Jamestown Stories

Guest User 10/6/21 Guest User 10/6/21

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!

Guest User 1/27/20 Guest User 1/27/20

Presenting Loco Bloco's Carnaval 2020 Theme: From Roots to Reincarnation

Through our artistic expression, we will create:

An embodiment of the ancestral traditions & wisdom living in the land & carried in our spirit

An act of community healing from our ancestral trauma as our scars evolve into adornments of empowerment
A reclaiming of our strength, power & voice as we transform our vision for our collective future

Through our artistic expression, we will create:

An embodiment of the ancestral traditions & wisdom living in the land & carried in our spirit

Comic cover From Roots To Reincarnation-page-001.jpg

Join us March 7th at Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 School for our Spring Resource and Carnaval Registration Fair 11am - 2pm. If you want to get involved before this, join us every Monday at Brava Theater for our Free Community Drum and Dance Classes 5 - 6:15pm. Stay updated on all things Loco Bloco by following on Facebook and Instagram.

Guest User 12/19/19 Guest User 12/19/19

Join The Mission and Support Jamestown

This past year has been groundbreaking for Jamestown, we hope you have enjoyed following the journey and growth on our Futuros Sin Fronteras blog. We have completed the merger with Loco Bloco, expanded our programming to serve nearly 4,000 youth and their families, and purchased space in the building we occupy at the Historic Centro Social Obrero. Our organization is stronger and more sustainable, poised to continue providing opportunity to kids, and helping them succeed.

At Jamestown, long-term engagement and deep relationships based on trust are the secret to our magic. This magic is the underpinning of the success of our youth, and what makes our programming special. We strive to serve youth and their families for as long as they need us -- providing crucial programs and supports to accompany them into adulthood.

Martín Herrera Pazmino embodies the core values and mission of Jamestown. Currently a World History Teacher at John O’Connell High School in the Mission, Martín grew up in the community, attending public schools in the neighborhood, supported by the enrichment programs at Jamestown and Loco Bloco. A budding artist, he picked up his first drum at age 3 in a Loco Bloco class. Martín also attended Cesar Chavez Elementary School, where he participated in Jamestown’s afterschool program.

Through his participation in Loco Bloco, Martín was able to hone his artistic skills and was accepted to the San Francisco School of the Arts for High School. While at SOTA, Martín worked as a youth apprentice at Jamestown, which taught him valuable workforce skills, opening the doors to a career in education. Working as a youth apprentice also provided Martín with income – a crucial component for our youth who are often overlooked by traditional college and career support programs.

Every summer while he attended Sonoma State University, Martín came back to San Francisco and taught valuable skills to younger neighborhood kids in Jamestown’s summer programs. Martín credits his participation in Jamestown and Loco Bloco and his parents, Betty and Francisco, for his deep commitment to social justice and the Latino community in the Mission. It is where he grew as a leader, an artist and an educator.

Jamestown’s comprehensive educational supports include academics, arts, sports, leadership development, and social emotional skill building delivered with cultural competence by our highly trained staff. Our work embodies education justice for low income youth: opening the doors to high quality educational opportunities regardless of their family’s ability to pay for it.

We consider all of our readers part of the Jamestown familia, and invite you all to donate and help us continue growing in our work during this holiday season. This will be our final blog post for the year, we hope you have enjoyed reading about all of our accomplishments and will continue following our progress into the new decade and beyond! Thank you for believing in our Mission, see you in 2020.

Jamestown 6/28/19 Jamestown 6/28/19

Futuros Sin Fronteras - Our School Year Recap

Join us in taking a look back at some of our greatest achievements and highlights across the Jamestown programs in the year of 2018-19!

Jamestown Hosts “Keeping The Promise” Event with MEDA

Early in the school year, Jamestown held a community event with Mission Promise Neighborhood’s (MPN) celebrating their two-year $6 million extension grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Hosted at our Buena Vista Horace Mann site, this event featured speeches from House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Supervisor Hillary Ronen and School Board Commissioner Mark Sanchez. These civic leaders discussed how our collective of agencies are impacting the lives of students and families in the Mission. The extension grant allows MPN to expand from five to nine schools in total, including our Beacon Sites at Cesar Chavez Elementary, James Lick Middle School and Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8. MPN is a collaboration effort led by MEDA to provide and coordinate supports to low-income Latino families in the Mission, and Jamestown is proud to be part of this collaborative since its inception.

Girls Got Goals Kicks Off Their 15th Season

The Girls Got Goals league celebrated its 15th season with 85 girls from across the city. This year, Willie Brown MS joined 5 other middle schools in league play as both a participant and host site for games along with Everett MS, who eventually took home the championship. With 70% of team leadership as women, Girls Got Goals keeps its work as a nurturing space for young women to learn a new sport and develop fitness and life skills.

A New Home and A New Beginning For Jamestown

On March 1st, 2019, Jamestown officially relocated offices to 2929 19th Street, between Alabama St and Florida St. Jamestown joins our partners from the Mission Language and Vocational School and Instituto Familiar de la Raza at this longstanding Mission District facility. Five Keys and Chalk also share the facility with us. Come by sometime and visit us at our new home.

