Civic Engagement San Francisco

What Can We Build Together? Civic Hub Gathering @ Oakland

East Bay Civic Hub Partner Gathering - What Can We Build Together?

This is a working session for people who want to help strengthen local democracy in the East Bay — whether you are carrying a project idea, looking for a meaningful way to contribute, or simply curious about what might be possible. Some people will arrive with projects. Some will arrive with skills, relationships, questions, or energy to support others. Both are needed. Together, we’ll look at what people are hoping to build, what support those ideas would need, and where there is enough real energy to move something forward. What kinds of project ideas fit? We’re especially interested in local, nonpartisan project ideas that help people listen, learn, deliberate, make decisions, or take action together. The strongest ideas will be connected to a real East Bay community, neighborhood, institution, or public challenge. They should be achievable enough to make visible progress soon, while also helping build longer-term civic capacity, relationships, trust, and participation. This is not a space for candidate endorsements, partisan campaigns, or advocacy efforts that begin with a predetermined answer. EBCH’s lane is helping communities understand, deliberate, and act together. Emerging projects need thoughtful collaborators, connectors, facilitators, organizers, designers, technologists, communicators, fundraisers, hosts, note-takers, neighbors, and people who care enough to help something real take shape. You can come to listen, offer your energy, join a project conversation, or help us identify which ideas seem most timely, doable, and worth supporting. You do not need a polished proposal. A spark, question, concern, or possibility is enough. Light snacks provided. Optional: bring an easy snack or drink to share. Please come either way. Event Website Link: https://events.humanitix.com/host/ebch

Stern Grove Music Festival -- Suki Waterhouse

First, a sample of Suki Waterhouse's music: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvUHph2XbLk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvUHph2XbLk) As usual, Stern Grove has sold out all free tickets by lottery, so if you want to attend the July 26th Sunday concert for free, volunteering is the only choice. [https://www.sterngrove.org/](https://www.sterngrove.org/) For people interested, we can show you on site how to use the Stern Grove's fund raiser volunteer posts to enjoy concert, while also help the festival. **Registration** link: [https://volunteer.bloomerang.co/volunteer/#/join-party?k=nu6dkb9mi1z8o3](https://volunteer.bloomerang.co/volunteer/#/join-party?k=nu6dkb9mi1z8o3) You must do this before noon of 23rd Thursday, cause the slots would be reset on that day. Choose the afternoon **2:30- 5:30 pm Fundraisers** shift. **Parking**: Stonestown Mall. Lunch is provided by the festival. Bring a water bottle if you can. **Join [TownFlame](http://https//%5B%5B%5Bwww.meetup.com/townflame%5D%5D%5D(%5B%5Bwww.meetup.com/townflame%5D%5D)(%5B%5Bwww.meetup.com/townflame%5D%5D(%5Bwww.meetup.com/townflame%5D))(%5B%5Bwww.meetup.com/townflame%5D%5D(%5Bwww.meetup.com/townflame%5D)(%5Bwww.meetup.com/townflame%5D(www.meetup.com/townflame)))), Make Life Happen.** **Liability Waiver:** Participation in TownFlame events is voluntary and involves social interaction in public spaces. Activities are designed to be inclusive and respectful. Participants assume all risks and release TownFlame, its organizers, volunteers, and affiliates from liability for injury, illness, or damages, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct. By attending, participants acknowledge that photographs, audio, and video recordings may be taken during events, and grant TownFlame the right to use such media for promotional and marketing purposes, in any format or platform, without further consent or compensation.

Trivia @ Park Station

trivia starts around 6:30 and ends never. enjoy!

