I strolled through Christmas in the Park during the past week to check out four new additions to downtown San Jose’s cherished holiday display. The recent arrivals aren’t animatronic elves or a grove of decorated trees but four colorful murals that explore different perspectives of the holiday.
Francisco Ramirez’s “The Joy of Christmas” captures that gleeful moment of receiving a gift (and his son was the model for the artwork); Alyssarhaye Graciano, a fiber artist born and raised in San Jose, worked with her dad on an elegant mural, “Magandang Gabi Mga Bituin” (Goodnight Stars), that she says helped her connect with the Filipino side of her cultural heritage; Alyssa Wigant, who is well known for typography-based artwork, also leaned into her culture with “Maligayang Pasko,” which translates to “Merry Christmas” in Tagalog; and John Barrick, also born and raised in San Jose, set his sights on nostalgia, with a postcard-style mural called “Noel” featuring a whimsical snowman.
“Being able to contribute to Christmas in the Park has been a dream of mine since I was a kid,” Barrick said in a statement. “It’s amazing that now I can bring my family, and they can see something that I’ve done. It’s mind- blowing.”
Christmas in the Park partnered with the nonprofit Local Color on the murals, which will decorate the blank barrier walls at the southern end of Plaza de Cesar Chavez through Jan. 2. Christmas in the Park Managing Director Debbie Degutis said she knew immediately that Local Color was a good fit with the nonprofit because of their emphasis on making sure the artists got paid for their work and supplies.
She hopes to keep the program growing and covering more walls year after year. “The only thing stopping us is funding,” she said. “We hope the community appreciates the artwork, and we can double in size next year.”
“The Joy of Christmas,” by artist Francisco Ramirez, is one of four new murals organized by Local Color that are on display at Christmas in the Park in downtown San Jose through Jan. 2, 2024. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)
CHAMBER CHANGES: The San Jose Chamber of Commerce selected Leah Toeniskoetter as its new CEO, succeeding Derrick Seaver, who went into academia by taking a teaching job at an East Bay private school in August. Toeniskoetter is no stranger to San Jose or its businesses, of course, having worked for her family’s construction company as well as for the accounting firm Deloitte. She was also the founding director of SPUR San Jose, giving her a solid foundation in understanding the city’s urban landscape, and a former board chair of the Valley Medical Center Foundation.
Toeniskoetter is also an avid cyclist, and that’s where she was when the announcement about her hiring was released Thursday: on a cycling trip in Chile. She’ll be back in plenty of time to take over the position on Jan. 2 from interim CEO Tony Mirenda and begin working with NINICO Communications CEO Nicholas Adams, who was elected as the Chamber’s incoming board chair, succeeding Dee Ann Harn.
MOVING RIGHT ALONG: After 30 years advocating for cyclists with the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, Sunnyvale resident Tim Oey has retired from his formal roles with the organization. And to honor his impact, the coalition created the Tim Oey-L (pronounced “wheel”) Award to present to the outstanding volunteer of the year. Oey, of course, gets to take home the first one in recognition of his three decades as a member of the coalition’s board and staff as well as his volunteering (all while having a career in tech while raising a family with his wife, Patty). SVBC Communications Director Scott Brown conducted an in-depth interview with Oey filled with tidbits about his history with the organization that you can read on their website, bikesiliconvalley.org.
Another retirement coming at the end of the year will see Roy Hirabayashi stepping down as director of the Mulitcultural Arts Leadership Institute at the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose. Hirabayashi, who was also the co-founder of San Jose Taiko in 1973, has worked with the School of Arts and Culture for the past 12 years, including serving as its board chair. The MALI program will continue, though, and a search for a new director is underway.
CREATIVE COHORT: The city of San Jose has announced its new class of Creative Ambassadors for 2024, who will have the opportunity to produce a project that invites residents to get involved and spotlights the city’s cultural diversity. There have been 19 Creative Ambassadors, including this year’s group, since the program’s start in 2019. We’ll keep you updated on projects starting next spring from dancer and educator Alice Hur; multidisciplinary artist Pantea Karimi; artist and author Deborah Kenney; mixed media artist Rayos Magos; and poet Yosimar Reyes.
SPARTANS GO HAWAIIAN: San Jose State’s football team is hoping for a lot of fans to join them for a tropical Christmas this year as the team plays Coastal Carolina in the Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 23. And there’s going to be plenty to do for Spartan fans who make the trip, including a luau, a sunset dinner cruise and a pregame tailgate party. They’ll also be gathering at Maui Brewing Company in Waikiki to watch the SJSU men’s basketball team take on Santa Clara on Dec. 20 at the Event Center.
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Staying in San Jose for the holidays? San Jose State fans will be gathering at craft brewery Narrative Fermentation at 101 E. Alma Ave. to watch the 7:30 p.m. football bowl game.
