San Pedro Today - July 2016

JULY 2016

THE HOMELESS: IN THEIR OWN WORDS | PAUL PURDY MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM DEDICATION | REMEMBERING JULIAN JIMENEZ (1939-2016)

CHEERING THEIR WAY TO ROYALTY San Pedro’s South Bay Divas capture a national championship

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I don’t usually implore you to read certain stories in the magazine (I assume since you’ve picked it up, hopefully you’ll read all of them), but this month is different. I want to call attention to two pieces that I hope you will read and talk about with your family, friends and neighbors.

The first is this month’s column by Jack Baric (‘Visiting’ San Pedro). He finally put in print what many people around town have been talking about for months, and that’s the fact that the lack of decorum amongst community members on the various San Pedrorelated Facebook pages has reached a tipping point.

Most of us who use social media and belong to many of these local online groups are voyeurs. We rarely actively participate, but we definitely read all the posts, and especially the comments. The drama within these San Pedro Facebook groups has become the topic of casual conversation from the dinner table to our restaurants and even special events.

At last month’s Chamber luncheon, I was asked about certain Facebook groups a couple times by different people. “Did you read that?” “Did you read what he/she commented on that post?” “Do you think so-and-so is insane?” Yes, these questions were actually asked.

The problem with this is that it’s not like these pages exist in the privacy of a living room or the coziness of a local bar, it’s on the Internet. And as Aaron Sorkin wrote in his Oscar-winning screenplay for The Social Network, “The internet isn’t written in pencil… it’s written in ink.” And this digital ink is creating a permanent stain on this town that’s going to be tough to wash away.

My hope is that the people who participate in these groups and who read Baric’s column take a step back and realize that every letter typed is associated with the name of the person writing it, and if they’re one of the few people who have become notorious for being rude, obnoxious, and downright mean, that reputation has already followed you into the real world. It’s something to at least think about.

The other story is our feature on the homeless. There have been many articles written about our current homeless problem by various local newspaper and television sources, but rarely have they gotten the perspective of the homeless people themselves, and I personally have never seen a local article like the one featured in these pages this month.

Our young writer, Gabriel Islas, pitched me this story a few months ago. It was actually a story I wanted to do last year, but I couldn’t find a writer who was brave enough to spend time with our local homeless population. There was a natural fear, I suppose, of getting too close. The fear of the unknown, or meeting someone with mental issues, of possible violence, a lot of it brought about by posts on social media that propagated these ideas. It wasn’t until Gabriel said he was willing, able and wanted to do it that this story finally took shape. And frankly, it was very sobering.

We tell the story of four homeless people: a San Pedro native who was a local fisherman for decades before falling on hard times, a man dealing with back issues who has to use an old wheelchair to get around, and a transplanted couple looking to better their lives and move to the east coast but somehow ended up here. There was no sign that these people were scary mental health patients, violent drug abusers or criminals, the three main stereotypes associated with the homeless. That’s not to say those types of people don’t exist, they do, but there’s a lot more to their story that never gets told.

So much of what is written about our homeless population is filtered through a single prism. It’s rare that we ever hear the stories of how they ended up in their current situation. It’s ever rarer to hear about how they think they're perceived in our community.

I hope reading their stories gives you a better understanding of the people on our streets suffering the most.

Maybe if we all had a better understanding rather than a judgmental attitude, we’d be able to better solve the problem that lies before us. spt Joshua Stecker is publisher/editor-in-chief of San Pedro Today. Letters to the Editor can be emailed to contact@sanpedrotoday.com.

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JULY 2016 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 5

JULY 2016

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joshua J. Stecker

ADVERTISING: General Inquiries: ads@sanpedrotoday.com

ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION Joseph A. Castañeda

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

AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS Jack Baric, Lori Garrett, Gabriel Islas, Mike Lansing, Ricky Magana, Steve Marconi, Anthony Pirozzi, Angela Romero, Leonard Trubia

Shana Ghekiere - San Pedro (and outer regions) (310) 753-5176 | shana@sanpedrotoday.com

PHOTOGRAPHER John Mattera Photography

OWNER/PUBLISHER Joshua J. Stecker

CONTACT INFO: PHONE: (424) 224-9063 EMAIL: contact@sanpedrotoday.com

San Pedro Today P.O. Box 1168, San Pedro, CA 90733

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 2009-2016, Empire22 Media LLC.

VOLUME 8 | NUMBER 6

Empire22 Media LLC

ON THE COVER: Members of the South Bay Divas (top l to r): Jeanelle Rodriguez, Mya Akers, Jenalea Rivas; (bottom l to r): Delilah Gusman, Melanie Sanchez, Linethe Villalobos, Marley Ponce De Leon. (photo: John Mattera) POLA SP Today AD — Pet Expo.pdf

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JULY Tour the historic PT. FERMIN LIGHTHOUSE, built in 1874 to light the entrance to the Los Angeles Harbor, located in the Pt. Fermin Park (807 Paseo del Mar). Guided tours offered 1-3p Tues thru Sun. Closed Mon and major holidays.

Admission is free; donations accepted.

with a maximum of $30 per family. To RSVP, call (310) 8332467 or visit www.bethelsp.org

EVERY WEEK – STRONG PEDRO PROJECT at Plaza Park (10th St. & Beacon St.) Tuesday 5p - Run Club with Lauren Maes; Wednesday at 6:45a - TRX circuit is Carla Baccio & Marianne O'Brien; Friday 4:30p - Youth Crossfit with Eddie McKenna ; Saturday 9am - Glute Camp with Ricky Magana; Saturday 11:30a - Yoga with Mike Aspinwall. Open to the public. Presented by StrongPedroProject.

