Editor:
Some things never change, but they can get uglier. The Pico Youth & Family Center is under attack again, and clarity is needed. The Friday article (“City staff recommends cutting funding to youth center,” Jan. 3) fails to report issues of libel: false and biased reporting by Judy Spiegel, who has a direct conflict of interest in the takedown of PYFC.
In the big picture, the attempt to destroy PYFC is urban planning warfare over land use: take down the PYFC, native Chicano leaders and advocacy of renters. This opens the floodgates on prime coastal real estate as the new rail line brings tourist dollars to the city’s 1 percent. At stake are renters and racial communities that have been here since the 19th century. Like the destruction of the nativity scenes in Palisades Park, figures like City Manager Rod Gould have no interest in tradition. They are the 1 percent. No need to help at-risk youth or working families, the logic goes, because these families will be shipped out to blighted areas of Los Angeles, someone else’s social “problems.”
The City Council needs to seriously and aggressively call the “objective” consultant Judy Spiegel into question. She has clearly demonstrated incompetence, bias, racism and conflict of interest as a hired consultant by the city. First and foremost, her report constitutes a clear violation of truthful reporting and is grounds for libel. Her document, in writing, was biased, untrue and deliberately incomplete, with malicious intent. Her report omits all the careful reporting of staff over the last six months of services to youth. The impact on and the voice of youth was left out. It deliberately highlights weaknesses and petty shortcomings to the detriment of PYFC’s existence.
Secondly, Spiegel expressed ignorance — on record in board meetings — of the “meaning of social justice.” Her incompetence led her to attempt to remove “social justice” from the center’s mission statement.
Thirdly, Spiegel stands to benefit from the loss of philanthropist money she helped sabotage. Spiegel is the president of the SM YWCA and, in cahoots with other corrupt board members (who left the board possibly to avoid incrimination), stands to benefit from this same windfall of philanthropist money (which the YMCA is also a recipient of). She attempted an unconstitutional premature take-over of the PYFC directorship in December, but the board rejected her.
Lastly, this ordeal is also a matter of organic, native leadership. Oscar de la Torre is being attacked for being a vocal, caring advocate of the Pico Neighborhood. His legacy has been realizing improvements of the least funded schools like Edison and Will Rogers, and the construction of the first library in the Pico Neighborhood. Truth be told, Oscar is likely the most able, disciplined, educated, caring and visionary leader that has ever come out of the Pico Neighborhood. This city should commend him, and stop the persecution by police and City Manager Gould of Pico leaders.
I stand by Oscar’s statement “the sum of good is 100 times more than the sum of its faults.” So should the council and citizens of Santa Monica. Defend the PYFC.
Elias Serna
Santa Monica
I recently signed a petition in support of the pico family youth center. I have been a resident of Santa Monica on and off several times since the 1970s. I was part of the effort that created West Side Barrios Unidos. At that time, there was nothing like the youth center in Santa Monica. Gang violence was plaguing the entire country, Southern California and of course the West side which includes Santa Monica. I have been a journalist and columnist my entire life and now a professor at the University of Arizona. I’ve known Oscar since he was in high school. And I have known about his work in creating the youth center since it was founded. I cannot tell you in this short amount of space the miracle that he and his colleagues have created in Santa Monica. Santa Monica does obviously have problems but nothing close to what used to be or what would be if the center did not exist. This youth center should be a model nationwide. It should be supported rather than condemned. I have no doubts that if the youth center, or rather, if the youths going to the youth center were a different demographic, the city would be praising the director and the center for they not only make a difference and it is not even an oasis, but rather a place of creativity it teaches the use about what it means to be not so much a citizen, but a good human being. walk into the center and you witness family and creativity. Enough. I have lots of experience in civic engagement. My recommendation is do not limit this discussion to 2 or 3 min. audience callback monologues. What is needed is actual dialogue. Genuine dialogue. Listen to the youth. I have. I am convinced that whatever happens to the center should be in the hands of the community, but most especially the youths that frequent the center. I trust that the city will have that dialogue and not rush into a decision based on already made conclusions and monologues. Thank you. Professor Roberto Rodriguez. for
I recently signed a petition in support of the pico family youth center. I have been a resident of Santa Monica on and off several times since the 1970s. I was part of the effort that created West Side Barrios Unidos. At that time, there was nothing like the youth center in Santa Monica. Gang violence was plaguing the entire country, Southern California and of course the West side which includes Santa Monica. I have been a journalist and columnist my entire life and now a professor at the University of Arizona. I’ve known Oscar since he was in high school. And I have known about his work in creating the youth center since it was founded. I cannot tell you in this short amount of space the miracle that he and his colleagues have created in Santa Monica. Santa Monica does obviously have problems but nothing close to what used to be or what would be if the center did not exist. This youth center should be a model nationwide. It should be supported rather than condemned. I have no doubts that if the youth center, or rather, if the youths going to the youth center were a different demographic, the city would be praising the director and the center for they not only make a difference and it is not even an oasis, but rather a place of creativity it teaches the use about what it means to be not so much a citizen, but a good human being. walk into the center and you witness family and creativity. Enough. I have lots of experience in civic engagement. My recommendation is do not limit this discussion to 2 or 3 min. audience callback monologues. What is needed is actual dialogue. Genuine dialogue. Listen to the youth. I have. I am convinced that whatever happens to the center should be in the hands of the community, but most especially the youths that frequent the center. I trust that the city will have that dialogue and not rush into a decision based on already made conclusions and monologues. Thank you. Professor Roberto Rodriguez. for
100% agree with this, Support PYFC.
100% agree with this, Support PYFC.
Having been a resident of the Pico Neighborhood for 32 years, I’ve experienced all the changes it has gone through. I’m glad Virginia Park and the PFYC exist to help people, especially kids and teenagers, move in a positive direction and focused as they move toward adulthood. The crime rate has gone down and is due, at least in part, to the center. The Boulevard was spiffed up and our part of the city now doesn’t look as downtrodden. I no longer have to worry about rapists stalking women, as was the case in 1995.
Having been a resident of the Pico Neighborhood for 32 years, I’ve experienced all the changes it has gone through. I’m glad Virginia Park and the PFYC exist to help people, especially kids and teenagers, move in a positive direction and focused as they move toward adulthood. The crime rate has gone down and is due, at least in part, to the center. The Boulevard was spiffed up and our part of the city now doesn’t look as downtrodden. I no longer have to worry about rapists stalking women, as was the case in 1995.