Venice: We all love where we live...
by Lydia
Poncé
Grassroots Venice
Neighborhood Council and community members were working together on a new
project. We were building a house that is affordable, healthy, and safe.
Everyone who attended the last board meeting was there, working together to get
the job done.
Our house was lopsided, perhaps the
foundation was cracked. What can we do? Someone repaired one broken window as
another window fell and shards of glass fell everywhere.' I woke up. What a
nightmare.
Since September, we have managed
to meet twice a month where GRVNC and community members share opinions, ideas
and concerns fueled with fear and fueled with anger- about what...homeless
seniors, homeless families-they are our people. Other residents have forgotten
that our homeless have rights and have
freedoms.
Our Venice community
suffers the political and social ills from a false war on drugs. Our children
are labeled and disenfranchised. Gang activity is perpetuated from racial
profiling and gang injunctions. "Don't worry about an education, children, you
can make it up to your country to fight in a war because you are not college
bound, anyway."
Our Boardwalk
– rich in tradition such as freedom of speech, freedom to create- to work
and to live vs. a police state. Government representatives are attempting to
qualify what is art and aesthetically pleasing to only their eyes and their
ears. The battle continues with arts vs. crafts vs. manufactured goods and no
one is winning. Boardwalk artists and vendors vs. Boardwalk residents and there
is no resolution.
When tourists come to
Venice, what do they see?
Hopefully
they see what our community really is: YOU +ME = DIVERSITY. Venetians, come in
all sizes, colors, shapes, energies and talents. GRVNC and the community of
Venice provides healing. All of us must be inclusive because that is Venice! Our
Bylaws, Robert's Rule's, meetings, election procedures, absentee ballots,
agendas, and postings require it. It's the essential ingredient in making the
cement to make our repairs. Honor our differences and resolve conflict by
accepting each other, period.
So
what color shall we paint the future of Venice, our home?
Posted: Sat
- May 1, 2004 at 04:11 PM