Hello,
I hope you are doing well. On October 18, 2024, City Council Member Maria Doerr said she was going to talk with the City Manager regarding Adult Classes for people who live in East Menlo Park for the Onetta Harris Community Center. Are there any updates regarding this? Why has it taken so long to get any classes? Is there a budget for the East Menlo Park Community? I am not sure if the citys goal is equity.
You guys love data. Here is some data:
10 classes for adults at Onetta Harris Community Center
14 classes for 60+ adults at Onetta Harris Community Center
30 classes for adult at AFRC
3 Virtual classes
Do I need to wait until I retire to be able to take classes? Last time I emailed the city council, it took 10 days for anyone to respond. I am not sure if I will get a response this time since the election is around the corner. and there is a politician running for president who does not see immigrants as humans.
Eduardo Hernandez
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Doerr, Maria >
Date: Fri, Oct 18, 2024 at 9:34 AM
Subject: Re: Classes at Onetta Harris Community Center for Adults
To: Eduardo Hernandez >
Hi Eduardo,
Thank you for your message. Im sorry to hear from you that the class offerings at the Belle Haven Community Campus are lacking. It is critical that classes be offered after work when community members can attend, and that there is parity between offerings at both Menlo Park community spaces.
The City Council has stressed that the new Campus should provide services at the same level as the downtown library and athletic center. I know the Campus staff share this priority and are deeply committed to making the Campus a vibrant, community-oriented space.
I will discuss this with the City Manager and Library & Community Services director to figure out more about where class development plans are, and when things will be moving forward.
I will reach back out to you when I learn more.
Kind regards,
Maria
Marias Office Hours are Tuesdays 8-9:30am at Woodside Bakery in Sharon Heights. Come say hello!
[cid:CMP_Email_Logo_100dpi_05d92d5b-e8e3-498f-93a6-d0da509bd602111111111.png]
Maria Doerr
City Councilmember
City Hall - 2nd Floor
701 Laurel St.
tel 650-600-1940?
menlopark.gov>
________________________________
From: Eduardo Hernandez >
Sent: Tuesday, October 8, 2024 5:44:06 PM
To: Wolosin, Jen; Nash, Betsy; Doerr, Maria; Combs, Drew; Taylor, Cecilia
Subject: Classes at Onetta Harris Community Center for Adults
Hello,
My name is Eduardo Hernandez. I have been an East Menlo Park resident for 24 years. Since I moved into East Menlo Park in 2000, my experience has been unfair treatment from the City Council of Menlo Park for our community. While West Menlo Park flourishes with services and classes, East Menlo Park has been neglected. Although we have a new building which has had and continues to have a lot of issues, there are not many activists for East Menlo Park residents, especially if you are between the ages of 18 and 55. I have been going on a regular basis to Onetta Harris Community Center to check on the status of new classes and have been told "we are working on it." One of the supervisors even suggested I should be looking for the classes myself that I want the city to provide me and to provide him the contact information of teachers who are willing to work at Onetta Harris Community Center. The supervisor recommended I should be teaching the classes for free. I wonder how many volunteer teachers are at Arrillaga Family Recreation Center. Can you share them with us if you have them? The classes Onetta Harris Community Center offers are not that many, and all of them are at our working hours. On the other hand, Arrillaga Family Recreation Center not only has new classes every time I look at the activity guide, but classes are offered at different times, so West Menlo Park residents can enjoy them. Why is it so easy to find classes for Arrillaga Family Recreation Center but not for Onetta Harris Community Center. Unfortunately, Onetta Harris is no longer with us to fight for our rights. Even her name has been erased from our history and building against the will of the people. Menlo Park City Council snubs community icon Onetta Harris – Palo Alto Daily Post (padailypost.com). I want to know why we are treated differently. What do we need to do to receive equity in action and not in words? Thank you.
Eduardo
