Message From the Director |
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Thank you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone who supported Spring Fling 2021. We know it’s a challenge to attend events such as this from your living room. We appreciate Bird & Beckett for hosting our performers, live; and we hope that all is forgiven for the sound snafu we experienced in the beginning of the music. We thank you for rising to the occasion and helping keep NEXT Village humming along. Congratulations to all of our volunteer honorees - you’re beloved by the people you’ve helped.
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Special thanks to Pauline Seddon & Reid Rankin for the beautiful Spring Fling baskets that they curated and arranged for our sponsors and raffle winners. We are so fortunate to have kind and artistic friends like you in our Village. We heard many compliments from the prize winners and the sponsor recipients.
Covid update
There’s light at the end of the tunnel! Another reason it pays to be older! By now, most of us have been vaccinated, and we are making plans to move about again, and maybe even open the office, soon!
Look for a couple of exciting events to return: A mass technology-teach in, and our famous “One Hard Thing” with our friends at SF Evening Rotary. For those of you who aren’t familiar; the young professionals from SF Evening Rotary will come to your home and help you with a few tasks that are challenging to do on your own: Flip a mattress, lift something heavy, help with technology, update your computer, etc. Personally, if I had some help, I would pull my refrigerator away from the wall and retrieve all the things that slide under it from time-to-time. Let us know when you are vaccinated and if you are comfortable with help in your home (masks on, everyone!) and start your list. We’ll reach out to you soon with the date.
Survey results
Thank you to everyone who responded to our annual survey. We’ve read all of your comments, appreciate your kind words, and are reviewing your feedback and suggestions.
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In memory of... |
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Northeast San Francisco honors the memory of two community leaders:
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Anne Halsted |
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Long-time supporter of NEXT, passes |
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Our condolences to the family and friends of Anne Halsted, who passed away on March 13th, 2021. Anne's policy work on many civic commissions and private boards improved our quality of life in this region. She will be deeply missed. Fortunately, there is an 375-page oral recorded history about Anne, her civic engagement, and her life in The Bay Area. Click this link to view.
https://digicoll.lib.berkeley....
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Lawrence Ferlinghetti (Image courtesy KQED) |
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Lawrence Ferlinghetti, dies at 101 |
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Everyone knows of Mr. Ferlinghetti, the poet and activist, and his iconic bookstore, City Lights. But did you know that Mr. Ferlinghetti subscribed to the NEXT Village newsletter? He received it in print each month. One month, it did not arrive, and he called our Executive Director to ask where it was! To learn more about him, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
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Thank you to our Spring Fling sponsors and gift basket donors!
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Big Bouquet ($5000)
Mary & Lew Reid
Iris ($1,000)
Janet Crane & Rod Freebairn-Smith
Gail & Paul Switzer
Ann Ludwig & Joe Short
Daisy ($250)
Nancy Trogman
Kim Rotchy
Gift Basket Creators & Donors
Reid Rankin & Pauline Seddon Rankin
Barbara Blake
Kim Rotchy
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Petunias ($500)
Lucille Sutton
Jeanne Milligan
Harvey Hacker & Jane Winslow
Anne Halsted
Jacinta McCann
Dick Grosboll
Vicki & Jack Tomlinson
Gussie Stewart
Claudine Cheng
Pat Franks
Rod Freebairn-Smith
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Thank you, Pauline and Reid for the beautiful baskets! (above)
Congratulations to the lucky raffle winners! You can't tell because of the masks, but the winners have HUGE smiles! Edith has never won anything!
Edith Kaplan, (L) Nancy Trogman,(R) and Jenefer Bickers (not pictured)
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Meet Danielle!
Danielle recently joined NEXT village as a volunteer and is already making friends! She calls members, and even helped one get transportation to her COVID vaccine appointment.
Danielle said, "I volunteer with NEXT Village SF to foster friendships with people like Colomba and Merle, and help them when they need it. As someone who is new to the neighborhood, it’s so great to hear of their experiences in North Beach and San Francisco over the years. And, of course, it always feels good to give back and be part of something focused on the greater good.”
Colomba, one of the members Danielle has helped, said, "Danielle has been a pleasant and valuable addition to my lockdown experience as an available source of positive and enlightening energy."
We're so glad Danielle joined our community!
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Meet Peter!
Peter is a dedicated volunteer at NEXT Village who has been helping NEXT member Anita, throughout the pandemic.
Anita said, "Peter is a treasure beyond price. He started helping me get my groceries every week last spring and even brought me to get my COVID vaccine after Jacqueline helped me get an appointment online. I never take for granted the kindness and generosity of NEXT Village." Thank you for the kind words, Anita. NEXT loves having you as part of our Village, and we agree, Peter is a gem.
