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NOPNANews
nopna.org A Publication of the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association
Spring 2022
THE
PEOPLE’S
WALL
I’ve spent more hours than I can count over the last two
years gazing out of my living room window. It’s been my
first line of defense combating digital fatigue, a tangible
respite from a 9” x 12” virtual vortex. Did I really used to
spend my weekdays in a bustling office with a gaggle of
Gen Z-ers whom I
eventually learned
to love? Quite the
evolution for this
self-identified
Gen X-er.
In my endless
hours perched by
John Adams Wall ~ 1975
Scene from “Educate to Liberate: Lessons in Community,” the
third major mural painted on the John Adams Wall (2006)
the window, however, I made a new acquaintance. More
understated and stoic than my Gen Z colleagues, yet every
bit as radical: the John Adams mural. I live on Masonic and
Hayes — the southwestern tip of our neighborhood – and
our block enjoys box-seat views of this epic work of art
hiding in plain sight.
o
a
h
Z
e
i
t
a
K
:
y
b
o
t
o
h
P
Pre-COVID, I confess, I didn’t really see the mural. It was
just there. A backdrop in the rush of my morning commute.
An urban landscape immaculately conceived.
Post-COVID, though, I began to notice the new world at
my window sill. Emerging from years of habituation, I grew
deeply curious about why, how, and when the mural came
into existence.
(continued on page 3)
2 | NOPNANews
FROM THE BOARD
HELLO NEIGHBORS!
Martin Almaraz
President of NOPNA
We’re now well into the New Year and, although it can
sometimes look like more of the same, something just
feels different about 2022 and I am excited to welcome it.
Over the last 24 months, NOPNA has been hard at work
to maintain our sense of community and togetherness
through some of our toughest times. From Hopscotch
Your Block, to Phoenix Day, and of course, our Halloween
Block Party, we could not have done it without all of our
amazing neighbors and friends of NOPA. In 2022, we will be
focusing on our goals and ensuring that we continue to do
what NOPNA does best: bringing together our cherished
community and elevating the voices of our neighbors.
Community Events: The past few years have been understandably
sparse when it comes to our typical events and we want to change
that in 2022. After a year hiatus, the Halloween Block Party was wildly
successful and a much needed relief for us all. It showed us that we
are ready to get back into full swing hosting neighborhood events
again and that’s just what we plan to do.
Volunteering: Behind every block party is an army of dedicated and
hard working volunteers who help us do everything from decoration,
to handing out candy, to keeping our children safe as they cross streets.
Although our board is capable and willing, we cannot do what we do
without our awesome volunteers. If you, or someone you know, wants
to get more involved with the neighborhood, meet new people, all
while having a great time, then reach out at board@nopna.org and we’ll
be happy to talk over some coffee – on us!
Vision Zero: As a bike/pedestrian-centric neighborhood located
directly adjacent to, arguably, one of the best parks in the country,
we want to continue to ensure that our neighbors can enjoy a safe stroll
or bike ride through the park and streets. Slow Streets, a silver lining
of the pandemic, has brought a rejuvenated interest in street safety
from both city officials and the public. NOPNA will continue to be
in-the-know with any pedestrian safety plans or issues and will
work to ensure your voice is heard.
As a President of the Board, I will push for a community-first year,
full of neighborhood events. I’m extremely excited and humbled to
be part of such an amazing board, surrounded by many smart people,
serving my favorite neighborhood in San Francisco. Together, we,
as a community, will seize the day, and the year.
Best,
Martin
Martin Almaraz is the President of the North of Panhandle Neigh-
borhood Association and has a strong interest in community build-
ing. In his free time, he is an avid cyclist, runner, and photographer.
Sign up for our
email newsletter!
The NOPNA News is published by the
North of Panhandle Neighborhood
Association for the residents, businesses,
and friends of our neighborhood, which
is bounded by Masonic Avenue and Turk,
Divisadero and Fell Streets.
