Edition 5 July 2023
Calendar
| MON 7/17 7 PM | Planning Commission |
| WED 7/19 7 PM | Special Meeting City Council on NCCWD |
| FRI 7/21 7 PM | Reception with artists including Summer Lee, Infinite Cage, Sanchez Art Gallery |
| MON 7/24 7 PM | City Council |
| Weds 7/5,12,19, & 26 6:30-8 PM | Social Unity Project Reading Circle |
| SAT 7/29 7AM – 6PM | 23rd Annual Kahuna Kapuna, Linda Mar Beach (see flier) |
| MON 8/7 7 PM | Planning Commission, Council Chambers |
| WED 8/9 | EIR comment period ends |
| MON 8/14 7 PM | City Council, Council Chambers |
| TU 8/16 PM | Register for virtual Scoping Meeting on the EIR process (see article) |
| MON 8/21 7 PM | Planning Commission, Council Chambers |
| MON 8/28 7 PM | City Council, Council Chambers |
| SAT,SUN 9/23,24 | FOG FEST! Pacifica Climate Committee Transit Month Booth |
| SAT 9/30 6-8 PM | Palm-a-palooza, Farallon Room, Skyline College (see flier) |
| TH 10/5 7-8:30 PM | Pacifica Peace People host Addressing Racism in Pacifica, IBL |
| SUN 10/15 2-4 PM | Pacificans Care Double Gold Day Fundraiser, Pedro Point Firehouse |
See posted calendars for:
- Pacific Beach Coalition
- Pacifica Library
- Pacificans Care
Photos have been contributed by Leo Leon and Mark Hubbell
Pacifica Voice is eager to receive articles on issues important to our community. Please send them to editor@pacvoice.org for consideration.
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FOR CONSIDERATION
Pacifica Peace People celebrate Twenty Years of Promoting Peace!
In 2003, a large group of Pacificans who vehemently opposed the war in Iraq made their voices known by putting a full page ad in the Pacifica Tribune. Their opposition to the war was controversial at that time. Some 50+ of this group met in the library and sat in a large circle to discuss what to do. Shortly afterwards, they called themselves Pacifica Peace People [PPP].
The main activity of PPP was standing regularly with protest signs at the corner of Hwy 1 and Linda Mar Blvd. Some PPP members also stood in silence with the international anti-war Women in Black group in front of the old Seavue Theatre in the Manor.
Months later, while still very concerned about world peace and the continuing war in Iraq, PPP thought they could be more effective by acting locally – they created their peace dove logo, “Acting locally for peace globally.”
This new group began to explore what more they could do. The educators in PPP were appalled by the large military presence on high school campuses trying to recruit juniors and seniors to sign up, offering free college as incentives. PPP rejected this, recognizing that the military’s goal was to send them to war. Members began going to the schools and setting up peace tables during lunch hour when military recruiters were there. They encouraged students to “opt out” of the automatic transmission of their personal contact information to the military, and to consider other career paths.
with permission of John Maybury, PacificaRiptide.com
Boots on the Beach was one of the earliest and most moving events of the Peace People. The event, co-sponsored with the American Friends Committee, was a display of empty boots representing every California service member killed in Iraq. Names of those lost were read aloud. This was a powerful visible sign for the whole community to see the human costs of war.
To counter military recruitment influence, PPP started with a new mission to create a “culture of peace” right here in Pacifica. Peacemaker Awards were given to high school students, and mini grants for peace projects became available. Some examples were Oceana HS Chilean Quilt Project highlighting the “disappeared” under the Pinochet Regime; funding for several Terra Nova students to take a “Sojourn to the Past” and learn about civil rights; Westmoor peace garden; a lunch presentation at Jefferson HS on the Five Pillars of Islam and what it means to be a Muslim (by the Middle Eastern Club); and an exhibit in Westmoor’s hallway of art murals and peace readings.
PPP began its participation in the Fog Fest Parade in 2010. Their handout that year addressed the need for open dialogue for peace in Pacifica and the goal to act in cooperation for the greater good of the community. PPP approached the City Council seeking the designation of Pacifica as a Compassionate City and later sought status for Pacifica to be listed as a City of Peace. Without City Council approval, PPP decided they would declare Pacifica as a City of Peace by taking out a full page ad in the Pacifica Tribune .
PPP then started celebrating International Peace Day. Later this morphed into a week of celebrations at schools, the library, and events throughout Pacifica. The week finally culminated in a Peace Vigil and walk along Linda Mar Beach.
As membership began to decline, PPP sought allies to advocate for support of community issues consistent with their mission – a peaceful community which flourishes when ordinary people work together to create harmony. PPP joined the newly formed Pacifica Progressive Alliance [PPA], an umbrella organization for Pacifica Climate Committee, Pacifica Social Justice, and Pacifica Housing 4 All. PPP supported Sanctuary City, Fair Rents 4 Pacifica, March for Our Lives & Black Lives Matter, the Women’s March, and the Safe Parking Program.
Over the years, PPP offered numerous events to educate the public and embrace peace. Working with veterans, PPP sponsored the “Country Joe McDonald” event with music, poetry and book excerpt readings from a Vietnam war veteran at the Mildred Owen Concert Hall. PPP also showed movies, held discussions, and provided skill-building workshops on communication and nonviolence.
More recently International Peace Poles have been planted throughout Pacifica stating: “May peace prevail on earth,” in four languages. You can see them in front of schools, churches, public buildings as well as in front yards of residents. These are a daily reminder of peace.
