to New Artistic Leadership

A new generation of veteran Loco Bloco artistic leaders have emerged, creating the most recent Carnaval “Rebirth” (and 1st place winner) artistic production: 

• Mayela Carrasco, Lead Choreographer, Costume Design and Production and Artistic Direction

• Kai Lyons, Lead Musical Composer

• Ahkeel Mestayer, Bateria Director

• Akemi Smoot, Choreographer

We thank Jose for all his love and hard work in Loco Bloco, especially as we say goodbye to him as the Artistic Director. We look forward to the trailblazing and innovating artistic productions that will surface under the new artistic leaders.

❤️Gracias de todo corazón, Jose ❤️ 

Jamestown Builds a Pipeline of Leadership from Within Through Teen Workforce Program

"Jamestown is my home. I am Jamestown and Jamestown is me.”

One of the things that makes Jamestown programming so unique and successful is our ability to join our youth on every step of their academic and personal development journeys. We have countless youth who joined our programs as elementary school students and went on to work with our Youth Workforce summer camps and eventually become Jamestown staff.

Gibran Gonzalez is just one of the many young people who entered our doors as a student and then became a valuable member of the Jamestown leadership. In his current role as Youth Workforce Manager, Gibran coordinates high school employees, who not only receive valuable work experience and compensation but also a mentor from their community who can connect with them on a personal level.

During the lockdown stage of the pandemic, Gibran and his team had ears, hands and hearts on the ground, providing families with meals and other important resources needed to sustain their livelihood during these uncertain times. Gibran texted his students regularly to gain info about how he could support families, including mental health check-ins.

Give today and help Jamestown continue developing young leaders in our Mission District community. So far we’ve raised $120,000, let’s keep the support going! Thanks for supporting our work over the years!

To hear more about Gibran’s Jamestown journey, check out his interview below.

Q: What’s an important lesson you learned from Jamestown youth?

A: That every generation keeps getting smarter. These kids are teaching me things week in and week out.

Q: What is your fondest Jamestown memory?

A: My fondest Jamestown memory was the program I was in as a teen. I got the chance to have a place to be me, where I was surrounded by people who were like me, all in the same space. More significantly, I had mentors who had similar life experiences as me at some point in their life. Having a space to go to after school is really important.

Q: What do you want your Jamestown legacy to be?

A: I have said it since I was 15 -- I want to be the Executive Director later on in life. I know that I will have big shoes to fill as the directors before me are people I look up to. I want people to know no matter how bad you had it growing up, you can still be someone that can help others.

Jamestown Soccer Coaches Provide Valuable Mentorship For Decades

“I've remained a part of the Jamestown community for so long because it’s amazing seeing all these kids in their adolescence grow into their young adult lives. I’ve been told many times by the kids I coached that I was a significant role model in their lives and I’m glad I can be a positive influence."

One of the biggest reasons the sports program has been able to grow so much over the years is due in large part to dedicated coaches like Cesar Lepe (quoted above). Cesar has been with the organization for so long, his son has gone from youth soccer participant to current STEM instructor at our Buena Vista Horace Mann K- 8 Beacon Site. Individuals like Cesar volunteer their time to not only teach our youth a sport but also provide valuable life lessons and mentorship. 

For decades, one of the cornerstones of Jamestown’s impact in the community has been our soccer program which is free to join and provides youth with all necessary equipment at no cost. Whether participating on competitive travel teams, or our middle school girls league, Girls Got Goals, countless youth have stepped onto the pitch to proudly represent the Phoenix!

Even during the most difficult and isolating times of the pandemic, the Jamestown Sports Department, created “Metas Para Atletas,” weekly soccer physical activity challenges to keep our youth moving and connected to their teammates and sports community.

Cesar Lepe and his current team

Jamestown is incredibly grateful to have such a dedicated group of people, who invest so much of their time and energy to provide our youth with a healthy outlet as well as being positive role models in the community.

Thank so much for your support thus far in our 50 Days of Giving campaign. Help Jamestown to continue providing valuable mentorship and free team sports and wellness opportunities for our youth by donating today!

Learn more about Cesar and his Jamestown experience below.

Q: What is your fondest Jamestown memory?

A:  My fondest Jamestown memory is when I watched the first team I’ve ever coached turn into a strong group of men and I even saw some of them turn into fathers.

Q: What was your initial introduction to Jamestown?

A: My oldest son, Cesar, started playing soccer with Jamestown Community Center when he was six years old. His coaches left Jamestown and asked if I could be a temporary coach, 16 years later I’m still here and I enjoyed every second.

Q: If you had to tell others what’s the strongest part of Jamestown, what would that be?

A: The strongest part of Jamestown is definitely how they focus all their attention on shaping better lives for the children that attend a Jamestown program. They open opportunities that could change a young person's life in the best way possible.

