Feel Good Friday - Calle 24

September 15th is the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which makes it a great day to learn more about today’s organization, Calle 24.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in San Francisco’s Mission District, the mission of Calle 24 (24th Street) is “to preserve, enhance and advocate for Latino cultural continuity, vitality, and community in San  Francisco's touchstone Latino Cultural District and the greater Mission neighborhood.”

Calle 24 covers the stretch of 24th Street running from Mission to Potrero. It began as a grassroots organization formed by community members who were concerned about quality of life issues in the community. Today the volunteers who run this organization represent merchants, residents, service providers and arts organizations.

If you’ve ever visited the area, you know it “boasts a vast number of colorful and unique specialty stores, restaurants, taquerias, Mexican bakeries, fresh produce grocers, butchers, cafes, and art galleries, as well as the greatest concentration of murals and Latino Businesses in the city.” In 2014, the San Francisco Mayor and Board of Supervisors established the area as the Latino Cultural District. Calle 24 has made it a priority to ensure that the community is “a living cultural district, not just a colorful tourist destination.”

To help with their vision of creating an economically vibrant community, Calle 24 has four committees which address different areas. Land Use educates and advocates for affordable and low-income housing and design guidelines that maintain the character of the neighborhood. Economic Vitality provides business resources such as technical aid, financial aid and social media promotion. Arts and Culture preserves cultural assets and manages culture-critical community events, including Carnaval and Dia de Los Muertos. Finally, Quality of Life fosters neighborhood safety, organizes community forums and provides community resources on topics such as children and families, education, environmental justice, food for all, health, housing, and jobs.

If you’d like to get involved with Calle 24 there are many fun ways to do so. Plan a visit to shop and dine or attend an event like tomorrow’s Fiesta de las Americas! You can also support Calle 24’s mission by volunteering your time, donating your money and spreading the word on social media. Like the Calle 24 Facebook page, follow them on Instagram subscribe to their YouTube channel.