Cherif Younouss Beye Soumare

Municipal Councillor, Dakar-Plateau, Senegal

Bonjour ma sœur Lena, C’est avec le cœur meurtri que Jai appris le décès de l’ami, le frère de tous feu John. Cela nous a tous attriste.

La Commune de Dakar Plateau perd un grand conseiller, un confident, pour dire le trait d’union entre Dakar-plateau et Pasadena.

En cette douloureuse circonstance, je vous présente mes sincères condoléance. Tu voudras bien me les transmettre aussi a ta famille et a tous passadena.

J’ai eu au téléphone Boualeme et d’autres amis de Pasadena a qui j’ai présenté mes condoléances

J’ai prie dieu ai pitié de son âme.

Si les moyens me l’avait permis, je serait a vos cotés pour ses obsèques. mais soyez sure que mémé loin de vous toutes mes pensés sont vous accompagnes dans vos prières.

Cherif Younouss Beye Soumare Conseiller Municipal, Commune Dakar-Plateau

Hello my sister Lena,

It is with a broken heart that I learned of the passing of friend, brother of all, the late John. It saddened us all.

The City of Dakar Plateau loses a great adviser, a confidant, to say the hyphen between Dakar-Plateau and Pasadena.

In this painful circumstance, I send you my sincere condolences. Would you please pass them on as well, to your family and to all of Passadena.

I had on the phone Boualeme and other friends from Pasadena to whom I presented my condolences.

I pray to God have mercy on his soul.

If the means had allowed me, I would be at your side for his funeral. but be sure that even far from you all my thoughts are with you in your prayers..

Betty Robinson

Condolences to the Kennedy family on the passing of John. The Robinson and Kennedy families attended Pasadena Unified District Schools – Cleveland Elementary, McKinley Junior High School, and Blair High School. John and I were classmates from kindergarten through 6th grade. He called me big nose and I called him big head. We all had our nicknames back in the day, but we all continued to be friends to this day. His accomplishments and achievements throughout Pasadena Council District 3 speak volumes. The final completion of the Robinson Park was his most proud accomplishment. As a family, we appreciated that John was a very compassionate, caring, loving, and most of all spiritual man. In our time of sorrow when we lost our mother, John would send me scriptures along with words of wisdom. John, we would like to thank you. We love you. Tell Mama we love you both.

Love,

Betty Robinson

LOVELY EMAIL MESSAGES RECEIVED: Dear Lena, Sending you so much love and sympathy on the loss of your beloved Brother. Please know that the Hawkins Family is keeping your family in our prayers and sending love to you all during this difficult time.

My father, Bill Hawkins, especially wanted me to extend condolences on his behalf, as he and your brother had a close professional relationship and respected him greatly. John left an incredible legacy and impact and will be greatly missed. Much love! – Todd Hawkins

Craig Washington

I met John 50 years ago when we played YMCA youth basketball. To my childhood friend, John J. Kennedy, you were revered, passionate, intelligent, and loved. Your friendship and leadership will be greatly missed by me and our entire community. The time you and I spent together while walking the Rose Bowl, having breakfast at Marston’s, or having lunch at Mi Piace will always be remembered as a time when we discussed our families, and the impact two Pasadena kids could have in the present and future of our great City.

I will forever cherish and value our time we spent in West Africa as we worked to connect two cities – Pasadena and Dakar-Plateau, Senegal, which to many was a world unknown. Your determination to bring people and cultures together for the common good and the growth of the human spirit was inspiring, and we connected in that effort.

The community of Pasadena has lost a true soldier for social justice. John possessed a drive to deliver a voice and opportunities for those with skills, talents and abilities that had been drowned out by the noise of “privilege.” Thank you, John, for your confidence in selecting me as your representative as Chair of the Pasadena Northwest Commission to represent you and our community.

John, your spirit, truth, and legacy will forever continue to touch and uplift the lives of those in Pasadena and around the world. I will miss your brotherly love and commitment to excellence.

Until we meet again…

Craig Washington

LOVELY EMAIL MESSAGES RECEIVED:

Dear Lena, I am heartsick for you and I have been thinking of you since I heard late yesterday that you lost your remarkable brother John. Just know that he absolutely could not have had a better sister or supporter than you!!!!

