Serving the Whole Community

By John Bwarie

This past month, the Alhambra community celebrated the Lunar New Year with a festival that attracted more than 10,000 people from across the region. While the numbers were impressive for those attending, what was more impressive was the composition of the attendees. Scanning the crowd, you saw families from all backgrounds, groups of friends laughing and eating, and the earnestness of young and old captivated by cultural performances from around the Pacific.

While the majority of attendees were local and AAPI, the attendees represented the diversity of our whole community. That’s our responsibility as the leaders of a civic organization like a Chamber of Commerce: to serve the whole community. It’s a goal that we often meet, but we can always do more. As an organization representing hundreds of people with different backgrounds, politics, and opinions, we work to create diverse opportunities that connect with and engage the full spectrum of sectors of our community. And when we’re at our best, we’re able to bridge the gap between our differences to create a stronger, unified community.

Anyone seeking to lead, to inspire, to empower others has to explore all the ways it is possible to serve all members of the community. When people think of the Chamber of Commerce, they think of our role to serve businesses — which is the core of what we do. At the same time, we have a greater calling: to build a strong community where residents, visitors, business owners, and employees can thrive. As with the Lunar New Year Festival, we have been working to showcase the vibrancy of our community to those who may have only one notion or preconception of what our community is about. We are the gateway to the San Gabriel Valley, and we take this to heart. We are the gateway to delicious food, the gateway to understanding diverse cultures, and the gateway to opportunity for those seeking to find a place to call home.

As you reflect on your place in our community, consider who you can include, who you can add to your circle, and how you can build on the support and service we need for our whole community. Consider visiting a new restaurant that isn’t in your routine. Shop locally and get to know the name of the manager at our local Target (it’s Zach!). Take the plunge to join a local civic organization like the Rotary and Historical Society or support the groups serving our community, like the Asian Youth Center or NAPAFASA.

March will bring new opportunities for people from across the region to come to Alhambra, especially with the opening of SkyZone, and it’s a reminder that we have the ability to create a strong, welcoming community where people want to be.