May 2020

Center for Asian American Media (CAAM)

The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting stories that convey the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences to the broadest audience possible. We do this by funding, producing, distributing, and exhibiting works in film, television, and digital media. For 40 years, CAAM has exposed audiences to new voices and communities, advancing our collective understanding of the American experience through programs specifically designed to engage the Asian American community and larger public.

Community Youth Center of San Francisco (CYC)

Founded in 1970, CYC was born out of a need to address the problems of juvenile delinquency and gang violence in Chinatown at that time by providing young men with alternatives and access to legitimate means to help them achieve their aspirations and independence. Over the years, CYC gained a reputation as the premier organization for Asian youth services with programs that respond to the ever-changing and evolving complex challenges specifically faced by Asian youth. These programs address issues of family conflict over acculturation, difficulties in school, economic hardship, and other barriers.

While CYC continued to serve Asian youth and the Chinatown community, their vision expanded beyond those perimeters over the years. Today, CYC operates out of three offices in the Tenderloin, Bayview, and Richmond districts with presence at 45 different sites across San Francisco that include elementary, middle and high schools. CYC annually impacts a diverse population of over 8,000 youth; many of whom are primarily low income and at-risk Asian Pacific American, Latino, and African American. CYC’s services now include academic and college counseling, job placement and employment training, substance abuse and violence prevention education, crisis intervention and mediation, leadership development, and technology and computer training.

CYC has faced many challenges and struggles to build a strong foundation and expand services to meet the needs of our youth, families and community. On our 50th anniversary, we remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting our young people to not only become responsible self-sufficient individuals, but to also strive and commit to become leaders, visionaries and advocates for the next generation.

Sara Wan
Executive Director, Community Youth Center of San Francisco (CYC)

JCYC 50th Logo

The Japanese Community Youth Council (JCYC) was incorporated in May of 1970 as a coalition of Japantown-based youth groups that came together to create a voice for young people in the community. The mission of the organization has been to cultivate and enrich the lives of children and youth from diverse, multicultural communities throughout San Francisco and beyond.

While the organization continues to serve the Japantown community, JCYC has evolved into a citywide children and youth development organization, serving over 7,000 young people annually from all socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds and neighborhoods throughout San Francisco and San Mateo County. JCYC programs support children and youth from the time they start preschool until they enter college. The organization strives to offer young people a comprehensive array of services to ensure that children and youth have the resources and support necessary to grow into healthy, productive adults.

Additionally, the focus of JCYC’s current programs also includes college access and workforce development. Over the past several years, JCYC is a lead agency in implementing San Francisco’s newest youth workforce program Opportunities For All.

I am incredibly grateful to be a part of JCYC as we celebrate 50 years of serving the children and youth of San Francisco. Our five decades of service are a testament to the power and potential of young people to make an incredible impact now and into the future.

Jon Osaki
Executive Director, Japanese Community Youth Council (JCYC)

San Francisco – Ho Chi Minh City Sister City Committee

San Francisco is proud to be the American city with the longest and deepest ties of friendship with Vietnam. This special connection contributes to the vitality of not only our city and Vietnam, but also to the strong ties between the two countries. The award winning Sister City Committee relationship promotes cultural, healthcare, bio- technology, environmental, transportation, educational, and other programs. The official ties between San Francisco and Ho Chi Minh City began in 1995 and pre-dates the diplomatic relationship between the United States and Vietnam by three months.

Since 1995, the City of San Francisco and the Sister City Committee have continued to build strong ties with Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam. We were the first city in the USA to host a Consulate General of Vietnam, which opened in 1997, and we are honored to be the home of Vietnam Airlines North American headquarters. In fact, the first scheduled air service between our countries left our SF International Airport in 2004. Our Sister City Committee has organized numerous trade and friendship missions since 1995 which have built strong ties and carried out innumerable projects of cooperation.

The Committee hosts monthly Meetups, inbound and outbound trade delegations, cultural and environmental missions and invite everyone to join us. We continue to place strong emphasis and importance on our friendship with Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam and look forward to new avenues of cooperation and partnership.

https://www.sfhcmc.org/

We are now in our 25th year and we look forward to the future with the hope of continuing to build a stronger relationship with the people of Ho Chi Minh City, and the other citizens of Vietnam. We can teach and learn, with the aim of improving the quality of life of all peace loving people.

George Saxton
Executive Director, SF – Ho Chi Minh City Sister City Committee