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Neighbors Do Good!

Please click link below to nominate your neighbor!

https://goo.gl/forms/mJ6LHU5UQleGZVwl1

Front Yard Friday Launches in the West Side Neighborhood

Front Yard Fridays is one of We Love Long Beach’s newest Neighborhood Tools with the simple hope to better connect neighbors one block at a time, and to help further encourage safer, healthier, and more loving neighbors throughout the city of Long Beach. We think loving and caring for neighbors is vital to a flourishing community on every block. These yard signs are a simple tool to help equip neighbors to host block gatherings that are not run by We Love Long Beach, but by fellow neighbors. We believe this is the best way to create sustainable neighborliness.

Front Yard Fridays works when neighbors purchase a Front Yard Friday yard sign from the We Love Long Beach store on our website ( https://tinyurl.com/ycnqkmry ) Once neighbors have a We Love LB yard sign hosts are encouraged to invite neighbors via a flyer or word of mouth to host neighbors in their front yard, sidewalk, alley, courtyard, condo hall way, or whatever space they have available. The yard sign is a signal to all neighbors there is going to be a party on the upcoming Friday! What time the party starts and when the party ends is up to the Front Yard Friday host and their neighbors. So get creative.

The genesis of Front Yard Friday started with our board member Christine Gibson and her neighbors on Carita Street in the South of Conant neighborhood. When I talked with Christine she said two things struck her about how Front Yard Fridays started.

The first thing was that on Fridays nights were where the weekend began. Christine’s neighbors were naturally hanging out already in their Front Yard with their kids and would connect with one another. These Friday connections became regular parties.

The second thing that struck her was that when her family began adding on to the back of her home, they moved all of their backyard activity to the front yard. The neighbors loved it, because there was a greater sense of peace and security to be able to see your neighbors outside.

Out of those simple experiences Christine and the SoCo neighbors, which is a neighborhood group that she help start, launched their own Front Yard Friday yard signs to better connect neighbors.

A few years later We Love LB has launched our own version of Front Yard Friday to better connect neighbors one block at a time through out the city of Long Beach.

Here is an interview with Rachel Rainwater, who hosted her first Front Yard Friday with her neighbors in the West Side neighbors.

We Love LB: How long have you lived in the West Side neighborhood?

Rachel Rainwater: I moved in March 2017. I have been born and raised in LB, but this is my first time living on the West Side.

Why do you think it is important to get to know and care about your neighbors?

We are all part of a community. If the members don’t work together, the community will fail. Help each other. Have fun with each other. Borrow each others tools. Gather each others mail when they are out of town

How did you hear about hosting a Front Yard Friday?

A coworker does it in her neighborhood, I went on the West Side Facebook page and asked if we do it, and then someone suggested I do it

Why did you decide to host a Front Yard Friday?

I have always grown up knowing my neighbors. I didn’t like that I don’t really know my neighbors yet at my new house, and I wanted to change that.

Did you have any fears or reservations about hosting your neighbors in front of your home?

Absolutely! Its always nerve-wracking to have new people over. Small things like: my house isn’t clean enough. my house isn’t nice enough. my yard could use to be weeded. My leaves could use to be raked. What if their kids come and break stuff. What if they are not dog lovers!? haha

What were a few highlights from Front Yard Friday?

It was great to meet nice down to earth people. We quickly discovered that we had a lot in common with one another.

Would you Host again?

Sure, why not. I have a front yard, a fire pit, and I don’t mind it at all.

Any words of encouragement to anyone that is on the fence about hosting?

Swallow that uneasiness and just do it. Ha Ha Meet your neighbors! Don’t stress about it too much, just put the word out and next thing you know you have new friends!

What is your dream for your neighbors?

My dream for my West Side neighborhood is to work together more and do more good for others. There are so many in need, imagine the changes we could make in our community if we all work together….imagine how many people we could help. It could be life altering for so many.

Any other ideas around how you want to connect with neighbors?

I think the biggest hurdle is getting the word out. In the West Side we have a lot of older residences. They may not go on social media, or things like that. I would love to hear stories about how our neighborhood used to be, and get to know them all, but if they don’t know about it, how can I?

If you want to purchase a Front Yard Friday Sign, or any other yard sign go to the We Love Long Beach store below. All yard sign purchases goes to creating more tools and experiences to connecting neighbors one block at a time.

https://welovelb.bigcartel.com/product/wllb-yard-signs

Community Is Vital

We are thrilled to be partnering with the Art Theater Long Beach to show this important documentary SUMMER IN THE FORREST tomorrow, 4/29 at 11:00am at the Art Theater.