If you would like help from a volunteer like Danielle or Peter, or would like to volunteer yourself, please contact Rachel: rachel@nextvillagesf.org, 415-574-0156
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Please use the link provided for each event you are interested in attending. If you need help registering, please contact rsvp@nextvillagesf.org or call 415-888-2868. You can also register here: https://bit.ly/NEXT-Reg
Have suggestions for events, classes, presentations, speakers? Let us know!
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See our Featured and Ongoing Events descriptions below for short summaries about events. For full details, click on events of interest on our online calendar at nextvillagesf.org/upcoming-events
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Good changes on the horizon to make registering easier.
In order to make it as easy as possible for you to sign up for our events, we will soon transition to a new process for registrations. In a few weeks, when you register for an event and the process looks a little different, don't worry -you are in the right place. If you need any help with the new system, don't hesitate to call us: 415-574-0156
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Thursday, April 1st, 10 AM
STRESS BUSTERS FOR BEGINNERS - NEW MONTHLY SERIES STARTING
Our latest Stress Busters workshop series for beginners starts 4/1! Monthly Stress Buster workshops address how stress starts and a simple, effective, five-step process to reduce stress and help you better respond to situations in a helpful way. Join us the 1st Thursday each month for this 8-part series. It's OK if you aren't able to attend every month. Dr. Lee will provide a review each month for people who miss workshops. If you've already completed the Intro series, you can join our intermediate workshops and discussion groups (1st & 3rd Thursdays at 3PM) or you can join the Intro workshops for a refresher on the techniques!
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Tuesday, April 6th & 20th, 2-4 PM
SPECIAL EVENT: WHAT MATTERS MOST? HEALTHCARE DIRECTIVE WORKSHOP
WHAT MATTERS MOST is a 2-part workshop offered by Redwing Keyssar, RN, Author and Director of Patient and Caregiver Education at the UCSF MERI Center for Education in Palliative Care, to assist people in creating meaningful and personalized Advance Directives for Healthcare. Advance Care planning is critical for everyone! It is not just for people who have an illness. Every adult in our country should have this paperwork in place.
Please join the MERI Center and NEXT Village SF for this unique workshop model that we have perfected over many years. There will be plenty of time for conversation and questions. Please plan to attend both workshop sessions on April 6 & 20.
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Wednesdays, April 7, 14, 21 & 28 | 10:30am
NEW GROUP! RENDEZ-VOUS FRANÇAIS ! FRENCH CONVERSATION GROUP
Dans une ambiance détendue et conviviale, par Zoom, nous organisons un atelier de conversation pour pratiquer et améliorer notre français. Tous les niveaux de français sont bienvenus, mais nous allons converser principalement en français et vous inciter à faire de même. On se verra à très bientôt alors !
Translation: Join us for our new French Conversation Group to practice and improve our French. All levels of French are welcome, but we will mainly converse in French and encourage you to do the same. Group Host: Judy O'Shea lived part-time in rural France for 17 years, restoring an old water mill and hosting an artist-in-residence program.
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Thursday, April 8th at 3:00pm
SPECIAL EVENT: TECH TEACH IN - HOW TO ACCESS FREE MOVIES & BOOKS
Join us to learn how to access free audiobooks, movies, e-books, and more right from your smartphone! For the first 15 minutes, Maya, a NEXT Village tech volunteer, will walk you through how to use Libby and Kanopy, two apps for accessing digital materials from your local library. The rest of the session is open to any tech questions you may have, whether it's related to the topic presented or not! We'll split into a couple of breakout rooms and volunteers will help answer your questions.
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Thursday April 15th & 29th | 4:00pm
BINGO! WITH SOFIA PINZON
We are having some kind of fun playing Bingo this way. We are not kidding! Send us a note if you're interested and we'll send you the Bingo cards. Thanks to Sophia Pinzon from Toasty, home of the best avocado toast in town, we'll be calling out numbers twice a month for the next several months. Join us on Zoom or by phone for a chance to win a prize!
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Tuesday, April 13th, 1pm
SPECIAL EVENT: ARMCHAIR TRAVEL: WATER TOWNS OF THE YANGTZE RIVER DELTA
Escape to World Heritage site Suzhou with its canals and classical gardens; enjoy I.M. Pei's tribute to Suzhou; boat along the moat around the City walls; see little known water towns Xitang and Wuzhen; discover the serene classical garden hidden in booming Shanghai. Our "Tour Guide": Marilyn Clemens is a landscape architect who has visited China numerous times with her Chinese born husband, Wu Ma.
