Support BrazilianFestSF, an Admission-Free Festival in SF

Hi all,

I created a festival in my neighborhood in San Francisco to work on some issues that I continue to see in my clinical practice as a side effect of the recent pandemic (anxiety, depression, trauma, social isolation, difficulty socializing, hopelessness, among others). The festival is inclusive, admission-free, family-friendly, it takes place outdoors (fresh air and vitamin D), in a public space (providing opportunity to connect with a neighborhood, practice sports, move), it has been happening once a month since July of 2024, and so far we have had more than 1.3 k RSVPs.

The goal of this project is to get people out in a public space, socialize, shake hands and make friends, move, eat, learn something new, learn about other cultures, create connections, meaningful experiences, expand their support system. And I am using my culture of origin as a way to make this happen. Brazilian culture is vibrant and the rhythms are contagious. Some of the activities that we have been offering are dance classes, ping-pong, pickleball, soccer, basketball, jump rope, hopscotch, live music, and live performances with local artist. Research shows that when people have supports, move, eat well, are keeping their minds curious, have things to look forward to, feel like they belong in a group, they are more stable physically, mentally and emotionally. And preventive care is definitely less expensive than remediative care.

This is the first year of the festival, grants and sponsorships have been sought, a lot of nos have been received, and other than a few close friends' support, so far I am the one funding this project.

So, I already broke my piggy bank to fund this project and need help replenishing it.

Thank you so much for your support! Obrigada!

You can check out the festival on Instagram: brazilianfestsf