SUMMER IN THE FORREST is about Jean Vanier, who founded L’Arche in the 1960s as community near Paris that has become home to many men and women with developmental disabilities. The filmmakers follow Mr. Vanier, now in his 80s, as he lives and works with those who have Down syndrome and other conditions.

For SUMMER IN THE FOREST Movie Tickets and Information:

http://72268.formovietickets.com:2235/T.ASP?WCI=BT&Page=schedule&SelectedDate=20180429

After the screening, We Love LB will host a powerful Q&A. We are honored to have three special guests, who have spent their lives striving to shape a Long Beach community that is more loving, inclusive, and aware of all people with all abilities. One of our guests, who will be sharing after the film is Ricky Nguyen

Here is a glimpse into Ricky’s incredible story.

WLLB: How does having a special needs child affect the way you value community?

Ricky Nguyen: I’ve always believed that being a part of a community is vital, that the feeling of being included and accepted is something we all seek as human beings. Before my son’s diagnosis, I really felt like we had that. It was strong, tight knit, and served its purpose at that point in our lives. But you know...communities change. They are as malleable and fluid as we are. And as our needs and circumstances changed, so did our desire for a community that would adapt to those changes. Having a child with special needs didn’t radically alter our sense of what a community was, but rather, it shifted the way we accessed it and how it would come to serve us as a family. I began to realize that it wasn’t enough to just be present, but that we had to participate in it to make sure it was the best fit for us and, most importantly, our children. So we did! We connected with some amazing families at our son’s school, started attending district sponsored CAC meetings, began seeking out special needs friendly events/programs in our area, and made a concerted effort to get out of our bubble and really expand our network. It’s been a revelation and I couldn’t be prouder and more satisfied with our growing community.

WLLB: What is a piece of advice that you would give parents of a child with special needs who wants to educate and spread awareness?

Ricky: Do what you can and, maybe more importantly, do what you’re comfortable with. Awareness doesn’t ask that you put your life on hold to raise that banner 24/7. That’s taxing, and, ultimately, unrealistic. Tackle awareness and education on you own terms. Keep it organic, keep it honest, and know that it can happen anywhere...a grocery store, a PTA meeting, a playground, even your local Starbucks. I’ve come to learn that something as simple as exposure is enough to change some minds and spark some much needed dialogue. I try my best every day to not shield my child from experiences/people unnecessarily and take each encounter (whether good or bad) as a teachable moment. So be willing to share your experiences, tell your stories (the good ones and even the not so good ones), but always practice some discretion as your audience might not be as receptive as you’d like. I’ve definitely had my fair share of missteps and obstacles, but I’ve found that aligning myself with likeminded people in safe and welcoming spaces has done wonders for promoting and guiding my messages of awareness. So seek out those channels, use the resources at your disposal, and always do what feels right for you whether it be at a local/national level or just sitting down with friends and family and having an honest conversation.

WLLB: What’s been the most challenging part of raising awareness for your family?

Ricky: Without question, it would be visibility. It’s the constant emotional tug of war that comes with too much disclosure or, at times, not enough. My wife Julie and I honestly struggled early on with how and when to talk to our friends and family about our son’s autism. We were constantly reconciling our presumptions with other people’s presumptions and oftentimes ended up right back where we started...confused and alone. We wanted to talk about his autism, talk about the challenges of our daily life, HIS daily life...but do it in a way that didn’t misconstrue our true intentions, immediately invoke sympathy or worse...dismissiveness. Compound that with the generations worth of cultural stigma surrounding mental illness from our parents and we were grasping at straws most of the time. It was a process, one that strained relationships, tested friendships, and kept us up on countless nights...but it was one that needed to happen and one that helped us learn so much more about ourselves and what awareness really looks like. Today, we talk openly about his autism. We remain honest, but we pick and choose the moments we want to share with the world. They’re silly, celebratory, occasionally tough, but always real. I guess that’s what awareness looks like for us now. We can live with that.

WLLB: Final thoughts?

Ricky: Find your community. Wherever it may be, whatever it may look like... find a place where you belong and feel accepted. And make sure it is respectful, honest, and sensitive to needs of all of its members. That’s what inclusion means to us and that’s the community we’re all striving for. It may not always be easy, but then again, it’s not as hard as you think. Work at it, nurture it, and be accountable for it. Because you know...it’s a community, not fairy dust.

