Shaping San Francisco

First Voice, Inc. is a San Francisco-based organization dedicated to storytelling, cultural heritage, and the artistic expression of the Japanese Diaspora. Founded by renowned Asian American storyteller Brenda Wong Aoki and jazz composer Mark Izu, First Voice has been a pivotal platform for community engagement and creative collaboration since 1976. The organization hosts various projects and events, including the annual Story Circle of the Japanese Diaspora, which fosters connection and healing among individuals of Japanese descent. First Voice is committed to uplifting voices through multidisciplinary performances that honor cultural narratives and promote resilience within the community. Generated from the website

The San Francisco Tour Guide Guild is a non-profit organization of professional tour guides and other members of the travel and hospitality industry who live or work in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our mission is to foster a standard of quality, ethics and professionalism among our members, using means such as continuing education and certification programs, and by setting forth a Code of Ethics and Professional Standards. We advocate for the advancement of tourism and the tour guide profession, and provide a liaison between tour guides and employers. Our goals and objective are to foster a standard of quality, ethics and professionalism among guides and escorts working in the San Francisco Bay Area. We do this through a certification program. We serve as a source for both the operator and the guide, providing the service of finding guides for tour operators, as well as offering programs of lectures and special events for the continuing education of the membership.