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Be Present

“Wash your hands.”

“What?”

“Before you train, go in the bathroom, wash your hands.” “Why?”

“Because before I begin every workout, I wash my hands of all the day’s stress, worry, and obligations I have on my mind. When I’m here, I need to be here. Not at the office, not with my kids. Not with the hundred things on my plate. I’m here. Present.”

I don’t remember where I heard that little interaction, but I never forgot it. If I can impart to you one anecdote to poor results in the gym, it’s this: Be fully present in your workouts. Be there inside every mile, set, and rep. Most people want to be gone the second they walk in gym. They check their phone, take selfies, read throw-away magazines, go to the locker room, and repeat.

We’ve all seen the person in the gym who seems to be doing everything but working out. Anything they can do to avoid the “pain cave” the workout forces us into. So we avoid it like the plague.

For many people, there is the mistaken belief that simply being at the gym is victory enough. That just because you showed up, the fitness gods will bestow a dream body because of your great attendance. A participation trophy. You should be applauded for showing up, especially if it’s scary for you. But understand, it’s only the first step. As you gain your bearings and courage, showing up is necessary, but not sufficient. You’ll have to show up in every second of every rep. Once you’re there, don’t hide from what you came for.

I’m as guilty of this as anyone. I’ve let the worries of the day totally ruin my workout. I’ve let the laziness take hold and screwed off into oblivion. It’s for this reason you need to begin every workout with intention. Have a seat, look in the mirror, settle into a meditative stretch, and get your mind right. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Leave the outside world outside and remember why you’re here.
  • Ask yourself, what exactly are you trying to accomplish and how will today’s workout get you closer to that?
  • Have structure to your time in the gym. Have a plan. Don’t wander aimlessly. Write it down if you need to.
  • Make a silent commitment to keep the workout in front of your sole focus and vow to milk every ounce of your best effort into it.
  • Eliminate all possible distraction and keep to the task at hand. The workout requires your full attention so give it nothing less.
  • Understand that all of the things weighing on you (lack of sleep, stress, worry) might affect your strength and motivation, but it will not affect your effort. You will do everything you can with what you have in you today. You might have been better yesterday or tomorrow, but none of that matters here today.
  • Track your weights, your pace, your reps. Every workout is a brick and you build your body and fitness, brick by brick. Each subsequent work-out builds from the ones you did before it. If you begin each workout without ever paying attention to what was accomplished before it, you will never get better. Notebooks are great for this.
  • And lastly, pay attention to the “dark passenger.” In the popular show Dexter, the main character talked about his “dark passenger” that made him kill. We all have a dark passenger. It wants to hold us back; to sabotage us. You need to be aware of that. It wants nothing more than for you to quit. So be patient, but don’t cut yourself too much slack. Push yourself, but don’t berate yourself, complain, or sulk because someone is stronger/fitter/skinnier. In the midst of the workout, you need to be your own cheerleader. “I got this. I can do it. No one can stop me.”

A workout is the active molding of your lesser self into a better version; and that is hard and scary thing to do. It’ll take practice but I know you can do it. Now, go wash your hands.

Heyday Elite Fitness offers a 2-minute scan that provides a full 1-page body fat analysis to help you tailor your fitness goals. For more info, email ricky@heydaytraining.com.

Ja Sam Romee (I Am Romee)

I was a very odd child. I went through so many phases growing up. My favorite was the Halloween I dressed up as a “beatnik” and wore a striped shirt and black beret. But most of the phases centered around different cultures and languages. In junior high, I’d watch Japanese TV (not the fun stuff, just whatever was on Channel 18). I swore I was destined to marry an Irishman, but then I discovered Jewish boys and Yiddish in high school. I especially had four different language phrase books on my shelf at any given time. I even tried to teach myself Latin from a 1930s textbook I found at a yard sale. I loved them all, but I never got serious with any one language or culture, especially not my own.

I’m still that weird, little kid with the same interests, but the cool part is that now, learning is a big part of my job. Ever since I decided to devote myself to San Pedro history and culture, I’ve dreamed of learning Spanish, Italian, and Croatian. Not only because it can come in handy, but because it’s the best way to really immerse yourself in a culture. That’s why I jumped at the chance to learn Croatian at the Dalmatian-American Club.

Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., my fellow classmates and I meet in the bar of the Dalmatian-American Club. Our instructor is Nada Matulich, a native of Croatia who moved here 13 years ago. The class is a great mix of people, from middle school-aged kids, to young professionals, to retirees, and even one ornery octogenarian. I’d say most students are Croatian and have some kind of familiarity with the language. Before this class, my Croatian vocabulary consisted of only a few words. But I didn’t feel so bad when we all learned the harsh reality that most Croatians in San Pedro do not speak proper Croatian, they speak a dialect native to their island, which has a strong Italian influence. I think someone once used the analogy that the dialect spoken here is equivalent to that of a country bumpkin in the States.

On the first day of class, we learned the Croatian alphabet, which contains four more characters than its English counterpart. My favorite letters in the alphabet are the ones that have accent marks that look like little angry eyebrows floating above them; Č pronounced with a hard “-ch,” Dž pronounced like a hard “j,” Š pronounced like “–sh,” and Ž pronounced like the “z” in Zsa Zsa Gabor.

What I appreciate the most about the Croatian alphabet is: 1.) It’s not Cyrillic, and 2.) All the letters never change the way they sound. Because of this fact, each letter is like a roadmap on how to pronounce the words. I have a great sense of direction and with a little added effort, I’m actually pretty good (for a novice) at pronunciation. I even wowed the class with my ability to say djevojčica on the first try. Despite my early successes, I still feel a little bit like Eliza Doolittle with the marbles in her mouth when it comes to the new combinations of sounds. For example, let’s take the word Monday. In Croatian, it’s Ponedjeljak. Phonetically, you’d say it like “po-ned-yell-yak.” Before one class, I sat in the car and said ponedjeljak over and over until it felt less foreign in my mouth.

When we have to read dialogue exercises, my friend Stacy laughs at me because she’s the Croatian and is having more trouble than I am. I try to remind her that I might sound great, but I have no clue what I’m saying. Because Croatian isn’t based in Latin, like Spanish, English, and Italian, it’s hard to wrap your mind around the language. We all keep trying to make connections or apply English type rules to Croatian and failing miserably. Let’s take colors, for example. Orange in Croatian is narančasta and purple is ljubičasta. We asked Nada if -časta meant anything on its own, kind of like a colorful suffix. Nada answered simply, “No.” That was frustrating, but it was followed by an a-ha moment that was my equivalent of Eliza Doolittle’s “The Rain in Spain.” Green in Croatian is zelena. I used to watch this TV show called Once Upon a Time, based very loosely on fairy tales. The Wicked Witch of the West was a character who had green skin and her name was Zelena. I squealed with delight knowing her name reflected her skin tone!

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my Croatian classes. Besides the language, Nada tells us about life in Croatia, like the fact that they eat a lot of soup, or fun trivia like neckties are a Croatian invention. If you’re interested in learning Croatian, contact the Dalmatian-American Club to sign up for their next session in early 2019. Vidimo se!

Champs!

The 2018 San Pedro High School Girls Volleyball team weathered every storm that was cast upon them, and would counter by bringing about a storm of their own.

Before the season even began, the Pirates lost four players to grade cuts for the first ten weeks of the season. All four All-Marine League players from the previous 2017 season were also gone due to either graduation or transfer.

Promising junior outside hitter, Alexis Avitia, would miss the first two weeks of the season due to a ham-string injury suffered over the summer. During one week, another key player, senior outside hitter Sara Peterson, suffered a pinky injury, which kept her out of the first day of the Venice Tournament on September 7.

