Issue link: http://ihouse.uberflip.com/i/1010561
International House Times 9 Would you like to reunite with I-House friends? The Office of Alumni Relations can help. Email ihalumni@berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-4128. at I-House San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee Mayor Ed Lee will be fondly remembered by the UC Berkeley and International House communities. San Francisco's first Asian American mayor, and the man who presided over San Francisco's transformation during the recent tech boom, passed away on December 12, 2017 Born in Seattle, the fourth of six children of immigrant parents, Lee grew up in housing projects. He won a scholarship to Bowdoin College in Maine and then went to UC Berkeley Law School. As a law student and intern at the Asian Law Caucus in 1978, he represented residents of the Ping Yuen public housing complex, who were angry over unsafe and unsanitary conditions in the first tenant rent strike against the San Francisco Housing Authority. He is remembered by many as someone who loved the community and had a great sense of humor. We were honored to have Mayor Lee's participation in the Chengdu Cultural Festival at I-House on November 2, 2017. A s part of the "Chengdu Days" around the Bay Area, I-House was selected to host part of the Chengdu Cultural Festival, celebrating the city of Chengdu, China, and showcasing an evening of Sichuan cuisine and entertainment on November 2, 2017. I-House guests, residents, and UC Berkeley students and staff indulged in a special Sichuan cooking demonstration with celebrity chef Martin Yan, Chinese dancers, and opera performers. Chefs from Chengdu worked with the I-House culinary team to create a delicious Sichuan meal for all festival guests and I-House residents to enjoy. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and his wife, Anita, were instrumental in establishing San Francisco and Chengdu as Friendship Cities. e first Chengdu Food and Culture Festival took place in San Francisco in 2016. is led to further cultural exchanges between the two cities. Due to their support, the event expanded to a two-week celebration. In 2017, there was an opening night gala at San Francisco City Hall, hosted by Mayor Ed Lee. Chengdu Days events at I-House and various Bay Area technology companies were a great success. As the capital of Sichuan, Chengdu is the shining star in fast-growing Western China. More than just a business hub, Chengdu is an artistic and cultural center with over 2300 years of continuous history. e city was home to many of China's best-known scholars, painters, and poets. Chengdu is also famous for its local cuisine and has been named UNESCO's first City of Gastronomy in Asia. Last, but not least, Chengdu is home to the lovable giant pandas. Chengdu Food & Culture Festival Chef Martin Yan demonstrates his cooking expertise Photos by Lori Cheung