In September of 2022, PPP held a reading of the 1967 speech of Martin Luther King, “Beyond Vietnam.” Members of the community read portions of the speech in which MLK spoke of increased militarism, poverty, and racism — issues that persist now 50 years later.
“It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in peace. One must work at it.” Eleanor Roosevelt
This Fall, Pacifica Peace People will host an event of panelists with lived-experience of racism and its impact. The intention is to expand minds and hearts, to choose love and compassion, and promote community inclusivity.
Beyond Vietnam
Adrienne Zanini reads a section of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Beyond Vietnam”
Photo courtesy Anna Hoch-Kenney
PacificTribune with permission Clay Lambert, Editor
Safe Parking Permit Program – Anita Rees
Anita Rees is the Executive Director of the Pacifica Resource Center
July 3, 2023
It has been a year since PRC implemented the Pacifica Safe Parking Permit (PSPP) program on behalf of the City of Pacifica. As a neighbor to one of the PSPP sites, I am writing to update you on the program, including an alarming escalation of harassment toward PSPP participants and vandalism of their vehicles.
To date, PRC has helped 24 individuals from 18 households develop plans to return to housing through PSPP. Of those households served:
- Two returned to permanent housing in January, just over six months after PSPP started. One of whom is a Pacifica native and veteran. The other client is a long-time resident who became disabled due to health complications.
- One entered shelter in June.
- Three were exited from PSPP for noncompliance with one returning to PSPP with additional requirements.
Four chose to leave PSPP. And,
- Nine are currently in PSPP with four on the wait list.
All have a connection to Pacifica through family or work, and 86% shared they are unhoused in their motor homes due to the high cost of rent. Most PSPP participants work in Pacifica and all spend most of their income in Pacifica. They represent some of our most vulnerable community members, including older adults, disabled individuals, and veterans.
Despite the success of PSPP over the last year, PSPP participants have been regularly harassed by people excessively honking as they pass the parking sites. And, more recently, PSPP participants’ vehicles have been vandalized — egging, paint thrown on the motor homes and over the license plate, and personal cars being keyed — causing our PSPP participants to feel unsafe. To help protect PSPP participants, Pacifica Police Department (PPD) has increased patrol in the area and we have installed cameras at the parking sites to help document what is happening at the PSPP parking sites, which will be shared with PPD as evidence of the harassment and vandalism. It is not illegal to live in a motor home or other vehicle; however, harassment and vandalism are against the law.
Please help us in supporting our PSPP participants, so they can get off the streets and return to housing. If you see someone targeting PSPP or other motor homes, please contact PPD. Compassion is a core value of the City of Pacifica and all community members should feel safe where they sleep.
More information about PSPP, including why PSPP exists and the requirements of participating PSPP, follows below. Should you have questions or would like more information about PSPP or PRC in general, please do not hesitate to contact me at 650 738-7470 x113 or at anita@pacresourcecenter.org.
Additional information about the temporary Pacifica Safe Parking Permit (PSPP) program
Background: Geary et al v. City of Pacifica was filed in March 2021 by the ACLU, Disability
Rights Advocates, and the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County in response to the City of Pacifica’s Oversized Vehicle (OSV) Ordinance approved by City Council on 1/27/2020; enforcement of the ordinance began in September 2020. The City negotiated a settlement agreement with the plaintiff’s that was approved by City Council on 11/8/2021, creating a 3year temporary safe parking program with 13 parking spaces on city streets. PRC was contracted to implement the temporary safe parking program, which began on 6/29/2022 with eight spaces; a ninth space was added on 10/4/2022; the remaining four spaces are in appeal with the Coastal Commission.
PSPP Requirements: PSPP participants are required to have a permit assigned by PRC and displayed in their window to park in designated spaces; they must move every 29 days and are assigned a new permit. They must have a valid driver’s license and insurance. Their motor home must be registered and drivable; have a toilet with a working black and grey water system; and, meet basic safety requirements, including a fire extinguisher, smoke and C02 detectors. They must use the City of Pacifica funded mobile grey and black water dumping service provided bimonthly, which includes garbage/recycling service; if they need service more often, PRC will provide support to go to another dumping location. PRC staff, in partnership with the Pacifica Police Department and Public Works, closely monitor the sites to ensure that all PSPP participants are following safety and sanitation requirements. When complaints are made, we respond quickly and resolve any issues as soon as possible.
All PSPP participants must develop a plan to return to housing and make progress towards those housing goals, including financial coaching, securing consistent income, and addressing the challenges or barriers that have prevented them from being permanently housed. In addition, all PSPP participants sign a Code of Conduct that clearly outlines the rules of PSPP to protect the safety and well-being of all PSPP participants and their neighbors. Any unhoused resident of Pacifica living in an OSV that meets the requirements of the program is eligible to enroll in PSPP.
Housing Element Environmental Impact Report (EIR): comment period open through 8/9/23
Copied from Pacifica “Connect with Pacifica” newsletter
A virtual Scoping Meeting to gather public input on the EIR process will be held at 6 PM on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. Register to attend the Scoping Meeting
Update July 11, 2023: The City is requesting your comments on the scope and content of the Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) being prepared for the Pacifica Housing Element Targeted General Plan Amendments and Rezoning Program (6th Cycle). The EIR is necessary to evaluate potential environmental impacts of the proposed project which would make General Plan and zoning amendments necessary to accommodate an additional 1,612 housing units in Pacifica as required by state law.