For SUMMER IN THE FOREST Movie Tickets and Information:

http://72268.formovietickets.com:2235/T.ASP?WCI=BT&Page=schedule&SelectedDate=20180429

Inclusion For All: Interview with Community Leader, Nubia Flores Cedeño

We are thrilled to be partnering with the Art Theater Long Beach to show this important documentary SUMMER IN THE FORREST on Sunday, 4/29 at 11:00am at the Art Theater.

For SUMMER IN THE FOREST Movie Tickets and Information:

http://72268.formovietickets.com:2235/T.ASP?WCI=BT&Page=schedule&SelectedDate=20180429

Here is a glimpse into Nubia incredible story.

We Love Long Beach: How does having a special needs child affect the way you value community?

Nubia Flores Cedeño: I’ve learned how incredibly valuable and powerful community can be and that it comes in all forms - Your neighborhood where you live, your school community, your city and state. And I’ve learned the importance of being an active member in each of those communities for the sake of my son and children like him, children with special needs. One of my parents’ favorite sayings is, “Lo que se siembra, se cosecha,” which translated is the saying, what you give out is what will come back to you. I am a mom, first and foremost, and when you have a child with special needs, there’s a lot more care involved and needed at home and at school. I realized that not only was it necessary to be a good mom, I need to be a part of the change within the community.

WLLB: What is a piece of advice that you would give parents of a child with special needs who wants to educate and spread awareness?

Nubia: It was really hard for me to even conceive of the idea of doing work outside my home because my son required lots of care. So, what I want to say to parents, if you don’t have time right now to educate and spread awareness, that’s okay. However, if and when you have a moment where you see or feel an injustice or see an area that requires improvement and it angers or disappoints you, use that moment to fuel you and talk to other parents to help make that change. That’s how it started for me. I saw many parents around me working tirelessly for our community and I had no idea where or how to jump in, or if I even had the time. That all changed for me on election night, in 2016 when the country elected a person that could go on national television and mock a disabled reporter. The vision of him mocking a disabled reporter kept playing in my head and I could not stop crying. I thought, how could a person like that even begin to empathize with our community? I feared that a person like that could set us on a backwards path in this country. I feared that somehow this person and his actions could give permission to others to exhibit this behavior. After weeks of crying and sadness and one march in downtown Los Angeles in January, I suddenly felt empowered. I saw many people like myself that were ready to be a part of positive change. That was my moment. I got fired up! Since then, I just show up. I go to meetings, I joined the City of Long Beach’s Neighborhood Leadership Program (where I learned how to be a community organizer here in our city), I reached out to our local, state and federal representatives, I attend CAC meetings (Community Advisory Committee, LBUSD parent group). I have asked all of our representatives, “What will you do to help special education in our schools?” And probably the most important things I’ve done for my community is I joined my son’s PTA at his school. If we want inclusion for our kids at school it has to begin with us, the parents. We have to be our children’s voice and if you want to see an immediate impact in our community, you can start at your child’s school. Share your story, invite others to learn how they can help, and take part in the planning of events. I keep this quote by Shirley Chisholm close to my heart, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

WLLB: What’s been the most challenging part of raising awareness for your family.

Nubia: For our family, the most challenging part was understanding how others, even in our own extended family, how they couldn’t just jump in and help. Many in our own family stopped calling to include us after the diagnosis. It felt as if people began putting distance between us and them. Except my mom. My mother was and is amazing and I have to give her a huge shout out! But that time was hurtful and the scars are still there. When we first received the diagnosis, we had a period of time of just trying to figure out what it all meant and how to get support in place for our son. There was a period of our own education and unfortunately you can’t educate others until you’ve educated yourself and it was during that time that it felt like people pulled away. But in working in the community, I’ve learned that people do want to help and be supportive. They just don’t know how to. I’ve learned to assume goodwill. If people don’t jump in right away, its most likely because they don’t know how to.

WLLB: Final thoughts?

I am thankful for this opportunity to share a little insight about our family. If you want to help, support parents like me out in our community. If you see us at a PTA meeting asking about how we can help make an event more inclusive for our kids with sensory challenges, support that parent. Ask yourself when you vote in elections across the board, “Is the candidate inclusive and supportive of helping all of our citizens, including those with different abilities?” Or when you see a parent at a school board meeting urging the school district to promote and provide inclusion for all our students, support that parent. Because in the end, inclusion is good for all and ALL MEANS ALL.