Meet Nancy Hernandez: Former Jamestown Youth and Current Beacon Director Growing Leaders From Within

“I want to continue making an impact in the community that I have been born and raised in. There is a connection of family in Jamestown, a sense of opportunity to thrive and give to the community. We are a rare to find, resilient, passionate, and dedicated people in this workforce.”

Since its inception, the core of Jamestown’s work has been to provide young people with a safe space to learn, grow and explore their interests in a comfortable after school environment. Buena Vista Horace Mann (BVHM) Beacon Director Nancy Hernandez, has been a dedicated member of the Jamestown familia for years, starting as a youth participant at 16, and has grown into one of the organization’s leaders. Learn more about Nancy and her perspective as a woman born and raised in our Mission District Community. 

Thank you for continuing to support our pivotal work, and allowing us to serve our youth and families over the past half century. Give today and help Jamestown remain a force in the community for another 50 years.

Here's more from our interview with Nancy

Q: What was your initial introduction to Jamestown? 

A: My initial introduction to Jamestown was about 16 years ago. Right after middle school, I started working for Horace Mann Collaborative at that time who were in charge of the academic portion and Jamestown was in charge of Enrichment. In the summer of 2010, it was my first time working as a teacher for Summer Voyage at Cesar Chavez. Since then, I have stayed to be part of that magic brought to the community. 

Q: Why do you think Jamestown has such a strong and established legacy?

A: Jamestown has a strong and established legacy because it provides the opportunities for  people who want to work in youth development, it is also built by people who were raised and born in San Francisco, it is a community based organization, as well as a circle from having youth as participants to now teachers. It has adapted to the environment and still provides the needs our families need no matter their status.

Q: What do you want your Jamestown legacy to be?

A: The legacy I want to leave behind is the knowledge I gained through the years on youth development, knowing that someday youth would remember that I was one of the adults who helped them achieve their goal and not let them down. Also, adults using the advice once passed down to me. 

50 Years Strong: Celebrating 50 Days of Storytelling & Giving

The Mission District has changed a lot over the past 50 years. Demographics have shifted, businesses have come and gone, but one constant has remained; The Jamestown Community Center. Since 1971, Jamestown has been providing high quality academic and afterschool programming for the youth and families of our community. Jamestown has made it so far because of you. Thank you so much for being a part of our community and celebrating this golden milestone of 50 years. 

This year Jamestown celebrates our 50th birthday! To celebrate, we took the time to reflect on all the wonderful things we’ve been able to accomplish over the past half century. We spoke to current and former staff, students and leaders who have contributed to the overall success and growth of our organization, and we will share their stories in these 50 special days.

With the support of Jamestown alum Edgar Garcia of Robot Boy Productions, we took some time to speak with people who have made Jamestown what it is today: a place of learning, a home to many and a beacon of hope for all. Take a moment to learn more about the powerful leaders that have helped keep Jamestown alive and thriving by viewing the video.

To celebrate our 50th birthday, for the next 50 days we'll be sharing the stories of our community—the incredible individuals who have contributed to our collective growth. We're also working to raise $150,000 by January 10th, to help us continue the work for another 50 years.

Help us reach our goal by making a year-end gift to ensure Jamestown keeps providing quality programming for our Mission District familia. Visit jamestownsf.org to make your donation today.

Jamestown Work Receives Community Honors For Continued Excellence

It’s been a busy beginning to the school year for all of us at Jamestown. Between continuing in-person learning at our Beacon Center School sites and launching some exciting initiatives, we’ve been working hard to ensure we are meeting the needs of our Mission District youth and community. With so much going on, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate our programs staff being recognized by pivotal city leaders and institutions. 

Recently, on top of clinching the National League West Division (take that Dodgers!), the San Francisco Giants organization honored our Chavez Elementary Program Manager Diana Diaz, for the latest installment of their City Connect series, spotlighting young people making a difference in their communities. Diaz has been a key member of our Chavez team, who began as an art instructor and is now serving in a key leadership role. Her professional and personal growth is a shining example of how Jamestown invests in developing leadership from within.

Be sure to learn more about Diana’s journey on the Giants City Connect blog. You can also support her work directly by purchasing art from her website!

While Diaz and her family were lighting up the jumbotron at Oracle Park, our Loco Bloco artivists were being honored at the opening of the San Francisco Symphony’s 2021-2022 performance season. Loco Bloco was selected as this year’s recipient of the Ellen Magnin Newman Award, which celebrates outstanding community-based arts organizations who strengthen the Bay Area’s cultural fabric, serves vulnerable families and individuals, and creates a more just and equitable society for everyone who lives here.

