Fowler Visit: December

Raquel and I visited Fowler on Wednesday, 12/8. The drive took us about 3.5 hours.

We had scheduled a few interviews with individual residents and plans to attend the school board meeting.

Connie K met us at Starbucks. This coffee shop is a badge of honor for some in the community because neighboring town of Selma doesn’t have one. Many Hwy 99 travelers utilize the drive through and it seems that some folks in the community spend a lot of money there.

Connie and her husband own the Ace Hardware in town, bought it about 5 years ago. They have 5 sons. Connie also works with the Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the Mothers Club and works at a day care center called Kids Break. She grew up in Los Angeles. She met her husband when he was going to college in Los Angeles too. When they married 26 years ago they moved to his hometown, Fowler. She cried the whole drive when she left Los Angeles. She would never want to live in Los Angeles again. She loves living in Fowler. There are “RJ Hill” real estate signs around the area proclaiming “Fowler: The Best Kept Secret.” Connie agrees and says Fowler is a uniquely ideal place to live.

The schools are a big part of what works here. They have 4 schools in Fowler: Grades K-2 at Marshall Elementary, grades 3-5 at Fremont Elementary, grades 6-8 at Sutter Middle School and Fowler High School. There are 2 other schools in the Fowler School District—2 elementary schools in Malaga, 5 ½ miles up the road. The kids from Malaga join Fowler kids at Sutter Middle and FHS.

The Mothers Club has been around for 50 years or more. Currently its about 30-32 mothers. They meet second Thursday of the month. They’re a social club and they fundraise for projects that benefit Fowler youth. Connie is going to arrange to get us on the agenda for Mothers Club meeting on Thursday, February 10, starting at 6 or 7pm. We probably will alone have time to introduce our project and then can talk with individuals follow up with people. I’ll talk to Connie about setting up a separate story circle date and we can invite them to that as part of our presentation, too. There’s a Mothers Club publication about Fowler (from many years ago probably) at the library, Connie says. One of their traditional fundraising things is selling beerocks (a traditional German? meat-in-dough pocket).

Connie is the troup leader for Cub Scouts (1^st thru 5^th graders) and her husband leads Boy Scouts (6^th through 12^th graders). Both groups meet on Tuesday nights at Sutter Middle School.

Connie and her husband had to do an environmental study on an open lot where they are thinking of maybe building a bigger hardware store. During that process bricks were found deep in the ground on the lot and no one knew what they might be since records indicated no building had ever been there. However long time resident, D Simonian (brother of former-as-of-last-night Mayor Jim and uncle of school board member Jimmy) knew the story. A tunnel was built between somewhere on Main Street (someone’s house maybe?) and ran for 6 blocks to this location where there was an underground hiding place. This was built for local Japanese people to hide from internment officials.

R. Gauroian, Fowler resident, photographer, organic grape farmer, knows lots of local history. His wife, a local teacher, passed away 1 year ago quickly after a dire, unexpected diagnosis. This is one of many accounts of how everybody pulls together to help when someone is in crisis. “Fowler is very good at taking care of Fowler.” Everyone took good care of this family. Later we heard how the ambulance driver taking her to the hospital did a slow pass by the school so all the kids could stand and wave at her as she passed by.

M. Hurst is the swim coach.

Andy at the barber shop knows everyone/everything.

Fowler Packing (on Cedar St) is a huge employer, family-owned for many generations.

Other packing houses are employers. Bee Sweet, is one. Lion Raisin. National Raisin (main competitor of Sun Maid Raisin in nearby Selma) is owned by Bedrosian family.

Local businesses hire local employees.

Vernon & Marie Gonzalez offer a Food Bank (available 24 hours) for Fowler residents in need. They provide food and a few other items out of their garage/food pantry. The schools have canned good and coat drives to contribute to the food bank. There is a raffle during Spring Fest and you trade canned goods for raffle tickets.

In February there is a Chamber of Commerce sponsored event: Citizen of the Year Banquet. Happens at Vineyard Church Worship Center, Manning & Golden State Blvd.

[ In the 90s the controversial Vineyard Casino was approved and built but the business didn’t survive beyond 10 months. The building stood vacant for many years, but now it is this church. Pastor Rod is a community leader.] This is a big building that could potentially be a venue but it’s not particularly accessible for the community and not really neutral ground.

There’s an annual Easter Sunrise Service at Fowler Park at which all or most local churches are represented.

Farmers Market happens May through October from 5-8pm. It’s wonderful, says Connie, and you get a real sense of Fowler, lots of participation.

Second Saturday in October is the Fall Festival which includes a crowned queen, floats, high school bands, a parade and other festivities.

Folks wear red on Fridays in support of Fowler High School Redcats.

We met with Sandi M. She is retired, extremely energetic and enthusiastic about Fowler, where she’s lived since 1978. She knows lots of folks and had done a number of theatrical projects in town, mostly through Recreation Commission and through the Baptist Church. Strangely there are another woman in Fowler with her name (though it's spelled differently). Sandy M-Fever is the other one, a relative of Sandi’s ex-husband. Sandi says a play about Fowler should include raisins, anything that is supportive of local kids, the fine education system, the town’s public Christmas tree which gets set up in the middle of a main downtown intersection, and the close-knit neighborly nature. Sandi described the neighborhoods of Fowler: North of Merced Street and around Starbucks is mostly republican, downtown core and south is more democrat, west of the highway is mostly the less established households. She says there are 13 churches and 15 liquor licenses- though to visit the town you wouldn’t guess there are as many as 15 liquor licenses. Sandi also mentioned the Easters- a longtime-resident African American family that established the neighborhood just behind/north of the Merced Street truckstop (hotel, starbucks etc). They founded the Rose of Sharon Church there a long time ago.

We spent an hour with Mrs. J Schrader, the English/Drama teacher at Fowler High School. I invited Sandie to join us for this meeting, too. Originally from Los Angeles and currently living in/commuting from Visalia, Mrs. Schrader worked as a professional actress for many years, primarily in Washington DC. Mrs. Schrader also gave us names of folks to talk with, mostly at the school. She was the first person to talk with us about the growing Punjabi community in Fowler. About one-fifth of her students are Punjabi and while these students participate in school activities, they don’t seem socially integrated in the school. The Punjabi families seem to represent both higher and lower castes. There are very few African American or Asian students.

She expressed doubt that there would be summer school this year. Pre-football camp happens in summer. Swim team ends in July. Faculty starts back for 2011-12 school year on August 15, students on August 18.

