Latest news with #communitypreservation
CBS News
25-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
KOHO, San Francisco Japantown co-working venue, seeks to uplift community
San Francisco's Japantown is one of the few remaining across the country. Now, community members are hoping a new co-working space will help revitalize the area while preserving its culture and creativity. Entering the KOHO creative hub in the Japan Center East on Post Street, Aaron - a music producer and artist known as "Mr. Carmack" - abides by tradition and removes his shoes before finding a space and getting to work. "I'm working on a triple album," he said. Like many creators, he's used to working from home. But with the emergence of this new co-working space in Japantown, he's eager to switch up the atmosphere. "Keeping your home space for home things and separating your work," he said. Dana Dimalanda, an architectural designer, shared the same sentiment. "A creative hub was missing from this area," she said. "It's bringing back more of the authentic community and culture to the space." When Susie Kagami, KOHO's Founding Executive Director, set out to make the space a reality, she wanted to provide a hub for creators and artists. But the mission runs much deeper than that. "This actually was envisioned by our community over 10 years ago as a community preservation strategy for Japantown," she said. "An arts and culture hub would revitalize our stories and bring people back, preserve our narratives of our past and elders, as well as give voice to a younger generation." San Francisco's Japantown is one of three left in the United States. Kagami says it has shrunk in size over the last several decades due to displacement from WWII incarceration and urban renewal. "If I can provide a nurturing space for folks to come back to, find a little bit of cultural identity, reconnect with community and families, that is my wish for this coworking space," she said. Aaron thinks it will also help bring new and old faces to Japantown, and as a result, they'll help support the neighborhood's vitality. "I think another aspect to having a coworking space is bringing people not only to work here but also to immerse themselves in the surrounding businesses," he said. A space dedicated to nurturing creativity and culture, building blocks for the future while paying homage to tradition.
CBS News
29-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
St. Ann School in Pilsen unveils project showcasing history, contributions of community
A group of eighth graders at a Pilsen middle school has been working on a project to preserve and celebrate the contributions of immigrants over the years. Now it's on display for all of the community to enjoy. The Pilsen Project was unveiled on Thursday, the last day of school for the students at St Ann School at 2211 W. 18th Pl. Principal Kathleen Fox said the project originated in 2019 when the church behind the school was turned into condos. "Our eighth graders at the time were really disheartened to see that change in the community, and from it came the Pilsen Project, so they can preserve the history of their beloved neighborhood," Fox said. The project consists of five parts—the buddy benches, the story book, the garden, the mural, and the documentary. The mural includes depictions of St. Ann, Mary, and the Chicago skyline, aiming to capture the school's spirit. "We've been working it for about a week to two weeks, I would say," eighth-grader Nate Edders said. He said his favorite part of the project is the buddy benches, as they capture the neighborhood's image. "I think that kind of capturing image of Pilsen and then putting it into a community bench is just." 'We're trying to give back to more than St. Ann School," Fox said. "We wanna make sure that the whole Pilsen community is able to celebrate and use this project, so they're welcome to use our garden, they're welcome to use our benches, so we can preserve the history together, St. Ann and Pilsen." School officials say the project allowed the students to show their community pride and demonstrate their leadership skills.