9 (Sat) – CORNER STORE FARMERS MARKET at The Corner Store (1118 W. 37th St.) 10a-12p. Open every second 23 (Sat) - HUGE RUMMAGE SALE at St. Peter’s Episcopal Saturday of the month. Grab some coffee and homegrown Church (1648 W. 9th St.) 8a-2p. Join St.Peters for an allproduce and don’t forget to bring your reusable bags! parish rummage sale which includes furniture, small kitchen appliances, sports gear, power tools, garage and garden 9 (Sat) - GUIDED NATURE WALK at La Rotunda/Ocean equipment plus silver, crystal and collectibles. Stock up for trails-West Reserve (5970 Palos Verdes Dr S, Rancho summer! Early bird entry fee $5 from 7:30a-8a. Free after Palos Verdes) 9a. Walk along restored habitat on the 8 am. bluffs surrounding the Trump National Golf Club. This is a moderate to strenuous walk. Free and open to the public. 23 (Sat) - HIKING RESPONSIBLY IN NATURE For more info, contact (310) 541-7613 ext. 201 or sign up at PRESENTATION at White Point Nature Education Center www.pvplc.org/_events/NatureWalkRSVP.asp.

(1600 W Paseo Del Mar) 11a. Learn how to enjoy the trails while protecting the habitat with an LA City Ranger.

15 (Fri) - MARY STAR FIESTA at Mary Star of The Sea Followed by a Native Plant Sale 12p-2p. Free for all ages. For Church (870 W. 8th St.) 5p-12a. Join Mary Star as they host more information and to RSVP, visit www.pvplc.org, Events their 69th annual festival, all weekend long! Enjoy carnival & Activities. rides, raffles, games, food and much more! Free admission and parking. Will be held Friday through Sunday. For more 25 (Mon) - TALL SHIP SUMMER CAMP at Catalina Island. info, call (310) 833-3541 EXT 203, or visit www.marystar. Los Angeles Maritime Institute’s Tall Ship Adventure Camp org/fiesta-2016 is an exciting 5-day, 4-night voyage to Catalina Island from July 25-29, 2016. Discover the beautiful Southern California WEEK OF JULY 17-22 – VOLUNTEER WEEK at the coast in a way that most people never experience. While Boys & Girls Club, Shawl House and Toberman House. at sea and on the island, we will explore topics in marine First Presbyterian, United Methodist and St Peter’s biology, maritime history, island ecology and have some fun Episcopal churches are joining hands and spending a week with traditional maritime arts! For youth 12-17. The cost is volunteering in San Pedro at the Boys & Girls Club, Shawl $500 and includes all meals plus your own bunk. For more House and Toberman. Want to garden? Paint? Help? Text info, please visit http://www.lamitopsail.org/activity/youth(310) 230-4330 or email sueaspeth@hotmail.com. summer-voyage-2016/

Every Wed – CHILDREN’S WRITING CLASSES at the Corner Store (1118 37th St). Seven Golden Secrets of Writing with Diana Chapman, Wed 4:30-5:45p. For info, call (310) 626-7906.

Every Wed – OPEN MIC NIGHT at Red Men Wigwam (543 Shepard St.) 6:30-9:30p. All are welcome. Chilidogs, snacks and beverages available. Dress warmly.

Every Thurs (except holidays) – ADULT WRITING GROUP in Library room of St. Peter's Episcopal Church (1648 W. 9th St.). 1-3p. Everyone welcome! For more info, call (310) 8312186.

Every Fri – SAN PEDRO FARMERS MARKET (6th St. between Pacific and Mesa Streets) 9a-2p.

7 (Thurs) – FIRST THURSDAY ARTWALK in Downtown San Pedro. 6-10p

Every Sat – LAFD HARBOR MUSEUM (639 Harbor Blvd.)

10a-3p. Experience San Pedro and Wilmington's Fire Protection and Rescue service history with vintage fire apparatus and various displays. The museum is located in Old Fire Station 36 in the San Pedro City Hall. Admission is 17 (Sun) - BEAUTY OF NATURE FILM SERIES at the FREE, donations are accepted.

John Olguin Auditorium (3720 Ste-phen M White Dr.) 4p.

Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy presents, “The Every Sun – SOUL FEAST at First Presbyterian Church of Way” (2010; 123 min.) When his son dies while hiking the San Pedro (781 S Averill Ave.) 5:30p. Come out & join us Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in the Pyrenees, a for a family worship service for all ages. Dinner is included. grieving father flies to France to claim the remains. Looking for insight into his estranged child’s life, he decides to Every first and second Sunday – Tour the MULLER HOUSE complete the 500-mile trek to Spain. Following the film, MUSEUM (1542 Beacon St.) 1-4p. Last tour starts at 3:15p. Conservancy volunteer Peter Shaw will share remarks about Built in 1899, the Muller House is the headquarters of the his experiences walking the Camino. $10 per person. Free San Pedro Bay Historical Society. Admission is free, but a for 18 years and under. For tickets and to RSVP, visit www. donation of $3 is encouraged. pvplc.org/_events/filmseries.asp.

Pedro-South Bay Annual Summer Sale. Make your outdoor living a great summer experience with unique garden and patio items. Shop for those personal and gift items you will need for summer. All proceeds benefit local philanthropic programs. July 18-August 13, 2016. Sale Hours: 10:00am - 5p (weekdays), and 11:00am - 3:00pm (Saturdays).

30 (Sat) - MULLER HOUSE MUSEUM SUMMER WINE TASTING at Muller House Mu-seum (1542 S. Beacon St.) 3p-6p. You're invited for an afternoon of sampling wines and hors d’oeuvres on the Muller House patio. Join in the fun of the silent auction for items of local interest and the unexpected! $25.00 per person. Reservations required. All proceeds benefit the San Pedro Bay Historical Society. For more info, visit sanpedrobayhistoricalsociety.com

8 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2016

Email event info to events@sanpedrotoday. com. Deadline for the August issue is Friday, 1 (Fri) - BARBEQUE SHABBAT DINNER at Temple Beth El 18 (Mon) - ANNUAL SUMMER SALE at Assistance League July 15. All locations in San Pedro unless (1435 W. 7th St.) 6p. Come out and enjoy a delicious dinner of San Pedro-South Bay Chapter House (1441 W. 8th St.) 10aand lively worship! Cost of dinner is $9 adult; $7 per child 5p. Get ready for summer at the Assistance League® of San otherwise noted.