And yes, the Pirates were left off the CIF-Los Angeles City Section preseason coaches’ top ten poll for Division 1 a year after reaching the Open Division playoffs. After a strong regular season, the Pirates just missed the Open Division for this season but got rewarded anyway as the top seed of Division 1.

In spite of all those trials and tribulations, the hard work and perseverance of the Pirates would lead to their greatest reward on Saturday, November 3, in the form of a 25-16, 25-20, 15-25, 25-19 victory over El Camino Real of Woodland Hills in the Division 1 championship match at Birmingham High of Lake Balboa.

“I am so proud of my team,” said San Pedro sophomore setter Gabriella Ed-wards, who had 29 assists. “I honestly can’t believe we made it [here]. Winning this is like, the best feeling.”

El Camino Real was shorthanded on players due to three being out to injury, but the second-seeded Conquistadors were not short on heart, guts, and desire as they made San Pedro (26-5 overall) earn every point. Even so, the Pirates were not short on confidence that they would find a way to bring home the program’s first championship since 2005. “There were definitely some nerves there, but no doubts,” said San Pedro senior middle blocker, Lauren Sutrin. “I was very confident that we had what it took to finish them off, we just had to dig our feet in and play our game.”

San Pedro seemingly had a firm grip on the title with a 5-0 lead in the third set, but when El Camino Real stormed back to take a 16-10 lead, San Pedro would never recover from it and the Conquistadors (15-16) were right back in it. “Our mindset after that third set was extremely focused,” said San Pedro junior outside hitter, Isabella Emerson. “We immediately addressed what we had done wrong and the steps needed to fix our game. We saw this fourth set as a fresh start to finish the most important match of the year.”

Sure enough, the experienced Pi-rates would chip away at the youthful Conquistadors with every rally, taking a 19-17 lead after they called their final timeout. San Pedro would set up match point with two huge aces from senior libero Hanna Gurrola, a pivotal block from Sutrin, and two straight El Camino Real attack errors, but the Conquistadors would answer with a kill and service ace to make it 24-19, which prematurely delayed San Pedro’s celebration.

The final rally of the match itself proved San Pedro’s resourcefulness that they showed the entire season was legit, and there was little doubt that the Pirates would look to Sutrin to put on the finishing touches. El Camino Real denied Sutrin on two straight attempts, but when El Camino Real couldn’t get a clear attempt to spike one down and had to bump it over, Sutrin would finally seal the championship with the last, and greatest of her 11 kills off a dig attempt.

“That final point felt like forever! It was such a long rally,” Gurrola said with glee. “However, I knew Lauren had gone up for that final swing, that she would get that point and win (the title) for us. She hit it in the opposite way she was facing and I knew the title was ours.”

This championship win wasn’t the first title San Pedro would celebrate in 2018, considering they won their very own San Pedro Invitational Tournament back on September 15, also against El Camino Real, 25-13 in a one-set championship final, however this championship feels so much greater and sweeter for the Pirates.

“We definitely had the heart and talent in that final set to give us the championship we’ve been working all season for,” said Avitia, who finished with six kills, two aces, and 11 digs for San Pedro, who also got four kills and two blocks from Emerson, along with 22 digs and three aces from Gurrola.

Back-to-back clutch kills from Avitia would stake San Pedro to the opening set victory, while an ace from Edwards ended the second set which gave the Pirates the commanding two-game lead before the Conquistadors showed their toughness and made San Pedro work harder.

“Winning those first two sets was very crucial for us,” said Peterson, who had 10 kills and seven digs. “Because it pushed us to finish when we needed to for the win.”

On the road to the championship, the Pirates earned a bye in the first round before defeating Verdugo Hills of Tujunga three straight in the quarter-finals, and outlasting Bell in a four-set semifinal triumph.

Gifts That Give Back

This holiday season, we’re highlighting three local gift shops that are hidden gems in the community. Whether you’re looking for that perfect present, a special token of appreciation, something for the kids, or just want a little retail therapy, discover what these unique shops have to offer, and how your purchase goes towards a good cause.

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium Gift Shop 3720 Stephen M. White Dr.
Hours: Tues – Sun, 10:30a – 5:15p (310) 548-8394 Instagram: @shopcabrillo

The term ‘gift shop’ doesn’t quite adequately describe this shopping destination. Adjacent to San Pedro’s beloved Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, this boutique is full of unique items for everyone on your Christmas list.

The CMA Gift Shop’s inventory is meticulously cultivated by a staff of dedicated employees, led by gift shop manager, Susan McKenna. McKenna truly has a keen eye for interesting and specialty items that you can’t find anywhere else. The newly refurbished shop’s overall feel is inviting and on the pulse of what’s trending and eye catching.

One seasonal portion of the shop worth highlighting is their massive selection of ornaments. In fact, an entire wall is dedicated to these elegant items. Each one gorgeous, eye catching, inspired by sea life, and reasonably priced, ranging from $2.50 to $30.
Going to a holiday party and in need of a hostess gift? The CMA Gift Shop has plenty of fun finds, from pretty tea cloths and hand towels, to aquatic look-ing bar tools. Another special item is the shop’s selection of paper goods. The shop also stocks greeting cards from around the world, as well as stationary.

The shop also has a large selection of interesting books, with subjects ranging from nature photography, information on local landscapes, and an awesome selection of books for kids. Also, for young minds, the shop carries activity sets, puzzles, and other educational toys. A gift card or the gift of a CMA membership also makes a great stocking stuffer. Members save 15% on all Gift Shop purchases.

All proceeds from the shop go directly to programs funded by the Friends of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, including educational programs, field trip transportation, and assistance to the CMA staff and scientists.
“Along with finding beautiful mementos and things that will remind you of our precious oceans and sea life, your purchases contribute to and support CMA programs,” says McKenna.

L.A. Maritime Museum Gift Shop Berth 84
Hours: Tues – Sun, 10a – 4:30p (310) 548-7618

Stepping into the Los Angeles Maritime Museum Gift Shop, aka “The Old Sea Chest,” is definitely a treasure trove! Carrying a variety of nautically themed items, this gift shop certainly has plenty of unique items on deck. “People enjoy shopping here because it’s fun to discover gifts that you don’t find in every store,” says Marifrances Trivelli, Museum Director.

Serving as an extension of the museum, many of the items featured in store are intended for shoppers to learn something or reinforce something interesting that you can find within one of the existing exhibits. An example of a unique item available in-store are brass compasses. Trivelli describes her personal favorite item, saying, “They are functional, beautiful, traditional, and do not take up much space. They remind people that sailors years ago did not have a GPS, you relied on things like compasses to find your way.”

Another eye-catching find, perfect for holiday gifting is the shop’s selection of abalone jewelry. Conscious and ethically made, these stunning pieces come in a variety of styles, includes necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.

The shop also features many different home items that both San Pedrans and visitors to our port town would enjoy, including wind chimes made from re-cycled materials, led lanterns, beautiful glass floats, clocks, and barware.

Do you have a history buff on your gift list? Check out the shop’s selection of nautical books, featuring the works of local writers and historians. They even have an additional selection of used books for great prices!

In addition to adorable plush toys, pick up something for the kids, including replica historical documents and currency, monkey fist knot necklaces handmade by a local sailor, and an official Los Angles Maritime Museum harmonica, which comes complete with seven songs of the sea (only $10!).

All proceeds benefit the Friends of the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, and members save 10% on all purchases.

“Shopping here means you are doing two great things at once,” explains Trivelli. “First, you are finding a memorable gift for someone special in your life. And also, all of the proceeds from the shop directly support the museum in areas like new exhibits, caring for the artifacts, and programming.” She adds, “When you shop here, it is a true community benefit.”