Jamestown Launches Beacon Centers

The Jamestown Community Center and its partnering schools were proud to join the San Francisco Beacon Initiative this year. Beacon Centers focus on bridging the gap between students, parents and their communities by bringing additional enrichment programs directly to school sites. This year, Cesar Chavez Elementary, Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 and James Lick Middle School opened their doors to provide support services that go beyond the traditional school environment. Jamestown was also grateful to be a host at the National Beacon Conference in San Francisco. Our Beacon leadership even put together a bateria performance under the instruction of our Loco Bloco artivists.

Loco Bloco Presents - Back of The Bus: A 14-Mission Love Story

After taking home the First Place Overall prize in 2018’s Carnaval San Francisco -- Loco Bloco and Jamestown had a very popular performance this year with the theme, BACK OF THE BUS: A 14-Mission Love Story. So thankful for our committed families who help make our contingent flourish.

Youth In Charge Teens Meet With Mayor London Breed

The teens in our Youth In Charge Program were busy at City Hall this year. Youth participated in Youth Advocacy Day, an afternoon when high school students have the opportunity to meet with city leaders and public officials to share their thoughts, concerns, and questions about issues they care about as young people. Our team of youth organizers later that day met with Mayor London Breed, where they discussed their motivations behind joining the program. We are incredibly grateful to the Mayor for taking the time to listen to our youth and acknowledge their stories and perspectives!

Growing in Treehouse

Our Treehouse program had a big year. We expanded to include more instructors and had our first ever Treehouse Fiesta with groups from every school! Treehouse peer support groups provide youth a safe place to learn social/emotional skills, explore their feelings and make lifelong friends.

Jamestown Partners with UnidosUS

Jamestown was honored this year to become an affiliate of UnidosUS (formerly NCLR) the largest Latino advocacy organization in the country. We were one of just six organizations nationwide selected to join the affiliate network this year. As a Latino-led agency, we are proud to partner with UnidosUS and connect with leaders from across the country working to solve the issues that matter most to our community. Jamestown joins Mission Asset Fund and MEDA as one of just 3 local organizations part of the UnidosUs affiliate network. This year we launched Phoenix Familia, our monthly giving program. Join online today!

Celebrating Latino Heritage Month with the Cast of ON YOUR FEET!

This year, Jamestown brought in Latino Heritage Month in epic fashion with SHN Golden Gate Theater and the cast of the ON YOUR FEET! the Broadway musical inspired by the life and music of Gloria Estefan. The cast made a special appearance at our Chavez Elementary School Beacon Site, taking questions from the students and leading them in a conga dance lesson with help from Loco Bloco student performers.

Annual Spring Council Events

Jamestown was lucky enough to have two events hosted by our generous Council this year. Council member Sarah Witt and her husband Andy Charmatz opened up their lovely Mission District home to a warm group of Jamestown supporters. Supervisor Mandelman served as keynote speaker; he shared an inspiring story about overcoming a difficult childhood and the importance of having adults who believed in him and his potential.

Guests were also able to hear from Jeanine “Nini” Villela, a current member of our Youth Apprenticeship Program who grew up with Jamestown. She is a shining example of our youth development model, moving from participant to her current role as a YAPster supporting skateboarding at James Lick MS.

Nini shared her inspiring story again, at the home of Council member Amy Carr and her husband Brian, during our second Council event. Mele Lau Smith, the SF School District’s Executive Director for Community Schools & Family Partnerships gave the keynote for the evening. Jamestown is lucky to have such a strong network of individuals who believe and support our mission.

Guest User 1/17/19 Guest User 1/17/19

Loco Bloco Presents - Back Of The Bus: A 14-Mission Love Story

Loco Bloco is looking forward to a wonderful ride this year after taking home the First Place Overall prize in 2018’s Carnaval San Francisco -- Loco Bloco and The Jamestown Community Center are proud to announce our 2019 theme, BACK OF THE BUS: A 14-Mission Love Story.

We’re taking a trip down memory lane, back to the early Mission days and that one ride we always could depend on: the 14-Mission bus. Back to the days of bumping beats on a ghetto blaster and throwing a freestyle way in the back, we'll bring together the years of memories through hip hop, drumming and familiar recorded samples that are sure to evoke a sense of nostalgia.

This theme, selected by our Youth Artivists, celebrates the youth, families and laborers whose method of migration through the City is the 14-Mission bus. We honor their perseverance to maintain a tight grip and keep their feet firmly balanced as they roll through a city rapidly changing around them. The back of the bus has formed communities, birthed movements and inspired music and art. It has become a symbol for resistance and solidarity.

As an organization, we are excited to bring this time capsule to life with our amazing community of families and students from our after school program. Every year our contingent team of families, artivists and community members come together to create new memories as we celebrate past ones made in the Back Of The Bus. Please join us!