I was privileged to get to know John because of you. Indeed today in his memory, I am wearing the yellow “John L. Kennedy for Pasadena City Council” T-shirt that I wore when he and I did some door to door campaigning some years ago!! I will miss him – and the City of Pasadena will miss him. Men like John J. Kennedy do not appear that often. How lucky was I to have had a chance to get to know him!! His intelligence, work ethic, and enthusiasm were remarkable. He was like you in many ways! I will be keeping you and your family in my prayers. You are a special person in my life and I want you to know that I am here for you if there is anything at all I can do to help.

Much love and sympathy, Dianne McGee

John Kennedy was a force of nature who successfully advocated for and made a difference in the lives of residents throughout Pasadena – particularly those who needed a champion.

I have known John since 2012 when I assisted with his first campaign for Pasadena City Council. I met John through my aunt Alma Stokes who taught John at McKinley Junior High and then she remained in regular contact with John for close to 50 years.

John compellingly demonstrated the power of combining vision with passion and resources to better a community. He saw what could (or should) be and then marshalled the requisite human, financial, and other resources to make it happen. We often hear that there is strength in numbers. I would add that incredible strength rests in one who has the power to assemble and harness the resources of many. Such a galvanizing force may not bless us often, but when he does, we are all so much the better.

John maintained relationships and established connections. He saw potential in people and then encouraged them; he saw the potential synergies of collaborations and then made introductions; he saw an interest from a constituent and then tapped that

Danny Parker

constituent for a formal role, such as on a commission, or an informal role in some other capacity that leveraged the interest.

While John publicly advocated for key priorities, such as the Police Oversight Commission, building affordable housing, and the renovation of the building and pool at Robinson Park Community Center, he also quietly made a tremendous difference. He mentored numerous young people, helped people find jobs, advocated for city employees, and he always always always championed the rights and interests of those less fortunate who all too often lacked a voice.

He always spoke to everyone. While that simple gesture may not seem earth shattering, we are all human with an innate need to be recognized and connected to others. A simple act of recognition reminds each of us that we matter and that we count. The following Maya Angelou quote rings so true: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” John made everyone feel remembered and important.

Although elusive and hard to define, charisma is palpable, and we all know it when we see it. John was charisma personified. He possessed that rare ability to galvanize a room, to make everyone feel he was their best friend, and to make each person feel that he or she mattered.

I witnessed this rare quality in a variety of settings that ranged from district community meetings to political gatherings to lunches when a steady stream of people would stop by to say hello to him.

Of course, we each have 24 hours in our day. Yet, John managed to accomplish so much in each day. He seemed to go from meeting to meeting to meeting all day long. He maintained frequent contact with so many family members, friends, and colleagues. I often wondered where he seemed to find the “extra” time. I further wondered whether he could direct me to where I could find some “extra” time.

John viewed challenges, projects, and problems through a lens of community engagement and impact on the less fortunate. I understood and embraced that important perspective when John appointed me to chair the Steering Committee for the renovation of the Robinson Park Community Center Renovation Project. The Steering Committee served as the focal point for community outreach, input, and direction.

I was honored to assist John with a number of his initiatives in the public and private sectors. He consistently impressed me with his big picture vision and ability to assemble the necessary components for success.

I know that I have barely scratched the surface of the depth and breadth of John’s impact. He accomplished so much that many of us were lulled into a sense of complacency as we

Dena Spanos Hawkey

I do not believe John quite knew what to make of me when we first met in 1990 – but from the first moment, I knew we would become friends. I loved his jovial infectious laugh and his engaging smile.

Over the 30 years, we knew him, John became family. In the early years, I teased him incessantly about being a Republican and was delighted when he crossed over. He championed so many causes that I felt strongly about. I was proud of how he fought for what he believed in. His passion was unmatched when it came to Pasadena and his district. When we would speak about issues of poverty, violence, the unhoused he would tear up. I was so proud of him when he hosted the annual holiday party at the Central Library at Christmas bringing joy to so many families.

He made a point of getting to know our children who at that time were in elementary, junior high and high school. He always made a point of asking about them and remembered their names clear into their adulthood. He had a mind like a steel trap took for granted that John would protect the vulnerable and ensure fairness. Going forward, I hope that each of us makes an effort, modest as it may be, to fill the huge void that John left in so many areas of his beloved Pasadena. In so doing, we can best honor his memory.

- never letting me forget memories of long past like my crazy hair or joking with my father-in-law over Thanksgiving dinner.

I find believing he is gone very difficult and will miss him. To me, his friendship is irreplaceable and will hold a special place in my heart. May his memory be eternal.