The Bayview
BOOM
Art-Wheels Parade
and
Colors Festival
THE PEOPLE in this community have been struggling for decades, affected by the Navy's toxic waste dump, crack-cocaine, guns, and liquor stores. They are struggling with unemployment, homelessness, lack of access to health care, tainted soil, violence, mental illness, drug-addiction, and severe health problems(1).
BUT THERE IS INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL HERE. The people are amazing and intense. The youth are a precious, creative resource, which this project seeks to tap.
THE PROJECT is The BOOM Parade. This event will take place in the autumn of 2011. It will be a parade of music- and sound-producing art-cars, art-trucks, art-bikes, art-go-carts, art-rollerblades, art-baby-carriages, and art-wheelchairs, all designed, built, and driven by local residents. The Boom Parade will drive up and down the hardest-hit streets and housing projects of this region, where mainstream street events do not venture (such as Sunday Streets).
IT'S SCHEDULED FOR AUTUMN, 2011, so that we can enjoy San Francisco's warmest time of year.
THE VISION is to create an annual, locally-flavored event which will bring this community into the family of San Francisco's ALTERNATIVE street festivals. We are inspired by the LoveEvolution Parade (aka "Love Festival"), and the Gay Pride Celebration. We want to reach out to some of this area's toughest local residents, and engage them in a creative, peaceful project they can be proud of.
THIS IS A SEED which will hopefully become an annual event, which will attract audiences who would otherwise never venture here, and promote a positive image of Bayview Hunters Point. The event is also intended to encourage the growth of a home-grown arts community in Bayview Hunters Point.
SKILLED DESIGNERS AND ENGINEERS will devote 3 to 6 months mentoring local residents in the design and construction of their booming, beat-making vehicles.
THE BURNING MAN organization, the greatest proponent of the Art Car/Art Bike phenomenon, has provided logistical assistance. We have been awarded a $5,000 grant from Burning Man's non-profit entity, the Black Rock Arts Foundation.
We have fiscal sponsorship from Empowerment Works, who has created economic development projects through arts and culture in Africa and elsewhere, and through which we are associated with the San Francisco Earth Day Celebration.
Use the forms below to register a vehicle in the parade, or to be a youth mentor or volunteer.
The images below are art vehicles from similar projects,
to inspire us:
The following individuals and organization have indicated their enthusiasm to assist or participate in the project:
- District 10 Supervisor Malia Cohen endorses this project. Contact
- Gina Fromer, Executive Director of the Bayview YMCA, endorses this project.
- Sister Stephanie Hughes, Lazarus House at Alice Griffith (Double Rock), is committed to promoting participation by her youths.
- Margaret Bodkin, Director of The San Francisco Summer Learning Network have pledged to promote this project to their members.
- Philip Bounds, Case Manager of Hunters Point Family, Safe Haven, is eager for his kids to participate.
- Veronica Martinez, Planner and Policy Analyst for the City of San Francisco Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
- Dr. Hollis Pierce, Educational Consultant, wants her church members to participate.
- Rebecca Gallegos, Director of Development Bayview Opera House, is enthusiastic about the project.
- Alpha Buie, Peninsula Omega Youth Club, which works with incarcerated women, is interested in involving the population she works with.
- Hadley Robinson, freelance journalist, wants to make a documentary about this project, and film youths as they are building their art projects.
- Shirley Chen and Gabriel Haas of the Portola Neighborhood -Steering Committee, have pledged to assist with outreach to the Portola community.
- William Hammons, KPOO Radio, expressed his desire to interview me (parade founder) on-the-air.
- Diane Gray, ED 100% College Prep, wants her group to do an art car.
- Linda Camarena, Visual Arts Teacher at Malcolm X High School, wants to work with her students on this project.
- Linda Berger of the Boys and Girls Club has pledged to help however she can.
- Marlene Tran, Community Leader, and recent candidate for District 10 Supervisor, offered to help with community outreach.
- Yvette Robles, Director of BMagic, is helping us reach community youth organizations.
To enter your bike, car, scooter, go-cart, or skateboard, use our registration form below, left.
To volunteer, donate, or partner with us, use our registration form below, right.
For anything else, click here to contact us.
Notes
(1) Bayview-Hunters Point residents suffer twice the average U.S. rate of asthma, cervical, and breast cancer, and have hospitalization rates that are three times the national rate for congestive heart failure, hypertension, and emphysema. Bayview-Hunters Point and the bordering neighborhood of Potrero Hill also have noticeably higher rates of bronchitis and other upper respiratory diseases in children. More info 1, more info 2.