PUBLISHER
NOPNA Board of Directors
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Jason Cauthen
EDITOR
Emeline Minor
COPY EDITORS
Nathan Lovejoy,
Michelle Weinstein
LAYOUT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
Brenda Drake Lesch
PHOTOGRAPHY
Katie Zhao
BUSINESS OUTREACH/ADVERTISING
Emeline Minor
DISTRIBUTION
Will Valentine
PRINTING
Image Printing, San Francisco
NOPNA’s Mission: The purpose of
this association shall be to estab-
lish neighborhood unity, maintain
multi-ethnic and multi-cultural
diversity, foster a sense of neigh-
borhood pride, promote a safe and
clean community, and improve the
quality of life for all residents of
the neighborhood.
Your financial support allows NOPNA
to cover the costs of our newsletters,
community building events like
our block party and holiday party,
public art projects in the neighbor-
hood, and other activities that enrich
our dynamic neighborhood.
It also supports this site.
https://www.nopna.org/get-involved
Make a difference on our streets and
become a member today!
Contact NOPNA
(continued from page 1)
issue 1 : 2022 | 3
Scenes from “The People’s Wall” and the painting of “Our History is No Mystery” (1976)
After months of false starts and
fruitless searches, I was directed to
a historical documentary released in
1976 — posted online against all odds
— entitled “The People’s Wall.”* This
remarkable short film captures the
Vietnam-era, countercultural
ethos embodied in the genesis of
the first John Adams mural, “Our
History is No Mystery.”
I can’t do the film or mural
justice in a single article, but it’s
worth mentioning a few things
that stand out.
The film brings to light themes that
are so relevant in today’s mainstream
dialogue on critical social issues:
“The People’s Wall” emphasizes that
history “is about the joy and power
of all the cultures of all the peoples,
and it’s about all the struggles against
oppression”* — not just the Anglo-
centric, military-dominated narrative
that we typically learn in school.
A monumental metamorphosis
takes place: a rusted and crumbling
retaining wall is transformed into
a bright, two-thousand square
foot canvas that depicts numerous
untold stories of the various
communities and cultures that built
San Francisco.
Our neighborhood celebrates
many of the same qualities that
make it such a special place to live
today: we embrace diversity; we
take pride in our collective cultures;
and we lend a helping hand when
disaster strikes.
Ironically, “The People’s Wall” left
me with more questions. Who is the
exuberant, young narrator opening
the film and dropping sweeping
words of wisdom throughout?
What inspired the artists to take
on this monumental feat? How did
they pull it off on a public site (can
you imagine the red tape)? Why
was “Our History is No Mystery”
eventually painted over?
To my good fortune, pursuing
a few more leads resulted in an
invitation from an esteemed Bay
Area muralist to visit her personal
archives to learn more. Sifting
through decades-old files on
a chilly January afternoon in
a small but vibrant Oakland
workshop, I found my answers.
TO BE CONTINUED
*Excerpt from “The People’s Wall,”
produced by The Haight Ashbury Film
Collective; view “The People’s Wall” at
Em Minor has lived in NOPA since 2018 and
enjoys strolling through the Panhandle in the
evenings with her husband John.
4 | NOPNANews
NEW IN NOPA:
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Not only is NOPA full of incredible
eating and drinking establishments,
but also retail shops that could have
anything (and everything) you want.
Of course, there are local favorites like
Perdita, Rare Device, and Gamescape,
but some new boutiques are emerging
on the scene and making a big splash
featuring indie clothing brands, lush
plants, homewares, and more.
First up we have Fibers of Being, the
brainchild of owner Elizabeth Stewart.
This all-inclusive boutique opened
up in mid-2021 and is home to stylish
items across the whole gender-
spectrum—something incredibly
important to Stewart. “Clothing is
such a big way to show who you are to
the world,” Stewart says, “and I really
wanted to create an environment that
allowed for everyone to find.”
