soac

CAST embraces SOAC’s growing development in East San José, La Avenida

The School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza (SOAC) is thrilled to announce their partnership with Community Arts Stabilization Trust (CAST) and their investment expansion into the South Bay.

The partnership with CAST supports SOAC’s bold solution, La Avenida, to meet the ongoing needs of the neighborhood and the increased displacement of residents. La Avenida is a multi-phased project designed to revitalize the Alum Rock Avenue Corridor located in the Mayfair region of East San José. The initial phase is the acquisition of the 28,000 square-foot vacant commercial property across the street from the Mexican Heritage Plaza (La Plaza). The expansion will increase cultural programming and bring needed family wellness services which will be provided by SOAC’s equity partner Gardner Health Services. Future development includes affordable housing on the King parking lot and commercial space for local businesses and community-based providers on La Plaza’s six acres. 

Co-Executive Director, Vanessa Shieh shares the significance of CAST’s investment to East San José.

“We are grateful for the support of CAST. Their program-related investment allows SOAC to leverage capital to ensure development without displacement can occur in East San José. With their investment, we will redevelop a mostly vacant block of stores into a thriving hub that will bring vibrancy to the community, provide jobs, and provide a place for cultural activities. This is the type of investment that can transform neighborhoods!”

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From Blight to Vibrancy: SOAC’s bold vision to anchor community life in East San José

In its first ten years, the School of Arts & Culture (SOAC) at the Mexican Heritage Plaza (La Plaza) focused on the activation inside the walls of La Plaza. We refined a successful revenue model that ensures accessibility to La Plaza’s venues for community-based organizations and community members. Most significantly, we gained the trust of the local neighborhood and the creative sector by offering consistent, ongoing, and stable programming. And, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, La Plaza led an 18-month emergency response that served over 150,000 residents, reaching every corner of our community via food distribution, testing, and vaccination. Now, SOAC seeks to influence the built environment to establish the city’s first cultural district with La Plaza at its center.

As the community enters recovery, SOAC’s bold solution to meet the ongoing needs of our neighborhood and the increased displacement of residents is La Avenida. The first phase of this wide-reaching vision is for SOAC to acquire the 28,000 square-foot vacant commercial property across the street from the Mexican Heritage Plaza. This space will expand cultural programming and bring needed family wellness services, which will be provided by our equity partner Gardner Health Services. The development of this space is the first step to future development that includes affordable housing and commercial space for local businesses and community-based providers on La Plaza’s six acres.

Why now?

East San José is a working-class neighborhood of immigrants — nearly half of East San José’s population is foreign born. Of those, half are from Latin America and half from Asia. The area is historically underserved and largely overlooked when investments are made in safety net services, education, and healthcare. Yet, the immigrants who have made East San José home for generations have created an area rich in cultural distinctiveness that speaks to their diverse origins, such as Portuguese, Vietnamese, and Mexican.

Ironically, East San José, as a vulnerable undervalued neighborhood, is ground zero for outside developers initiating commercial and residential projects that do not consider or serve the long-time residents and creators of the neighborhood. Instead, the area’s working artists and families are forced to move out when they can no longer afford the rising rents. The result is the loss of the neighborhood’s unique and diverse cultural identity, as well as those people who have called East San José home for generations

Given this, the moment for what La Avenida offers is NOW. Join us as we ensure that the future of our community’s assets remain protected. Every dollar invested into La Avenida is a return on, and a reinforcement of, the well-being of residents’ livelihood and the commitment to community-first. YOU can be a part of our movement. Act and donate now.

Sobrato Philanthropies supports the School of Arts and Culture’s La Avenida project.

The School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza is grateful to announce a $2 million program related investment (PRI) from Sobrato Philanthropies for La Avenida.

For over ten years, the School of Arts and Culture (SOAC) at the Mexican Heritage Plaza (La Plaza) has served as a cultural hub for East San José, hosting community events and educational programs that promote local artists and arts organizations. And, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, La Plaza served over 150,000 residents, leading an 18-month emergency response that reached every corner of their community via food distribution, testing, and vaccination.

As the community enters recovery, SOAC’s bold solution to meet the ongoing needs of their neighborhood and the increased displacement of residents is La Avenida. La Avenida is a multi-phased project designed to revitalize the Alum Rock Avenue Corridor located in the Mayfair neighborhood of East San José. Sobrato’s investment in the first phase of this wide-reaching vision allows SOAC to acquire the 28,000 square-foot vacant commercial property across the street from the Mexican Heritage Plaza. This space will expand cultural programming and bring needed family wellness services, which will be provided by SOAC's equity partner Gardner Health Services. The development of this space is the first step to future development that includes affordable housing and commercial space for local businesses and community-based providers on La Plaza’s six acres.

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Board of Directors announces shared leadership model

San Jose, CA – The Board of the School of Arts and Culture (SOAC) at the Mexican Heritage Plaza (La Plaza) announces a shared leadership model and appoints Jessica Paz-Cedillos and Vanessa Shieh, Co-Executive Directors.

Through its dynamic mix of offerings and events, SOAC has become an inspiring hub for creativity and social action. For the Mayfair community, La Plaza is a symbol of resilience, community, and culture.

During the pandemic, La Plaza became a community hub for essential resources and information. And, during the year when arts and cultural organizations like La Plaza were supposed to shut down, SOAC doubled the number of people served (from 70,000 a year to 150,000). When it was all said and done, SOAC fed over 50,000 residents, tested 15,000 individuals, and vaccinated 25,000 people.

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