Assistance League of San Pedro 1441 W. 8th St.
Hours: M–F, 10a – 5p; Sat, 11a – 3p (310) 832-8355

If you’re not already in the holiday spirit, then you definitely should place a visit to our local Assistance League. The volunteers are friendly and helpful, and their Annual Holiday Boutique is really something special.

This annual event is highly popular for both Assistance League volunteers, as well as the local community, and preparations begin well before the holiday season. “We start buying for this event in January,” says Joy Reed, gift shop commissioner. Needless to say, this is a big deal.

Going on now through December 31, the boutique offers everything Christmas. Their selection of décor is stunning and eye-catching, from large reindeer, to beautiful ornaments for your tree. “Our selection of holiday decor is always unique, and includes items you don’t see in other boutiques,” Reed says proudly.

There’re also mainstays of the gift shop that are always popular with shoppers, including a wide selection of greeting cards, clothing and accessories, consignment items, and even See’s Candy!

Led by Judy Hildebrand, president of the Assistance League of San Pedro-South Bay, this dedicated non-profit is the oldest chapter (almost 83 years), as well as has the only volunteer-run post office in the country. Proceeds from all sales go to support the League’s many philanthropic programs, including Operation School Bell, which helps young students in need shop for clothing and items needed for school, and the Francis J. Johnson Dental Center, which is located above the gift shop.

“The Gift Shop and Holiday Boutique is shopping for a cause,” says Reed.

“You support our philanthropic programs, and we try to thank our customers for their support.”

Two New Authors Take Readers on a Trip Into San Pedro’s Past

This year’s literary offerings for Christmas stocking-stuffers present a unique challenge, especially for an old copy editor like me.

Both books, available at Amazon.com, are in crying need of a good editor. That being said, San Pedrans will still enjoy two very different, but very personal, looks at growing up in a San Pedro that no longer exists.

A New Day Yesterday by Peter Adum (325 pp., Ward Street Press, 2018, $16.95, paperback). Adum’s first novel was frustrating because I had such high expectations going in after reading the interview with the author that ran in this magazine two months ago. I kept wondering, what is this? A semi-historical novel? A thinly disguised memoir? A young adult romance? A political manifesto? An homage to ‘70s movies and music? It’s all of these and more. All taking place in San Pedro during Easter break 1973, which just adds to the confusion.

Like a lot of San Pedrans, Adum is obviously upset that old Beacon Street was razed to make way for redevelopment that has left a lot to be desired. Because he has a lot to say on the subject, he’s moved the Beacon Street demolition, which took place in 1971, ahead two years.

It’s against this backdrop that we follow the protagonist, San Pedro High School senior Niko, whose research for an overdue English paper helps him learn about his Croatian roots and San Pedro’s class struggles in the 1920s and ‘30s. He also finds plenty of time for girls, work, cruising, drinking, partying, sandlot football, and even fishing for tuna. As if the comparison isn’t obvious enough, Niko even goes to a premiere showing of American Graffiti.

A 1973 San Pedro High School graduate and Jethro Tull fan (thus the book’s title), Adum packs his book full of names and places familiar to all San Pedrans. It’s also annoyingly full of fictitious names and places that San

Pedrans will have no trouble figuring out, and the Vietnam veterans, Mexican cholos, Italians, and even Cousin Vlatko all seem to come right out of central casting. Pseudonyms are used for the main cast of characters, and considering some of the storylines, understandable, but you find yourself wondering: Is this character based on a real person? Did this event really happen?

For example, the demolition of Beacon Street did happen, but in this version, the developer behind it is a cartoon figure (think Mr. Burns in The Simpsons) used mainly for Adum to pontificate on the “evils” of big business. Cameos by Sterling Hayden and Gary Gabelich serve only for more political commentary and seem totally out of place.

With all of the ‘70s references and inferences, however, most San Pedrans, especially Adum’s classmates and any-one who had an 8-track tape player, will overlook the book’s flaws and take this joyride into the past.

From East Garrison to the Ranch House by Peter James Gravett (498 pp., 2018, $29.95, paperback). The autobiography of Gravett, one of San Pedro’s most distinguished citizens, fills in a glaring gap in San Pedro’s historical narrative, the black experience. Gravett’s parents were sharecroppers in the Jim Crow South.

When WWII brought opportunities for work in California, the Gravetts left Arkansas with eight children, including Peter, to join relatives already here. The family eventually grew to 11 children, and all eight boys served in the military. None, of course, had the career of Gravett, who retired from the Army as a major general.

By far, the best parts of the book are Gravett’s memories of growing up in San Pedro in the 1940s and ‘50s. The family moved into a newChannel Chan-nel Heights housing project in 1943; Dad ended up serving stateside with the famous Tuskegee Airmen. In 1954, they moved into the new Rancho San Pedro housing. Gravett recalls selling papers in old Beacon Street, mingling as a kid with the notorious cast of characters that populated that area. The family eventually bought a house on Oliver Street that was the focal point for neighborhood youth activities.

Gravett grew up in a home where the values of faith, hard work and education were inculcated into all of the children. All graduated from San Pedro High School (Peter in W‘59), and all were involved in sports. The family was inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.

While the children, particularly when living in the low-income projects, got along with their multicultural neighbors, leaving Arkansas for California did not mean the end of discrimination. It was more institutional than overt here, however, in the military, law enforcement, education, and housing.

Gravett experienced racism in all of these areas, but drawing on his strong family background, he didn’t let it deter his resolve to succeed. And succeed he did, as the second half of the book describes, in great detail, his career in the Los Angeles Police Department, concurrent rise through the ranks in the National Guard and Army Reserve, and eventual appointment in retirement to state secretary of the Department of Veteran Affairs.

You’ll have to read the book to understand the title, but it exemplifies Gravett’s journey and a story about San Pedro that needed to be told.

Steve Marconi can be reached at spmarconi@yahoo.com.

Canvas of Possibilities

Internationally-renowned artist, Violet Parkhurst, combined her creativity and talent to produce some of the most beautiful oil paintings. Inspired by the beauty of nature, seascapes, and the human form, Parkhurst transformed blank canvases into masterpieces, receiving praise from the likes of former Presidents, international dignitaries, and even Clark Gable.

Founded in 1947, Parkhurst Galleries, located in the heart of Downtown San Pedro, showcases the masterful works of Parkhurst, as well as many other notable artists, known both internationally and locally. In addition to services offered, including appraisal, framing, and restoration, Parkhurst Galleries nurtures inspiration and advocates artistic expression with their popular “Painting with the Masters” oil painting classes.

“The Parkhurst Oil Painting Class combines the 70-year history of the Gallery, expert instruction from today’s Master Artists, and a sense of warmth and community to create an ideal creative learning environment,” says Warren Hsiao, president of Parkhurst Galleries.

The classes began eight years ago, in the middle of the recession. Finding an outlet for expressing emotions during that time, the class was formed. Hsiao explains, “It began as a thank you to our clients, and was almost like paint therapy. The classes gave students an escape.” The group ended up enjoying it so much that the Gallery made it a regular occurrence. “We had such a great experience, we just decided, ‘Hey, let’s do this again next week!’”

Held weekly, classes are taught by highly trained and professional artists who help instruct students on the best skills needed to make their vision come to life. “We are extremely fortunate to have such talented instructors like Lisa Mozzini-McDill,” says Hsiao. “Not only is she a highly distinguished professional artist, but she has a true gift with being able to transfer that knowledge.”

Open to any skill level, from beginner to expert, the classes are inclusive to any adult who is willing to learn, with 80-90 percent of students having never touched a paintbrush. Students are suggested to print a photo of what they would like to paint, and their own brushes, oil paints, and canvas (which are also available for purchase in the Gallery). An added perk is lunch and refreshments are always served.

