The first thing that struck me about the LGBT Community Center in Hillcrest was how beautiful the building was. The room in which we visited reminded me of a church! From the beginning, every elder who sat around me was very kind and willing to have conversation with me. The first person I spoke with was Nancy who was a past corrections officer in a prison. She told me about how the inmates respected her and viewed her as a mother figure. Additionally, Nancy shared her personal philosophy with me regarding how she views life and interactions with others. She believes that if you treat others well and with respect, you make a tremendous impact on them. Even a small compliment about an article of clothing they’re wearing can make a big difference. I admired how simple her philosophy was and recognized its value. While in line for the luncheon, I spoke with two other elders who lived in Hillcrest. They expressed how they love the community around them and how easy it is for them to walk places, including the LGBT Community Center. We talked about how great the Hillcrest farmer’s market is and the variety of businesses in the area. While eating, I had the opportunity to speak with Sarah who happens to have a son going to the same high school as my cousin in Chula Vista. She told me how proud she was of him for being a 4.0 student all throughout high school and his acceptance into UCLA to study meteorology. It was so sweet to see how much pride she had in her son and his goals to save lives by predicting the occurrence of natural disasters before they hit developing countries. Overall, I thoroughly appreciated all the conversations I had at the LGBT Community Center.
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Monique SimArchives
June 2018
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