Since our merger back in 2018, Jamestown has been proud to help carry on the legacy of Loco Bloco and support their work creating a space for Afro-Latino artistic traditions to continue thriving within our community. Be sure to join the Jamestown Loco Bloco familia as well as other local artivists for our annual ReclaMisión Dia de Muertos community celebration, November 2nd at our Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 Beacon Center or November 7th at Hummingbird Farms in the Excelsior District. Come see why Loco Bloco has become such an honored cultural fixture within the San Francisco arts community!

Jamestown Continues To Meet Community Needs During Pandemic

Familia, we all know this past year has been challenging beyond measure. Our world and our communities have dealt with an incredible amount of hardship. Despite these setbacks, we have seen the Mission District rise up in the face of adversity and work together to meet our collective needs.  At Jamestown, we have been busy keeping our students engaged throughout the pandemic through virtual learning and other family support programs.

As we return to in-person learning at our Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 (BVHM) and Longfellow program sites, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on all the powerful work our talented staff has been able to accomplish during this pandemic. Below are just a few examples of how Jamestown has been able to effectively address the needs of our community:

Community Hubs

• In person learning for our most vulnerable youth:  Community Learning Hubs alongside the San Francisco Department of Health have been highlighted in  the Wall Street Journal and KQED. Our Community Learning Hubs have provided our most vulnerable students with in-person learning opportunities, in a safe and healthy environment.

• Meaningful Collaborations: We have also fostered meaningful collaborations between our dedicated staff members on site and partnering agencies who allow us to continue providing high quality programming for our Mission District familia.

Family support+ relief funds

• Weekly food boxes: In addition to providing quality programming we have worked diligently to distribute 180 food boxes weekly to our Mission District families.

• Relief funds: Over 125 Jamestown families have received financial relief funds totaling $113,000. We saw the economic impact of the pandemic and are working continuously to ensure families receive the help they need. 

Celebrating + Honoring our Community (from afar)

• Black History Month- Our team at James Lick Middle School was able to rally and put together an incredible virtual Black History Month celebration in conjunction with Mayor London Breed’s office. 

Youth Social Justice + Cultural Pride- As part of Telemundo’s tribute to Afro-Latinxs in the Bay Area, our Office Manager and Samba star, Salma, was profiled for a feature about Jamestown’s focus on youth social justice and cultural pride! We also want to acknowledge Selma's Dance Instructor and Fogo na Roupa’s Artistic Director Metzi Henriquez who has helped in the development of many women of color in the Mission District.

These are just a few of the highlights from the past few months. As schools begin to slowly reopen and with summer programs on the horizon, we look forward to navigating the new reality in community with our Mission District students and families. We know the transition back to in-person learning will have its challenges and we are prepared for whatever lies ahead. We are still here, we are still fighting and we are still working to create a more equitable and compassionate world. Stay tuned for more updates, our work is far from over. Huge thank you to all our supporters in the community who allow us to continue our work.

Jamestown Programmatic Update Fall 2020

Jamestown Community Center is pleased to share our top priorities for the 2020-21 school year. With the implementation of online learning at all San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are focused on the well being and academic growth of our students during this challenging time. In the past few months we have been diligently working to serve our families and ensure all of their needs are met. These are just some of the initiatives we have been implementing:

Cesar Chavez Elementary students show off their art.

• Over the summer, we supported 126 families with income relief through the Cesar Chavez Go Fund Me campaign and the San Francisco Family Relief Fund.

• Through our affiliation with the Latino Task Force we have been supporting food distribution, sharing informational resources and COVID-19 test sites in the Mission and Excelsior districts as we face unprecedented crises related to the pandemic.

• We are collaborating with school sites to connect students to internet access and devices, while also providing school day support working with teachers, tutors, and students to continue to improve literacy and social-emotional development.

• With the cancellation of Fall soccer, the Sports team has been working diligently to provide quality programming based on the needs and interest of the families and coaching staff. The sports team will be piloting one OST (Out of School Time) pod of approximately 14 youth in the Mission District focusing on physical activity and individual soccer development. The pilot program will be observed closely and follow the safety guidelines set forth by the SF Dept. of Public Health. In addition, Metas Para Atletas - a virtual training program that consist of weekly challenges that allow youth to learn new exercises, stay active and build soccer skills in the comfort of their homes will relaunch next month.

• Starting September 14th we will be hosting a Community Education Hub in collaboration with 826 Valencia and DCYF to serve 12 of our most vulnerable students, so they can maintain a healthy level of learning.

• Strengthening Families Program (SFP) begins this fall. This is a 14-week program where youth and their guardians will learn about communication, listening, respect, setting expectations, and personal responsibility as tools to build healthier family dynamics. All SFP facilitators attend Trauma-Informed Systems trainings funded and led by the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

• Loco Bloco will begin to deliver quality virtual Afro-Latino dance and drumming and stilt walking instruction to encourage our primarily Latinx students, to discover the connections, history, and politics behind the art they practice and strengthen their sense of identity and cultural pride. In addition, a team of Loco Bloco artists are currently working with the Zoo Labs artist accelerator program to craft a musical project and accompanying visuals to engage and celebrate the historic LB community in a new and profound way.

