welcome to "comunidad del valle ", the director of the mexican museum. this is your comunidad del valle." >> it's the 21st century solution, thousands of dollars to bay area non-profits. my colleague with brendy brown with the opportunity fund, a recipient of one of these grants. welcome to the show. >> thank you. >> liza, we have the

requirements because there are specific requirements to obtain one of these huge grants. it's a lot of money. go through them and how much money they are getting. >> we're excited to launch our 21st century solutions grant. the organization must be tax exempt non-profit and been in existence for more than two years and annual operating budget of more than $300,000. that changed slightly from last year. it was 500,000 so we lowered that threshold. the specific program that is being submitted for must have been in existence for no more than two years in order to be considered a new program. >> how much money are we talking about here? >> here in the bay area we're giving away a total of $100,000. the top award goes to one top recipient, $50,000. which opportunity fund was the recipient last year and two runners up get $25,000 each. >> what a shot in the arm this must have been. tell us about that. >> absolutely.

we're so thankful for this grant that helped us really take our start to face program that helps low income families in the bay area set up a saving act up to $1500 for an emergency or something else that comes up. >> is this a kick start program for the folks? i would imagine they had no type of financial organization before, this is your way of guiding them to the process and getting them on the way? >> everybody knows they should save but cost of living is so high and wages are low and it's hard to make ends meet. so we help people learn how to manage their money and set up a budget and save and we actually provide incentives so they can do it. at the end their money gets doubled. >> what was it about the opportunity so the folks, about them that set them apart from other applicants? >> it is meant to support fresh

ideas, something that addresses a new or existing issue in a new way. what was set out about them is it was something that no one else was doing out there. there was a need for it. for these families to set up a savings fund like she just described. and so that's really what set them apart, was their innovative approach to the problem. >> and this is a step toward homeownership at some point, financial stability for these families who may not have a history of this kind of help if you will? >> absolutely. for us financial stability is about starting wherever you are and moving forward into the middle class. that might be going back to school for yourself and maybe saving for your kids for college. it depends on what someone's goals are but we work with people where they are starting from, living paycheck to paycheck and what makes it unique, there's no one else

doing this. we're excited there are folks in d.c. and elsewhere looking to this to see if it's something they can expand in other parts of the country. >> put yourself in their shoes, what kind of difference do you think you're making for them? >> what we see first, it changes people's behavior. after they finish the program they keep saving money and set up savings accounts for their kids and changes how they feel about themselves. one of our clients, florence, lost a lot of weight and got her nursing degree. it changes your belief that from that you're beat down by the world so that you can really achieve anything. >> any advice for those applying at this point? >> no, i just -- if anyone out there watching is either a part of an organization or knows an organization doing great work out there, help us get the word out and we highly encourage them to apply. it's a win-win. you know, when we award the grant, we not only give them the

money but create a lasting partnership. we -- we give exposure to the program and the problems that they are addressing so it really -- in the same way, we continue our mission to make a better place to live. >> and the threshold is high for a reason? >> we want to make sure it's an established program, that they've successfully launched other programs and this is really to get a specific program off the ground, not the organization itself. >> got it. that's a good point. it's the nbcbayarea.com and they have until when? >> from now until july 31st is the open application window. >> any final thoughts? >> really thankful for this opportunity, not only to support the work we do with families around the bay area but the exposure being here today, gives us an opportunity to share what we're doing for other people that may want to support it or need our programs and services.

>> good point, congratulations. again, july 31st is the deadline. up next, the director of the mexican museum in san francisco.

exciting things happening at the mexican museum of san francisco. the director of the museum, welcome back to the show. we have some clips and i want to share some of them. one of them is from the rex may collection. tell us what we're seeing. >> these are beautiful photographs, i think by photographer susan berdok, it is a request to the museum in 2001 of over 1400 objects. now what you're seeing is our educational outreach trunks which we loan to the schools which is a another story i'd like to convey to the audience.

>> there are two different subjects that we're describing in the images we showed you. let's talk first about the rex may collection. rex may is an interesting story. it's a story of a designer who came to california from texas where he was raised in san antonio. and you may recall that the 49 mile drive sign with the bird, that is rex may. rex may designed that and won that competition for this sign, which we see every day which we take for granted, i think. rex may and his partner would do a christmas sale every year on their -- at their store on sacramento street. and rex would go around the world collecting christmas ornaments and there would be a frenzy of a sale. i remember it well. and they became known for that. but what people didn't know was that in his home, he had his own collection of mexican folk art over 1400 objects from the

colonial art period up through the 20th century. and in 2001, rex gave this material to the museum so we have it in our permanent collection now. >> how do we -- i think -- how do we benefit? this is such a jewel you have there. >> the collection is important because as i say, it sort of spans the 20th century, we have really great examples of the quality of folk art that was being produced in mexico over time. so it's a preservation element for the preservation of this tradition and we're lucky to have it. it's augmenting our regular -- our larger folk art collection which includes the nelson rockefeller collection of mexican folk art as well as other material that's been donated over the years from the community. we have a fantastic folk art collection. >> you're there at fort mason.