When asked about her favorite
things about NOPA, she brings up
the supportive, small town feel the
neighborhood has. “This community
has been the absolute best these
past few months and every time a
local customer stops in to chat or
show me that they have a Fibers of
Being item on, I’m confident I picked
the right place.”
Next, tucked away ever so
slightly a block away from Divisadero
is the newly opened Sunday Market.
This weekend shop touting goods
and vibes is owned by friends and
business owners Megan Petrilla
(MAP Ceramics), Irayna Basta (Born
to Roam Vintage), Isadora Alvarez
(Back Beat Co).
Funny enough, their story started
10 years ago when they were friends
from college, living in NOPA. Fast
forward a decade and a few soulless
Elizabeth Stewart, Fibers of Being
For longtime residents, NOPA
was once known for its influx of families
and fairly quiet atmosphere. While
that’s still true, NOPA is one of the
fastest growing commercial corridors
where young locals and tourists alike
come to eat, drink, and explore.
Whether you’re in the mood for
wood-fired smoked barbeque,
seasonally driven house-made pizza,
or eclectic cocktails from a low-
key vintage type tavern, NOPA has
everything you could want or need —
and then some.
Fibers of Being
corporate jobs later, they all built their
own small, creative businesses, but
realized they longed for a way to be
in collaboration with other creative
women. The answer? Opening Sunday
Market as a cooperative space to sell
their goods and to help promote other
small local female owned brands.
Their favorite part about being in
the neighborhood are the diverse
mom & pop shops like The Perish
Trust, Everlasting Tattoo, and Madrone
Art Bar to name a few. “We love being
tucked into the neighborhood, most
of our foot traffic are folks that live just
down the street. We love seeing this
area hold so much of its roots and still
develop into a creative’s destination.”
You can check out Fibers of Being,
Tuesday through Sunday at 645
Divisadero Street and Sunday Market,
Friday through Sunday at 1421 Fulton
Street.
Sunday Market
Aimee Rancer is on the NOPNA board and
lives in the neighborhood with her husband
and pit bull-husky, Bolt.
issue 1 : 2022 | 5
CERAMICS IN NOPA
forward to expanding
the educational piece
of her studio. She
loves to always be
growing and learning
new techniques, and
teaching others. There
are many different
classes offered,
check them out at
If you’ve been out
and about during any
block parties, you may
During the nearly two years
of this global pandemic—
the regular shelter in place orders,
restaurant closures, and working from
home — many in our communities
found a little light: new joys, new
perspectives, new connections, and
new hobbies.
I recently attended a “Clay Play:
Wheel” session at Wheelhouse Clay
located at 327 Divisadero. It’s a two
hour class for anyone who wants
to give the ceramics wheel a go. I
was pleasantly surprised that every
participant had zero experience and
were all there to learn something
new! Our instructor Alexis was
incredibly patient. She gave us a
demo with tips and tricks for how to
handle the clay before letting us
loose, flowing around the classroom
and assisting, as needed.
Alden Enriquez opened Wheelhouse
Clay in the summer of 2021 for two
main reasons: to keep her hands in
clay and create safe space for herself
and others to join. She believes
community is secondary to clay. Her
number one priority during COVID is
keeping her members and students
safe. As soon as she can, she’s looking
have noticed Susan Gold selling her
pottery in front of her home located
at 1578 Grove St. Alden Enriquez, the
co-owner of Wheelhouse Clay Studio
on Divisadero, referred to Susan as
the “mother of all ceramists in San
Francisco.” Susan believes the draw
to ceramics is getting our hands on
something concrete. If we work on
computers all day, ceramics grounds
us by reestablishing the mind-body
connection. There’s a focus that
occurs when throwing a piece of
clay on the wheel, an almost zen
moment, where it’s just you and the
clay. Susan says, “rather than dealing
with abstractions (like many in the
tech industry), people who work with
clay are in touch with the elements:
earth, water, air, fire. It’s a physical
workout that culminates in a beautiful
product. Tech is ephemeral; pottery is
functional and endures for centuries.”
