August 2008 Archives

Into Baroque music? Laura Stegman sure is!

After reading in the newspaper about Musica Angelica, a well-known Baroque orchestra, Ms. Stegman decided she had to be a part of the organization.  In 2004, an associate referred her to the orchestra's executive director and she was soon handling public relations for Musica Angelica. She  envisioned a wide range of opportunities to publicize the organization's work.

As a  public relations consultant who has many clients, including Musica Angelica, Ms Stegman said, "The key to maintaining the level of work I accomplish for my clients is staying informed and organized."

If you would like to find out more information, and join Laura Stegman and the rest of the staff, visit: www.musicaangelica.org or call directly to 310.458.4504.

Have you visited PPOTM yet?

Pico Partnership On The Move is a program at Santa Monica College  that primarily assists students with financial aid, child care, counseling, and obtaining book vouchers.

In 1997, there were many challenges in the Pico neighborhood, such as low income, gangs, and drugs.  I'm glad the community united to change this around. The City of Santa Monica, Virginia Avenue Park, and Santa Monica College came together to help students in their efforts to acquire a quality education.

Darrell Goode came to the rescue in 2001. He helped students stay motivated, stay out of trouble, and stay on the task of building their skills.  He decided PPOTM was the place for him. Mr. Goode still enjoys what he does. I'm very grateful for PPOTM; it has helped me tremendously since the fall of 2007 when I began at SMC. Thank you  Darell and the rest of the staff for making this an incredible program for me and everyone else in PPOTM.

Students, don't you think you should now visit PPOTM at the counseling complex located on the SMC campus?

Remember, PPOTM to the Rescue!

Meals on Wheels is a world-wide concept with organizations globally. There are three in the Southern Californian communities of Palisades, Malibu, and Santa Monica. Generally, Meals on Wheels is available to those persons who are not able to provide for themselves. However, specific requirements for the reception of services vary from region to region. It is best to check with the nearest Meals on Wheels and get the specifics for their program. 
 

Over 3,360 people in our community are living with HIV and one in four don't know they have it. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. It is the Human Immune deficiency Virus. Usually a person has the virus for months or years before any signs of illness appear. It slowly weakens the body's ability to fight illness. People with AIDS can have a series of infections and cancers. These illnesses make them very sick and can eventually kill them. A person can increase their risk of contracting HIV if they have had sex with a man or woman who has had other partners, shared injection drug needles, have had sex with someone who has had a blood transfusion before 1985 (which is before HIV testing began).

Common Ground is the only local agency on LA's Westside giving a hand to people living with, and who are at-risk for, HIV and AIDS. It is a non-profit organization trying to help people who don't have the resources like Magic Johnson, a millionaire basketball legend who contracted HIV. "More than three quarters of Common Ground's clients are living in poverty, ninety percent are without any form of health insurance, and most are coping with multiple concurrent life challenges, including homelessness, mental illness, addiction, and HIV disease."

Common Ground's direct services for people with HIV include case management, mental health care, emergency shelter, HIV medical care, treatment advocacy, and independent living skills training.

As I went into the building, I saw a room full of food for the homeless and a room that looked like a living room where you can kick back and watch television. I saw a colorful room with toys for little kids. Common Ground's goal is to build a relationship with the clients and make them feel safe. They also go to schools to inform kids and teach them to be safe. Common Ground's motto is to never give up on the people because we can all make a bright future together.

The beginning.

In the 1970s, Santa Monica was undergoing many changes. When a parcel of land
containing two 1894 houses was sold for redevelopment, the houses were slated
for demolition. The Santa Monica Historical Society, working with the developer and
Santa Monica City Council, formed a trust to preserve the houses and move them to
a new site at 2612 Main Street in Santa Monica, where they could be put to
different use. One of the houses became the Victorian restaurant and the other
became the Santa Monica Heritage Museum. Two years later the museum became the California Heritage Museum.

This past week, I made my way to Virginia Ave. Park; I met Nancy Cabrel an employee of JVS (Jewish Vocational Services). A non-profit organization that offers youth and adult employment services. JVS was created during the great depression by a group of Jewish philanthropists, whose objectives for over 75 years have been to assist people with employment opportunities.

One of the growing parts of JVS is its youth employment services. This covers anywhere from career planning, employment workshops, internships, and assistance to youth facing large barriers.

Currently, there are a couple of different offices and programs, youth and adults are either sent to the offices in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, or Marina Del Rey depending on the services they are seeking. Both adults and youth have to apply, and based on their criteria they get assigned a case manager. The case manager helps them develop their employment skills; this is done by conducting workshops and career planning.

JVS affects the community in a very positive way. Youths and adults have barriers, many with low to no income. JVS helps them better themselves; they get referred to services they didn't have available before. They ultimately learn employment skills that help them get back on their feet to help better themselves and their families.