Barbara Ramsey-Duke, who has been attending the classes for only three months, describes why she appreciates them, saying fondly, “I love it. It relaxes me.” She continues, “One thing about art is you forget about other things and worries when you’re doing it.”

Hsiao takes pride in the Gallery’s special offering, which he shares is continuing to grow in size, with sometimes as many as 15 students in attendance. “It’s like a social club, it’s a tight-knit group of people,” he describes. “There’s conversation and camaraderie.”

In addition to learning a skill and having fun doing it, Parkhurst Galleries also periodically displays the finished works created by students with special exhibits. “We treat them like renowned artists,” says Hsiao. In workshops, students also gain expertise in how to accurately price and sell their artwork, and useful tools to discuss their particular pieces, market themselves, and promote sales.

This holiday season, give the gift of art. Oil painting classes make a wonderful gift for someone special on your list. Parkhurst Galleries is also currently having a winter promotion: four classes for $195. Gift certificates are also available for purchase.

“I’m really proud of what we’ve created in the eight years of doing this class,” Hsiao says. “We’ve helped some amazing artists get their start, and we’ve made some lifelong friends.”

Parkhurst Galleries is located at 439 W. 6th St. For more information, call (310) 547-3158 or visit parkhurstgalleries.com.

Leadership That Serves

“As we witness the erosion of the moral authority of our governmental, religious, and media leadership, it might be worthwhile to reflect on what we really need in leaders. Over the last 13 years, I have pastored (very imperfectly) at Trinity Lutheran. I have compiled nine commandments (I know I need one more) of leadership for our elders, staff, council, and others who serve in leadership. This month, I will continue to comment on a few of these commandments. You can find my previous column in last month’s issue, available at sanpedrotoday.com.

Leadership Commandment 2: Leaders are servants.

I tell the other leaders at Trinity, “We don’t always vacuum, set up tables, and take out the trash, but we do sometimes.” When I was in college, the school was facing financial challenges. At that time, I had undiagnosed FOMO (aka Fear of Missing Out). One of the symptoms of FOMO is minor insomnia, brought on by the thought of a small group of people who might go to Denny’s without you. This fear kept me up, sometimes late. One night, I caught the new college president down in the wood shop. The president didn’t know I was watching him. Before that night, I didn’t know he smoked a pipe. But,

I also discovered something else. He emptied the trashcans from the whole lower level of the building. He even looked both ways to make sure no one was watching before humbly hauling all the rubbish out to the dumpster. I was sold on President Bergquist that night. I would follow him because I saw his heart in his actions. He was a certain kind of leader. He was a servant leader. The gracious way he served in public matched the way he served in private.

Tao Te Ching, a Taoist writing possibly from as far back as the 6th century BC, offers an early hint at the significance of servant leadership:

“The highest type of ruler is one of whose existence the people are barely aware. Next comes one whom they love and praise. Next comes one whom they fear. Next comes one whom they despise and defy.”

The Prophet Isaiah wrote at about the same time in Israel’s southern kingdom, Judah. I’ve been preaching through passages from the Prophet Isaiah recently, and the four “servant songs” embedded in this book (Isaiah 42, 49, 50, 52-53) have given me pause more than once. The political and religious mood of Isaiah’s time included lots of bragging and bickering from the kings and priests of Judah. Toxic acts of self-promotion, and attitudes of entitlement arced their national life toward slavery instead of freedom. Leaders need to gain or maintain power, which usually makes them forget what power is for in the first place. God instructs Isaiah to tell those leaders that he will send his people a real leader who won’t come to take, but will come to give. This servant leader won’t come to be served, but to serve (Mark 10.45).

The nation doesn’t exist for the king. The school doesn’t exist for the principal. The church doesn’t exist for the pastor. The customer doesn’t exist for the business owner. Children don’t exist for parents. On every level, leaders exist for those they serve. The greater distance between the leader and those they lead typically creates an erosion of servanthood. A newly elected representative often feels like “one of us,” but the farther they go, the more they turn into just another politician trying to keep their job.

Servant leadership is sustained through simple proximity. When you walk way out in front of people, they lose sight of you and you of them.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stayed in close proximity; he marched and served time together with those who followed him. Mother Teresa through washing wounds. Jesus through washing feet. President Bergquist through taking out the trash. And they changed the world. Not in spite of their servanthood, but through it.

This all makes a difference in how we identify, elect, or equip our future leaders. But it is also a call to you, dear reader. Leadership is scalable, and at some level, you have been called to lead. Brené Brown’s new book posits a helpful and scalable definition of leadership that serves: “I define a leader as anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential” (Brené Brown, Dare to Lead. Random House, 2018. Page 4).

Nathan Hoff is the Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in San Pedro. Follow his blog at trinitypastor.blogspot.com.

‘I Workout All the Time, but My Body Doesn’t Change’

This summer, I turned 32. It marks 16 years since I started work-ing out. Half my life. Weird.

I actually remember my first day in a fitness club. It was sensory overload: humming treadmills, bright fluorescent lights, aerobic classes, and lots of sweaty people. I found myself in the weight room with the free weights. I was a deer in headlights trying not to look like an amateur. Gym intimidation is definitely real and I had it. If it wasn’t for tons of reading, copy-catting, and asking questions from the trainers and gym veterans, I may never have found my way.

As I look back on all the years of sweat and clanging metal, there was a point, about two years after I started, where I had a strange epiphany. In every gym I went to, only a small percent-age of people continually got stronger, leaner, and continued to improve. But a much larger majority who populated the health club everyday didn’t seem to change at all, people who worked out hard and often. And yet, despite all their efforts, they hardly looked like they exercised.

Why is that? How can someone work so hard, show up so consistently, and yet, achieve almost nothing in terms of progress? Well, in the 16 years of training, I’ve found that this is usu-ally due to something I had when I first started: A flawed perception of what exercise is.

For a long time in my initial workout days, I thought the whole point of going the gym was to burn calories. I figured, I’m supposed to “burn off” all the food I eat, right? So, with about 40 pounds to lose, I’d do lots of calorie scorching activities. I would run, bike, elliptical, and hit any machine I could. I’d watch the monitor tell me how many miles and calories I burned with satisfaction.

It was effective, at first. But after a few months, I hit a plateau. No more weight loss. And the problem was, how do you bust through a plateau when you’re already giving 110%?

Nevertheless, I’d tried to cut more calories and do even more cardio. I’d wear a sweatshirt, sit in the sauna, get hopped up on pre-workout caffeine cocktails. I tried it all. I soon reached a point where I just couldn’t run any more than I was. And regarding my diet, I was already as “low carb” as you can get. Having done everything I could, I was stuck with nowhere to go.

My frustration led me to keep study-ing the literature on training and one day I came across a novel concept that I almost overlooked: Muscle is expensive. When your body builds muscle, that lean tissue has a cost, it burns calories to maintain. So as a person adds muscle, they increase the calories they burn throughout the day. The more muscle they have, the more calories they burn. If I increase my muscle, over time my metabolism would increase and in turn, burn calories in and out of the gym. This was a game changer.

I realized most of the exercise people do does the exact opposite. People, in the pursuit of more calorie burning, often end up overtraining with cardio and high volume, couple that with poor eating and it makes it hard to build lean muscle and causes whatever muscle they do have to get burned for fuel.

With my previous routine, the harder I worked, the harder it made it to keep my results because it worked against lean muscle growth. I discovered that if I wanted to transform my body, training in the gym should stimulate strength and preserve/build muscle. That’s it. Cardio should be used sparingly as a supplement to resistance training, not be the foundation.

