#wsfspring19

By Samuel Tufenkian, Nico Torres, Aaron Lopez, and Abby Bailey

“Yeah, it’s changed a lot - but I would never leave. I love it here! It has the best weather in the city…..Even if the culture leaves, I want to stay ‘cause I have the culture, and I can pass it on to someone else.” - Marisol, Barista at Philz Coffee  

The Mission is traditionally known as a close-knit, Latino community, but it has been experiencing a huge shift in culture and business because of gentrification. Every person we interviewed mentioned this significant cultural change, as did Marisol, a barista at Philz Coffee, who has lived in The Mission her entire life.

The community seems to be struggling to hold on to its cultural heritage. A Barber told us about significant issues he's seen surface over the last 30 years; not surprisingly, he pointed out skyrocketing housing prices. Speaking slowly as if to bask in the glory of the memory, he also painted a picture for us of what Divisadero Street used to look like, another neighborhood following a similar path of The Mission. 

Despite the challenges of gentrification in The Mission, we noticed many positive signs. 

Long time residents of The Mission continue to celebrate many aspects of the Latino culture and traditions. The Mission neighborhood still hosts family-owned businesses, Latino-owned stores, and creative expression such as street art and the colorful, political murals found throughout the district. 

By: Kaylene Woo, Janet Shea, Emma Hoerauf, Alexandra Heinle

The “come as you are” of Haight Ashbury is marked by the steady flow of transients, street performers, and shops emphasizing individuality and uniqueness. The heart of Haight Ashbury is evident in the constant conversations that occur between strangers and in the neighborhood’s Free Clinic. 

While those of us who have experienced the current hustle and bustle of Haight Ashbury might find it hard to believe, in the 1950s, the area was filled with vacant homes and it was not a desirable part of town. However, when hippies needed a place to live, they found the Haight a prime area to settle with its affordable housing and community of like-minded people (A View of Cities).

In the 1960s, young people moved from all over the US into this neighborhood, including iconic bands such as Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. Thus, the 1967 Summer of Love was born, a moment in time filled with music, peaceful protests, and hard substances (Britannica).

After that era, the Haight was left very similar to how it began. Hippies moved out of the area, leaving a community reliant on drugs and hundreds of dilapidated houses, leading to an increase of violence in the area. Finally, in the 1980s, movements capitalized on the rich history of Haight Ashbury. Old victorian homes were restored while storefronts emphasizing hippie culture were established (The Washington Post). 

Currently, the Haight is a tourist-driven area of town, and is actually quite expensive, contrary to the 1960s version of Haight Ashbury. 

Despite efforts to restore Haight Ashbury, there are still problems residents of the area must contend with, such as the high homeless population and substance abuse. There have been many deaths from overdosing on substances in the past decade. However, the area is making efforts to control these issues with their free clinic and rehabilitation programs with hopes to create a 24 hour safe injection site (Share International). 

We hope Haight Ashbury’s strengths of compassion and respect for its history combined with efforts to cultivate a healthier space will preserve the heart of the Haight, creating a safe area for all people to feel welcome.

By Hannah Fleth, Grace Adams, Olivia Kinkelaar, and Miles Witt

The Marina is a quiet, yet trendy neighborhood that some call home and many others visit to escape from the busier, more urban parts of San Francisco. With picturesque views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Palace of Fine Arts, this area contains highly-sought-after residential real estate. 

The Palace is the neighborhood’s claim to fame as a memento from the Marina’s origin story.

Originally swamp and sand, the Marina district was pumped out to make space for the historic 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, which announced San Francisco’s recovery from the 1906 earthquake.

Locals say that the main social hubs are Chestnut and Union streets. On these streets, one can find multiple nail salons, coffee shops, and food from all over the globe, including Italian, Asian, and Mexican cuisine -- even New York bagels. Weekends and weeknights the streets are bustling, if you can even call it that. 

The residents say that the Marina, in contrast to most of the city, is very quiet in the mornings.

Visitors should be aware that during the weekdays most restaurants focus more on breakfast and dinner than they do on providing lunch.  

Other attractions include the Wave Organ, which harnesses the Bay’s waves to make music and is made from old cemetery stones. 

The sounds are heard best at high tide and during a full moon.

SF Weekly says liking the Marina​ is “as basic as liking golden retrievers and hating the word ‘moist.’” 

The residential population in the neighborhood, unlike the food offerings in the district, are far from diverse. In the Marina, only 0.7% of residents speak English not well or not at all, compared with the city’s 12%. This dog-friendly, fitness-friendly, detoxed urban neighborhood suits the tastes of college grads and young families, but leaves others with an appetite for more diversity.

by Bryan Briones, Caroline Vasquez, and Chloe Scafiddi

The Castro District, one of the most well-known areas in the city displaying LGBTQ+ pride, is known for being a safe place, promoting acceptance and love.

Prominent attractions in the Castro include Hamburger Mary’s, Dog Eared Books, GLBT Museum, and the Castro Theater. These vibrant spots are well known hubs of this compact neighborhood.

Although the area is considered a safe haven for all its residents and is accepting of all ethnic and gender backgrounds, the Castro is primarily comprised of white, older, gay males.

Interestingly, the main street of the Castro was named after Jose Castro, a prominent Mexican leader who opposed the United States rule of California (known as Alta California at the time).

The current neighborhood started out as Eureka Valley, a working-class neighborhood, mostly comprised of white Irish. This strong community started developing in the mid 20th century following WW2, when all those who identified as “homosexual” were dishonorably discharged due to their sexual orientation. Most of these soldiers fled to San Francisco to find solidarity and a safe community. 

The GLBT museum strongly acknowledges “the importance of LGBTQ history for building community and promoting connection.” The Rainbow Honor Walk has dedicated plaques around the area to show off all those who were instrumental in building the LGBTQ+ cause and fighting for equality.

Locals said they felt the Castro was a safe space that allowed them to be truly  themselves and ultimately join a like-minded community. However, they also pointed out a few places for improvement. For example, the Castro could do better addressing the needs of the homeless youth flocking to the neighborhood, many of whom are LGBTQ+.