For SUMMER IN THE FOREST Movie Tickets and Information:

http://72268.formovietickets.com:2235/T.ASP?WCI=BT&Page=schedule&SelectedDate=20180429

Everyone Belongs Here: The Gift of Community

We are thrilled to be partnering with the Art Theater Long Beach to show this important documentary SUMMER IN THE FORREST on Sunday, 4/29 at 11:00am at the Art Theater.

For SUMMER IN THE FOREST Movie Tickets and Information:

http://72268.formovietickets.com:2235/T.ASP?WCI=BT&Page=schedule&SelectedDate=20180429

Here is a glimpse into Nancy’s beautiful story.

WLLB: How does having a special needs child affect the way you value community?

Nancy Simons: I’ve learned that the saying, “it takes a village” is not a saying at all. It’s actually the honest truth. We need our community, it’s without a doubt invaluable to my family. Our communities have so many hidden gifts and talents just waiting to be uncovered. The assets are all around us. Building relationships with our neighbors, local groups, restaurants, schools etc… are essential to our survival. We were born to connect. Which is why I find it incredibly ironic that we isolate the most vulnerable of us all. Everyone should have a seat at the table. We all have something to contribute and I believe the most successful communities thrive because they care for the weak and most vulnerable.

WLLB: What is a piece of advice that you would give parents of a child with special needs who want to educate and spread awareness?

Nancy: My advice would be to think small! I know that may sound a bit weird but I remember the day I decided that I wanted to get involved and really help to create change. I immediately felt alone, overwhelmed with no direction. I came to the conclusion that I was having a hard time with the word CHANGE. I was overthinking it and couldn’t get past not being able to change the things I wanted to on a large scale. I decided to make small changes in very smalls ways. I started with changing the culture in my own home. We worked as a family on what words we needed to incorporate in our daily language and which words we would discontinue. We believe that words create worlds. We decided to educate our neighbors by inviting them over more often and going to their homes more often and organically educating them about our son. From there, we started educating our children’s schools and sports teams. We unknowingly started a ripple effect by just starting at home with our own family. I joined our school district’s Community Advisory Committee to develop relationships with other special needs parents and our school district. Get involved locally.

WLLB: What’s been the most challenging part of raising awareness for your family.

Nancy: The hardest part without question is respecting your privacy and most importantly our child’s privacy. We actually struggle with this everyday. My husband, Brad, and I talk about our son’s autism very openly. It wasn’t always that way. We didn’t tell our family and friends about our son’s diagnosis until 8 months after the actual diagnosis. We had completely isolated ourselves. We felt sad, lonely, devastated, vulnerable, even depressed. We just felt like outcasts that didn’t really belong anymore. We finally came to the conclusion that this wasn’t good for anyone. We decided that we didn’t want anyone to feel the way we felt during that time. We didn’t want kids to experience what our son was experiencing. The lack of awareness and the lack of understanding led us to come forward in hopes that we could help other families who were feeling the way we did.

WLLB: Why is community important to you?

Nancy: Community is important to me because it saved my life. After my son’s diagnosis I became a different person. I started to view the world negatively. I was constantly looking through the lens of “what’s wrong?” I was living my life in anger. Everything changed the day we invited all of our neighbors from our street to our front lawn for breakfast. A few weeks before that we attempted to knock on doors to let our neighbors know that our child has Autism and has turned into an escape artist. We were concerned for his safety and felt like we really needed help. We could no longer do this alone. How long did we really expect to shut our front door and keep our child inside? The knocking on doors did not go well at all. People seemed hesitant to talk or confused about Autism. The breakfast really facilitated asking for help organically. We discovered that it wasn’t people not caring or not having empathy rather than they needed the language and guidance to feel comfortable helping. Now I view the world through the lens of “what are people doing that’s right?” I approach my concerns and needs for my child with love. In the end, love really does win.

WLLB: Final thoughts?

Nancy: Some misconceptions about raising a special needs child is that we’re not looking for sympathy. We’re looking for empathy. We’re looking for our child to be included because we should all be included. Seeking accommodations for our child because they may learn a little differently and view the world differently does not mean we want to be treated differently. We just need a little help so they can thrive. Which I think is a common goal for all parents, is to see their child thrive. I think inclusion benefits everyone involved. It benefits my family, and it will benefit yours. It creates well rounded people. We should all fight for acceptance, understanding, kindness, and inclusion of all members of our community and of all abilities.

