12:45pm | This Sunday at 2 PM, the Living Love Foundation officially launches its new partnership with The HUB Community Bike Center with an Arts Festival to connect with the community and help raise funds for new community programs and workshops. In addition to the bike-related programs The HUB offers, the Living Love Foundation will be presenting free arts and health programs to area kids.
Kelli Curry, Director of Programming and Development for the Foundation, explained that the programs will, “build esteem through the arts, nutrition and job readiness. We have visual arts programming like cartooning; the basics of doodling; story writing and telling. We’ll have culinary arts classes that build on the garden that exists at The Hub, and work with the children on enhancing that garden with herbs and seasonal vegetables.
“We will also be launching a ‘bikability’ program, which is a four to six week certificate program for children and young adults that teaches them the basics of road safety, how to fix a flat, how to stay hydrated and make sure that cycling is fun and safe. The experts at The HUB will also be doing their workshops and tutorials on bike building and general maintenance. We want the programs to be exciting, fun and educational.
“The HUB has been around for a while,” Curry said, “doing good work with community on the basics, providing a resource for folks who need the ‘earn a bike’ program, and providing an outlet for youth who want to hone their bike maintenance skills.
Evan Patrick Kelly, volunteer program Director for The HUB, said “I am excited to have Living Love Foundation join the team and share the space. They will bring much needed children’s programming to the area and provide a warmer feel to The HUB in general. This is definitely a big step in achieving The HUB’s mission of providing resources for healthy and sustainable living.”
“Living Love is coming in to beef up the community’s access to these programs,” continued Curry, “and provide support so that the New City School, for instance, can have a place for the children to get hands-on bike skills, learn in an environment that is accessible, and builds on what already exists.
“We will also be working with other neighborhood schools to get kids into these programs after school and on weekends. Because The HUB is located right across the street from the New City School, the PCH Blue Line station stop, and near a major intersection [PCH and Long Beach Boulevard] that will do much of the promotion for us. It’s a very fortunate location.
“We also want to take Living Love @ The HUB workshops to schools,” Curry said, “and we’ll be applying for grants to help make this a reality. Of course, Living Love will be doing our staple arts, health, and nutrition programming, so we think the programs are pretty well rounded and the kids in this community will enjoy them.
“We are also planning a series of outdoor movie festivals at The HUB to raise funds for the space, and the labor it takes to maintain it. We’re calllng it the “Ride-In” festival. Folks can ride their bikes, park, roll out a blanket and watch their favorite old movies. That’s a fun way to get the word out about the space, and the work we’re doing in the community.
“The job readiness program is for young adults,” Curry stated, “youth who may be troubled and having a hard time in traditional educational environments, or have a little more energy and need an outlet for it that moves them outside the confines of a classroom.
“Right now, we’re working on a fusion of bike mechanics workshops and ‘bikeability,’ which is actually a British program for bike readiness, introduced to us by community partner Flower of Life. That way, they can actually become teachers of bike safety and work as bike mechanics. The most bikeable city in the US will have a ready crop of young bike mechanics ready to work. Of course, any young person who is interested can take part in this program.
I asked Kelli why the Foundation decided to relocate.
“We moved operations to the 1st District,” Curry said, “which is Robert Garcia’s district, because we respected his work in the community and saw that he has a very hands-on approach. Living Love has not been disappointed in that vein. Robert’s office has been good with information, opening doors and, with this event in particular, shepherding us along the path with permits and what not. Lena Gonzalez has been wonderful with community outreach, and just staying in touch with us point for point on developing this event.
“The process is transparent enough, and speaks to that old saying that you have to be in it to win it. So, as far as I can report, if you work with your local reps then they’ll work with you. The City was also very supportive of Imagine That, the free program of arts enrichment that we did in Bixby Park.
“Still,” said Curry, “it would be nice for the City to [more actively] support programs that support the health and wellness of children and young people. It’s sad when you’re trying to do the right things for the community, and in the world in general, and then you turn around and the City is hammering you with fees and tons and tons of red tape.”
The Living Love Foundation has very specific fundraising goals.
“We want to raise $10,000 in funds and resources,” Curry said. “When I say ‘resources,’ I’m referring to supplies, volunteer hours and in-kind donations. This marriage between Living Love and The HUB is a product of alot of the progressive, forward thinking and moving that is happening here in the world at this time, and especially here in Long Beach. It’s a product of all the hard work of countless volunteers and organizations like Catalyst Community, and their groups like Pedal Movement, LB Creative, and Green Long Beach.
“Those groups know that we have to be the change that we want to see in the world. This is a real opportunity to see many of the programs so many of us have been working so hard to produce over the years, manifest through a dedicated space. How exciting for the arts and health movements. The future of transportation, and the Green movement, are coming together at The HUB!
“The program on Sunday goes from 2-6,” said Curry. “Trevor Green, Lowly Lisa, and the Rollie Pollies will be performing at 4:30, and we’ll have alot of fun arts activities for the kids. If folks are unable to attend and would like to contribute, or get involved, they can go to www.livinglovefoundation.org to contribute to the work we’re doing here in Long Beach.”
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For further insight into The HUB, check out the recent article by Greggory Moore.