Manny's Neighborhood Trash Cleanup

Meet at Manny's ([3092 16th St](https://www.google.com/maps/place/3092+16th+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94103/@37.7651781,-122.4217232,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x808f7e224ec59b0f:0x2d7644159819087!8m2!3d37.7651781!4d-122.4217232 "https://www.google.com/maps/place/3092+16th+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94103/@37.7651781,-122.4217232,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x808f7e224ec59b0f:0x2d7644159819087!8m2!3d37.7651781!4d-122.4217232")). Then, cleaning will occur from 10:00am to 11:00am. Stay afterwards for free food & refreshments and by picking up with us, you’ll get a special voucher that includes a whole host of neighborhood discounts valid that day! Sign up on Meetup, this [Civic Joy Fund Mobilize](https://www.mobilize.us/civicjoyfund/event/755932/) page, or email info@refuserefusesf.org with event name. \*By participating or registering in a cleanup or volunteer event, I acknowledge and agree to the Civic Joy Fund and Refuse Refuse volunteer waivers: [https://civicjoyfund.org/volunteer](https://civicjoyfund.org/volunteer) - [https://refuserefusesf.org/waiver](https://refuserefusesf.org/waiver)

Trivia at Original Pattern

Trivia starts at 7pm. We’ll be there by 6:15 to start saving tables for our group (come early to help us save seats). Please remember to keep your RSVP updated if plans change, and we look forward to seeing you there!

