Today we’d like to introduce you to Caroline Calderon.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’m originally from the San Fernando Valley but was living in San Francisco from 2008 to 2017. San Francisco taught me so much about my queerness, artistry, living alone. San Francisco introduced me to Ethnic Studies, and many folks will say this but I’ll say it too, “Ethnic Studies saved my life.” I became involved in different student organizations, art spaces, and grassroots organizations such as Veterans Equity Center, Pin@y Educational Partnerships, Bindlestiff Studio and Migrante SOMA-Tenderloin.
During my time in the Bay, I also had the privilege of working in a place called SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco’s Filipino cultural heritage district. I have so much love for this neighborhood, but like many other areas across the world, it is experiencing rapid gentrification. In 2016, I decided that I wanted to go back to school to study urban planning, a field that I believe has a dark history and immense power in shaping neighborhoods and cities.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
A big reason why I decided to go into urban planning was because of an accident I had back in 2013. I was on disability for several months, riding the bus gave me vertigo so I would walk around the city a lot. These forced ventures into different neighborhoods taught me a lot about community cultural wealth which some cities fail to see. Historically, planners have viewed low-income neighborhoods as “blighted,” but beyond that, most of these communities have enough knowledge to create change in their neighborhoods, they just don’t have the resources to do so.
Graduate school was also a challenge. There’s a lot questioning of your experience or intelligence because let’s face it, higher education is still a white-dominated space. Luckily, I had a strong group of POC students and allies that helped me through that doubt.
In terms of my job with Little Tokyo Community Impact Fund (LTCIF), it’s always an uphill battle. The Little Tokyo community is up against some heavy real estate speculation, rising land costs and rents. It’s amazing how much money we’ve raised thus far, but we still got a long way to go. The struggle is rooted in not knowing if this strategy will fully work, but if not now, then when?
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Little Tokyo Community Impact Fund – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
After my first year of grad school at UCLA, I had the opportunity to work with an organization called the Little Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS). LTHS is an all-volunteer organization that is committed to preserving the history and heritage of Japanese American and Japanese community. The members at LTHS remind me so much of the seniors, artists, and activists I worked alongside in SOMA Pilipinas.
There’s a lot of similarities between Little Tokyo and SOMA Pilipinas. One being the fight for self-determination for the people that call these places home. Through LTHS, I got involved in the Little Tokyo Community Impact Fund (LTCIF) under the leadership of Bill Watanabe, a true OG and advocate of Little Tokyo in every best way possible. Bill and a group of other stakeholders in Little Tokyo were trying to figure out a way to combat the loss of legacy businesses in this historic neighborhood They decided to form a social purpose corporation so that individuals and groups can invest their money and purchase commercial properties in hopes of being able to stabilize some of the businesses that are struggling and have more community control over the land.
What separates LTCIF from other real estate funds is that it is committed to preserving and protecting small businesses with a deep roots in Little Tokyo but also welcomes new businesses who are interested in building meaningful relationships with the local community. So far, LTCIF has raised $500,000. It aims to raise $2.5 million dollars in the upcoming months.
As someone who is not Japanese American, I have a lot of respect for the nikkei community. Little Tokyo has welcomed me not only as a worker but as an artist (poet, singer, musician). I am committed to working with LTCIF because it’s a strategy that I also want to bring back to Filipino communities across the U.S.
If you told me 2-3 years ago that I would be assisting in managing a real estate fund, I would’ve labeled myself a sell-out. But learning more about alternative forms of investment, there are ways to challenge or even change the system. My role with LTCIF is pretty broad but whatever the community needs me to do, I’m glad to do it. A lot of my work involves outreach, marketing, research, administrative support, the list goes on. There are not a lot of models out there for community-driven real estate investment, I’m just glad to be in the room and out in the community as folks figure it out.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Once LTCIF hits a certain number of investments, we will be electing a board to solidify the Fund’s structure and push for ownership of a building in Little Tokyo. That will come with its next set of challenges. But I am determined to get more folks involved in these efforts. We are constantly looking for people to invest, but we also want people who have an expertise in marketing, investment, real estate, and accounting to lend a hand. Like I said earlier, as we’re pushing for community ownership of space and place in Little Tokyo, we’re also up again big real estate speculation in the neighborhood.
The other side of me has also been determined to figure out how to combine my art and work in planning. I have an idea for an EP titled “planning memos.” It will feature a mixture of spoken word, oral history and songs focused on the relationship of planning in communities of color.
Pricing:
- If you want to invest in LTCIF, you can invest in a class A share of $1,000 or class B share of $10,000 or more. We will also be launching a campaign for folks who are not quite ready to invest but can donate to our efforts. For more information on this fundraising, be sure to visit our website at littletokyocif.com.
Contact Info:
- Address: 106 1/2 Judge Aiso Street #704, Los Angeles, CA 90012
- Website: littletokyocif.com
- Phone: 213-293-7535
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: littletokyocif
- Facebook: facebook.com/littletokyocif
- Other: https://linktr.ee/littletokyocif
Image Credit:
Tuesday Night Cafe
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