New mural going up, shelter beds being added as San Francisco prepares for APEC summit
SAN FRANCISCO – In just a little over a week, world leaders and CEOs will descend on San Francisco for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit.
As the city is hard at work cleaning up the streets around the Moscone Center, a new mural is poised to greet leaders attending the conference.
Behind this artwork is Dee Jae Pa'este, a local Filipino American artist, who designed the mural incorporating symbols and images reflecting the history of SoMa (South of Market).
Pa'este expressed the significance of adding Filipino and AAPI identities to the city's public art, something he felt was lacking in his own artistic journey.
"Growing up as an artist here, finding murals with Filipino identity or any AAPI identity was always a struggle, so it's nice to add that into the community," Pa'este told CBS News Bay Area.
This mural is part of a $1.8 million grant funded by Clean California, aiming to beautify spaces along 4th Street, particularly crucial given the upcoming major event and the challenges San Francisco faces.
"APEC is a wonderful opportunity for San Francisco to be on the international stage to showcase how wonderful, beautiful, and exciting the city is," emphasized San Francisco City Administrator Carmen Chu.
However, as the city prepares for this global event, addressing issues like homelessness is a priority.
Plans are in motion to open more than 300 homeless shelter beds over the next two months, aligning with the approaching winter and the APEC conference.
"Every winter, because of the weather, we partner with interfaith council and a number of religious institutions to use their churches to provide shelter for unhoused individuals, so this program will provide the additional support that we need not necessarily leading up to APEC but as we approach our winter months," explained Mayor London Breed.
In a statement, the city's Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing emphasized their commitment to focused outreach and offering safe spaces for those experiencing homelessness in the vicinity of the conference. The SF Homeless Outreach Team will be proactive in connecting individuals with services, shelter, and housing assessments on-site.
Jae Pa'este hopes his mural serves as a reminder of the shared responsibility in making San Francisco a more inclusive city. He emphasized the importance of public art in reflecting the multicultural diversity of the Bay Area, expressing his inspiration to contribute to this narrative.
"As an artist, I find it crucial to create murals that resonate with the community, showcasing the multicultural and diverse spirit of the Bay Area," said Pa'este.