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Monday, April 19th, 2pm
SPECIAL EVENT: TIPS FOR A PRODUCTIVE PRIMARY CARE VISIT
Ever wonder what you should ask your primary care physician to get the most out of your brief appointment? What screening tests should you get and when? Nandini Joseph, MD, MPH, will provide some tips and go over what is covered by a Medicare Annual Wellness visit. Bring your questions!
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Wednesday, April 21st, 11am
SPECIAL EVENT: PLANNING FOR THE INEVITABLE: FUNERAL & CEMETERY ARRANGEMENTS
We know death is a topic most people don't want to think about. However it's always good to know what options are so you can make choices for yourself. Mary Soubirous is going to answer questions you have about funeral and cemetery arrangements. While this is a serious topic, she will present it in a light-hearted and sometimes humorous manner. Whether you want to plan the guest list and music to ensure your going out party is up to your specs, or you simply want to spare your family the stress and financial burden of trying to decide what you would have wanted at a stressful time, Mary's presentation will be a great chance for you to understand options and ask questions. Mary recently retired from Skylawn Memorial Park after 22 years
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Wednesday, April 21st, 5pm
SPECIAL EVENT: COMMON SENSE REALITY CHECK: COVID VARIANTS, VACCINES AND THE RETURN TO NORMALCY
Dr. Jay Levy returns to NEXT Village again to provide another reality check and a healthy dose of common sense about what is currently known and not known about Covid-19 so that we can make our decisions based on knowledge, rather than fear. In his candid way, he will discuss vaccines, side effect reactions, variants, immunity, long haulers and how we should set our expectations about travel and going to the symphony. We’ll also have ample time for Q&A. Dr. Levy is Professor of Medicine at UCSF.
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Thursday, April 22nd, 1pm
SPECIAL EVENT: HOW AN ENGINEER BECAME AN ENVIRONMENTALIST
On Earth Day in 1971, Phil Williams was a target of an Earth Day demonstration by Hopi and Navajo people on the Black Mesa plateau in Arizona. He was working for Bechtel to open a vast new coal strip mine on their Reservations. The demonstration by the Hopi and Navajo opened his eyes to the potential impact of the mining operations.
Fifty years later, on the anniversary of the Black Mesa demonstration, Phil will tell us how the events of that day changed his world view and how a piece of junk mail impacted his life. He'll also explain how he eventually atoned for his environmental sins. His story will take us from the environmental politics of the era of Edward Abbey and "Earth First!" to the policies of the Green New Deal.
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Monday, April 26th, 4pm
SPECIAL EVENT: SPOTLIGHT TOUR: PICASSO AND FRANCOISE
Join Barbara Blake, NEXT Village SF board member and SFMOMA alumni guide for a "Spotlight Tour" of "Picasso and Francoise -- Artists’ Love Affair in Paris and South of France (1943-1953)."
Pablo Picasso was the most dominant and influential artist of the first half of the 20th century. Marie Francoise Gilot is a French painter, best known for her long, stormy relationship with Pablo Picasso, with whom she had two children.
Theirs is a love (and betrayal) story about a Catalan artist and a French artist set in Paris and the South of France, their intense relationship with each other, and the paintings they both created while living together between 1943 and 1953.
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Tuesday, April 27th, 3pm
SPECIAL EVENT: BUILDING CONNECTIONS WITH NONVIOLENT COMMUNICATION
Do you sometimes (maybe even a lot of times) get tangled and bogged down in conversations and arguments? This can be baffling and frustrating! We will discuss some of the tools and points of view that compassionate communication (sometimes called Nonviolent Communication) offers, and try out a few things together. The tools are easy to understand – though they may take some practice to work best for you.
This will be an interactive workshop to help us learn to communicate with others (even those with very different points of view) more effectively!
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Wednesday, April 28th, 4pm
SPECIAL EVENT: READING CIRCLE: LEGENDS, HEROES & HEARTTHROBS; A CONVERSATION WITH AUTHOR DALE FEHRINGER
Do you enjoy stories about San Francisco? San Francisco: Legends, Heroes, & Heartthrobs offers unique and compelling anecdotes about the City by the Bay, told through its people. From the Gold Rush, to the 1906 earthquake, to the Summer of Love - there are distinct, eye-catching illustrations and short, easy-to-digest stories with intriguing twists. Miners, musicians, athletes, and writers - names you will recognize (like Mark Twain, Tony Bennett, and Willie Mays) and others you will appreciate getting to know. Sit back and enjoy while a local artist and an historian share stories about the people and places of historic San Francisco.
