The Venice Community Center
Smack in the center of Venice, where Oakwood,
Milwood, Abbot Kinney Blvd. and Central Venice (the old canal area) intersect
lies a treasure for the people of all the neighborhoods. The Vera Davis
McClendon Center, at 610 California St., is the new heartbeat of our community.
Hardly a day goes by without multiple meetings of
various organizations, self-help groups and training programs. It also houses
several community organization including the Latino Resource Organization,
Venice Arts, Project Heavy West, L.A. Dept. of Aging, Tech Team (computer
training), Easter Seals (developmentally disabled program), Community Technology
Discovery Center (computer/internet access for the public). Overseeing and
cheering on all this activity is the Center’s Director, Cliff McClain, who
talked with the Beachhead’s Jeff Hirsch this
month:
Jeff: How long have you been the
manager of the Vera Davis McClendon Youth and Family
Center?
Cliff: Since about October of
2001.
Jeff: Why did you come
here?
Cliff: There was a need for an
interim manager. I had experience in other situations like
this.
Jeff: What programs does the
center have?
Cliff: There are a number
of programs here. The Latino Resource Organization, Project Heavy West having to
do with gang intervention and substance abuse; there are parenting classes,
counseling programs; LA Bridges (which is a youth and crime reduction program).
There is a tech team which includes a
computer learning center; there is a music class by computer program; there is a
computer repair and computer building program; there is an Arts program, which
includes dance classes such as hip-hop and ballet; there are also photography
and photo-journalism classes; there are painting and drawing and computer
animation classes.
There is a program
for senior citizens - they visited old town in San Diego recently and they tour
different locales. We have a career planning center. There is a Department of
Aging representative here.
There is a
program to support the care-givers of seniors here at the center. There is a
community Technology Discovery Center. We have 10 state-of-the-art computers. We
have a scanner, fax, color copier and printer for use by anyone in the
community. Incidentally, some of the kids got a grant to go to South Africa for
a conference on racism in August of 2001.
We have a men’s AA program every
Wednesday night at 7 PM. On Tuesday nights, we have an NA program. On Monday
nights we have a Big Book (AA study
program).
Jeff: OK, this is a
tremendous community resource. I just signed up a few days ago for beginning
computers, coincidentally.
Cliff: Its
good to get people introduced to the world of
computers.
Jeff: Tell me about Vera
Davis.
Cliff: I met her in the late
1960’s or early 1970’s. I was sent to Oakwood to be the interim
Director of the Neighborhood Adult Participation Project (NAPP), which was a
community empowerment program. I met Vera and she became my assistant. Vera knew
how to get things done. She could raise hell but she knew how to maintain
relationships. She hung in there with
you.
Jeff: What were Vera’s
accomplishments? How did the building get named after
her?
Cliff: She knew how to get money
for the community. She touched a lot of lives. She was an intense person who
really cared a lot about people, which made her as effective as she was. Instead
of giving a fish to a needy person, she would teach that person how to
fish.
Jeff: Could you expand on
that?
Cliff: There’s an old Black
Panther saying, “You’re either part of the problem or part of the
solution.” Vera Davis was a part of the
solution.
Jeff: What do you see as the
major problems of our society as they impact
Venice?
Cliff: Affordable housing.
Either we’ll resolve that problem or just get gentrified and be like the
northern end of the Marina. We also need to find positive and meaningful
activities for our youth. The YMCA is $300 a year, too expensive for most
low-income kids. We need easy access to affordable programs for low-income
kids.
Jeff: Do you think the center
could be expanded and what programs in addition to what exists now would you
like to see?
Cliff: This building is an
historic site. The space is limited here. I’m trying to put a sun room on
the lawn to get more space. If we could, we would like to buy out the Electric
Lodge (a building immediately to the south of this center) for our programs to
have more space. In other words, we need more physical
space.
Jeff: What is your relationship
to the Oakwood Recreation Center right up the
street?
Cliff: They send me kids. I
send them kids as the needs
arise.
Jeff: What do you see as the
future for the Center?
Cliff: I see us
as a catalyst for the proper growth and development of kids, teenagers and
adults in the Venice area.
Jeff:
Anything else you would like to
say?
Cliff: I love this place! If I
could afford it, I would live
here.
Lynn Warshafsky and Giselle
MacFarland of Venice Arts Mecca, located at the Vera Davis Center are looking
for volunteer artists, particularly in photography and digital arts. Call them
at (310) 578-1745.
Posted: Thu - August 1, 2002 at 05:30 PM