Cultura y Arte Nativa de las Americas (CANA), the nonprofit organization that produces Carnaval San Francisco (CSF), curates educational platforms and creates spaces of revelry that heal, strengthen, and unite disenfranchised communities of color through the power of art and culture. CSF has served the Mission and the greater San Francisco community since 1978 through the production of its year-round cultural and civic events, the Grand Parade, and the two-day Cultural Festival on ... Read More
Cultura y Arte Nativa de las Americas (CANA), the nonprofit organization that produces Carnaval San Francisco (CSF), curates educational platforms and creates spaces of revelry that heal, strengthen, and unite disenfranchised communities of color through the power of art and culture. CSF has served the Mission and the greater San Francisco community since 1978 through the production of its year-round cultural and civic events, the Grand Parade, and the two-day Cultural Festival on Memorial Day weekend.
In response to COVID-19, CANA-CSF co-founded the Latino Task Force, a collaboration of community based organizations, who are working to meet the needs of the Latino community overly impacted by COVID-19 illness and its economic impact. Latinos are disproportionately affected by the virus. In San Francisco, Latinos account for 15% of the population, but make up over 60% of the confirmed COVID-19 cases or four times the population rate, according to the San Francisco Health Department figures. Over the last 42 years our organization has adapted to the environment but we have never experienced this level of devastation due to this economic and health event. Ever since the shelter in place mandate took into effect, we have made it our mission to provide direct services in a culturally sensitive manner and fill the gaps public and private resources do not reach.
Our Latino families are the most disenfranchised in the Mission, and the current shelter in place mandate further exacerbates their economic and health disparities. CANA-CSF is supporting families with food and essential supplies to address their dire situation through the Latino Task Force Mission Food Hub. Our CANA-CSF team has mobilized 117 volunteers, providing food to thousands of families every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Every week we provide over 7,000 immigrant families with culturally and nutritionally-balanced groceries. In addition to the food distribution we also connect them to resources for housing, employment, and financial relief, as well as COVID-19 protection gear. Our cultural organization has become a multi-service agency leveraging partnerships, collaboration and volunteers to deliver resources and hope to our community.
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Carnaval San Francisco cultivates and celebrates the diverse Latin American, Caribbean and African Diasporic roots of the Mission District and the San Francisco Bay Area. We accomplish our mission through dance, music, the visual arts and by creating spaces for community learning, school–based education, and advocacy.
Now in its fourth decade of celebration, Carnaval San Francisco has been an opportunity for many cultures to come together in one spirit to share their creative expression. Come celebrate with us at our FREE 2–day family festival in San Francisco’s Latino Cultural District in the Mission where we will showcase the very best Latin American and Caribbean cultural arts and traditions. Carnaval San Francisco is the longest running and largest multi–cultural celebration on the West Coast.
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