San Francisco author, Dale Fehringer, who is also an ace volunteer with NEXT Village SF, will present from his critically acclaimed book during our monthly Reading Circle
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STRESS BUSTERS - DISCUSSION GROUP (INTERMEDIATE)
Thursday, April 1st | 3:00-4:00pm
Stress Busters Discussion groups have become a wonderful monthly gathering for people who have attended Stress Busters workshops to compare notes on what has been stressing us out, how we reacted, and learn how we might apply the Stress Busters techniques to future situations. If you haven't attended a workshop before, join our 4/1 Introductory Workshop at 10AM instead.
Non-Member Registration: https://bit.ly/NEXT-Reg Member Registration: https://nextsf.helpfulvillage.com/events/1858
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MEN'S CONVERSATION GROUP
Tuesdays, April 13th & 27th | 11:00-12:00pm
NEXT Village's Men's Conversation Group is a place to share ideas as well as discuss what's going on in our lives and beyond in an informal, casual group. Though our facilitator Gaetano may offer a topic to start the conversation, the direction the conversation goes is up to the group ... local issues, current events, sports, or whatever interests the group. Friends are welcome!
Non-Member Registration: https://bit.ly/NEXT-Reg Member Registration (Apr 13): https://nextsf.helpfulvillage.com/events/1870 Member Registration (Apr 27): https://nextsf.helpfulvillage.com/events/1871
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STRESS BUSTERS - INTERMEDIATE WORKSHOP
Thursday, April 15th | 3:00-4:00pm
This monthly Intermediate level workshop is targeted to people who have taken Stress Busters workshops previously. These workshops address how stress starts and an effective method to reduce stress and help you better respond to any situation in a helpful way, instead of getting upset. (Note: If you have not yet done the Introductory workshop 8-week series, join us on 4/1 at 10am as we launch a new monthly series for beginners.)
Non-Member Registration: https://bit.ly/NEXT-Reg Member Registration: https://nextsf.helpfulvillage.com/events/1859
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COFFEE N' CONVERSATION // THEME = WHAT MATTERS TO YOU (National Healthcare Directives Day)
Friday, April 16th | 11:00-12:00pm
Looking for a place to have conversations with people about current events and random topics in a casual, informal gathering? Join us for our monthly Coffee n’ Conversation. It’s the Zoom equivalent of meeting a few friends at the local coffee shop.
April theme: April 16th is National Healthcare Decisions Day, a day to think about your wishes regarding healthcare. This will be a chance to talk about things we normally don't discuss with others such as what's matters most to you to help guide you in creating or updating your advance healthcare directive.
Non-Member Registration: https://bit.ly/NEXT-Reg Member Registration: https://nextsf.helpfulvillage.com/events/1879
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IMPROV THEATER CLASS
Monday, April 19th | 1:00-2:30pm
Monthly improv class made up of games, exercises and techniques. No prior experience necessary. If you haven’t tried it before, give improv a try and see how much fun you can have! Curious about improv, but not sure if you are ready to participate? You are welcome to watch and join in when you are ready. Instructor: Louise Vogel.
Non-Member Registration: https://bit.ly/NEXT-Reg Member Registration: https://nextsf.helpfulvillage.com/events/1869
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SPANISH CONVERSATION GROUP
Mondays, Mar 29; April 5, 12, 19, 26 | 3:00-4:00pm
Have you been learning Spanish during the pandemic and wish you had a place to practice with others? Or if you are an intermediate or fluent speaker, is your Spanish getting rusty without regular practice? Join our weekly Spanish Conversation group to have fun conversing, practicing and helping each other! Please note that this is a conversation group, not a class. There is no instructor. Basic familiarity with Spanish is requested, however no need to be fluent, just willing to try!
Registration: https://bit.ly/NEXT-Reg
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WOMEN'S CONVERSATION GROUP WITH ALEX AND LESLIE PELLEGRINI
Wednesdays, Mar 31; Apr 7, 14, 21, 28 | 1:00-2:00pm
Alex and Leslie continue their popular facilitated weekly women’s conversation group. This has become a highlight of the week for women wanting to have a weekly anchor event to keep them laughing and connected. This is a special community for women who want to join a close knit and welcoming group. You never know what questions will be asked as you learn more about each other’s interests, values, and lives.