Susan is currently teaching at
Sharon Arts Studio in Golden Gate
Park and has taught at Wheelhouse
Clay, among other studios. She’s been
creating pottery since she was young
in New York City where her mother
was also a potter. She’s lived in NOPA
for 26 years with a basement full of her
creations. The pieces she loves and
could never part with are in her home,
while the hundreds of beautiful pieces
in her basement she sells at various
studios and galleries in the city – as
well as from her garage whenever
possible. She also welcomes her
neighbors to visit. At my most recent
visit, it was hard to pull myself away
from her charm, her knowledge of
the art, and the many techniques she
utilizes that create something unique
and beautiful. I told her I couldn’t wait
to come back to purchase a piece and
she invited my friends for a pottery
party! (COVID-safe, of course).
As my fellow students and I were
finishing up our pieces during our Clay
Play class, we all joked that our pieces
weren’t quite what we intended.
Sometimes, the wheel chooses for
us. Susan has created, recreated,
and recreated the same piece to
get exactly what she wants. Lucky
for us, that means she has extra to
sell. You can find her on her website
susangoldceramics.com and her
instagram @susangoldceramics.
Michelle Petersen moved to San Francisco
17 years ago and has lived in NoPa for 5 years
with her husband, son, and 3 doggies.
6 | NOPNANews
KEEP CALM
AND GET A MANICURE
There are some new elements,
like the plastic sheeting separating
the massage chairs and plexiglass
barriers at manicure stations. But,
the vibrancy and welcoming staff
of Natural Salon are thankfully still
there after reopening its doors to the
community in September 2021 —
eighteen months since it first closed
its doors due to the pandemic. Since
reopening, Manager Cindy Nguyen
noted that staff had been reduced
from eight to four, and business is still
operating at about 50–70% of pre-
pandemic levels. But, if you talk to
customers and read online reviews,
the salon’s welcoming environment
makes it feel as though nothing has
changed.
Like many small businesses
throughout the city, the effort of
getting back on their feet after the
initial closures, PPE protocol, and
COVID-19 surges has been herculean,
to say the least. For a business like
Natural Salon, which suspended
operations for a long period of time,
there will no doubt be a transition
period where their customer base
becomes aware of the reopening. At a
time when our local small businesses
need our support more than ever,
start the new year off by treating
yourself — and even a friend — to a
mani-pedi at Natural Salon with Cindy
and the team. When you’re done,
ignore any new year’s resolution and
stop by Bob’s next door.
Life’s too short, get your nails
done, and get the donut.
Tom Paulino is a 9-year resident of San Francis-
co and recently moved to NOPA in late-2020
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/I-m-
so-scared-California-nail-salon-15579476.php
For fifteen years, Natural Salon
has been a favorite among locals
for a top-notch mani pedi. Near
Fulton and Baker (tucked into the
lot alongside the popular donut
destination, Bob’s) the lovely staff
goes above and beyond to create
a community. Tien Nguyen opened
the shop in April 2007 and has been
operating ever since. But on March
15, 2020, the pandemic completely
upended the economy, and for
the $3-billion nail salon industry
in California, statewide and local
COVID restrictions forced business
like Nguyen’s to temporarily close.
In the early stages of the
pandemic, service industry
businesses like restaurants and bars
could generate some sales through
to-go options and, when possible,
outdoor seating. However, for folks in
the nail or hair salon industry, using
outdoor facilities like
the city’s Shared Spaces
program was never an
option. Though nail
salons were among the
group of businesses
authorized to operate
at reduced capacity
according to the state’s
tiered COVID reopening
plan in September 2020,
Natural Salon chose to
prioritize the health and
safety of both customers
and employees and
remained closed
throughout the
pandemic.
issue 1 : 2022 | 7
UPCOMING EVENTS
NOPNA Virtual General Meeting
Third Thursday of Even months
Next meeting: April 21, 2022
Watch nopna.org for updates
Sign up for our email list and get all the
details and updates at www.nopna.org! Or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!
