Activating Our Community, One Block at a Time

When we moved into our new neighborhood, I had a six-month-old baby in my arms and fear in my heart. The street felt heavy—across from us, squatters were living in a front yard, barbecuing every meal after stripping the home of its pipes. A sober living house sat on the corner, but it wasn’t sober—those same squatters were servicing it with drugs. We eventually started calling it “the not-so-sober living house.”

A local gang member, known as “25 guy,” was shot a few feet from our front door our first year there. A week later, he was back on the street—no limp, no pause.

Behind our home, we had a tenant who hosted 3 a.m. meth runs courtesy of our neighbor Ms. Shella. It was chaos. And I was terrified.

But then… we met Andre, Rocio, Mary, and Cassandra.

They were the light at the end of the tunnel—the other side of our new neighborhood. They weren’t just hoping for change, they were making it happen. Monthly clean-ups. Park days. Block parties. Safety meetings. They were out there, every week, fighting for our street.

They invited me in—first to help with a Gaviota block party, then a few clean-ups… then, somehow, I became a board member.

Now, they’re not just neighbors. They’re chosen family. And I can say without hesitation: our block, and my life, are better because of them.

This is what real community looks like.

Today, I’m raising money to support the work of our AOC7 family. Every dollar we raise is another service we can provide—another clean-up, another food distribution, another day where someone feels seen and safe in their own neighborhood.

If you believe in the power of neighbors helping neighbors, I hope you’ll support this work.