The comment period is now open, and we invite any and all input from interested persons through 7:30 PM Wednesday, August 9, 2023. You can review the full Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the EIR on the Planning Department’s Environmental Documents webpage.
A virtual Scoping Meeting to gather public input on the EIR process will be held at 6 PM on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. Register to attend the Scoping Meeting
If you would like more information, please read the NOP or contact Senior Planner Brianne Harkousha at bharkousha@pacifica.gov.A virtual Scoping Meeting to gather public input on the EIR process will be held at 6 PM on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. Register to attend the Scoping Meeting.
TENANT PROTECTION ORDINANCE
Supervisor Noelia Corzo
Today’s Study Session on the Tenant Protections Ordinance was enlightening. Supervisor Slocum and I have been working hard, meeting with stakeholders, gathering best practices, making data-driven decisions, and finetuning this ordinance to present a draft and prepare today’s study session.
Although there was no vote today, it was clear that we don’t have the support we need to get this ordinance passed. I am unwavering in my belief that this county must focus on prevention and stopping the inflow of homelessness by protecting our most at-risk households. A tenant protections ordinance is a low-cost, effective policy solution that can help San Mateo County achieve its goal of Functional Zero Homelessness by preventing responsible tenants from experiencing eviction and subsequent homelessness. So we will keep pushing forward to make sure renters are informed of their current rights afforded by state law while finding common ground to bring stronger local tenant protections to the Board for a vote.
Thank you to County staff, especially County Attorney John Nibbelin and Brian Kulich, who were patient and thoughtful in answering questions from the Board, as well as Nicolas Saenz, who put many, many hours into crafting this draft ordinance. Thanks also to county staff, Shireen Malekafzali, Mark Meulman, and Ray Hodges who presented crucial information to contextualize the need for tenant protections.
San Mateo County Tenant Protections Ordinance Policy Update
Reprinted from July newsletter with permission from Housing Leadership Council
Over almost six hours on Monday morning, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors held a study session for the newly proposed Tenant Protections Ordinance (TPO). As proposed on Monday, the TPO would prevent tenant displacement and harassment, increase language accessibility, and protect school children and educators from being displaced during the school year without cause, among other protections for unincorporated San Mateo County.
Supervisor Warren Slocum began working on the tenant protections ordinance approximately ten months ago, partnering with Supervisor Noelia Corzo to co-sponsor the draft ordinance after her 2022 election and seating in January 2023. The ordinance would strengthen and build upon AB 1482, a set of statewide tenant protections. Though impactful, AB 1482’s provisions leave a number of loopholes that continue to allow tenants that follow the rules of their lease to be evicted, increasing homelessness.
Supervisor Corzo assembled a factsheet about the Tenant Protections Ordinance with more than 25 organizational supporters from across the county, incorporated and unincorporated, coastside and bayside. Backing her up, Supervisor Slocum explained his reasoning for the ordinance: “Everyone should have a safe and dignified place to live; housing tenure should not determine our ability to live in peace, thrive, and achieve our dreams. By moving forward complementary policy changes simultaneously … the county will best ensure tenants of all incomes are protected from displacement, harassment, and eviction.”
Despite the support of Supervisors Slocum and Corzo, the TPO is tabled as of now to undergo further revisions, likely to return sometime between September and December. Other supervisors, particularly Supervisors Ray Mueller and David Canepa, expressed various forms of opposition to the bill. Supervisor Dave Pine also raised a handful of concerns, though less vigorously than the other two.
Supervisor Mueller spent over an hour and a half asking county staff questions, thoroughly combing through each portion of the ordinance. He identified several potential ambiguities in the law, raising a handful of areas in which the regulations can be improved or clarified by staff in future rounds of revisions. However, he voiced strong objections to changes that would increase language access, among other complaints.
Supervisor Canepa stated his opinion more bluntly: “I don’t think we should move forward with any part of this tenant protections ordinance whatsoever.” Instead of strengthening the county’s tenant protections, he proposed investing more resources into educating county residents about existing protections under AB 1482 and supporting their rights to seek legal aid.
The discussion is far from over! More than 25 supporters spoke in favor of the TPO, and over 150 sent letters. You can still make your voice heard: Use HLC’s automated letter sender to tell the supervisors you support tenant protections today.
According to the County’s most recent budget for the 2022-2023 financial year, the County gave $1.08 million to Community Aid Legal Services; other tenant-serving organizations have known and promoted information widely about AB 1482. Learn about a July 27 Know Your Rights Training co-hosted by HLC in South San Francisco that will, in part, discuss AB 1482 protections – (see the flier in this edition of Pacifica Voice). Though we would support increased funding to promote information about existing tenant protections, and we would be happy to partner more deeply with the county in these efforts, HLC and our partners primarily support the TPO because AB 1482 is well publicized among tenant-serving groups, yet loopholes remain.
HOUSING
HIP Housing Home Sharing Program Updates
The Hip Housing Home Sharing Program helps match individuals seeking housing with people who have a room or Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to rent
Housing Offered
Roommate Seekers
Renters! Know Your Rights Training
Join us Thursday, July 27th from 5-7 PM at the Economic Advancement Center to learn about your rights as a renter in South San Francisco! Dinner and Spanish translation will be provided. Everyone is welcome!
CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
Bike or Bus to Fog Fest during Transit Month, Call for Volunteers
The Pacifica Climate Committee (PCC) is working with Seamless Bay Area, SF Transit Riders and Pacifica Parks, Beach & Recreation to promote biking and taking the bus to the Sep 23, 24 2023 Fog Fest.
There will be a bike corral (bike racks with volunteer oversight) and a booth to promote Pacifica Bike initiatives as well as to shed light on the efforts to improve overall Bay Area public transit. The PCC is asking for a few hours of volunteer help on the days of the Fog Fest to help man the booth and graphics/media assistance for booth posters/banner and to improve our website images for bike and public transit wayfinding.
If interested please contact Rick Nahass, ricknahass@gmail.com
Conversation about the Quarry landfill proposal
Pete Shoemaker sat down with Ian Butler on Pacifica Community Television to discuss the proposal to dump a million tons of construction dirt in the Pacifica quarry, and it’s every bit as bad as that sounds. Unlike previous proposals for the quarry, this one wouldn’t require a public vote, so our only recourse is to contact the Planning Commission and City Council and let them know what we think. You can view it here on Youtube and get a sobering overview of what the plan entails
Hunter Pence’s “Healthy Planet Project” / PBC Team up for Cleanup and Habitat Restoration at Linda Mar State Beach
Former San Francisco Giants star Hunter Pence demonstrated his commitment to environmental conservation with a beach cleanup at Linda Mar Beach with Pacific Beach Coalition. As part of his nonprofit initiative, the Healthy Planet Project, Pence and a team of volunteers gathered together to tackle the pressing issue of beach pollution, and cleaned up a total of 172 pounds of trash, including a bike, car battery, big blanket, and a car trunk cover. In addition, the team managed to salvage 15 pounds of recyclables and an astounding 1,297 cigarette filters being disposed of responsibly. Pence and his team’s dedication didn’t stop there, as they also took the time to mulch 4,500 square feet of land, making a positive impact on the local environment. Read more about Pence’s cleanup day here.
Pacifica’s 4 Beaches Cleaned on July 5th!
The Pacific Beach Coalition proudly assisted the 5th of July cleanup at all 4 Pacifica beaches and Leo J Ryan park in Foster City netting over an estimated 10,000 pounds of debris, 60 pounds of recycles and 3000 Cigarette Butts. With the help of Public works, volunteers from all of the teams selling fireworks, community volunteers and 32 Rubrik employees Pacifica’s beaches, parking lots, and streets in the districts from Esplanade to Pedro Point Shopping Center were cleaned.
It seemed like a rough morning on the Fifth of July after a long night of fireworks. Poppers, mortars, streamers, sparklers, and more littered the ground as far as the eye could see at Linda Mar and the south lot of Rockaway. Beach Blvd at Sharp Park was strewn with firework debris and the south end of the beach was filled with firework boxes and discharges. Esplanade streets were filthy of course and fireworks were found on the beach too. What seemedlike an impossible task at the beginning of the morning at all of the locations, was quickly taken care of with the teamwork of 208 local Earth Heroes.
The Linda Mar hotspots included all of the beach and parking lots of course, but volunteers also cleaned the Park-and-Ride, Community Center, and Pedro Point Shopping Center! At Linda Mar and Rockaway alone, 3 dumpsters collected nearly 35 CU YDS of debris. The entire Rockaway district, Sharp Park Beach along with the pier, street and parking lots were cleaned. And Esplanade beach and street were also cleaned.
Thank you to our Earth Heroes for coming out early with a smile. What better way to celebrate our country than by keeping it clean!
Check out the before and afters and revel in the hard work well done. Click Here for More Photos here…
Of course we are not done with the fireworks debris. We ask everyone to continue picking them up on their walks and in their neighborhoods and to join our future PBC cleanups of course! The firework teams will be volunteering again at Sharp Park, Linda Mar and Esplanade beaches this month in July.
Here are the results
CA Coastal Cleanup is coming! Please mark your calendars for Sept 16th from 9-11am and plan on helping the PBC clean up Pacifica for CA Coastal Clean up Day. This is the cleanup that “COUNTS” – yep we count all of the litter we collect to help guide legislature and call attention to the growing plastic problem everywhere. While most of the state will celebrate this day on Sept 23rd, Pacifica will take action on Sept 16th as the Fog Fest is on Sept 23rd and 24th.
Gather your friends, family, neighbors, or team and let us know which needy site in Pacifica you can clean or restore habitat! We’ll do our best to support you with supplies and guidance! More info
Tree movies and documentaries for your summer pleasure – Paul Totah
With so much content on all the streaming services, it’s tough to choose what to watch on TV. When I’m scanning the offerings and come across a nature documentary, I invariably choose it and after 10 seconds or so, I’m hooked.
If you want to learn more about the value trees offer to us, check out some of the suggestions below. Not all may be available on the streaming services you subscribe to, but I suspect you’ll find something here that will entertain, inform and inspire you to develop a greater understanding of and appreciation for the trees that, quite literally, give life to us and to our planet. You might even find yourself joining in our upcoming Arbor Day, which is always the second Saturday in November. Happy streaming!
- Top 5 old growth forest documentaries
- Top 5 Forest restoration documentaries
- Wikipedia’s list of documentary films about forests and trees
- Trailer for The Hidden Life of Trees
- The Magical Forest
- If you want to go beyond trees, here is a list of the 100 best nature documentaries according to Rotten Tomatoes.
