Founder of Viz Valley Community Center Celebrated

By Ji Hyun Lim
AsianWeek Staff Writer

Bayshore Boulevard, the main street of San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley, has its share of problems. The majority Chinese American population here face a lack of services and a high rate of crime. But lately, things have been getting better. Policemen patrol the streets, senior citizens walk to the nearest grocery store and pedestrians now feel safer.

Thanks to the two-year-old Asian Pacific American Community Center (APACC), led by founder Mabel Seto, the APA Chinese-speaking community now has a place to discuss community grievances.

APACC drew a crowd of some 40 people at a fundraising event and birthday celebration for Seto Aug. 31. Food and raffle drawings brought APA seniors and community leaders out on a Saturday afternoon. The goal of the fundraiser was to maintain and expand programs and services at APACC.

APACC serves 500 people — mostly low-income seniors — who are advised on how to find employment, receive benefits and apply for low-income housing. Seto, who has lived in Visitation Valley for the past 14 years, spends 60 percent of her time volunteering for the community. She became politically active two years ago when she attended city hall meetings to learn about the rights of community members.

Betty Chen (right) presents Mabel Seto with a proclamation from Assembly Leader Kevin Shelley.

Seto found volunteers to open a center that would serve as a bilingual information and referral center for the APAs in Visitation Valley. APACC now assists in housing, employment, voting questions and counseling service for monolingual Chinese community members.

She also helped San Francisco childcare providers apply and obtain employee benefits. And as the parent’s representative of Visitation Valley Elementary School, she succeeded in a creating a dialogue between school administrators and parents.

Classical music hummed in the background as guests flowed into the fundraising event. A buffet lunch was served as James Eng, board president and representative of Neighborhood and Family of Visitation Valley, spoke of Seto’s contributions to the monolingual Chinese community.

The bilingual presentation, translated in English by the executive director of APACC, Julie Yee, discussed Seto’s eight-year commitment to helping low-income, monolingual Chinese Americans in Visitation Valley.

In gratitude, Assembly Majority Leader Kevin Shelley’s representative Betty Chen presented Seto with a proclamation for her dedication and unparalleled effort of civic leadership to the community. Said Chen: “She is a hardworking person. She has put time and [her own] money to help the district. She encourages [the community] to vote and teaches them to be a part of the community. She’s a role model of any Chinese American woman.”

Deputy Chief of Police Heather Fong, Immigrant Rights Commissioner Houston Zheng, Joseph Lam of the mayor’s office and Officer Dominic Yin of the Ingleside District Police Force were also present.

“When I don’t train police officers, [Visitation Valley] is my footbeat,” Yin said. “It’s changed a lot. The drug issue’s gone. We set up a plain-clothes team [and also] check in once or twice a day [at the center] to see that everyone is OK. [Seto] serves as a voice of the community. It’s nice to see her acknowledged. She leads by example.”

The Asian Pacific American Community Center is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 415-587-2689.

Reach Ji Hyun Lim at jlim@asianweek.com.