specifically in terms of bringing this idea forward and working with the city departments to ensure that we have a wonderful new year's in chinatown. thank you so much. [ applause ] >> and stockton corridor, mayor bus corridor, mayor major work to ensure that they run on time and a huge partner mta, ed reiskin is not here, but bond yee is here as they were last year. bond, would you come up and say a few years, please.&good morning everyone. on behalf of my colleague as the sfmta, we need the cooperation of everyone, pedestrians, merchants, the motorists and everyone else who uses the streets. so looking

forward to another successful two weeks. happy new year. [ applause ] >> thank you, bond. as you heard, it's a huge partnership on stockton street, there are many, many merchants, but representing the merchant group and someone that we have worked with in all details, making sure that the barricades are in the correct space, making sure that all the merchants understand what the rules are, making sure that everyone knows how things are going to work. if there are complaints, who to go to? our partner in the community, pius lee. >> thank you. mayor ed lee, supervisor david chiu, president of the board of supervisors. dpw mohammed, ladies and gentlemen on behalf of chinatown neighborhood association and merchants of stockton street, we want to

thank you for your support and also especially our commissioner bennie. our chinatown chamber of commerce is here. and chinatown merchants association for their understanding, cooperation and joint effort to help the chinese community continue a long standing cultural traditional program. the chinatown sidewalk merchants display program from january 26th through february 9. as you may know that it is the chinese tradition and custom throughout the world, merchants would close their businesses for the first seven days to celebrate the chinese new year. that is why mayor lee announced

today the sidewalk merchant day program. it's for the those in the bay area to come to chinatown and prepare for the chinese new year for their families' parties. under the leadership of our director mohammed, all the merchants have been well-instructed on how to comply with all the sidewalk rules. last year the pilot program, we had experienced some problems, but now we are confident that we will do a much better job this year and i can guarantee you, mr. mayor, supervisor, director, we will do a much better job. thank you for all of your help. thank you.

>> thank you, pius. [ applause ] >> i'm going to ask henry low from the chinese benevolent association. >> thank you. happy new year. i have been in chinatown for a long time, and this year, it seems to be different, you know? everything seems to be more prepared, and more orderly

fashion. this year, the new year will be much more progress and hopefully. thank you very much. [ applause ] >> so all the details you have. this saturday, the crews will be out, seting up for the chinese new year. it's a great time for the families to be out. happy new year!

>> we came to seven straight about 10 years ago. -- 7th street about 10 years ago. the environment is huge.

it is stronger than willpower. surrounding yourself with artists, being in a culture where artists are driving, and where a huge amount of them is a healthy environment. >> you are making it safer. push, push. that is better. when i start thinking, i see it actually -- sometimes, i do not see it, but when i do, it is usually from the inside out. it is like watching something being spawned. you go in, and you begin to work, excavate, play with the dancers, and then things began to emerge. you may have a plan that this is what i want to create. here are the ideas i want to play with, but then, you go into

the room, and there maybe some fertile ideas that are becoming manifest that are more interesting than the idea you had initially set out to plan. so there has to be this openness for spontaneity. also, a sense that regardless of the deadline, that you have tons of time so the you can keep your creativity alive and not cut it off and just go into old habits. it is a lot like listening. really listening to watch what is going to emerge. i like this thing where you put your foot on his back. let's keep it. were your mind is is how you build your life. if you put it in steel or in failure, it works. that works. it is a commitment. for most artists, it is a vacation and a life that they

have committed themselves to. there is this notion that artists continue to do their work because of some kind of the external financial support. if that was taken away, artists would still do their art. it is not like there is a prerequisite for these things to happen or i will not do it. how could that be? it is the relationship that you have committed to. it is the vocation. no matter how difficult it gets, you are going to need to produce your art. whether it is a large scale or very small scale. the need to create is going to happen, and you are going to have to fulfill it because that is your life. is your life.

before, addiction and depression kept me from living my life. and now, every step i take in recovery benefits everyone. there are many options that make the road to recovery more accessible. it begins with the first step. join the voices for recovery. for information and treatment referral for you or someone you love, call 1-800-662-help. brought to you by the u.s. department of health and human services.