Say Hello to Santa Monica
March 19, 2018 9:28 AM
by Cindy Lee
Meet the amazing people in your City who make the community a better place. We asked them what they love about Santa Monica and how they contribute:
Jeff Jarow
Santa Monica Resident
Chair and Co-Founder of the Santa Monica 4th of July Parade
“I feel blessed to be living and working by the Pacific Ocean! When I want a quick vacation, I just go down to the bike path and listen to about 20 different languages being spoken.”
Chris Hong
Owner of Yogurtland on Lincoln and Pico
“Being a father of three beautiful children, my connection with the City of Santa Monica starts with the schools. I never wear sunglasses or a hat in order for the children to recognize my face and call me by name.”
Gina Garcia
Santa Monica Resident
Director of Community Programs at Sustainable Works
“I contribute to the community by educating people on issues of sustainability, which is very important for the future of our City and planet. I also find time to volunteer at Santa Monica High School. It gives me the chance to connect with other parents, and the teachers really appreciate the extra hands.”
Nora Gilbert-Hamerling
Santa Monica Resident
“I grew up in Santa Monica, and returned to build a life as a young professional. I have witnessed much change, but believe that what remains constant in the community of Santa Monica is a deep commitment to diversity and progress.”
Marc Morgenstern
Santa Monica Resident
Chair of the Santa Monica Library Board
“I appreciate the way people care so much about our community. For many of us, living here is not a spectator sport: we get involved, share our opinions and try to change things for the better.”
Evan Meyer
Santa Monica Resident
Founder of Beautify Earth
“We’ve transformed over 50 walls in Santa Monica alone into inspiring murals, creating new pockets of artful and ‘happening’ areas in the City. As the President of the Ocean Park Association, it is my goal to engage our residents in the public process, reaching an unprecedented level of such in Santa Monica.”
Jennifer Gean
Owner of Harry's Berries
“I’m at the Santa Monica Farmers Market twice a week and I see some of my customers more often than my family members! We’ve got a lot of regular customers we’ve had for decades now, so there is a great sense of community and family.”
Shannon Buckley
Santa Monica Resident
Artist and Owner of Yoga Munkee
“I face paint as part of the entertainment at the Santa Monica Main Street farmers market every other Sunday. I have many regular clients who I connect with regularly, and I am always meeting new people, too. I aspire to be a role model for young people and provide opportunities to build self-esteem by connecting with them through art.”
Vanessa Van Wormer
Santa Monica Resident
Dance Instructor at Santa Monica College
“I love helping others fall in love with the arts, and discover new avenues of individual creativity. I teach all levels of ballet, contemporary dance and choreography at Santa Monica College, an institution rich with diversity. Bringing people together from all walks of life to create is one of the most powerful human experiences, and I feel honored to have a role in this.”
Stacy Dalgleish
Santa Monica Resident
President of Santa Monica Mid City Neighbors
“I walk to Broad Stage, my doctor, dentist, Breeze Bikeshare, Big Blue Bus and three markets. In LA I might go a lifetime without seeing a city manager, council member or mayor at the farmers market. Here it happens all the time.”
John Maceri
Executive Director of The People Concern
“In addition to my work at The People Concern, I also volunteer as a board member for the Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council (HRC). The HRC promotes a culture of fair treatment, inclusion and equal access to opportunities.”
Cris Gutierrez
Santa Monica Resident
Chair of Community Gardens Advisory Committee (2011-2017)
“Besides growing some of my family’s food, I choose not to have a car and have co-founded Climate Action Santa Monica and the Climate Corps. Those are ways that I try to show people how powerful they and their daily choices are in reducing CO2 emissions and in building community relationships that can help stabilize the climate.”
Neil Carrey
Santa Monica Resident
President of Airport 2 Park
“Santa Monica has so many talented and caring people who work hard to make this a better world and who help make Santa Monica one of the greatest cities in the world. It always gives me great pride when I can say I am from Santa Monica.”
Dawn Bowens
Visitor to Santa Monica Farmers Market
“You meet people from different walks of life in Santa Monica. You get a little bit of everything.”
Cynthia Rose
Santa Monica Resident
Director of Santa Monica Spoke
“My passion is to share my love for biking and active transportation, and to engage and empower my community to be a voice for sustainability, equity and progressive change. Especially with our youth, by providing them with education on bike skills and rules of the road, and by being a positive influence in their daily lives.”
Melissa Tanaka
Santa Monica Resident
“I love that everything is walking distance, so I don’t have to use my car as often. I also love how environmentally conscious the area is. Having access to the farmers market and knowing where I can compost and recycle stuff is super important to me.”
This post was pulled from the March edition of Seascape. To read the other articles included in the issue, including this one with photos of each person, please visit smgov.net/departments/CMO/seascape.
Authored By
Cindy Lee
Staff Assistant III