San Pedro Today - June 2019

JUNE 2019

PLUS: CLASS OF 2019 STANDOUTS | MSHS GIRLS BASKETBALL GOES TO STATE | KIDS SUMMER GUIDE

PRIDE SAN PEDRO GEARS UP FOR ITS FIRST LGBT+ FESTIVAL ON THE L.A. WATERFRONT

Dr. Souzan Ardalan & Associates

Comprehensive Dental Care & Implant Center Backed by 25 years of experience

WHEN YOU VISIT OUR DENTAL OFFICE IN WEYMOUTH CORNERS, YOU FEEL RIGHT AT HOME. Whether you require a cleaning, teeth whitening, invisible braces by Invisalign®, crowns, implants or any other General or Specialty dental procedure, our office will ensure that you are comfortable and have a pleasant experience. OLD-FASHIONED STYLE OF PATIENT CARE IS WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT!

Great Smiles Begin Here!

Dr. Ardalan, D.D.S. Education: USC school of Dentistry Doctor of Dental Surgery Professional Association: American Dental Association, member California Dental Association, member Western Dental Society, member

ASSOCIATES Ian Woo, D.D.S., MD. Education: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Los Angeles County / University of Southern California Medical Center

Dr. Marvis Sorrel, D.M.D., M.D.S.

SERVICES & SPECIALTIES • General Cosmetic and Children’s Dentistry • Oral Surgery • Dental IMPLANTS • Permanent Implant Supported Dentures • Orthodontics (Traditional Braces & Invisalign) • Periodontics • Sleep Apnea

Located in Weymouth Corners 1411 W. 8th Street San Pedro, CA 90732

(310) 832-5559

Education: University of Pittsburgh, Master of Science in Dentistry, Doctor of Dental Medicine Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Orthognatic Surgery Externship / Invisalign Certification

Dr. Rebekah Coriaty Education: University of Pacific Professional Association: American Dental Association California Dental Association

Dr. Miles Madison Education: UCLA School of Dentistry Professional Association: American Academy of Periodontology California Society of Periodontists American Dental Association California Dental Association American Association for Dental Research

Ready to Learn about Dental Implants?

What is a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is surgically anchored into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. The benefit of using implants is that they don’t rely on neighboring teeth for support and they are permanent and stable. Implants look and feel like natural teeth.

What is an Implant Support Denture?

While a regular denture rests on the gums and are not stable, An implant-supported denture is a type of overdenture that is supported by and attached to implants by special attachments for better fit and retention. There are two types of implant-supported dentures: bar-retained and ballretained. In both cases, the denture will be made of an acrylic base that will look like gums. Porcelain or acrylic teeth that look like natural teeth are attached to the base. Both types of dentures need at least two implants for support.

Your dentist can help you . . .

Can anyone receive dental implants?

Talk with your dentist about whether you are an implant candidate. You must have the proper bone structure for the implant to stay in place.

People who are unable to wear dentures may also be good candidates.

What can I expect during this procedure?

The dentist must perform surgery to anchor the “artificial root� into or on your jaw bone. The procedure is done in the dental office with local anesthesia. The gum is then secured over the implant, which will remain covered until it fuses with the bone. The dentist then uncovers the implant and attaches an extension, or post, to the implant. Finally, the dentist makes an artificial tooth, or crown, or dentures that attach to the implant post.

What is the cost of implants?

Dental implants for replacement of a single tooth are affordable and most dental and medical insurance policies cover portion of the cost. Your dentist can help you with this process.

Dr. Souzan Ardalan & Associates

Please call to make an appointment for a complimentary consultation

Located in WEYMOUTH CORNERS 1409 W. 8th St., San Pedro

We accept all PPO insurances

Dr. Ian Woo, Oral Maxillofacial surgeon, M.D.

310.832.5559

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

lue! a V 0 $98.0 ith able w ombin Not C old. h e s u r ho

A few months ago, we featured our first gay wedding.

We didn’t treat it any differently from other wedding stories, but knowing the wedding page is one of our most popular features, I was curious what the feedback would be. Fortunately, we didn’t hear a single negative response. In fact, when someone did bring it up, the common refrain was, “It’s about time.”

That’s also been the consensus regarding this month’s Pride on the Port festival. For a town that prides itself on its ethnic diversity and cultural arts, and with our profile continuing to grow as more investment dollars keep pouring in, it’s about time we celebrate our noteworthy LGBT+ community and join the ranks of other cities across the country in celebrating inclusiveness, dignity and equal rights for all.

For me, it’s personal. Some of my closest friends and family members are LGBT+, and I’ve seen firsthand their struggles with trying to “fit in” while society and government have been working against them for generations. Fortunately, it’s 2019, and while the fight for LGBT+ rights continues around the world, I’m proud that San Pedro has landed on the right side of history in celebrating our friends in the LGBT+ community.

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GODSPEED, MATTY As we were going to print, I got news that one of San Pedro’s beloved sons, Kuzma “Matty” Domancich, passed away on May 18, at the age of 96.

Matty, as he was affectionately known, was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Whenever I would see him, he’d greet me with a warm smile, a handshake, and this question, “You’re Bill Stecker’s grandson, right?”

To which I always said, “Yep, still his grandson.”

In addition to being everything from Honorary Mayor of San Pedro (1989) to exalted ruler of the San Pedro Elks Lodge (1960-61), Matty was also the founding owner of The Bike Palace on Pacific Ave. I’m so glad we were able to feature him, along with his godson and current Bike Palace owner Tony Jabuka, on the cover in September 2013 to celebrate The Bike Palace’s 40th anniversary.

Matty was the San Pedro Elks Lodge’s official greeter up until the lodge went up in flames due to arson in 2014. It was his home away from home.

It’s a shame he won’t be able to witness the opening of the new lodge later this year.

Kuzma “Matty” Domancich had a deep love for San Pedro. He was one of the good ones. His love for this town should be an inspiration to us all. spt Joshua Stecker is publisher/editorin-chief of San Pedro Today. Letters to the Editor can be emailed to contact@sanpedrotoday.com.

JUNE 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 5

JUNE 2019

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ADVERTISING:

ASSOCIATE EDITOR/ SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Patricia Roberts (562) 964-8166 | patricia@sanpedrotoday.com

ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION

Shana Ghekiere (310) 753-5176 | shana@sanpedrotoday.com

AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS

EMPIRE22 MEDIA LLC OWNER/PUBLISHER

Joshua J. Stecker

Caitlyn Piercy

Joseph A. Castañeda

Lori Garrett, Pastor Nathan Hoff, Ricky Magana, Steve Marconi, Jennifer Marquez, Anthony Pirozzi, Angela Romero, Jamaal K. Street

PHOTOGRAPHER

John Mattera Photography

CONTACT INFO:

Phone: (424) 224-9063 EMAIL: contact@sanpedrotoday.com San Pedro Today P.O. Box 1168, San Pedro, CA 90733

VOLUME 11 | NUMBER 5

General Inquiries: ads@sanpedrotoday.com

Joshua J. Stecker

San Pedro Today publishes the last Thursday of every month and is produced monthly

by Empire22 Media LLC. No portion of this publication can be reproduced without written permission by Empire22 Media. 25,000 copies are delivered to San Pedro and portions of Rancho Palos Verdes. San Pedro Today is a product of Empire22 Media LLC. Empire22 Media LLC, their subsidiaries and affiliates are released from all liability that may involve the publication of San Pedro Today. Copyright 2009-2019, Empire22 Media LLC.

ON THE COVER: Bridge Cities Alliance and Pride on the Port committee members (l to r) Tim McOsker, Mona Sutton, Aiden Garcia-Sheffield, and Daniel GarciaSheffield (photo: John Mattera Photography)

6 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JUNE 2019

JUNE 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 7

1493, or Nancy Donato (310) 833-2584.

JUNE Every Wednesday – CREATIVE WRITING CLASS FOR KIDS at The Corner Store (1118 W. 37th St.), 4:30 – 5:45p. Taught by San Pedro Today columnist, Jennifer Marquez. $10 per class. For more info, email jennifermarquez@yahoo.com.

1 (Sat) and 8 (Sat) – BEAUTIFY DANA MIDDLE SCHOOL (1501 S. Cabrillo Ave., Enter at 17th St.), 9a – 2p. Have an hour or two to spare? The bungalows at Dana need some love, so the community is jumping to action to paint! Refreshments provided. Please wear appropriate clothes to pain in.

Ladders, painters tape, rollers, drop cloths, as well as food and cash donations are needed and greatly appreciated. For more info and to sign up for a time slot, visit danams.us, call Luisa at (310) 823-8338, or email Michelle at mmb9202@lausd.net.

1 (Sat) - BALLET GOES BROADWAY at the Warner Grand Theatre (478 W. 6th St.), 2p. San Pedro Ballet School presents their annual spring recital, featuring dances inspired by the music of Broadway. The performance will also feature San Pedro City Ballet company members in an exciting new work choreographed by Patrick David Bradley, as well as showcase students from the nonprofit's acclaimed DancEd Steps Up outreach program. For tickets and more info, visit sanpedroballetschool.com or call (310) 732-1861.

2 (Sun) – SOUNDBATH AND BREATHWORK at Healing Octaves (771 W. 9th St.), 4 – 6p. Come and experience deeply clearing breath work including Ho'oponopono with Jay Bradley of "Breath On It" and the vibrational sound bliss with Dona Lafaurie of "Healing Octaves," including gongs, bowls, and wave drum. A transformational evening of breath and sound. $40. Space is limited. For more info, call (310) 433-4640.

6 (Thu) – ANGELS GATE WALKING TOUR, 10a. Tour Angels Gate Park with historian and San Pedro Today columnist Angela Romero. This former military installation is truly a world unto itself with much to discover. Tickets are $15. Space is limited. Additional tours June 13, 20, & 27. Call (310) 8087800 to reserve.

7 (Fri) – HOLLYWOOD IN SP WALKING TOUR, 10:30a. San Pedro has been one of the busiest filming locations in Los Angeles since Hollywood began.

Join historian and San Pedro Today columnist, Angela Romero, and trace the steps of your favorite TV and movie stars on this guided location tour of scenes filmed right here in Downtown San Pedro. You’ll be surprised just how many blockbusters and hit TV shows have made their mark here! Tickets are $15. Additional tours June 14, 21, & 28.

Call (310) 808-7800 to reserve.

