San Jose residents showing off their creativity in April

San Jose’s Office of Cultural Affairs would love the city’s residents to show off their creativity for 10 minutes a day this month as part of the “We Create 408” challenge.

Not sure what that could mean? No problem. You can sign up at the wecreate408.org website and receive a daily prompt with an idea to unleash your creativity. So far, they’ve included things like sharing a short video to introduce yourself, drawing a building or landmark and taking a photo of one of the city’s many murals (or planning one of your own).

Kerry Adams Hapner, the city’s director of cultural affairs, says creativity helps us grow and provides a sense of well-being. “But what’s amazing about creative expression is how it can bring us closer to our friends, to our families, to neighbors and even to strangers,” she said. “Especially during COVID 19, it’s this sense of connection that so many of us crave and need now more than ever.”

And if you need more than a daily prompt to feel that connectivity, there’s an online kickoff event April 8 at 7 p.m. It’ll include a bilingual poetry workshop with Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo, a lino-block printing and papermaking demo with Cynthia Cao and Michelle Wilson; a virtual salsa dance lesson with CityDance San Jose instructor Sandy Chao; and a conversation about creativity with Demone Carter and Chris Esparza. You can register for the Zoom link at wecreate408.org.

If this sounds familiar that’s because a similar effort took place in October 2019, with more than 1,000 people and groups participating. This time around, more than two dozen groups of various stripes — including MACLA, the San Jose Chamber Orchestra, the School of Visual Philosophy, the New Ballet and the Tech Interactive — have partnered with the office of cultural affairs on the different challenges, which can all be shared with the hashtag #WeCreate408. And it’s never too late to get started; a “catch up” day is planned for Saturday, April 10.

GROWING PARTNERSHIP: Last Saturday, volunteers from the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition teamed up with San Jose community farm Veggielution to deliver fresh produce to East San Jose residents through the farm’s Eastside Connect program.

Eastside Connect was launched a little over a year ago as an emergency measure to get fresh fruit and veggies to low-income residents who were being hit hard by the pandemic. It has since grown into a vital connection between Veggielution and more than 300 people and families who are served by the farm boxes, hot meals and the nonprofit’s farm stand at Emma Prusch Farm Park on King and Story roads.

With this new partnership, the Bicycle Coaltion’s riders get together on the first Saturday of the month to help pack the boxes and deliver them on bikes. The two-wheeled delivery method is more environmentally friendly than using the farm’s truck, and both sides hope to be able to provide the deliveries by bike every week. If you want to register to help out, go to bikesiliconvalley.org/eastsideconnect.

MAN OF A CENTURY (PLUS ONE): Famed San Jose State judo coach Yosh Uchida celebrated his 101st birthday last week with a couple of special events, including a Zoom call organized by his family last Thursday and a small gathering on Saturday.

You might remember there was supposed to be a huge celebration for his centennial last spring at the Fairmont Hotel in downtown San Jose, but the coronavirus pandemic forced its cancellation (and postponed the Tokyo Olympics, which he was also planning to attend). Once it’s safe for everyone to attend things in person again, I’m assured there’ll be two birthdays worth of celebrations for Uchida.