For tickets to SUMMER IN THE FOREST and Information:

http://72268.formovietickets.com:2235/T.ASP?WCI=BT&Page=schedule&SelectedDate=20180429

#community autism

Rhythms of Neighborliness

In the Fall of 2013 we had a crazy idea. What if we could create new rhythms of neighborliness centered around the four seasons? These rhythms could be easy on ramps to get to know new neighbors, and regularly reconnect with neighbors we already knew. Generally holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are centered around our friends and family, but maybe these new neighborly rhythms could be a creative way to build relationships with those we live next to. They might even be a fresh catalyst for the belonging and safety that many crave on our city blocks.

Six years ago we started with what we called a Citywide Pumpkin Potluck. The idea of the event was to put out a call via print and social media to find local residents that would be interested in bringing their block or complex together for a party. One way we thought we could make it easier on the hosts or co-hosts was to design a ‘Pumpkin Potluck Kit” The kit included a custom flyer to pass out to neighbors, name tags, yard signs for marketing, and a sign in sheet to help keep the party going long after. To our surprise eight neighbors ended up hosting our first Pumpkin Potluck, which was a huge success for us!

To keep the new neighborly rhythm going into the 2014 winter, we launched a Citywide Breakfast and in the Summer we launched our first Citywide Ice Cream Social. We have had over 100 hosts participate around the city in both of these popular events. It has been a natural way for many neighbors to stay up to date and connected to their block and neighborhood.

Next year we will be launching our Spring event, which is a Citywide Progressive Party. The party could be a breakfast, brunch, dinner or block beer hop. It is up to the hosts to create their block theme and vibe. What we like about this citywide event is that the party starts at one house or apartment and progresses on to two or more other homes or floors. We think this citywide event is going to be a hit as it progresses.

If you live in another city or country and are interested in bringing these ‘rhythms of neighborliness to your city. Please reach out to us. We would love the opportunity to share this idea with you and your city!

You can email us at [email protected]

#abcd community

What is Community? In Under 5 Minutes

This is community Pumpkin Potluck on the West Side of Long Beach to gather neighbors together.

Written by Scott M. Jones, Executive Director of We Love Long Beach

What is community?

1. Community as place.

2. Community as relationships

3. Community as discovery

1. Community is centered around living well together in a place. Community is about a specific geography and sinking one’s roots deeply into its rich soil. Seeing community as a tangible place allows neighbors to share in a common identity and responsibility of their land. Having a mutual vision of community as a shared place creates a sense of pride and spirit that energizes and sustains the place and its people for generations to come.

2. Community is centered on relationships. It is impossible to have community without being in relationship with neighbors. Community is about building relationships of trust that grow slowly over time into deep wells of care. It is where neighbors welcome strangers in and together seek the good of their children, the well being of their elderly and other vulnerable neighbors. This kind of attentive community displaces loneliness through warm hospitality, and creates space where everyone belongs, where differences are seen as gifts and everyone is loved.

3. Community is centered on discovery. We know deep down that every neighbor within the community has many, many gifts, talents, skills, and resources waiting to contributed for the good of the community. It is the responsibility of fellow neighbors to unearth the treasure that exists in all ages, to connect their gifts to others within the neighborhood and to mobilize their gifts to bring life to individuals and to the entire community. A gift is not a gift until it is giving, received, and reciprocated.

May we as residents live more fully and responsibly into our community.

“The purpose of community is community.” -Peter Block

Meet the New Los Altos Village Neighbors Group

What if everyone in Long Beach wanted to gather together to make a tangible difference in our city? Where would you start?

Wouldn’t you start where you live? Wouldn’t you start by teaming up with the neighbors around you who care about your neighborhood too?

This seems like the simple, logical first step to making a difference in the community. Making a difference litterally begins at your door step with your neighbors.

We Love Long Beach would argue that this is why neighborhood associations and groups are so vital to the communuity. They are the primary groups of neighborhood leaders who care about where they live and want to make their community even better.

The challenge is that many neighborhood groups in our city and around the country think that they need to first focus on neighborhood problems and issues in order to make a difference. We wholeheartedly disagree.

We Love Long Beach believes that we need to focus first on our relationships with our neighbors. We need to begin to get to know our neighbors and over time build trust with them. It is primarily our relationships that are at the core of building safer, healthier, and happier communities. It is not that we don’t care about problems and issues, but it is not where we start. If we start with relationships with our neighbors and not the problems and the issues, we lay a healthy foundation for generations to come and all of our neighborhoods would flourish.

With that said, we are excitied to announce the Los Altos Village Neighbors Group. This is a group that wants to lead with building strong relationships and connections, and for We Love Long Beach that is music to our ears. We are excited to know that some of their lead team are also We Love Long Beach block leaders.