After discovering this, by approaching exercise in a way that aligned with how my physiology was designed to change, I achieved more in three months than the previous two years (and with significantly less effort and time).

I know not everyone is in the gym to transform their body, I’m not talking to them. But if you are spending hours training not getting anywhere, this might be why. Change how you see exercise and what you see from exercise will change.

Heyday Elite Fitness offers a 2-minute scan that provides a full 1-page body fat analysis to help you tailor your fitness goals. For more info, email ricky@heydaytraining.com.

Savoring San Pedro

I recently finished and highly recommend San Pedro alum and childhood friend Peter Adum’s novel, A New Day Yesterday, which is set in our town back in the early ‘70s. Main character Niko narrates us through the ebb and flow of his senior year at San Pedro High School, the elimination of cruising Pacific Avenue, great restaurants of yesteryear such as Cigo’s, hanging out at Averill Park under the cover of darkness, movies at the Strand Theatre, neighborhood versus neighborhood football games on the weekends, and the inevitable angst of young adult relationships. Adum also reminds us of the questionable demolition of historic Beacon Street rather than thoughtful renovation, and the end of the Vietnam draft, which luckily changed/possibly saved the lives of myself and most of my friends.

Like Peter and his character Niko, I am a lucky person to have grown up here in the ‘60s and early ‘70s. We had the San Pedro Boys Club, Cabrillo Beach, Peck Park and Gaffey Street pools, organized sports with just as good competition in the streets and open spaces, great restaurants such as Cigo’s, Peppy’s, Trani’s, Chin’s Garden, Papadakis Taverna, La Conga, La Paloma, Ryps Café, the Hamburger Hut, and many more. We all came from immigrant families – and that was okay! Our parents worked hard, and we had some families who truly prospered. Too many families who were the working poor and/or lived in public housing, and the rest of us that fit somewhere in between.

The reason I am “savoring” San Pedro is that I see how our community has so much to offer, while we address a number of issues all communities are facing. I see how generous individuals, companies, and others support non-profits who serve “those who need us most” including my Boys & Girls Clubs, Harbor Interfaith, Rainbow Services, Beacon House, and many others. I see the success of Clean San Pedro, the planned renovation of Rancho San Pedro, the hopefully soon to be initiated San Pedro Public Market, the successful early stages of AltaSea, the Downtown San Pedro Arts District, and other business improvements. We now have four high schools and the fabulous John Olguin campus, the great expansion of recreational facilities by the San Pedro Youth Coalition and others, an amazing Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, and many savory restaurants including three Thinks, Pina’s, Taxco, Sushiya, Tashiro, Sorrento’s, Pacific Diner, Omelette & Waffle Shop, and an even better J. Trani’s, to name just a few.

Today, the homeless situation continues to monopolize the conversations of many, and Councilman Buscaino is chastised for not solving an unsolvable problem while he diligently tries to overcome our NIMBYs and bring forward a temporary/partial solution to those few who are living on our streets. I say few because the real housing problem is our working poor neighbors facing housing costs that relegate a much larger portion of our community to living in cars, 10 to a small apartment, or in converted garages. These number in the hundreds, if not thousands in our community, and are only a missed paycheck away from joining the relatively few relegated to the streets. So, if we really want to “save” San Pedro, we need to concentrate on improving the housing limitations of the growing number of our working poor neighbors and families. For those relative few, visible homeless, are not the real problem. The real problem is the many more homeless that we don’t see, or who will soon be without true public and private sacrifice.

Even with our limitations, I continue to savor San Pedro. I believe we can address our challenges realistically, while at the same time savoring what is great about our community. We are not perfect, but we never were. We need to keep working to make us better – but that takes effort, collaboration and investment. Wishing you and yours and those who need us most, a most happy and savory Thanksgiving holiday! God bless.

Mike Lansing is the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor.

The Giving Room at Dana Middle School

“What people do not realize is there are a lot of homeless families with children in San Pedro. At Richard Henry Dana Middle School, we have had ten new homeless families in the last month,” states Yolanda Aranda, Dana’s Healthy Start Navigator.

When Aranda learned one of the students at Dana was living on a bench in front of the local library with her mother, she jumped into action and started connecting them with services. Her job is to work with families at the school who are struggling financially. She provides connections to housing, counseling, food and donations. The student living on the bench was embarrassed by her dirty clothes and did not want to come to school. Aranda was able to give the student clothing, hygiene products, and shelter. After that, the girl was more comfortable attending school.

With over 70% of the students classified as low-income, Dana responded to the needs of their students by creating The Giving Room. It is an unmarked room at the school stocked with donations for the whole family. It includes: new socks and underwear, gently used clothing, school supplies, hygiene products, backpacks, and athletic shoes. Aranda ensures that donations are distributed in private, so nobody knows who is homeless or struggling to protect the privacy and dignity of the family. Contributions are provided by community members and non-profit groups.

“When students come to school, they do not want people to know that they are homeless or that their dad drinks too much. They want to fit in,” states Steve Gebhart, Principal at Dana Middle School. “We are expected to provide an education, but when a student is worried about not having food or a place to live, these needs have to be addressed as well,” continues Gebhart.

Students know where to go if they do not have a jacket, deodorant, or school supplies. “The Attendance Office also lets me know when a family is in crisis,” states Aranda. “The parents are often surprised and grateful to be able to have a few pairs of new socks, school clothes for the kids, and canned goods. Often she hears that families share socks or wear the same pair for days because they can not do laundry,” she states.

Aranda recalls a meaningful experience, saying, “I recently had a mom come in with her daughters, and they had no clothes for school. I gave them a gift card to Target that was donated, and the mom started to cry. She was so relieved that her children could now pick out clothes to wear to school.”

Dana shares surplus donations with San Pedro High School, Bandini, and Barton Hill, as often times siblings of Dana students also attend these schools. Other schools in the community send families to Dana in an effort to help get them what they need. Many of the families at the schools have not received any services up until this point and are unaware of where to go for help. Aranda not only provides donations, but she also works with the parents to teach them how to obtain services and housing on their own.

Donations are always appreciated and needed. Priority items include new and gently used clothing for the entire family, new or gently used athletic shoes for students, hygiene items, bath towels, canned goods, school supplies, new underwear, and backpacks. Gift cards to restaurants, grocery, and clothing stores are also useful. Aranda arranges an adopt-a-family every year for the holidays. She will be connecting families with donors by the end of November. For Thanksgiving, she hopes to create care packages for moms with financial constraints, offering them hygiene products like brushes, toothpaste, soap, and bath towels. With the focus on the children all the times, she feels like mothers deserve positive attention as well.

Donations can be dropped off at the Dana Counseling Office or at the Parent Center. For more information, contact Yolanda Aranda at yaranda@lausd.net or (310) 241-1117.

Dana is also looking for volunteers to assist in beautifying the campus. The PTO is grateful for any help with murals, stenciling, painting, gardening, and cleaning. Volunteers are also needed to pick-up and wash PE uniforms once a week for students who do not have access to laundry machines. If interested, please contact danams.pto@gmail. com or call Glori Sestich at the Parent Center at (310) 241-1100.

Jennifer Marquez can be reached at jennifertmarquez@yahoo.com or @iroamjen on Instagram.

More Reasons Every Day to Be Proud of San Pedro

San Pedro has had a long love affair with the armed services, but not without cost. This was poignantly illustrated by two recent events honoring a pair of San Pedro Marines who fought more than 60 years apart.

