GARFIELD PARK AND OUTREACH FOR PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING (10/6/06)

As part of my work with various communities often times we are forced to come out with solutions linked to crime and violence that involve bringing various groups together to understand the situation and then without much fun fare bring about some change. We chose to have a nice Bar-B-Queue at Garfield Union Park that has a nice play ground for children, a swimming pool, soccer fields, and a staff from Recreation and Park that try their level best to serve the community. The facility is surrounded by a mixture of communities. You have normal residents that are home owners and renters, folks from Bernal Tenants Public Housing, and Day Laborers. There are others too that impact these communities lots of drug dealers and others that come from outside to adversely impact the communities. Some time ago a Day Laborer was shot and killed - not that he committed any crime but just because some thugs thought he should be killed. It is such type of action that forced some of us in the community and others all advocates from the area to put this unique Bar-B-Queue together. Thank you to the core group - you all know who you are. Oct 5, 2006 was a rainy day but we were blessed with those that wanted to meet us and peace out - we fed over 700 people and this was good. We met many Day Laborers that had never been invited to such an open Bar-B-Queue in the community and they were all pleased that some one was thinking about them. Towards the afternoon we had tamales distributed and before that lots of hot dogs, chips, water and soft drinks. There was a lot of good feeling and it was nice to see the poor and others that are not main stream come, eat, share their feelings and aspirations and feel good. We thank all those children, women, and men of good faith that saw fit to meet this challenge and make a difference. We thank our sponsors for the food and most of all for their love. We thank the community for allow us to make a difference.

The Crew.

Bernal Heights.

Youth in the Park.

Ogs.

Tamales.

Thank You Norcal.

Bar-B-Que time.

Day Laborers.

The Swimming Pool.


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