8 (Sat) – 9 (Sun) – PALOS VERDES STREET FAIR & MUSIC FESTIVAL at Norris Center Dr. (between Indian Peak and Silver Spur), Sat: 10a – 10p; Sun: 10a – 9p. Looking for some great family fun? Join your friends at the 1 (Sat) – FORTUNATE SON: TRIBUTE 32nd Annual Palos Verdes Street Fair TO CCR at the Grand Annex (434 W. and Music Festival. There’s something 6th St.), 8p. Fronted by vocalist, Brad for everyone at this popular two-day Ford with an all star band, Fortunate event, featuring food, games, rides, and Son delivers the best of Creedence live entertainment. For more info, visit Clearwater Revival’s rough-hewn rock palosverdeschamber.com/pv-street-fair. ‘n’ roll! For tickets and more info, visit (See ad pg. 19) grandvision.org.

8 (Sat) – KITE FLYING at Angels Gate 2 (Sun) – HARBOR L.I.T.E.S. 10th Park (3601 S. Gaffey St.), 2 – 6p. The ANNUAL FASHION SHOW & LUNAngels Gate Park Advisory Board is CHEON at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel hosting an afternoon of kite flying, San Pedro, Madeo Ballroom (2800 Via crafts and fun for the whole family.

Cabrillo Marina), 11a – 2:30p. The Free kites. women of Harbor L.I.T.E.S. invite you to experience an afternoon of food, 8 (Sat) – BENEFIT ON THE BATTLEfashions, opportunity drawings, and a SHIP at Battleship USS Iowa (250 silent auction. All proceeds benefit the S. Harbor Blvd.), 5 – 9p. A salute to LAPD Harbor Division and their youth fathers, veterans, and heroes, including programs. For tickets and more info, dinner, dancing, entertainment, and contact Mary Ann Sizgorich (310) 831- silent auction, supporting St. Vincent 2960, Mary Jane Napolillo (310) 548Meals on Wheels and San Pedro Meals

on Wheels. For tickets and more info, visit stvincentmow.org or contact Daryl at (213) 484-7775.

ANNUAL INSTALLATION & BUSINESS AWARDS at DoubleTree Hotel San Pedro, Madeo Ballroom (2800 Via Cabrillo Marina), 11:30a. Network, 11 (Tue) – DOWNTOWN NOW & meet the SPCC’s board members, and THEN WALKING TOUR, 10a. Go help honor outstanding businesses and behind historic downtown San Pedro’s individuals. L.A. City Attorney Mike vintage store fronts and explore the ar- Feuer will be installing the board and ea’s various lives as a rough and tumble providing remarks. Tickets are $45 for waterfront, a bustling business district members and $60 for non-members. For and a burgeoning arts district. Historian more info, visit sanpedrochamber.com. and San Pedro Today columnist, Angela Romero, will guide you through the 20 – 22 (Thurs - Sat) – SPRING INTO history while introducing you to every- SUMMER EVENT at Assistance League thing making downtown’s future bright. San Pedro – South Bay (1441 W. 8th Tickets are $15. Additional tours June St.), Fri: 10a – 5p; Sat: 11a – 3p. Shop 18 & 25. Call (310) 808-7800 to reserve. for great items to start your summer off right! On June 21, join the Assis14 (Fri) – ANDY & RENEE & HARD tance League for happy hour shopping, RAIN: THE MUSIC OF CAROL featuring jewelry by Masako. Wine and KING’S TAPESTRY at the Grand Annex cheese will be served.

(434 W. 6th St.), 8p. South Bay favorite folk-rockers return with their band 22 (Sat) – GNARLYTOWN FESTIVAL Hard Rain to reprise their phenomenal at the L.A. Waterfront (Berth 46), 1 tribute to Carole King's multi-platinum – 11p. This new one-of-a-kind, familyalbum, Tapestry. For tickets and more friendly event brings together thrilling, info, visit grandvision.org. extreme action sports with motor sports champion Travis Pastrana’s Nitro Cir15 (Sat) – SAN PEDRO HOME HIScus and pro skateboarder Chris Cole’s TORY WORKSHOP, 11a. Are you Rail Jam Invitational, along with percurious about the history of your home? formances from punk rock legends and Do you literally wish your walls could other top music acts including Pennytalk? Let historian and San Pedro Today wise, Rancid, and Action Bronson, craft columnist, Angela Romero, show you beer tastings, and more. For tickets, the ropes of researching your San Pedro visit gnarlytown.com. (See ad pg. 37) home. In just a couple of hours, she'll walk you through her process and give 28 (Fri) – CARS & STRIPES FOREVER you tips on how to use local resources. at Port of L.A. (600 N. Harbor Blvd.), Cost is $65 and space is limited. To 5 – 10p. Hosted by the Port of L.A., join reserve your spot, call (310) 808-7800. this free community celebration to kick off Independence Day weekend, featur15 (Sat) – PRIDE ON THE PORT at the ing a classic car show, live bands, food Pacific Battleship Center (250 S. Harbor trucks, a beer garden, and fireworks Blvd., Berth 87), 11a – 10p. The firstfinale! Registration is now open. (See ever LGBT+ pride event in San Pedro! ad pg. 7) (See story pg. 26) 29 (Sat) – THE SLICE WALKING 19 (Wed) – RAFFAELLO’S SALUTES TOUR, 11a. Celebrate the end of anTOBERMAN WITH AN EVENING IN other school year with a strolling pizza TUSCANY at Michael’s Tuscany Room party! Join historian and San Pedro (470 W. 7th St.), 6 – 9p. Raffaello’s Today columnist, Angela Romero, for a salutes Toberman with an evening in Pedro Pizza Crawl in honor of the beTuscany, all proceeds benefit Toberman ginning of summer vacation! Celebrate Neighborhood Center and their core our good fortune by visiting three of programming. Entertainment provided the town's finest places to grab a slice,

by Michael Sinatra, Michele Cutri, Kelly Joseph's Bakery, Buono's Pizzeria, and Cutri, and Alex Cutri. For more info, Bonello's. Enjoy pizza with a side of call (310) 832-1145 or email develophistory as you trace a virtual pizza slice ment@toberman.org. Purchase tickets across town. This tour is a special event at tinyurl.com/AnEveningInTuscany. so please note the start time and price.

Tickets are $20 and space is limited.

20 (Thurs) – SAN PEDRO CHAMBER Call (310) 808-7800 to reserve. spt Want to see your event here? Email events@sanpedrotoday.com to place a listing. Deadline for the July 2019 issue is Friday, June 14.

Find more events at facebook.com/sanpedrotoday.

OPEN ALL SUMMER!!

Los Angeles Maritime Museum Discover the History of the Harbor!

Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Berth 84, San Pedro • (310) 548-7618 • www.lamaritimemuseum.org 8 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JUNE 2019

2019

2019 BUSINESS AWARDS & INSTALLATION LUNCHEON DoubleTree by Hilton 2800 Via Cabrillo Marina San Pedro, CA 90731

Thursday, June 20th

11:30am - 1:30pm Board installation and remarks

by LA City Attorney Mike Feuer Awarding:

Photo by Sara Gasperov

• • • • • •

Business of the Year Restaurant of the Year Non-Profit of the Year Leadership Bold Vision New Business of the Year

TICKETS Sponsor Tables (seat 8) $1,000 Non-Profit Sponsor Table $750 Individual Tickets: Members $45 | Non Members $55

Announcing Honorary Mayor of San Pedro WHO WILL IT BE?

Ryan Blaney

Rudy Caseres

Pam Costa

Manuel Jimenez

George Palaziol

Humberto Raygoza

SanPedroChamber.com | 310.832.7272

Boys & Girls Clubs of the L.A. Harbor 1200 S. Cabrillo Ave., San Pedro Join the Boys & Girls Clubs of the L.A. Harbor for Summer Camp from June 11-Aug. 9! Our nine-week camp includes breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack, as well as comprehensive programming, healthy outdoor summertime activities, field trips, and so much more! Our morning session will be from 7:30a1p, and afternoon session from 1- 6p!

Contact your local Club Site or email development@bgclaharbor.org for more info.

Budo Pavillion Dojo 1117 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro Learn a variety of “old school martial arts” from the only traditional dojo in San Pedro! Featuring karate-do, aikido, kobudo, and kyudo.

For more details, visit budopavillion.net or call (424) 287-BUDO (2836).

Christ Lutheran Summer Camp 28850 S. Western Ave., San Pedro Keep your kiddos busy this summer at Christ Lutheran Summer Camp, June 17-Aug. 16!

Make new friends, explore new things, and master new skills. We have weekly themes, field trips, and visits to the pool. Welcoming ages 5-13.

Sibling discounts offered. For more details, visit christrpv.com or call at (310) 831-0848.

10 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JUNE 2019

Flipside Gymnastics, Music, and Dance Summer Camps 1417 W. 8th St., San Pedro Join Flipside for gymnastics, dance, and art summer camps! Camps include: Aloha: June 10-14; Movin’ & Groovin’ Gym and Dance: July 8-12; Hop & Roll: July 17-19 (9a-Noon, Ages 3-6, Special Price: $180); Broadway Camp: July 22-26; Superhero: Aug. 5-10.

Every camp culminates with a Friday performance. Camps meet M-F, 9a-1p.

Ages 5-12. Tuition: $240. Sign up for more than one camp and receive 10% off second camp at time of purchase. All cancellations have a $25 non-refundable fee/non-credit fee. For more info, visit FSGsanpedro.com, call (310) 971-4463, or email FSGsanpedro@gmail.com iDTech Camps Multiple locations Learn AI. Build a laptop. Code video games. At iD Tech Camp, we teach the in-demand skills you just can’t get in school. Held at over 150 campuses, including Marymount California University, UCLA, Stanford, and Long Beach State. Weeklong courses for ages 7-17. Day and overnight options available. Learn more at iDTech.com.

San Pedro Fight Club 600 S. Pacific Ave., Ste. 101, San Pedro Join San Pedro Fight Club this summer (June 1-Sept. 1)! Includes two months plus free uniform. Kids Programs:

Kinder Jitsu (ages 3-5); Little Samurai: (ages 6-10); Young Samurai: (ages 11 and up). Adults classes also available.

IBJJF and JJGF Certified School. Open daily. Jiu-Jitsu Summer Special $200.

No contracts. SPFC offers private and semi-private classes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Combatives (weapons defense), Bully Prevention, Women’s Self-Defense, and Competition Training. Taught by a world champion instructor and marine veteran. For more info, call (424) 215-6304.

Urban Youth Park 1815 Hawthorne Blvd., #206, Redondo Beach 550 Deep Valley Dr., Suite 341, Palos Verdes Experience next level play in our brand new Parkour and Ninja Warrior training facility! We have awesome and experienced coaches ready to make your summer amazing as you – learn new skills and level up old ones! Check out the Urban Jump Building, Super Trampoline, Ninja Warrior Zone, Resi Pit, 9ft. and 14ft. warped walls, climbing ropes, and more! Parkour, ninja warrior, tumbling, martial arts tricking, videography, and free-running skills taught. Beginner through Advanced levels. Camps: 9a-3p. Classes: 3:307:30p. Special opening prices happening now! Call (323) 431-3533 or visit urbanyouthpark.com to register.