The first was the military funeral at Green Hills Memorial Park for PFC Roger Gonzales, a S`48 San Pedro High School graduate, who was killed in 1950 at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. His remains were only recently identified and returned to his family. Hundreds of people, mostly relatives, and friends from his old La Rambla neighborhood who knew of the service only through social media or word of mouth, attended, along with a busload of Marines. Kudos to Green Hills for putting together a moving tribute to one of San Pedro’s lost sons.

The second event was the induction of Ralph DeQuebec in the Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame as a recipient of the Pat Tillman Award. The cover story of last month’s San Pedro Today, DeQuebec, a 1991 San Pedro High grad, was a gunnery sergeant when he lost both legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan in 2012. He walked to the microphone at the Sportswalk ceremony on his prosthetic legs and drew a rousing, standing ovation. His tearful thank yous included a touching salute to his former football coach at San Pedro High School, Mike Walsh. Both events got lots of airplay on local television.

On the national front…

Hey, isn’t that…?

If you’re watching pro football (and that’s most of you), you may have noticed a lot of San Pedro lately.
Otis Livingston, the former San Pedro High School (1985) and Kansas basketball star, is an Emmy Award-winning sportscaster in New York, where he’s also been the sideline reporter on New York Giants and Jets games.

John Hussey, probably Mary Star High’s most famous gridiron alum besides Tim Wrightman, is back for his fourth season as a referee in the NFL. He started his NFL career in 2002 as a line judge, the position he had in the 2011 Super Bowl. You don’t have to look very closely to notice the latest Apple Watch commercial, seen regularly during games, was filmed entirely in San Pedro. It starts out in front of the Point Fermin Market on 39th and Pacific, moves to God-mother’s Saloon downtown, and ends up at Cabrillo Beach. Of course, no one unfamiliar with San Pedro would have a clue as to the locale.

Those watching the baseball playoffs got to see another native San Pedran, Aaron Hicks, who is rising to stardom as the starting centerfielder for the New York Yankees. Hicks, the son of San Pedro High School Hall of Famer Jojo Hicks, was born here, but raised in Orange County. It’s obvious where he got all his talent – his aunt is Cardte Hicks, who was inducted into the San Pedro Hall of Fame with her brother.

In the Land of Social Media…

Two thumbs up for the new website, storieslaharborarea.com, featuring interviews with Harbor Area residents, some well-known, some not so well-known, talking about local history. The short vignettes, co-produced by San Pedro Today columnist and Emmy Award-winner, Jack Baric, and L.A. Harbor International Film Festival founder, Stephanie Mardesich, are a promising start to what should be a valuable and entertaining addition to our digital historical archive.

And for you music fans out there, check out the interview on Minnesota Public Radio with San Pedro composer Mark McKenzie (a Minnesota native) on his latest soundtrack for the animated film, Max and Me. The film, telling the true story of Franciscan friar Maximillian Kolbe, who died in Auschwitz and was canonized in 1982, has yet to be released, but the soundtrack is available as a download. The interview is available at yourclassical.org.

More Hall of Famers…

San Pedro High School alum John Burich (W`54) was recently honored when Carson High School named its weight room after him. Burich is a legend in San Pedro; he was a lifeguard at Cabrillo Beach for 50 years (1953-2003) and wrestled professionally. He also was a longtime biology teacher at Carson, where he instituted weight training in 1969 and was credited with helping develop the players who made the Colts a city powerhouse throughout the `70s and `80s. Considering San Pedro High School’s football fortunes during that same period, is it fair to ask how we let this one get away?

San Pedro High School’s Tony Dobra, the most successful softball coach in city history, will be inducted into the LAUSD Hall of Fame next year. Dobra, also inducted into the Sportswalk this year, will be the fifth San Pedro High School alum inducted into the biennial LAUSD hall, joining Willie Naulls, Louise Figlewicz Quick, Frank Endo, and Cardte Hicks.

Jeff Kiesel, my San Pedro High School classmate (W`69) and best man at my wedding, was recently inducted into the Aquatic Capital of America Hall of Fame in Long Beach in the new category of paddling. Kiesel, who starred for both the Pirate and YMCA swim teams, moved from the pool to boat racing in the `70s. He started out in outriggers and was a member of the U.S. national over-50 dragon boat team that finished second in the 2007 World Championships in Sydney. He’s not done; he’s hoping to make the over-60 team next year.

Members of Facebook’s San Pedro Born and Raised and Very Proud group are familiar with the woodcarvings of San Pedro native, Raymond Kinman (I went to school with his late brother, Larry). Now living in Northern California, Kinman was a Disney Imagineer for many years, and will be featured on PBS’s “The American Woodshop” with Scott and Suzy Phillips, when the new season premieres in January. This guy has some mad skills, but don’t take my word for it. Visit his website at wood-carverguru.com.

Steve Marconi can be reached at spmarconi@yahoo.com.

Živjeli to Love!

“If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life, better make a Croatian woman your wife…”

Okay, so that’s not technically how the 1963 Jimmy Soul song goes, but perhaps it should have.

Katarina (Dusevic)’s upbringing was very much a part of the Croatian community of San Pedro. “My dad came to San Pedro in the ‘70s from Croatia,” she explains. “Both he and his brother got married and started their families here.” Growing up, Katarina enjoyed participating in a variety of traditional activities, including performing folklore dancing for many years.

Billy, according to Katarina, “had an all-American upbringing on the hill,” including playing baseball at Peninsula High School, where the couple both attended and met in 2005. Though they often ran in the same social circles, their love story didn’t officially start then. “Billy claims he tried to get my attention a couple of times while back in school,” says Katarina. “But to this day, I don’t buy it.”

About ten years later, Billy enjoyed a trip to the Balkans. While traveling, he remembered fondly the Croatian girl he once went to high school with. “One Facebook request, and the rest is history!” says Billy.

The couple dated for two years, and while both shared interests such as a love of outdoor activities, including hiking, paddle boarding, and tennis, the duo also have differences that still compliment one another. “I like to think we are the perfect yin and yang couple,” says Katarina. “I am very emotional and he is very logical.”

Billy’s logic certainly came in handy on March 5, 2017. Planning to propose, he asked Katarina to go on a walk with him…in the rain. “I was complaining the whole time and being a total brat,” Katarina humorously recalls. After about ten minutes of trying to persuade her to go to a more secluded location, Billy got down on one knee and proposed. As luck would have it, the sun quickly came out just in time for the newly engaged couple to head to Billy’s parents home, where both families were waiting to celebrate.

Later that summer, it was Katarina’s turn to help create a memorable experience. This time, in her family’s homeland. The couple stayed at Katarina’s family home in Croatia, where Billy was able to experience the “selo [village] life.” The trip also included a four-day stop in Ireland, where Billy’s ancestors are from.

The love of family and heritage continued on their wedding day, April 7, 2018, at St. Anthony’s Croatian Catholic Church in Downtown Los Angeles.

The traditional ceremony, officiated by Father Zvonimir Coric, included father of the bride, Mate Dusevic, escorting Katarina down the aisle in front of 375 guests in attendance. The couple was also joined by mother of the bride, Dinka; parents of the groom, Robert and Stephanie Barron; matrons of honor, Ivana Bujas and Zora Kunich; bridesmaids Zrinka Dusevic, Kimberly Hults, Marina Kaymakcalan, and Stacey Williams; best man, Bryan Alt; and groomsmen, Robert Bujas, Brian Hults, Frank Kunich, Drew Whelchel, and Ryan Williams.

The youngest members of the wedding party included flower girls, Petra Bujas and Mila Kunich, and “ring security,” Christopher Bujas, Luka Kaymakcalan, Marko Kunich, Eric Williams, and Mark Williams.

During cocktail hour in St. Anthony’s main hall, guests were treated to delicious small bites and Croatian liquors, all while enjoying traditional tamburica music.

