Last year's first ever Asian Heritage Street Celebration successfully took place in Japantown.

"Irving St. Merchants are thrilled to have this kind of celebration in our neighborhood," said Bill Barnickel, Board Director of the Irving Street Merchants Association. "We have been waiting for something like this for years!"

In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the second annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2006. This year the Celebration will take place on Irving St. between 20th and 25th Avenues in San Francisco's Sunset District. The fair will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Celebration is organized by the AsianWeek Foundation in cooperation with over 50 Asian American organizations representing over 500,000 members and associates in the San Francisco area. All proceeds from the fair will be donated to local charities and community groups.

Fairgoers are encouraged to walk, bicycle or take public transportation to the 2nd Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration. Valet bike parking will be provided by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition at 20th and Irving Street. Please be advised, MUNI will reroute the 71 Noriega line from 22nd Avenue and 23rd Avenue to 25th Avenue between Lincoln and Noriega on May 20th. For additional information and updates about the celebration, visit www.AsianFairSF.com . Read More

Kaiser Permanente is proud to celebrate Asian culture and heritage, both through its sponsorship of events such as the Dragon Boat Race and by providing excellent, culturally competent care to the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community. In San Francisco, where many of its 750,000 API subscribers live and work, Kaiser Permanente offers certified interpreters in 16 languages, whose services contribute to improved health outcomes for members.

"Kaiser Permanente recognizes that in times of stress or illness, patients may prefer to speak in their native language," says Gayle Tang, director of Kaiser Permanente's National Linguistic and Cultural Programs. Kaiser Permanente, in partnership with City College of San Francisco, developed and implemented the Health Care Interpreter Certificate Training Program to help ensure interpreter needs are being met in the community. Kaiser Permanente has also created programs for health care staff. "Our 'Language and Culture' series teaches clinicians the values, beliefs, and traditions of different cultures," Tang explains. Clinicians learn how the use of culturally appropriate cues and techniques can increase the productivity of patient interactions. They are taught words and phrases that help evoke a sense of welcome even among patients who know very little English, as well as clear, concise ways to describe medical conditions to English-speaking patients.         

"Kaiser Permanente is proud of the linguistically and culturally competent care we provide to our diverse membership," says Mike Alexander, Kaiser Permanente San Francisco senior vice president and area manager. "We are keenly aware of the ever-changing ethnic makeup of San Francisco and are committed to meeting the needs of our Asian and Pacific Islander communities." To the left is a picture of the Chinese/Bilingual Module Translation Staff at one of their signature health care events, the Richmond District Health Fair, which primarily serves the Asian community of the Richmond District.