MY TURN-I had mixed emotions about last week's article "The Summer of My Discontent". I was delighted that so many people read it, but somewhat discouraged that so many of you agreed with my "gripe list." I guess I was hoping for someone to show me where I was wrong.
But, interestingly enough, hope can be sparked by even negative circumstances. I don't usually include the comments I receive on "My Turn", but this one really stirred my thinking. It came from Yvonne Ellett, co-chair, Empowerment Congress West Area Neighborhood Development Council. ECWA represents the communities of Baldwin Hills Estates, Baldwin Village, Baldwin Vista, Cameo Plaza, Crenshaw Commercial District, Crenshaw Manor, Leimert Park, Village Green and Arlington Park.
For full disclosure I know Yvonne. I met her when I moderated a session at the Neighborhood Council Congress a few years ago.
She wowed both me and the audience with her clarity, measured tones and common sense approach to problems in her area. We have stayed in touch but like many of our civic volunteers she has an encompassing and demanding career which is never 9-5, as well as a husband and daughter with whom she enjoys spending time.
I want to share with you some of her email to me which she entitled "doggie days."
Hey, Denyse --
My mood these days is pretty much in line with yours. So, here's my gripe list:
1) Your #6 (street vending) pretty much sums up what's going on with our City government.
2) BONC makes new rules to keep NCs distracted.
3) If the City's not moving forward, why should anyone?
4) There's a fear for decision-making (pending the next election or appointment?).
5) In the meantime, housing becomes more unaffordable;
6) The sharing economy is presented as the City's big employment solution.
7 New visions pop out of City Hall daily as if it's a Pez Dispenser
hash tag #olympics2024 #visionzer #greatstreets #cleanstreet
8) OMG can someone just COMPLETE something
9) Criminalizing the homeless,
10) The loss of Community via 4 month flips or Airbnb,
11) Dialogue with the LAPD that is just more blah-blah,
12) The green-lighting of ill-advised construction projects is disheartening,
These make making your "Dog Days" feelings understandable. But our City is still there...divided into 96 struggling, semi-productive parcels called Neighborhood Councils.
I won't be at the Congress of Neighborhoods this year. Instead, I'll be at the Watts Festival of the Drum with my husband, vending his tee shirts. I think the break will be good as I try to figure out where I'm taking my NC 'career' heading into next Spring's elections. I attended the Civic University and was so excited and motivated. I felt we could do anything. My new found knowledge and creativity was greeted with a rush of cold water.
There is my love for community, still. Even as I watch it turn over month by month.
Aside from her list, there is an additional point to be made. So many of our younger civic activists are getting discouraged. We as a City desperately need to be motivating and encouraging our next generation of leaders.
Instead, I have watched as bright enthusiastic young (anyone my children's age I consider young) people whose vision for the future and creativity has been squeezed out of them by the diehards who "know it won't work." So we end up with "same old ... same old"
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Ken Draper, The Editor/Publisher of CityWatch, has always considered this "buffet" of information as more than just a source. It has a responsibility to bring as many different viewpoints as possible, knowing that our sophisticated, concerned audience can make their own judgements on the facts as they see it. We also strive to make a difference.
Yvonne used the term "blah blah" to describe much talk and little action.
I for one don't want this to be just blah blah and no action. CityWatch is in a unique position. We have an audience of thousands ... well at least one. We also love this City and want it to grow and prosper for all its stakeholders.
So CityWatch is on a hunt for "young leaders" who are accomplishing great things and who have vision on how to make this City the best place possible. Most of the time they are out of the public spotlight. Our net will be cast into the LA County area and will include activists from all sides of the spectrum---political, arts, non-profits, technology, medicine, science, religion and even some government standouts who have potential.
Yvonne Ellett (photo below) is our first in what we hope will be a spotlight on an endless parade of future leaders.
She is a Los Angeles native and has lived and worked in the City most of her life. By day, she works in LA’s garment industry for a major retailer as a Senior Technical Designer, specializing in Imports fit. By night (literally), she is the Co-Chair of Empowerment Congress West Area where she runs the neighborhood council's digital outreach and is a South Los Angeles Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (SLAANC) second alternate. She and her Graphic Design husband, Nick Hill, have one daughter, a current LMU School psychology grad student.
In between all of that she remains active in her Home Owners Association and is on the "Neighborhood Clean up" team.
I asked her if she had a magic wand and could change anything about LA what would it be. I expected "traffic" or "homeless" but instead it was more of an intangible.
She said "This is a gynormous City, so we don't understand what it’s like living in another person's neighborhood. As an example, residents of Encino may look superficially at Central and Vernon and see only the blight. To the people living there it is home...it is their Ventura Blvd. They grew up there, went to school there, attend Church and they feel the same way about their neighborhood that Encino residents feel about theirs.
We are also changing. My area used to be almost 100% African American. Now we are starting to look more like the rest of Los Angeles...ethnically mixed. We have Persians, Indians, many different groups of Hispanics. It's not gentrification, in the sense that people are being forced out of their homes, but not everyone looks alike and we are getting out of our comfort zone."
She also talked about the frustration of trying to get things done in the neighborhood and having similar problems with "old timers" not wanting change. She said people do burn out and give up.
But she is still optimistic. She senses a kinder spirit prevailing in many of the areas in which she works. "If all of us would think of the things we loved about this City, instead of the things we hate, we'd all be better off", she concluded.
Since this will be a continuing CityWatch series you are invited to help us put the spotlight on those who have the potential to be our future leaders. If you have someone in your organization or department who you think has great potential for leadership and has already taken on some tough challenges, send us their names and contact information.
As always comments welcome.
(Denyse Selesnick is a CityWatch columnist. She is a former publisher/journalist/international event organizer. Denyse can be reached at: [email protected])
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 13 Issue 72
Pub: Sep 4, 2015