For additional information please visit www.jvsla.org

Approximately thirty years ago, most women began to get jobs due to either the family's low income or the women's rights movement. When the women began to get jobs, it led to people needing child-care. Knowing how hard it is to find child-care, a group of women started a volunteer organization called "Connections for Children." They helped families find child-care and made sure it was an appropriate environment for children. The four founders were Laurie Rozet, Ida Bucher, June Say, and Betsy Hitieshew.

A couple of days ago, I met with the executive director Karen Kaye who has been working there for 14 years. Their location is on 28^th and Ocean Park Blvd. Karen explained to me exactly what they do. Due to the difficulties  finding child-care in a city like Santa Monica, they help parents find daycare services that are suitable and affordable. They also provide a "Sub city" for families that can't afford child-care. Which means if the family is eligible for financial aid, they pay for that family's child-care. This is very helpful because it allows single parents to have a job and support their family at the same time. It also gives people the opportunity to go back to school, which will lead to a more successful career.

Karen also introduced me to most of the staff. They showed me some of their other programs. One of the programs that caught my eye was that they give recommended toys to the childcare facilities.  They order the toys that are race-specific to the families who will be receiving them. This helps to exclude prejudice at an early age. They also include disabled people to insure that children will have no chance of being racist or being prejudice. Another activity that was neat was that they get a bunch of boxes, sticks and other various items and encourage the kids to play with them. This activity keeps them from being hooked on either video games or the television.

This program has helped many families. For example, they told me a story about how a mother had moved from Africa to France, then to Los Angeles. She was going through a struggle and needed work, and at the same time needed child-care for her child who only spoke French. Connections for Children helped her find a daycare suitable for her child and allowed her to pursue a career and live her "American Dream."

Connections for Children is just around the block and is available to anyone in the community. If anyone is finding himself or herself struggling to find a good daycare for their children, I would strongly recommend Connections for Children.

In 2002, The Ruskin Group Theatre was founded by John Ruskin and Mikey Myers. The Ruskin is in a converted antique airplane hangar in the Santa Monica airport. Now it's  a highly functional and comfortable theater space. In 2005, they expanded the lobby and turned it into the Ruskin Group Theatre Art Gallery. They have over 204 performances per year which extend over eight productions and involve more than one hundred actors. Since their grand opening, the Ruskin has produced over 50 critically-acclaimed plays. Some of the plays have even moved to New York and others are on tour. The plays have won numerous awards. 

Keep reading!

The Ruskin School of Acting is the official West Coast representative of the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre. The Ruskin's mission is to expose the community to the enlightening experience that theater can be. Therefore, the theater functions as a full service venue, while providing outreach programs to people in need through their Healing Through the Arts Program. Ruskin accomplishes their goals by producing world class plays and through their outreach work. The theater offers outreach work to people in need.

The Children's Hosptial Performance Program helps children confined to hopitals.

The Retirement Home Performance Program is designed to bring performance art to the elderly, who may no longer have the ability to visit the theater.

The Rancho San Antonio Boy's Home Teaching Program is designed to teach young adults acting through the Meisner Technique.

The Hospice Volunteer Program involves members of the company volunteering to assist the elderly and terminally-ill during the last stages of their lives.

The Christmas Basket Program involves putting together Christmas baskets for underprivileged families.

They are going to be having a 15 week theater program beginning Saturday, September 22nd. Interested? Visit www.ruskingrouptheatre.com  or call the following, 310/397.3244

Now, you have to call...now!

Pico Partnership on the Move: To the Rescue!

Since the 1994 earthquake, which was a tragic loss to many people and businesses, the City of Santa Monica, Virginia Avenue Park, and Santa Monica College have united to help teenagers  with academic activities.

 In 2001, Darell Goode, the Project Director, decided to assist the community by helping neighborhood residents stay out of gang activity and other trouble.  Keeping the youth directed towards school was the main focus.

Low income? No problem, you're in the right place. In a blink of an eye, Pico Partnership On the Move started offering students help with their financial aid applications, organizing community meetings, counseling, priority enrollment, book vouchers, child care, and college tours.

Why not join SMC students, it's only a walk away!

Usually PPOTM visits Santa Monica High School to inform senior students about PPOTM's services. Reaching out to students that are new to SMC is a magnificent idea. I'm actually part of the PPOTM family at SMC. It has helped me with book vouchers, enrolling in my classes, and other needs I have had. Just make an appointment and go straight to my counselor Justin, who is always glad to help. So why not go to the Counseling Complex and find out more about Pico Partnership. My suggestion is to enroll while you're there.  You will not regret it.