Vault PK Summer Camps 1275 Sartori Ave., Torrance Parkour! Ninja Warrior! Free-running!

Do something different with your summer and check out Vault PK camps, where athletes will learn how to run up walls, vault over obstacles, swing through the bars, and flip over friends.

Daily activities to include a mix of parkour, trampoline skills, and Ninja warrior inspired obstacles including warped walls, rope climb, tumbling skills, and games. Camp dates: July 8-12, July 29-Aug. 2, and Aug. 5-9.

Call (310) 977-4478 vaultpk.com to register.

YMCA Summer Day Camp YMCA Summer Day Camp provides weekly activities that foster learning, exploration, and most of all, fun! We nurture the potential of children by creating opportunities to try something new, build self-esteem, and form lasting friendships. Our weekly field trips and activities cater to a specific weekly theme, and our activities allow campers to have the best time with activities in enrichment, sports, STEM, arts, and creative play.

To register, visit ymcala.org/metro/ classes/day-camp and click ‘San Pedro & Peninsula YMCA! spt

JUNE 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 11

VOICES

ATHLETIC HALLS OF FAME MAKE LONG-DISTANCE CALLS

by Steve Marconi San Pedro High School and L.A. Harbor College have had a symbiotic relationship ever since the junior (now community) college opened in 1949.

Pirate athletes who didn’t have the grades, finances, or skills to go straight to four-year colleges after graduation often found a welcoming atmosphere at Harbor, and many used the opportunity to get their grades up to university level, as well as develop scholarshipworthy athletic talents.

The success of that system will be on display this fall when both the Harbor College and San Pedro High School’s Athletic Hall of Fame inductions shine the spotlight on cross-country.

Harbor College will honor its 2018 state champion girls cross-country team at its September 20 event, while on

November 2, the Pirates will salute six cross-country teams—three boys’ and three girls’—that swept City titles from 2002 to 2004, including the man who coached them, Bruce Thomson.

Three of Thomson’s protégés were members of the Seahawks’ team, the first state championship for the school since women’s basketball in 1994.

This team and nine individuals will be honored at the 13th Annual Hall of Fame banquet, which is being held for the first time at the location of the hall, within Harbor’s physical education building.

Alumni who haven’t been to Harbor recently won’t recognize the campus, which has undergone a nearly complete makeover in the past decade.

Among the many new buildings are a state-of-the-art library, brand-new student center, and modern P.E. and wellness center that includes the new gymnasium, site of the banquet. With new multi-story parking structures,

We Have 7 HDTVs to see all the games!

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ample parking is available. Catering the affair will be the school’s culinary arts program, which was ranked 21st in the state last year.

Joining the cross-country team in the 2019 induction class are athletes Mike Young (baseball, 1983), Mike Baumgarner (football, 1967-68), Sam Martin (basketball, 1971-73), Marvin Benard (baseball, 1990) and Dave Elecciri (football, 1968-69); and four individuals who are being recognized for meritorious service to the school’s athletic program, Vera (Gascon) Rader, Lynn McGuire, and Marty and Kathryn Blankenship.

Rader graduated from San Pedro High School in Summer 1949, promptly enrolled in the new junior college in Wilmington, and became the school’s first women’s softball and basketball coach. At the same time she was the school’s first athletic secretary, helping Coach Selwyn Yancy recruit his first football team. McGuire has been the school’s athletic secretary since 1987.

The Blankenships were high school sweethearts at Carson. Marty played football at Harbor in 1967, suffered an injury, and returned to play again in 1971. Kathryn attended Harbor at the same time, and both later graduated from Cal State Long Beach and began highly successful high school coaching careers.

Members of the cross-country team are sophomores Brenda Rosales-Coria (Long Beach Poly), Olivia Quezada (POLA), Cynthia Melendez (SPHS), Andrea Gonzalez-Macias (Millikan) and Estrella Montiel (Maya Angelou) and freshmen Samantha Deroo and Alexa De LaPena (SPHS). Rosales-Coria was the individual state cross-country champion, with coach Geoff Skarr, and assisted by Melissa Cortes, Chris Pinelo and Brandon Bernasconi.

For more information and tickets, go to lahc.egu, click on the community button or contact Sylvia Files at (310) 233-4011 or foundation@lahc.edu.

Tickets are $75 ($25 children under 12).

Black and Gold One of the hottest tickets in town every year is for the San Pedro High Hall of Fame ceremony, which returns to the Dalmatian-American Club for year six.

This year, there will be eight athletes inducted for individual achievement, six for lifetime achievement, three sets of siblings, three families, and eight posthumous honorees.

These athletes are Bobby Sandoval (baseball, 1964), Dominic Furio (foot-

ball, 1998), Vic Nomaaea (basketball, 1984), Karyn Bolger (basketball, 1986), Jess Withey (swimming, 1993), Heather Rosas (cross country, 2001), Perlini Koria (softball, 2008), and Katherine Bjazevich (softball/soccer, 2000).

Lifetime honorees are Otis Livingston (basketball, 1985), Bruce Thomson (cross-country coach), Ralph DeQuebec (football, 2001), Caitlin Ursini (soccer, 2004), Jerry Rodich (football/baseball, 1961) and Richard Johnson (football, 1978).

The families are four generations of Potters: Tommy (1938), Kenny Sr. (1960), Kenny Jr. (1980), and Kenny III (2012); three generations of Galosics: Joe (1955), Ron Sr. (1984), Randy (1987), Mike (2009), Ronnie (2010), and Annette (2012); and three generations of Spinosas: Sal (1953), Guy (1982), and Mike (2016).

Siblings being honored are Steve (2004) and Samantha (2006) Taylor; Mala`e (1981), Theresa (1984), and Carolyn (1986) Pele; and Alejandro (2005), Pablo (2010) and David (2011) Rosales.

John Misetich, Mel Bobich, and six Metzger brothers (Leonard, Tom, Gene, Cecil, Art, and Chet) will be honored posthumously.

Thomson, assisted by Sally Leonhart and Rogelio Flores, saw his boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams win City titles in 2002, and both teams went on to repeat in 2003 and 2004. The 2002 boys team was comprised of juniors Toji Sakamoto, Juan Pinedo, and Ricardo Ugalde, sophomore Johan Nava, and seniors Ricardo Diaz, Alex Diaz, Adrian Alanis, and Walter Gonzalez.

Joining the team in 2003 were David Soto, Bryan Swartz, Alejandro Rosales, and Daniel Stancin. Teaming with Soto, Swartz, Nava and Rosales in 2004 were Steve Calise, Chris Franco, John Gil, and Juan Villagomez.

The 2002 girls team was comprised of seniors Cora Webber and Jeannette Blanco, juniors Lori Cardenas and Cygni Olivares, and sophomores Megan and Kirsten Adams, and Jackie Conlin.

Joining the five returnees in 2003 were juniors Gabriel Rubi and Mavel Tortoledo and Lauryn Maes. The 2004 team added Terry Manqueros, Maddy Post, and Nora Traughber.

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I have been writing this column for San Pedro Today for just over 10 years and have covered many different topics.

Some of these topics have shared elements of my life, personal perspective, or covering a particular local issue. My first column was titled, “What will you do to change San Pedro?” It was a call to action to all of San Pedro to take on the personal responsibility of getting involved to transforming our beloved town toward a positive future.

I focused on the words, “What will you do,” because I am a firm believer that sitting back and complaining is just that, complaining. I wouldn’t have put this call to action out so bluntly if I were not going to roll up my sleeves with the rest of you. I have to say, many of you have been involved in some capacity while others, well, are still complaining. In the end, the majority of the change agents in town are beginning to see the future that we have been working so hard towards begin to unfold right in front of our eyes.

Today, taking a simple cruise across town, you will see the most recent changes that are taking place if you truly look for them. From the development of the San Pedro Public Market on the waterfront, to the High Park development finally taking shape on Western Avenue, to new luxury apartments going up on Sixth and Palos Verdes, to new town homes being built on Eighth and Centre, to new restaurants and a new brewery beginning to open up downtown, to plans for a boutique hotel next to the Warner Grand Theatre – San Pedro is truly on the rise.

I know it’s easy, and sometimes tempting, to get caught up in the negativity that makes its way into the conversation these days, but time is better spent determining where you can make a difference and dive in and do the work. I know from personal experience that this is not an easy task and it takes personal sacrifice to get

involved to get it done. My personal motto is that it’s not about time, but rather want. If you want to do something, you will find the time.

As an example, a friend who volunteers countless hours at a local little league was in a conversation with a guy who said, “We should have tournaments every weekend at the field as fundraisers.” My friend thought it was a great idea and asked, “When can you start organizing the tournaments?”

The person was taken back and said he was too busy with other things and didn’t have the time. I guess the term “we” did not mean him. Again, not about time, but want. If he truly wanted to do this, he would have found the time.

Much of what is being developed today in San Pedro was built on the sacrifice (want) and commitment (time) of many who decided to get involved to make a difference. Change did not happen overnight then, and it will not happen overnight today. It will happen with a steady focus and commitment of those wanting to make a difference. Just as I did some 10 years ago, I will end this column with a quote from Teddy Roosevelt, known as “The Man in the Arena”: It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face in marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. spt Anthony Pirozzi, Jr. is a Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner. He can be contacted at apirozzi@yahoo.com.

JUNE 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 15

VOICES

PERSEVERANCE

CLASS OF 2019 STANDOUTS EXHIBIT DEDICATION & DETERMINATION AS THEY SHINE TOWARDS GRADUATION

by Jennifer Marquez Port of Los Angeles High School (Charter) - Christopher Magana will be attending University of California Berkeley to study Computer Sciences with the dream of someday working at Walt Disney Imagineering. While attending POLA, Magana created a reading center after the school library was closed. He engaged the community and the staff, raised all the funds, and earned his Eagle Scout Award by completing a much needed new space. Magana’s single mother, his sole provider, had been in and out of the hospital for the last four years. His grades slipped as she struggled with constant health issues. While caring for his mother, Magana realized he needed to make school a priority and began studying at the hospital. His grades improved, and he completed a career path (CTE) at POLA in both photography and graphic design.

Magana’s hard work earned him numerous certificates and awards, including a scholarship by National Geographic to spend the summer in Tokyo studying photography. A few weeks ago, his mother passed away.

Magana is committed to working hard and making her proud.

