all that needs to be known of both being chinese and of course being japanese. i get a lot wrong. i cringe when i pronounce a japanese word because i know i'm not say itting correctly. i can get away with it. here i don't know, it's harder to get away with it in the bay area because we are such a melting pot. and so many people who know japanese where i don't. what i discovered i think on the whole, for all cultures both cultures and the writing process itself is the more i write about different cultures the more i realize how much alike we are. and if you take anything away take that. take the fact that all humanity is the same. you know the -- culturesar a background for me it makes you who you are. if you are japanese you bow.

if you are chinese you don't. there are certain things that are specific to each culture. but if you are writing characters there are specific things that are everybody. and that's more important to me in that sense. you have the culture's background but if you can understand why a person who lives in that culture feels the way they do or does what they do i think that's the most important thing. does that answer your question? >> yeah. >> thank you. >> you letting me off? [laughter] do i have another story to tell you? i would if i -- >> you seem very conscious of the writer's process you are aware of how you work. you mentioned you changed from a

film major to an english major. can you talk about when you were conscious when you wanted to be a writer. >> as opposed to a film maker? >> yes. >> some writers are not aware of their process as you are and i'm fas nacinated by that. >> when i took my first film class it was so boring. and it had nothing to do about the story that i was watching on the screen. and everything to do about how many frames per second or per minute or whatever it was. i thought, this is not at all what i thought it would be. then i moved from you know, to the technical aspect film writing course i took. it felt technical because i felt i had to be aware of the camera angles. literally aware it had to go

down longshot or closeup and it was interfering with the story line. i graduated from san francisco state and it was creative writing within the english department. i was taking a class much like this. writers on writing and a writer came to speak to a group of young writers the first writer who came was a poet. and i was i fell madly in love with language. i think that's why i'm probably conscious with the writing process because i began with the foundation of language, which is poetry for me. it made me aware of how to use language. not to over use language. you know things like that that aspects of it. i talk a lot about the writing process for a lot of reasons because i think that if you tell what it really means to be a writer people will think oh , it's not -- i think to a large

extent you all think we run with the bulls. you know and you think we are sitting in cafes and i can never write in a cafe because i would watch people too much. how can you sit in a cafe and write a novel? we all have our process. i think the interesting things to talk about is the process how you do it because we all do it differently. i don't run with the bulls or sit in cafes. this is the way i do it. there are many ways to do it and you have to find your own way. >> around the web i googled through me to see what it looked like i saw the big bridge and it looked industrialized. >> there really is love. >> i did. a real place and how you pick the location. i have family in japan and my kids are are in a bilingual

program in san francisco that's japanese. >> i bet she speaks japanese better than i do. my kids might not me. >> when i had the gun i knew there was a [inaudible] and i started writing down things and i thought in my mind's eye, i think it looks like this. and it would be like that i had a small village in mind. there was a part in time i thought, i could go back to japan and go there and see how it looked. i had in the book and in my heart what i thought it was, i almost knew that if i had gone back it wouldn't be the same. so i made the conscious choice of not going. now that you tell me this i'm thankful i didn't i think it would have destroyed what i created in my head. i thought places are best when

they are imagined. i hesitated naming it after a place where my mom said what did exist. i'm glad i didn't go back. making that conscious choice would have changed had i gone back would have changed the direction of the book a lot. >> when i saw it it was so different than how an imagined from reading your books. >> does that teach you never to look up things. always listen to the writer? [laughter]. >> we have time for one more question. >> can't be our essay question. >> she didn't give us a question yet. i wanted to know what made you think of the title like the samurai's garden? >> oh , know the title story. >> i'm sorry.

>> quickly. this is actually a publishing business thing. i had written on the contract because i was reading about samurais and gardens. at the time the contract. i looked and said, oh , the samurai's garden. now they would put untitled. i put dount samurai's garden not thinking that would really with the title. and what happened was when it was time to choose a title my editor had a god awful title she felt was the most brilliant title since the grapes of wrath. it was like this long and everything was in it but the kitchen sink. love, samurai, garden and sushi. it was a terrible title and i didn't like it and i didn't know what to say i had never disagreed. that was the first time i

disagree. i said i don't want to look at my book case and see that book and cringe in 30 years. she called me from new york and said, i don't know why we are going over the title thing let's keep it the samurai's garden. then i was saying, thank you, god and it became the samurai a garden which in the end worked when you decide hathat samurai is in your class you will see how it works. it works in many, many ways. i'm pleased it stayed the samurai's garden. not of anybody's choice but because it was the one we didn't want to fight over anymore. >> okay. >> [laughter]. >> thank you. i >> i think you wanted something else. >> well, i met the samurai and [laughter] >> thank you. >> thank you, gale so much for

coming. >> [applause]. thank you. >> thank you for coming to the larkin street youth center. [applause] thank you for host in this very important announcement. it is one we're very excited to do. this is a little background that we want to give. a few people need to speak.

