 I'm Monica Herbert. I have a little bit of a cold, so apologies for that. And I'm originally from New Jersey, moved here in 1989, and basically with just a couple of years and back to New Jersey or in a different place in the city I've lived in the Western Edition. So that's really my home here in San Francisco. So my second question was going to be describe your ties to the Western Edition. So I see that it's your home, but can you describe your ties more detail and what your experience living here has been like? It's been, well one of the biggest ties to the Western Edition is my son. My son was born here. Actually I had a home birth in the apartment that we're still living in. He's 28 years old now. So that's a big tie for me to the Western Edition. I love the environment. It's a very diverse, almost bohemian kind of environment where you'll find people who do all different kinds of, or involve in all different kinds of activities. You'll find young and old, Russian, Japanese, African American, Latino. So it's a really diverse environment. Although I have to say it's been changing I would say over the next decade. Over the last decade it's been more, well as with everywhere in the city there's been a real influx of people who are more involved with the tech industry. There's been a lot more traffic. So those are some things that have happened that have really changed the tenor of the Western Edition. I'm going to ask, what brought you to the Western Edition in the first place? How did you end up here out of all the neighborhoods in the city? Well, when I moved here I originally was living in Hercules, California with a friend from college and her family. And I had another, I knew someone who lived here through a friend back in New York City who knew of a place on McAllister Street that was available. And so I met with the landlady and that's the place that I'm living in now. And what brought you to San Francisco from New Jersey? I had this idea of going to law school which very much fell by the wayside. I just got caught up in, I guess, making money or making a living. It's a journey. I'm still kind of finding myself, what I want to be, what I want to do with my life. I forgot to mention I'm 63 years old so I'm really hopeful for the future in that I've got a lot of good years left to really bring something to the world. And do you see yourself in the Western Edition long term? Or I know you mentioned some of the changes that's been happening. Do you see that as a positive or a negative or what are your thoughts? I think it can be a positive thing if we work together and work with government and developers to make sure that there is affordable housing for everyone. I really like the Western Edition. I can't really see myself living anyplace else. On the other hand I do really miss the East Coast. So I do see myself moving back to the East Coast, New Jersey, New York. Sometime I would say within the next couple of years, maybe even sooner. But then again I've been saying that for like 10 years. But I do miss the East Coast a lot. What are your fondest memories of the Western Edition? I would say, well, coming to the library of course is a really fond memory. This again is kind of like my home away from home. I love to sit out in the courtyard when it's sunny. It's really a very special place. I don't know. I think just being out, we're fortunate in my apartment building to have a backyard, so just sitting out in the backyard enjoying the plants. I don't know, I guess just being around all of this green. The Western Edition is a very green part of the city and I really appreciate that. So I think that's what... I don't know that I have a specific memory that I kind of associate as being my fondest, but just a general overall contentment with being here. You said you are still working on yourself, searching for yourself. What are some things that you enjoy doing right now? Well, I do a lot of volunteering. So I really enjoy that. I volunteer for a number of arts organizations, nonprofits in the city, flyaway productions, Wee Players, also SF Film. So I really enjoy that. I just finished a weaving class at City College and that's something that I really enjoy. I enjoy textiles and I'm hoping to go further in that. I really enjoy taking classes and I've taken a number of theater classes with ACT and Berkeley Rep. I enjoy going to plays and movies. So those are the kinds of things that I do in my spare time when I'm not working or trying to make money. And what do you say San Francisco has a vibrant arts community? I think that in terms of theater, it's hard to find what's happening in theater because it's so kind of all over the place. But I think there is a lot of good theater out there. I really love landmark theaters and the programs that they put on in terms of film programming. And I'm not that in touch with SF MoMA and Legion of Honor and Asian Art Museum and those kinds of things, but I do, because of my volunteering, I've been able to tap into some smaller, more unique kinds of arts installations and exhibitions, which is really fun to do. Again, it's hard to really get a handle on what's happening because it's so widespread. Can you name a project that you really enjoyed working on, volunteering for? I really enjoy working with flyway productions. They just finished a piece called The Wait Room, which is the first part of a trilogy called Decarceration, which is about dismantling the prison industrial complex. And what I really enjoy about working with them is that not only are the founder, Joe Crider, who is also artistic director and choreography and the dancers, not only are they so creative and the set designer and the lighting designer and the music designer, but everything that they do speaks to bringing to the fore a social justice issue, which I feel is really important. And it's only through art that I feel that we're going to be able to make progressive change and bring these issues to the population in a way that they can really understand and empathize and really feel what's happening. I'm really glad you mentioned that because I think some people don't understand the importance of the art, so you really put that eloquently. This brings me to my last question, which you already kind of touched upon it, but what are your hopes and dreams for either yourself personally or for the community, the Western Edition and the city as a whole? Better Muni. But I feel that, as I said before, we all work together, and I know that sounds pretty, it sounds like a trope almost, but I really feel that we need to really walk in another person's shoes and really understand that we are all in this together and it is possible to house people affordably, to house everyone, children should not go hungry, and these are things that are happening. We should have healthcare, community spaces that are accessible, easily accessible for all that are throughout the city, and everyone should have the opportunity to realize their dreams in life, whether it's in a creative sphere or a business sphere or whatever they want to do every child. Oh, a better education system. That is, again, free and accessible and of good quality for all. I think those are basic needs which basically the country was founded on and I think really needs to get back to as opposed to the going with the capitalist kind of model about where is the most profit. I'm glad you mentioned the importance of walking in another person's shoes and this is what this project is all about. I do share the same hopes as you. And for me, I want to be more creative, give myself the opportunity and the space to do that. So those are some of my hopes for myself over the next however many years I have. Maybe one day I can own an original Monica Herbert's weave textile. Definitely, definitely. Well, thank you Monica. Well, thank you for the opportunity.