
When revelers flock to Harrison Street for the 2010 San Francisco Carnaval, they will see some new faces; a contingent from Soka Gakkai International will be participating for the first time.
SGI is an international lay-Buddhist organization with chapters in 192 countries and territories, including its San Francisco Culture Center in the Mission.
Rey Estevez, an SGI District Leader and General Coordinator for the groupâs Carnaval contingent, says that while the center has been in the17th street location since 1989, this contingent represents a âfirst stepâ in focused community outreach.
âIt started with the members in the mission who wanted to do something, to connect with the community; to work with people,â Estevez said. âWe want to be more a part of the Mission community and let them know that weâre here. We believe that through dialogue and through the exchange of culture we can bring about peace and understanding.â
Dianne Douglas, an SGI community relations director for the Northern California region echoed that goal.
âWe are an international movement for peace, culture and education,â she said. âOur core activity is neighborhood discussion meetingsâŠthe real basis of our movement is dialogue among people in their community. â
The groupâs involvement will include a contingent in the march, dancing and a performance by the SGI Chorus, lead by Chorus Director Horus Jack Tolson.

Tolson is a vocal and performing arts instructor who runs two music schools bearing his name, one in San Francisco and the other in Rotterdam Holland. One of his vocal students introduced him to SGI in 1986.
âWeâre really excited, weâre hoping to have some of the members of the chorus be in the SGI contingent that marches on Sunday,â Tolson said. âThis is the first time weâve been at Carnaval, and Iâm just really excited about it.â
Tolson explained that his song choices for the performance were meant to be culturally inclusive and reflect a broad, international sound, including songs from Africa, Brazil and elsewhere.
Estevez said that the organization had planned to include a live percussion group in their parade contingent, but ran into difficulty trying to secure a flatbed truck.
âWe have a drumming group in the SGI, called SOKA drummers, and they already had a samba rhythm worked out, but it required congas, and those are heavy so you need a flatbed truck,â Estevez said. âWeâll probably still have percussion like cowbells and different smaller drums so people can still do some percussion.â
An SGI exhibit titled âVictory Over Violenceâ will be displayed in the âGreen Zone,â a new section of the Carnaval festival with an emphasis on holistic health and eco-conscious living.
Douglas said the purpose of the exhibit is to promote positive social change through âhuman revolution.â
Estevez says that the exhibitâs message, rooted in a philosophy of overcoming violence with non-violence, is one that can, âhelp stop the violence and create a positive energy in the community.â
âItâs an exhibit of four panels that details the Buddhist perspective on violence and we felt that it was very fitting considering the unfortunate violence that occurs in our neighborhood,â he said. âWe want to see things in the mission improve.â
I used to live in the mission so I know it very well. I was
very much involved with the community then. I team taught with Tom Arminano the congressman. I sure hope you have invited him because he loves the Mission District. I’ll chant for a great success. I teach in San Ysidro the school district by the border. Que les vaya bien. Josie