Please consider giving to Jamestown and help us continue our important work. We thank you for your continued love and support.

My Jamestown Journey

My name is Teya Hernandez, I am a 16-year old High School student at Immaculate Conception Academy and will be a Junior this upcoming school year. As a longtime participant in Jamestown programming, I wanted to share my experience on how it has helped shape me into the person I am today.

My journey at Jamestown began before I was even able to enroll in their after school program at Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8. My older sister was in Jamestown, so I occasionally went to the family events and showcases the organization hosted. As I transitioned into 6th grade, I was excited because I knew I was going to be part of the same fun activities my sister enjoyed during her middle school days. 

At Jamestown, it was really comforting to know I had a place to go and be productive, once school was done. The staff always set homework goals for us and created a safe space for us to hang out and be ourselves. Jamestown after school wasn’t only a fun, safe, and organized place for me to do my homework but really more like a second home. The program staff there helped me tap into my potential as a student.

During my time in Jamestown, I was also able to unlock my athletic potential through Girls Got Goals. My Coach Memo taught me not only everything I know about soccer but valuable lessons like: “You’re a student-athlete, but student comes first,” and “We may not be the best team but we are the hardest working team.”

I believe we were able to successfully secure two championships back to back because of the teamwork and trust we built over time. Looking back at my clumsy 6th-grade self to where I am now, I can definitely say I’ve improved a lot throughout middle school and have continued that momentum into high school. 

Another great activity I was able to participate in was “Tree House.”  There I was able to bond and become closer with my friends through different mental and emotional health exercises such as mindful breathing and meditation. 

Even when school was not in session, I always had Summer Voyage with Jamestown to look forward to. From everyday field trips to the big camping trip, and to the end of summer barbeque. Some of my best memories were made during my time in Summer Voyage. 

After three years with Jamestown, my middle school graduation arrived and I thought my journey in Jamestown was coming to an end. Luckily, during my freshman year of high school, I was able to participate in the Youth In Charge (YIC) teen program. Here, I was able to learn more about a community issue I was passionate about, alcohol justice, and addiction. 

Through YIC, I was able to encounter a wealth of experiences, including a meeting with the mayor, visiting the dome at city hall, meeting community leaders, going to a Giants game to talk with their alcohol and beverage vendors about their policies and safety measures to protect fans and prevent alcohol-related injuries, all while building relationships with other cool youth. In addition to these amazing enrichment experiences, I was also able to join an alcohol awareness coalition funded by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, to further advocate against youth alcoholism and create social media campaigns around this subject matter.

Currently, I am working this summer for the Jamestown Development and Marketing Department, helping to create content for their digital platforms. I have come a long way and will forever feel like a Jamestown kid. Special shout out to all the staff that has helped and watched me grow over the years, you know who you are. 

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!

Support Mission Immigrant Youth and Families In Crisis

Many residents of San Francisco know Cesar Chavez Elementary School for the beautiful murals depicting its' namesake, activist Cesar Chavez, along with other multicultural themes representing the entire community, such as the ASL alphabet mural on the Shotwell Street side of the building to represent Deaf and Hard of Hearing students and families. Chavez is an integral party of our Latinx Cultural District community.

It has become the center of food distribution, COVID-19 testing and community outreach during this crisis.  Many families from the Chavez  community have also gone out of their way to volunteer in these efforts, serving 478 families from all over the Bay Area, many of whom reside in the Mission District neighborhood.

Due to the Shelter-In-Place order across our city and state, the families of Cesar Chavez Elementary have been through severe economic strain. Not only that, but 90% of the people who have tested positive for COVID-19 were those who needed to leave their home to work. 95% of these individuals identified as being of Latinx heritage.

The Jamestown Community Center is hosting this fundraiser for the Chavez families in need of financial support at this time. The money we fundraise will go directly to those who have been impacted and have the highest need, primarily undocumented, unemployed, or homeless families.

In particular this fund will support our families who do not have access to unemployment benefits and will not receive a stimulus check to help them through this pandemic. Multiple families will be supported through $500 Visa Gift Cards that can be used towards paying for essential items such as groceries and toiletries. 

The Mission District is the heart of San Francisco. It’s where we gather for big wins, nights out, great food, and cultural events like Dia de los Muertos and Carnaval. The Mission is beautiful and vibrant because of the richness of art and culture that come from the unique Latinx heritage and cultures of its' residents. 

The families of Cesar Chavez play a big part in making this neighborhood run and contribute to its' vitality. The Mission District gives us so much.  We need to show our support, love and appreciation for the families that make The Mission like no other place in San Francisco.

Visit the GoFundMe Page and Give Today