RECAP: Celebrating 17 Years of Ruckus-Making & Movement-Building
Big thanks to the 250+ community members who attended, took part in, and volunteered at SOMCAN’s 17th anniversary gala held last November 3rd at 180 ELEVEN in San Francisco. Together, we were able to raise an unprecedented $31,407.71, the highest grossing fundraising event in SOMCAN’s history, nearly doubling our original goal of $17,675. The money will be used toward building up SOMCAN’s grassroots membership base, ramping up tenants and workers outreach, counseling and legal referral services, and neighborhood anti-displacement campaigns.
Titled SOMCAN’s 17 Years of Ruckus-Making & Movement-Building, some highlights from the evening included:
A five-course modern Filipino dinner prepared by Bay Area community-based cooks and emerging chefs
Memorable (and hilarious) performances by stand-up comedian Tom Ammiano, indie soul duo Dirty Boots, and members of SOMCAN’s very own YOHANA
Marie Romero, founder of Arkipelago Books, being honored for her key role in the preservation of community-serving small businesses and nonprofits housed inside the Mint Mall
Seeing all of our beautiful community members and friends dressed up to the nines!
Dancing to cap off a wonderful night
Seeing everyone’s incredible teamwork come together– and ultimately pay off!
Last but not least, we’d like to extend a special shout-out to all of our volunteers and supporters for being so generous with their time, talents, and resources. Props especially to the folks who worked tirelessly and efficiently behind-the-scenes to prepare our delicious food:
ROSIE DRAPIZA, mom to SOMCAN’s Youth Organizer, Alexa Drapiza. She regularly hosts Filipino breakfast fundraisers for St. Patrick’s Church. To find out when the next one might be, check out the latest church bulletin.
Chef Aileen Suzara of SARIWA! (Tagalog word for 'fresh’) shares her love for food and community through popups, catering, and delicious hands-on workshops. These days, it’s primarily through the La Cocina Incubator Kitchen.
CHEF COCO LIM aspires to advance the burgeoning Filipino food movement and to inspire, inform, and delight the taste buds of people of all cultural backgrounds. He holds the distinguished title of grill master at Izakaya Rintaro.
Allen Ocampo, Caroline Calderon, Michael Herrera, and Vince Nuñez, – the folks behind HOODYUMZ– are educators first; foodies and amateur chefs second. They are big proponents of ethnic studies; preserving and expanding Filipino culinary traditions is a natural extension of their advocacy.
Chef Richgail Enriquez is the mastermind behind ASTIG VEGAN, and she’s on a mission to show that Filipino food can made healthy– without losing its soul. For a ton of recipes and resources on veganism, check out her popular blog: astigvegan.com.
THUY TRAN organizes the Table Talk Foodways Series at the Jewish Community Center to elevate the narratives and histories of the diverse communities that have left their mark on the Bay Area’s vibrant culinary scene. (Check out her recent article about her family's refugee experience published in the Chronicle!)
JUDITH FERRER dreams of owning and operating her own food business one day. In the meantime, she enjoys cooking for friends and family and occasionally taking on catering gigs.
INAY FILIPINO KITCHEN serves up the comforting tastes of home in a cafeteria-style setting.
IRMA'S PAMPANGA RESTAURANT has been churning out Filipino food classics long before it became trendy.
Please support their endeavors and consider hiring them for your next event!
