Los Feliz Ledger [people in my neighborhood]
[city sleuth]
Historic Fiction that Hits Home
Melissa Potter: Silver Lake’s Librarian
By Diane Kanner, Ledger Columnist
By Colleen Paeff, Ledger Contributing Writer
The Help by first time novelist Kathryn Stockett is the fictional account of three women from Jackson, Mississippi from 1962 to 1964 as they venture into civil rights activism. None of the characters participates in activism associated with the era—marching or sitting in at lunch counters—yet heroines and maids Aibileen and Minny reveal segregation’s injustices when their stories of domestic abuse are published through the efforts of white ally and journalist Skeeter Phelan. Tragedies like the assassination of NAACP leader
years, shopping at Loehmann’s to appear fashionable on a budget. In 1987 she took a leave from ARCO to run for the 10th District seat of the Los Angeles City Council against 12 opponents—all but one of them African American. Ultimately, Nate Holden was the winner. Evers would have had no way of knowing that a book like The Help would sell millions of copies, but she had her own “the help” story. While appearing at a political luncheon in a wealthy community she “was making polite chitchat when the conversation turned to the problems of ‘the help’—cooks who stole, gar-
No wonder The Help swept the book club circuit. It provides Southerners who lived through the era authoritative perspectives and those too young to have known much about the time a chance to learn. Medgar Evers coexist in the plot with inconsequential girlie past times like hair straightening and bridge playing. No wonder The Help swept the book club circuit. It provides Southerners who lived through the era authoritative perspectives and those too young to have known much about the time a chance to learn. Nickie Ruskey of the Oaks neighborhood of Los Feliz recalled at one book group discussion that Evers’ widow Myrlie was later a resident of Southern California. She attended Pomona College, worked for Atlantic Richfield, and served as a community advisor to the Junior League of Los Angeles where Ruskey was the organization’s president. After the book discussion, I skimmed the Los Angeles Public Library’s online catalogue. In 1970, the Los Angeles Times database revealed, Ms. Evers was a candidate for a congressional seat representing the San Gabriel Valley. She was a long shot because the district was a Republican stronghold, then overwhelmingly Anglo American. “But I’m not in this race to hand out recipes for southern fried chicken,” she told the paper. She lost. Evers’ 1999 memoir, Watch me Fly, reveals that business—not politics— was where she aspired and settled. She worked for ARCO for 12 Page 14 LIFESTYLES
deners who were lazy.” She was asked whether she had “help” problems. “Oh no,” she said. “My cleaning lady has been with me for years. She does everything, even windows! Later, I took off the suit I’d worn to the luncheon, put on my jeans, and said out loud, ‘Come on, maid, get busy.’ I then proceeded to clean my house.” Reading The Help, like other historic fiction, can deepen our understanding and compassion and inspire us to further explore the past.
Silver Lake Branch Library’s manager, Melissa Potter, didn’t expect to become a librarian. She thought she’d go into teaching, but had a change of heart. “I thought I’d be more useful at helping people oneon-one,” she said. As a librarian, though, Potter still helps people to get information. She is especially interested in helping teens. Early in her career, she worked for the San Diego Public Library system where, she said, they had a terrific children’s program, but not much going on for the teens. “I felt that teens should have their own programs, too,” she said. So Potter studied other programs and created her own in San Diego, eventually becoming the head of the Young Adult division for the San Diego Public Library system. After relocating to Los Angeles seven years ago, she worked at several Los Angeles Public Library branches, managing the Encino-Tarzana
branch, before coming to Silver Lake. Potter says every library she’s worked in has been different. Regarding the new Silver Lake library she said, “It’s an eco-friendly building and uses a Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) system [for checking materials in and out]. The patrons have been great about taking it on and learning how to use it.” She then laughed and pointed out another local difference—something, she said, her entire staff had noticed. “People like to tell you how long they’ve lived in Silver Lake.” Some of that neighborhood pride will be showcased in the library’s “Silver Saturdays” series. The program features a “prominent and talented” Silver Lake resident each month. Potter is especially excited about the upcoming April 10th event with White Oleander author Janet Fitch. “We’ve had so much support from....people wanting to help us out,” she said. “It’s
been really nice to feel so welcomed.” The Silver Lake Branch Library is in need of volunteers for the Grandparents and Books (GAB) program. Adults of any age are encouraged to call (323) 913-7451 for details.
Big Sunday Weekend, May 1st & 2nd The first weekend on May will mark Big Sunday Weekend 2010, when an expected 50,000 people, of all ages and backgrounds, will volunteer together at hundreds of different nonprofit sites from San Diego to Santa Barbara. There are projects for every age. Individuals, families, schools, houses of worship, and businesses are welcome to participate. The entire schedule is online starting April 1st, at www.bigsunday.org starting April 1st.
Begin again in 2010! Are you ready to live a more prosperous life? Are you ready to create enriching and loving relationships? Are you ready to experience health? Are you ready to change your pattern so as not to repeat the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result? Whatever area in your life that you need a fresh start .....this is your chance to begin again and live authentically. If not now, when? Why would you live in pain for one more day than you have to?
Robyn Bennett, Life and Career Coach
Master Degree Spiritual Psychology CPA & Bachelor of Science, Business Administration RYT & Yoga Teacher
323 356 3244
www.losfelizledger.com
April 2010