San Pedro High School, Olguin Campus (LAUSD) - Robert Sparrow attended the Police Academy Magnet and will be going to California State

University Channel Islands after graduation, majoring in Information Technology with a goal of working in law enforcement.

At birth, Sparrow weighed one pound 14 ounces, and as a result, it is challenging for him to process information, at times. Sparrow credits both his family and school community for their support. The Police Magnet helped him with his confidence, and he is also thankful to the seniors in the class of 2018. Sparrow believes advocacy, parental support, and teachers that provided tutoring contributed to his success of getting into college.

San Pedro High School, Flagship Campus (LAUSD) - Madeline Anna Wright and will be going to the University of Chicago as an Odyssey Scholar on a full scholarship. Wright was accepted to 13 colleges. She will major in Neuroscience, with a goal of attaining a medical degree and becoming a neurosurgeon. She will be the first person in her family to graduate from college, and doing it debt free at the third-ranked college in the nation.

Wright has maintained a 4.2 GPA throughout high school, completed 11

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community college classes, and nine advanced placement courses. While growing up, Wright bravely faced challenges of addiction and abuse within her family. Recalling being told that 60% of children of addicts result in using drugs, Wright continues to carry her childhood on her back, no longer as a burden, but as a reminder of how far she has come. She is thankful to her teachers for help on their lunch breaks, before school, and on Saturdays, and today, her mind is consumed with new statistics. There are less then 1% of certified black female neurosurgeons in the world, a statistic that she plans to join.

Mary Star of the Sea High School (Private/ Catholic) - Nathan Trudnich will be attending Lesley University located in Cambridge, Massachusetts to study Business, with a minor in Sports Management. He received the Presidential Scholarship and will be playing NCAA Division 3 baseball, while also working towards his goals of obtaining his Master’s Degree and working in the finance sector. Trudnich has always made the Principal’s Honor Roll, never fell below a 4.0 GPA, and was selected for the Second Team AllLeague. During his sophomore year, he suffered a concussion while playing football, resulting in chronic headaches and difficulty in the classroom. Through this ongoing experience, he has learned to be grateful for and appreciate the little things, and his whole prospective on life has changed for the better.

Trudnich credits the strong, devoted, and caring support system at Mary Star and without their help, he would not be where he is today.

Angel’s Gate High School (LAUSD Continuation School) - Haley Bryant will be attending Harbor College as well as cosmetology school,

with the goal of someday owning her own salon. She has completed all of her courses and will be receiving a LAUSD diploma. Bryant has overcome the culture of her family history and succeeded when people around her said she couldn’t do it. Bryant credits Angel’s Gate for providing her with motivation and support, and is grateful to her teachers who encouraged her and helped teach her skills she needed to accomplish her work. Bryant especially thanks her principal for his inspiration, and for creating a school where the students want to thrive.

Alliance M. Baxter College-Ready High School (Charter) - Nick Williams will be attending UCLA and majoring in Astrophysics.

With interests in astronomy and a solid record of excelling in mathematics, Williams felt this was a great way to do both in college. His hard work in high school is something he is proud of and knows that it has prepared him for the future by building a strong work ethic. During his senior year, Williams’ mother passed away, and he took a break from his academics and role as ASB President during this challenging time. Eventually, he slowly began to get back into his regular routine. Williams remembers his mother as being one of the kindest human beings he has ever known. He continues to work hard and be successful to make her proud. He is thankful to the school staff for caring about the well being of students, as well as helping him fill out all of his college applications. spt Jennifer Marquez can be reached at jennifertmarquez@yahoo.com and @jenntmqz on Twitter.

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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, MASS SHOOTINGS & WHAT WE CAN ALL DO TO HELP The United States is experiencing an epidemic of mass shootings.

The following research provides an unflinching look into this deadly U.S. phenomenon and its relationship to domestic violence.

The gun control group, Everytown for Gun Safety, found that from 2009 to 2015, 57% of mass shootings included a spouse, former spouse, or other family member among the shooting victims. If you grew up with domestic violence, you are 74% more likely to commit a violent crime against someone else. Even with a charge of domestic violence, loopholes exist that allow some with a DV felony conviction to own firearms.

The United States’ gun murder rate is 25 times higher than 22 other high-income nations. With only half the population of the 22 other countries studied, the U.S. accounted for 82% of all gun deaths, and, 90% of all women killed by guns.

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BUDDI • B – Kids who are bullies or who have been bullied • U – Kids or adults who are unhappy & withdrawn • D – Diaries or social media containing expressions of violence • D – Expressions of death & dying • I – Suicidal or Homicidal Ideas HELPFUL THINGS WE CAN ALL DO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS: • Disseminate the school’s anti-bullying policy to students and teachers often.

• Ensure policies are enforced.

• Include Conflict / Resolution, Mindfulness and Diversity training in core curriculum.

• Provide adequate, confidential counseling & referral services for students needing help due to bullying, exposure to domestic violence, or other stressors.

• Promote the establishment of clubs to highlight strengths & encourage students to connect.

• In school assemblies, present awards to students who exhibit outstanding peer support & leadership.

PARENTS: • If there is domestic violence (including yelling, threatening, name calling, hair pulling, shoving, blocking, slapping, choking, hitting, kicking, isolating from friends, family, or access to bank accounts) occurring in your home, get help now. Call The National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE, or visit California Partnership To

End Domestic Violence at www. cpedv.org.

• Avoid workaholism; have at least one meal a day together as a family & find out what your child’s day included, make eye contact, be present & tuned in. Give hugs!

• Talk to your kids about the good & bad of the internet & monitor their activity.

• Implement & monitor parental controls on computers, laptops, note pads or smart phones.

• Know your kids peer groups and leisure time activities.

• Limit video/gaming to 1 hour a day.

• Have a media black-out day once a week (No TV, Internet, Social Media, Radio).

• Spend time in nature with your kids.

• Recognize warning signs of violence & get your child into counseling immediately if concerned.

• Be concerned & set limits If your child is spending all their time in their room on video games.

• Get your kids involved in sports, clubs, theater, dance, academic decathlons, writing clubs to build social skills.

TEACHERS & SCHOOL COUNSELORS: • Recognize the warning signs of possible violence in students • Include Conflict / Resolution, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Diversity & Tolerance of Differences training in core curriculum • Meet with the impacted student’s mother; asses for domestic violence & presence of guns in the home • Give mother appropriate referrals

• Refer high risk kids to school or outside counseling.

• Listen to kids who report bullying, check back to make sure bullying stopped & give advice.

• At lunch time present awards to any students who exhibit outstanding peer support, leadership or inclusivenes.

KIDS: • Recognize the warning signs of possible violence in students.

• If you see a social media posting anything that suggest a student or someone you know is expressing violent ideas, take a picture and immediately let your parents and teachers know; do not wait. The same goes for any written expressions of violence in journals, notebooks, dairies, or tagging.

• If a friend is angry, depressed, or alone, talk to them, be supportive & let an adult know if they are in trouble & need help. You may become a hero who saved lives!

• If you see someone being bullied, get help immediately, write down the name of the adult you asked for help, what happened and follow up to make sure something was done to stop the bullying.

• When it comes to halting the surging epidemic of mass shootings in our country; we all have a role to play. Get educated and get involved; it may save lives.

Written by Artemis Tegan, M.A., LMFT Clinical Director & Trauma Specialist, Artemis Center for Family Therapy, Inc.; artemiscenter.net (310) 809-2011

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INTEGRITY HOOPS ACADEMY BUILDS CHARACTER IN YOUTH BASKETBALL PLAYERS, BOTH ON & OFF THE COURT

by Caitlyn Piercy

Athletics help build character to overcome adversity in all areas of life,” says Heather (Burge) Quella, cofounder of Integrity Hoops Academy.

“Basketball, a team sport, teaches cooperation, listening, and selflessness.”

A San Pedro resident and former basketball player for Palos Verdes High School, Quella, along with her twin sister Heidi, were the inspiration behind the 2002 Disney Channel movie, Double Teamed. Going on to play for University of Virginia, the USA Women’s National Team, and the WNBA, Quella certainly knows a thing or two about shooting hoops.

After concluding her professional career, the Los Angeles Sportswalk of Famer channeled her love of the game to coaching, where she soon discovered a need to cultivate interest in youth basketball, especially for young girls.

“Recreation leagues cannot offer enough time nor skilled coaching to build fundamentally sound players, both boys and girls,” describes Quella.

“We want to spur on that desire to play, and offer the opportunity to grow and experience the outstanding coaching we received.” Quella, along with former WNBA marketing executive, Stacey Dengler, founded Integrity Hoops Academy, a youth basketball clinic for the South Bay area.

IHA provides fundamental skill

work and consistent opportunity for improvement, with its goals being to develop and enhance boys’ and girls’ basketball skills, as well as character, through practice, precision, coaching, and of course, play. Beginning July 1 through August 12, these two-hour clinics will be held every Monday at Christ Lutheran Gymnasium, where Quella also works as a teacher and coach. Open to ages seven through 12, IHA is tailored to players with some former experience that want to develop their skills, and is a great supplement to current players looking to grow their talents on the court.

Although there are no try-outs, the clinic’s unique approach allows for quality performance evaluation and assessment, as well as group and individual instruction. Players receive weekly “homework” assignments, as well as a tailor-made program to take home and practice at the end of their participation.

A key curriculum to IHA is based on legendary UCLA basketball Coach John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, which describes exemplary values in becoming both a good leader, as well as a good player. Quella explains IHA’s usage of Wooden’s philosophies, saying, “Both Stacey and I are particularly impressed [with Wooden], not only a 10-time NCAA champion coach in men’s

Heather Quella (center) with athletes from her Integrity Hoops Academy (photo: Integrity Hoops Academy)

basketball, but a grounded man from Indiana with strong character instilled in him by his father.” She elaborates specifically, saying, “In particular, we focus on John Wooden’s 7-Point Creed given to him by his father at his graduation from grammar school. Each session, we expand on one point of his creed, and encourage the participant to apply it to his/her life. He demonstrated through sports, that you can build a life of character, focusing on being the best person you can be each day. At IHA, we believe that as well, and want to share those life lessons through the practices and games.”

In addition to being a mother of three boys, Quella also has found purpose in sharing what she has learned over the years by inspiring a new generation of female players to work hard to achieve their athletic goals. “I have been coaching youth for over 30 years, and have worked with girls in San Pedro since 2002,” she describes. “Until founding IHA, coaching and teaching the game of basketball, as well as

encouraging them to play the game, has been the main way to get them our there and try.”

