such simple representations. chico and chang primarily looks at four topic areas. one of the man was is whose stories are being told and how. one of the artisans in the show has created an amazing body of work working with young adults calling themselves the dreamers. another piece of the exhibition talks about whose stories of exhibition are actually being told. one artist created a magnificent sculpture that sits right in the center of the exhibition. >> these pieces are the physical manifestation of a narrative of a child in memory. an important family friend give us a dining table, very important, and we are excited about it. my little brother and i were 11, 14. we were realizing that they were

kind of hand prints everywhere on the bottom where no one would really see, and it became this kind of a weakening of what child labor is. it was almost like an exercise to show a stranger that feeling we had at that moment. >> the second thing the exhibition covers is how the allocation is defined, a great example on the theme, sculpture called mexicali culture. another bay area artist who has done residencies in china and also to what, mexico. where immigrant communities really helped define how businesses look of a business' sign age and interior decoration, her sculptural piece kind of mismatches the two

communities together, creating this wonderful, fantastical future look at what the present is today. first topic is where we can see where the two communities are intersecting and where they start colliding. teresa fernandez did a sculptural installation, utilizing the ubiquitous blue, white, and read patterns of a rayon bag that many communities used to transport laundry and laundromats to buy groceries and such. she created a little installation kind of mucking up the interior of a household, covering up as many objects that are familiar to the i and the fabric. fourth area of investigation that the exhibition looks at is the larger concerns of the asian and latin communities intersecting with popular cultur one best example -- when he's exemplified is what you see when you enter into the culture.

>> this piece refers to restaurants in tijuana. when you are driving, to speak chinese and you read chinese characters. you see these signs. i was trying to play with the idea of what you see and the direction you read. when you start mixing these different groups of people, different cultures, i like the idea. you can comment on somebody else's culture or someone else's understanding about culture. >> one of the hopes we have for visitors is that they go away taking a better understanding

with the broadest and the breadth of issues impacting both the asian and latin communities here in california and how they spell out into the larger fabric of the communities we live and work in. >> just a few steps away from union square is a quiet corner stone of san francisco's our

community to the meridian gallery has a 20-year history of supporting visual arts. experimental music concert, and also readings. >> give us this day our daily bread at least three times a day. and lead us not into temptation to often on weekdays. [laughter] >> meridians' stands apart from the commercial galleries around union square, and it is because of their core mission, to increase social, philosophical, and spiritual change my isolated individuals and communities. >> it gives a statement, the idea that a significant art of any kind, in any discipline, creates change. >> it is philosophy that attracted david linger to mount a show at meridian. >> you want to feel like your work this summer that it can do some good.

i felt like at meridian, it could do some good. we did not even talk about price until the day before the show. of course, meridian needs to support itself and support the community. but that was not the first consideration, so that made me very happy. >> his work is printed porcelain. he transfers images onto and spoils the surface a fragile shes of clay. each one, only one-tenth of an inch thick. >> it took about two years to get it down. i would say i lose 30% of the pieces that i made. something happens to them. they cracked, the break during the process. it is very complex. they fall apart. but it is worth it to me. there are photographs i took 1 hours 99 the former soviet union. these are blown up to a gigantic images. they lose resolution. i do not mind that, because my images are about the images, but they're also about the idea, which is why there is text all

over the entire surface. >> marie in moved into the mansion on powell street just five years ago. its galleries are housed in one of the very rare single family residences around union square. for the 100th anniversary of the mansion, meridian hosted a series of special events, including a world premiere reading by lawrence ferlinghetti. >> the birth of an american corporate fascism, the next to last free states radio, the next-to-last independent newspaper raising hell, the next-to-last independent bookstore with a mind of its own, the next to last leftie looking for obama nirvana. [laughter] the first day of the wall street occupation set forth upon this

continent a new revolutionary nation. [applause] >> in addition to its own programming as -- of artist talks, meridian has been a downtown host for san francisco states well-known port trees center. recent luminaries have included david meltzer, steve dixon, and jack hirsch man. >> you can black as out of the press, blog and arrest us, tear gas, mace, and shoot us, as we know very well, you will, but this time we're not turning back. we know you are finished. desperate, near the end. hysterical in your flabbergastlyness. amen. >> after the readings, the crowd headed to a reception