we are excited about where we're going. we have to put in the right context.making, but it is also that where we come from and where we're going are linked. this is a tribute to them. [applause] supervisors, jose cisneros, our treasurer, thank you for being here. the department of public health. [applause] our two chiefs, fire and police, thank you for being here. [applause] our school district, hycrdra

mendoza, children, youth, and family. thank you for being here. [applause] joaquin torres, thank you for being here. we will give you more resources. you will not be the only person here. [laughter] i also want to thank all of the members of the community, whether it is wells fargo, the intra-faith council, the staff from hsa and public health, they are all here. i know they are feeling some really great bribes -- great vibes because of the announcements we have to make.

it has never been about a campaign for an election. it has always been about a campaign to improve lives. i will take you back to a moment a few months ago. let's get things done. no, let's get things done better. [laughter] i saw that in the middle of the night and thought that it worked. that was really good. bevan and i already knew we had a great director. little did we know we would have an opportunity to have the director of great programs that we want him to be in charge of in this administration. i have said all along that we need to improve our delivery of services. we need to bring hope to a lot more people. we need to be a bigger tent. consistent with the things i

have mentioned since the inauguration that i feel strongly about that resonate with communities, we need to get jobs out there. we need to get job training out there. if you care about homelessness, you ought to be a big advocate of job training. that will help to sustain people's ability. even though we find shelter, we need long-term shelter. the housing trust fund working group that we're doing is on that. the people on the street, where is their hope coming from? it has to be that we register our support for them in every possible way. getting all the different agencies around housing, better quality services for our homeless and those wanting to not be homeless as well as those who are already in the system. we need even more leadership. i will take this opportunity to

personally thank darius for his wonderful years of work. [applause] no one has ever said it was easy, but we are out there every day on market street, third street, a town -- chinatown. every single day he was out there asking for help. he got that help. he said he wanted a little break to go to dpw. he is going to be a continuing partner as a result of that. when he left, we immediately thought about who we could find who would care enough and also embrace the direction we have been talking about, the fulfillment of more promises, the fulfillment of a long promised we made, and also have

the sensitivity, passion, and compassion that will lead us into the next generation of work that we must do to end homelessness. that is our goal. it is not about temporary shelter. it is about our long-term goal. that means we reach out to people. we try to make life changes. we tried to get a situation where better decisions can be made. we want to get people supportive care and housing. hopefully, it will be short and long term. there is another great advocate walking in. [applause] director of the housing authority, so many resources are needed, henry alvarez, thank you

for being here [applause] i could go on and on. i know that bevan is eager to get to work. as we talk about this work and shared our passions and vision. iwe also went to our individual offices wondering about the best acronym to have. [laughter] you cannot lose this. housing opportunities partnership engagement are well deserving titles in and of themselves. when you put all that together, it spells something we both share. that is hope. that is the underlying reason why i asked bevan to come on board and take on this massive but very serious responsibility.

we have to work on the future, hope for everybody in the city. i am committed to this. we always had a strong commitment to it. i know somebody behind me has registered that commitment and hope for so many years. the former board president, supervisor, and the one who authored the 10-year implementation plan to end homelessness in the city, angela alioto. [applause] >> we are into the new year. i just want to say how excited i am that you are going to take this position. what is really important to remember is that the plant that we have implemented from june 29

of 2004 until today and of the wonderful leadership of our new mayor is that our san francisco plan is an example for the united states of america. for every state, our plan is the one to follow. [applause] we have house over 8431. permanent, support of housing. the 10-year plan takes care of the chronically homeless, a subsection of the general thomas -- homeless. i want you to know, bevan, you are probably going to be sorry that you ever met me. i will call you to come pick up

a person on the corner. it is so great to see the inter- faith council here. [applause] they are the group we go to when we need immediate housing and people. please make sure you remember that inter-faith council is the one to call. we're the best. we're going to stay the best. we have a new director. it is going to be so exciting. we have the general plan and the homeless population plan. it is one we need to continue. we need to see the differences. i know you can do it. bevan, welcome aboard. give me your cell number. [applause]