Sometimes all it takes is that one coach to believe in you and help give you the guidance needed to breeze past that defense and score. With the integral coaching of Quella and IHA, young players are given an amazing opportunity to learn from the best. “I am honored to be a female role model [in basketball], and I am so grateful for the opportunities I had as a player when girls’ basketball was a budding sport,” says Quella. “I hope to instill the same lessons I was taught, giving back the positive experience in order to influence a girl out there who loves the game and wants to grow to a higher level of play.” spt For more information on Integrity Hoops Academy, including registration, visit their website at integrityhoopsacademy.com or email integrityhoopsacademy@ yahoo.com.

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MUSICAL, MOTIVATIONAL, AND MEANINGFUL: M3 ROCK N’ TALK INSPIRES STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THROUGH LIVE PERFORMANCE

by SPT Staff For the past ten years, an initiative that inspires a multitude of students nation-wide and advocates anti-bullying through music has been rocking schools across the country.

Founded by San Pedro natives, Domenico Pilato and Gino Di Leva, M3 Rock n’ Talk’s mission of musical, motivational, and meaningful presentations in schools has garnered a positive response. In a fun, concert-like environment, students are encouraged to navigate some of their deepest challenges with confidence, while also building leadership skills and learning how to think positively.

The live presentational performances are powered by Pilato and Di Leva’s band, Dr.Iven (a.k.a. Driven),which they initially created in the ‘90s with the idea to compose positive beats and lyrics. Some of their original songs, popular cover songs, and old school rock and roll during M3’s performances give the audience a much needed energy boost, with students oftentimes joining them on stage in singing or dance competitions.

At the heart of M3’s mission are guidance and encouragement through the tough topics of adolescence, including bullying, drugs and alcohol, body image issues, and the growing pressures of academics. Wanting to

instill a sense of confidence in students, M3’s motivational talks and music also serve as a great reminder and guiding hand that the challenges they encounter today are only temporary. The presentations are custom-tailored to suit specific audiences and age ranges, including a variety of assembly formats to choose from.

“Subject matter really depends on the school and what they are going through. Not all students – not even all grade levels – are alike,” says Di Leva.

“We might be in there for a double assembly and talking to the freshman about anti-bullying, and to the sophomores about substance abuse.”

Administrators have gladly welcomed their message, especially in an area or school district where they don’t always have the necessary expertise or resources. “Most local school budgets are for staff salaries and operational costs,” says Pilato. “We have seen a lack of funding allocated funding for different types of programming aside from academic or maybe even extracurricular. We are talking about programs that target issues.”

One of M3’s main goals is to advocate anti-bullying. “We challenge [students] a lot on: do we want to build each other up, or tear each other down?” says Pilato. Their Driven to

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M3 performs at a high school in Illinois. (inset) M3's Domenico Pilato (l) and Gino Di Leva. (photos: M3)

Decrease Bullying Grant Program was initially created through a studentbased focus group, where kids thought of the idea of funding special programs and projects that are geared to decrease bullying in schools. Part of the program is for high school students to become leaders and mentors in middle and elementary schools.

“If we’re able to implement our anti-bullying program into the lower grade schools, then the goal is to have the high school students kind of take over and mentor the younger kids. If we could be in 20 places at once, we would be. We figure we would start implementing something that is going to continue when we are not there,” says Pilato. Students from campuses across the United States can apply for the $500 grant on M3’s website, m3rockntalk.org.

Today’s youth, unlike other generations, have experienced the ups and downs of social media. A rumor or negative comment, for example, decades ago, would have spread at a much slower pace. To tackle the impact of this negative trend, an internet-safe zone was built within the backend of the M3 Rock n’ Talk website, a Facebook or Instagramlike student initiative. Still in the beginning stages, it plans to launch at the national level in the next six months. Until then “the zone” hosts 12 private videos or testimonies in a safe, online environment and welcomes the submission of more. The platform with “human eyes” as Pilato calls it, monitors all comments. They want the students to feel safe to post, open up and interact with their peers. Topics discussed include overcoming body image issues, self-acceptance, immigrating to the United States, and finding and practicing forgiveness.

“What we learned from the kids is that they want a place on the internet where they can go, where it’s going to be monitored, where kids won’t get bullied,” says Pilato. “They said: let’s create a section where kids could go in, share a story and share a solution.”

While M3’s program was initially organized through live assemblies, today their mission is growing. The nonprofit has traveled across the country to major conferences, including the Texas Association of Student Councils and Arizona Association of Student Councils, where they were one of the three keynote speakers last year.

In Arizona, they visited five different regions and began pitching the antibullying movement. Subsequently, another focus group was built, and M3 gained their first state leader in Arizona, who is at the forefront of the anti-bullying campaign. They are also currently in talks with a global sports research organization that would allocate its social media resources to help promote the nonprofit’s campaigns nationwide.

M3’s ultimate goal is to allow students to create their own initiatives and delegate teams to carry their message forward, allowing for students to become fully in charge and launch campaigns based on their needs and the needs of their peers. Aside from having reached more than 100,000 individuals and organizations and visiting nine states, M3 Rock n’ Talk’s successes have been inspiring youth with confidence to tackle negativity and obstacles throughout adolescence and into adulthood. spt For more info on M3 and to view their music videos, visit m3rockntalk.org.

JUNE 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 23

!

S R EA Y 31 G IN T A BR E L CE

The San Pedro

Honors the Future Leaders of

Sa

Hailey Ascencio

Kobe Mano

Leamarie C. Javier

Emily Gurrola

Jose Prieto

Lorenzo Reyes

Valerie Hernandez

Finley Walter

Benjamin Harris

Kendall Ethridge

Alyssa Ferara

Chloe McClung

Nathan Franco

Avery Dover-Borgo

Ava Mardesich

Valerie Torres

Jacqueline I. Huerta

Bella Zapata

Luca St Pierre

Jocelyn Coenmans

Ruth Worthington

Leo Saldana

Gwendolyn Griffin

7th Street Elementary

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PRIDE

Pride on the Port committee members (l to r): Daniel Garcia-Sheffield, Aiden Garcia-Sheffield, Mona Sutton, and Tim McOsker. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

SAN PEDRO GEARS UP FOR ITS FIRST LGBT+ FESTIVAL ON THE L.A. WATERFRONT

by Joshua Stecker When Aiden Garcia-Sheffield and his husband Daniel moved to San Pedro three years ago, they weren’t sure what to expect.

Aiden, coming from a small farming town in Georgia, and Daniel, a South Bay native from Wilmington, were aware of San Pedro’s diverse ethnic community, but they were still uncertain about how they would be accepted as an out and proud gay couple.

“Growing up, I had friends who lived in San Pedro and we would always go out to L.A. or West Hollywood to have a good time,” says Daniel. “[Coming back home], it wasn't always a welcoming feeling. You just wanted to get away.”

Fortunately – call it fate, or luck, or 26 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JUNE 2019

just good timing – after a morning of unpacking boxes in their new San Pedro home, the couple decided to grab a bite to eat at the Omelette & Waffle Shop on Gaffey Street. That’s when they knew they made the right decision.

“We were hungry one morning, and I just said, ‘Hey, I saw this really cute, greasy spoon place down the street.

Let's go over there,’” explains Aiden, owner of Underground hair salon in Downtown San Pedro. There they met the restaurant’s co-owner, Mona Sutton, who immediately asked them if they wouldn’t mind sitting “family-style” because the restaurant was packed for their breakfast rush.

“I'm like, ‘I don't really know what that is, but okay,’” laughs Aiden. “She

asked where we were from, and I said that my husband and I just moved here, and she just lit up. She introduced me to [her wife and business partner] Leslie Jones, and from that moment we became great friends.”

Meeting Sutton and Jones and realizing there was a significant LGBT+ community in San Pedro, Aiden and Daniel decided to host socials with other LGBT+ friends. Inspired by First City Network, Georgia’s oldest LGBT+ organization, who used monthly potlucks as a way for LGBT+ people to network and feel comfortable talking openly with like-minded individuals, the Garcia-Sheffields discovered others who were looking for that same sense of community here in the port town.

“When I was coming out and I was 18, it was the place to go to meet other gay people, and to kind of be a mentor to others and be exposed to [this community],” explains Aiden. “I grew up on a farm, so there were no gay people, or if there were, they didn't talk about it.”

He continues, “We had our first social and we had a good turnout, like 30 or 40 people. Everybody was saying, ‘I didn't know there were other gay people here!’ We had nowhere to go. We had nothing to really gather around.”

TURNING POINT In June 2018, after a gay Air Force veteran in San Pedro made headlines by going public with claims of harassment from neighbors in his apartment

Harbor Breeze Cruises' five-deck, luxury yacht, the Sir Winston, dubbed the "Fairy Ferry" for the day, will transport festival goers on a one-way, 90-minute cruise from Long Beach to San Pedro's waterfront. (photos: John Mattera Photography)

complex, City Councilman Joe Buscaino gathered a number of community leaders, including Supervisor Janice Hahn and Congresswoman Nanette Barragán, to raise a rainbow LGBT+ flag at the Welcome Park, near the 110 freeway entrance on Gaffey Street.

“There is no room for this type of behavior in a community that has always practiced and believes in human decency towards one another,” Buscaino said at the ceremony, per the Daily Breeze. “We live in one of the most diverse cities in the world and must live with respect towards each other.”

Sutton was asked to help raise the flag and was the final speaker that day.

“I was nervous to speak,” laughs Sutton. “Imagine that, I'm usually not nervous to speak most of the time.

But leaving me for last and having me raise the flag, I mean, it was so moving and so meaningful after having been a target [for years].”

The crowd size and the overall atmosphere of inclusiveness during that flag raising ceremony made Aiden realize that San Pedro was ready to have its own Pride festival.

“The show of people that day was the clue that this community does cares about inclusiveness, and making everyone feel welcome,” says Aiden. “We want to do something that gives to the community, promotes more understanding of what being LGBT+ means, and raises awareness and advocacy.”

From that moment on, the idea for Pride on the Port (POP) turned into action.

THE LONG FIGHT Since Sutton and Jones opened the 28 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JUNE 2019

I move forward with, and that's what Omelette & Waffle Shop 23 years ago, they’ve been staunch community advo- helps me not be scared.” cates. From working with neighborhood A FAMILY’S LOVE councils to working directly with the For Tim McOsker, the CEO of AltaLAPD, the couple has been instrumenSea and a member of the Pride on the tal in creating positive change in San Port committee, his experience with the Pedro.