Discussing the possibilities of leading workshops with her students over the next few months, she proposed we lead a one week workshop in first or second week of February where we’d have 2 different classes- a beginning drama and an advanced class (one hour each) followed by 2 hours with both groups. I told her that if she could get us confirmed permission for us to live at the high school we could make that happen, but generally that is a large commitment of time and personnel that we likely cannot otherwise afford.

Mrs. Schrader showed us the high school auditorium that we’d heard so much about. It is a cafetorium. The stage is decent, though there’s not much support space backstage. They do have a little shop room off SL. They have some lighting positions onstage but the front lighting positions are lame track instruments. The acoustics are not great, not terrible. She says that Sutter Middle School has a newer, higher stage. Mrs. Schrader’s husband, a former production manager, now works as the general manager for an event lighting company in Hanford.

Mrs. Schrader will be out of town during the summer residency. She’s performing a teaching artists project at the Globe Theater.

Wednesday evening we went to the school board meeting. There were the 5 Board members present, plus the Superintendent, the Director of Instruction and a clerk.

I had an email exchange with the Superintendent that morning, so he was expecting us and welcomed us to the meeting. Public comments were at the top of the agenda, so I introduced our project and made a formal request for use of school facilities. I offered that we would love to come back to make a visual presentation at the next meeting if they saw fit. Most board members seemed interested and a few questions were asked. We did not stay for the full meeting after our presentation since that is what it seemed to encourage. The next meeting is January 19.

Thursday we met with Rosalie Georg who teaches ballet to preschoolers and other kids at the Fowler Library. Sara Brown introduced us. Rosalie lives in Kingsburg, 11 miles south of Fowler. She told us about the beautiful traditional auditorium space at Fremont Elementary School. Her group will perform there on at 2pm on Sunday, December 19. I might be able to attend this.

November Visit to Fowler

Raquel Gutierrez (CTC’s MCP) and I drove to Fowler on Tuesday.  It’s about 210 miles from Los Angeles.  We made the trip in 3 and a half hours. 

We had a fun stop along the way at a Traver travel stop—they’ve gone all out to get folks to stop and spend money.  There is a BBQ restaurant, tons of interesting patio and garden space, a petting zoo of sorts, clean restrooms, a fruit stand, a gift store that sells local cheese and treats as well as a big selection of food, collectible, travel and kitsch items.  If you want to visit you can’t miss the signs.

We did a short driving tour around part of Fowler then headed to Fresno to meet Debra P.  Debra is M. deRosa’s sister and a long time Fresno resident.  M. is a longtime Cornerstone friend and community collaborator.  Currently she is also on our Community Advisory Committee.  It was a treat to meet M.’s sister.  Debra was a terrific host as we talked about our intended Fowler project and how she might help us.  She knows a lot of people including a few with Fowler connections.  She is an interior designer (and a dancer, too) and does design work for some well-to-do homes.  She commented that farmer wives are sometimes sort of glamorous, society-types.  Debra gave us some information about local press contacts including local public radio.  She is going to reach out to those she knows and see who might be able to talk with us and/or connect us with others.  She’s really excited to see a Fresno County community celebrated. 

Fresno is about 11 miles north of Fowler.

We headed south and did some more exploring in the car—toured around the tiny town of Del Rey.  We passed the POM (Wonderful!) plant at what seemed like quitting time for many workers.  There were not many cars driving the streets of Del Rey but there were droves of kids, probably just dropped off by the school bus, walking down the streets.  Del Rey is about 10 blocks nestled among crops, mostly grape vineyards.  It includes a store, a post office, a beauty salon, a school, a senior center, 2 or 3 churches, and the POM plant (I think is a packing facility).  

We drove into and around Fowler (pop 5500) which is approx. 26 streets, mostly east of Hwy 99.  The part of Fowler west of the highway seems like the other side of the tracks literally and figuratively.  As we parked the car in front of the Presbyterian church a woman who was on her way into the church stopped and inquired if we needed some help.  She listened to why we in town then told us a lot about her church and her community.  She showed us inside the church. The church has beautiful stained glass and an exceptional pipe organ.  She told us about many of the programs there:  ATM Diner (ATM=“at the manse” which is the priests’ house), Monday evening youth group (middle school kids), Kids Club (2 five week after school sessions), Gear Up Sports in summer (100 kids sports and arts projects, like a day camp).  Sunday worship service is at 10:30- it’s a mixed/blended service which means that there’s a mix of traditional and new music.   She recommended we talk with Sandi M. (Baptist church) who has done some drama projects.  We should also talk with the superintendent of schools.

We attended the Fowler city council meeting from 7 – 9:30pm.  There are 5 councilmen including the mayor and mayor pro tem.  Additionally the city manager, city attorney, city clerk (the only female official), and chief of police all sit at the head of the room as participants in the meeting.  Another table was present up front for 4 or 5 other officials: assessors, financial officer, fire chief, etc.  The meeting room was full with observers and stakeholders.  Public comments were at the top of the agenda.  I introduced our project and made clear our three requests (community support, assistance with affordable housing for our residency, and an affordable performance venue).  The questions from the council were Have you done this sort of work in the central valley before? (yes!) Do you charge for tickets?  (no!)  They all received information packets about Cornerstone and the Fowler project.  Councilman Rico Aguayo gave me his card then he spent his break talking with Raquel and I about how to move forward with our project.  Rico, it turns out also works with Recreation Commission, Friends of the Library, Historical Society, and probably some other organizations.  He’s the youngest council member and energetic about creating positive change in Fowler. 

[ The city council meeting was long and mostly interesting.  Highlights:

A gentleman who accused an unnamed council member (“he knows who he is”) of libel and slander and asked that the man be kicked off the council.   A Sikh gentleman thanked the council for permitting street closures and public declaration of official Sikh Appreciation? Awareness? day to be celebrated with a parade on Nov 21.  The owner of Madam Sophia’s Palm Reader reminded the council that inexplicably his business license costs $1200 when all other business licenses are $40 and could they please change that sooner than later.  Hearings for rezoning 2 properties from single-family home to multi-family properties both ended with denial based on neighbor concerns of “bad element” renters and parking impact.  It was noted that plenty of people were very unhappy to see that the cemetery neglected to put up flags for Veterans Day.  A letter of appreciation to the City from Superintendent of Schools was read acknowledging support that made the middle school band event successful.  Bids for building a Pickleball court at a local park were too high.  Adjustments were made to what the city can do on their own to reduce cost and the request for bids will go out again in January.  Two new small business owners (a salon and an antiques store called “A Little of This And A Little of That”) were granted loans from the city for business equipment. ]

Aeric, the front desk receptionist at the very new La Quinta in Fowler, is a local resident and was excited to hear about our community play project.  Folks who need a place to stay in Fowler when they come to see the show or visit the Institute will be very happy with La Quinta Inn and the manager is eager to arrange a group rate for us for the summer.