Visit the SMC site www.smc.edu for more information or call directly at 310/434-4926.

Each night there are about 73,000 homeless people in Los Angeles County. Wow, that is a crazy number. It is said that approximately 15% of the Los Angeles homeless population is under 18. On any given night, about 10,000 children are homeless in Los Angeles.

In I984, John Dillon made sandwiches for homeless people trying to help out the needy. He soon figured out that they needed someone to help them get up on their own two feet. He then founded the non-profit organization called Chrysalis.

Chrysalis helps the homeless in many ways. They help homeless people find a jobs, which gives them self-worth, dignity, security, confidence, and hope for the future. You may ask, how hard is it to get a job? In simple words, it is very hard if you have limited work experience, no high school diploma, a past you wish you could leave behind, no interview clothes, no computer to search for and respond to job listings, no phone, no reliable transportation, no address at which to receive mail, a lifetime of being put down by yourself and others, no self-confidence, no support system, and no one to believe in you.

Chrysalis provides job preparation classes that teach basic job-search techniques, career development, and computer skills, personalized assistance with resumes, practice interviews, computer and telephone skills. Chrysalis has a location in Santa Monica as well as two others in LA County. The goal is to change lives and make Santa Monica a better community.

I have been a resident of Santa Monica for eleven years and I have never heard of the Highways Performance Space, until now. I was speechless about what I learned today. I spoke to Leo Garcia who is a NEA award-winning playwright, actor, filmmaker, producer, teacher, and an artistic director.

Highways is a multifaceted art venue located at 1651 18th street in the city of Santa Monica.  It's been open since 1989 so this year is the 20th anniversary. There are four programs: the performance space, workshop/lab program and two galleries. They involve the black, Latino, women, and gay communities, in an effort to bring people together as one. This diversity allows people to discuss issues like politics.  It also allows people to  show their talent or even to learn a talent they never knew they had.

In 1992, the government cut the funding for Highways; they went to court and lost because the government didn't like the sexually explicit art. Highways fought back on the basis of freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and to show people the different types of art other than traditional visual arts. It's a non-profit organization and they're not trying to make money, they are trying to open people's eyes, wake people up, and find out the truth:The real world, not the world you see on television.

They sell tickets to performances, only to fund the organization, but if you really can not afford it, which is about fifteen bucks, don't worry about it, it's not about the money it's more about the meaningful art.

They have events every weekend, Thursday through Sunday. Sometimes three of those days or maybe one; the only time it's not open is Christmas and New Year's days. All you have to do is sign-up there or even contact them. There are many things you can do. It's just around the corner so why not check it out?

Founded in 1988 by Abby Sher, the Santa Monica Museum of Art, a little non-collecting museum, is a popular place for contemporary art. This high caliber museum is different from others and whatever they do, they do in a unique way. This wonderful museum also has a lot of character.

In the beginning, SMMOA had a very small staff and only one education program ... and not very many youth visitors. Now it has eight education programs, schools come to visit, and the staff is larger.  It includes Asuka Hisa and Alexandra Pollyea.

Alexandra is the director of public relations and marketing who contributes a lot to the museum. She can help people understand and connect to guests who may not be too familiar with contemporary art.

Don't let the museum's size fool you. It may be small but its as high caliber as bigger, more well known museums. One of the things that sets SMMOA apart from others is the wonderful experience it provides for visitors. This experience is made possible by Asuka Hisa, the director of education, who works very closely with the curators to make each exhibit a unique and intimate experience. Asuka creates workshops and programs that relate to exhibitions. She is the bridge person who puts out information for the public through audio,  the web, and workshops.

he Santa Monica Museum of Art has a variety of artists from emerging to well-known artists. With the museum's diversity, it is able to respond to what's happening in today's culture. It's exciting to see how much this sensational museum has grown and expanded. It brings out the voices that haven't been heard and it has evolved with relevance to everyone.

In 1963 Dan Kennedy, Minister of Ocean Park Church, founded Ocean Park Community Center in a small house the church had purchased located at 245 Hill Street in Santa Monica. It was established for low-income individuals and families in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica. 

According to McKinley Williams, the Development Director at OPCC since March 2007, the agency initially provided food, clothing, child care and after school activities for youth. OPCC has evolved into a multi-faceted social service agency and network of housing and services that provides assistance to low-income and homeless youth, adults and families, battered women and their children, at-risk youth, and people living with mental illness.

OPCC has grown to ten programs serving those impacted by issues of homelessness, poverty, and domestic violence throughout the Westside. OPCC is the largest provider of services to homeless people on the Westside.OPCC's web site is an excellent source of information about the agency. The URL for the site is www.opcc.org. OPCC's offices are located at 1453 16^th Street, Santa Monica, CA. The general telephone number is (310) 264-6646.The Access Center is open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday & Wednesday-Friday. On Tuesday the center is open from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM and Saturdays from  9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. Sundays and every second Wednesday of the month the Access Center is closed. OPPC does their good work in order help our society and help at-risk youth.  