LGBT+ community has been through In April, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti the eyes of his daughter, Miranda, who announced the long overdue funding came out to McOsker and his wife Confor the LAPD Harbor Division jail as nie while she was in college. part of the City’s 2019-20 budget. The “It became real for me when my issue was spearheaded by Sutton, as daughter came head of the out to us,” reHarbor Area calls McOsker, Community who’s also the Police Advisocurrent chairry Board. Even man of the with all of that board of direcpositive energy tors for the San spent towards Pedro Chamber the betterment of Commerce. of San Pedro, “She was in they still excollege in Chiperience their cago and found share of hate herself in a and harassvery supportment. ive environ“I once heard someone Chad Michaels, dubbed the "world's greatest Cher ment, which is tell us, ‘You're impersonator,” will headline the event. a good place (photo: Chad Michaels) and a good lucky we're altime in her life lowing you to to come out.” make good in our town,’” says Sutton.

McOsker continues, “My world “It was really distasteful.” expanded when my daughter came out Late last year, the restaurant even had some windows shot out in the mid- because I spent a lot of time with her friends, and I got to know a lot more dle of the night after the staff received folks. Gaining familiarity, just spending some threatening phone calls. “[Leslie and I] have tried really hard time with people, creates an opportuto carve out a life and an existence here nity to realize that whether you are gay, lesbian, Muslim, African-American, a in San Pedro, and we're really wellfelon, a tall person, a short person, you loved and well-respected,” says Sutton.

“That's what I hold onto and that's what realize that we are all human beings.

Alienation just creates fear, anxiety, and misrepresentation. So, as silly as it sounds, just the idea of San Pedro having an event and having San Pedro Today feature this and showing that straight folks like me are participating, supporting and sticking up for it, helps.”

FISH OUT OF WATER Growing up in a rural community in the south, that kind of familiarity McOsker speaks of was nonexistent for Aiden.

“It was rough being a kid,” remembers Aiden. “Pretty much everyone knew I was gay. When I opened my mouth, purses fell out. But I had a picture [of a guy I liked] in my car by my speedometer. It was this thing [back then] to put a picture of who you liked there. Everyone did it. Somebody saw mine and they told my parents. That’s how I was outed.”

When his parents found out, it didn’t go well. His mother, fearing for his future and the struggles he was about to face, told him he couldn’t live that lifestyle. At that moment, Aiden decided to leave home.

“I went and started packing my bags and my stepdad came in the room and he asked what I was doing. I told him what happened, and he was like, ‘Oh, don't worry about her.’ Then he suggested I should live in a bigger city because this might not be the place for me, but ‘we'll always support you.’ My mom is my best friend now. She has been for years. I love going back there to visit and everyone is super excited to see me.”

Eventually, Aiden became a hair stylist and flight attendant and made his

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way to Long Beach, where he met his husband Daniel. Ironically, their first date happened to be on the L.A. Waterfront to see to see Cirque du Soleil’s Totem in 2013.

“We had Baramee Thai food for dinner then went and saw the show,” remembers Aiden. “That first date is when I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, I love San Pedro.”

Daniel, who works for the City of Los Angeles, grew up just a stone’s throw away in Wilmington. For him, having grown up in the South Bay, he was apprehensive of moving to San Pedro, not knowing how they’d be accepted.

“I've always grown up in a culture where I just want to be private and I don't want anybody to know my business, but I married somebody who's the opposite of that,” he laughs. “I was really worried that I wasn't going to feel welcomed for being a gay man. But finding Mona and Leslie and doing the potlucks, all of that has been helpful.”

PRIDE ON THE PORT June is Pride month across the United States and in many parts of the world.

The month was chosen to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred fifty years ago on June 28-29, 1969. The riots, which took place spontaneously in Greenwich Village in New York City to protest years of violence, harassment and an anti-gay legal system, are considered to be the event that launched the modern-day gay rights movement in the U.S. While San Pedro has never had a Pride festival of its own until now, just across the bridges in Long Beach, that city has been celebrating Pride since 1984, and now boasts the third largest Pride festival in the country.

Knowing how popular Long Beach Pride is (they celebrated their Pride festival last month) and wanting to utilize that positive energy in San Pedro, Aiden and a group of other local LGBT+ residents formed the Bridge Cities Alliance, the nonprofit group behind the first annual Pride on the Port event. The name comes from “the desire to bridge all communities, and people, as well as the amazing cities that surround the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles,” according to their website (bridgecitiesla.com).

“We formed it because we realized that everybody wants to do good, and we needed a conduit for that for the local LGBT+ community. We see the Harbor Area as a whole, and that includes Long Beach.”

The Pride on the Port festival, set for June 15 on the L.A. Waterfront in front of the Battleship USS Iowa, is expected to draw a large crowd of both LGBT+ and cisgender straight friends looking to have a good time on a summer weekend to celebrate positivity, inclusion, self-affirmation, dignity, and equality rights.

“My grandfather was a WWII gunner's mate, so I have a deep affection for the military,” says Aiden. “And I love

30 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JUNE 2019

the USS Iowa. I'm such a geek about it.

Anything we can do to bring attention to that battleship and help them, we're all about it.”

The daylong festival begins at Long Beach’s Rainbow Harbor, in what may be the first Pride festival that starts on one waterfront and travels to another.

Harbor Breeze Cruises has donated use of their five-deck, luxury dining yacht, the Sir Winston (cheekily calling it the “Fairy Ferry” for the day), taking festival goers on a 90-minute, one-way party trip to the L.A. Waterfront, where it will sit dockside as part of the festivities.

While VIP entrance onto the battleship is 21-and-over, the main festival is an all-ages affair. Adult patrons will be able to walk around the festival grounds with alcohol. Teen tents, led by David Crowley of San Pedro High School, will have free food and activities.

The festival will feature music, dancing, live performances and a bevy of food trucks. VIP patrons will also have access to festivities aboard the USS Iowa, which will include a DJ, dance floor, food and cocktails. Headlining the first annual Pride on the Port festival is RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars winner and “world's greatest Cher impersonator,” Chad Michaels.

Aiden stresses that you don’t have to be LGBT+ to attend, everyone is invited.

“What many people don’t realize is that you can be LGBT+ and belong to any other demographic that you can think of, whether it’s race, religion, where you live, anything, because those communities have people that are gay in them,” he says.

He continues, “I think that if people have any fear of an event like this, it means they've never been to one. What I would let them know is that there's going to be great music, great drinks, an awesome yacht, an amazing battleship, and top-notch entertainment.

We're not going to be out there gyrating with rainbow wigs in our underwear.

So, take all those fears, put them aside, and just come out and have fun. And if you don't like it, you can always go home.”

McOsker adds, “I think and believe that folks will be really excited and pleased to have an opportunity to embrace the LGBT+ community in San Pedro,” he says. “As Aiden says, you can be part of any demographic and be LGBT+, and for somebody like me, [a straight man], my inclination was to be supportive and to embrace and respect folks regardless of their orientation, their race, their creed, or where they’re from.” spt Pride on the Port festival is Saturday, June 15, along the L.A. Waterfront. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit bridgecitiesla. com.

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A LOOK AT THE MEN WHO LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY

by Angela Romero

Roman D. Sepulveda

George H. Peck

San Pedro, who’s your daddy?

Do we have one? If the city of San Pedro wanted to give a heartfelt Father’s Day card to someone, who should we address it to? The fact that we have to ask shows how little information is out there about the town’s founding fathers.

The Sepulvedas are arguably our first family, but our first official governmental body was the San Pedro Board of Trustees that served from 1888 – 1909. Some of the men who served on the board over its lifetime have very familiar names, while some are just a set of initials with a last name. In honor of Father’s Day, I’d like to share what I can about these town pioneers.

Although we have the honorary mayor campaign, San Pedro has never had an actual mayor. There was, however, a board president. The first board president was E.W. Webster.

Webster is still a bit of a mystery, especially his full name. Webster was one of the founding members of the First Methodist Church and worked for the San Pedro Lumber Company. After leaving San Pedro Lumber, he sued the company for withholding money he had given it to hold for him in trust.

Unfortunately for Webster, San Pedro Lumber Company hired Stephen M. White to represent them in the suit and the judge ruled in their favor. By the time Webster appealed the decision, White was serving in the United States Senate where he would use his legal prowess to argue that San Pedro should be the location of the federal breakwater.

Alex Olsen came to the United States from Sweden in 1871. As he made his way west across the country, Olsen made stops in Nevada and Idaho before ending up in Wilmington.

32 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JUNE 2019

(photos: San Pedro Bay Historical Society)

SAN PEDRO’S FOUNDING FATHERS

James H. Dodson, Sr.

There, he worked as a carpenter for Phineas Banning. When the railroad was extended to San Pedro in 1882, Olsen was one of the first people to make his home here, where at the time it was called Fayal for a Portuguese man who got there first. In San Pedro, Olsen worked as a mason. He built the foundations for the rock quarry on Catalina – the source of the first rock used to construct the breakwater. He started Olsen Hardware on Beacon Street with his son, and was also instrumental in organizing the local Carpenter’s Union.

Nels Anderson, often referred to as N.O. Anderson, came to San Pedro from his native Sweden in 1887. He was a member of the Swedish Mission and a member of the Redmen. Anderson owned a considerable amount of property in San Pedro. He built the Anderson Building on the southwest corner of Sixth and Beacon Streets, a three-story building that, towards the end of its life, hosted Tony’s Café, where Ante Perkov got his start. But the building that you might be more familiar with, and the one that still bears his name, is Anderson Memorial.

Anderson and his wife built the recreation center and plunge in 1923,

dedicating it to the spiritual, mental, and physical welfare of the San Pedro community. They gifted the building in honor of their sons Newell and Horace who died during the 1918 flu epidemic while serving in World War I. The last two mysterious members of the first San Pedro Board of Trustees are E.M. Phelps and J.A. Dufresne.

Phelps served as president on the next three boards, but I was still unable to find any more information on him. If anyone out there knows any information on our first trustees, please reach out.

Throughout the rest of the semiannual boards, these are the more, well known names. Roman Sepulveda served four times, and his brother-inlaw, James H. Dodson, husband of Rudecinda Sepulveda, served several times as board president. George H. Peck, one of the biggest land developers in San Pedro and the South Bay, looks like he may have served the most terms – more than ten – the most occurring towards the end of San Pedro cityhood. You may not be familiar with who Albert Barton, Edouard Amar, and John Malgren were, but you might be more familiar with Barton Hill, Amar Street, and Malgren Avenue

that were named after them. Mitchell Duffy served a couple of times, as well as Judge William H. Savage, two of my absolute favorite San Pedro Irishmen. Duffy made his fortune by establishing the very first public baths in Santa Monica, but not wanting to rest on his laurels, he came to San Pedro and created the very first ferry to Rattlesnake Island, a man-powered row boat. Judge Savage also served as our city attorney, was the last living Marine who served in the Civil War, and also elected to State office.