Raquel and I stopped by the School District office and spoke with Robin (the website says she is Accounts Clerk).  We left info packets for the district school board members who happened to be meeting that night.

We walked the businesses of Main Street and made purchases at 2 of the 3 markets, one of which includes a mix of Indian and Mexican items. 

We visited Sara Brown the Librarian at the local library.  I’d spoken with her on the phone previously and she’s very enthusiastic about our project.  Many organizations meet at the library so she knows all the coordinators for these groups.  Mostly they are youth programs, like ballet for preschoolers and others age 7-12, the Girl Scout Juniors, etc.   Sara made some calls to people right then to see if anyone was around to talk with us and she continues to make introductions around town on our behalf.

We spent about an hour with Yvonne, the Senior Center Coordinator.  She was generous with her time and shared a lot about her hometown.  She also asked good questions.  Yvonne is also with Recreation Commission.  She is a photographer and does design work for posters and such.  We saw the team photograph poster she made for an neighboring town’s football team.  It’d be great if we can hire her for our show photos and maybe poster, etc. 

Some other things we learned (or re-learned) about Fowler:

They are into their school sports (Go Redcats!)

They have swim team events in summer time.  There’s a pool at the high school.

Until very recently the library was a storefront on Main Street.

There’s going to be a Father/Daughter Dance event in Feb & a Mother/Son event in May.  These are new community events promoted by Recreation.

There’s a Tree Lighting event on December 4.  This is a popular traditional event.

There’s a Car Show in May.  The farmer’s market begins in May, too. 

There’s July 4 Fireworks at the high school. Folks attend from neighboring towns.

There are quite a few churches including St Gregory’s Armenian Apostolic Church, the Buddhist Church and 3 Black churches.  According to Diane L., this proportion doesn’t match the demographic of Fowler but people come from other towns to attend.  Many of the churches work together on events.

Latinos, Anglos, Armenians, South Asians, a few African Americans and a few Japanese Americans live in Fowler.   They seem mostly middle class.

There are not many apartments in Fowler, esp east of the highway.  West of the highway there is a mobile home park and a residence motel (Fowler Motel), both look nicely maintained.

People tend to be involved in multiple roles for the community, such as Connie who works with the Boy/Cub Scouts, the Chamber of Commerce, Kids Break program and the Mothers’ Club.

Generally there are a lot of folks who like things as they are and as they have been for a long time—maybe resistant, or at least slow, to change. 

Others are interested in change and engagement and active civic pride.

Residents generally really love their town and are friendly.

First Circle I-7: gorgeous

something to know about Pacoima 2

                                                               (John McCoy/Staff Photographer)
Guillermo Manzo parks his 1984 Chevy Van on Glenoaks Blvd, next to Hansen Dam golf course everyday. The thing that is different about Mazo's van is, it is covered with over 100 bicycles. In reality, Manso does not drive the van anymore because he feels that it probably is not safe. Manzo began covering the van with bikes 3 years ago, and continues to add to his collection whenever he finds a suitable set of wheels.

The overburdened 1984 Chevy van has become a fixture of sorts on Glenoaks Boulevard near Hansen Dam Municipal Golf Course - a quirky roadside attraction that has drawn curious gawkers and finger-pointing, along with a few snickers.  The van is laden with old bicycles - dozens, perhaps up to 100 - covering the sides and top, strapped on and tied down with rope and string.

The van's owner, Guillermo Manzo of Pacoima, moves it around a few feet every day in a sometimes-successful bid to avoid parking tickets, but other than that it is virtually a permanent sight around the course.

"Someone called him the Bicycle King," said golfer Lloyd Carll of Los Angeles, who, like a lot of passers-by, found Manzo's bicycle-laden van a curiosity. "All those bikes on his van - I've seen modern art not half as interesting."

Rusted bikes. Busted bikes. Bikes with missing chains. Their condition doesn't matter to Manzo, 54, who says he collects and repairs the broken bicycles as a form of therapy for a broken life.  "These bicycles have been discarded and unwanted," Manzo said, speaking in Spanish. "I fix them and make them work. And in that way, I make my life work."

Years ago, according to relatives, Manzo emigrated to Southern California from the Mexican state of Michoacan. He married, worked steadily and fathered four grown children.  Manzo doesn't like talking about what happened next, except that a series of setbacks triggered a downward spiral - and began his bicycle collection.

"He's had some bad luck, losing his job (at a foundry) and being kicked out of his home by his wife when he was no longer bringing in a paycheck," said a niece who identified herself as Maria Tejas.
She and her husband took her uncle into their Sun Valley home, she said.  "We've given him a bedroom and a room over his head at night," Tejas said. "But he leaves real early each morning. He takes off to look for odd jobs or to salvage some bicycles - anything he can to make a few dollars and help him pay for his food."

Manzo said he scours trash bins and alleys for discarded bicycles - or sometimes buys a bike for a few dollars from a thrift shop. He then returns to his van where he piles them on top of his other bicycles.
The van is almost always parked somewhere near the golf course because he finds it safe - and because it is mechanically undriveable beyond a few feet.

"I move it every day just to keep from getting parking tickets," he said.  Sometimes, he said, he returns to find a bicycle or two gone, but for the most part he hasn't had much trouble.  "Who would want to steal these bicycles?" he asked. "I leave people alone, and people leave me alone."

Manzo wants it that way. He even doesn't care much about selling the bicycles he repairs, as if seeing them in operating condition alone is an affirmation of his own being.  "These bicycles help keep me sane," he said. "When I'm working on them, everything is so peaceful. Fixing them gives me tranquility.  "Each bicycle I fix is like a little miracle in my life."

by Tony Castro, staff writer for Daily News

original posted: 02/10/2010.   See the original article for more photos.

Pacoima Creates Community Forum Through Theatre

Unusual Suspects is a very cool theater company who's working with the Pacoima community-- been doing a few projects over the past year or so and continuing, as you can see from this story about an upcoming performance.