Here is a brief interview with the Los Altos Village Neighbors Group. The interview and introduction is by Scott Jones, the Executive Director of We Love Long Beach.

Why did your team start the Los Altos Village Neighbors Group?

There was a void in Los Altos Village for connecting neighbors and planning events for the neighborhood to create a stronger sense of block and neighborhood identity with our neighbors. This pocket of Long Beach has such a rich history with the Los Altos Shopping Center, Whaley Park and CSULB that many residents don't know about, that we wanted to share.

Who is on the lead team currently for LAVG? Our lead team is currently Michele "K" Kreinheder, Joe Mello, Holli Applegate, and Richie Brand

What is the the vision and purpose of the group?

We have a motto - perserving our past, connecting the present, and building our future. We think that captures our vision and purpose pretty well. We aim to connect the neighbors of Los Altos Village while staying true to every part of that motto. Our logo, which is on t-shirts and flags that we sell, is a throwback to the vintage Los Altos Village logo and the historical significance of the Los Altos area.

Why is neighborliness important to your group?

Neighborliness is important because it brings people together. A neighborhood like Los Altos Village is a community where all its residents are proud to live. If our group can help better facilitate neighbors connecting with one another, caring for one another, and encouarge neighbors to use their gifts, skills, and resources for the well-being of the greater community, then we will have accomplished our goals as a group.

What are the geographic boundaries for Los Altos Village Neighborhood Group?

Our group boundaries are Palo Verde to the East, Atherton to the South, Clark & Los Coyotes Diagonal to the West and the 405 freeway & Willow to the North.

How do neighbors in Los Altos get connected to your group?

They can visit and join our Los Altos Village Neighbors Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LosAltosVillageNeighbors

You can email [email protected] to get involved or attend events like our upcoming Ice Cream Social @ Whaley Park on June 24th. We'll also have a booth set up from 11am-5pm at Whaley Park during Beach Streets University on April 29th wherem we will be selling our Los Altos Village t-shirts and flags! All proceeds go to the group and support ongoing neighborhood activities.

Citywide Ice Cream Social Locations

Do you want to host an Ice Cream Social on your block or complex with your neighbors?

Interested or want more details email [email protected]

Host an Ice Cream Social on Your Block & Connect Neighbors?

If you are interested in Hosting or want more details email [email protected]

Here are all the Spring Citywide BBQ-Potluck Locations. If you go to a location near you, please bring a main dish, side dish, drinks, or something sweet to share with your neighbors.

Front Yard Fridays

In this WLLB blog post we had the privilege to interview SoCO neighbor Darlene Martin, who hosted her very first neighbor event in her front driveway last Friday for the South of Conant neighborhood’s weekly-monthly Front Yard Friday celebration. Thank you Darlene for being a leader on your block. I hope you get to experience the fruit and joy that comes from the abundant life of neighborliness.

We Love Long Beach: What is Front Yard Fridays?

Darlene Martin: The goal of Front Yard Fridays is to encourage neighbors to spend time in their yards on Friday evening, doing whatever they'd like to do: sit and read, work in the yard, play with the kids, invite neighbors over. The idea is to encourage an atmosphere and opportunities for neighbors to meet and get to know each other, and have a visible presence which leads to a friendly, safe neighborhood.

WLLB: Why did you decide to host your neighbors in your front yard?

Darlene: I had wanted to host something since last year when I first got involved with SoCo connectors at Christine Gibson's home and learned about the core groups ideas and what they had done. I tend to be shy, but have always felt that you get out of something what you put into it. This gave me a vehicle to meet more of my neighbors. I wasn't sure how to get started. I was excited to get the WLLB Breakfast invitation to the Betancourt’s home on my street. I felt more confident that with our combined efforts, I could host a successful event. We all attended the SoCo Connectors meeting that you hosted with Christine. I did not know them before they hosted the breakfast. I work long days and they live about 4 houses down from me on the opposite side of the street. Connections on our block have been moving fast once we made a connection at the breakfast.

WLLB: How was the turnout at your first Front Yard Friday?

Darlene: About 17 adults came (after only receiving 4 RSVPs!). There were additional kids that came and went. They could easily be watched from the edge of my driveway.

WLLB: What did you provide your neighbors?

Darlene: I enjoy throwing outdoor parties for other groups I'm in, so I was pretty well equipped. I provided the chairs, tables, tablecloths, lighting, water to drink (herbal infused water in a dispenser), small amounts of food (fruit, veggies, deviled eggs). I didn't want the buffet table to look empty. Food service is my business and it made me comfortable to have a few things on the buffet table when people arrived. I also provided name badges and a sign in sheet for neighbors to sign up to host an activity on our block.

