As we prepare to close Kapwa Gardens on Saturday, July 26, we want to take a moment not just to reflect on the past, but to share the exciting and heartfelt future that lies ahead.

Kapwa Gardens Was Always Meant to Be Temporary

Kapwa Gardens was born out of crisis — a response to the isolation of the pandemic, and the urgent need for safe outdoor cultural space. But from the beginning, we were clear: Kapwa Gardens was always meant to be a temporary project until permanent affordable senior housing could rise in its place.

Now, that housing — which the SOMA Pilipinas community has been fighting for since the early 5M campaign days — is finally becoming a reality.

Cultural survival is on the line. Here’s how sponsorship can help.

For years, Filipino American organizations like ours have carried the weight of cultural preservation on our backs—with little funding, lots of unpaid labor, and an enduring belief in the power of community.

The arts community is entering a critical moment. Across the country, organizations committed to racial equity, cultural preservation, and community voice are seeing the fallout from escalating attacks on DEI. Here in the Bay Area, and nationwide, several groups are already experiencing cuts in National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funding—and Kultivate Labs is among them. These losses are not just financial—they’re a chilling signal about whose stories are seen as valuable.

At the same time, we’ve faced internal transitions of our own. The closure of Balay Kreative and the departure of cherished team members marked a hard season. These changes were painful—and deeply felt throughout our community.

Yet through this reckoning, something new is taking shape.

Join Kultivate Labs for Be Free Festival 2025 on June 13 in SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco—a celebration of Queer Joy and Filipino Pride featuring food, art, music, drag shows, and cultural vendors. Learn how to get involved, become a vendor, or join our board to help shape the future of SF’s creative community.

After four transformative years, Kultivate Labs celebrates the impact of Marketing Manager Kaithleen Apostol, whose leadership helped shape our voice, grow programs like Brownthought Academy, and amplify stories from the Filipino and BIPOC creative community. As she transitions to exciting new roles with Make it Mariko, Minted SF, Executive Order, and MOSA, we reflect on her legacy and welcome Jimmie Gabiola as the next storyteller in our journey.

In the heart of San Francisco Japantown, a revolution is brewing, not with loud protests or clamorous demands, but with brushes, colors, and the silent whispers of change carried through art. The KOHO Creative Hub is at the forefront of this transformation, envisioning a future where Japantown emerges not just as a neighborhood rich in history but as a beacon of artistic innovation and community collaboration.

What does it mean to Be Free? And how can we get to that freedom? If you are unsure of where to start, we have gathered advice from 4 community organizers from the Bay. Their stories will show you how the fight is far from over, but freedom for those in the Philippines and in Filipino America are in the palm of our collective hands.

As the Winter/Spring 2022 Web Intern, Anjenica (aka “Nikki”) reflects on post-grad life, navigating new processes, and growing as a UX designer through Brownthought Academy.

As the Winter/Spring 2022 Content Writing Intern, Chloe reflects on her creative intentions, writing for a brand’s voice, and gaining confidence as a writer through Brownthought Academy.

As the Winter/Spring 2022 Photo & Video Intern, Jada reflects on filming community events, the power of collaboration, and reconnecting to her Filipino culture through Brownthought Academy.

As the Winter/Spring 2022 Social Media Intern, Gianna reflects on working quickly, creating to inspire, and connecting with fellow Pinays through Brownthought Academy.

Kristine was born and raised in San Francisco, majored in Sociology at Loyola Marymount University in LA, and currently works in media planning at an ad agency. Outside of work, she love going to concerts and learning how to rollerskate.