I am grateful to all the work these men did in developing the city of San Pedro. They laid the foundation for the strong community that evolved, even when we joined the City of Los Angeles. I’d also like to thank the men who continued their work throughout the years and continue the fight today.

The best thing about all of these men is that they were smart enough to realize, eventually, that San Pedro women are the strongest force in town. spt Angela Romero is the founder of the San Pedro Heritage Museum.

She can be reached at: angela@sanpedroheritage.org.

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SPORTS

A SHINING SEASON MARY STAR GIRLS BASKETBALL REACHES CIF STATE PLAYOFFS story & photo by Jamaal K. Street Many get the chance to widen their horizons, but only few realize their dreams.

The 2018-19 Mary Star of the Sea High School girls basketball team got to experience both in a season initially besieged by injuries, but ending with a sense of pride achieving something that no other team in school, or San Pedro history, has done: making it to the CIF State playoffs.

On February 26, 2019 in front of a packed gymnasium of raucous fans at Montclair High, the Stars pulled out a 34-31 victory in the first round of the CIF State Division 5 Southern California Regional playoffs. And to think, this moment would never have happened years ago for certain high schools who were unable make a CIF Section final. “We bonded as a team when it was all said and done,” said All-Santa Fe League junior guard, Sarah Leyba. “And it paid off when it counted the most to get this win.”

Mary Star started off the year 5-10 with key players out due to injury, and impact transfer sophomore point guard, Isabella Serrano, on the 30-day sit-out

The 2018-19 Mary Star of the Sea High School girls basketball team (standing l to r): assistant coach Noelani Emnace, Lexi Quilliam, Lorraine Medina, Karla Rocha, Marina Erosa, Jenna Miloe, coach Victor Tuberosi, assistant coach Nick Fiamengo; (kneeling l to r): Titi Shodiya, Sarah Leyba, Isabella Serrano, Cristina Camacho, Kaitlyn Oasay, Hailey Jaramilla

period. Once Serrano became eligible, the Stars would make a strong run to the postseason after finishing third in the Santa Fe League, all the way to the CIF-Southern Section Division 5-AA semifinals at home against eventual champion, Linfield Christian.

When Mary Star lost to the Lions, their apparent sadness of not being able to reach the final was quickly washed away when coach Victor Tuberosi gave them a startling announcement. “When Vic said that we were going to [CIF] State we all started screaming,” recalls All-Santa Fe League senior forward, Lexi Quilliam. “I felt so happy that we could still play and practice as a team because I had thought that the season was over.”

Several teams in the past, such as the 2017 Port of Los Angeles High girls soccer and 2018 San Pedro High School girls volleyball teams, would only

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qualify for a CIF State Regional either by winning a Section championship or at least getting to a championship game.

Therefore, the euphoria of the Stars was well earned.

Once the CIF State committee expanded the formats to multiple divisions for all the various sections, especially the CIF-Southern Section where semifinalists could potentially qualify, Mary Star would make the most of that opportunity at Montclair, the school who ended up in the CIF-SS Division 5-AA final where Linfield Christian became champions.

Even before the game, the team harmony that the Stars maintained all season long was emphasized with an act of kindness, as senior reserve forward Titi Shodiya, let junior reserve forward Jenna Miloe, borrow her game shoes. “Titi was a lifesaver,” says Miloe, who in all the excitement of playing a Regional, accidentally left her game shoes on campus before boarding the team bus. “She sacrificed what could have been one of her last games of her career in order for me to have the ability to play,” Miloe describes with gratitude. “I will always be thankful for her. She is truly an angel.”

That kind of sacrifice off the court turned into an even bigger one on the court, with over six minutes to play when Serrano fouled out after scoring a team-high 11 points. Sophomore guard Kaitlyn Oasay then raised her game to new heights in the absence of the AllSanta Fe League and All-CIF Division

5 selection. “It was a very crucial moment because we were up by six,” Serrano says. “I felt like that moment would’ve caused them to turn the ball over carelessly, but my teammates proved me wrong. They hustled and got rebounds, passed the ball to Katie and she composed the team when we needed it the most.”

In fact, it was Oasay’s layup off a backdoor feed from All-Santa Fe League sophomore forward Karla Rocha with 1:34 remaining that put Mary Star up 34-28 that was the most pivotal play of the night. Leyba would seal the victory in the closing seconds by rebounding the missed free throw from senior center Lorraine Medina with nine seconds left, and ran out the clock when the Cavaliers were unable to foul her.

In any times of loss or disappointment, one thing has always kept these Stars shining together. “This team’s bond is like none other,” says Oasay. Not even a 17-3 fourth quarter run by eventual Division 5 Southern California Regional champion Ramona of Riverside in a 40-31 quarterfinal loss on February 28 would dim the spirits of these Stars (16-16 overall), nor diminish their moment.

“Honestly, it was surreal,” recalls Medina. “I think the most satisfying part is that we were underdogs the whole season, even in playoffs. No one expected us at all to go as far as we did, so that feeling of being the first to accomplish a big feat like this is amazing.” spt

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WEDDING

GREECE IS THE WORD MATT & ALEXIS PRIDEAUX FEBRUARY 9, 2019 story by Caitlyn Piercy photo by John Mattera Photography

In Greek mythology, Eros was often a mischievous matchmaker of couples throughout history. For Matt and Alexis (Boerger) Prideaux, perhaps the winged god of love had a hand in bringing these two together.

Born and raised in San Pedro, Matt and Alexis met in their early twenties through mutual friends. While maintaining a friendship for nearly a decade, it later evolved into romance on New Year’s Eve 2014. “We both attended a party at Terranea Resort with a big group of friends,” Alexis recalls. “After ringing in the New Year, and a lot of champagne, I think we were both really surprised to have shared our first kiss.”

After that memorable midnight, the pair became an item, and their individual personalities complemented one another perfectly. “I am totally a city girl and love activities, while Matt is more of a homebody,” says Alexis. However, their relationship has brought out the best in one another, and they have evolved to appreciate and embrace their similarities, as well as their differences. “We do have different hobbies and interests, but we both love to travel, listen to music, and hang out with friends and family,” says Matt.

Both diehard fans of the Los Angeles Lakers, in addition to attending games together, the couple also enjoyed a great deal of exploring, with notable trips including Croatia and New York City.

Being of Greek heritage, Alexis introduced Matt to her family’s homeland in 2017. “My family is from the island of Kefalonia, and I grew up spending summers there,” explains Alexis. “I brought Matt there to share with him the magic of my family’s beach village of Skala.” The couple enjoyed their trip so much that Matt (or “Matheos” as his Greek vacation alter ego is called) and Alexis returned to Greece the following year. “It’s probably cliché to say, but it feels like all of the vacations we have been on together have been memorable, says Alexis. “Wherever we go, we make 36 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JUNE 2019

the most of it and have a lot of fun together.”

After four years of dating, on April 8, 2018, Matt chose to pop the question on a meaningful holiday, the Greek Observance of Easter, when Alexis’ family and friends celebrate annually with a lively spanakopitafilled gathering at Portuguese Bend Club in Palos Verdes. “I knew what her answer was gonna be, so that wasn’t too concerning,” Matt humorously recalls. “[But] I was nervous to do it in front of so many people, so I convinced her to go for a walk with me. Once we were away from the crowd, I dropped to a knee.” Naturally, a crowd filled with family and friends was nearby to observe the special moment. Matt describes, “Alexis seemed extremely surprised, and once I stood up to give her the ring, everyone cheered.” And speaking of the ring, Matt had the bauble custom designed with his bride in mind. “While we were dating, I had once drawn out a ring on a paper towel as a joke,” explains Alexis. “Matt secretly kept the paper towel and took it to a jeweler to have designed.”

On February 9, 2019, the couple tied the knot with a traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony at Saint Katherine’s Greek Orthodox Church in Redondo Beach in front of 285 guests in attendance. The unique and spiritual ceremony included the traditional wedding crowns joined by a ribbon called stefana, which symbolize the honor of their union by the blessing of God and their unity as a couple. Their stefana also holds special meaning, as it was also used on Alexis’ grandparents wedding day. “I was very close to my grandparents, especially my grandfather who was my best friend and played a pivotal role in raising me,” Alexis shares. “So, it was an amazing

way to honor them and feel their presence on that day.”

The bride was escorted down the aisle by her beloved uncle, Gerasimos Zapantis, in honor of her father, Carl Boerger, who passed away when Alexis was young. The couple was also joined by mother of the bride, Andrea Boerger; parents of the groom, Lyle and Jacké Prideaux; Matron of Honor, Emily Fain; bridesmaids Cheryl Prideaux, Christiana Boerger, Helena Mantikas, Mary Grace Bologna, Nicole Svircic, and Tina Travlos; Best Man, Grant Kastelan; groomsmen Chris Lusic, John Baran, Johnny Dadich, Michael Baran, Michael Gannon, and Nate Boyd; flower girls, Alexandra Korkos and Cambria Tortomasi; and ring and stefana bearers, Jonathan and Joseph Baran.

Following their ceremony, the Greek celebrations continued at their reception, located at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in San Pedro. Tones of navy, white, and gold were incorporated into the overall décor, as well as symbolic olive branches. Guests were treated to an evening featuring an extravagant homemade dessert table, a chic outdoor lounge and cigar bar, and of course, lots of dancing. Matt and Alexis had their first dance as a married couple to the classic “Be My Baby” by the Ronettes, and in a nod to the bride’s honored heritage, traditional Greek music and dances were also featured.

“Matt learned a zeibekiko [traditional Greek dance] that definitely impressed all of the Greek attendees!” laughs Alexis. Special touches included favors of a donation to breast cancer research in honor of the newlyweds’ mothers, whom are both survivors, as well as the traditional Greek satchel of Jordan almonds called koufeta. The reception also welcomed the arrival of the King

himself – Elvis! Videographer Domenic Bologna surprised the couple with a special impersonator performance in full costume, which was certainly a highlight of the evening.

“It was an awesome night!” Matt says happily. “We were blessed enough to share the moment with a lot of family and close friends, and I could really feel how genuinely happy everyone was for us. Feeling all the love and well wishes for us that day is something that I'll never forget.” Looking back on the big day, Alexis fondly shares a similar sentiment, saying, “The very best moment for me happened when we were sitting at our sweetheart table.

I realized I just married the man of my dreams, and then looked up to see every single person I love and deeply care for were, for one magical day, all in the same room. It was so overwhelming.”

She adds, “To be surrounded with such pure joy and love, I’ll be forever grateful.”

