I haven't posted this week, it's been pretty slow. I *did* attend the Skid Row Watch walk this month (I missed last month!) and got a few photos.
Estella Lopez thanks everyone for attending the walk & discusses some of the good that is accomplished by coming out & walking the community.
The skid row watch walk is a community outreach effort to both familiarize the community with the issues that Central City East (our Historic Core & Old Bank District adjacent neighbor) deals with every day, and an outreach opportunity to get folks off the street and into shelters or seek medical attention.
Other blogs do a MUCH better job covering the skid row day to day issues, so I won't get into all that is CCE and the daily plight and issues at hand. If you are interested and want to go on the next walk, it's the first Wednesday of every month at about 6pm and leaves from the Midnight Mission at 6th & San Julien no later than 615pm.
It's led by CCEA's Estella Lopez and usually includes several community outreach focused folks from the LAPD like Cpt Jodi Wakefield and others, as well the CCE BID & Public Safety, stakeholders in the business and residential community (that's people like you & me).
LAPD Cpt Jodi Wakefield, Central Division, is one of several committed to helping the community she serves.
So if you are keeping up at BlogDowntown tonight is the 3rd Anniversary of the Skid Row Watch Walk. If you don't usually go, tonight would be a good evening to do it, I would think.
To learn more about CCEA & the Skid Row Watch Walk and what the outreach is about:
CCE Skid Row Walk
Meet up with folks the FIRST Wednesday of every month at 6pm at the Midnight Mission: 6th & San Pedro. It's about community.
First Wednesday Every Month!
I just made it in time to go on the Skid Row Watch Walk with community activists and our LAPD this past week. I almost didn't make it because I got confused about what street to go to and I usually have one or two friends walking over there with me.
I did find the location (Midnight Mission at 6th & San Pedro) as I was only a block away, and I always seem to find a nice person to ask for directions. I've been lucky in that for such a rough and desperate area that Skid Row can be, there are many decent folks that are there, that are willing to interact and reach out. Those scared of going to such an event, it really is ok. If you've never been in a community that makes you uncomfortable or puts you out of your element, then you really haven't left your comfort zone.
Me, I don't like walking out of skid row at night by myself. I've never had to do that yet. I'm very grateful to those kind souls who have either walked with me, or, like this last time, given me a lift. =) Thank you!
"Are you having fun?" ..Someone asked me that last night on the SkidRow Watch Walk, and I was rather confused.
It was in reference to something else, but it stuck with me. I did take many photos of signs and mural work and graffiti art, however very little came out in the darkness. I was lucky to accompany fellow citizens & LAPD on the watch walk, but there are so many folks that have to sleep there in the cold tonight.
Even if you are 'lucky' to have some kind of shelter, the cold air can still get to you. Certainly not fun, and not safe. Those of us who walk and then go home to relative comfort are fortunate. It's something I think about often. As sterile as some of these lofts can be, it's still a roof over my head.
Thanks especially to the LAPD, as well thanks to the kind gentlemen blogger friends that accompanied me in & out of there. I would have been lost getting around otherwise.