- Non-documentary movies where trees play an important role
SOCIAL JUSTICE
For over a hundred years
For over a hundred years…
my ancestors suffered from erasure, our voices silenced, and our lifeways obliterated … Yet … We Are Still Here!
The Mission system in California sanctioned cultural erasure of the Indigenous people. Indigenous languages were suppressed; women and two-spirit people were degraded. Same-sex marriages went unrecognized. Native foods were replaced with colonizers’ food. The omnipresent native baskets for cooking, storing and carrying, which were also works of art and carriers of culture, were replaced with colonizers’ implements. The missions furthered the agenda of genocide by creating dens of disease and by working people to death. There is documentation that the skeletal remains of young children at the missions were damaged from carrying massive loads. Corporal punishment, previously not practiced in Indigenous communities, was common in the missions. California natives, including women and children as young as 10, were shackled and whipped. Junipero Serra’s cruelty has also been well documented: when the governor of California wrote to Junipero Serra asking what should be done with young neophytes who had escaped from the mission and been captured, Junipero Serra replied that the neophytes should be shackled and whipped, and if the governor didn’t have any shackles, Junipero Serra had a warehouse full! There are many other examples of the lack of compassion evident in mission system practices. Yet compassion was and is an important part of our Indigenous teachings and lifeways, like native language, the honored roles of women and two-spirit people, native foods and our beautiful baskets.
Despite the horrors of the missions and the attempts to erase us, we have survived, and we are still here!
Beginning in 1915 and through the 1920s, Alfred Kroeber, a cultural anthropologist from UC Berkeley spread the rumor that the Indigenous people of the San Francisco peninsula (the Rammaytush-speaking people) were extinct. Because of his academic status, this was information that academics, the state, and the public at large believed to be true.
In the late 1800s, here in California, there was a policy of state-mandated genocide against Indigenous people. Survivors of this state-mandated genocide felt forced to “go underground.” Many survivors took Spanish surnames to pass themselves off as Mexican, because during the early years of statehood, it was safer to be Mexican than Indigenous. It was a time when California’s Indigenous people were hunted down and killed. And our ancestors remained “in hiding” for fifty to seventy years!
It has only been in recent decades that families have begun researching their genealogy and documenting their lineage, as is the case with my own family. Families like mine have proved the academics wrong. Because we Rammaytush of the San Francisco peninsula are not extinct …. We are still here!!
While the mission system and academics have been responsible for much erasure of California Indigenous practices, lifeways and knowledge, it is important to be aware of ongoing practices of erasure. Whose stories are being taught and told? Whose suffering is recognized and whose is ignored?
I personally think the terms “Ohlone” and “Costanoan” are cultural erasures. These terms put an umbrella over many tribes in the San Francisco and Monterey bays. In current times if you ask the public whose land are you on, most will answer “Ohlone,” not knowing whose regional tribal land they are on. Is it Rammaytush? Awaswas? Tamien? Amah Mutsun? Huichin? Rumsen? Esselen? Not only are the terms Ohlone and Costanoan an erasure of tribal homelands, they are also an erasure of many different languages and cultural practices. This sort of erasure can result in confusion and can foster contentious relationships — for example, when pursuing landback, language-back or federal recognition. It has also caused confusion over land acknowledgments.
One consequence of the erasure of the Rammaytush people, through attempted genocide, silencing, and ignorance is that there have been no known speakers of the Rammaytush language for over one hundred years. Fortunately, there are several accessible sources of Rammaytush language documentation. The earliest written documentation of the Rammaytush language comes in 1775 when the ship San Carlos (coming from Mexico) entered the SF Bay, anchored off Angel Island, and Rammaytush-speaking men in tule boats visited the ship. There is also valuable documentation from 1850, from Pedro Alcantara at Mission Dolores; then two other sources in H.P. Harrington’s notes from 1912 and 1921.
The Muchia Te’ Indigenous Land Trust has been collaborating with two linguists, Alex Elias and Nimkiins MikZaabii, from the Breath of Life program at Berkeley University. We are currently working to revitalize the Rammaytush language in conjunction with several Rammaytush descendants and other interested community members. This is historic work, and we are proud to say, “Not only are we still here but Shallimak Rammaytush! (we are speaking Rammaytush!)”
Erasure and continued silencing of our Indigenous presence continues today. One example is the suggested naming of a proposed park in El Granada. With community support, we proposed to reclaim the regional name of Chiguan for the proposed park that borders Hwy 1 in El Granada. Currently there are no Indigenous place names in that area. Why are there so many Spanish names in El Granada when the Spanish had a relatively short history in contrast to the thousands of years of Indigenous culture and traditional ways? Why are there no names honoring the people who are responsible for caretaking the beautiful coastside for thousands of years which we enjoy today? GCSD overseeing the development of the new park had the opportunity to choose to reverse Indigenous erasure; however, they voted 3-2 in favor of the name El Granada Community Park, against community support for the name Chiguan Park.
What can we as a community do to effect corrective reparations on the systemic practice of Indigenous erasure in California?
In closing, I would like to thank you all for the opportunity to have a voice here and for your willingness to listen to a native perspective. Our experience in Pacifica has been positive. We are meeting many Pacificans who are aware of how our Rammaytush ancestors were brutally silenced. We very much appreciate being given this space to share our perspective and our stories.