upstairs by wandering through the other gallery rooms in the historic home. the third floor is not usually reserved for just parties, however. it is the stage for live performances. ♪ under the guidance of musical curators, these three, meridian has maintained a strong commitment to new music, compositions that are innovative, experimental, and sometimes challenging. sound art is an artistic and event that usually receives short shrift from most galleries because san francisco is musicians have responded by showing strong support for the programming. ♪

looking into meridian's future, she says she wants to keep doing the same thing that she has been doing since 1989. to enlighten and disturbed. >> i really believe that all the arts have a serious function and that it helps us find out who we are in a much wider sense than we were before we experienced that work of art. ♪

>> thank you and good morning. i want to invite stephen barkley and mike from our staff who have been working diligently with the authority, many different agencies. of course, my point person for making sure we honor the public's request, to do this america's cup and the best possible way and involve everybody. let me start with some good news. in january of this year, we had an unemployment rate of 9.4% -- 9.5%. as we announced during a year, it steadily went down. as of today, it is 7.8%.

sorry. the reason i have that number people, in less than one year -- that many people were employed. i think we're on our way to recovery. it has been exciting to me. that is why, after the election, we kept going. we want to keep that basis going. i have not taken a break. the excitement of keeping this foundation going is credible. with that unemployment rate announcement, i want to praise and thank our planning commission for their unanimous vote last night on passing the environmental impact reports for

the america's cup. that is why mr. bartley is here today. we celebrated that night with a phone call to each other, said, good job. our economic office had been working hard with support staff, commissioners. as we went through those very time consuming public meetings, we meant it when we said it, that we would honor everything we wanted to do. monique more year is here to be part of this announcement. going forward, we think we have done a comprehensive response to the concerns that were raised, issues that were raised. we can now look forward to beginning to put the work

together and start on the construction of our cruise ship, the signature work we wanted to do. celebrating the eir, a tremendous effort, and want to thank all the parties involved, particularly the event authority, organizing authority, the america's cup managing team, court staff, port commissioners, the president of our port commission, thank you for being here. they are here to join us as we all converged last night. this is a great milestone in putting forth the america's cup. in addition to the environmental impact report passing, which allows the port to begin its work on the cruise ship and the

other agreements never wanted to move forward on, we wanted to let you know we have been working, but in addition to the eir, other important issues raised during the many important public hearings. we have the rest of our port commission joining us as well. thank you all for joining us. the excitement is growing. i think i have thanked the port commission five times now, and i will continue to. during these periods of time, there was discussion of around long term development rights. in particular, they had to do with piers 14 and 14 1/2. along with the good work of port staff, particularly with the

event authority, through mr. berkley's considerable help and understanding of the concern that were raised, our offices willingness to work with him to find a solution, we would like to announce in cooperation with the port commission we have a solution. we have agreed to an exchange of development rights with the organizing committee, the event authority. they will be giving up their long-term development rights to pier 14 to 22 1/2 and will be offered and have accepted the rights to pier 54. i think that is a major agreement. a lot of concern were raised about views, the impact of developing in front of those marina piers.

this has been a wonderful solution, took a lot of sensitivity on everyone's part to understand those concerns, while at the same time, making sure we've fulfilled the eir. we are working for different sets of hands as we are moving the acr event forward. i want to once again praised mr. barkley's participation. he is learning what it is like to do business with the city. he is learning, has kept a calm approach -- perhaps not at the beginning. there was a high level of anxiety. we have a lot of other decisions

that need to be made, so it is my style to make sure that we set a foundation where we can talk with each other and present those challenges so that we can make agreements. each of us gives up something to having said that, this event is moving forward. the cruise ship terminal is moving forward. the races -- you will start to see the smaller boats in august. 8000 jobs. that is not just a promise. that will be a reality here. very soon, you are going to see their activity on pier 80, and there will be some public days where you can see the activity

