Kultivate Labs’ multi-pronged approach to growth in Filipino Cultural Heritage District nurtures ‘Bloom Loop’ in San Francisco

San Francisco, CA - January 30, 2024 - Filipino American nonprofit Kultivate Labs is defying San Francisco’s ‘doom loop’ narrative — witnessing significant economic growth in SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District through their multi-pronged economic development and arts initiatives in 2023 alone. In addition to nurturing the development of five new anchor businesses in the district — Bituin, Make it Mariko’s Soma Social Club, Izzy’s Sandwiches, Mestiza, and the Filipino American Development Fund (FADF) — the organization will offer at least nine major events and programs in 2024 to continue fostering business and preserving Filipino culture and community.

‘Ancestor Altars’ Art Installation Offers Community Space to Grieve Deceased Loved Ones

San Francisco, CA - October 18, 2023 - Kultivate Labs, Balay Kreative, and Filipino American artists Emagn and TITTY BOY are creating “Ancestor Altars” — an art installation and healing space for the San Francisco Filipinx, BIPOC & SOMA community to honor their ancestors and grieve for their loved ones that have passed away. The art installation is open to the public at Kapwa Gardens from November 1st to 3rd so that community members may add their own photos, pieces of remembrance, and pay their respects to their ancestors. The viewing will culminate in a special All Souls Day celebration on Saturday, November 4th, 12-4pm where families can gather, listen to live musical performances, share stories of their loved ones and enjoy the day together.

Client NewsPaloma ConcordiaOctober 23, 2023Kultivate Labs, SOMA Pilipinas, balay kreative, Ancestor Altars

SF’s Biggest Filipino Creative Market Celebrates 50 Years of Hip Hop with Three Block Parties This Fall

UNDISCOVERED SF — a Filipino creative market produced by Kultivate Labs and Make it Mariko — returns for its seventh season, honoring the 50 year anniversary of Hip Hop with three block parties on August 19, September 16, and October 21 in SOMA Pilipinas with the main entrance located at 5th and Minna Street. This year’s Filipino American Block Party theme celebrates Hip Hop’s past, present, and future influence and impact on Filipinos, and how Filipino Americans have also influenced Hip Hop respectively. UNDSCVRD’s first block party on Saturday, August 19 debuts with internationally renowned DJ Neil Armstrong, rapper Rocky Rivera with DJ Roza, and DJ Icy Ice of the Beat Junkies. Toro y Moi will donate his ‘Mahal’ tour jeepney bus to SOMA Pilipinas, becoming a permanent love letter and contemporary landmark to the Filipino community.

Client NewsPaloma ConcordiaAugust 2, 2023Undiscovered SF, Kultivate Labs, SOMA Pilipinas, Hip Hop 50

Bay Area Event Designers Team Up To Defy ‘Doom Loop’

San Francisco, CA - June 29, 2023 - Lily Spruce — a WOC-led event planning and design firm founded by Genevieve Roja for couples that strive for originality and authenticity — is entering a new era. Lily Spruce is joining forces with Make it Mariko, an experiential event agency led by WOC and founded by Gina Mariko Rosales focused on creating magical, meaningful moments for the community. In the face of a looming downtown “doom loop,” Roja and Rosales are developing a creative events agency focused on creating jobs and opportunities for creatives, entrepreneurs, and artists of color in events, while curating events and activations that bring people back to San Francisco through arts and culture.

“Cultural Kultivators:” a Visionary New Podcast That Explores the Beauty and Complexity of the Filipino American Experience

San Francisco, CA - May 31, 2023 - The San Francisco Bay Area is the second most populous region for Filipinos in the United States, with Filipinos making up to 4.6% of San Francisco’s population. Filipinos are not only an integral part of San Francisco history, but an active part of the city’s identity today. “Cultural Kultivators,” a new podcast by Kutivate Labs and hosted by Nicole Salaver, honors the diversity and richness of the Filipino American experience while inspiring listeners to explore and celebrate their own cultural heritage. Salaver, the Program Manager at Filipino-American arts accelerator Balay Kreative, interviews Filipino American thought leaders, entrepreneurs, activists and artists who are making a positive impact in their respective fields. “Cultural Kultivators” launches on May 31st with Asian American studies scholar Dr. Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales as its first interviewee, followed by rapper Ruby Ibarra for its second episode, street artist Allison Hueman for its third episode, and artist Nikbo for its fourth episode.

Kultivate Labs Catalyzes A Thriving Community in San Francisco’s Filipino Cultural District, Generating $930k in Economic Development

San Francisco, CA - January 30, 2023 - Since its inception in 2017, Kultivate Labs has been dedicated to building a thriving commercial corridor in the SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District. After a successful 2022, the non-profit economic development and arts organization will continue rolling out programming in the new year that reflects the needs and vision of the community at large such as new artist grants, space and other resources for pop-up businesses and artists, a free outdoor concert series, and a creative market spanning three events.