Makkinmak heeme nommo! (We are still here!)
Hee ‘a! (Yes!)
Kanna-k Cata Gomes
Rammaytush, Salilan, Bay Miwok
Founder and executive director, Muchia Te’ Indigenous Land Trust
muchiateilt.org
muchiate.ilt@gmail.com
COMMUNITY UPDATES
Dewey Crumpler, Fluidity; Infinite Cage; and, Favorite Things, Art Guild of Pacifica, at Sanchez Art Center
Dewey Crumpler, Fluidity, presents work from the artist’s prolific career including pieces from the Container series and Language works. Curated by Marguerite T Brown, the exhibition will open with a reception on Friday, July 21, from 7 to 9 pm. Infinite Cage, exploring materials, identities, and histories that constrain a myriad of subjective possibilities, puts forward the work of a diverse gathering of Bay Area-based Chinese- and Taiwanese-American contemporary artists (Kacy Jung, Summer Mei Ling Lee, Bijun Liang, Gabby Wen, Xiaoze Xie, Stella Zhang, Wanxin Zhang, Weimin Zhang), will open concurrently, along with members of the Art Guild of Pacifica’s group show, Favorite Things. Live music will be provided by The Breeze (Jamey Brzezinski).
Dewey Crumpler notes, “the work I’ve been doing over the last 35 years really operates within a kind of fluidity. It oscillates, whenever it decides, between metacism, abstraction, and any particular dialogue that reinforces my intentions.” The work showing at Sanchez Art Center represents both the Container Series that the artist has long been engaged with, and Language Works (dialogue or word series) that has also been a continuing theme, where the use of language is elevated as a very important part of this journey. Fluidity is an essential aspect of its development.
Crumpler (born 1949, Arkansas) grew up in the Fillmore, Hunters Point, and Bayview neighborhoods of San Francisco, attending Balboa High School, known as an arts magnate school, graduating in 1967. He received his BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1972, his MA from San Francisco State University, and an MFA from Mills College. He worked as an Associate Professor of painting at the San Francisco Art Institute.
Well known as an artist, muralist and educator, Crumpler drew all the time as a kid. He drew stories of war, tanks and superheroes. And, for an art contest, he drew on a large piece of butcher paper the story of Johnny Appleseed. This piece won the competition and was hung for everyone at school to see, and was possibly the precursor to his large scale visual storytelling that continues today.
In the late 1960s, when San Francisco’s George Washington High School’s mural “Life of Washington” was first challenged for removal, a twenty-something Crumpler was tapped to create new murals in response. Crumpler continues to stand against the destruction of the original Victor Arnautoff mural, noting, “All the conversations and emotions stirred up by a work of art are part of what that work of art means. My mural is part of the Arnautoff mural, part of its meaning, and its meaning is part of mine. If you destroy his work of art, you are destroying mine as well”.
Fluidity includes several large scale mixed media works on canvas, along with a collection of smaller works on canvas and a collection of pieces made with liquid rubber on paper. The Container series, seeped with personal memory from years in the Bayview when the artist became interested in ports and would paint plein air, reflects decades of witnessing, contemplating and documenting shipping containers — the ubiquitous scenery of the East Bay that dominate the landscape.
In these works, Crumpler asks us to consider how goods transported globally via ships and ports might open up other histories of destruction and creation. Recognizing and documenting these monumental objects as a statement of globalization, capitalism and voracious consumerism, the shipping containers become metaphors for both the present and past. Crumpler has shared, “At the heart of these works is memory.”
For additional insight into the artist and his work, come to the Artist/Curator Talk on closing Sunday, August 20 at 3:30 pm.
In Infinite Cage, a diverse gathering of Bay Area-based Chinese- and Taiwanese-American contemporary artists explores materials, identities, and histories that constrain a myriad of subjective possibilities. The group exhibition centers on diasporic perspectives, featuring site-specific mixed media installation, fabric works, sound, sculpture, painting, video and more. A mixture of past and new works will be presented.
An absurdist paradox, the Infinite Cage invites contemplation on the constraints of human experiences and the possibilities of transcending those constraints, as is at the root of aesthetic creation and expression. The artistic impulse is to start with particular and limited material and transmute them into a freedom of meaning and limitless experience.
ink on stretched paper
The eight wide-ranging artists present work as interpretation of this infinite cage, whether as whimsical absurdity or a glimpse of enlightenment—or both—bringing disparate forms and identities into coincidence and beyond. Stella Zhang’s series of bound chairs ask us to consider female identity even if the materials’ references break free under their own tensions. Bijun Liang’s fabric sculpture is stuffed into a suppression of ropes and set free, both in form and linguistically. Kacy Jung’s distorted figures investigate the infinite malleability of constructed identities, releasing them to float in the barest of surreal existences. Wanxin Zhang uses classical high-fired clay to create moments of haptic transition and individuality inside their apparent restrictions, permanence, and timelessness. Xiaoze Xie’s paintings poetically capture the ethereality of ancient books, drawing attention to the gallery’s previous existence as a school, a space of inaccessible knowledge, nostalgia, and time immemorial. Gabby Wen’s disembodied sound sculptures sonically haunt the gallery, grounding the provisional listener in the echoes of belonging and the serenity of memories. Weimin Zhang’s multimedia film projection takes us on an introspective journey on what we leave behind in our relationship with ourselves and the environment. Summer Mei Ling Lee stills a creature of flight into stone, rendering a porcelain egg-shape vitreous when cremating and indexing the earthly ashes of a hummingbird, in an infinite loop of birth and death. The exhibition has been graciously coordinated by Stephan Xie.