Discover SF -- Road to Nihonmachi Fair, Japantown

Think of **Road to Hana**. Japantown's **Nihonmachi Street Fair** turns 52 this year, beyond the usual Japan culture shows, this fair also includes the **pan-asian** programs, like Hawaiian dances, Chinese culture, Filipino and Korean performances etc.. The attendance is said to be around **50k** per year, on par with Fillmore Jazz Festival. [https://www.nihonmachistreetfair.org/](https://www.nihonmachistreetfair.org/) By our experience of organizing festival and parade events in SF for the past half year, we did notice that people prefer more interactions and connections. So we design this event to optimize that -- a **scenic** city hike over the Pacific Heights **ridge landmarks**, in interactive groups, with the **road as the experience**, the fair as the **prize** destination. By our past volunteering experience, **working in small groups** together **bonds** people fast. And as you have seen, our walk column has leads and sweeps. We plan to **open** that to people willing trying, in small groups, to work together to guide the troop through different legs, in **rotation**. So **willing** people have chance to form closer bonds with each other. Notice that this is a **real** walk — about 2.3 miles, including the Lyon Street Steps, one of SF's great stair climbs. The views are the point, so we have chances to stop, to chat, to appreciate the **beauty** of the city. These are the legs we are going to cover: * **Palace of Fine Arts** * **Lyon Street Steps** * **Billionaire Row, Pacific Heights,** then **Alta Plaza Park** * **St. Dominic's Church,** on the road to **Japan Town** *** ## The Day's Program **11:30 — The Handshake.** Gather at Coffee Roastery (2331 Chestnut at Scott). Grab a coffee and a bite, get checked in, meet your walking pod. We roll at 12:00 sharp down Chestnut — the Marina's main street. **12:15 — Palace of Fine Arts.** The rotunda and lagoon. Cameras out. **12:50 — The Climb.** Lyon Street Steps: landscaped terraces, mansions on both sides, and a reveal at the top we won't spoil. We regroup at the garden landing — nobody gets left behind. **1:10 — The Ridge.** Broadway's Billionaires' Row, then an easy walk along the crest to Alta Plaza. **1:30 — Friend Circle @ Alta Plaza Park.** Our signature stop, on the terraces with the whole city as the backdrop — a quick structured round so you leave knowing the people you walked with. Group photo on the terrace steps. Then downhill all the way. **1:45 — St Dominic's Church**. Gothic Architecture appreciation. **2:00 — Nihonmachi west gate (Post & Fillmore).** Welcome to the fair. **2:00 onward — the Fair.** Split into groups and enjoy the festival, and everyone gets the plan for the evening before we split. **\~5:30 — Break Bread.** Post-shift dinner in Japantown for whoever's in. Location announced in the group chat day-of. *** ## Different Ways to Join (pick your distance) 1. **The Full Hike** — 11:30 AM, Coffee Roastery, 2331 Chestnut St. The whole arc: Palace, stairs, ridge, park, fair. 2. **Middle & late -Join** — At all the landmarks we stop. The steps, the ridge, the park and the church. 3. **Fair Gate** — 2:00 PM, the fair's west entrance at Post & Fillmore. Join for the fair, the volunteer table, and the evening. The Palace of Fine Arts & the Steps are the process to **bind the group together**. Don't miss that if you are new. One rule so the day runs on time: **the group won't be able to wait long at stops** — if you're running late, just meet us at the next join point. Someone from our crew will be watching for you at each one. *** ## Getting There **From Caltrain (4th & Townsend):** the **30-Stockton bus is a one-seat ride** from Caltrain's front door to our staging corner — board at 4th & Townsend, ride \~40–45 min through Chinatown and North Beach, get off at **Chestnut & Scott**. You're standing in front of the cafe. South Bay folks: take a train arriving SF by \~10:40 to make staging comfortably. **From BART:** exit at Montgomery, walk 5 min to **Stockton & Sutter**, board the same **30-Stockton northbound** (\~35 min) to Chestnut & Scott. **Rideshare:** \~15–20 min from Caltrain/downtown. **Driving:** Marina street parking on a Saturday is a blood sport — transit recommended. **Getting home:** after dinner, the 38-Geary runs from two blocks south of Japantown straight back downtown to BART/Caltrain connections. *** ## Bring * Comfortable walking shoes (stairs!) * Water bottle * Layers — the Marina starts foggy, Japantown ends sunny * **Eat before you come, or grab a bite at staging** — the shift starts right when we arrive at 2, so your 11:30 coffee stop is also lunch. (Fair food awaits as your post-shift reward.) * Sunscreen, and a hat if you burn *** The fair has volunteering, yet as we contacted the organizer, it isn't clear that the roles available are the booth type that our people prefer. So we won't actively organize for that this time. \-\-\-\- Side Note \-\-\-\-\- The Nihonmachi Street Fair is one of the Bay Area's longest-running cultural festivals, and one of the largest annual events in San Francisco's Japantown. The festival spans two days and features: * 🥁 Taiko drumming * 🎶 Live music * 💃 Traditional and contemporary dance * 🍱 Japanese food * 🍡 Cultural demonstrations * 🎨 Arts and crafts * 🤝 Community nonprofit booths * 👨‍👩‍👧 Children's activities * 🛍️ Local vendors **Join [TownFlame](http://www.townflame.org/), Make Life Happen.** **Liability Waiver:** Participation in TownFlame events is voluntary and involves social interaction in public spaces. Activities are designed to be inclusive and respectful. Participants assume all risks and release TownFlame, its organizers, volunteers, and affiliates from liability for injury, illness, or damages, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct. By attending, participants acknowledge that photographs, audio, and video recordings may be taken during events, and grant TownFlame the right to use such media for promotional and marketing purposes, in any format or platform, without further consent or compensation.

Trivia at Mad Oak

We're going to return to trivia at Mad Oak! Trivia starts at 7pm. Arrive a few minutes early so we can reserve tables and split off in teams as necessary. Please bring ID as they card at the gate. Hope to see you there!

Lower Polk Weekly Cleanup

Meet at Jane on Larkin ([925 Larkin St](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Jane+on+Larkin/@37.7864605,-122.4183232,15z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x8085809154a08b3d:0xab92104c1def692c!8m2!3d37.7864605!4d-122.4183232!16s%2Fg%2F1pyd18nc_?entry=ttu)) to grab our supplies and form our crew. Then, cleaning will occur from 11am to 12pm around the neighborhood. Stay afterwards for **free food & refreshments!** Sign up on Meetup, this [Civic Joy Fund Mobilize](https://www.mobilize.us/civicjoyfund/event/755819/) page, or email info@refuserefusesf.org with event name. \*By participating or registering in a cleanup or volunteer event, I acknowledge and agree to the Civic Joy Fund and Refuse Refuse volunteer waivers: [https://civicjoyfund.org/volunteer](https://civicjoyfund.org/volunteer) - [https://refuserefusesf.org/waiver](https://refuserefusesf.org/waiver)