WLLB: What did neighbors bring?

Darlene: Neighbors brought finger foods and beverages: appetizer foods, fruit, hummus, wine.

WLLB: Did you meet any new neighbors?

Darlene: Yes I did. I met Linda and Steve from 3 houses down. They want to use their driveway to host a BBQ next time.

WLLB: Any neat stories from your time with your neighbors?

Darlene: Yes, I got to reconnect with my neighbor Rock, who live two doors down from me. He and his wife greeted us 15 years ago when we moved into our home. I met his grandson for the first time at the event. We haven't talked a lot over the years, but wave as we drive by. It was nice to catch up and just relax together. I enjoyed seeing Al for the second time--I met him at the We Love LB Citywide Breakfast that was on our block in February. He lives on the corner and during his working years, he had a very short commute. He is a retired fireman and he just walked across the street to the fire station to go to work.

WLLB: What's next with your neighbors?

Darlene: The Betancourt’s will host the WLLB Citywide Barbecue. One household wants to host a wine tasting party and Steve and Linda will work on plans for another Block BBQ. I told them all that I can loan my tables, chairs, if they need them.

WLLB: What advise would you give someone that wants to get to know their neighbors, but might be nervous or intimidated to host?

Darlene: First talk with someone who has hosted a block event before to get some fresh inspiration and ideas of how to promote and plan. You can also visit an event, in another neighborhood if needed, if you want to get ideas from them. Lastly, ask one or two neighbors that you know to work together to host a party. It’s more fun to host parties with neighbors than as a lone ranger. My neighbors the Betancourt's had our neighbor’s emails from their We Love LB Breakfast event and they emailed those who had attended while I made a half-page flyer and walked the neighborhood to introduce myself and hand out flyers. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

The Lil’ Coyotes of Carson Park

We love that neighbors are getting together and starting groups and clubs based around their shared interests and passions. We think that these organic groups are central to the safety, health, and happiness of all neighborhoods in Long Beach. Our hope in sharing this story of the Lil’ Coyotes is to spark a desire to see more groups and clubs pop up on your block and in your neighborhood. This grass roots, bottom-up approach to neighborliness is at the heart of what we all want in Long Beach. It could be a knitting group, walking group, gardening group, kickball group etc. Whatever it is for you, we want to be an encouragement and support along the way.

The Lil' Coyotes is a new group that was formed by Tyler Hunt in the Carson Park neighborhood (near Carson Ave and Palo Verde) to connect parents and grandparents that are neighbors, with each other’s children and grandchildren to play and become friends.

According to Tyler the Carson Park neighborhood has a lot of families that have lived in the area since the 80s and 90s with kids that are now moved out. Tyler, who grew up in the area, remembers knowing all the kids within his neighborhood track. They were always outside playing with one another and doing life together. Now that Tyler has kids of his own, he has been trying to find classes and groups for his family to join.

Tyler recalls,

“For the most part all the groups and classes that we found came with a monthly subscription. The monthly fees are not a bad thing, but we live in an area that has beautiful parks and tons of things to already do for free. We didn’t see a place where we could jump online and connect with neighbors to meet at these places and make new the connections that we wanted. That’s why I created the Lil’ Coyotes”

The goal of the Lil’ Coyotes is simple, to make lasting relationships with neighbors. The group is not about judging each other as parents, but rather to support each other along the way.

Tyler says,

“I am excited to know that the group has the potential to connect our Lil’ Coyotes at a very young age, and that there is a good chance that our kids might grow up with one another, and attend the same schools together. It is comforting for me to know that what we as parents are creating is a safe place where kids have the freedom to just be kids together. I think that will go a long way in our kid’s overall development”

The group has no guidelines on who can join, but they do want to make it clear that the group exists to have fun together. The Lil’ Coyotes are still discussing their scheduled meetings, but at this time they are connecting with each other on a forum and are letting one another know when they are at the park.

We are excited to see what happens next with the Lil’ Coyotes. It is neighbors like Tyler Hunt, who take the risk to start something new that give us the courage as residents to do the same in our own neighborhoods. If neighbors like Tyler can do it, we all can do it too. Thanks Tyler for being a great model of a neighborhood leader.

