“Manny’s LIVE” Debuts Tuesday, June 16 at 6pm with SFPD Chief Bill Scott & District Attorney Chesa Boudin
Media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com
“Manny’s LIVE” Debuts Tuesday, June 16 at 6pm
with SFPD Chief Bill Scott & District Attorney Chesa Boudin
New Interactive Series Airs Every Tuesday & Thursday
bringing together civic and political leaders
Episodes will air on the Manny’s Facebook and YouTube Pages
Manny’s Restarts Onsite Service with Curbside Dining June 16.
Manny’s Marketplace begins June 20 & Manny’s Musical Sundays starts June 21
15 June 2020 – San Francisco, CA: After three COVID-19 enforced months of virtual program, Manny’s at 3092 16th Street at Valencia (www.welcometomannys.com) returns to live, in-person service this week with outdoor curbside dining and three new initiatives: Manny’s LIVE, Manny’s Marketplace and Manny’s Musical Sundays.
Manny’s LIVE, modeled after an in-studio television show, will bring together political and thought leaders for provocative discussions including audience participation. The program will run every Tuesday and Thursday at 6pm, and debut Tuesday, June 16 with a discussion between San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott and District Attorney Chesa Boudin about the path forward on police reform.
Manny’s Marketplace, beginning June 20, will run every Saturday from 12pm – 5pm and will involve the transformation of the space into a marketplace where will be able to shop fora variety of goods ranging from arts and crafts, clothing and accessories, plants and books, and other products created by local Bay Area merchants.
Manny’s Musical Sundays will be broadcast from every Sunday at 5pm starting June 21 on Instagram and Facebook Live with 100% of proceeds going to participating local musical artists.
“Manny’s was created to be a space for political discourse, activism and advocacy for social justice,” says Manny Yekutiel, 30, who founded and runs the eponymous community engagement space and café dubbed “the New Hampshire of California” (KCBS Radio) for its hosting of myriad political events including hosting 17 Democratic presidential candidates. “For three months, we’ve been in the understandable COVID cocoon. Now, we’re ready to fly again and welcome people back to our space at 16th and Valencia.”
Manny’s LIVE will bring together civic and political leaders from all over the country and engage with them on the tough questions of the moment. Episodes will air on the Manny’s Facebook and YouTube Pages. After each live show there will be a post-show event called “The Break Room” where a set of professional activist facilitators will lead small group discussions in zoom breakout rooms with viewers to take what they just heard and turn it into action.
“The purpose of Manny’s LIVE will be to continue our work to civically engage the community and to humanize politics,” says Yekutiel. “The series will focus on current events and issues, winning the 2020 presidential election, flipping the Senate, and rebuilding the country after November.”
As a reaction and aide to retail spaces that have been shuttered all over the Bay Area and artists suddenly with no paying gigs or audience, leaving both groups n a limb of economic uncertainty, Yekutiel has developed the Manny’s Marketplace and Manny’s Musical Sundays concepts.
“We will be supporting local and diverse vendors to sell out of our beautiful space. No fee for them, just respect and community. Also, music is vital to the Manny’s experience. Manny’s Musical Sundays is how we are lending a hand to musicians who have been affected by the cancellation of events and the closure of venues following the COVID-19 pandemic. As a community space in the Mission, Manny’s would like to provide a physical space for local artists to showcase their talents and an opportunity to resume their work.”
Musicians interested in participating and showcasing their musical talent as part of Manny’s Musical Sundays should email jupiter@welcometomannys.com.
Also beginning this week, outdoor dining opens at Manny’s with fresh produce provided by the nonprofit Farming Hope.
“Every dollar you spend on food goes to support Farming Hope’s non-profit kitchen at Manny’s which hires and trains formerly homeless and incarcerated individuals and places them into full time jobs when they graduate,” says Yekutiel. “Support Farming Hope at https://farminghope.org/donate/ and order ahead if you’d like at www.mannysmoment.com.”
Since opening its doors on Election Night 2018, Manny’s has become an epicenter of community involvement, dialogue and civic engagement having served over 50,000 people, staged over 400 events, donated space to more than 150 area nonprofits and charities by hosting 17 presidential candidates. Also, besides receiving copious media and public attention, Manny’s was recognized for his above-and-beyond achievements by the California State Senate as “Small Business of the Year.”
Manny’s is a people powered, community focused meeting and learning place in the heart of San Francisco that combines a restaurant, political bookshop, and civic events space. Manny’s goal: to create a central and affordable place to become a better informed and more involved citizen. Manny’s offers its events space to nonprofits, activists and civic organizations to spread their message and do their work as well as hosting its own civic and arts related programming. Manny’s kitchen is run by the non-profit, Farming Hope, which hires formerly homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals and trains them in the food skills needed to work in the restaurant industry.