The lively wedding reception included family-style dinner and entertainment provided by DJ Bill Lovelace. A Croatian celebration wouldn’t be complete without dessert. “The desserts were endless,” Katarina exclaims. “My mom has baked thousands of cookies and desserts for other friends and family’s weddings, and the favor was certainly returned in kind.”

Though it is difficult to pick a favorite moment of the night, the couple shares a personal memory. “When we sat down to have dinner, I told Katarina to look up and just absorb what was going on,” recalls Billy. “For about a minute, we just sat there, in awe that all the hard work paid off, and all of these people were here for us.” Katarina adds, “It was an incredible feeling.”

Three months after the big day, the newlyweds went on a honeymoon to Bali, Indonesia. They, of course, made time to cheer on Croatia in the 2018 World Cup.

In addition to Katarina working towards getting her Master’s Degree in Counseling from LMU in May, the couple hopes to continue their love of travel and visit as many destinations as possible. They later hope to start a family, and pass down their inherited pride in their culture, while also creating their own special traditions for the next generation.

Billy and Katarina currently reside in Rancho Palos Verdes. Billy is an account executive for Bridgestone Global Mining, and Katarina is a fourth-grade teacher at Holy Trinity School in San Pedro.

Little America

Historically, there are only two areas in the entirety of San Pedro that were dominated by a single ethnic group, so much so that it warranted a nickname.

The earliest was “Little Sweden” on 6th Street between Centre and Mesa Streets before the business district crept west from the waterfront. The last and largest was “Mexican Hollywood,” a poor neighborhood of ramshackle homes in the area where the cruise ship terminal now sits. Any other “little” designation is contrived and could be construed as disrespectful to the inter-mingled fabric of San Pedro’s storied diverse neighborhoods where on any given block you could count as many different ethnicities as you have fingers on your hands. It makes as much sense claiming a large swath of San Pedro for any one group as it would to claim something similar on Ellis Island.

If San Pedro is a “little” anything, it is a Little America. It was the port of opportunity, and every single San Pedran is united by the fact that someone in our family was smart enough to realize it and brave enough to cross countries and oceans to get here. San Pedro is proof positive that the grand experiment that is America can work, that immigrants from all over the world can come here, live together, work hard and give their families better lives. These Pedro pioneers managed to retain their cultural identities while becoming fierce Americans, instilling in their children the importance of making your voice heard, whether it be on the picket line or at the ballot box. Diversity, work ethic and civic engagement are the core pillars of San Pedro culture and we should use them to build more than just a plaza, San Pedro needs a museum.

A museum is the mirror a community needs to see their experiences reflected in, a place where their stories can be told. San Pedro’s unique culture and history, apart from the city of Los Angeles and even the port, make it more than deserving of such a place. And there is no better time than now for one to emerge, because we’re going to need it. San Pedro is on the verge of major change and we need to have the knowledge of our past to guide us through these uncertain waters.

A quick look at history shows us that we’ve been in this position before. Charismatic leaders waving the banner of development, promising that what we sacrifice today will bring a better San Pedro tomorrow. In 1909, we gave up our independence to the city of Los Angeles and in the 1970s we gave up Beacon Street. The question we should all be asking ourselves is, what are we willing to give up today?

San Pedro is going to change, but it’s up to all of us to make sure that we have a say in how it changes. The world can’t afford to overlook this community anymore. We’ve been told time and time again that we’re the next frontier. So, whatever you love about San Pedro, be prepared to fight for it, however you can.

There is so much I love about San Pedro that it would tear me apart trying to save it all. I’m reminded of a slogan that appeared on a banner over Beacon Street at the height of the battle over joining the City of L.A., “Take All But Our Harbor.”

Take all but our stories.

Buildings and people come and go but their stories can last forever if we give them a venue. And there are thousands of stories begging to be told. That’s why I’ve decided to establish the San Pedro Heritage Museum.

Heritage, to me, means a history and a culture that has been passed on through a commonality. San Pedro is the thing that unites all San Pedrans, the transplants and the legacies. The mission of the San Pedro Heritage Museum will be to identify, preserve, and promote our unique history and culture.

Undated photo of women in various traditional cultural dress outside Point Fermin Lighthouse. (photo: courtesy San Pedro Bay Historical Society)
Undated photo of women in various traditional cultural dress outside Point Fermin Lighthouse. (photo: courtesy San Pedro Bay Historical Society)

This is how I’m choosing to fight for the San Pedro I love. It’s a big deal and I’m super scared but my strength comes from these stories, like the one about a boy from Mexican Hollywood who grew up to be a lifeguard and turned some jars on a card table into the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. I’m going to honor that boy, John Olguin, and just “do it, do it.”

If you’re willing to fight for the San Pedro you love and want to arm yourself with some history, please join me Sunday, November 4, at Siren’s Java & Tea House (356 W. 7th Street) at 1 p.m. for a free presentation called, “San Pedro History Basics.” This will be a great introduction to key events in local history. I will also be sharing more about my plans for the San Pedro Heritage Museum and how you can get involved. For more information and to RSVP, please email sanpedroher-itagemuseum@gmail.com or call (310) 808-7800.

L.A. Sportswalk of Fame Honors Local Athletes

The San Pedro Sportswalk to the Waterfront received a brand new name. The newly-titled Los Angeles Sportswalk of Fame celebrated a new group of honorees at an induction ceremony on Monday, October 8.

The nonprofit organization, which also celebrates its 40th anniversary, also held its event at a new location, in front of the Battleship USS Iowa. Record attendance was set for the occasion, and more than $20,000 was raised for the local Boys & Girls Clubs.

Rick Pielago, President of the L.A. Sportswalk Foundation, noted, “I think we set a new standard for our organization with our latest induction. We had world-class athletic talent, a hometown flair, coupled with a military salute while raising money for a great cause. But, being competitive types ourselves, we can’t wait to break our own records in 2019.”

This year, the L.A. Sportswalk presented a plaque to a record-number eleven inductees. Special guests involved in the induction ceremony included Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, and Los Angeles City Councilmember Joe Buscaino, who awarded each athlete with proclamations from both the County and City.

Sportscasters Petros Papadakis and Ed Arnold (Sportswalk honoree), and Vince Ferragamo (Sportswalk honoree), took turns at the podium with introductions, remarks, and questions for the newest inductees.

Bringing the illustrious total up to 150 honorees, this year’s L.A. Sportswalk of Fame inductees included:

Swimming legend, Joe Bird, has run over 25 marathons and competed in the Hawaiian Iron Man four times, but is best known for a wonderful career teaching and coaching swimming and water polo from 1961–1981 at Fermin Lasuen and Mira Costa High Schools. In three short years at Mira Costa, he turned the Mustangs into a swimming and water polo powerhouse, developing over 30 swimming All-Americans, countless All-CIF water polo players, and led both a 14’s team and a 16’s team to water polo national championships.

Motorcycle racing legend, Johnny Campbell, a San Clemente native, is an 11-time Baja 1000 Champion, establishing himself as one of the Kings of the Desert. Campbell’s success at the Baja 1000, where riders navigate their way across 1,000 miles of rugged Mexican terrain, is beyond explainable, winning eleven times at insane speeds on a motorcycle, a feat many in the sport consider to be untouchable.

Tillman Award winner, Ralph De-Quebec, USA Paralympic Sled Hockey Gold Medalist, United States Marine, San Pedro High School football alumni, who was notably featured on the cover of last month’s issue of San Pedro Today.

