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Commissioners will finalize interview questions and the flyer that will be distributed at the Cultura Fest event on Saturday, August 23, 2025. (Devin Stenhouse, DEI Officer)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that commissioners finalize interview questions and the flyer that will be distributed at the Cultura Fest event on Saturday, August 23, 2025
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The City of South San Francisco will be co-hosting the Cultura Fest event with El Concilio of San Mateo County and other organizers on Saturday, August 23, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The event will take place on Grand Avenue between Spruce Avenue and Maple Avenue. The street will be closed to traffic and include various live musical acts, an art gallery, comedians, dozens of vendors, food trucks, “kids and family zone”, and more. The purpose of the event is to highlight Hispanic American culture while celebrating the overall diversity of South San Francisco.
At the June 16 commission meeting, commissioners agreed to attend the event in an “official” capacity and at the July 21 commission meeting, commissioners agreed to circulate through the crowd to engage with event attendees. Their goal will be to interview SSF residents in attendance to gain more insight into the FlashVote survey that was distributed in June 2025. At the July 21 meeting, commissioners agreed to ask slightly modified versions of the questions that were included in the FlashVote survey which were multiple choice questions. Questions to be asked at Cultura Fest include the following:
1. How much do you trust the City of South San Francisco?
2. What, if anything, would create a stronger sense of “belonging” here in SSF?
3. Do you ever feel unsafe in SSF?
4. Do you have children in preschool through high school? If so, are you currently or have you ever been involved in the City’s recreation programs (including Childcare, Aquatics, Classes, Rentals, Special Events, etc.)?
5. Do you have any other comments or suggestions about addressing community needs or improving engagement in SSF?
At the July 21 commission meeting, commissioners also requested to have a flyer to distribute that would highlight their commission (including meeting schedule and location) and its goals. Commissioners also wanted to encourage the public to register with the San Mateo County’s SMC Alert system. This initiative was inspired by the presentation South San Francisco police representatives presented at the June commission meeting regarding the officer involved shooting in late April 2025. Community members who were registered to receive SMC alerts were notified at the time of the shooting as the situation was still transpiring; commissioners believe these alerts will help those who receive them if/when similar emergency occur. A flyer has been created, and commissioners will provide their feedback.
CONCLUSION
Commissioners will finalize interview questions and the flyer that will be distributed at the Cultura Fest event on Saturday, August 23, 2025.