going on with the boats. i want to make sure that you see that, in anticipation. i have a third thing to announce today, but before we have everybody speak -- i told you we have several sets of hands working on economic growth in the city. some of you may have heard, the pac 12 media center is moving to san francisco. they just signed an 11-year lease at 373 third street. those of you who are interested in college sports, you all know that the pac 12 is the league for champions. they hold the highest number of n.c.a.a. championships

throughout its history. that is a big deal, the media center. by way of background, they looked at other places when considering where they would go. clearly, there was a big push for hollywood, the l.a. area, with television studios, the brand of hollywood, but in conference with mr. scott, mr. stevenson, the head of the pack 1 12 enterprises, the future was san francisco because of our commitment to technology, being a city of innovation, and that the future of media is not just one dimension, it is multimedia. they are looking to penetrate markets and want to be close to

where technology innovation is occurring, and that is mission bay. they also indicated something interesting that resonates with me. they did not just want to be a national media center, they want to go international. beingé7f is incredibly open for them. larry scott just came back from china. we hooked them up with our program. they want to have markets in the far east, men's and women's sports. i want to indicate just how excited i am about that and to let you know, names that our generation have been familiar with -- john elway, ronnie lott, kareem abdul-jabbar, jason kidd, tiger woods, they all came

through the pac 12 colleges. if the digital media center is here, they will be coming here for their interviews, coming here to announce what they are doing, coming here to be entertained, as well as see their fans. we are on a good role. pac 12 is exciting to have here. so we have the unemployment rate reduction to 7.8%, the america's cup moving forward on the eir, and this key agreement with the piers and development rights, balancing what the public and port staff has been focused on, and then with our great partners in the ac event authority, and then we have this pac 12

agreement. they want to be broadcasting by next year. so with that, i want to welcome] >> i would like to thank the mayor personally. we are new here. we have not got it right all the time, but we are learning fast. specifically, with regard to the areas of piers 14 to 22. the mayor called me into his office and suggested to me that that was off the table. so i listened, and we went through a pretty neat process where we talk about what we were

trying to achieve. the thing that made us really consider what this was about, we are not talking about a couple of years. potentially quite a long time. so we have to join with the city help us get things done that we want to get done for the benefit of all. anyway, i just want to say that it was a pleasure to work with you, mr. mayer, over the last several makes -- mayor, over the last several weeks to get this done. [applause] >> i know the port commission and staff, and the public must consider this. there are meetings on going, but they came down because we have engaged them in the discussion. it was important enough to make a special announcement. so thank you for being here.

that is pretty much the information we wanted to share. we will open up for questions. >> [inaudible] >> again, we have had an incredibly open process. we have invited everyone to share their views. i cannot say that we are going to, 100%, deal with every issue in the way that people want us to. we showed our willingness to be reasonable, just last week, when we announced the relocation. we found them a location. they were so happy, they were dancing on the parking lot. gary, intelligent

transportations, they willingly except in their relocation. now we have some more to get done, but we have evidenced that we can get this done and take care of everybody. >> [inaudible] >> we are always concerned about any effort that might delay our efforts here. our planning commission has done a good job. the compromises that we have made, in response to the public's input -- i want to emphasize that. one of the incredible things about our city, we pay attention to process, for good reason. we have an intelligent community of interests, especially when it comes to the waterfront. the port has learned that over many years. working with mr. barkley, we had

to immediately pay attention and respect the public's input. we will continue to do our best, but i think, we have some solid confirmation we're headed in the right direction. i hope there are not individuals out there that have different agendas, apart from the success of our city, with this fantastic event we are about to give value to, and the long-term legacy that the event authority, organizing committee, the port and commission, are devoted to, to develop our water from, -- waterfront waterfront, which had the opportunity until this came

along. >> [inaudible] >> with the expected agreement, a development agreement before the port, i would expect, knowing how important this is, knowing that it is part of job creation, we cannot wait to get people their jobs. that is why i lead with the unemployment rate. i am still not satisfied with 7.8. i want to get it down so low to show people, if you bring people together to make decisions, we can do an even better job. if we do not, we have the state telling us the triggers that they will pull, national policies, and if we come policies, and if we come together, the port will act