Pacoima Creates Community Forum Through Theatre

Sergio, a cast member from their previous production in the partnerships mentioned in the article-- Life! Love! Lies!, it was called-- called to learn about auditions for It's All Bueno.  He says he'll be there.

something to know about Pacoima 1

Community Mourns Ida Kinney, oldest African American in the San Fernando Valley, dies at 104 -- January 10, 2009 -- LA Times
By Valerie J. Nelson

Ida B. Kinney worked on the campaigns of several presidents, lobbied to establish a Pacoima senior center and helped the NAACP push initiatives.

Kinney launched a successful campaign to integrate the Lockheed Corp. union during World War II and was a driving force for civil rights in the Valley.
Ida B. Kinney, a 104-year-old who was believed to be the oldest African American in the San Fernando Valley and who was a driving force for civil rights in the region, died Jan 1.

Affectionately nicknamed "Mother" Kinney, she died of complications related to old age at the Lake View Terrace home of her caregiver, Christel Flynn.

"She was living history," state Sen. Alex Padilla (D- Pacoima) told The Times. "She was a living reminder that not that long ago, our country was breaking civil-rights barriers."

In 1999, Padilla was campaigning for the Los Angeles City Council when he knocked on her Pacoima door. Stories started spilling out of Kinney, the granddaughter of slaves. A mesmerized Padilla stayed for four hours.

As one of the first African American "Rosie the Riveters" to work at Burbank's Lockheed Corp. during World War II, Kinney launched a successful drive to integrate the union.

She was working in a berry patch when she was hired in 1943 by the defense company. She was paid the same as her white colleagues -- but was prohibited from joining the union.

When a fellow worker learned that she took home more money, Kinney responded: "You pay union dues. But I don't because I was born black," she said in 2006 in the Daily News of Los Angeles.

That infuriated some of her co-workers, Padilla recalled, "and the next thing you know, the union was integrated."

Kinney was happy to pay dues because it meant she wasn't being treated differently because of her skin color.

"I told them: 'I don't want to ride on anyone's back -- I want to contribute just like everyone else,' " she said in 1997 in The Times. "I used to eat my lunch with a sandwich in one hand and a petition in the other."

After the war, she started substitute teaching in Bakersfield and later taught in Los Angeles.

She also helped organize the Valley's first Head Start program, remaining involved with it until 1974.

In Pacoima, Kinney helped establish the senior center by relentlessly lobbying her City Council representative. She also played a key role in creating the Pacoima Boys & Girls Club.

The Rev. Zedar Broadous, a Los Angeles County commissioner on human relations, called her influence on the Valley "immeasurable."

"Much of the positive change that has occurred in the San Fernando Valley among African Americans as well as seniors is because of her," he said.

An only child, she was born Ida Ford on May 25, 1904, in Lafayette County, Ark. Since her mother, Bessie, was a maid and cook, Kinney was raised mainly by her grandparents on their Arkansas cotton farm. By selling cotton, her grandparents had bought their freedom from slavery.

As a child, Kinney was shot in the leg by a Ku Klux Klan member in a dispute. It was possibly over the planting of flowers, she later recalled.

When she was 16, she moved to Santa Monica with her mother, who worked as a housekeeper. To prevent Kinney from following in her footsteps, her mother refused to teach her to cook.

Instead, she sent her to college. Kinney spent a year at Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Ark., and another year at UCLA before marrying Carl Binion. She eventually earned a bachelor's degree in sociology in 1970 from what is now Cal State Northridge.

Widowed in 1939 after a decade of marriage, Kinney soon moved from Santa Monica to a white neighborhood in Van Nuys. The chilly reception she received was reflected in the 16 parking tickets she was given over two months.

"They were trying to move me out. They were ignorant and backward," Kinney said in the Daily News in 1999, but a judge dismissed the tickets.

In 1952, she married Perry Kinney, a construction worker. When they purchased their Pacoima home in 1954, they had a white friend pose as the buyer.

A committed volunteer, Kinney helped the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People push through initiatives on the local and state level, said Jose De Sosa, a former NAACP officer.

The deeply religious Kinney also was a founding member of Pacoima's Greater Community Missionary Baptist Church, the first African American church in the Valley.

Independent and energetic, Kinney refused all medications until shortly before her death, her caregiver said. The aloe vera plant was Kinney's cure-all.

Her husband, Perry, also lived to be 104 and died in 2004.

Kinney is survived by her cousins in St. Louis, Mayetta Miller, 107, and Evelyn Green, believed to be 97; a  stepgrandson and a stepgranddaughter.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Greater Community Missionary Baptist Church, 11066 Norris Ave., Pacoima.

Community Reading in Pacas

We got together with Pacoima community members on Tuesday from 6:30- 8:30pm to read Sigrid’s play together and get some feedback.

We met at Maclay Community Center on Gain Street.  We used Room B in the front bungalow.  There was good Cornerstone support presence:  Sigrid, Juliette, Xanthia, Laurie, Jay Briggs, Alejandra & Victor.  We had about 40 people present to read including Sophia, Bill & Bob (the 3 seniors from First United Methodist), Roxana from the garden & her daughter Bianca, Letty Rodriguez from Project Grad, David Guerra from Unusual Suspects, Charles Nettles from Rushing Waters cast & our 3/3 story circle.  Cornerstone friend Sam Comen joined us and brought a friend.  The majority of our turn-out was Arlene Simmons and her English class who came as a sort of field trip from the Pacoima Skills Center—there were at least 20 people with that group.

Juliette and Sigrid gave parts to all who were willing to read.  A lot of the English students chose to not read, but quite a few of them did read roles.  

Afterward Juliette led the feedback conversation we planned.  
We asked for initial one-word responses.
Juliette asked if folks could sum up the action of the play,
If there were places where they were confused about what was happening, and what people thought the response might be if we did “color-blind” casting such as African-Americans playing Latinos even within the same family.
We finished by asking for any thoughts or opinions.

Some responses:  Funny, Pacoima, stereotype, real, fun.
Ever forthright, Bill Davis shared that the play seemed to be about young Latinos’ Pacoima.  Bill is 84 & Black, but it didn’t seem to be a complaint particulary.   He shared that it would be interesting to do mix races in casting and he felt it would not be a bad idea.  Esther added that many families in Pacoima are mixed so it wouldn’t be an unnatural representation.  Sophia, Bob and Charles didn’t contribute much to the feedback though Charles did tell Xanthia that he planned to audition.  Roxana and Letty were thrilled with the reading.  They were really happy and excited about the play and expressed it’s accuracy in representing the community.  They both told us they were going to invite lots of friends and family to audition.

Generally the conversation afterward felt positive but a bit limited, due partly to a language barrier with the students probably, as well as most of them not feeling very outgoing in this environment.

As an English class, Arlene had suggested we not do translation on the students’ behalf.  In retrospect I wish we’d done a bit more of that anyway.

Also the room was over-hot—I didn’t know where the A/C control was-and there really wasn’t enough time for much conversation.  I wish I’d allowed an additional 30 minutes—though I’m not sure if people would have stayed til 9pm.  

Overall it was a good time and informative.  I introduced Esther and Alejandra since Ale will be the main point person there with rehearsals and I think Esther showed her around a bit.  Roxane announced the upcoming Volunteer Day at Project Youth Green.

Both Arlene and Roxana wrote us messages of appreciation and excitement about the play the next day.

two recent Pacoima news stories

Los Angeles Times' June 13 article by Steve Lopez:

Pacoima residents want city to fight blight

and

KNBC-TV's June 4 news story:

The Pacoima Singers Bring Home the Gold

went to church last sunday

Sigrid and I spent Sunday morning with First United Methodist Church of Pacoima. They part of our project this summer in that they are owners of the school property where we’ll be living. We want to expand their connection to the project beyond “landlord” status to include other church community participation in the play. We’ve been talking with them for months in a positive but slow way. Xanthia and I attended Sunday service once in March and spoke to the congregation briefly about our project.

Since then the church board and the school agreed to let us live at Discovery Prep for our Institute. Reggie K has been our main contact with the church, but we are also in contact with Darrell the board chair, and Pastor Andre Wilson. We were present at a Neighborhood Council Meeting when Reggie K was elected and sworn in as a councilperson and since then Sigrid also interviewed him as a Pacoima community member.

Reggie arranged for us to talk with three senior church members after the service on Sunday. We had a great conversation with three long-time community members.

Sophia W. came to Los Angeles in 1956. She told us about the difficulty of getting hired as a school teacher here despite her accreditation and qualifications due to racism. She persevered and got work but continued to struggle with racism in the system and among colleagues for many years.

William D: “I’m 84 years old and I’ve been raising hell all along.” Bill prides himself on being outspoken and a social activist. As a WW2 vet he wanted to use his GI bill to buy a home but was very limited in terms of where he was allowed to buy property. He chose Pacoima. He experienced some significant racist attitudes and obstacles in his life.

Bob W had different experiences, or maybe handled obstacles and racism differently in his life. He worked as a LA County Sheriff, worked in the coast guard, served in Korea, and was a school teacher for many years. He was the second black person to buy property in Valencia (a neighborhood in the city of Santa Clarita, about 14 miles north of Pacoima but still in LA County).

Some recurring themes from these folks had to do with the challenges to becoming a homeowner—(Johnny Jerome the Black Real Estate Agent was the person to find!)--, in the 1960s things began to shift and social activism made headway as evidenced by a plethora of acronyms (NAACP, ACLU, Fair Housing Council, etc) and organizations. Both men spoke pretty specifically about the cost of giving birth which was generally about $300 and they would seek out the least expensive hospital for when their wives gave birth. The notion “I did it on my own” seemed an important point for all of these Angelenos.

We also talked about other signs of the shift, a social advance past racism. In addition to the the civil rights movement of the 60s, other historical/civic factors for change included the creation of the Pacoima Lutheran Hospital, the building of the freeways dividing up neighborhoods, the 1971 San Fernando earthquake (which destroyed the hospital) and “generational flight,” – the notion that after all the work this generation did to build homes and community, their kids wanted to get away and out into the world rather than stay and raise their own families here.

All three of these generous people encouraged us to please keep them informed about the project because there were all interested in the idea and enjoyed talking with us.


-pd

the school where we live

ok, here is a first for me. this is a short, awkward video of the campus of Discovery Prep where we are living this summer. i hope it is helpful and doesn't freak you out.  Be sure to turn the sound down because it's not v interesting and it plays too loud.   xo pd

More May Meetings in Pacoima

2:00 Discovery Prep

Met with Sheryl S. to tour the school spaces.  We needed another, more thorough look as we plan the details of living there.  I had a list of questions, many of which got answered.

Xanthia used a Flip Cam to really help us remember the spaces and it’s a good thing she did.  I see things on film (well, you know..) that I didn’t in person.

3:00p  Maclay Community Center

Esther V is really maybe our biggest advocate in Pacoima right now.  And she is really helping us out herself as well as introducing us to others and giving us access to people who know people!  It was great for Xanthia to meet Esther for the first time.  (X has been in 3 Truths rehearsals more than Pacoima lately.)  Esther is going to let us use the two empty bungalow classrooms for rehearsal space!  She is going to work with us to make all our hours—including nights and weekends—happen!  She also sounded prepared to host us as a venue if need be, too, though we didn’t discuss that too much.  She is very enthusiastic about performing the play at the community garden which is great to hear.  She recommended making an appointment with City Councilperson Richard Alarcon to tell him about the project in person and asking for his assistance.  She also said that it takes at least 2 weeks to get onto his schedule. 

5:30p  Mesa Meeting at Community Garden

Juliette was able to join us for this meeting!  The Mesa Meeting was less formal than I expected, even for a meeting in a garden!  Roxana from YSC was there.  Also Odelia who we met at the Parent Center Directors’ meeting hosted by Esther.  [Odelia is fantastic.  She is one of the founders of the garden.  She’s ready to audition for the play.  She told us about a play she was in not long ago—a benefit or other special event at one of the schools?) and how fun it was to wear a costume, to pretend to be someone else, even though she had to tell her legs to stop shaking.  Odelia’s 15 yr old daughter Nubia is also apparently a powerhouse onstage, acting and singing.] 

Also at the meeting Laura Robledo (another founder, maybe 20 yrs), Julio Alfaro, youth organizer for YSC at the garden, who we met 2 weeks ago.  Carlos, a gardener.  Juan, another gardener who was trying to resolve an increasing problem regarding keys and access for gardeners.  Javier a young person who was extremely polite and friendly and shy.  Another gardener and another boy.  Later another couple gardeners stopped by. 

We started off the meeting with Roxana introducing us.  Everyone present seems to know about the play idea, everyone is supportive.  We suggested they do share the idea with the individual family gardeners too. 

They discussed the key/access issue and created a schedule for volunteers to take turns minding the gate and access a few designated hours each day.

I’ll go to the Youth Council Meeting at the garden on Friday afternoon.  I’d like to talk with them about what their ideas are, how we can help facilitate some of their dreams (ie: performance stage), and maybe they can take advantage of audience coming in and sell water, or do something to represent as Project Youth Green.

6:30p  Neighborhood Council Meeting

Juliette and I attended, arrived a bit late because of previous meeting.  There was even more loud music and women dancing with their class in the courtyard!  I find it pretty great rather than distracting.  It’s fun to see, at any point in the meeting, EVERYONE slightly dancing in their chairs to the influential rhythms of Stevie Wonder, for example.

Started with 10 Council members present, 2 absent.  16 stakeholders in attendance.  Ended with 13 Council members plus 3 absent and 4 stakeholders, and 3 of us were not really stakeholders.

Announcements included: a gentleman marking Malcolm X’s birthday and somewhat vaguely seeking the council’s condemnation of Arizona’s latest anti-immigration laws, Pacoima Beautiful (4 women, 3 of whom maybe were working w/P.B as volunteers on this project) sharing a report that supported a request to create “No Trucks” routes in specific neighborhood locations with proposed alternate truck routes, and “Chef Jeff” a new resident who has training (experience?) as a first responder with the Red Cross and is also a self-employed caterer, and john Hernandez, another new resident who is opening an insurance office in Pacoima also introduced himself.

A presentation was made by someone with (probably) city development office about some programming cuts (budget) and a lawnmower trade-in program (old mower for new environmentally friendlier one).

Similar to last month, some new council members were voted in on the spot including: Fanny Long (former board member and mother of current board member Rebecca Long), Mr. Jeeter (former board member who is retiring from CSUN-35 yrs-- in June) as well as Chef Jeff and John Hernandez.

Maggie Estrada, Pacoima Field Rep for Alarcon’s office, then presented the outgoing Councilmembers with certificates of thanks and acknowledgement – even though most of them rejoined the board immediately!   Maggie looked gorgeous in a fuschia pink dress, btw.

Lots of mutual thanks and good will was formally expressed.

Then committee chairs and vice chairs need to be nominated and elected and committees formed. 

Rosie invited all to join the chamber of commerce which meets on 3^rd Thursdays and the Vice President of the Sylmar Neighborhood Council invited everyone to attend their meetings. 

After the meeting, as the next meeting impatiently burst in (PNC went over 10 minutes), Juliette spoke with Council President Ed Johnson and with former president Ruben Garcia and GOT THEIR CONACT INFO!  Ruben is very ready to audition—he wants to be the latino John Candy.   I spoke with Maggie about how to get approval for park access after hours for 11 days of our project.  She says budget cuts might make that difficult.  (Ugh.)

It was a gorgeous evening as we left.  And we were reminded about how very hot it will be in July.

pd

Pacoima Adventures with Mikiko and Juliette

I-7 Scenic Designer Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams visiting Los Angeles this past weekend to start work on design ideas for It’s All Bueno: A Pacoima Tale of Optimism. To help in that direction, Sigrid Gilmer sent out a bunch of starter scenes and some notes about her plans for settings in the play.

On Friday Juliette, Mikiko and I went to Pacoima to visit each of the locations referenced in the script as well as our known performance venue options however undetermined. Here’s our itinerary list and accompanying notes.

Pacoima Charter Elementary – school was letting out. We peeked at the playground atop the parking garage. Did not get to peek inside the small auditorium.
David Gonzalez Park Gym – we peeked into the locked second gym at the park- a gym dedicated to Boxing Club.
We walked from Gonzalez park to get some lunch at a restaurant at the strip mall on Van Nuys at Norris. We took photos of the bus stop on Van Nuys and talked with a vendor – tamales and more—at that intersection. Extremely hot (temperature) tamale was very delicious (and still quite hot) when we ate it later on.
San Fernando Gardens – we walked by, and drove by these unique looking public housing complex/buildings a few times.
Discovery Prep
Humphrey Park – took a peek inside the gym where a martial arts class of young children seemed to be led by another equally small child. In the park we talked with a vendor and her friend and two middle school aged girls. Maria Perez is a beautiful and friendly mom who talked with Juliette in Spanish for awhile. She had heard of our project through the Moms group at Hilary Broadus School! Her daughter Noemi Barajas was wearing PUC/Community Charter Middle School gym shorts so I asked her about her school. She really likes her school! I sure hope Maria and Noemi get involved in the play. I don’t remember the name of the mom/vendor. She was much quieter. We asked if we could film her making a raspado (finely shaved & syruped ice). Mikiko ordered a blue one which was chicla (bubblegum) flavored and not very delicious. Maria suggested we ask the Census workers meeting in the park to help promote our project as they began door-to-door visits, but we did not.
Maclay Middle Schoool Multipurpose Room – school was locked up, we looked at the building from the street as we drove by.
Maclay Community Center – Mikiko, Juliette and Kerry are in agreement that doing the play in the oddly shaped parking lot there is not ideal. Esther was there on her way to a meeting with Maclay Middle School Principal and vice principal. Not about us, but maybe she’d throw a reminder/request in…
Sara Coughlin Elementary – a biggish very new elementary school a block away from the Maclay Comm Center. Again, locked up, but maybe there is space to work with in there. An LAUSD school, not charter.
Hansen Hill – It was interesting to drive around on Hansen Hill, a unique promontory in Pacoima. Some of the homes on certain streets are much nicer there, but some of the homes seem like the rest of the neighborhood, esp on the north side of the hill. It was there that I realized that ice cream trucks in Pacoima do not play music, but play a weird amplified tone every 15 seconds or so. Unsettling and strange but maybe better than repetitious mechanical songs.
George’s Hand Car Wash – We pulled over on the north side of Van Nuys to look for this place by address. Juliette had seen the “Hand Wash” sign from a little distance off. We kept staring at the closed car wash, asking “George’s??” Then we realized we were parked directly in front of George’s – “The Original”—and the rival was the one across the street. Good signs!
Community Garden – also known as Project Youth Green. The garden is located in the back of a city park. The garden wasn’t open exactly but a youth meeting was happening so they let us in to wander while they had their meeting. The adult advisor (I don’t know what his title is) turned out to be Jorge Martinez who we’d met at Garden Volunteer Day in March. Sigrid interviewed him last month. Mikiko and Juliette were mentally trying out the idea of the common/youth/instruction area of the garden as performance space. We were taking photos and video and when Mikiko got her measuring tape out I went over to speak with Jprge and the youth who were meeting. When I said that we might be interested in performing the play there, the youth coordinator, Julio Alfaro was off and enthusiastically running about what a great idea it was and why. Eventually it seemed like the four other youth at the meeting were supportive of the idea especially when we said that we might be able to leave a little stage behind for them to continue using after we’d gone. Julio who is kind of like Candide in his enthusiasm, energy and positive outlook. He gave us a tour and some advise about how to move forward. Jorge also gave us a little advise too. We will actively look into the possibility of performing the play at the Community Garden. More on this soon.
Community Center – quick pass by since although it had been a dream to do the play there for awhile, we have a pretty solid NO about permission so we moved on.
Boys & Girls Club – after hours and we now know that they can’t have anything happening there after 8pm ever, so we moved on.
Swap Meet – was closed and so was strangely desolate with odd structures inside a fenced area in the middle of a large very empty parking lot. (Sigrid and I visited before. Kind of on the low end of swap meets.)
Valens Park – there was a small very plastic fair happening in the park. We stopped to gaze at the skaters and their specially designed part of the park for awhile. I made Mikiko try the natural tamarindo pod/goo/whatever while we hung out for a few minutes. Juliette introduced me to this when she found it in a bulk bin at Food4Less. It’s weird and tart and I like it a lot.
Costco – Yes, still rather pristine.

On Saturday, May 8 we had a Design Meeting at my house at 1pm—Kerry, Juliette, Mikiko and Costume Designer Garry Lennon. We talked about the Community Garden for awhile and also about the story of Candide and about It’s All Bueno. Then we all headed to Pacoima to finish visiting play locations.
Hansen Dam / Park – we stopped and walked part of The Mile—a walkway/bikepath along the top of the dam. Then we went down into the other part of the park on the Osbourn Ave side. Saw the two “lakes” – one for fishing/boating, one for swimming. We saw the outside of the halted-construction Children’s Museum Bldg. We saw a few people riding horses and plenty of people playing in the park , and some other people playing cards on a card table set up in the parking lot.
El Cariso Park / Sylmar – there was a kind of fair – vendors, music and farmers market going on at the park. Lots of vendors but no shoppers. This might have been because it was just time for the event to begin when we were there.
Mission College / Sylmar – next door to the park. We drove by the campus and the adjoining golf course.
Tia Chuchas Cultural Center and Bookstore – of course 3 of the four of us bought books. Mikiko bought a gorgeous book about the LA River & Art on/about the River and another book mostly a photographic study of East Valley ganglife.
MEND – the building was officially closed but there was a lot of activity going on in the kitchen/food drive part of the building. Mikiko and Kerry were able to take a look inside.

Parent Center Directors’ Meeting at Maclay Comm Center

Esther V invited Sigrid and I to attend a meeting of people active with Pacoima area schools.   Others in attendance along with Esther:

Robyn Regan – Los Angeles Education Partnership, which focuses on school readiness

Eva Torres – Pacoima Charter Elementary

Marta Silva -

A woman who recently moved from the town of Imperial (near Holtville)

Chile Nakamera – Olive Visita Middle School

Maria Molina – Maclay Middle School

Blanca ___? - ?

Silvia Vazquez – Sara Coughlin Elementary

Odelia __? -  San Fernando Middle School

Shane Coleman, founder/CEO of Heroes of Life  (Mission: To develop our community’s youth and young adults by providing mutual technological business and other opportunities for the sole purpose on helping them discover and reach their fullest potential, we believe these things are done through caring, sharing, discipline, respect, love and forgiveness.)  Heroes of Life is presenting a community talent show this Saturday, May 8 (11a- 4pm) at El Cariso Park (13100 Hubbard St, Sylmar 91342).  This will also include a farmers market which is actually a regular event there on Mondays from 5:00 – 9pm.

Shane invited participation in both events and spent some time talking about the various programs that they offer and the good they do for local youth and the greater community.

I did a short presentation and invitation to the Parent Center Directors & Robyn about our project including an invitation to talk with Sigrid about the community, to get involved with the project in July and to spread the word about our Pacoima community play.  We also talked for a little while about performance and rehearsal venue possibilities.  A number of ideas for places in San Fernando, not so much for Pacoima locations.  Many of the women requested specific needs information so that they could explore options at their schools, specifically Sara Coughlin (a block away from Maclay Comm Center), Pacoima Charter, and Olive Vista Middle School (14600 Tyler Street - Sylmar, CA 91342).

Each Parent Center Director gave an update about events and classes offered at their schools/centers.  The Los Angeles Unified School District very recently announced that the school year will end one week earlier than originally planned. The last day of school will be June 18 rather than June 25.

Esther invited the Parent Center Directors to stay and talk with Sigrid about Pacoima and a few of them did.  Esther also invited two dynamic longtime Pacoima residents to come talk with us at the end of the meeting:  Steve Martinez and Liliana Hernandez Jarieque.

Odilia who was born in Mexico thinks it very important that we include the fact that communication within the family, between parents and children, is the key to success and survival no matter what the circumstances.  Only one son of many children was unsuccessful in avoiding gang life.  This one son was jumped and drugged with a combination of Ecstacy/Chrystal Meth and almost died from the experience.  People at the hospital recognized him as Odelia’s son and gave him dedicated attention which probably prevented his death.  Unfortunately the drug in his system left him schizophrenia. 

Eva Torres has lived in Pacoima for 28 years, very near Pacoima Charter Elementary & San Fernando Gardens housing.  She also raised many kids and faced many difficulties. She’s been active with the school and the community for a long time.

Marta Silva was born in Mexico and married into a generational San Fernando/Pacoima family.  Her father-in-law owns a market in Pacoima that years ago was in San Fernando.  She has struggled in her family because she and her husband do not agree about discipline and how to parent.  She continues to work in the schools to help families find a way to be strong and get the kids a good education.

Liliana (48) was raised mostly in San Fernando.  She went to SF Elementary, Middle and High schools.  Her mother responded to the trouble all around her family by working all the time.  Liliana and her siblings and her cousins all lived together at her grandmother’s house.  There were so many of them they shared beds and had beds all over the house.  They never thought of themselves as poor.  Her cousins and brothers got into every kind of trouble and a lot of the bad activity—drugs, sniffing fumes, etc—all happened in their garage.  Liliana was first hand witness to a lot of rough activity.  She raised a number of kids and was a strong parent and open communicator with her children which she sees as the key to their success and intelligence in navigating the world.

Liliana thinks that the younger generations need to know and value where they came from, what came before to help them respect parents and older generation.

Steve M (42) was born and raised in Pacoima.  He had a strong governing mother and a few different Mexican step-fathers.  He went to many schools including Laurence Middle School in Chatsworth as part of 70s integration plan. Steve works in gang intervention.  He told us the story of how he came to do that:  In 1993 he was working as a carpenter in Las Vegas and coming home to Pacoima on weekends & between jobs to be with his fiancé and 3 step-sons.  Someone called him and invited him to participate in a gang truce meeting and he agreed.  Two days before the meeting he was out in his car picking up his little brother and other younger people from school and he saw some gang kids jumping younger/smaller kids.  Jumping as defined as “beating on,” and in this case with (a) baseball bat(s).  Steve has a temper that (back then) became physical.  He stopped the car and told them to stop.  One of the gang went to the back of their van and came back with a gun and shot at Steve in his car, then the gang kids took off in the van.  Steve was mad and chased them, anticipating their route.  They shot at him again and he could feel the bullets go by him, could feel the heat of one on his face as it went by his head.  He got out of the car and the guy with the gun approached him and changed clips right in front of Steve while keeping his weapon pointed directly at him.  Steve was shot in the shoulder and the chest.  The younger people with him were unharmed.  Steve drove halfway to the hospital before he passed out from loss of blood.  Two days later he was late to the gang truce meeting.   When he spoke about the need to end the violence among gangs in the community, he mentioned that he’d been shot and that the people who shot him were in the room.  Everyone stood and shouted and reacted with anger and threats, but Steve would not identify the shooters and argued for all to stay in conversation to reach a truce.  He works with a non-profit called Victory Outreach (I think) and grassroots/community project called Valley Unity Peace Treaty.

Liliana and Steve talked some about what it was like to grow up in the 70s/80s in Pacoima/San Fernando.  They sited examples of economic and cultural injustices such as freeway placement, building SFHS across the street from a slaughter house, the lame parks in their neighborhoods growing up.  They talked about the changes in how Spanish-speaking kids are treated in school.  They talked about the changes in gangs and gang-culture. They talked a lot about changes in how culture influences youth’s attitudes toward adults and authority.  The talked about the challenges of LAUSD for youth in schools then and now.  They talked about changes in the community due to the closing of Lockheed and GM plants. 

Paula Donnelly

Institute Director

venue update

On Friday Juliette and Sigrid and I met with Esther V. She heads a program called THRIVE and has been involved and connecting people and service organizations in Pacoima for many years. Additionally, she is on the board at Pacoima Charter Elementary School and she is life long friends with the Vice Principal at Maclay Middle School.

MACLAY COMMUNITY CENTER

She has recently taken over a space adjacent to Maclay Middle School-- it's called MACLAY COMMUNITY CENTER. Formerly a small elementary school connected to the middle school, the Center is a series of 4 or 5 "portable" buildings. Each building has 2 classroom size rooms, often with a connector door in the wall between the 2 rooms. The first bldg at the center has a reception office, and a meeting/reception room. A second building is empty and might be set up as a day care space in future. Another building has staff offices in half and a conference room in the other half. There is also a kitchen area and a shaded outdoor lunch area with picnic type table-benches for small people. All this area plus a smallish parking area is chain-link fenced in. I believe from what Esther said that it is all under her purview.

Two fence "walls" are shared with the middle school. Another is shared with a yard & office for LA Police Dept that specifically serves the local schools. The fourth border is to the street. The opposite side of the street is residential.

MACLAY MIDDLE SCHOOL MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM

ALSO, Esther took us onto the Maclay Middle School campus to meet the vice principal, to see two spaces there, to get information about potential obstacles for use of school space in July and to lay groundwork for asking to use school campus space.

The two Maclay campus spaces are an outdoor grassy plaza with a small raised stage area and a square of walkways all around. It is lovely but I do not think they would ever let us use that space because it would ruin the grass there.

The other space is, to me, the best indoor space we've seen yet-- the MPR - Multi-Purpose Room. Good acoustics, a stage space we could use as a stage or not, some backstage support area options, enough room to stage the play on the floor with a variety of audience configurations. And there is a disco ball.

Access to school spaces is complicated:

We'd need approval and permission from the principal, Ms. Arriguen.

The school needs to be "open," either in session with a program or, if not open for a program, at least open because staff are on contract at that time-- mostly the principal. There is no getting around this factor. It's tied into the city-wide school district and rules about having a Plant Manager present when the school is open. The Plant Manager has all the keys. It's like having a House Technician at a theater.

Even in all these circumstances, the usual LATEST time for an activity on campus is 9:00pm.

The principal might start back to work July 26.

This school might be in a "bridge" session starting July 28.

ESTHER FACILITATED OPTIONS

Here are things that are very appealing about Esther's community center facilities:

Good neighborhood in relationship to the community (ie: accessible) and good proximity to our housing home-base. Also it is a place that community comes to/will come to for community related events and services. Feels neutral.

Potentially 24 hour access. Definitely later access than anyone else seems able to offer so that we could have evening rehearsals as we'd like to.

Fenced in and next to a police facility-- safe.

Storage and support spaces, including kitchen for occasional use.

The classrooms at Esther's space are small for rehearsal-- half the size of what is usually best/available. If only there wasn't a wall between the 2 rooms!!

There is a driveway yard that, while not appealing to Juliette, could be an outdoor venue. Kerry would definitely need to take a look and see what his evaluation is regarding capacity and technical needs.

I am intrigued by the MPR on Maclay Middle School Campus-- it could be a great and INDOOR space! pursue the MPR at Maclay and see if we can manage to move in there for 10 or so days at the end of July.

OTHER OPTIONS

Other ideas with their own challenges and obstacles so far are all connected to schools and city parks. With LAUSD schools we will encounter the same problems as at Maclay but with probably less sway from Esther and maybe in less helpful locations. It is so so so ideal for rehearsal and performance space to be in proximity to each other as well as Discovery Charter Prep.

With charter schools the hours might be easier.

We might make some headway with Pacoima Charter Elementary-- it's a charter and Esther is on the board there. Their theater-like space is smallish and has fixed chairs. We should maybe try to see it properly. (X and I saw an Unusual Suspects performance there in November.) This school is still in good proximity for community access and in relation to the home-base location.

With parks (Humphrey and David Gonzalez parks are in the area of Discovery) and anything outdoors security and lock-up is a big issue. I think parks are unlikely to provide and/or allow storage of anything overnight.

There is a Baptist Church on Norris-- still in the right location zone-- that might have space, but it really does not feel neutral there to me. We can ask around and see what local opinion is about that. We have never been inside there.

Unknown at this time but there might be some other building in the area that is not in use. I'm not sure how to pursue this. Maybe Kerry can help with this inquiry.