1441 W. 8th St. San Pedro, CA 90732 310-832-8355

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HAPPENINGS

10 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2016

On Saturday, June 4, 2016, San Pedro High School honored their late band leader, Paul F. Purdy, with the naming of the high school's auditorium in his honor. Purdy passed away in November 2015, shortly after retiring from SPHS. A larger-than-life presence at SPHS, Purdy was fondly remembered by family and friends, including SPHS principal Jeanette Stevens; Dana Middle School band director (and Purdy protĂŠgĂŠ) Efrain Nava; Purdy's son, Paul Purdy II; friends Liz Joint, Frank Gomez, Rev. Dr. Clayton Cobb and a number of former and current SPHS students. The ceremony ended with the unveiling of the Paul Fletcher Purdy Memorial Auditorium signage and a rousing concert by the SPHS marching band. (photos: John Mattera)

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VOICES

It’s Summertime, and the Reading Is Easy

by Steve Marconi

12 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2016

Looking for a good read as you contemplate summer days at the beach or camping in the mountains? Here are a couple of books to consider, one by a San Pedro transplant and another by a former San Pedran. The fact that I have connections to both authors is purely coincidental.

All Involved, by Ryan Gattis (359 pp., HarperCollins, 2015, $15.99, paperback). This is one of the scariest books I’ve ever read because, while ostensibly fiction, it’s based on real events and real people (see his TED video at https://youtu.be/PG3tp2oA3xo).

All Involved unfolds over six days in South Central Los Angeles during the 1992 Rodney King riots, but it’s not about the riots at all. It’s about the Latino gang war that was going on at the periphery of the riots, when police and fire were occupied elsewhere.

Gattis’ unique use of a first-person narrative puts the reader right in the middle of this horror story, which for many key characters entails gruesome endings. Not even Stephen King could have created soulless monsters the likes of Payasa, Lil Mosco, Big Fate, Momo, Trouble, Clever, Apache, et al., and while these aren’t people who engender much sympathy, there is a what-happens-next quality that makes this book hard to put down.

A winner of several national literary awards, All Involved is not for the faint of heart.

Most of the protagonists are bad people – really bad people, who shoot, stab, beat and kill each other without compunction, who spend most of their days in a drunken stupor and most of their nights looking for drugs. What makes this so disconcerting is that you can see them every day if you happen to drive through the wrong neighborhoods, which aren’t very far from where you live. Wearing their baggy khakis, “wifebeaters,” bandanas, their necks and faces tatted up, they cruise the `hood with oldies blaring from the radio, looking for trouble. It’s a world so far removed from anything most of us know, Gattis includes a glossary in the back of the book.

The only relief from the relentless evil that permeates this landscape is in the form of a nurse who lives in the mean streets of Lynwood and LAFD engineer Anthony Smiljanic, a Croatian from San Pedro. Gattis had a handy source for developing this character and his experiences during the riots – his San Pedro in-laws, Ron (retired battalion chief and old high school chum of mine) and Maria (a Croatian, natch) Roemer. Gattis married their oldest daughter, Marisa, a teacher at South Shores Elementary (the youngest daughter was just hired to teach at Seventh Street Elementary).

To learn more about Gattis and his work, go to www.ryangattis.com. If All Involved is any indication, San Pedro has a rising star on its hands.

Abram, Book One: The Breaking, by Peter Churness (305 pp., $11.99, paperback). An entirely different kind of book than All Involved, this self-published historical fiction novel features one of the world’s most famous people, Abraham. It’s a unique perspective, however, because while much is known about the biblical patriarch, it’s only after he has left his native Ur of the Chaldees and begins his sojourn to the Promised Land.

What Churness does in The Breaking, which he hopes will be the first in a trilogy, is present a back story for Abraham, starting with him as the young adult prince Enkidu in the Sumerian kingdom of Ur. The name Enkidu and much of the fantasy elements found in The Breaking come from the Epic of Gilgamesh, a poem from ancient Mesopotamia discovered in 1853. Churness uses the poem and his own pre-flood imaginings as the foundations for a series of adventures Enkidu, soon to become Abram, and his best friend, prince Gilgamesh of Uruk, encounter.

If the snarky humor, some off-putting dialogue and a budding romance have more of an Indiana Jones feel than c. 1800 B.C. Sumeria, it makes the book no less readable. I was personally more chagrined by Churness’s struggle with possessive nouns, but I’m a retired copy editor and a little obsessive in such matters.

While we know how Abraham’s story ends (spoiler alert in Genesis), this book takes a surprising twist that will leave the reader looking forward to Book Two. Churness’s own back story begins in San Pedro, where he was raised and attended Trinity Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran School. A graduate of Brethren High School in Huntington Beach, he earned his B.A. in computer science at USC in 1991 and then went on to seminary. He was youth pastor and worship leader (on top of everything else, he’s a gifted musician) at Trinity – my church – for many years before taking a pastorate in Minnesota. After eight years, he moved to Gig Harbor, Wash., where he has been pastor of One Hope Church for the past three years, raising three daughters with wife Sandy.

Combining his main interests, computers and theology, Churness developed an awardwinning Christian video game, which, along with his book, can be obtained at his Web site, www.therebelplanet.com.

You have to love a pastor who’ll wear a Seattle Seahawks jersey to church. There’s no telling how far he’ll go once he’s mastered spellcheck. spt Steve Marconi can be reached at spmarconi@yahoo.com.

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VOICES

Let Freedom Ring

by Anthony Pirozzi Celebrating our nation’s independence on the Fourth of July each year is one of my favorite holidays and represents everything that we stand for as a nation, namely Freedom.

Everyday our freedom is protected by our brave men and women who serve in our military and we must never forget that it is freedom that has made us the nation we are today. Make it a point to hang the American flag on the 4th and remember that it is freedom that allows you to do so.

