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Balboa Park’s central mesa, Prado Restaurant, parking lots reopen June 12<\/h3>\n
The restoration of San Diego\u2019s public spaces to community use continues. Beginning Friday, June 12, visitors are once again welcome to explore the historic Central Mesa of Balboa Park.<\/p>\n
Balboa Park Conservancy volunteers will be ready to greet visitors at the pop-up Visitors Center kiosk outside the House of Hospitality building, each day from 10am to 4pm. The Prado Restaurant is reopening as well, introducing \u201cgrab and go picnic basket\u201d service and bringing back the popular dining spot inside the park\u2019s cultural center, Wednesdays through Sundays, beginning at 12 noon and continuing service to late afternoon. The Japanese Friendship Garden Tea Pavilion and the Prado Perk Coffee Cart will also open on June 12 to serve park visitors.\u00a0 Watch for The Prado\u2019s Summer Beer & Wine Garden coming to the Plaza de Panama soon.<\/p>\n
All Balboa Park parking lots will be open at full capacity.<\/p>\n
As normal activities gradually resume, the Balboa Park Conservancy encourages park users to follow state and local guidelines regarding physical distancing and mask wearing to ensure everyone\u2019s safe and healthy enjoyment of San Diego\u2019s favorite attraction.<\/p>\n
It isn\u2019t just visitors who are eager to get back to the park. In a recent survey conducted by the Conservancy, more than half its volunteers say they expect to keep the same number of volunteer hours in the park or increase them when it reopens. That includes hours staffing the Visitors Center kiosk, guiding visitors as Park Ambassadors, and monitoring our urban forest as Tree Stewards.<\/p>\n
Details about the reopening and how to access different parts of the park safely can be found at the Virtual Visitors Center on the Conservancy\u2019s website and on Balboa Park\u2019s main website.<\/p>\n
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Virtual art galleries amplify students\u2019 voices<\/h3>\n
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On June 10, 2020, Words Alive launched the Novel Ideas virtual art gallery, showcasing artwork and writing from more than 400 students from throughout San Diego County, including those who attend Golden Hill K-8 School, High Tech High, Monarch School, and Lindsay Community School, among others.<\/p>\n
Novel Ideas, located at wordsalive.org\/novelideas, launches with three exhibits focused on themes of student activism, social distancing, and a love of reading:<\/p>\n
The Future is Us: Listening to Our hearts as a Catalyst for Change celebrates student voices in grades 2\u201312 from three Title I San Diego schools that became activists as they connected what they read to the world using the power of art. This exhibit includes a video tour of their activism banners created using a printmaking technique, a collection of student letters to community leadership, a special message from local artists who designed the project, insight into the printmaking process with a step-by-step tutorial, suggested reading and thought questions, and more.<\/p>\n
The Kids Reading to Kids exhibit highlights young voices building and practicing their own reading skills while bringing stories alive for younger children struggling with access to books and stories while schools and libraries are shuttered. This exhibit houses the growing collection of videos submitted by dozens of remarkable young people from across the United States finding their voice, and sharing their love of reading, during a time when we all could use a momentary escape to faraway places.<\/p>\n
Covid Diaries by QuaranTEENS features a growing collection of the thoughts, writing, and reactions from young adults as they respond to \u201cpandemic prompts\u201d from Words Alive writing facilitators. The initial launch of this exhibit includes writing, images, and videos from 40 teens from High Tech High in San Diego with the hope that their voices will inspire teens around the globe to share their thoughts and concerns as well.<\/p>\n
Words Alive is deeply committed to amplifying the voices of children and families that are not being heard. As such, an important aspect of the Novel Ideas virtual gallery is that it will be a dynamic exhibit, specifically designed to evolve and grow. There is information throughout the exhibits about how students can add their own writing and artwork to a particular project, and we are anticipating the gallery will eventually grow to include the work of hundreds and hundreds of more students by the end of summer.<\/p>\n
Right now, perhaps more than ever, Words Alive feels a responsibility to give children and teens a chance to be seen and heard while many wrestle with feelings of helplessness, invisibility, and loneliness during social distancing.<\/p>\n
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Pride 5k goes virtual<\/h3>\n
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San Diego Front Runners & Walkers are pleased to announce that their annual Pride 5K will be held virtually this year. Participants complete their own 5K during the weekend of San Diego Pride July 17-19, 2020. The charity goal is a combined total of $20k to The LGBT Center\u2019s Youth Housing Project and San Diego Pride Community Grants.<\/p>\n
All participants will receive an event neck gaiter, and can opt in for a race t-shirt and medal. As a virtual event, participants run or walk their 5K on Pride weekend, then upload their finishing results and can join online for a live streaming event on July 18.<\/p>\n
“In addition to facing a greater risk of health complications as a result of COVID-19, LGBTQ Americans are more likely than the general population to lack access to adequate medical care, paid medical leave, and basic necessities during this pandemic,” Sarafina Scapicchio, San Diego Pride\u2019s Director of Philanthropy, said. “That is why Pride is so proud to promote the Virtual Pride 5K this year – which not only helps our LGBTQ community members find healthy outlets like running or walking to manage stress in these difficult times, but also raises money for the free programs and services that San Diego Pride and The Center provide to the LGBTQ community. I am proud to be able to run this year for the first time, and I hope you will join me!”<\/p>\n
The Youth Housing Project provides 23 units of affordable, supportive housing for high-risk LGBTQ+ youth. Many faced homelessness after being ejected from their homes because of their sexual orientation and\/or gender identity.<\/p>\n