let's talk about what -- aside from being a historical experience, what kind of classy experience going to the museum? >> the museum is in an interesting stage in its development. we're poised to begin building a new museum at third and mission street. this will be our dream of creating the permanent home for the museum. and while we're start at fort mason in these predevelopment years, which will be the next two or three years, we're highlighting works from the permanent collection to show the public what we have. and we not only have folk art but we have ancient culture material, over 2,000 items from the central american, peruvian cultures and then colonial art material from the 18th and 19th century, carved wooden santos and oil paintings, paintings on

metal. jewelry, ormentation and then we have mexican and latin american fine art as well as american mexican-american contemporary art. so we have a really extraordinary collection that the people of san francisco should be very proud of. over 14,000 objects. >> you're not keeping all of it there. you're taking some of it to schools. >> we have an outreach program that we developed in the last several years and we don't actually take the permanent collection to the schools, we take selections of folk art and reproductions from the collection in what we call the education trunks. and we like to work with teachers in a three-paimmergs programs for kids. if we give a regular methodical

attention, not just one visit but three visits, this inkul indicates an appreciation for the arts and our future supporters of the arts in our community. so we like -- we have folk art kits on folk art, fine art, also day of the dead that we loan out to schools. >> not that you're going to make artists oust of the kids but the fact they can appreciate and enhance the skills they have at the time? >> absolutely. right brain activities creative activities theer receipt cal t activities are very important for a well rounded student. that's why the arts are so important to have a focus on in the education of our young people. >> he especially nowadays when we're eliminating the extracurricular studies programs. >> there you go. the non-profit sector plays an

important role in helping schools to do things that they can't necessarily do at this time because of budget constraints. so the museum is very happy to helpful fill that role. >> give us your final thoughts while we roll your information and maybe some of the images. >> the museum is open wednesday through sunday from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. we're a free museum. fort mason center itself is located on the marina green, close to buchanan street and laguna boulevard. there are over 50 non-profits in the complex. there's lots of things to do. we have family sundays coming up in september, we're going to have an independence day family day for kids and their families. and check out our website,

because we'll have current events and other programs that we'd like the community to know about. >> all right, david, thank you so much for coming down and enlightening us. >> not at all, appreciate it. >> up next, little joya familia. enough about the book, i want to hear about your date. well, he showed up in a van. [ women ] oh-awww. [ voices in background ] [ female announcer ] swapportunity. the opportunity to swap a higher calorie snack

for a delicious 90 calorie yoplait light. ♪ sorry... about your date, the details of your date. [ female announcer ] just one swap a day helps keep the calories away. yoplait. it is so good.

our interview a couple of years ago. >> with me, ladies and gentlemen, i'm so honored because he was a guest on comunidad when i first began hosting this program that's been on 30 or 40 years. joe hernandez of little joe. it is such an honor to have you back. >> my honor. congratulations. >> 50 years. >> yeah. well, you have children, right? >> that's it. that's it. >> congratulations and you know, you're on because people love you and appreciate you.

you have a big heart. you do great things for the public and for the community and people. and we know it and feel that damian, god has blessed you and by doing that blessed us all, really. >> thank you very much. i appreciate it. >> for the great work you do. >> i appreciate it. i'm a california kid, but i love tejano music, what is it that pulls at our hearts? we're all from -- >> the spirit that goes with the music, no, in my case it's just music, it's entertainment. and i've been real fortunate with what music has done for me, taken me around the world a couple of times and get to meet so many people from so many different walks of life. many cultures but the one thing that the common denominator, music. >> willy nelson gets to say i

played with little joe. >> my grandson reminds me. grandpa, grandpa, do you remember when willy met me? >> what's kept you going, joe? when i first saw you 15 or 20 years ago you sound like you do now. it's your love the music. >> it's an old chicano secret, the love for the people and audience and it's -- for me there's nothing greater in life than to be able to make people happy, you know, to make people just see their emotions when i perform, they cry because they are happy. and being said, i guess -- i guess it touches our soul and it makes us happy. but really it's all about the audience, all about the people.

and i love music. and you know, i have fun with it. i'm not musically trained. i didn't go to school for music. but maybe that's kind of what saved me. it's -- what is it called, ignorance bliss. i do what i feel and it's worked for me. >> at what point did it become text mex, was it known as chicano music? >> that's what i called it all along. but i really -- of the latin labels, the record companies, started using different terms for it. but for me it was always chicano music and that's been 50 years now. >> when you use the word chicano you have to be able to back it up. it's one of those powerful words. what credentials do you have to say you are a chicano?

>> you're so right. in so many cases, you know, we've all been painted with hispanics or latinos with the same brush, which is we're all people, but for me, chicano is a way to identify ourself. you get pulled over by the man and hey, i'm hispanic, but you could be from argentina or colombia, or any way. when you say chicano you know you're mexican-american or should be. that's a way of me identifying myself and the music itself is what the mexican americans can continue to work with and develop. it's bilingual, bicultural. a lot of times by myself if i don't do it right. it is also a state of mind, but really it's to identify

mexican-americans because we're all latinos and hispanics, puerto rican or cuban or using that world or labeling ourselves. >> i think back in the 70s when the -- civil rights and i did a lot of marching because the schools and things that happened with schools. and unfortunately a lot of people think that you know -- >> my mom didn't want us to use the word chicano. >> yeah. >> hey, i am chicano. what's wrong with knowing who we are. you can call yourself whatever you want but it's better if you know who you are. but i think a lot of people just really don't understand the word chicano but we should be proud, like anybody else, we all should be proud of who we are and what

we do. i just have to be chicano and like -- like people to know that's what i am. doesn't make me better or worse or anything other than that's who i am. >> how many of la familia are you bringing? >> a seven-piece including myself. eight people with myself. seven mem and me.

now here's what's happening in your comunidad. >> here's a look at those celebrating a special day.

>> here's our address for next week. also, follow me on twitter, my handle is at news damian. we thank you for sharing a part of your sunday with us. once again we leave you now with the trio. ♪

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you're watching nbc sports. >> the kings are the kings. welcome to the u.s. bank nbc sports report. >> we will get you to "octane academy" in a moment. more drama in the standy cup final. another tightly contested game last night. bruins and blackhawks. we pick it up, scoreless in the first. johnny oduya and patrick kan