Over the years, capitalism has been challenged, as well as the involvement of government in our daily lives. Many believe minimal government involvement is best, while others look to government as an enabler for job creation through incentives and making it easier for new businesses to get started. Others believe that government should take on a bigger role in our day-to-day lives and provide free services. The debate is actually healthy and reminds us to never lose sight of what is required to remain free while addressing issues that impact our society and improve our overall quality of life.

The question of socialism has been a topic in this year’s election, so much so that it has made its way into our schools for discussion and most recently referred to in Major League Baseball. Legendary sports broadcaster Vin Scully addressed socialism on the air after Milwaukee Brewers infielder and Venezuela native Hernan Perez was introduced. Scully said, “Perez, 25 years old, originally drafted by the Tigers. Lives in Venezuela. Boy, can you imagine you’re a young kid, you’re playing in the United States, you’re from Venezuela, and every time you look at the news it’s a nightmare.

Socialism failing to work, as it always does, this time in Venezuela.” Mr. Scully continued, “You talk about giving everybody something free and all of a sudden there’s no food to eat. And who do you think is the richest person in Venezuela? The daughter of Hugo Chavez. Hello! Anyway, 0-and-2.”

When I read that commentary, it led me to the following example of socialism by a Texas Tech economics professor back in 2009 who said that he had never failed a single student before but had once failed an entire class. That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich. He wanted to demonstrate how things really work when everyone wants a free ride. The professor said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism. All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.” The class agreed.

After the first test, the grades were averaged and the class received a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little studied even less and those who studied hard weren’t motivated to study hard again, and decided that they wanted a free ride also, so they studied little. The second test average grade was a D and no one was happy. When the final test rolled around, the average grade was an F. The scores never increased as blame and name calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else. The professor told them that the socialism they wanted would ultimately fail, as they had, because the reward of success normally goes to those that work harder, but when government takes the reward away, few will try, so no one will succeed.

Whatever you believe, it’s freedom that allows you to express your beliefs openly.

We must always protect that right even when we disagree with each other. On this Fourth of July, remember that our Founding Fathers laid the groundwork for our freedom, our young men and women fight and die to protect it every day and we must never forget our unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as we work through many of the issues we face today. spt Anthony Pirozzi is a L.os Angeles Harbor Commissioner. He can be contacted at apirozzi@yahoo.com.

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‘Visiting’ San Pedro

by Jack Baric We had just got back from an East Coast trip, that included visits to Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and New York City, and went to an early dinner at 22nd Street Landing. As we walked to the restaurant, my wife and I looked at all the boats moored in the marina and commented to each other that if we were still on vacation we would have stopped to take photos at the picturesque waterfront sights. It was honestly as pretty as anything we saw on our vacation.

For the next few days, as I drove around town, I couldn’t help but be impressed with various parts of San Pedro that had the same kind of old school authenticity that I saw in vibrant East Coast neighborhoods, that were once considered ghettos, but were now populated with young professionals. If you took a before and after picture of the transformation of places like Hoboken and Northeast Washington D.C. and compared it to San Pedro, our town would look a lot more like the “after” picture. And this is before we get our waterfront developed at Ports O’ Call and the several new buildings that are being proposed for our downtown.

The last year has been a tumultuous one in San Pedro with a lot of concern about our future. As the epidemic of homelessness, which has spread throughout Los Angeles, has found its way to our town, the angst has been palpable. All it takes is a visit to 8th and Palos Verdes Street and it is easy to understand the fears and frustrations of so many people in our community. However, the finger pointing and downright nasty confrontations on our local social media pages over this issue, and others, are counterproductive.

The mean spirited verbal exchanges and lack of respect that increasingly more people are exhibiting when debating our local issues threatens to tear at the very fabric that knits are community together. We have always taken pride at being a close-knit town, but as the tone of our disagreements grow nastier, and even borders on hateful, it will be difficult to maintain that sense of camaraderie and support for each other that has always made San Pedro such a special place.

Although it is cathartic to vent when we see things that are not right, we must ultimately ask ourselves, are we just venting or are we working toward a solution?

In order to develop a stronger, safer, and more vibrant downtown, we must attract investors that will open new businesses, which will employ people, and create a positive environment, that both locals and new folks will want to visit.

I stress the word positive. If you were looking to buy a home or establish a business in an area that is new to you, would you want it to be in a community whose Facebook pages include debates where people venomously deride each other and our town? Would you be attracted to a place that some locals almost gleefully refer to as “the ghetto by the sea?”

Let’s be straight. San Pedro has some poor neighborhoods. Some of these neighborhoods are below Pacific, near our waterfront, and it is often being repeated that we are the only town in the nation where the real estate values get lower the closer you get to the water. To which I ask, “Have you been to Oakland?” Working ports have historically been surrounded by poor neighborhoods and so our local mythology is not only wrong, the accompanying victimhood of crying that we are the “dumping ground” and other negative local catchphrases creates a self-fulfilling prophesy of losing. Have we ever asked ourselves, “Why is it we can’t quite get over the hump?”

How about this for a thought, Negativity breeds defeat and positivity breeds success.

A great number of those port towns that were formerly blighted have transformed themselves into exciting and vibrant places. First of all, we do have some poverty, but we are far from blighted. We can and will have the same transformation that other waterfront areas have had. We just have to start seeing the same things that people who visit San Pedro already see. spt Jack Baric can be reached at jackbaric@hotmail.com.

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VOICES

Help Wanted

by Mike Lansing I have previously noted in this column that a group of local non-profit directors get together each month. Given the stress levels these individuals face daily, weekly and continually for many years, it would be easy for these sessions to lean towards the many challenges we face rather than the opportunities on the horizon.

Thankfully, fueled by a beer, glass of wine or similar, we are a support group as much as anything else and we keep the banter as positive as humanly possible.