*Rehearsals for our Main Bateria & Dance sections begin Monday Jan 7, 5pm-6:15pm at Brava Theater - For Ages 11-24
*Registration for our Full Contingent (ages 3-24 & families) begins Sat., March 23 at our Orientation & Resource Fair at James Lick Middle School

Please spread the word & join us in getting down in the streets of La Misión. Join the contingent and come to our rehearsals!
Artwork by the Mission’s own @chrystianguillermo

Guest User 11/6/18 Guest User 11/6/18

ReclaMisión 2018

In honor of Dia De Los Muertos, Jamestown and Loco Bloco celebrated our second annual ReclaMisión community event. Brava Theater became a sacred space for an evening of ceremony, music, art and dance. Hundreds passed through to pay their respects and enjoy the performances.

The festivities began with a traditional Aztec dance and blessing ceremony, acknowledging the ancestors and giving thanks for the opportunity to honor their memory. Ofrendas crafted by local artists adorned the Brava lobby as well as the doorways outside the theater -- each an expression of the artists’ memories of loved ones who have passed to the other side.

The performers at ReclaMisión were as rich and diverse as the altars within. Students of Mariachi Juvenil “La Misión” serenaded the streets with the unmistakable sounds of folkloric, ranchera and bolero music. The Cuicacalli Dance School & Company presented a contemporary rendition of indigenous folklorico styles.

Loco Bloco classes from across Jamestown’s various program sites were able to apply the skills they’ve been learning this past semester and move the crowd to the rhythm of the bateria. The Loco Bloco Performance Ensemble showcased pieces from their award winning Carnaval 2018 performance, as well as new material presented publicly for the first time. In classic Loco Bloco form, the bateria took to the streets, closing the night with a raucous performance, shutting down traffic and capturing the attention of the entire Mission neighborhood.

This magical evening could not have been possible without the generous support of our community sponsors. In particular, Precita Eyes, Acción Latina, Galería De la Raza and the San Francisco Department of Children Youth and Families. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to host an event of this magnitude to honor and celebrate the traditions of the Mission Community.

Guest User 8/6/18 Guest User 8/6/18

Loco Bloco Rises to Take First Place Overall Prize in Carnaval SF 2018

For over 40 years, San Francisco Carnaval has celebrated the rich traditions of Caribbean and Latin cultures in the Bay Area. Almost 100 contingents participate in the parade competition and Loco Bloco is proud to announce its 2018 First Place Overall Prize.

San Francisco, CA July 30, 2018 - For over 40 years, San Francisco Carnaval has celebrated the rich traditions of Caribbean and Latin cultures in the Bay Area. Almost 100 contingents participate in the parade competition and Loco Bloco is proud to announce its 2018 First Place Overall Prize.

Having competed in Carnaval for the past 24 years, Loco Bloco leadership felt confident entering the contingent in the Contemporary World/Fusion category, as opposed to the youth division. Entering in an adult category allowed both staff and students to elevate as artists and educators.

“Being in that category challenges us more as artists. The youth categories would be a little less competitive, the standards wouldn’t be as high artistically,” said Arts Programs Manager Audrey Ingalls. “When we’re putting ourselves in a category of competing with actual adult groups, our standards have to be at a higher level. So that naturally pushes us from the gate to have our youth start at a higher level of artistry.”

The theme for this year, “Vuela Sin Parar,” was submitted by community parent Lisa Mestayer and selected by Loco Bloco students. Inspired by the legend of the young Yoruba goddess Oshun, who transformed from a peacock to a vulture in order to save the world, Loco Bloco leadership felt the story resonated with the organization’s mission and purpose.

“This story of Oshun is about youth leadership and transformation through love,” said Deputy Director of Arts and Community Annie Jupiter-Jones. “That’s what Loco Bloco is all about, we use arts to right wrongs and overcome inequalities and discrimination. Art is about love, meeting negativity with positivity, transforming something of beauty into something of power.”

The 275 person contingent, comprised of stilt walkers, percussionists, dancers and parents was certainly a powerful sight to behold. With the rising gentrification and displacement of Mission community members, having such a strong presence at Carnaval in itself, felt like a form of resistance.

“We’ve seen our community change so much, our families, our staff be displaced; but it has reaffirmed and strengthened what we do, because we are positioned to be the last remaining connection these folks have to the traditions where their families have lived for generations,” said Jupiter-Jones. “Carnaval weekend is for folks to come back and reclaim the streets as ours. It’s something you can really feel, it’s a powerful political statement to see 200 plus families taking over 24th and Mission. It’s the one time of year you get to feel like it’s the Mission of old.”

About Loco Bloco: Loco Bloco and The Jamestown Community Center merged on July 1st, 2018. Both youth development organizations have long established track records of providing enriching, high quality programming to youth to promote their healthy transition into adulthood. The organizations chose to merge because of their shared commitment to youth development, their love for the Mission community, and their experience in developing leadership among low income youth and families.

For More Information: http://www.locobloco.org/