The Launch of Faces of Santa Clara | Our People. Our Stories. Our City.
What makes a city?
Its buildings? Its landmarks? Its technology? Its history?
Ultimately, a city is its people.
On August 31st, Faces of Santa Clara launched with the premiere of Chapter One. Faces of Santa Clara is a community storytelling project celebrating the people, stories, achievements, cultures, and community spirit that make Santa Clara unique.
Made possible through a grant from the City of Santa Clara under the Where the Mission Meets the Moment initiative, this project brings together faces and places, past and present, through four themes:
Innovation & Technology
Sports & Olympians
Arts & Culture
Civic Leadership & Community
From innovators shaping our future and athletes who have represented Santa Clara on the world stage, to artists, civic leaders, volunteers, families, and everyday residents who strengthen our community, every face carries a story, and every story becomes part of the story of Santa Clara.
Faces of Santa Clara is not a selection of the “most important” people in our city, nor is this first video intended to be a complete representation of everyone who has contributed to Santa Clara.
This is only the beginning — the first chapter, not the whole book.
The faces in this first video help us begin the conversation. There are countless other people, past and present, whose lives, work, service, creativity, and memories are part of Santa Clara’s story.
Who are the Faces of Santa Clara?
Who should we remember?
Whose story should we preserve?
Whose face should be part of the next chapter?
We hope this project will encourage our community to help discover, preserve, and share those stories — from longtime residents and newcomers to young people and seniors, pioneers and volunteers, community leaders and everyday neighbors whose contributions may never have been recorded.
Because the history of a city is not only found in buildings or archives. It lives in the memories, experiences, dreams, and faces of its people.
Faces of Santa Clara Project Team
Diana Ding
Ana Vargas-Smith
Preston Metcalf
Esther Rubin
Shawn Williams
Nina Liu
Video Editing & Post-Production:
Dong Jiang
Diana Ding said at the launch of Faces of Santa Clara:
“I have been a storyteller for most of my professional life. Through Ding Ding TV and Silicon Valley Community Media, I have spent many years listening to people because I deeply believe in the power of storytelling.
I thought I knew Santa Clara pretty well. But during this project, I listened to Preston talk about the Triton Museum, learned history from former Mayor Gary Gillmor, and heard stories about our innovators, athletes, artists, civic leaders, and community members.
I realized:There is so much about Santa Clara that I still didn’t know.
How many more stories have we never heard? How many could disappear if we don’t tell them?That is where Faces of Santa Clara began.
What makes Santa Clara, Santa Clara?
We can talk about technology, sports, arts, and achievements. But behind all of them are people — and everyone has a story. What you are about to see is not a complete history of Santa Clara, nor a selection of its “most important” people. It is simply our first chapter…
My hope is that residents, students, families, our library, museums, schools, and community organizations can help discover and preserve these stories.
The Face of Santa Clara does not need to be famous. It could be an engineer, teacher, small-business owner, public servant, volunteer, a mother — or someone who quietly made our community better.If we tell these stories today, future generations will know not only what happened in Santa Clara, but who made it happen…
As you watch, please ask:“Who is missing? Whose story should we know?”
Because the answer to “Who are the Faces of Santa Clara?” should come from all of us.
This is our first chapter. Help us write the chapters that come next.”
With Appreciation
Our sincere thanks to the City of Santa Clara for making this project possible through the Where the Mission Meets the Moment initiative, and for supporting community storytelling, civic engagement, and the celebration of Santa Clara’s people.
Special thanks to the City Manager’s Office, Mayor and City Council, Economic Development & Marketing Committee, and Triton Museum of Art, as well as the many community organizations, interviewees, residents, photographers, and contributors who shared their stories, photographs, archival materials, and memories with us.
Most of all, thank you to the people of Santa Clara — whose faces, stories, ideas, cultures, service, and dreams make this city what it is.
Our People. Our Stories. Our City.
And this is only the beginning.
Who will be the next Face of Santa Clara?