>> thank you, angela. thank you for your constant work with us. i want to make sure you know that in addition to the great market street center that we have the naacp here. [applause] i know they are big supporters of this. we also have the hunters point foundation. thank you for being here as well. [applause] bevan, this is important. we're going to be talking more publicly about homelessness as we both the enter into this new job and another era where we expand our willingness to end homelessness with a lot more partners. i welcome the challenge of the board. it is that important. we need to break away from

whatever we have not been able to succeed on in the way we have done them and get even more success. bevan wants to make even more changes so that we work together and make improvements. we want to think outside the box. we want to see how technology and innovation can help our homeless population with the housing and services they need. he is going to join us with the themes that i put out and his own themes, things he has talked about during this campaign and his whole life. he has been about the best level of services that anyone should appreciate in a great city like san francisco. i give you our new director of homes, opportunities, partnerships, and engagement, bevan dufty. [applause]

>> my heart is very full because of all of you who are here and the opportunity that mayor lee is giving me to serve the city that i love so much. it is important that we're here on larkin street at organization i have so much respect for. it truly is a national model. there are many great organizations in san francisco. some need to be supported. others are ready to be a model for other states and communities. in terms of giving young people opportunity, in terms of having competency around lgbt, no one else does what larkin street

does in such a comprehensive manner. [applause] the mayor's desire to come out and beat an agency and with individuals who are part of our effort, and individuals who need support and help, that speaks to the engagement we want to have. we do not want san franciscans to feel like we're not making a difference. the people they see on the street are those who are not succeeding in the system. it is not working, they're falling through the cracks, there are not enough resources, or personal choice where they choose not to avail themselves of services. we have to engage people. san franciscans understand a lot about homelessness. my child talks to me a lot about homelessness. i see the art project. they talk about why people cannot have homes and jobs. they talk about the sorts of

large you want people to live. the mayor started his administration with the expectation that we can. i have hope in this job. i did not want to come to a job that i saw as maintaining the status quo. incredible things are going on. we have the ability in the 21st century to look at the outcomes for people, not just within homeless services, but for individuals in public housing, families at risk for homelessness, and special populations. transgendered individuals, veterans, and families. we have the ability to look at outcomes and make a difference, to engage our stakeholders such as foundations and other partners such as the san francisco foundation. i was so grateful that dr. hernandez called to welcome into the job and the important work that the san francisco foundation is doing. our city has the value to

continue to replace and rebuild public housing and make them communities of opportunity, communities that people want to live in. i am so grateful and touched my colleagues and members of the board, i believe there is a level of willingness to work together that is unprecedented in the 20 years i have worked in city government. the talent and people behind me who work for the city is at a level i have never seen. the people standing behind me are not seeking personal or political gain at the expense of this city. these are people who want to succeed in doing a good job. each supervisor and person here with me as part of the city family faces challenges in responding to homelessness and families and individuals in crisis. part of my responsibility is that i know what it means when people express frustration and say, why can we not do something

about this individual on the street? why is it that a child can come to school and not know where they will sleep that night? we can do much, much better. i am extremely honored to have this opportunity. it is something i am going to commit my life to in the years going forward to making a difference for people. this is the beginning. we have an ambitious agenda. one thing i respect about the mayor is that you do not see someone who invites people to come to a press conference and there are initiatives that have not been worked out with other members of the political family or the constituency involved. this is a mayor who truly believes in collaboration. he believes there are ideas and images out there among the citizenry that need to be reflected in what the city does. i do not stand here to say that we have all the answers. we are going to ask the questions. we're going to work with

everyone. i was so grateful to talk to jennifer from the coalition on homelessness. she has embraced me. i treasure my friendship and working relationship with her and other advocates. going forward, this is about a partnership of public engagement. i expect to work with the press. you have seen the work the media has been able to do. every discussion of this issue, even if you challenges and say we can do better, that is an important step. people do not want to walk away from homelessness. for too long, people have been afraid it is a losing issue. that was part of the reason i wanted to have hope. i do not want to be the director of losing. i want to be the director of an initiative that will change things for individuals and families. it is a tremendous honor. when the 10-year plan was

adopted, it gave us hope. there were many great things happening in the city, but they were not codified and brought together in a manner that could present itself to agencies such as hud in washington and others. i would like to close and acknowledge those who did a spectacular job, george smith, a colleague and friend of mine who worked as a homeless liaison, mark, and in the -- andy. i go back 18 years and can name everybody who has done this job. i want to thank the department heads. i am ready to go to work. the best is yet to come. i have hope. [applause]

>> we're thrilled everybody is here. we could not be more thrilled at bevan's new role. i know he will do a great job for everybody. those of you would like to our -- a tour, that is going to begin now. we're going to start moving. [laughter] thank you, all. ♪