I've witnessed a great many defensive responses in my nearly 8 years of living in Baldwin/Crenshaw/Leimert by going to community meetings and speaking with fellow residents.  I've listened to a lot of complaints.  I've been party to a ton of outrage.  I'm not pointing fingers; I've been right there grumbling alongside everyone.

I know some of the community malaise has to do with the constant barrage of issues that always seem to be occurring around us.  For years we've been trying to Re-Vision Leimert Park as either a cultural mecca or the newest spot for Urban Outfitters. Redistricting had nothing to with the population it was supposedly equally dividing.  It's been the frikkin' blight of Marlton Square forever and a day.  Now the Oil Fields are fracking.  What do you mean there's going to be a train down the center of Crenshaw without a stop in Leimert Park?

Caring is exhausting and seemingly unrewarding.  So, the question is...  Do you just stop caring at all?  No.  No, you don't. 

What you do is talk to your neighbors.  If you've been to church, you've been asked to turn to the right and left to greet the people next to you.  That works on your street, too.  Exchange numbers.  Meet and greet your LAPD Senior Lead Officer.  Learn your neighbor's basic habits and look out for one another and, especially, the kids.

That leads to learning about something going on in your area.  Go to an event.  Maybe it's a concert at the mall.  The Crenshaw Farmers Market.  Maybe it's a community meeting.  Meet and greet the people who live in your area, the same people who are impacted by City services and traffic patterns.  You might live a mile or two away from each other, but you share the same concerns.

Now, direct your attention towards those concerns and how to be part of the solutions.  Even if you don't have an idea, sometimes your presence is enough.  Moral support is more important than you will ever know.  If you show up often enough to events and meetings, you start to get the hang of how things in this city work (or don't work).  Like a video game, one day you've practiced enough to start feeling a little less intimidated and a lot more empowered.  You start collecting information like Health.  Volunteer to help.

Baldwin/Crenshaw/Leimert:  We need to stop playing Neighborhood Defense and start learning how to play some Big City Offense.  Let's teach our kids some civic responsibility by 'dragging' them to community meetings so, by the time they're ready to start voting, they have the stamina to sit through informative sessions.  Train your leaders how to get things done.  They can't work on your issues unless you tell them what those issues are.  Again, volunteer to help.

Your next issue is the Space Shuttle Endeavour is coming down your street.  Since this is no small feat, the City is gearing up to take down light poles and traffic lights.  An independent contractor will be coming through to take down trees -- and lots of them.  Crenshaw and King Boulevards may be inaccessible for 24 hours.  Your life will be interrupted.  You can complain or be informed so you can make plans.

The Park Mesa Heights and Empowerment Congress West Area Neighborhood Councils are attempting to mitigate some of the impact and to ensure our neighborhoods will be repaired.  The trees coming down on Crenshaw Blvd. (and maybe King, although they're supposed to be safe) will be replaced two for one, but they need to be maintained.  All of this takes time and effort.  The people who are trying to get this put right are all volunteers and they need your support.  They need to know this is important to you and your neighbors.  And, more importantly, they need your help and your ideas to figure out how to keep this from occurring again.

If you can't attend a meeting, send an email.  Post on the Facebook page.  Share your opinion.  The next Task Force meeting is Wednesday.

Find the Baldwin/Crenshaw/Leimert Neighborhood Council here and 'LIKE' the page:  http://www.facebook.com/EmpowermentCongressWest

Find Park Mesa Heights here:  http://www.pmhcc90043.org/Home.html