Council District 9 News
August 26, 2022
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Hello Lydia,
I’m going to keep it short this time because there is so much content that we want to share with you. This month has been a blur. Legislative recess meant more time to spend with community and I am so grateful for the opportunity. The visits and experiences shared below educated me, inspired me, and motivated me. You’ll quickly understand why as you read on. My summary is pretty straightforward. We have a lot of incredible people in our community who are doing incredible work.
With gratitude,
Sean
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Community Organizations & Programs | |
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Parks After Dark
We stopped by Parks After Dark to checkout Omo Ache (beautiful Afro Cuban music and dance) and to be in community. Events like these give us the chance to connect with friends, family, and neighbors.
Thank you to the San Diego Parks Foundation, Price Philanthropies, Library Foundation SD, Parks & Recreation Department, and Live Well San Diego for coordinating all of the weekly festivities.
We also want to thank all of the youth and families that participated in these programs throughout the summer.
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Congratulations to New Creation Church and thank you for inviting us! It was wonderful connecting with community members and church leaders as we honored the legacy of this valued space. Whether you’ve been active for years, or new to the space, New Church welcomes you.
We appreciated the conversations about what it means to serve people and community in a place that has embodied that for many.
For more information on New Creation Church visit newcreationchurchofsd.com
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Workforce Partnership
It was an honor to recognize Dr. Sammy Totah Day last week! Dr. Totah is an outgoing board member of the San Diego Workforce Partnership. His work to grow the organization has had an incredible impact in providing opportunities for residents across San Diego.
More information on San Diego Workforce Partnership at workforce.org.
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Serving Seniors
The other week we spent the lunch hour serving seniors at the Park de la Cruz Community Center. Thank you to Serving Seniors for inviting us to lend a hand and for all that you do!
Serving Seniors provides hot, nutritious lunches to adults ages 60+ each weekday. Meals are provided at no cost to eligible seniors.
For more information on Serving Seniors visit servingseniors.org.
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You Belong Here
We stopped by the Corridor neighborhood to visit You Belong Here San Diego. The goal of You Belong Here is to provide creatives in San Diego a safe, accessible space to co-work, collaborate, and connect with like-minded individuals.
Whether it’s through socially distanced, open-air networking events, virtual workshops, or private work sessions, YBH is here to help you grow your business and brand. More information on You Belong Here at youbelongsd.com.
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Students Visit City Hall
We had some exciting visitors at City Hall during legislative recess! Students from a number of San Diego schools (including Hoover and Crawford) stopped by to learn about local government as part of the Summer College and Career Excursions program.
Thank you to the District 4 Office (especially Tiffany Harrison) for working with Avenues for Success and Workforce Partnerships for coordinating this excursion to City Hall.
For more information on Avenues for Success visit www.avenuesforsuccess.com.
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Black Star Polo
Thank you to Asante Sefa-Boakye, Founder and President of Black Star Polo, for coordinating this incredible program that offers opportunities such as swim lessons to our African community members. This first program is done in partnership with Iftin Charter School, which predominantly has Somali students, and 100 students have joined! Of those 100, it was the first time 80% of have been in water.
We are grateful to community leaders like Asante for cultivating spaces where young people can tap into their potential and gain access to experiences they previously haven’t. More information on Black Star Polo at blackstarpolo.org
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Prevent Drowning Foundation of San Diego
The Prevent Drowning Foundation of San Diego and San Diego Junior Lifeguards hosted another pier jump. We were excited to be joined by Councilmember Marni von Wilpert, CFO Matt Vespi, Director of San Diego Central Library Misty Jones, and Khota Zaiser from the Mayor’s Office.
Every young San Diegan should have access to education and training to be safe and enjoy the benefits of living in a coastal region. For more information on PDFSD visit preventdrowningfoundation.org
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Chicano Federation of San Diego County
Thank you to the Chicano Federation of San Diego County for hosting a Back-To-School Community Distribution event!
With the help of volunteers and organizations (like Grandma LuLu's Table, San Diego Central Library, and more), they were able to provide hundreds of students and families with school supplies and resources. It is so important to equip our youth (and families) with the tools they need to succeed.
More information on the Chicano Federation at www.chicanofederation.org.
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UPAC Neighborhood Enterprise Center
While providing services to youth in City Heights, UPAC recognizes the need for a local community “hub” that not only provides a safe space to gather, but a space for at-risk youth involved in our programs to gain employment.
The Center consists of 5 components:
- The Neighborhood Cafe
- Kitchen Creations
- YBE Print Shop
- Technology Center
- Community Gathering Place
More information on UPAC at
www.upacsd.com
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D9 Field Representative Interns
Investing in young leaders is important. True to our word of creating meaningful pipelines of opportunities for our community, this week we were excited to kickoff our Field Representative Internship Program!
Our cohort of Field Rep Interns will be deeply involved with our Community Empowerment Team, working with constituents to provide the access, resources, and representation they deserve to enact the changes they wish to see. We are lucky to have this inaugural cohort and can’t wait to see all that they do!
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Supporting Local Businesses | |
POWER Boxing
Owner: Jacques Lumpkin
POWER stands for “Providing Opportunity with Exercise and Resources” and this small business is working hard to do just that. Having spent years working with justice impacted youth, Jacques runs classes for children and adults with a belief that creating space to “workout not hangout” can serve as a form of “prevention before detention.”
More information on POWER at www.poweractivity.com
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GEM Coffee SD
Owner: Marlyn Gonzalez
Marlyn Gonzalez has two passions: coffee and community. She’s always been a coffee fan, but it wasn’t until Marlyn moved to City Heights that she fell in love with the power of connection a close-knit neighborhood can create. “For many people, it’s not just a place to get things they want or need, it’s a gathering place where they form relationships and feel at home. Helping the businesses thrive helps community members thrive.”
More information on at www.instagram.com/gemcoffeesd
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Clem's Tap House
Owner: Paul Kasawdish
Clem’s has been family owned since 1987. The Kasawdish family founded a place to offer an exceptional selection of craft brew, liquor and wine, and the business was later handed off to the Kasawdish family.
Clem’s carries drinks from more than 500 breweries at its liquor store and tap house.
More information on Clem's Tap House at clemstaphouse.com
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Talmadge Family Dentistry
Owner: Alex Reizian, DMD and Helen Moreno, DDS
As a comprehensive dental office, they offer a variety of dental care solutions paired with innovative technology to meet the needs of your smile. Combining proven treatment methods with technologies like digital imaging and laser dentistry offers you the best experience possible with modern dentistry. They look forward to caring for your smile!
More information on Talmadge Family Dentistry at dentist4sandiego.com
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Ali’s Chicken & Waffles
Owner: Genemo Ali
Genemo Ali, the Ethiopia-born entrepreneur, recalls the impression waffles made on him as a young immigrant first arriving in a San Diego school. By the time he earned a business degree from San Diego State, he and a friend wanted to launch the Ali’s Chicken brand, in the mode of L.A.’s famed Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles. Ali’s Chicken & Waffles opened on October 17th, 2020.
More information on Ali’s Chicken & Waffles at www.facebook.com/alischicken.
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