Besides myself, the regulars of this hearty group are Doug (who just retired from GAP and who started this monthly cabal), his successor Juan, Tahia (Harbor Interfaith Shelter), Margie (YWCA), Tamra (Harbor Community Clinic), Ben (Harbor Community Benefit Foundation), Dee (Wilmington Community Clinic), and most recently Jennifer (YMCA). Sometimes we cannot help but get caught up in the latest Trump drama, but for the most part we focus on local events, our own issues for feedback, and when available discuss any collaborative options. Most recently, we discussed a resource that all of us desperately need but struggle to find – more and more consistent volunteers.

Volunteer resources have become increasingly important for numerous reasons. We of course could all use more donations for operating support, and we would be most happy to secure additional/increasing investors. But the fact of the matter is that as the demand for our mostly “free” services continues to increase with the growing number of economically

challenged families in our community, finding a proportional number of volunteers to be able to meet the growing demand is crucial.

What we really need are individuals who have the motivation and ability to volunteer on a regular basis. Volunteer support is most valuable when it is consistent and if possible weekly. However, given individuals’ varied schedules, a regular volunteer could mean anything from showing up three days a week, to once a month, for an annual special event or anything in between.

Senior citizens/retired individuals are becoming increasingly valuable volunteers. This is because retired folks have fantastic professional skills and experiences to share, as well as the time necessary to provide regular volunteer support. Of course, we all have lots of current professionals who are also fantastic volunteers. Some sit on our Boards of Directors, others volunteer utilizing their specific professional skills and give back by coming after work or during work hours via a volunteer outreach program sponsored by their employer.

Given the tremendous number of youth we serve daily (2,200 at 13 locations) and the wide range of programs and services sponsored by my Boys & Girls Club organization, we have lots of volunteer opportunities. We need artists, mentors, sports coaches, musicians, individuals who want to provide homework assistance and/or who just want to help a child learn how to read, food program support, writers, engineers for higher math assistance and STEM programming support, including robotics, 3-D modeling and game design, data entry persons, and as mentioned previously, individuals who want to assist our fundraising efforts. We pretty much have something for everyone, for those who want to work directly with our youth and those who would rather support with administrative functions away from the thundering herd.

I recently saw my friend Joe at the gym and as usual he asked me about the Club. The discussion turned to volunteerism and he suggested that I dedicate one column to putting the word out regarding the opportunities available for people to support our children and/ or any of the great nonprofits in our community. He stated that “we are all just so busy at times, we just need to be reminded.” Well, here it is Joe: HELP WANTED. spt Mike Lansing is Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor.

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Members of the South Bay Divas Youth 1 Dynasty (l to r): Jeanelle Rodriguez, Delilah Gusman, Linethe Villalobos, Melanie Sanchez, Charisma Jones (coach/owner), Marley Ponce De Leon, Mya Akers and Jenalea Rivas

CHEERING

THEIR WAY TO

ROYALTY story by Leonard Trubia photos by John Mattera Step off the sidelines, throw away the pom-poms and get ready to take the stage. It’s your show. Let the football team rely on their own talent and spirit to take them into the end zone. Your routine will be full of jumps, stunts, and tumbling, as many as you can pull off in two and a half minutes. Your team will be judged by a panel of cheerleading experts looking for the perfect combination of difficulty and execution. Welcome to competitive cheerleading.

On May 1, 2016, in Tampa, Fla., a young but bourgeoning cheer group based out of San Pedro went on to win the prestigious 2016 NSPA D2 Summit Championship. The

JULY 2016 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 21

San Pedro’s South Bay Divas capture a national championship

South Bay Divas small youth 1 division (ages 8-11) Dynasty team, as they are known, has created a buzz in competitive cheerleading. They have been gaining recognition regionally and now have the national spotlight. Having gone viral in such a short period of time you have to wonder about where this Dynasty team came from. Under who’s coaching? From what prestigious gym?

Let’s start with the creator.

Owner and coach of the South Bay Diva Gym, Charisma Jones began her journey here in San Pedro. She was in dance throughout her four years at San Pedro High and went on to cheer in college. Committed to the sport, she continued in cheer and dance after college, judging competitions and teaching at summer camp. With her increasing exposure to cheer and dance at advanced levels, she couldn’t help but notice a void, a vacancy that she intended to fill, right here at home.

As Jones tells it, “I realized that so many surrounding cities had gyms and activities, but our town didn’t. That’s where I got the idea to start the South Bay Divas.” In 2011, with nothing more than a folder containing a roster of names and some handouts with routines and exercises, Jones started the South Bay Diva Gym. “I didn’t even have any equipment.

I rented space at a small dance facility, then a small studio, and now we’re here.” Here is a 3,500 sq. ft. gym on Harbor Boulevard just across from the Battleship Iowa. Not so shabby for a program of a mere five years. Her determination is clear, and is apparently contagious.

This is evident when speaking with members of the team. With the excitement still emanating from their championship, three young members of the Diva Dynasty team spoke with me about their gym, training, and how it has impacted their lives.

Jazmine Jimenez, of Diva Dynasty, explained what it took to win a national championship. “We had to practice everyday because we wanted to do the best that we could,” she said, and with eyes wide she added, “and we get to travel!” Fellow Diva, Jasmine Sanchez echoed the excitement of traveling and highlighted the value of “experiencing new people and places.”

When asked what they like most about being a Diva, fellow teammate Lady Brown

22 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2016

remarked, “I like that we’re a family and I feel like we can talk about anything.” The sense of family among the Divas is strong, as is their confidence, a self-assurance that seems beyond their years. And when asked if they planned to pursue the sport of cheerleading into high school and beyond, the spirit of their camaraderie was evident in their shared response. A resounding yes.

Parents of the Divas also notice and appreciate the self-esteem their children have gained through their participation in the gym and the competitions. Susan Jimenez, Jazmine’s mother, noted this change in particular, “Jazmine used to be shy. She has more confidence since she has been a Diva.” And Jasmine Sanchez’s mother, Maria, explained that her daughter was reserved before she began training, but believes “she has opened up” and adds, “This keeps her focused before, during, and after school.”