18th Street Art Center is one of LA's best kept secrets and is found in the heart of Santa Monica on 18th Street and Olympic. This Art Center is very unique and distinct from other art centers because of its three programs: exhibitions, a place for international artists and a residency program.

Since 1988 they've expanded in many different ways including with friends from here to Florida and all their international artists that have come to stay at their residency. They have helped the community by providing awareness with exhibits for a good cause.  One of Executive Director Jan Williamson 's favorite exhibits is by the artist "Fallin Fruit" which sends the good message of promoting a healthier environment. The Art Center also wants to bring the community together and offers free tours to school and schedule appointments to check out their galleries.

Four times a year, 18^th Street opens their doors to everyone with lots of artists who exhibit their work. The Center  provides a great atmosphere with live music, beverages, and spectacular art exhibits. This is all available to community friends such as dads, moms, kids, grandmothers and relatives all for FREE!

www.18thstreet.org

Santa Monica Playhouse does not just put on shows for entertainment, it changes lives in ways that you'd never expect!!! During the cultural exchange tour of the show Dear Gabby: Confessions of an Overachiever one of the places that it was performed in was Osaka, Japan. A show with a cast of about nine young actors is said to be "a how-to grow up without an instructional manual play" and shows the struggles, issues, downfalls, and development of youth, generally from the West Side (Los Angeles), connects with people globally. "We recognize that issues in one person's life are the same issues in a million other's lives regardless of age, ethnicity or environment in which they come from," Chris DeCarlo states.

It was Christmas Eve in Osaka, Japan when a televised performance of Dear Gabby: Confessions of an Overachiever was playing. The pain, difficult situations, hardships, and everything else that we face as humanity was displayed in the performance. There was not one person who did not feel the connection to this particular piece. At the end of the show a Japanese man of about 85 years old stood up with blood shot eyes, drowning in a pool of his own tears. He spoke no English and could only understand the show through the emotions, expressions, and tone that were shown and heard. At the end of the show, SM Playhouse had a discussion, typically for teens, on feedback or questions that may have come about during the performance. During this time, the elderly man was asked why he was so moved by this play. Once translated, he said "If I had seen this play as a young boy my whole life would have been completely different and I might be a better person today." He also spoke of how he related to the story and when he was young he felt alone and that no one in the world could feel or experience what he had as a youth.Through this play, he understood how he was wrong and he could have went about things differently, creating an alternative outcome for his life.

Santa Monica Playhouse purposely puts on shows for the public, not just for entertainment purposes, but also as a learning experience. It's theater as a way to explore the human condition without having to pay the cost of a situation gone wrong or unplanned. This performance has been seen by a half million people in different regions of the world. We can believe that it has affected them in similar matters in which is the goal of Santa Monica Playhouse. Experiences similar to this show "the importance of theatres in everyday life" (DeCarlo). As we've learned from the Japanese elder, they are successful at doing so.

Looking for a Symphony around you?

Musica Angelica is led by Music Director Martin Haselböck, an internationally renowned organist, conductor, and composer. Regarded as Southern California's premier Baroque ensemble. Musica Angelica presents wide-ranging programs encompassing music from the early Baroque through the early Classical era. Musica Angelica was co-founded by Michael Eagan, considered as one of the foremost lute players in the country, and gambist Mark Chatfield. Unfortunatley, Eagan passed away in 2004, aswell as Chatfield in 1998; but this did not stop anyone.

Since its inception in 1993, Musica Angelica has produced an annual subscription season of orchestral and chamber concerts in venues throughout Los Angeles County. They program a mixture of known masterworks along with rarely heard gems, which also featured many of the best Baroque musicians from across the country and Europe. Guest conductors have included Rinaldo Alessandrini, Giovanni Antonini, Harry Bicket, Paul Goodwin, and Jory Vinikour, among others.

Among critical acclaim from the media for Musica Angelica is a Los Angeles Times review which said, "Musica Angelica soars in a Baroque gem. a triumph. Haselböck's leadership was nuanced and inspiring." Musica Angelica was described as a "world class Baroque orchestra" by KUSC FM Classical Music Radio, as "L.A.'s premiere Baroque music ensemble" by Angeleno Magazine, and as "a serious and important early-music ensemble, the best of its kind in these parts" by esteemed music critic Alan Rich.

This is a great place for not only the ones that are interested with symphony orchestra, but talking your family to enjoy an evening of beautiful music!

2008/2009 season schedule available at musicaangelica.org