Reflection

This month's EUIP E-News with reflection by me.

Through the above link, I belive you can sign up to be on the mailing list and receive reflections from my roommates too.

Some CHC folks

Folks with whom I work/ spend 8.5 hours of my day / 42.5 hours per week. All are amazing amazing people, but there are a few with which I interact the most. Let's see...some tidbits--

Gwen: my direct supervisor is in the orange. A wonderful "stoic" woman, very encouraging to me and my personal development.

Lark: Exec Director is to the upper left of me. So wise. If you are familiar with strength tests I admire her strength of "command."

Mia: top row, second from the right. She arranged a karaoke night at a local bar in my honor after I told her I wanted to meet more locals. I admire her street smarts and her practical opinions on things.

Annie and Mark: bottom row, farthest two on the right. I eat lunch with them almost every day and sometimes go on lunch time walks with Mark. Hopefully soon we will restart an organizational wellness committee (I'm really excited about that). Both are "Policy Analysts" and I pick their brains about public policy school.

Jon: top row, fourth from the right. Also a lunch buddy. I don't know his actual title, but I refer to him as "the data guy"--which, you can imagine, he really appreciates.

Heili: Top row, farthest right. Heili also is a policy analyst in my policy area. She is doing amazing work with Mia around the food resource environment in South LA--trying to get more nutritous food options in the area.

Thoughts on this good day and place

Today was the most energizing day I've had in awhile. I had a great meeting today with Oil Organizers from all around LA. It was the first of its kind and only the third meeting I've facilitated "all by myself" since my internship has started. We probably had together 15-16 people from six or seven different areas all around LA--the first time (that I know of) that such a thing has been done. Everyone really wants to meet together again and find ways to affect city/county/state policy in order to put more regulations on the oil and gas industry when it comes to how it affects public health.

I'm in such a strange position. I really am. I never would have put myself here. Especially three years back when I was on LA Term and doing community organizing for the first time. I hated it so much and vowed I would never do it again. But then my love for the Azusa Community Garden led me to be a Student Ministry coordinator my senior year and now I find myself organizing Angelenos around LA Oil and disparity of parks in South LA.

But maybe that's what I get when I major in sociology--there is not much to do with it except this kind of work. It didn't give me many practical skills--and so I find myself doing something that I probably could have done before college. But I probably wouldn't have been interested in social issues until I went to college. And I definitely wouldn't view them the same way as I do now if it weren't for college (espeically my Sr. Seminar class which I think about everyday).

Why can't I get away from community organizing? I don't feel good at it. Often I really hate the phone calls and "outreach" parts of what I do. I don't like the public speaking part or the part where I have to pick a side and "fight" for it--as they say. The networking part is not the easiest either. Today I liked it though. The whole past few months of planning came to fruition today at the LA Oil Organizer meeting. We were doing something that hadn't been done before. Everyone was really excited to be there. There was lots of energy and potential for change. I'm gaining a local knowledge of oil and broad knowledge of environmental/community issues.

As strange as my life is right now to all my past selves--I'm learning SO MUCH about policy, about government, about organizational culture, about communication, about South LA, development, urban planning, disparities, public health, organizing, and, well, I guess--the real world. I'm surrounded by amazing people at CHC and I have such great opportunities to learn.

Well that was my little optimistic spiel for the night.

I miss all who read this--write/call me with info about your life and deepest, most pensive thoughts. ;)

Housemates

Finally--the peeps I live with. I was gonna put in the group picture we took on Thanksgiving...but it's kinda crappy...so here is another.

Memory-making

After this year I will have a lot of memories at Kenneth Hahn State park. It is right next to the oil fields (it used to be part of the oil fields), and is one of the largest parks in LA and (in my view) has the best views of LA. Among the memories thus far: exploring it for the first time with my roommate Bryce, attending a controversial press conference there, evening hike with a man who was campaigning for county supervisor (and who ended up winning the position in Nov election), taking pictures with dad and linda, and the latest hike with Sierra Club:

The Saturday after Thanksgiving I went on a hike with Sierra club through the park near the oil fields that I've been working with (I promise--Pictures coming soon). They had about forty people on the hike. Besides almost totally forgetting about it and arriving a little late--it was a really great time of talking with people.

I spoke a lot with a lawyer who had been really involved with our Alliance. I hadn't seen him lately and was surprised to see him and his wife on the hike. I had been really intimidated by the husband when I first started at CHC because he was a lawyer and was kind of powerful in the group. But--whaddya know--it turns out they are such lovely people!! :)

I met a man who lives in more central LA, but biked all the way to this southwestern part of LA for the hike. And, he informed me, he bikes and takes public transportation EVERYWHERE (very hard to do in LA).

I met a docent at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens. Made a note to self to go visit.

I had an extended conversation with a woman and resident near the oil fields that I had only had brief conversations with up to that point. I noticed her accent, but finally found out she was originally from Turkey. I also found out she has a son who did his Ph.D. in something like Environmental Science. He studied deforestation in Oaxaca Mexico. So cooL!

I think hiking with Sierra Club is my new favorite thing.

Tribute

Just one week ago the other Interns and I retreated at Mt. Calvary Monastary with the Benedictines in Santa Barbara. Every year of interns traditionally retreat there twice a year. It was started in 1947 by The Order of the Holy Cross.

A place of stunning beauty. Stunning silence. And peace. It had libraries with floor to ceiling books and big plush chairs to read the books in. They had a front room with tea, coffee, and calligraphy cards made by the monks on site.

There was a simple chapel where they met four times a day for Eucharist, vespers, etc. The little nook where their white cape thingies hung whenever they weren't in the chapel. A grand hallway with wooden floors led to the eating area where three times a day they gathered with their guests for food and fellowship. All rooms had huge windows overlooking breathtaking mountain and ocean views.

A courtyard garden in the middle of the building, in which I saw one of the monks working during the day. A stone labrynth in the back. Trees and stones aged with blue-green moss. Lush cacti garden in the front--if cacti can even be considered "lush"....and the above tree that I couldn't take my eyes off of...

I found out today that yesterday it burned to the ground in a wildfire. All the monks were safe, but the destruction is still disarming...send positive thoughts and prayers their way.

Election Fever

Due to an unfortunate absentee ballot mistake in 2000, last Tuesday was my first time voting.

I was determined to register here so that I could go to the polls instead of sending off my pen marks hoping they'll be counted by somebody. Thus, last Tuesday was my first time at the polls and first time voting. Thought I'd give a little rundown for anyone interested....

I walked to my polling place--Inglewood 1st United Methodist Church, got there about 6:40 am--already a long line. Polls opened at 7 am and I finally voted by 8:30. I was the only white person in line. Everyone was very friendly, making conversation, etc. The lady in front of my was telling me how she has never seen so many in people in line to vote before.

After work, my roommates and I went to our director's house in a different part of LA for a watch party. But I kind of wish I was closer to our hood to hear it all because some workers

at the YMCA told me that election night in Inglewood sounded like WW III because of all the celebratory firecrackers and noisemakers going off.

I also saw lots of random people hugging and celebrating on the street and in parking lots throughout wednesday...as well as the above sign, a few blocks from my house.