Neighborhood Notes: Photography, premieres, reproductive justice

There’s never a dull week in the Mission.

Over the next few days, we are welcoming new nonprofits to the neighborhood, taking in new art exhibitions, and marching for reproductive rights. And be sure to read to the end for details on our managing editor Joe Eskenazi’s upcoming interview with Chesa Boudin.

Without further ado, let’s dive in.

Photography nonprofit moves into Mission

First Exposures, a nonprofit that helps young people by mentoring them in photography, has moved into the Mission.

At 6 p.m. tonight, they will be celebrating their new home with an inaugural fundraising auction: “Looking Forward, Giving Back.” On top of showcasing mentees’ photographs, the event will include performances from the San Francisco Symphony and oodles of food and drink.

After moving six times since 2015, the nonprofit will have a permanent home in the new site. Money raised tonight and via their online auction, which will run until May 20, will go toward providing film and darkroom supplies, summer programs, software and food for their students.

Tickets to the opening event are available on the First Exposures website.

U.S. premiere of immersive cinema

Starting tonight at 6:30 p.m. and running until May 27, a new immersive movie experience is coming to the neighborhood.

“Gone, Gone Beyond” by People Like Us (the alias of artist Vicki Bennett) is an exploration of making cinema beyond the typical 2D screen. The show has been touring Europe since last Fall; this marks its first appearance in the U.S.

You can catch the experience at 2665 Mission St., in Gray Area’s renovated Grand Theater. Tickets are available on the Gray Area website from $15.

Free entry to California Historical Society gallery

Until the end of the week, the California Historical Society is waiving entrance fees to its museum at 678 Mission St.

Its featured exhibition shines a light on the experience of Chinese immigrants before and after the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. Period photographs, newspaper clippings, paintings, and rare artifacts all help visitors get a sense of the challenges these immigrants faced and their unique role in Californian society.

You can find out how to get to the gallery and explore opening times on the society’s website.

‘Shadows and Extractions’ exhibit

This Friday, from 5:30 to 9 p.m., artists Nora Aoyagi and Bianca Levan will be unveiling their latest creations at 886 Capp St.

Aoyagi is a Berkeley-based artist and illustrator with a particular interest in folk tales and animal imagery. Levan creates art by cutting paper, often making intricate black-and-white landscapes.

If you can’t make the opening reception, the show will be open until May 28. See the an.a.log gallery website for more details.

Midnight Runners party 5k

This Friday at 7:30 p.m., the Midnight Runners running club is celebrating its third birthday by setting off from 868 Mission St. on a five-kilometer run through the city. The run will end up at a club, with T-shirt giveaways, a DJ, and plenty more to keep you going post-workout.

You can find out more and register to join the run for free here.

March for reproductive justice

This Saturday at 11 a.m., demonstrators will meet at Grove & Hyde streets (near Civic Center Plaza) to march in support of women’s bodily autonomy.

The march will proceed up Market Street and end at Embarcadero Plaza. Details on how to get to the event, which organizations are taking part, and how to get more involved with the fight for reproductive rights can be found on the Women’s March website.

And if you want to prep and meet activists prior to the march, Manny’s will be hosting a sign-making workshop on Friday from 3 to 5 p.m.

Mission Dolores guided tour

Why is it that when you live somewhere, you never do the touristy things?

Well, perhaps you should! Every Sunday from 11 a.m., you can take a guided tour of the Mission Dolores neighborhood to find out more about your own backyard. Victorian history, murals, and some of the city’s best views are all on offer.

Tours are free but tips for tour guides are strongly encouraged. You can sign up on the SF City Guides website.

Manny’s trash cleanup

Regular as clockwork, Manny’s community litter cleanup will be back this Sunday at 11 a.m.

As ever, there is a veritable treasure trove of goodies for those dedicated enough to get up on Sunday morning to sweep trash. Local businesses will offer up free burritos, fries, margaritas, hot chocolate, movie tickets, and even yoga lessons for participants for the rest of the day.

Find out more and sign up here.

Homelessness town hall

This Monday, Manny’s monthly town hall will focus on homelessness.

Shireen Mcspadden, Director of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, and Sam Dodge, Director of the Healthy Streets Operation Center, will be taking questions from the public on how to solve what seems to be one of the city’s most intractable problems.

The event will start at 6 p.m. at Manny’s (3092 16th St.). The event is free but members of the public are encouraged to register here.

A chat with Chesa Boudin

District Attorney Chesa Boudin’s recall election on June 7 is swiftly approaching.

To help answer some of your most pressing questions, Mission Local’s managing editor, Joe Eskenazi, will be in conversation with Boudin at a free, in-person event at Stage Werx Theatre on Wednesday, May 18. The event will start at 7 p.m.

Tickets are sold out, but we will be streaming the event online. Keep an eye on our social media for details of how to catch the discussion.