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Former Hotel Worker’ Leadership Takes Up Union, O.C. Democrats

RL Intern
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Former Hotel Worker’ Leadership Takes Up Union, O.C. Democrats

By Cindy Portillo, Editorial Intern

Ada Briceño immigrated from Nicaragua. She and her family fled a civil war at the age of 6. She never imagined her journey would lead her to become a fighter of women’s rights, civil rights, and immigrant rights. Moreover, she never imagined that her passions would raise her to the leadership of the Democratic Party of Orange County and Unite Here Local 11, which represents 32,000 workers employed in hotels, restaurants, airports, sports arenas and convention centers throughout Southern California and Arizona.

“As a Latina, I was not very welcomed [when I moved to Orange County],” said Briceño of her election in 2020 as the chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Orange County.

Orange County is primarily known for being a Republican County. But she is dedicated and motivated to make a change. When it comes to politicians there are not many people that look like her. Being a Latina and knowing that she is capable of making a change is very important to her.

As a union leader Briceño has been involved with Unite Here since she was 18 years old. At age 26 she became the first president immigrant Latina of the union. Her first hotel job is what led her into being a part of a union and into what she would be advocating for after that. She has always, in one way or another, been involved in politics. Working as a hotel clerk, Briceño saw first-hand how hotel workers were treated. She realized that without assistance from the union people of color, immigrants, men and women were not protected against company harassment such as discrimination or sexual harassment.

“I found passion in helping workers … and teaching people how to use their voice,” Briceño said. “That’s how I found myself, by giving a voice to workers, helping them find a voice.”

Briceño also worked at the Sheraton hotel in San Pedro for a year. She was able to obtain healthcare and received her best meal of the day there. Briceño was happy to work there, and made sure her co-workers did not get mistreated, making sure that they stood up for themselves.

Kurt Peterson, who has worked with Ada Briceño for more than 20 years, describes her as a tough woman who does not give up.

“She is a remarkable leader,” said Peterson, co-president of Unite Here Local 11. “She is a rare combination of vision, drive, and toughness. … Ada has grown into this extraordinary, remarkable, confident woman. Every step of the way she has fought for workers”

As the first Latina immigrant-serving her second term as chairwoman of The Democratic Party in Orange County, Briceño has been able to prosper against all odds.
In Nicaragua, her family was middle class. They often took trips within Central America and to the United States. Briceño is the oldest of four siblings and was a maternal figure for them. Her father was a banker and they were financially stable.

In addition, Briceño and her family were forced to leave their beautiful home where she often saw vast amounts of greenery. She remembers being able to freely run outside and play with her friend Virginia until one day in 1980 she could no longer go outside and see the beautiful scenery and flowers.

“One day when I came home from school, I was not allowed to leave my house anymore, Briceño said. “I couldn’t go out to play anymore because it was too dangerous, and then we would hear the bombs going off and that was a sign that we had to duck under my dining room table.”

The Nicaraguan revolution known as Revolucion Popular Sandinista happened in 1960-1970’s. When the dictatorship was ending, the civil war happened during the 80’s when the dictator was killed. The war was happening outside her home. It was a very frightening time period for Briceño and her family. She was confined in her home in 1980, the same year her family decided to leave because it was not safe. The green scenery and beautiful flowers were no longer there when she stepped outside her house. Everything was dark and muddy; her house was not the house she once knew. Her neighborhood was unrecognizable. The beautiful green scenery was gone.

When her family moved to the U.S. her family struggled economically. It was hard to adjust. Briceño struggled in school and her father did not have a good job. The simple life that she experienced in Nicaragua was long gone.

“We did a lot of Top Ramen,” Briceño said.

Despite their financial struggles when moving to the United States. Her parents tried their best with what they had. Briceño struggled in school, she struggled to make new friends and that was a really difficult time for her.

“It was hard to find friends in school or otherwise,” she said. “We were quite different, not only did we dress differently (my brothers and I), but we spoke differently, we ate differently. It was tough to acclimate. Our only friends were my cousins.”

Briceño said she finally found her voice in this country when she joined the union. She now shares that strength through her labor fight.

“My passion is developing leaders,” she said. “My union taught me how to find leaders and develop them so they can create social change in our country.

“Whether it was women’s rights, workers rights, immigration … every single road through those things led to politics.”

Eugene Daub Retrospective at PV Art Center

Melina Paris
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Eugene Daub Retrospective at PV Art Center

Palos Verdes Art Center / Beverly G. Alpay Center for Arts Education has announced Eugene Daub: Monumental, a retrospective of the internationally acclaimed sculptor’s large public works. This exhibition will offer a behind-the-scenes view into the creation of monumental sculptures – starting from the sketch to a maquette, the enlargement, the mold-making process, and finally the pouring of the bronze and welding it all back together again from many pieces.

