The Japantown Rainbow Coalition is a group of Japantown community members organizing to raise the Pride Flag in S.F. Japantown’s Peace Plaza. Our group was convened by Elena Nielsen of the Japanese American Citizens League, San Francisco Chapter (S.F. JACL) and the 2023 Pride Flag Raising Project is sponsored by the S.F. JACL. Along with a flag raising ceremony during Queer Trans Asian Pacific Islander (QTAPI) Week leading into pride month, we are collaborating with other Japantown and LGBTQ+ organizations to bring programming focusing on the LGBTQ+ experiences of Nikkei in the San Francisco Bay Area. Currently, there are 3 flagpoles in S.F. Japantown’s Peace Plaza, each flying a flag representing a different part of S.F. Japantown’s identity: the San Francisco City flag, the Japanese flag, and the U.S. flag. San Francisco has long been known as an epicenter for LGBTQ+ rights and celebration, especially during the month of June, Pride Month. Japantown is supporting their LGBTQ+ community members and greater LGBTQ+ community in 2023 by joining the rest of the city in celebrating all of our intersecting identities. The Pride Flag will be replacing the San Francisco City flag from Friday, June 2nd to Monday, June 5th. Approval has been given by the City’s Department of Recreation & Parks. Please join us for a celebration of the Progress Pride flag raising on Sunday, June 4th from 12 pm in Japantown Peace Plaza (1610 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94118). Thank you to our various endorsing organizations, including but not limited to: Japanese American Religious Federation (JARF) Japantown Task Force (JTF) Japanese Community Youth Council (JCYC) Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (the Center)