On Saturday, September 21st, the San José Public Library Foundation hosted its first ever Signature Author Event featuring the renowned celebrity from hit show Yan Can Cook, Chef Martin Yan. This inaugural event raised significant funds and awareness for the San José Public Library while providing guests with a truly memorable culinary experience. 

Want to see the event in action and learn more about its impact? Check out our official recap video and curated collection of media coverage to see how our first ever Signature Author Event made headlines! 

About Chef Yan

“If Yan Can Cook, So Can You!” has always been the motto of Chef Martin Yan! With his extraordinaire, popular television host of more than 3,500 culinary and travel TV shows and author of 34 cookbooks including his brand-new cookbooks – “Martin Yan’s Best of Yan Can Cook” and “MY Asian Kitchen”. He is one of the most recognizable Chinese Chef in the culinary world, from Shanghai to San Francisco, with a career spanning over four decades. Promoting Chinese and Asian cuisines, making the food easy for the cook has been his life-long mission. 

His award-winning public television series, Yan Can Cook, airing since 1978, has introduced generations of audiences to Chinese and Asian cuisines.  Chef Yan has received numerous awards and recognitions including the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022, and the lifetime achievement award from the International Association of Cooking Professionals. He was also honored with the 2023 Culinary Excellence Award at the Sonoma International Film Festival. 

Never the one to rest on his laurels, Chef Yan has remained an active international food and cultural ambassador. He roams the world working with home chefs and top chefs to entertain and educate the public, sharing his unique humor and strong passion for cooking. 

Join the Wave Goodbye to Fines 

We are thrilled to announce a significant milestone in our ongoing advocacy for equitable access to library services: the City of San José has officially gone fines free for all age groups for the year! This momentous change means that San José Public Library users will no longer face late fines, removing a significant barrier to accessing the Library’s vast resources. 

Why Going Fines Free Matters 

Fines have long been a topic of debate in the library community. While they were initially implemented to encourage the timely return of materials, over time, it has become clear that they do more harm than good. People from all income levels incur late fines at about the same rate. However, late fines can disproportionately affect low-income families, children, and other vulnerable populations, creating financial burdens and deterring library use.  

By going fines free, the City of San José joins over 270 library systems across the country, including our neighbors in Santa Clara County, San Francisco, and Oakland. This crucial step ensures that everyone in our community has equal access to the knowledge, resources, and opportunities that the library provides. 

The Impact of Going Fines Free in the City of San José 

By removing financial barriers, more residents can take advantage of the library’s services, from borrowing books and accessing digital resources to participating in educational programs and community events. This change aligns with our focus of driving digital empowerment, enabling lifelong learning, building the workforce, and promoting diverse arts and culture. 

However, this fines-free policy is only secured for this fiscal year. The urgency to expand our advocacy work remains, as we aim to secure a fines-free future for years to come. 

Join the Advocacy Wave 

It is important to understand the victory of SJPL going fines free this year in the context of an unfavorable budget environment that will persist for some time. San José is projected to face a deficit of roughly $80 million over the next five years, meaning that more cuts to programs supported through the city’s General Fund are likely to be proposed. Nearly 80% of the Library’s budget comes from the General Fund, and most of these expenditures fund staff positions in critical public services. For Library advocates, this means two things: 

• We must significantly expand our advocacy work in the year to come. 

• We must pace ourselves in the interest of enacting a prolonged, year-round advocacy effort. 

We invite you to “join the advocacy wave” that SJPLF is growing. Sign up for our monthly advocacy newsletter, which offers educational resources and notifications about opportunities to advocate for important issues like fines-free policies. Together, we can continue to drive positive change and ensure that our library remains a beacon of knowledge and opportunity for all. 

Thank you for your support and commitment to our mission. Together, we are making a lasting difference in the lives of San José residents. 

In addition to the lessons that he taught and the impact he made, Shalom also gained valuable knowledge and connections during his time with the Resilience Corps. Each month, he attended Professional Development workshops hosted by the Resilience Corps which covered career-related topics such as resumé building, personal branding, and interviewing skills. The RCAs were also brought onto corporate campuses and introduced to professionals working in fields that they aspire to enter. This allows for mentorship relations to happen and invaluable networking opportunities with companies in Silicon Valley. As someone with ADHD, Shalom felt seen and encouraged when he met a business professional from a major tech company who had similar struggles. Shalom was inspired by the person’s intelligence and how he preserved regardless of his learning disability. Having been in and worked within the special education system proved to be a foundational part of Shalom’s experience that allowed him the comfortability and desire to grow in his classroom management and teaching skills. Shalom became even more confident and comfortable with teaching amongst the various learning styles and abilities of his students, because of mentors and workshops he attended as an RCA.  

Shalom’s goal is to go back to college after the program to support himself and his family using the skills and character development that he mastered throughout his time in the Resilience Corps Program. “As an RCA, I’m really happy to know that I’m making an impact on some people’s lives whether they’re kids, whether they’re my peers, or just in general, people that come across working as an RCA,” says Shalom. The Resilience Corps program has helped give Shalom and many others the tools to be better prepared for the future and reach realistic and informed goals. The Resilience Corps Program seeks out young adults with big hearts and even bigger aspirations who are passionate about personal and professional growth as well as serving the San José youth. Learn more about how to get involved and support Resilience Corps, so more young adults like Shalom can enter the workspace more experienced and more confident than before.