“Ancestor Altars” Honors Loved Ones Who Have Passed Away During the Pandemic

San Francisco, CA - September 19, 2022 - Filipino cultural center Balay Kreative, artist Cece Carpio and artist TITTY are collaborating with Filipinx/a/o and BIPOC community members to honor their deceased loved ones through art installation “Ancestor Altars.” On view from October 27-30 at Kapwa Gardens and in a virtual gallery.

SF’s Largest Filipino Creative Market Returns As a Theme Park Inspired Daytime Festival

San Francisco, CA - September 19, 2022 - UNDISCOVERED (UNDSCVRD) SF — San Francisco’s premier Filipino Night Market and Food & Music Festival — is back for its sixth season as a daytime, theme park-inspired festival on October 22, 2022 from 12-6pm. This year UNDSCVRD, a Kultivate Labs and Make it Mariko creation, spans several locations in the SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District and welcomes notable Filipino American guests such as DJ Miles Medina and Chef Harold Villarosa.

A Plan To Stimulate Economic Activity and Build Solidarity With Communities of Color

SEED Network launches as an online community/platform dedicated to organizing and uplifting BIPOC business by providing educational and economical tools for entrepreneurs in San Francisco, and re-granting the money to business providers.

Client NewsGuest UserSeptember 14, 2021Kultivate Labs, SEED Network, soma pilipinas, San Francisco

Balay Kreative Offers Studios and Other Vital Support to Filipinx Artists Amidst the Pandemic

Balay Kreative (‘Creative Home’) — a pop-up Filipino-American arts hub and cultural center led by Kultivate Labs — will open a pop-up workspace and studio to support artist grantees in Republika SF, a future artisan marketplace in SOMA Pilipinas. While COVID-19 has delayed Kultivate Lab’s ultimate goal of building an approximately 8,000 square-foot space with a visual arts gallery, a multi-purpose event space, food court and artist’s space by 2025, the pandemic challenged the organization to fulfill their mission to support local artists, with economic sustainability as a foundation.

Client NewsGuest UserJanuary 27, 2021Kultivate Labs, Fil

Covid-19 Meal Distribution and Restaurant Stabilization Initiative #FilipinosFeedTheFrontlines Expands to Service Stockton Communities

Filipinos Feed The Frontlines — a meal distribution & restaurant stabilization initiative by Kultivate Labs — is expanding to service frontline and essential workers in impacted Stockton communities beginning December 7, 2021. The campaign will be partnering with Little Manila Rising, Papa Urb, and Island Gourmet to deliver meals in response to the Covid-19 pandemic to the disproportionately impacted communities of Stockton

#FilipinosFeedTheFrontlines Delivers 500+ Meals This Holiday For Frontline, Essential Workers, and Communities in Need

Filipinos Feed the Frontlines — an ongoing, local meal distribution & restaurant stabilization initiative by Kultivate Labs — is partnering with an anonymous local donor who is contributing funds for 500 meals to frontline & essential workers, while providing financial relief to restaurants in San Francisco's Filipino Cultural District SOMA Pilipinas.

San Francisco’s #FilipinosFeedTheFrontlines Campaign Expands to Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown

After months of pivoting in the pandemic, serial restaurateurs Jason Angeles and Ronnie Taylor, partners in several Bay Area businesses have turned a corner, committing to a weekly monetary donation of $1,500 to the Bay Area’s #FilipinosFeedTheFrontlines campaign and support the program expansion to Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown (HiFi).

Popular Filipino Night Market Expands To Global Audience With ‘UNDISCOVERED X’

Filipinx-American non-profit Kultivate Labs will host “UNDISCOVERED X,” a 2-day virtual gathering of Filipinx entrepreneurs, creatives and thought leaders, from October 17-18, 2020. With four virtual stages, four streaming hub cities, over 60 key guests and 50+ sponsor & vendor expo booths, “UNDISCOVERED X,” will showcase a range of Filipinx stories, art, music, panel discussions and more.

Client NewsPaloma ConcordiaSeptember 9, 2020undscvrd x, san francisco, soma pilipinas, south of market, Kultivate LabsComment

Kultivate Labs Seeks Partners For National Expansion of #FilipinosFeedTheFrontlines

“With the help of over 1,000 donors from around the nation, we were able to hit our lofty goal of $100,000 to stabilize Filipino food businesses and send food to hard-hit communities and frontline health care workers. The only problem is that the crisis is not over. COVID-19 continues to decimate communities and the restaurant industry. Our model of community stabilization works, so we’re going to scale it nationwide, to support Filipino American restaurants across the country, and their respective communities,” shares Desi Danganan, Kultivate Labs Executive Director.

#FilipinosFeedTheFrontlines Aims To Raise $100K To Provide Meals to Scientists, Healthcare Workers, and Residents of SOMA Pilipinas

Kultivate Labs, an organization that supports Filipino-owned businesses in San Francisco is launching #FilipinosFeedTheFrontlines, aiming to raise at least $100,000 and provide 10,000+ meals for Bay Area healthcare workers, scientists, and Filipino seniors/low-income families in the South of Market neighborhood.

Client NewsPaloma ConcordiaApril 6, 2020Filipinos Feed The Frontlines, Kultivate Labs, SOMA PilipinasComment

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