Over the last three decades, several waves of tech booms and housing bubbles have eroded the character of this multi-racial, predominantly Latino, working class neighborhood. As lower income workers are pushed out of their homes by the shenanigans of private property markets catering to high earning professionals, the cultural diversity of the Mission is supplanted by the drab sameness of mainstream monoculture. We are at a loss.
On June 1st as part of the MAPP events, Adriana Camarena in collaboration with Mission poets, artists, and residents walked the night regretfully asking: “Where are my Mission children?/ ¿Dónde están mis hijos de la Misión?” The poetic action was made in the likeness of the legendary *La Llorona* (The Weeping Woman).
La Llorona 8.3.13 from David Martinez on Vimeo. Videographer: David Martinez
The procession meandered through Harrison Street, Treat Ave, Balmy Alley, Treat Street, Lucky Street, Treat Street, Folsom Street, and 24th Street ending at the new location of Adobe Bookstore (after being evicted from 16th Street) for a viewing of maps and art referencing gentrification and eviction in the Mission. The exhibit “Layers of History: Mapping 40 Years of Resistance” was curated by Chris Carlsson and Paz de la Calzada.
Note to viewer:
This public event has an accompanying essay La Llorona: The Twelve Evictions.
The project was originally produced and published in collaboration with Shaping San Francisco as a special project.