Through all of these works, and the relationships between them, nostalgia, belonging, resistance, identity and permanence are embodied and then set free and re-embodied again, leaving behind creases, bindings, imprints…—memories that signify presence. In this fluctuating state of liminality, meanings and narratives become an embodied cage for the viewer to negotiate towards freedom themselves.
The community is invited to discover more about the artist’s practices, motivations and inspirations, during an afternoon of Artists Conversations, on Saturday, August 12, 3:30 pm. In the West Gallery, the Art Guild of Pacifica is presenting a themed member group show, Favorite Things. Pieces include ceramic sculpture, paintings in acrylic, oil and watercolor, jewelry, fiber, assemblage, mixed media and more. Favorite things celebrated through the art range from scenes of nature, family, Darth Vader and pie!
acrylic, collage
Artworks include Pauline Wakeman’s “Montara Mountain in the Spring”, a minimalist acrylic and collage piece with vibrant colors. Sibyl Felt’s “Field of Flowers”, alcohol ink on tile, pops with a multitude of circular flowers, calling to mind the intricacy of millefiori. Reflecting a love of history, books, and ornithology, Susan Friedman has artistically repurposed a vintage book and layered it with encaustic and other mixed media elements, in a piece titled “American History”. Native plants are captured in Janet Barker’s “Castilleja Bloom (Indian Paint Brush)” with shades of red, orange and touches of yellow oil on a brilliant blue background. The intimacy of childhood with two figures reclined on a cozy sofa, are the subjects of Leah M.W. De Nola’s acrylic work, “Elizabeth and Sophie”. The Art Guild holds four themed exhibitions a year, plus an annual members’ show, and a holiday show and sale each December. Small works and cards are also available from the AGP Shop.
Sanchez Art Center is located at 1220 Linda Mar Blvd in Pacifica, about a mile east of Highway 1. Following opening night, the galleries are open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 1–5 pm, and by appointment, through August 20. The opening, talks, and gallery visits are free as part of the center’s focus on “Creating Community through Art”. For more information call 650.355.1894 or visit SanchezArtCenter.org.
Artist Summer Lee at Sanchez Art Center
Hi friends of The Voice!
I have two works in a hometown group exhibition, entitled Infinite Cage, at Sanchez Art Center in Pacifica. It opens with a reception at 7 p.m. on Friday July 21st, and would love to see you there!
Infinite Cage is curated by my dear friend, Stephan Xie, who is the project manager at Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, and features the incredible art of Stella Zhang, Weimin Zhang, Bijun Liang, Xiaoze Xie, Gabby Wen, Kacy Jung, and Wanxin Zhang.
Our opening coincides with the opening of Fluidity, a small solo show by Dewey Crumpler, who I studied with at SFAI. His work is in the adjacent gallery at the Art Center and on view during the same time.
This event is a coincidental homecoming, as the Art Center is the first place I exhibited work in 2006 (and where I now serve on the Board of Directors), alongside artists who are near and dear to the Chinese Culture Center which incubated my art career for over a decade, and runs concurrent with the work of Dewey Crumpler, an art teacher who had quite an effect on me in grad school. And Cindy Abbott is the Executive Director of SAC, as well as important activist and advocate in Pacifica.
Hope to see you there!
THE RETURN OF OUR PALM-A-PALOOZA CELEBRATION!
Palm-a-Palooza 2023 Sunset Dreams
Auction, Dinner, Dessert, Drinks, & Sunset
Farallon Room at Skyline College
September 30, 2023
6:00-8:00pm
Doors open at 5:30pm
Tickets: $75 each
Table of 10 tickets: $700
21+ only. Ticket includes dinner, dessert, and first drink.
Guests purchasing tickets in advance will be on the guest list.
PRC is also seeking sponsors for Palm-a-Palooza. Sponsors receive exclusive benefits including priority reserved seating, name and/or logo recognition on event materials, and, for select levels, advertising space in the event program.
Kahuna Kupuna Surf Contest
Pacifica Library Events
Movie Matinee: Super Mario Brothers Movie
Tuesday, July 18 at 3:30pm at the Sharp Park Library
Come join us for a movie showing of Super Mario Bros. Movie – a plumber named Mario travels through an underground labyrinth with his brother, Luigi, trying to save a captured princess. Rated PG, 1hr 32mins. Light snacks provided.
Restorative Yoga
Tuesday, July 18 at 6pm at the Sharp Park Library
This Restorative Yoga and Sound Healing workshop is designed to provide space for you to slow down, relax, rest, and replenish yourself.
REGISTER HERE
Magna Tiles: Big & Small
Wednesday, July 19 at 3:30pm at the Sanchez Library
Learn about how to build with magnets at this interactive program that teaches STEM concepts through open ended play
Biblio Spectacular Magic Show
Thursday, July 20 at 3:30pm at the Sharp Park
Library Biblio Spectacular Magic Show: Be amazed during the Biblio Spectacular Magic Show! This family friendly event will be great for school aged kids and adults who are young at heart.
Middle Scholars: Lockbox Challenge
Tuesday, July 25 at 3:30pm at the Sharp Park Library
Join us for our lockbox challenge! Work together to solve puzzles and unlock prizes. Read the clues carefully, figure out secret combinations, open the locks, and break into the box!