In the spring, the newlyweds later enjoyed a relaxing honeymoon in Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora, where they explored pineapple plantations, swam with sharks, and soaked up picturesque days on the beach. The couple looks forward to many more adventures together, both in travel and in life. “Matt is my best friend and the most amazing life partner,” says Alexis.

While Matt adds, “I can’t wait to see the world with her, grow the bond and love that we share, and start a family together.”

Matt and Alexis currently reside in San Pedro. Matt is an inspector with Operating Engineers, working on the Los Angeles Stadium and Entertainment District, and Alexis is the founder of independent media consulting practice, Orion Consulting. spt

JUNE 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 37

RELIGION

SAINT RONNIE

by Pastor Nathan Hoff

If you spent any time at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center here in San Pedro in the last few years, you have probably met the friendly and spirited

Sister Margaret.

I was in the elevator with her a few years ago, and we started talking about what we were each reading in the Scriptures. We were both in the Gospel of John and she shared how much she was appreciating a commentary written by Jean Vanier, the founder of l’Arche (“The Ark”), an international community of intentional communities made up “with and for people with disabilities.” (From the book cover of Drawn into the Mystery of Jesus Through the Gospel of John. Paulist Press. 2004). Sister Margaret’s Irish accent granted irresistible credibility to everything she said, so I purchased the book right away. Vanier is a gripping author, an insightful philosopher, and Templeton Prize winner. He left a promising career in the Canadian Navy and academic opportunities all over the world to pour his life into an actual community he started with Raphaël and Philippe, two adults living with developmental disabilities in the little French village, Trosly-Breuil. That little community has grown into over 150 communities around the world. Jean Vanier died on May 7.

If you spent any time at Trinity in San Pedro in the last few years, you probably met the friendly and spirited Ronnie Murch. He sat in the back row of the church with his mother.

Janice recently told me, “Everybody knows me as Ronnie’s mom. That is how I like it. I have been proud to be Ronnie’s momma.” Ronnie had Down Syndrome, that condition that gives an extra 21st chromosome. Side effects often associated with Down Syndrome include extra hugs, high fives, and smiles. These days, tragically, most Down Syndrome folks are eliminated before they leave the womb. Some ‘developed’ nations even boast about eliminating Down Syndrome from their society. They have not eliminated 38 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JUNE 2019

the condition, but those with the condition. There should be nine more Down Syndrome friends for every one you meet. Ronnie was born at a time when many thought it would be better if people like him lived apart from ‘normal’ people. Janice wouldn’t have it. She not only loved him, she was proud of him. Ronnie was her son, and he became our brother. Ronnie was 57-and-a-half when he died on Saturday, May 18.

Our community would have been impoverished if Janice kept him away from us, hoarding Ronnie all to herself.

He was a gift to us. Jean Vanier writes, “When I founded l’Arche it was to ‘be good’ and to ‘do good’ to people with disabilities. I had no idea how these people were going to do good to me!

A bishop once told me, ‘You in l’Arche are responsible for a Copernican revolution: up until now we used to say that we should do good to the poor. You are saying that the poor are doing good to you!’ The people we are healing are in fact healing us, even if they do not realize it. They call us to love and awaken within us what is most precious: compassion.”

Ronnie was a man of few words, but sometimes he wanted to share those few words publicly – like from the pulpit, or from the back pew if my sermon got too long or too animated.

If I raised my voice, sometimes Ronnie would raise his. Sometimes his momma would be working on the Altar Guild, and he would take his place at the pulpit, as if to say, “Now it’s my turn to preach.” He would fix the microphone and speak right into it with all the authority granted to a beloved son. He was. He is. Ronnie wanted a blessing when he came to the front, the sign of the cross on his forehead. But Ronnie was a blessing. Ronnie was a sign of the cross, God’s power made perfect in weakness. Ronnie felt like he was at home in the house of God. He was. He is.

Blessed be the memory of St. Jean and St. Ronnie. spt Nathan Hoff is the Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in San Pedro. Follow his blog at: trinitypastor.blogspot.com.

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HEALTH & FITNESS

THE DISAPPOINTING TRUTH ABOUT SUCCESS

by Ricky Magana When I was a teenager struggling with my weight, I used to think there was some “secret” to weight loss being kept from me. I’d obsess over every book, magazine, and article I could find for this “secret.”

I’d copy people, ask questions, try new diets, supplements, and programs that promised some holy grail of fitness.

As I progressed through the years, I eventually I figured out what those “secrets” were, and how to go from chubby and completely out of shape, to lean, mean, fighting shape. And if I’m being honest, it was disappointing.

After the countless rabbit holes, money wasted, and hundreds of hours spent trying every novel solution, potion, and ab exercise I could find, I discovered that the one secret weapon the fittest, top performing, people on earth had that other people didn’t was this – an obsession with fundamentals.

And a mind-numbingly boring, unsexy, consistent execution of those fundamentals.

This is why the top performing people in every area seem to give the worst advice. Want to be a millionaire?

Warren Buffett says save your money.

Want to write a best-seller? Stephen King says write every day. Want to be a martial arts master? Bruce Lee says, “Fear not the man who’s practiced 10,000 kicks once, fear the one who’s practiced one kick 10,000 times.” We shake our fists thinking, “C’mon man!

Give us the good stuff! The tricks only the ‘insiders’ know!” This isn’t what we want to hear, so we yawn and keep looking for something brighter and shinier.

After 16 years of training clients, I’ve realized that most people who struggle to get results are trying to get the reward with tactics, while avoiding fundamentals. Achieving world-class fitness comes down to three levers: nutrition, training, and lifestyle.

Applied to health and body transformation, this means a sound diet, consistent exercise, proper rest/sleep/recov40 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JUNE 2019

ery, sufficient hydration, and a weekly ritual that allows for it all. From here, any good coach can tweak and optimize each of those levers to accelerate and amplify your results – but only if the fundamentals are in place.

The problem is, when I tell people these things, they say, “Oh I already know that.” Sure, they know it, but their diet is terrible, they don’t exercise consistently, sleep, drink water, and have poor time management. Like me, they are holding out for some other “secret” that is being kept from them. In reality, the truth feels too boring (or painful) to be true.

I listened to a podcast the other day that said something really powerful: To achieve success, we don’t need to be taught; we need to be reminded.

Chances are you know 99% of what you need to do to get results, you just aren’t ready to do it. Have you ever avoided someone because you weren’t ready to change? It’s the pastor, or parent, friend, or coach who sees your potential and sees your desire to become more, so they nag you and call you on your B.S., but you know you’re not ready to change, so you hide.

This illustrates an interesting fact about human behavior; we already have the results we truly want. Sure, we can talk all we want about what we claim to want, but our true desires are spoken through our actions. Because If we truly wanted something different, we’d drop the excuses and make the (painful) changes we need to make. We’d save our money. We’d write everyday. We’d practice one kick 10,000 times. We’d do whatever it takes.

So, if you’re not where you wanna be, why not? What fundamentals are you lacking? What changes are you avoiding that hold you back?

The answers to those questions might not be what you want to hear, but they’re the key to becoming who you’re meant to be. spt Heyday Elite Fitness offers a 2-minute scan that provides a full 1-page body fat analysis to help you tailor your fitness goals. For more info, email ricky@heydaytraining.com.

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JUNE 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 41

WELLNESS

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BREAKING THE SILENCE: MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

by Lori Garrett Raise your hand if you’ve ever suffered from any type of anxiety or depression. (You can’t see me, but I’m raising my hand right now.)

Now raise your hand if you’ve ever suffered from an episode of anxiety or depression that has interfered with your ability to perform your daily activities. (Still raising my hand, in case you’re wondering.)

The truth is, even if we don’t talk about it, many of us have struggled with mental health at one time or another.

For some, these experiences are fleeting, but for others, it goes far beyond simply having a “bad day” or experiencing an occasional mood swing. These experiences can be frequent, long term, and/or chronic, and they can affect our everyday lives in debilitating ways.

We often think the term “mental illness” refers only to extreme disorders, perhaps involving some sort of psychosis or detachment from reality. But the umbrella of mental illness covers a wide spectrum of conditions.

In addition to anxiety and depression, other common mental health conditions include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and eating disorders.

Many of us have experienced bouts of these conditions at some time in our lives—or know someone else who has—but most of us suffer in silence or barely make mention of it in passing.

So, why don’t we talk about it?

Perhaps it’s the stigma attached to mental health conditions, often connected to feelings of shame or perceived weakness. We often have no problem discussing our physical ailments and how we attempt to remedy them (medical treatment, diet, exercise, etc.), but when it comes to discussing mental health, we often fall silent.

And it’s quite easy to do. Just like certain medical conditions, mental health disorders are invisible. Many of us learn to hide our symptoms, forcing a smile and pretending “everything is okay” even when it’s not. This makes it particularly difficult to know who among us might be struggling. Unfortunately, suffering in silence can perpetuate the symptoms, and it can also compound the condition by adding

feelings of loneliness, despair, and isolation. This makes it even more important to initiate dialogue about mental health.

As we close out May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s a good time to think about the people in our lives who might be in need of someone to talk to right now. If you suspect someone you know is struggling, here are some suggestions for having a conversation about mental health: • If you’re not sure how to initiate the conversation, simply ask how your loved one is doing. And not just a polite, “How are you?” but a meaningful, “How are you really doing?”

• Try to be a good listener. Be understanding, maybe even while offering some of your own experience, but remember to keep the focus on your loved one and avoid placing judgment.

• If needed, follow up. One conversation may be a good start, but some situations will require an ongoing dialogue. Offer to make yourself available for further conversation (and then actually do it).

• Be discreet (i.e. it’s not your place to reveal their business to any outside party), but if you really feel your loved one is in trouble, don’t be afraid to seek additional help from appropriate outside sources.

• Give your loved one the space they need, but also try to recognize when they shouldn’t be left alone or need immediate professional attention.

• Remember to also check in on the “strong” people in your life.

Sometimes they are the ones most likely to suffer in silence.

Finally, if you are the one struggling, please remember you are not alone. In fact, there are probably more people to whom you can relate than you realize. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. And while reaching out to friends, family, and other confidantes might be enough for some people, some of us will require further help, therapy, and/or professional treatment. For further information, here are a few places to start: nami.org, nimh.nih. gov, psychologytoday.com/us. spt This information is not meant to replace the advice your doctor or mental health practitioner Follow Lori Garrett's wellness blog, www.adventuresofasickchick.com.

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THE BACK PAGE

Mysterious Crossing: This photo taken in 1936 shows the early heyday of Downtown San Pedro, when the Warner Grand Theatre featured first-run films like Mysterious Crossing, starring James Dunn. Note the absence of the alley that currently exists behind the Warner Grand (where the Tailor shop is in the photo). (photo: San Pedro Bay Historical Society)

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