Among the 12 of Daub’s monumental works chronicled by this exhibition are Lewis & Clark, Kansas City, Missouri; Rosa Parks, US Capitol, Washington, D.C.; Harry Bridges, ILWU Union Hall, Wilmington, CA; Thomas Jefferson, University of Virginia, and Phineas Banning, Banning’s Landing, Wilmington.
This past June, On June 19, Daub won the Marcel Jovine President’s Prize for a realistic work, in the form of a bas-relief of Civil Rights leader and legendary member of Congress, John Lewis.

In 2013, a monument he completed of another Civil Rights icon, Rosa Parks, was installed in the statuary hall of the U.S. Congress.

In 2019, Daub completed a bronze statue of Harry Bridges. Within the past 30 years Daub has designed and created many public art commissions for the U.S. government, private foundations, universities and corporations and has exhibited in the British Museum and the Smithsonian Institute, among other locations.

His previous commissions include Harvey Milk, young Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson. The artist has built his reputation on classically styled figurative works. His accomplishments have been recognized through numerous awards in full figure, monumental and bas relief sculpture. He serves on the board of the National Sculpture Society and has taught sculpture around the country for years.

Most recently, Daub has been creating small metal disc sculptures of San Pedro’s famed poet Charles Bukowski. The sculptures are to raise funds toward creating a bust to be displayed in a location to be determined within the Waterfront Arts District. Plans have been in the works for the Bukowski in Bronze bust since August 2019 but were slighted by the pandemic.

Daub’s first job in sculpture was for The Franklin Mint where he developed skills in relief sculpture. He taught at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco from 1993 to 2002. He has been an instructor at the Scottsdale Artists’ School from 1991 to the present and is the designer of the first Philadelphia Liberty Medal, which that city awards every year to a champion of world peace.

Daub has exhibited extensively and has works in numerous public collections including the Helsinki Art Museum, the British Museum; the Smithsonian Institution; The National Statuary Hall Collection in the United States Capitol, and the United States National Park Service. Daub has created over 40 major monuments in the U.S. in the last 30 years and is a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society.

In the last 30 years Daub has created over 40 major monuments in the U.S. He won both of the nation’s highest awards for excellence in metallic art: The Saltus Award from the American Numismatic Society, and the gold medal, from the American Numismatic Association. The exhibition runs from Sept. 25 to Nov. 13.

Cost: Free
Details: www.pvartcenter.org and https://eugenedaub.com/
Venue: Palos Verdes Art Center, 5504 Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes

Stop Procrastinating About Estate Planning

Lyn Jensen
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Stop Procrastinating About Estate Planning

Getting my mother to stop procrastinating and make a decision, any decision, about her estate, was a “someday” task for which “someday” never came. In hindsight I understand her habit of procrastinating well enough to know that making helpful suggestions, such as passing along printed information or lawyers’ phone numbers, were no substitute for scheduling action. I should have fought my own habit of procrastinating, forced the issue, and made greater effort for “someday” to be “now.”

My mother had options at her fingertips, she just steadfastly refused to act. She left her house full of a wide selection of blank pre-printed forms that are intended to make end-of-life planning easier. She’d started some paperwork, but obviously gave up whenever the questions got tough.

Shortly after her death, some phone solicitor called and said he’d been talking to her about a trust fund for years. At first I thought maybe the guy meant she did have a trust fund that I didn’t know about, but he just went into a standard sales spiel and, further, had the nerve to insist I was my dead mother. I got rid of him, while I thought how the guy must’ve pitched her aggressively multiple times–but she must’ve never said either “yes” or “no,” just strung him along.

Just a few months before my mother died, I talked her into meeting a lawyer, telling her it the consultation was free, and all she had to do was listen. She told the lawyer she could do the will herself (she and my father thought alike that way) and she’d just use the local law library. She also said there were some matters she didn’t want to discuss in front of me. The lawyer suggested I leave the room, but she still balked.

At last I saw a way forward, I thought, except the revelation came several years too late. I don’t know what she didn’t want to discuss—I knew the family’s secrets, unless there were some I didn’t know—but that she held such reservations partly explained her reluctance. Had she still been of sound mind, I would’ve driven her to the local law library and sat her down with what was needed, but she was no longer capable of that.