Baseball legend and business mogul, Ray Deeter, earned All-City honors at San Pedro High School for baseball and went on to Compton College after serving for the US in the Navy. In 1948, Ray played in the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues in 1948, followed by World Softball Championships in 1952-1953. In 1962 with the Mary Star softball team, he won another world championship in Connecticut and was named MVP of the tournament. Deeter was also a successful business leader in San Pedro for over 40 years.

Softball coaching legend and Trani Award winner, Tony Dobra, garnered an impeccable coaching record in 35 years coaching both at San Pedro High School and Mary Star. In his 29 years with San Pedro, the Pirates won 21 league crowns and 13 CIF-Los Angeles City Section championships. Dobra won 735 games, fourth all time in California according to Cal-Hi Sports.

Christopher Forsberg is the most successful drifting driver, having won three championships and 57 podium finishes. In Japan, Forsberg won a third Formula Drift championship.

Don Horn had an illustrious career in football at Gardena High from 1960–1962, and later quarterbacked Harbor College to an unbeaten 1964 season, played at San Diego State and quarterbacked the Aztecs to a 1966 “Small College” national championship. In 1967, he was drafted 25th overall in the NFL by legendary Green Bay Packers Coach Vince Lomardi, and was a member of the 1967 Packers team that won Super Bowl II.

Robby Gordon, son of off-road racer “Baja Bob Gordon,” got his start in off-road racing and won five straight SCORE championships from 1986–1990, a sixth championship in 1996, and then a seventh in 2009. In his career Gordon has won titles in Indy Cars, NASCAR sports cars, and off-road race cars, piling up victories in the Trans-Am Series, Formula Off-Road Series, the Inaugural Stadium Super Truck Championship, the Baja 1000 three times, and the Baja 500 four times.

Frank Manumaleuna was a four-sport star at Banning High in the early 1970s, but it was football where he most excelled. Manumaleuna went on to play at the likes of UCLA, San Jose State, the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, and the USFL Portland Breakers in his career.

NFL Hall of Famer and USC athletic director, Lynn Swann, who as a top-notch wide receiver, was a member of the 1972 undefeated national champion Trojans team, and won four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Mike Scioscia, who recently finished his 19th season as the manager of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, lead-ing the Angels to the World Series title in 2002, and won over 1,500 games. In his playing days, Scioscia played in the Major Leagues for 15 years, winning two World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981 and 1988.

Class of 2018 (l to r): Robby Gordon, Mike Scoiscia, Frank Manumaleuna, Lynn Swann, Tony Dobra, Johnny Campbell, Joe Bird, Chris Fors-berg, Don Horn and Ralph DeQuebec. Councilman Joe Buscaino and Supervisor Janice Hahn (center) were also in attendance. (photo: Michael Baker)

Taking the Stage

“Vulnerability is our greatest strength,” says Renée O’Connor, actor, producer, director, and resident of San Pedro. “In this time in our lives when the risks of being open and accessible are scarier than when I was a kid, being strong enough to speak what is truthful, being compassionate with everyone, and being authentic in every moment is vital to being a great actor.” Keeping these principals in mind, O’Connor (famously known for her role as Gabrielle in Xena: Warrior Princess) is using her expertise to help young and aspiring actors learn more about their craft, as well as themselves.

Photo of Renée O'Connor (photo: courtesy Renée O'Connor)
Renée O’Connor (photo: courtesy Renée O’Connor)

O’Connor, along with husband, Jed Sura, and their children, are all heavily involved in the San Pedro arts and theater community, including work with Encore South Bay, Little Fish Theatre, and her own production company, ROC Productions. “There have been many opportunities where we work with [kids] to develop their scenes, both on and off the stage,” says O’Connor. “Eventually, I had enough parents asking, ‘When are you going to start a class in our area?’ And so, I did it.”

Her Fundamentals of Acting classes are geared for ages 13 and up, with O’Connor teaching a variety of skills and methods, most notably, the Sanford Meisner Technique. “The technique teaches how to live truthfully in a moment,” says O’Connor. “Its still in the foundation of everything I do, on stage and in film.” In addition, she also offers classes that assist in audition techniques, as well as an introduction to performing Shakespeare. “I teach a way to deconstruct the text, so there is no fear,” she explains.

In today’s evolving entertainment world, young actors face new challenges. “Young actors today have a delicate balance to play with social media,” O’Connor describes. “On one hand, producers will take an interest in actors who are ‘influencers’ or who have a large following on social media. It also offers these young actors a platform to develop their own material and have instant feedback. The problem, which in my opinion, is larger than the benefit of having a large social media following, is that these actors very quickly think their greatness is in response to how many ‘likes’ they have acquired. Therefore, the amount of time spent trying to please an audience who is a click away from bullying you is time wasted. Instead, I am persuasive about guiding students to develop a craft which will be useful as a great actor.”

In addition to producing the film Watch the Sky, directed by San Pedro-raised, Alex Murillo, as well as recently finishing her second production with Little Fish Theatre, On Clover Road, O’Connor herself is constantly learning from her performances, saying, “I am always looking for new challenges.”

Looking to the future, O’Connor hopes to see young actors thrive in their careers, become involved within the local arts community, and continue to teach her a thing or two. “The students I have now have a desire to learn and that is infectious,” she proudly shares. “They are trusting me by being in my class and being open to what I have to say.” She adds, “I am honored, really.”

Fundamentals of Acting classes are held at the Grand Annex (434 W. 6th St.). For more information, visit ROCpictures.com.

Dojo Defense

What is Budo? Traditionally in Japanese, “bu” means war, and “do” means way or path to enlightenment. However, its meaning is much greater in concept. Marcus Bossett, Renshi and owner of the recently opened Budo Pavilion explains, “It’s a life choice.”

Bossett’s martial arts knowledge took shape while he was a pre-teen attending military school. In a teacher’s attempt to avoid Bossett’s failing of a class, he was encouraged to participate in a karate lesson. “In that class, I gained pride, honor, respect, and self-worth,” Bossett recalls. “[That teacher] changed the course of my life.”

Martial arts quickly became a passion for Bossett, who later participated in UFC fighting as well as a variety of work within film and television. As a certified instructor and fifth-degree black belt, he has dedicated his life to teaching those same values and inspiring others through his craft. “I am someone who loves the martial arts and wants to keep tradition, but share it in a new way,” he explains.

One particular program that is gaining attention is Budo Pavilion’s women’s self-defense class, which is offered weekly on Friday nights and is free of charge. “As a black man with a black belt, I feel it is my responsibility to offer these free classes and help protect my community,” says Bossett. Bossett’s personal connection to the horrific crimes of assault inspired him to help others learn how to properly defend themselves. After the tragic passing of his sister, Bossett decided to help empower women and provide them with important, life-saving techniques. “I wish that no woman would ever go through this kind of trauma,” says Bossett. “I provide defenses that are easy, fast, and effective.”

The main focus of all programs offered is to enhance the lives of members of the San Pedro community, “We want to help kids and young adults learn more about themselves, and build strong bodies, as well as character,” says Bossett. “As for adults, we also offer fun and exciting training opportunities.”

Budo Pavilion is a unique dojo, featuring a knowledgeable and expert sensei staff, and offering a wide variety of programs for all levels, including karate, kobudo, kyudo, aikido, kendo, jiujitsu, and kung-fu. They also offer training in European swords, Western archery, and for you Star Wars fans, even light sabers!

“I want to help San Pedro become a stronger destination city. I want to bring the best martial arts teachers here from all over the world, and through the practice of martial arts and self-defense, help people grow from unsure to beyond confident,” says Bossett.

Budo Pavilion is located at 1117 S. Pacific Ave. Free Woman’s Self Defense Classes (Ages 15+) are held every Friday, 7:30 – 8:30p. For more info, call (424) 287-BUDO (2836) or visit budopavilion.net.

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