Refuse Refuse Neighborhood Cleanup
Sunday, March 13th 2022 - 9am
Meet in front of The Mill on Divisadero
Farmers Market
DMV Parking Lot – Broderick@Fell
Sundays – 10am–2pm
Panhandle Stewards
Second Saturdays – 10am
Meet near Childrens’ Playground
in the Panhandle
VOLUNTEER FOR NOPNA NEWS
NOPNA News is a volunteer-driven publication created by and for our
neighbors. If you’d like to get involved we’d love for you to be a part
of it, whether by contributing your skills, your voice, or your time.
There are several areas where we are always looking for more support.
COPY EDITING — if you are good with words, have an eye for detail,
and like early sneak peaks we’d love your help with the process of
getting the articles from submission to print.
WRITING — we can always use more folks who would like to write
articles or deliver the news. It’s a great way (or excuse) to get to know
to the people in our community
DELIVERY — Time commitment is minimal and very flexible, and you
will join the small army of volunteers who deliver the four-thousand
copies each quarter.
LAYOUT AND DESIGN — if you have InDesign skills (or would like
to learn), we can always use help pulling together each issue. Our
designers are responsible for the clean, professional, and stylish look
and feel of each issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY— do you have a great eye and a decent camera?
We can always use volunteers who can capture the beauty and hu-
manity of our neighborhood in photographs.
If any of these are interesting to you, or if you have other ideas for
how you would like to be involved, I’d love to hear from you at
8 | NOPNANews
REFUSE REFUSE SAN FRANCISCO
CLEANING UP NOPA
all neighborhoods of which some SF
residents took notice, including Vince
Yuen. Vince’s journey started like
many did in the DeTrash community,
grabbing a picker and simply picking
up the trash around the block during
his walks.
Fast forward to the wildly successful
RefuseRefuseSF (https://refuserefusesf.
org/) initiative founded by Vince Yuen,
which encourages civic responsibility,
motivating fellow San Franciscans to
take direct action to clean our streets,
beautify our neighborhoods, and
encourage others to join our cause.
RefuseRefuseSF has helped run
hundreds of local clean-ups to date
and has activated local groups
to get involved with SFDPW’s
“Adopt a street program” to get
cleaning locally.
I heard about RefuseRefuseSF from
the online Reddit forum /r/DeTrash,
and like Vince, I have taken an interest
in cleaning up the local streets. So, in
the mornings, when it’s not raining, I’m
out for around 30 min on Divisadero
and crisscrossing the streets around
NOPA with a trash picker and a smile.
I love picking up trash. It’s got an
immediate visceral impact. People are
friendly when they see you picking
up trash and you get to know what’s
happening on the streets. We did
At the beginning of the
pandemic, from March 15th, 2020, to
June 15th, 2020, SFMTA halted street
cleaning enforcement to allow residents
to stay home without worrying about
parking tickets.
Once the sweeping stopped, there
was an immediate trashy impact on
issue 1 : 2022 | 9
a trial run of a neighborhood NOPA
clean-up with RefuseRefuseSF last
year, and it was a success. My plan is
to build out a local team of like-minded
street hygiene people, “The NOPA
DeTrash Pandas” and host a monthly
volunteer clean-up opportunity for
anyone to get involved.
The NOPA DeTrash Pandas will be
gathering on February 27th and March
13th outside The Mill at 9 am–11 am,
rain or shine. We will bring the coffee,
snacks, and supplies to clean up the
streets. What we need are some hands
to help with the pickings. So please
consider joining us and get in touch
by signing up under the events page
Alex Moening is a 12-year fog city resident
of our fantastic NOPA neighborhood who
loves picking up trash and helping out in the
community!