Now I’m looking over some of those blank forms and self-help booklets that she left behind, about making a will and conveying your last wishes, and struggling to answer those questions myself. My own urge to procrastinate is strong. Here are some resources I’m using:

The New Normal ― What a Country Divided Looks Like in Long Beach

Luke Netzley
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The New Normal ― What a Country Divided Looks Like in Long Beach

It was hot on the tarmac as a sea of reporters stood waiting in the sunshine, cameras and microphones at the ready. My colleagues and I had been screened by the secret service, flanked by military police and bomb sniffing dogs, all under the watchful eye of a rooftop sniper as we awaited the President’s arrival.

When Air Force One roared across the runway at Long Beach Airport, it marked President Joe Biden’s first visit to Southern California since taking office. The Presidential Motorcade pulled to a stop before the air-stair waiting for the president of the United States and California Gov. Gavin Newsom to descend to the limousine.

This was the reason for the President’s visit ― to provide the final push in Gov. Newsom’s win over the Republican-led recall at Long Beach City College.

By the time we were released from the press box and followed the course of the motorcade to attend the rally, the police had completely closed off Carson Street. Protesters waving “Fuck Biden” flags and pro-Trump signs signifying their political identities had overrun the streets. It was quickly made clear we would not be allowed entry to the Governor’s “defeat the recall” rally at Long Beach City College.

The tone of the night became increasingly hostile as a large number of pro-Trump protestors lined the streets around the campus wielding hand-made signs, large banners, and American flags alike. Rows of law enforcement officers faced off against the crowd. The crowd, in turn, chanted “Traitor!” to every police car and motorcycle cop that passed in case they were a part of the Presidential Motorcade and waved signs that eloquently read, “Bozo Biden,” “Legalize Freedom,” and “Joe Biden is a Child Predator and Human Trafficker.”

Long after the sun set behind the Rolling Hills, the protestors continued to shout at law enforcement and chant expletives in chaotic unison. Who was listening? It was hard to tell, as the Presidential Motorcade never passed through the mob, opting for an alternate route instead.

The atmosphere was tense, and even once the roads had re-opened and it became clear that President Biden would not be passing through the pro-Trump crowd, the protestors remained on the city streets shouting into the darkness. What began as an orderly event to welcome the President of the United States to the city of Long Beach quickly devolved into a bitter affair between Biden supporters, Trump supporters, and law enforcement. Perhaps a sign of the times for today’s California.

New Legislation Expands Protections for Warehouse Workers

Reporters Desk
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New Legislation Expands Protections for Warehouse Workers

SACRAMENTO — Moving to address injuries among workers in the warehousing industry, Gov.Gavin Newsom Sept. 23, signed AB 701 by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), which establishes new, transparency measures for companies to disclose production quota descriptions to their workers and prohibits the use of algorithms that disrupt basic worker rights such as rest periods, bathroom breaks or compliance with health and safety laws. The legislation ensures workers cannot be fired or retaliated against for failing to meet an unsafe quota and allows them to pursue injunctive relief.

Gov. Newsom said we cannot allow corporations to put profit over people. Hardworking warehouse employees who have helped sustain us during these unprecedented times should not have to risk injury or face punishment as a result of exploitative quotas that violate basic health and safety.

AB 701 also enables the Labor Commissioner to issue citations and access worker’s compensation data to identify facilities where there are high rates of injury likely due to the use of unsafe quotas.

Following Federal Approval, California Ready to Administer Booster Doses on Day One

Reporters Desk
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Following Federal Approval, California Ready to Administer Booster Doses on Day One

With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorizing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for boosters for those over the age of 65 and high-risk individuals, Gov. Gavin Newsom Sept. 23, released a COVID-19 Vaccine Action Plan that outlines how the state will be able to immediately begin administering doses to eligible Californians, continue equity-centered focus on eligible but unvaccinated individuals, and expand operations once more Californians are eligible.

Developed in concert with local partners and providers statewide, the Newsom Administration is working to leverage the existing vaccine infrastructure to connect eligible Californians with local providers who can administer the vaccine.

California’s vaccine action plan outlines scenarios to ensure the state and partners can meet expected demand for boosters. The plan also ensures the state’s readiness to administer vaccines to Californians under age 12, which is anticipated as early as next month.

The state’s MyTurn.ca.gov platform is ready to launch its booster eligibility screener and appointment finder to connect Californians to walk-in vaccine locations and appointments near them. The site will also send text message alerts to Californians when eligible for a booster to ensure people know their options. The MyCAVax vaccine ordering tool is updated to allow providers to order the supply they need to meet the expected demand for these additional doses.