Registration: https://bit.ly/NEXT-Reg
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CHAIR YOGA FOLLOWED BY MEDITATION WITH MEGHAN
Wednesdays, Mar 31; April 7, 14, 21, 28 | 2:15-3:00pm
Fifteen minutes of chair yoga, followed by 30 minutes of sweet meditation. Let’s all get our zen on together. Meghan Cowens is a licensed acupuncturist, Thai massage therapist, and yoga educator. She’s dedicated to helping her clients improve the quality of their lives by giving them the tools they need to be their best -- emotionally, mentally and physically. She understands from personal experience how to reduce the effects of stress on the mind and body, optimize energy, and maximize flexibility and strength in her clients' bodies. She is a firm believer that “healing is a gift you give yourself.”
Registration: https://bit.ly/NEXT-Reg
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ITALIAN CONVERSATION GROUP
Thursdays, Apr 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 | 11:00am-12:00pm
Whether you are fluent or learning Italian and want to practice with others, join us to have fun conversing in Italian in an informal and welcoming environment. This is a conversation group, not a class. We have regulars who come every week, and others who join us occasionally. If you speak Italian, we hope you'll join us on Zoom sometime!
Registration: https://bit.ly/NEXT-Reg
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ENTERTAINMENT SWAP - Books, Puzzles...
Every Friday | 11:15am-12:00pm
Board members, Kim Rotchee and Barbara Blake, are waiting for you to pop by and pick up a new book, puzzle, or game!
No need to register to participate. Just drop by 704 Filbert@Columbus on Friday between 11:15 and 12:00 and help yourself!
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老年人养生贵在养性
养性 , 也称养德 , 养性养德是中医摄生学中的重要组成部分。养性的原则 , 无外乎仁礼、性善、知足、忍让、宽容这几个方面。古代养生家认为 , 人若想养生 , 必先治其身。如果一方面想延年益寿 , 另一方面又追求名利权势 , 无异于缘木求鱼。中老年人不求名利 , 看淡曾经拥有的权势 , 自然不会产生失落感。
至于荣辱得失 , 更是不必计较。轻得失、淡荣辱 , 不为情志上的悲喜所左右的养生思想 , 是养生史上的一种静养观点。若为小事斤斤计较 , 便有违养生的本意了。
此外 , 还要注意舒畅情志。读书吟诗 , 漫游山林 , 可畅情悦心 , 增添兴趣 , 有利于增寿。
气是构成人体和维持人体生命活动的最基本物质 , 老年人退休后的养生知识可以学习一下 , 因此 , 要想健康长寿 , 不单单是靠药物的治疗 , 而且还要保养人体的真元之气。
ANTI-ASIAN RACISM (Thanks to board member, Howard Wong.)
President Biden, in his first national prime-time address, condemned rising anti-Asian racism, highlighting unprovoked racial assaults on Asian Americans across the country. In clear terms, he said that Americans should be working together but that, instead, there have been "vicious hate crimes against Asian Americans who've been attacked, harassed, blamed and scapegoated. At this very moment, so many of them, our fellow Americans, are on the front lines of this pandemic trying to save lives and still — still are forced to live in fear for their lives just walking down streets in America. It's wrong, it's un-American, and it must stop."
While overall hate crimes fell by 7% in 2020, recent data found that Asian Americans experienced a 150% surge in attacks, with more than 2,800 incidents being reported since the pandemic. Women are attacked almost 2.5 times more than men. Captured by ubiquitous video cameras, attacks and murders of Asian seniors have been most egregious.
Beyond physical violence, more subtle insults, slurs and discrimination go unreported. Well-known Asian American celebrities, sports figures and journalists have publicized their own racist encounters---in shockingly unexpected environments. Throughout history, including in America, targeted cultural/ ethnic/ religious groups have become scapegoats for the woes of the time, often stoked by disingenuous politicians. May this moment in time be the start of a more enlightened America, where we respect and honor the diverse peoples who have made this country truly great.
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Fully-Vaccinated People Can Gather Together Indoors Without Masks, CDC Says
The Centers for Disease and Control Prevention on Monday released new coronavirus guidelines for people who have been fully vaccinated, including when individuals can gather with other fully immunized people.
The agency considers individuals fully immunized two weeks after the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, or two weeks after the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Individuals are not considered fully vaccinated if they are waiting for their second dose of the vaccine or if it has been less than two weeks since they’ve been immunized.
Here's where you can get vaccinated in the Bay Area
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Member Patricia Franks sends NEXT a poem a day.
Each day brings us more light
to spend how we like a bright coin
a hike up trails we haven't
walked in a year
just standing
in a favorite place by the Bay
looking out at the Golden Gate
or back at the sun's glint on church steeples
or skyscrapers' corners
this season brings us so much to treasure
this pleasure in more light every day
Pat Franks
March 21, 2021
TAKE CARE, AND WE'LL SEE YOU AROUND THE VILLAGE!
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