CANTONESE COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES

Living with
extreme heat

Everyday experiences. Shared knowledge. Practical possibilities.

San Leandro | Listening session: August 19, 2026

Community findings and proposals for discussion
English edition | October 2026

WELCOME

Carrying the
conversation forward

Heat changes ordinary life: a meal, an errand, a night of sleep, a visit with a friend.

On August 19, Cantonese-speaking community members gathered in San Leandro to talk about very hot weather. They brought experiences from home, work, travel, and the places where they spend time. Some experiences also came from elsewhere in the Bay Area or beyond.

This booklet brings those accounts to community members, San Leandro 2050 (SL2050), the City, and the Extreme Heat Grant advisory. It recognizes residents' knowledge and the conditions that make managing heat harder.

The session was facilitated by Sky Woo and Kit Wong of the Second Language Project within the SL2050 and City extreme-heat engagement effort. This is one listening session's contribution to the larger conversation.

How to read it
Community experiences: pages 7-22.
What the findings suggest: pages 23-28.
Evidence, sources, and acknowledgments: pages 29-31.

AT A GLANCE

What the session
helps us understand

Residents are already adapting. Public responses can make that effort easier.

Heat reaches into the home. Some participants described hot rooms, disrupted sleep, and difficult cooking conditions. Others had comparatively comfortable homes.

Choices depend on circumstances. Moving errands to a cooler hour helps when schedules allow it. Cooling equipment helps when it is available, effective, and affordable to use.

A cool destination must be usable. People discussed libraries, community spaces, shops, and other familiar places. Comfort, seating, hours, cost, and the journey all matter.

Useful shade needs thoughtful design. Residents valued trees and shade while raising questions about tree size, roots, placement, and responsibility.

Information and care travel through relationships. Phones, Chinese-language media, community networks, family, and friends all appeared in the record.