(We Love LB Note: Let us know if you want to start a group based around your interests with your neighbors. A group or club has 3 or more members. We would love to share your group’s story with the residents of Long Beach. Email us: [email protected])

The Wise Farmer and His Corn

We Love Long Beach is always looking for fresh stories that might inspire and fuel neighbors in Long Beach to practice more and more the ways of neighborliness lived through mutual hospitality, care, generosity, forgiveness, and love. Some might say the value of neighborliness is old fashioned or pie in the sky, but we as an organization think ‘neighborliness’ is the heart and soul of what makes a city flourish. Here is a story of a brilliant farmer and is corn. Enjoy the story!

Each year a farmer would enter his best corn in the regional fair where it always won a blue ribbon. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him to learn about how he grew blue-ribbon corn year after year.

The reporter discovered something interesting. He learned that the farmer actually shared his best seed corn with his neighbors. “How can you afford to share your best seeds with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition against yours each year?” the reporter asked. “Why sir,” said the farmer, “didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”

It’s a simple and important principle. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor’s corn also improves. He cannot succeed simply by watching out for Number One. He succeeds best by helping his neighbors succeed. That’s mutualism. And I am aware that it goes for me, too. Do I want to succeed?Then I must help others to succeed. Do I want to live in peace and harmony? Then I need to help my neighbors also live in peace, and the very peace they experience will add to my own. Do I want to live meaningfully and well? Then I should help to enrich the lives of others, for my own happiness and well-being is bound up in the lives I touch.

In other words, if I want to grow good corn, I need to help my neighbors grow good corn. Neighborliness is not only in the the well being of others, but also in the well being of yourself too.

(Story from James Bender book, How To Talk Well, 1994)

The Glass is Half-Full

In the 1980s, John McKnight, from North Western University, and his colleagues visited over 300 neighborhoods in 20 cities in order to identify the basic building blocks of healthy and enlivened neighborhoods (This is the Glass as Half-Full). In four years they connected with thousands of residents in North America who some had often been labeled and defined in the community by their issues and needs. (Glass Half Empty)

Examples of Labels:

At-risk youth

Unemployed

Poor

Homeless

Drug Addict

Pregnant teen

High school dropout

John and his team wanted to understand, despite multiple socio-economic and political challenges, how community-life flourished in these 300 neighborhoods. Using an open and participatory process John McKnight and his friends gathered 3,000 stories from residents.

The shifting question John and his team asked residents was simply this:

‘‘Can you tell us a story about a time when you and your neighbors came together to make things better around here?”

What John learned from the vast research was there were 6 community building blocks that were common in all 3,000 stories that led to positive change in the diverse neighborhoods.

Below are the 6 Community Building Blocks

1. The gifts, skills, and talents of local residents were used.

2. The power of local associations were used

3. The resources of public, private and non-profit institutions

4. The physical resources and ecology of local places

5. The economic resources of local places

6. The stories and heritage of local places

Of the 3,000 stories, every story started with the gifts and skills of neighbors being utilized by a group of neighbors. To say it differently change did not come from focussing on labels, problems, and issues. This is a revolutionary conclusion.

How does this research connect with We Love Long Beach?

The Glass is Half Full is a lens to view our Long Beach neighbors, blocks, neighborhoods, and cities. The hope of We Love Long Beach is to help people recognize, like those 3,000 neighbor stories, that the change we want to see in Long Beach is not going to come from looking at the half-empty glass of our needs, problems, and issues. Change is not going to come from the top-down approach of local government and social services. Change is going to come from caring neighbors like you on the streets living out of the neighborhood abundance we have.

Our hope as We Love Long Beach is to see residents and neighborhoods adopting and living from the lens of a glass half-full. To view one another as unique individuals filled with untapped gifts, skills, and resources ready to be noticed and shared. This is going to create the flourishing and change we want to see on our blocks and in our neighborhoods.

We know that a gift is not a gift until it is given and received!

The Meaning of Hospitality

What is the meaning of hospitality?

Hospitality is one of We Love LB’s central values. Here is a quick breakdown and contrast. Hospitality in the Greek is the word “philoxenia”.

It's a combination of two words you likely know.

The first word is philos, Greek for "brother" or "friend" from philia the word for "brotherly love." The second word is xenos, the word for stranger.

You have seen this word before in xenophobia, the fear or phobia of strangers (xenos). Hospitality is the exact opposite of xenophobia. Instead of fear and suspicion--the stranger is greeted with familial affection and love.

When we move from phobia to Philia. from fearing strangers to welcoming strangers into our front yards, drive ways, and front porches, this is how a “Neighborhood Revolution” is birthed. Please join in by being hospitable to your next door neighbors. We would love to share your story here.

#hospitality #welovelb

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