The Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA), a longstanding anchor in the Latino Cultural District, is one such institution facing an uncertain future. Established in 1977 to represent and celebrate Latino arts, the MCCLA occupies a city-owned building at 2868 Mission St., paying San Francisco just $1 a year in rent. However, a massive $24 million renovation is set to displace the organization, forcing it to find a temporary home while the city implements seismic upgrades and ADA compliance work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At a community meeting in April, MCCLA Executive Director Martina Ayala expressed deep concern over the financial burden the relocation will place on the center. \u201cHaving to add rent to our budget now is going to force us to cut classes, lay off teachers, and cut many programs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With rents in the Mission District ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 a month for much smaller spaces, Ayala fears the center\u2019s relocation fund of $490,000 will be insufficient to cover costs over the next two years. She estimated that the center\u2019s annual budget would need to nearly double, from $1.7 million to $3 million, to manage the move and maintain operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ayala hopes that District 9 candidates recognize the value of the arts and the role MCCLA plays in the Mission. She refers to the MCCLA as the \u201chospital for the soul\u201d \u2014 a place where Latinx communities can connect with their culture, strengthening the heart of the cultural district.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rodrigo Duran, director of Carnaval, emphasized that cultural districts help preserve the history of marginalized communities and serve as bulwarks against displacement. \u201cWe have our new Carnaval space on 19th and Bryant, and the area has changed drastically \u2014 it\u2019s highly gentrified,\u201d Duran said. \u201cI\u2019m forever thankful that there\u2019s a Latino Cultural District because 24th Street is a stronghold, and the surrounding streets feel like a Latino presence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ayala echoed the need for stronger financial backing to ensure that cultural districts can continue to thrive. \u201cThe arts and culture need to be supported so they can thrive, not just survive,\u201d Ayala said. \u201cIt\u2019s important to make capital investments and large investments in the arts, ensuring artists in our community have the tools and income they need to thrive. We\u2019re not just the entertainment \u2014 we\u2019re what feeds the soul. Let\u2019s take care of it, let\u2019s nurture it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As cultural institutions like MCCLA face increasing uncertainty, District 9 residents are looking to their future leaders for answers. Here\u2019s what the D9 candidates had to say on strengthening these cultural hubs (lightly edited for clarity):<\/p>\n\n\n\n JULIAN BERMUDEZ <\/strong> H BROWN<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Give them money. So, real good. Where to strengthen anybody? Give them a million lottery tickets for a buck apiece, and they’re for trash pick-up. Once a year on the stairs of City Hall, you have a drawing and you make a millionaire, and then you have 100 second-place winners of $10,000 apiece. My general way of approaching this is because I’m a juvenile justice person. I say trash and crime, trash and crime. You’ve got to empower the districts. The way to empower any group is with money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/609_236aa253-234d-4f4e-ad71-4689ae8a95ac_1_1720714498_236aa253-full.jpg?resize=600%2C399&quality=89&ssl=1\")
<\/strong>The way that I would strengthen District 9’s cultural districts is by bringing more visibility to these organizations. I’ve been to a lot of the organizations in Portola, Bernal Heights, and even the Mission District. One big issue is trying to get the word out about their events. I have met so many local content creators who are willing to work, and I feel that we need to start connecting people, networking, and having the ability to get the word out. People want to go places, people want to meet people, people want to do events. I always get told, “Hey, there’s nothing happening here,” and I’m like, yeah, there is. You just can’t find it. It’s hard to find if you’re not on Instagram or Facebook. If you’re not on those platforms, you’re not going to know. Everybody kind of ignores the things on the corner. But if we can find a way to help these organizations connect with the people they’re looking for, we can have a more vibrant community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/609_2e3674c1-195d-4c69-89f8-56aead3d9ba9_1_1721932848_2e3674c1-full.jpg?resize=600%2C399&quality=89&ssl=1\")