Working closely alongside owner/coach Charisma Jones is coach Lindsey Vasquez. Like Jones, she has an extensive track record in cheer and dance. “When I was younger I took dance, and being a military family we moved all over,” she said. “One of our moves took us someplace where they didn’t have a dance facility.” A friend at the time recommended cheerleading as an alternative to dance and from there Vasquez went on to cheer all four years in high school despite attending three different schools. After she graduated, she was introduced to adult cheer where she met Charisma. The rest is history in the making. And after taking this national championship, it shows no signs of letting up.

For this particular championship, the NSPA, short for National Small Program Association, selected 60 independent cheerleading teams including the Dynasty team.

Inclusion in this competition is no doubt an honor to the gym, coaches, students and parents, but that’s just the beginning. Training will ramp up. Pressure and fatigue will set in. And you have to beat out 59 other cheer teams. It may be fun, but not easy. You are now saddled with the challenge that will take a trifecta of expert coaching, up to 40 hours of practice per week, and the devoted support of your parents. The Dynasty proved to have all three, keeping their eye on the prize until it was theirs.

Curious of the origin of the South Bay Diva team names such as “Queens” and “Dynasty,” Charisma Jones broke it down simply. “For the past two years, all the Diva Teams derive their names from a royalty theme.” The team names and the identities they engender serve a profound purpose. Jones explains that she uses the theme to motivate her teams with empowering royalty mantras that help maintain energy levels when teams are gunning for a championship. Jones adds, “We are new to the industry. Our saying is, we are the new kids in town and we’re here to take the crown!” Employing methods such as these would seemingly come from gyms that have been launched by world-renowned coaches and six-figure funding, not from a modest gym of merely five years run by two coaches in their 20s. Yet, the lobby is lined with towering trophies and the gym is seamlessly wrapped in banners touting their accomplishments. Jones says, “Teams are like, who are the South Bay Divas? The same teams that we’ve been beating in competition. The same ones that have been around for quite a while.”

She is proud and she has a lot to be proud of. Charisma Jones not only created successful teams, she is leveling the small business success odds often stacked higher for San Pedro entrepreneurs. Currently with ten teams, the gym seems to be pushing maximum capacity and is ultimately primed for expansion. In a progressive co-ed sport that triggers traditional knee-jerk notions of sideline support, this all-star version of cheerleading has captured a following with staying power. Vasquez adds, “I think a lot of people hear cheerleading and they think pom-poms and football games. It’s not like that.

These kids train up to eleven months a year to prepare for upwards of ten competitions.”

When asked what separates this type of cheerleading from other sports, Coach Vasquez

South Bay Divas Coaching Staff (l to r): Juan Calderon, Charisma Jones (owner), Lindsey Vasquez, and Brian King

SOUTH BAY DIVAS YOUTH 1 DYNASTY Genevieve Valdez

Linethe Villalobos

Hannah Moran

Presely Bacich

Anna Elliot

Delilah Gusman

Marissa Adame

Jasmine Sanchez

Jazmine Jimenez

Marley Ponce DeLeon

Layla Saldana

Mya Akers

Tatiana Fernandez

Lady Brown

Melanie Sanchez

Jenalea Rivas

Sofia Luquin

Jacquelyn Rivas

Jeanelle Rodriguez

said, “It requires a lot more physically on the body. You have to able to stunt, jump, and tumble. They have to be very flexible and they have to show it in two minutes and thirty seconds.” Jones agreed, “There’s a lot of training that goes into that two minutes and thirty seconds.” She also sees the enjoyment in the costuming of it all, “For girls, it’s fun because you get to dress up and wear a sparkly uniform, put your hair up and add make-up.”

Jones also understands that her Divas need to start somewhere. While competition is encouraged, the big picture goes beyond competitive cheerleading. The gym is a second home, a “family” as student Lady Brown referred to it. One of the ways this homelike environment is cultivated is through the coach’s focus on school. Participation is contingent upon keeping good grades. “We do grade checks, and there are incentives for good grades,” Jones says. A high wire balancing act considering that the Dynasty team ramped up practice to forty hours a week when they were selected to compete in the D2 Summit championship. Managing time became vital to students, parents and the team. Jones emphasized that time management is one of the main skills that she strives to instill in her teams, a tool that will no doubt prepare the youths for life on and off the springboard.

Regardless of training and discipline you can’t help but wonder of the sacrifice that both the students and the parents make. When asked of the dedication put into achieving these landmark goals, coach Lindsey Vasquez says, “This team is successful because of passion and coaching and commitment,” something that the parents of team Dynasty figured out quickly. Vasquez adds, “When it was needed, parents added classes to ensure that their kids were prepared for the challenges,” and it worked. And in an effort to help the parents who have tighter budgets, Jones explains that some students have received scholarships and others have joined her and coach Vasquez in cleaning duties, reinforcing the life lessons and culture of family that the South Bay Diva Gym is built upon.

Ultimately, the South Bay Divas are just getting started. With Charisma Jones and Lindsey Vasquez at the helm, we will surely see more championships in the future. spt For more info on the South Bay Divas, visit www.southbaydivallstarcheer.com.

Join us for Vacation Bible School Save the DateAugust 1-5 from 9am-12:30pm Ages 4-12 Register on line at www.firstpressanpedro.org or come by the church!

JULY 2016 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 23

First Presbyterian Church 731 S. Averill Ave. San Pedro, CA 90732 Phone: (310) 832-7597 www.firstpressanpedro.org Service Times: Sunday 9:30am and Soulfeast at 5:30pm

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6/23/16 2:53 PM

The Homeless: In Their Own Words story & photos by Gabriel Islas

26 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2016

In April, a new law was approved by the Los Angeles City Council, which states that homeless people are now prohibited to carry bulky items that do not fit in a 60-gallon container. The new ordinance has sparked many opinions among our local homeless population affected by this new law, including four homeless individuals who agreed to speak to San Pedro Today about their current struggle, what it’s like to be homeless in San Pedro, and how this new law has affected their daily lives.