Detroit Steps Maintenance Day

Meet at the lower Detroit Steps ([Detroit St & Hearst Ave](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hearst+Ave+%26+Detroit+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94112/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x808f7e7f2ec7b0c9:0x7de5d8a6b895afe1?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwielfWc4J77AhXXLEQIHVqJA-kQ8gF6BAgYEAE "https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hearst+Ave+%26+Detroit+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94112/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x808f7e7f2ec7b0c9:0x7de5d8a6b895afe1?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwielfWc4J77AhXXLEQIHVqJA-kQ8gF6BAgYEAE")) to grab supplies, meet your project leader and split into crews. Cleaning, sweeping, and gardening will occur from 10:00am to 12:00pm at the steps and surrounding neighborhood. Sign up on Meetup, this [Civic Joy Fund Mobilize](https://www.mobilize.us/civicjoyfund/event/756100/) page or email info@refuserefusesf.org with event name. \*By participating or registering in a cleanup or volunteer event, I acknowledge and agree to the Civic Joy Fund and Refuse Refuse volunteer waivers: [https://civicjoyfund.org/volunteer](https://civicjoyfund.org/volunteer) - [https://refuserefusesf.org/waiver](https://refuserefusesf.org/waiver)

The Hub Cleanup

Meet at the McCoppin Hub Plaza ([98 Valencia St](https://www.google.com/maps/place/McCoppin+Hub+Plaza/@37.771561,-122.422815,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x3b8f873d5436cecb?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQt_CKnKqAAxW0K0QIHc5sAr8Q_BJ6BAhEEAA&ved=2ahUKEwjQt_CKnKqAAxW0K0QIHc5sAr8Q_BJ6BAhMEAg)) to grab our supplies and form our crew. Then, cleaning will occur from 3:00pm to 4:30pm around the neighborhood. Stay afterwards for a FREE drink at Martuni's and to meet fellow volunteers! Sign up on Meetup, this [Civic Joy Fund Mobilize](https://www.mobilize.us/civicjoyfund/event/756123/) page, or email info@refuserefusesf.org with event name. \*By participating or registering in a cleanup or volunteer event, I acknowledge and agree to the Civic Joy Fund and Refuse Refuse volunteer waivers: [https://civicjoyfund.org/volunteer](https://civicjoyfund.org/volunteer) - [https://refuserefusesf.org/waiver](https://refuserefusesf.org/waiver)

Tenderloin Weekly Cleanup

Meet at Turk Hyde Mini Park ([201 Hyde St](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Turk+Hyde+Mini+Park/@37.7827362,-122.4159273,15z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x8085817c25e97dfb:0xb2d226a7364f8da8!8m2!3d37.7827362!4d-122.4159273!16s%2Fg%2F11rn08cxxl?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTExMy4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D "https://www.google.com/maps/place/Turk+Hyde+Mini+Park/@37.7827362,-122.4159273,15z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x8085817c25e97dfb:0xb2d226a7364f8da8!8m2!3d37.7827362!4d-122.4159273!16s%2Fg%2F11rn08cxxl?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTExMy4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D")) to grab our supplies and form our crew. Then, cleaning will occur from 1:00pm to 2:00pm around the neighborhood. Sign up on Meetup, this [Civic Joy Fund Mobilize](https://www.mobilize.us/civicjoyfund/event/756069/) page, or email info@refuserefusesf.org with event name. \*By participating or registering in a cleanup or volunteer event, I acknowledge and agree to the Civic Joy Fund and Refuse Refuse volunteer waivers: [https://civicjoyfund.org/volunteer](https://civicjoyfund.org/volunteer) - [https://refuserefusesf.org/waiver](https://refuserefusesf.org/waiver)