If a street fair could be personified, it would be Pablo Heising. With his hippie long hair, Pablo was not only full of life, energy and passion, but he also had the ability to bring the entire community together and entertain his audience with stories from his rich life.
The vast depth of that life included leading him to Asian Pacific America.
When it became clear that there was widespread community support to hold a street fair that reflected the diversity of San Francisco’s Asian and Pacific Islander populations, organizers had one huge problem: No one knew how to organize such an event.
Fortunately, Eva Lee, the founder of Chinatown’s Autumn Moon Festival Street Fair, quickly suggested tapping into Pablo’s years of experience.
Pablo guided a pan-Asian team of diverse backgrounds and ethnicities to launch the first ever Asian Heritage Street Celebration. The AHSC immediately became the largest one-day all-Asian event in America.
Now approaching its third year, the Asian Heritage Street Celebration promotes the city’s public schools system, raises money to support nonprofit community organizations, and is playing a role in the assemblage of Asian Pacific American identity.
Pablo also represented another goal of the AHSC, which is to bring Asian Pacific America to all Americans. It is not enough for our community to interact only within our community. It is our basis as Americans to share our APA heritage with all fellow citizens.
That’s the kind of diversity and outreach that guided Pablo’s life. He served as executive director for events in two other legendary San Francisco neighborhoods as well: the Haight Ashbury Street Fair and the Castro Street Fair.
In our community, he also developed a professional relationship with the Japantown Merchants Association and had input into the Pistahan Parade and Festival.
San Francisco lost a part of itself, when Pablo Heising died of a heart attack while having coffee at his favorite café on Dec. 20, 2006. He was 61 years old.
Asian Pacific America lost a part of ourselves with Pablo’s passing, too. His travels with our community and his endless love of the Pacific Islands, made him an honorary Asian American.
“A Celebration of Pablo Heising” will be held on Feb. 25, at the Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco.