Antonio Villaraigosa Visits Wilmington Summer Night Lights Event

Yesterday, the Summer Night Lights (SNL) event at the Wilmington Recreation Center, also known as Will-Hall Park, was crowded with people eager to see Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Even though he arrived a little late, the community happily welcomed him and excitedly took pictures with him.

The Summer Night Lights (SNL) program was created to reduce gang activity in neighborhoods where gang violence is high. As I type this, I hear police sirens and helicopter flying around Wilmington.

There’s been some controversy circling the Summer Nights program since July, when two teenagers were shot in Wilmington after one of the events. Villaraigosa defended SNL and said it was a great program in spite of the tragic events.

John Kramer, 20-year-old Wilmington resident, came out to the event after seeing a large group of people gathering. He acknowledged that the park does have a bad reputation for violence.

“I heard there were 5 shootings in the past 2 months…I do agree it’s a gang violent park,” said Kramer. Whether those shooting happened but were unreported or whether those are rumors, community members suffer by feeling unsafe.

It was great to see so many resources available to community members, such as free on-site STD/HIV testing, financial assistance programs, the teen center, earthquake preparation organizations, other gang reduction groups and more. But the longest line was the line to get food.

Unexpectedly, retired American basketball player Bill Walton attended the event. Son Luke Walton, Los Angeles Lakers forward, was also expected to attend but sadly didn't.

Since it was my first time attending Summer Night Lights, I was impressed by the great turn out, but according to Project Director of the Wilmington Teen Center, Melissa Cortez, said it was the first time so many residents and programs came out to show support.

“We don’t have this everyday…like the STD truck here. The DJ we have it once in a while,” said Cortez in a frustrated tone.

Cortez said the success of the large turn out was because of Villaraigosa’s appearance.

“It’s all politics,” she said.

Free chicken tacos were served for everyone, but according to Cortez it was the first time fresh food was ever served. She said that at previous SNL events frozen food had been given out.

According to the mayor’s office, since 2008, the program has expanded from 8 parks to 24 citywide, leading to a 57% reduction in gang-related homicides.

Mayor Villaraigosa said there have been 700,000 visits to the 24 parks and 400,000 people have been fed.

When I told him it was rumored that people were being fed frozen food at past events he said, “mi'ja, people are being fed.”

I also mentioned to him that I was told the event never had as many people or resources attend and he agreed that parks had bigger celebrations when he came out to them.

Overall, everyone seemed to enjoy their time eating the tacos, dancing to the music, playing sports, and getting their shirts signed by Villaraigosa. As a result of the positive reaction from the community the mayor plans to expand the program to more parks.

Fire Station #38 Was Never Scheduled for Closure but Fire Resources Were at Risk

This Spring, Wilmington residents feared losing their local fire station when in fact the station was never scheduled for closure.

Ralph Morales Terrazas, a Wilmington native and Fire Assistant Chief, assigned to South Division "A" Platoon said, “What did occur was the elimination of Light Force 38, which was composed of a hook and ladder fire truck and a fire engine. The hook and ladder truck was staffed by a Captain II, Apparatus Operator, an Engineer, and three Firefighters for a total of six people. What remains at Fire Station #38 is a Fire Engine and a Paramedic Ambulance. The Fire Engine is staffed by a Captain I, an Engineer, and two Firefighters. The Rescue Ambulance is staffed with two Paramedics.”

Although there was confusion on the closure of Fire Station #38, it was clear to residents that resources, highly needed in Wilmington, were at risk of being taken away.

In April, I wrote a blog post on the huge turnout at the Wilmington Neighborhood Council meeting. At the meeting, residents demanded board members to act quickly and ensure that no resources or jobs at the local fire station were lost.

During public comments, people gave testimonials on how firefighters saved their lives or the lives of their loved ones. Kids held signs that read, “Please save station #38, they saved my brothers life.”

People were in shock at the fact that the City of Los Angeles would risk such assets considering Wilmington is a town surrounded by refineries, and one of the largest ports in the nation.

“The major concerns I have in the Wilmington Community include: proximity to the Port of Los Angeles, multiple oil refineries, miles of underground pipelines, and heavy commercial traffic on Pacific Coast Highway and the Harbor Freeway,” said Terrazas.

In the past months firefighters and local supporters have fought to save all jobs at Fire Station #38, but were barely able to keep a fire engine and a paramedic ambulance in exchange for a staffing reduction.

All this was necessary as a result of the citywide budget reductions. These budget cuts have affected communities throughout the City of LA in parallel ways.

Currently Terrazas is hoping to become the next fire chief, which is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Fire Department. If he gets this position, he would be responsible for overlooking firefighters in Wilmington.

“The Fire Chief has the powers and duties stated in the City Charter, and is responsible for administering the Fire Department in accordance with the City Charter. In other words, the Fire Chief manages the LAFD under the supervision of the Fire Commission. The Fire Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor,” explained Terrazas.

Terrazas attended the WNC meeting in July asking the community for their support. He introduced himself and gave a quick summary of all his work experience.

Terrazas made it clear he was committed to securing fire resources.

“My primary initial focus would be to ensure that the citywide fire resource closure plan supports effective public safety in terms of emergency response times and emergency call loads,” said Terrazas.

This week a decision will be made on whether Terrazas is elected as the next fire chief.

Even though, changes continue to occur in Wilmington, residents can feel some relief from Terrazas’ statement that, “Yes, you can safely say that Wilmington will always have a Fire Station.”

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The public has been invited to provide their input into the selection of the next Fire Chief to the following email addresses:

Eileen Decker Deputy Mayor for Homeland Security
eileen.decker@lacity.org

Paul Hernandez Associate Director for Homeland Security
paul.hernandez@lacity.org

Relay for Life: Cancer Awareness in Wilmington

Disclosure: I am helping organize Relay for Life in Wilmington.

In August, Wilmington will be participating in American Cancer Society’s fund raising event, Relay For Life, for the first time. During the 24-hour relay, teams will gather at the Banning High School track and take turns walking or running laps. The race allows the whole community to come together to raise money for cancer research and patient programs. Cancer survivors are honored by having them take the first lap, often to applause from family, friends and their community. In the evening, during the Luminaria Ceremony, community members light candles to remember those whose lives have been lost to cancer. The event will also bring awareness to the many free services provided to Wilmington, something that many of the cancer patients without health coverage in this community desperately need.

Naomi Aguirre, a Wilmington resident and cancer survivor, says she discovered she had ovarian cancer in May of 2004. She was misdiagnosed before and was already at Stage 4 - the most advanced stage of cancer - when doctors finally discovered tumors in her ovaries. Aguirre says she thinks there are a lot of environmental factors that have affected her health, but also believes that cancer runs in her family. She says she thinks the diesel pollution longshoremen are exposed to while loading and unloading ships at the port has affected the health of many of her co-workers.

“As a longshoreman, I have seen a lot of my coworkers die of cancer," Aguirre says. "Many of my family members are also suffering from cancer now. So many people have been asking me if they can be part of my Relay team. I know that this event is really going to bring my family together.”

Read full post HERE.

Carson Residents Fight Shell Oil

Assembly Member Warren Furutani recently held a Town Hall meeting for Carson Carousel residents. For the past five years residents have had their lives turned upside down since, in 2007, it was discovered that their homes were built on contaminated soil. Environmental testing revealed high levels of benzene and methane under hundreds of homes. The contamination was traced to Shell oil wells buried under the homes. Shell Oil Company operated a crude oil storage facility on the site from 1924 to 1966. The oil was stored in below-ground reservoirs lined with concrete, but some of that oil appears to have seeped into the soil and the groundwater.

Community members filled up the Wilmington Middle School cafeteria to voice their frustrations with their ongoing battle with Shell oil. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William Highberger dismissed a negligence and nuisance lawsuit filed against Shell and the developers of the Carson Carousel housing tract. Representatives from the Los Angeles Water Quality Control Board, which is in charge of the clean-up efforts, say it won't be an easy task and may take up to ten years to complete. But many residents do not like the idea of having to wait that long for a solution.

Read full post HERE.

Wilmington Toxic Tours: Creating Environmental Awareness

As a resident of Wilmington, I feel taking a Toxic Tour is a great way to learn important history about our town that is not always readily available. A Toxic Tour takes you around town providing a history of refinery explosions, scrap-yard fires, and soil contamination - something that's not provided in the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce's newsletters. Many people don't know the history of oil wells in Wilmington and the health problems they have caused.

I know that although I have gotten used to the smell in the air, it is not healthy and is a result of pollution created by the ports, freeways, and refineries that surround my community. So on a Saturday morning in January 2011, I took my first Toxic Tour to learn more.

The Toxic Tour, organized by Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) and the Coalition for a Save Environment (CFASE), took residents to various sites in Wilmington that largely contribute to pollution: ConocoPhillips Oil Refinery, The Port of Los Angeles, Valero Refinery, Tesoro Refinery, Pick Your Part Scrap Yard, and other locations. The purpose of the tour was to provide community members a chance to see various sources of pollution, understand the health problems this pollution has caused, and learn ways that CBE, CFASE, and the community can fight back.

Read the full post HERE.

Republicans Launch Janice Hahn Attack Ads

Last week I received an official sample ballot in the mail for the upcoming elections, where Councilwoman Janice Hahn and Tea Party-backed Republican candidate Craig Huey will be running for California’s 36th Congressional Race seat.

Being a resident of Wilmington, I know that although we may not always like what Janice Hahn does, we seem to all agree that she is a capable politician. For me, the outcome of this election was an obvious one. A poll conducted by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates in February showed that Janice Hahn was up, which may be the reason for recent distasteful ads.

On Friday evening, as I was driving home from work, I heard about an offensive and racist ad campaign against Hahn on KCRW . This ad was made to attack Hahn for a gang rehabilitation program she supported. The program allows ex-gang members to become employed, and help solve the gang problem by becoming part of gang prevention programs.

Republicans immediately distanced themselves from this video. Craig Huey said he had nothing to do with the ad and he disapproved of it reported Newsy. The ad was created by independent conservative filmmaker Ladd Ehlinger Jr, who is also responsible for Turn Right USA. Unfortunately, the video was not the only attack. On Tuesday, the National Republican Congressional Committee sent text messages to voters in the 36th District notifying them that "Councilwoman Janice Hahn helped steer tax $ to violent, inner city gang members."

I am tired of political ads continuing to use people of color as a way to create fear among voters. We are continuously marginalized and I believe the only way to stop this is to vote for candidates that do not support this type of attack system or have supporters that would make videos like this.

I definitely recommend everyone to look over the sample ballot and do research if needed. And of course, Go out and vote!

Elections are Tuesday, July 12th, exactly three weeks from today. Polls open at 7a.m. and close at 8p.m.

Local Eats- The Chowder Barge

Trying to beat the summer heat? Taste something new and stop by the Chowder Barge, located off Henry Ford Ave just south of Anaheim St. in Wilmington. Look out for the blue Barge sign off the intersection. This pearl first sunk it's anchor in Wilmington after being ousted of the Long Beach Harbor in 1988.

The Barge has been serving warm clam chowder, sizzling hamburgers, and battered fish for many years. Upon arrival, be prepared to hear pirate tales of the seven seas; as well as port workers talk about their day to day work.

Beat the scurvy with an ice-cold "Captain" size beer for only five bucks! The servers are very nice, and attentive to your order. Their juicy burgers are cooked to order, and come with a choice of clam chowder, chili, or fries on the side. Feeling lucky? Try one of their daily specials, which range from chili-cheese omelets to portobello mushroom burgers.


The tri-tip salad is a curious treat; not something normally eaten atop a floating barge. Whether you're in the neighborhood, on your lunch break, or you're thirsty for some bar talk with the local sailors, stop into the Chowder Barge. Its a hidden gem in the industrious area of our town. Its still relatively unknown among locals, and carries that hole-in-the-wall quality.

The Chowder Barge

611 N. Henry Ford Ave.

Wilmington, Ca. 310-830-7937

Wilmington Kicks-off First Relay for Life Event!

The American Cancer Society and the City of Wilmington will host a Menudo/Pancake Breakfast to kick-off the first Wilmington Relay for Life event. It will celebrate survivors and encourage community members to sign-up for Relay. The breakfast will be held at the Harbor Christian Center this Saturday June 18th, 9am-12pm. Menudo and Pancakes will each be sold for $5.

All money will be donated to the America Cancer Society. Information will be available on sponsorship, team registration, fund raising, luminaria and survivor participation. There will be a DJ and a raffle for some great prizes!

Please come and learn more about the Wilmington Relay for Life 2011.

Save the Date: Relay for Life Wilmington 2011 will be at Banning High School on August 20th-21st.

Relay for Life Wilmington Kick-off Breakfast

When	Saturday, June 18, 2011 9:00AM to 12:00PM
Where	Harbor Christian Center 1551 North Wilmington Blvd. Wilmington, CA 90744
Price	Menudo and Pancakes will each be sold for $5

Mi Vientre, Mi Voz/ My Womb, My Voice

• 1 in 2 Latinas becomes pregnant by the time they are 20.
• Latinas have the highest teen pregnancy rate and teen birth rate.
• The vast majority of teen pregnancies occur to Latinas living in California and Texas.

– The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy

Billboards have been posted in Los Angeles this week that read, “El lugar mas peligroso para un Latino es el vientre de su madre/The most dangerous place for a Latino is in their mother’s womb.” Facts about teen pregnancy have been twisted to perpetuate false stereotypes of Latina youth. This misrepresentation of young Latinas and their sexuality does not accurately represent the facts of their lived reality. There are social conditions that have led to the disproportionate rate of unplanned pregnancies in our community. The placement of these billboards is only emblematic of the continuous harassment of our young women, and in this instance, it is sponsored by the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles.

I take great pride in growing up in a predominantly Latino community in Wilmington, CA. When looking at the numbers, I know they do not represent my community entirely. Wilmington is a low to middle income, immigrant neighborhood with low performing public schools and a lack of resources. However, if you scratch the surface, it is a neighborhood with rich cultural history, amazing resilience and is also deeply religious. Due to the religious attitudes toward sex, there is very clear messaging around abstinence until marriage. Yet, with the many teen pregnancies, it is clear that youth are not waiting to have sex. No one is talking with our youth about healthy relationships, their sexuality and about practicing safe sex.

Research has demonstrated, that evidence based comprehensive sex education programs that discuss both abstinence plus access to contraception are the most effective programs at reducing unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among young people. There is even stigma around being prepared for something youth “shouldn’t be doing in the first place.” Once youth become young mothers they are additionally stigmatized because of their choices.

Only 1 in 10 abortion clinics are located in predominantly Latino neighborhoods. In Wilmington, we have limited access to a local hospital and clinics that provide comprehensive women’s services. Anyone that needs access to abortion services has to leave the city to find it. I believe that if more preventive service providers like Planned Parenthood existed in our neighborhoods we would see a reduction in unplanned teen pregnancy and an increase in prenatal care. Having access to contraception and active community outreach could really change things for our youth. Additionally, we must build and provide support services for young mothers and their children such as day care, career training programs, and access to a college education. Removing stigma around condoms use, contraceptive use and having safe spaces to discuss our sexuality would benefit all women in our communities.

Latinas who use their right to choose an abortion and those that choose to be mothers grow up alongside each other in the same communities, face similar obstacles and understand what it means to be a woman that is only defined by their body. To set Latinas who choose to access abortion services in direct opposition to the young mothers in our communities limits the understanding of the larger social problems in Latina’s lives. We face the same limited access to employment opportunities and to a quality education. Despite these obstacles, if we choose to do so, Latinas go on to raise beautiful children, become supportive partners, and statistically become the primary income earners in our households.

The only dangerous place for a Latina is in a society where biased billboards attempt to divide communities under false pretenses and bad stereotypes. The only dangerous place for a Latina is in a community with limited services. The only dangerous place for any woman is in a world where we try to control and stigmatize access to medically accurate information and services.


To learn more facts about Latina teen pregnancy:
http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/resources/pdf/FastFacts_TPChildbearing_Latinos.pdf

To access safe and comprehensive services near you:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/findCenter.asp

Fun Summer Activities @ the Wilmington Branch Public Library

Looking to plan some fun summer activities? ...don't forget to check out our great Wilmington Public Library. Some planned events include: Game Night, Summer Reading Club, Computer Classes, and many more!

Check out the calendar of events at:
http://www.lapl.org/branches/Branch.php?bID=10

Wilmington Waterfront Park Grand Opening!

It started in 1988 as an idea in the Wilmington Community Advisory Board, and today it has become a reality. The community was out in full force celebrating the Grand Opening of the Wilmington Waterfront Park. This 30 acre park doubles the amount of park space in Wilmington! Make sure to stop by and enjoy Wilmington's new beautiful green space. Below are a few snapshots of the opening ceremony.

Wilmington: Where There’s Heart, There’s Hope

PHOTO BY PATRICK RANGE MCDONALD

Wilmington is affectionately called “Wilmas, Califas” by many of its residents, a term that many believe originated from the Pachuco movement of the 1930s and 40s. Along with the 55,000-plus people that call Wilmington home, there are industrial companies that have coexisted with the community for a long time. The community's relationship with the refineries has been very challenging at times, with many people not agreeing on how they feel about their industrial neighbors.

Like much of Los Angeles, Wilmington's population is a product of the Latin American diaspora. Chain migratory patterns are exemplified in the large Michoacán community that seems to have relocated itself to Wilmington (although it is not the only Latin American community present). I, like many of the people in Wilmington, am a daughter of migrants. This is a place where many people have transnational identities, a place where cultures mixing can be seen by the various Virgen de Guadalupe paintings on storefronts and the alternative styles of the youth...

Read the full post HERE.