Community Leaders, I just learned that there has been a decision to close Onetta Harris Community Center. It makes me so sad to just now hear about this. This has been a staple in East Menlo Park for the underserved community. This means these people won’t have a refuge, a place to go after school, during summer, school breaks, or when they simply want to go. Not only that but what will happen to all the folks who work here? Where will all these people go in the 2 years it will take to have a new space. Finding out about this I have learned about the actual person (Onetta Harris) who this community center was re-named after. She was a tireless volunteer who devoted her free time to her community. This community needs spaces like this to help encourage our youth, for our older folks to socialize, and stay active. Some of the experiences these children have in the After School and Summer programs, or dance classes that are offered at Onetta are the only exposure they have to a bigger world outside of their homes. This feels like you are taking away such an important pillar of this community. This current time in our Country isn’t a time to take away a center that serves our Black and Latinx community. By doing so you are showing that you do not care about our people. By bringing in the giant Facebook and their endless hunger to take over our city and Bay Area, you are standing with a company who has made it impossible to afford to live in the Bay. What are you saying to US by making this decision, that money and power can buy whatever they want? That they can take our space, OUR COMMUNITY! Many people will lose the COMMUNITY center where they spend much of their time, where they make connections and learn. This is not for our community seems like it is for the Facebook community. The people who can afford to buy 1 million-dollar homes and not even blink. Also, where people make an honest living working in and for our COMMUNITY. I want you to really think about this. Spend time with the actual people who visit this place almost daily. You might see a bit of what I’m talking about. -- Karina -- KA Received on Mon Jun 08 2020 - 10:54:22 PDT