REGISTER HERE
Prepare with Pedro
Wednesday, July 26 at 3:30pm at the Sanchez Library
Join us as we prepare with Pedro! Pedro will teach students how to prepare and take action for either home fires or local hazards. Kids will also receive a storybook to share with parents at home.
Silly Library Puppet Show
Thursday, July 27 at 3:30pm at the Sharp Park Library
Our 50-minute Puppets Show Entertainment is filled with silly puppets and is fully engaging & interactive with a level of humor and candor that spans all ages.
Bubble Solutions and Bubble Wands
Tuesday, August 1 at 3:30pm at the Sharp Park Library
Come join us in creating your very own bubble wands and solutions!
African Village Celebrations
Wednesday, August 2 at 3:30pm at the Sanchez Library
Onye, a world-renowned master percussionist, educator, author and musician, brings joy and soul of African culture, music and village life!
Wildmind Animal Show: Wild Neighbors
Thursday, August 3 at 3:30pm at the Sharp Park Library
Discover our amazing animal neighbors who live throughout the hills and valleys of our state. From the elusive red fox to the remarkable peregrine falcon, these wonderful animals are some of nature’s best.
Middle Scholars: Insect STEM
Tuesday, August 8 at 2pm at the Sharp Park Library
Dr. Rachel Curtis-Robles will help us understand the fascinating world of insects, science and observation through hands-on learning with insects and mosquitos
REGISTER HERE
Rhythm Workshop with Cassie Levy
Wednesday, August 9 at 3:30pm at the Sanchez Library
Come learn the basic building blocks of music through melody and rhythm. We’ll use fun introductory instruments such as rhythm sticks, shakers and triangles.
Puppet Art Theater: The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Thursday, August 10 at the Sharp Park Library
An updated zany version of a classic tale. The boy is bored watching his lamb and decides to make things more exciting by turning on his dad’s wolf alarm, the “Wolf Alert 3000.” Tricking his dad is all fun and games until a real wolf shows up. Will the audience help the boy escape from the wolf? Find out in “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.”
Painting Workshop with Cassie Levy
Thursday, August 24 at 3pm at the Sharp Park Library
Through this workshop, you will learn about color theory, texture and perspective to create a work of art.
REGISTER HERE
Bats at the Library
Tuesday, August 29 at 3:30pm at the Sharp Park Library
Join us for a fun, educational program featuring varieties of rescued Northern California bats. You will learn about their habitats, physical features, diets, behavior and average lifespans and get to meet some too!
Paint Like Yuval Wolfson
Wednesday, August 30 at 5:30pm at the Sharp Park Library
Use your creativity to make a painting at our Paint Like, Heather Brown. Christie from Christie’s Creative Cupboard will provide the 8 x 10 canvas, acrylic paints, and brushes, you bring the creativity.
REGISTER HERE
Pacificans Care Highlights
July is always exciting month for the Pacificans Care as the Board awards it annual grants to our four core social service agencies, Pacifica Senior Services, Pacifica Resource Center, Pacifica Child Care Services and Pacifica Youth Service Bureau. Here is a recap of the grant funding
Pacifica Senior Services: $25,000 Grant funds will help grow, maintain, ensure inclusivity, and enhance our current offerings including the Meals on Wheels program, educating seniors on current trends affecting older adults, transportation, and upgrading software for both client use and staff use in managing the Meals on Wheels program data.
Pacifica Resource Center: $30,000 Over the next year, PRC will support the resilience and well‐being of families and individuals in Pacifica so that every person in the community lives with dignity and can thrive. To achieve this, PRC will continue to provide economic security services to 1 in 7 Pacifica families, many who have no or extremely low income. Services provide groceries onsite or by delivery; emergency financial assistance for past due rent, mortgage, deposit, and utilities to prevent homelessness; financial education and coaching, tax preparation, and matched savings programs.
Pacifica Child Care Services: $20,000 Grant funding from Pacificans Care supplements the State and City funding and allows the Child Care division to offer more programs for all the children who attend our preschool and school-age programs. This year, grant funds will not only cover the summer enhancements but also provide our program-wide field trips during the coming school year.
Pacifica Youth Service Bureau: $15,000 It is always our main priority and mission to help build health and well-being in our children, strong families, and thriving communities. Our Grant funds will provide therapeutic support to struggling students and affordable therapy at our clinic site to more involved cases and families as a whole.
Upcoming Pacificans Care Events:
Grocery Outlet ‘Independence from Hunger’ Campaign: Pacificans Care is partnering with Grocery Outlet in its campaign to address hunger during the month of July. Grocery Outlet shoppers who donate $5 to Pacificans Care will then receive a $5 coupon for use at the next shopping visit to Grocery Outlet. It’s a Win-Win for the shopper and the community.
2023 Share of Care Campaign: Our annual fundraising campaign is under way in support of Pacifica’s four core social service agencies. The community’s generosity makes a difference for those in need. Donations can be made by CLICKING HERE.
Double Gold Day Event: Mark your calendars for Pacificans Care Double Gold Day fundraiser coming on October 15, from 2 to 4pm at the Pedro Point Firehouse. Details to follow.
For more information about Pacificans Care
Website: PacificansCare.com
Email pacificanscare1982@gmail.com
Facebook.com/PacificansCare
P.O. Box 875, Pacifica, California 94044