The Fisherman Mike Trama, 57, was born and raised in San Pedro and says that it’s very difficult to keep most of his belongings that he feels attached to in a 60-gallon container. He also owns a service dog that was given to him by family that adopted the dog a while ago, but one of his relatives was allergic, so the pup ended up in his care.

“The thing about the bags that I own, that I saved for the past three months, the things that I care for was taken away from me the other day,” says Trama. “The sanitation department comes along here and they are ordered to take everything that is abandoned, but the other day I walked two blocks away from my belongings to pick up my tent, because we only have certain hours that we can have them on the street, and we spent 16 hours a day here sitting in the park getting harassed by the police six or seven times a day, and when I came back everything that I owned and cared for was gone.”

When I asked Trama if any police officers have ever been mean or verbally offensive to him or any other of the homeless, he said that police officers are just doing their job to enforce the new laws.

“Whatever laws that came to effect this year, they are enforcing them to the fullest.”

Trama says that he and his girlfriend, who works at Coco’s restaurant in town, struggle everyday due to the fact that they have to wait every night until after 10 p.m. to put their tent back on the street to finally get some rest, and they have to get up at 6.a.m. every morning to break everything down again. He also finds it frustrating that many residents blame them for the dirtiness of the streets.

“My friend was reading the paper to me the other night, and we, the homeless, were being blamed for that [being dirty],” says Trama. “I think it is really unfair, because none of us in here are like that at all. If we see anyone doing anything dirty in public, we kick them out of here, we don’t sit here and watch. We try to get along with everyone here, you know? We are nice to the mail people, and the police say that people are afraid to walk by us, and I don’t understand why.”

Trama continues, “None of us are violent, we say good morning to everyone. People actually come at night and blow their horn at us and call us names.”

Trama hasn’t always been homeless. He actually used to work as a commercial fishermen for 47 years, but the business kept declining until there was no more fish to catch.

Trama says that his heritage as a San Pedro resident goes back as far as 200 years.

“The first time I started to push shopping carts a few months ago, I had people that I lived across the street from not recognizing who I was. They started to call me names, they even said they were going to have people come beat me up,” he recalls.

Trama says he’s saved enough money to rent a place with his girlfriend, but he says that an investment group bought the building that he lived in for six years, and he was kicked out because they did not allow him to keep his service dog, even though his pet is registered by the state of California as one.

“The reason why I’m still on the streets is because right now I haven’t found a place in my price range that I can afford to rent and keep my dog,” he says, adding that after getting sick from his hernia, his money ran out, got kicked out from the place he lived and eventually moved to the streets.

Trama’s hernia keeps him from finding a stable job, and he can’t have surgery because he needs to have a place where he can actually rest. “I just want to say thank you to the few kind people that live here who have helped me, my girlfriend and my dog,” he says.

“The last thing that I want to say is to not judge a book by its cover. I do not wish this on anyone but I want people to understand our struggle.”

Mike Trama, a former San Pedro fisherman now homeless

The Wheelchair Guy It’s tough to not notice the various homeless individuals that have made the area around the Beacon St. post office their home. And even though Plaza Park, just across from the post office, was recently cleared out, all it did was force those homeless individuals to embed themselves in the surrounding residential areas.

So what’s the story behind all the homeless people who have made these San Pedro streets their home? Has anyone offered them help? If so, why don’t they accept it? These and many more questions come to our mind when we see homeless people living under a bridge, “camping” in public areas or wandering around town carrying their belongings in a shopping cart, an image that has become iconic to the plight of homeless.

“This affects me deeply,” says Daniel Davies, a homeless man who “lives” near 9th and Palos Verdes St. and uses orthopedic protection to control his back pain, and moves around town in an old wheelchair.

“Go to someone with a 60-gallon barrel and say, ‘Hey you got 30 minutes to fill this with everything you truly need and you are out of your house,’ and see what they take, and see if they don’t complain that it’s not enough. And they wonder why we are slightly irritable,” says Davies.

Although many homeless have complained of police officers being verbally rude to them, Davies says that the police officers he has talked to have just warned him to take his belongings and move somewhere else. “They’re nice pals, they told me that I have 30 minutes to pack all my stuff and get out of here or I’m going to get a ticket,” he says.

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28 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2016

Davies went on to talk about the things they do when they get warned by police officers or when people call the police on purpose to kick them out of a certain place. He adds a few thoughts regarding the behavior of some residents. “Most people, when you asked them how they feel about the homeless, most would say, ‘Oh they need help,’ but the majority would say, ‘We don’t know and we don’t care, as long as we don’t see them’… I think one-third of the people likes us, one-third hates us and one-third don’t care about us,” he says.

Davies mentions that sometimes people would stop by to drop off some food or clothes, and other times, people would drive at night and verbally insult them while making “donuts” on the street, putting not only their lives in danger, but also the people around.

“Sometimes they throw their cell phones at us and tell us to get a f--king job,” Davies says.

The Couple with the Dogs Fulberto Paz and Emmanuela Manolakwas live in a camping tent that is full of bags, clothes, and pet food because they are accompanied by two service dogs named Snoop-dog and Bob Marley.

Paz, 33, was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, but moved to Oregon when he was eight-yearsold. Manolakwas, at just 19, was born in Wichita, Kan. They both moved to San Pedro a few months ago, after living in Long Beach and Wilmington before.

“Wilmington sucks,” said Manolakwas. “We used to own a car that we used to move around from different places, and one night we got to Wilmington, and the next morning we woke up with all four flat tires. Long Beach is dope but you don’t want to live there,” she says.

Paz says that they are being helped by Harbor Interfaith Services and the Beacon House. With the help of Harbor Interfaith, Paz has been able to apply for different jobs, and during the week we spoke, he got a call from Home Depot for a formal job interview.

“I’m really excited to apply to Home Depot,” he says. “I really want to get a job as soon as possible to get out of the streets and get a place where we can stay.”