10 | NOPNANews
GOLDEN GATE PARK
ACCESS AND SAFETY
PROGRAM UPDATE
Soon after the pandemic hit,
SFMTA and San Francisco Recreation
& Park Department (RPD) created a
car-free route across Golden Gate
Park, stretching from Stanyan Street
to Ocean Beach. We are lucky to
live nearby and have been taking
advantage of this safer version of the
park since April 2020. This route is
currently temporary; however, there
is a proposal to make it, along with
other safety/accessibility upgrades,
permanent. To garner public opinion,
the agencies held over 50 outreach
events and solicited feedback via
survey.
The results are in, with over 10,000
respondents. 72% of San Franciscans
support keeping JFK Drive (from
Stanyan to Transverse) permanently
car-free. This 1.5 mile segment is
known to park aficionados as the “JFK
Promenade.” In its previous form,
it was one of SF’s most dangerous
streets, in terms of traffic collisions.
Current roadway configuration in Golden Gate Park
Based on the SFMTA’s survey
responses and data supporting
car-free JFK:
• All income groups are majority
in support.
• Each race and ethnicity group
with more than 25 respondents
are majority in support.
• 85% of the 1,300 respondents
who live in the 94117 and 94115
zip codes are in support.
• Total park visits increased by
36% and proportionally from all
districts across the city.
• With no (legal) traffic, there
have been zero traffic collisions
on JFK.
The Board of Supervisors will soon consider this
survey data, interest group inputs, and an equity
study from the County Transportation Authority.
Keep an eye out for their proposals in the next
couple months.
Due to the support in the MTA survey responses,
the NOPNA Board submitted an endorsement letter
for a permanent JFK Promenade and other safety/
accessibility upgrades. We sent it to the Mayor,
SFMTA staff and Board, RPD staff and Commission,
and all Supervisors. Our letter also highlighted
historic inequities from past government policies that
are still being undone and it called on city agencies
to integrate racial and social equity plus inclusion
best practices into their outreach, planning, and
implementation.
Tim Hickey and his wife, Leah, have lived in the neighborhood
since 2010 and can be seen with their son, Liam, biking and
walking through the area.
Support for JFK Promenade by zip code
>> Support for the JFK Promenade by zip code
(https://kidsafesf.com/blog/jfk-survey-results)
Email us to get involved: board@nopna.org
issue 1 : 2022 | 11
911 SERVICE
FOR STREET
CRISIS
RESPONSE
One morning on the sidewalk, perhaps you see an
agitated person walking a meandering path behind the bus
stop. They may be dressed unconventionally, muttering or
gesturing in ways that are difficult to interpret.
If you are like me, on a good day, you may feel curiosity,
compassion, and sorrow. Curiosity about an individual’s
back story. Compassion for a human suffering from
untreated addiction or mental illness who deserves
connection, self-respect, and dignity. Sorrow for a societal
problem that doesn’t lend itself to a simple solution.
On a different day, it might be fear, anger, frustration —
or righteous indignation.
You also likely wonder what you can do to help someone
facing troubles get some assistance. You have heard
enough about encounters between police and the mentally
ill to harbor concerns about calling the cops for someone
who appears troubled but not threatening.
For over a year, San Francisco’s 911 dispatch has been
routing qualifying behavioral distress calls to the Street
Crisis Response Team. SCRT provides fast (with a 15
minute average), non-police response for individuals in
crisis on our city streets.
With this behavioral health approach, aiming to
de-escalate situations and provide assistance, the SCRT
connects individuals with resources that provide mental
health support, substance abuse treatment, and shelter,
without landing in either an ER or in the criminal justice
system.
According to the latest available reports, the SCRT has
handled about 800 calls each month, the vast majority of
which are related to people experiencing homelessness. If
you see someone who may benefit from some help — you
may be able to get them the help they need by calling 911
and requesting the SCRT. If you’d like to learn more about
the SCRT visit https://sf.gov/street-crisis-response-team.
Crockett Dunn has been a NOPA resident since 2018 and enjoys bik-
ing through the park with his wife Natalie and 10 year old son
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