Free Covid testing
Residents can access free Covid-19 testing at the corner of 18th and Mission streets on Saturday through a partnership between multiple local organizations including HOMEY, UCSF, the Latino Task Force and others.
Residents who are eligible for the vaccine can make an appointment onsite to receive their doses at either the Native American Health Center on 16th and Capp streets, or the Latino Task Force site at 24th and Capp streets, according to HOMEY Executive Director Roberto Eligio Alfaro.
The site has the capacity to administer 500 tests per day, but similar events recently have averaged 150 to 200 tests per day, Alfaro said.
“The lines are really short if people want to come,” he said.
The event – where food boxes are also distributed – will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Saturday March 14, as well as Saturday March 27.
The testing site at the 24th Street BART Station and the vaccination site at Capp and 24th Streets are open Sunday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the testing site and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the vaccination site.
Dance studio fundraiser
Rising Rhythm, a collective of more than 50 local artists, is holding a crowdfunding campaign to raise sufficient funds to secure a permanent studio in the Excelsior for its members.
“We see liquor stores on every corner of our inner-city neighborhood,but we don’t see any many permanent artistic spaces to help our black and brown community thrive amidst adversity,” wrote founder Jessica Maria Recinos on the crowdfunding page.
At the time of posting, the page has gathered just over $10,600 dollars since it first opened in late January, far from their stated fundraising goals.
Organizers initially hoped to raise $250,000 by March 1 to make the down payment and pay the closing costs of the building at 1189 Geneva Ave.. They will need another $250,000 by June to pay for the required renovations to transform the two-story building, which was previously occupied by a soccer merchandise store, into two studios and a blackbox performance space.
While the campaign did not meet the first set fundraising goal, organizers continue to ask the community for support and remain hopeful that they can secure the building.
“With your generosity we can continue focusing on creatively serving our dancers through accessible dance training for all ages,” Recinos said.
New animal shelter
Mayor London Breed announced the opening of a new animal shelter in the Mission this week.
The new 65,000-square-foot San Francisco Animal Care and Control shelter at 1419 Bryant St. will house around 10,000 animals per year, including common pets such as dogs and cats, but also goats, pelicans and pigs, among others.
The site will employ 55 staff members and aims to be, “the place to go to take a found pet, or to search for a lost pet,” according to a written statement.
The shelter is in a building first constructed in 1893, which was originally occupied by the Market Street Railway Company. In total, the city paid $76.4 million for the shelter’s construction.
“We were able to preserve an important part of the City’s past and deliver a safe, modern and user-friendly facility that will serve the needs of San Francisco for years to come,” said Alaric Degrafinried, the acting San Francisco Public Works director in the statement.
Sandra Yagi exhibit
Sandra Yagi, a member of the Mission-based Pacific Felt Factory artist community, will be featured in an upcoming group exhibit at the Modern Eden Gallery at 1100 Sutter St..
The exhibit, titled Metamorphosis, will run from March 13 to April 2 and feature three other artists from around the world.
“Metamorphosis explores concepts at the intersection of magic and realism, and celebrates the transformative nature of nature itself,” reads a description of the exhibit by the gallery.
Yagi describes her art, which often features skeletons and animals as, “inspired by science and nature, anatomy, and a curiosity for the macabre.”