Celebrating the enduring spirit of the African American and Japanese American communities in the face of racial discrimination, segregation, redevelopment and gentrification. Presented as part of API Cultural Center's 19th annual United States of Asian America Festival 2016.

Readings, music and visual art by community writers, performers and artists explore the overlapping history of African Americans, Japanese Americans and others in neighborhoods deeply eroded by the displacements of WWII, urban renewal and gentrification. How has displacement impacted ordinary people? What do they remember of the old days? What do they treasure? What are their challenges today? What keeps them going, and what can they teach us?

Our community spirit still burns brightly, though our neighborhoods have been scattered by incarceration, red-lining and blight, and the wholesale demolition of 100 blocks of housing and businesses. Destruction came quickly; renewal came much too slowly. Today, gentrification endangers our churches, community resources, family-run businesses and close-knit networks.

Members of Shizue Seigel’s Write Now! Japantown and Write Now! Fillmore writing workshops will read from the Standing Strong! Fillmore and Japantown community anthology. Singer/songwriter Kimi Sugioka will perform, and a slideshow will showcase works by Japantown and Fillmore artists Shari DeBoer, Rodney Ewing, Mark Harris, Shizue Seigel, and Malik Seneferu.

Join us afterwards to meet the writers and purchase the 140-page Standing Strong! Fillmore and Japantown anthology ($20 including tax).

The event is supported by a San Francisco Arts Commission Individual Arts Commission and the Asian Pacific Island Cultural Center. It is sponsored by the San Francisco Public Library and the San Francisco African American Historical & Cultural Society.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS PARTICIPATING WRITERS AND ARTISTS:

Shizue Seigel

Sandra Bass

Joyce Brady

Anthony Brown

Ravi Chandra

Machiko M. Conway

Alex Damron

Shari DeBoer

Charles Dixon

Lyndsey Ellis

Rodney Ewing

Jennifer Hasegawa

Mary Ann Hori

Susan Kitazawa

Xiomara Larkin

Aqueila M. Lewis

Juanitia Tamayo Lott

Grace Morizawa

Roji Oyama

J. Lisa Oyama

Ernestine Patterson

Malik Seneferu

Juanda Stewart

Kimi Sugioka

Kenji Taguma

Sheridan Tatsuno

Landa Williams

Tamiko Wong

Queennandi X

Michiko Yamada

Sandra Yamakishi

Free Event

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