Editor:
We are writing in response to the Jan. 8 letter to the editor from Mr. Elias Serna, “Defending PYFC,” regarding the work of Judy Spiegel, the organizational development consultant engaged by the fiscal receiver of the Pico Youth & Family Center to (1) provide training to the PYFC advisory board on the role of board governance and (2) to assess the health of PYFC as an organization.
Mr. Serna makes serious defamatory allegations concerning her competency as a consultant, yet he does not provide any basis for his charges, nor does he point out one incorrect fact in her assessment. But rather, he charges inconsistently that she wanted to “take down” PYFC because, among other things, she wanted the job of the PYFC executive director, while at the same time sought to have the PYFC endowment withdrawn. We the undersigned feel compelled to set the record straight.
Ms. Spiegel is an experienced professional who provided key training to the PYFC advisory board and the PYFC staff. The demonization of sincere professionals fulfilling their obligations is against the values reflected in the PYFC motto of “peace, unity and social justice.” It also provides poor modeling to youth who must learn when and how to accept criticism that may be constructive in helping them become better people, to accept responsibility for their actions, and to engage in thoughtful, useful discourse when they disagree. Furthermore, what Mr. Serna overlooks is that Ms. Spiegel sent a draft of the final assessment to the PYFC executive director, Oscar de la Torre, for his review and comments prior to finalizing the report, and no comments or corrections were submitted even though the executive director was encouraged to participate.
Finally, the record should reflect that Oscar de la Torre participated in the selection process and did in fact sign off in hiring Ms. Spiegel for the professional role she did fulfill.
Amanda Seward, Former PYFC board chair
Jan Book, Former PYFC board treasurer
Shelly D. Wood, Former PYFC board secretary
Jill Moniz, Former PYFC board member
Ira McAliley, Former PYFC board member
For the record: I stand by every word. This letter is full of bogus lines (I’ll refrain from using French). To imply that I am a poor model for Pico Youth is an insult to my intelligence and to my community. Having BEEN a Pico YOuth myself (how many of these signatories even KNOWS what a Pico Youth is?) part of my intent is modeling to SPEAK UP WHEN INJUSTICE IS IN YOUR FACE TRYING TO DESTROY A CENTER A COMMUNITY BUILT. It is obvious these signatories conflate the PY with Oscar and are dangerously involved in personal/political attacks on Oscar. The line: “Ms. Spiegel is an experienced professional who provided key training to the PYFC advisory board and the PYFC staff…” makes me want to puke. The YMCA was on the street the other day holding signs against racism; they should take those signs directly to Spiegel’s office and GET REAL.
I’ve read the official letters of resignation, so I already know not to take any of you seriously, not to believe a single word from any of you, especially after reading the resignation letter by one Jan Book. For Ms. Book to outright lie and accuse the PYFC as being a “Latino clubhouse” and saying other cultures have no place at the center, loses whatever credibility any of you had to begin with. That was proven false by the testimony as well as the racial makeup of the multitude of people who showed up to the council meeting Tuesday night in support of the PYFC.