Honoring county’s Latina activism
Around the world, May 1 is celebrated as an international day for workers. And here in the Santa Clara Valley, an online discussion that afternoon will put the spotlight on Latina activists, a group that played a big part in the struggle for social change but sometimes has been overlooked.
The 1 p.m. presentation will feature former Santa Clara County Supervisor Blanca Alvarado, who before her groundbreaking political career helped César Chávez establish the Community Service Organization; Rose Amador LeBeau, CEO of Conxion to Community, a Latino-led social service agency; Josie MendezNegrete, an associate professor of Mexican American Studies at the University of Texas-San Antonio; Zelica Rodriguez-Deams, director of Santa Clara County’s Office of Immigrant Rights; and Center for Employment Training CEO Hermelinda Sapien.
The conversation will share a lot of untold stories about the women who helped organize farmworkers in the early days of that labor movement, and I hope it includes many of the women who fought for civil rights in the South Bay like Sofia Mendoza, the mother who led a school walkout to improve conditions for Latino students. Tickets to the panel, a partnership between History San Jose and La
Raza Historical Society of Santa Clara Valley, are $7 (free for students, educators and History San Jose members).Gotohistorysanjose.org/wp/programsevents to sign up.
JAPANTOWN FESTIVAL CONTINUES ONLINE >> After being forced to take last year off because of COVID-19, the Nikke Matsuri festival — an annual tradition in San Jose’s historic Japan town since 1978— re- turned this year as a vir- tual event. It opened last weekend with a bevy of experiences available online and continues this weekend with more, including performances by San Jose Taiko, the jazz ensemble and ukulele band from Wesley United Methodist Church, the San Jose Betsuin Choir and the Chidori Band.
There’s a photo-filled video looking back at the festival’s cultural exhibits, showcasing flower arrangement and bonsai cultivation, and some of Japantown’s nonprofit groups have partnered with restaurants including Minato, JT Express and Hukilau to provide special deals on food that’ll benefit the groups, too.
You can browse through everything at the festival’s website, nikkeimatsuri.org, which has a video of the opening ceremony, including a masked San Jose Taiko performance, as well as information on several Japantown businesses and organizations that would normally be getting exposure. And if you’re wondering just how to take it all in, NBC Bay Area’s Mike Inouye — who serves as the virtual master of ceremonies—stars in a video on how to navigate the site.
ART ON DISPLAY >> Silicon Valley Open Studios is back — and back online — starting Saturday, inviting visitors to take a virtual tour of the work of more than 150 artists in the Bay Area, whose work runs the gamut from painting and fiber arts to sculpture and mixed media. Though it’s not the same as visiting artists in their studios, it’s something we’re happy to have back in any form this year.
You might remember that Silicon Valley Open Studios pushed back its normal May event last year to the fall and ended up with virtual visits then as well. Executive Director Stephen Toll said that fall event raised more than $4,000 for Second Harvest Food Bank. This month’s event will have a community benefit, too, as 15% of sales will be donated to DrawBridge, a nonprofit that provides free art programs for underserved or homeless kids.
Visitors can check out the art for sale by going to svos.org and clicking on “member artists” or searching by name or type of art.