Despite not having any family members in town, Paz said that he has a brother that lives in Oregon that sends him $50 to $100 once in a while, but they spend that money really fast in their health care or in pet supplies.

They both shared good experiences with the people that work in the community and with a few residents that help them with food and clothing. “People are good to us,” says

Daniel Davies (left); Emmanuela Manolakwas, 19, and Fulberto Paz, 33, with their two service dogs

Monolakwas. “They don’t treat us bad. Residents here try to help us with clothes, food and sometimes money. The cops that come to move us sometimes are really rude to us, they tell us to move to a different place or they are going throw away our stuff and put us in jail.”

Paz and Manolakwas say that local residents come “really often” to give them food.

“Usually people come two or three times a week to give us food cans and stuff like that.

There’s a guy that comes every morning to give us hot soup and another one that comes every Wednesday to bring us Little Caesars pizza, we like to call him the pizza guy,” says Manolakwas.

Both of them add that despite being homeless and having no money or enough food to survive all week long, they share the food with their other homeless friends.

“We try to look after each other here, you know?,” says Paz. “If others want to walk around all day long, we look after each other’s stuff. And they do the same for us.”

Paz and Manolakwas say that their ultimate goal is to move to Washington, D.C. and start a new life there. spt

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On Thursday, June 16, 2016, the San Pedro Peninsula Chamber of Commerce honored local businesses and installed their new Board of Directors at their annual luncheon at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Downtown San Pedro. The list of honorees included: Councilman Joe Buscaino (Leadership Award), the L.A. Waterfront Alliance (Bold Vision Award), Harbor Breeze Cruises (Business of the Year), CRAFTED at the Port of Los Angeles (Small Business of the Year), Brouwerij West (New Business of the Year), Providence Little Company of Mary San Pedro (Nonprofit of the Year), and Neil’s Pasta & Seafood Grill (Restaurant of the Year). Congrats to all the honorees! (photos: Angela Romero) spt

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IN MEMORIAM

Remembering Julian Jimenez (1939-2016) story & photos by Angela "Romee" Romero

32 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2016

Last year, I had the rare privilege of shadowing Julian Jimenez, owner of Pedro Pyros, as he prepared for the annual Fourth of July Fireworks show sponsored by the Cabrillo Beach Boosters. I had already planned on sharing this story in the July issue when we got word that Julian had passed away on June 10. I’m honored to keep his memory alive by sharing this story.

Copy That. Pyro En Route.

I stood on the fantail gangway of the USS Iowa next to a very official looking man with a headset and walkie-talkie. Our eyes scanned the crowd of people who had gathered to kick-off the long Fourth of July weekend with a blast from the battleship’s five-inch guns.

We were awaiting the arrival of Julian Jimenez, the man who had overseen most of the fireworks shows in and around San Pedro for more than 35 years. Just then, an SUV pulled up right into a very obvious no parking zone next to the ship and a determined Julian hopped out. You could feel the electricity hovering around him as members of the crew hurried him aboard. All I could do was catch his eye and follow in the frenetic procession.

The one-eyed pirate on the back of Julian’s Pedro Pyro’s t-shirt scowled back at me as the group passed the rope into the restricted section. I stood there in awe and imagined all the cliché action movie lines that Julian could easily pull off as he walked into the gun room.

My favorite: “Let’s do this!”

Julian, a lifelong Angeleno, has been blowing things up for more than 50 years, getting his start while working for L.A. Recreation & Parks. He liked the job so much that he got his license and started doing it as a hobby. Most people may know him and his wife Lisa as the last tenants of the Point Fermin Lighthouse, but there’s a good chance you’ve seen Julian’s pyrotechnic work at Cars & Stripes, the recent Lunar New Year celebrations, the Taste in San Pedro, San Pedro High’s homecoming, the Great L.A. Air Raid reenactments and of course the Fourth of July show. In fact, Julian actually used to fundraise for the Independence Day fireworks alongside Mr. San Pedro himself, John Olguin.

Julian picked up what looked like a papier-mâché hot air balloon and showed it to me.

It was an eight-inch shell, the largest professional firework you could legally have in the United States.

The Big Show The next day was the Fourth of July. Julian’s wife Lisa picked me up and we drove out to where the team was readying the barge for the big show.

Not all the Pedro Pyros are from San Pedro, but they were all brought into the fold by Julian, himself. I don’t know if he just saw that “spark” in their eye, but it seems like he knew a devoted hard worker when he saw one because most of them have stayed on the team for more than a decade. This might explain the hushed focus I witnessed as I walked onto the barge. Each man, about a dozen guys, had his station and was busily loading shells and wiring.

When I found them, they were half way through a three-day process. Every year, it all begins on the 3rd of July with the equipment set-up, then the “product” (fireworks) gets delivered on the 4th and clean-up happens on the 5th.

Julian walked me around the barge, helping me make sense of what I was looking at.

All of the fireworks were placed in racks, which were box-like structures (sometimes filled with sand) that hold thick black cylinders called mortars. The shells are loaded into the mortars in sequence according to the show then wired with the quickmatch fuse.

Showtime Once all the fireworks were set, it was the crew’s turn to get ready for the show. When working with explosives, safety must always be the main concern. The entire crew must wear the proper safety equipment, including firemen’s jackets, and take cover behind the blast shelter. At that point the barge is towed out by tugboat to the middle of the Cabrillo Marina, just south of the Cabrillo Beach Youth Aquatics Center where the Cabrillo Beach Boosters hold their annual beach party.

Most San Pedrans might know that the show starts every year at 9 p.m., but they might not know that there is a method to the spectacular madness. Weeks prior to the show, Julian would have sat down with the client to plan out the type of fireworks needed and synchronized the show to music.

For the last few years I’ve been watching the Fourth of July fireworks from a balcony with friends who have become my adopted family. What made last year’s show even more special was learning that the show was built on a foundation of love – a love for the work, a love for the brotherhood and most importantly, a love for the San Pedro community Julian loved so much. spt

Julian Jimenez (right) shows off the largest professional firework legally permitted in the United States.