Interview with New Neighborhood Council Board Members Yolanda Gonzalez,
Stan Muhammad and Richard Myers
The following interviews were conducted with
Yolanda Gonzalez, Stan Muhammad and Richard Myers at the “candidates
forum,” Sept. 7 at Venice High School. In the Sept. 10-11 election,
Gonzalez was elected 2nd Vice President, Muhammad was elected Oakwood
Representative and Myers was elected Communications Officer. The interviews were
transcribed by Erin Grayson. They were made available to the Beachhead by Ian
Johnston of KPFK-FM.
Yolanda Gonzalez: A lot of our funding went
to security for the airport. That amount of money was reduced. I have suggested
that we allocate 10,000 dollars of the 50,000 we will get (for GRVNC) in order
to commit the City in order to do what they have to do (put up surveillance
cameras on the boardwalk and in Dist 3 etc.) in order to secure us and provide a
safetiness. Because the 50,000 dollars that are used should be used for
community improvements not for special
interests.
Ian Johnston: You
don’t think invading people’s privacy is a special
interest?
Yolanda Gonzalez: No, what
happens is that it’s not invading. The people are requesting it because of
the drug activity and the graffiti.
Ian
Johnston: Who is requesting
that?
Yolanda Gonzalez: Oh, the, the
stakeholders. The, the residents.
Ian
Johnston: Which one’s
specifically?
Yolanda Gonzalez: Uuh,
It’s happening all the way from the 14th District. And also ‘cause I
was the first one to lead that movement they’re already requesting that in
certain areas, well first of all, I found out that they were gonna bring in
surveillance cameras to the Venice Boardwalk.
So I said well, that’s
interesting and I said well we’re not even set up yet because the police
departments are supposed to have that. OK? So, I said well that’s
interesting if you’re gonna be able to it on the Venice Boardwalk then why
is it that we can’t have it in certain areas where we have problems with
the gang activity.
So then what I
suggested to (LAPD Chief) Bratton and to the person in charge right now, one of
the Sergeants is that we don’t need to have the police department set up
for that. They can have mobile stations and set up the cameras and guard them
from there. OK?
Let me tell you
something. We have to learn to provide safeness. All I know is if you are a gang
member, you are a gang member for the rest of your life.
Ian Johnston: But the point is
what’s happening is that they create the problem and then get someone like
you to clean it up by gentrifying the
neighborhood.
Yolanda Gonzalez: Well
Hon, if I have to clean it up I’m gonna keep cleanin’ it up. Because
we have a lot of children at risk. OK? And we have to deal with what’s
happening today.
Ian Johnston:
Hi, Stan. Ian Johnston with KPFK. You are on the website as being a part of the
Venice Progress Coalition I
believe?
Stan Muhammad: No, I’m
part of the, uh Venice Neighborhood council. I’m runnin’ for
District 3.
Ian Johnston: Yeah, but
I’m saying the people who have put you on a website that’s called
Venice Progressives.org. Uh, are you part of that
group?
Stan Muhammad: Yeah, Yes, I
am.
Ian Johnston: And how do you feel
about so many people on their slate being deeply tied to the
police?
Stan Muhammad: Well, I believe that
those individuals have to become more aware of what their relationship is with
the police. When you say deeply tied to, are you speakin’ in regards to
whether or not they are working for LAPD or do they support LAPD
or…
Ian Johnston: Well,
it’s hard to tell sometimes.
Stan
Muhammad: OK, well, I can’t really speak for those individuals, I can
speak for myself and my position is intervention and prevention. I believe
suppression has run its course and that’s obvious because they continue to
build more prisons. They are continuin’ to lock up people, and it takes
intervention and prevention strategies to avoid suppression overtakin’ the
community.
Ian Johnston: Yolanda
Gonzalez was talking about more police and cameras in the neighborhoods. What do
you think about all that?
Stan
Muhammad: I don’t think it’s necessary to have more police and more
cameras. What I believe needs to take place is for the community to get
involved. The stakeholders need to get involved to begin to do community
policing.
That’s what we need is
community policing, meaning if I see a crime, I should address that crime, not
calling LAPD but address it as a community member. You know, find out
what’s goin’ on. And that’s what we do through a non-profit
organization by the name of Venice 2000. We do intervention, when a crime take
place we have our gang intervention team out there addressing the issue,
dealin’ with it from an intervention stand
point.
Ian Johnston: Do you know who
put together that website you’re
on?
Stan Muhammad: Well, that website
was put together by a group of individuals who’s also endorsing all those
individuals who’s running for the Progressive, uhhh, Venice neighborhood
council.
Ian Johnston: Who actually designed
the webpage?
Stan Muhammad: I
don’t know.
Ian Johnston: So,
it’s listed as private
currently.
Stan Muhammad: Uuh, I
don’t know.
Ian Johnston: So, we
just don’t know.
Stan Muhammad: I
don’t. I don’t know.
Ian
Johnston: OK, cause Dick Myers is uh famous for creating these websites that
suck people in like GRVNC.com.
Stan
Muhammad: I don’t know Dick Myer. That’s the reason I said I’m
not that concerned about what the other candidates are doin’ throughout
the city. What I’m concerned with is District 3 in particular because we
have our own issues. And I want to be that voice for that district but
ultimately when we unite that district we wanna be create a model for the whole
neighborhood council and ultimately for the whole District 11 under Bill
Rosendahl’s leadership.
Ian
Johnston: Richard Myers, I see you
fo….
Richard Myers: Hi Ian, How
ya doin? Good to see you, I’m glad you came out to hear all the speakers,
whadya think?
Ian Johnston: Well
it’s an interesting crowd, more people actually running than listening I
think.
Richard Myers: It does turn out
that way. We hope we get more voters than
running.
Ian Johnston: There’s a
website called Veniceprogressives.org what do you know about
it?
Richard Myers: Well, I mean, I know
that I’m endorsed by it.
Ian
Johnston: So you have nothin’ to do with
it?
Richard Myers: Nothin’ to do
with it, nope.
Ian Johnston: In the
past you’ve created websites that where similar in name to other websites
etc. Right?
Richard Myers: I have a
website that is a protest uh, well not even a protest – an informational
website that is complementary to the grass roots
venice.org.
Ian Johnston: I don’t
think I wanna be in a
photograph…
Richard Myers: Why
are you so photo shy, Ian?
Ian
Johnston: Because I don’t want to be a part of anything she has anything
to do with.
Richard Myers: OK, then, I
don’t want to talk to you.
Ian
Johnston: OK, take it easy…
Posted: Sat
- October 1, 2005 at 08:25 AM