California Strengthens Access to Reproductive Health Care and Protections, Lifts New Reproductive Freedom Advisory Group

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California Strengthens Access to Reproductive Health Care and Protections, Lifts New Reproductive Freedom Advisory Group

SACRAMENTO — In the face of unprecedented attacks on women’s health care and reproductive rights throughout the country, Gov. Gavin Newsom Sept. 22, initiated an advisory group, the California Future of Abortion Council, to advance the state’s leadership on reproductive freedom and signed legislation furthering the state’s commitment to ensuring access to essential reproductive and sexual health care services.

The legislation will protect the privacy of patients seeking sensitive health care services, including reproductive health care, and create new safeguards to protect patients and providers from harassment.

Governor Newsom said California has been a leader in protecting access to sexual and reproductive rights, but as seen recently with unprecedented attacks on these rights, we can and must do more,

AB 1356 by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) increases penalties for current crimes under the California Freedom of Access to Clinic Act and updates online privacy laws and peace officer training related to anti-reproduction-rights offenses. It creates new offenses arising from recording or photographing patients or providers within 100 feet of the entrance to a reproductive health services facility.

AB 1184 by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) protects the privacy rights of people receiving sensitive health care services, including reproductive health care and gender-affirming care, by ensuring patient information is kept confidential if they are not the primary policyholder for their health insurance.

This action comes in the wake of attacks on sexual health care and reproductive rights around the country, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s failure to block Texas’ ban on abortion after six weeks. California is a national leader on reproductive and sexual health protections and rights, and Governor Newsom’s actions make clear that the state will remain a haven for all Californians, and for those coming from out-of-state seeking reproductive health services here. The Administration’s participation in the new “California Future of Abortion Council” – launched by Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC), NARAL-Pro Choice CA, Black Women for Wellness, ACCESS Reproductive Justice, and National Health Law Program (NHelp) – will work in collaboration with researchers, advocates, policy makers, providers, patients and key constituents to identify potential challenges that currently exist or may arise, and recommend solutions that will continue the state’s reproductive freedom leadership.

California Supreme Court Rules Against the Proposed 2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission Map Deadline

Reporters Desk
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California Supreme Court Rules Against the Proposed 2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission Map Deadline

SACRAMENTO—The California Supreme Court Sept. 22, ruled on the 2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission’s or Commission petition to clarify and/or modify the writ of mandate issued by the Court on July 17, 2020 (Legislature of CA v Alex Padilla S262530)—when it ruled that the Commission should have until December 15, 2021 to submit its maps to the California Secretary of State due to the delay in release of census results. If census results were received after July 31, 2021, the Commission’s deadline would be adjusted accordingly to compensate for the additional federal delay.

Commission Chair Neal Fornaciari said while disappointed with the ruling, the Commission is committed to ensuring continued public participation in the process and to posting the first set of draft district maps by the court mandated date of Nov. 15, 2021 and to delivering the final district maps to the Secretary of State by the court mandated date of Dec. 27, 2021.

The State of California received local level data from the U.S. Census Bureau Aug. 12, 2021. These data required further preparation by the statewide database to allow for the state’s incarcerated population to be counted with the communities of their last known residence and reformat the data for use by the Commission. The Statewide Database published official census results on Sept. 20, 2021.

These data are available at: https://statewidedatabase.org/redistricting2021/pl94-legacy.html.

Carson’s District 4 Candidate Gomez Accused of lying on Campaign

Fabiola Esqueda
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Carson’s District 4 Candidate Gomez Accused of lying on Campaign

Carson candidate for 4th district city council Freddie Gomez found himself in hot water after Park Avalon Mobile Estates residents called him out for false statements made in his campaign pamphlet.

In the pamphlet, Gomez stated he “successfully helped to prevent the closure of Park Avalon Mobile Home Park.” But Park Avalon’s homeowners association (HOA) vice-president, Glenn White said that Gomez had zero involvement in preventing the closure.

“I’m pretty upset about it,” White expressed. “It’s ridiculous. He had nothing to do with it. He had never even attempted to talk to us and here he is trying to claim credit for doing something that he had nothing to do with. The owner made this decision. Freddie had nothing to do with this.”

Peter Wang, the owner of Park Avalon, withdrew the Relocation Impact Report application on June 16. Without it, Wang could not move forward with the process of closing down the mobile home park. In a letter addressed to Park Avalon residents in August, Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes assured residents that Wang put an indefinite hold in his efforts of closing the park.

The good news was temporary for White — the law permits Wang to submit a new RIR application.

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Dear has introduced a mobile home zoning draft that will make it if park owners propose to close the park, it will have to be replaced with a new mobile homes park.

White is a leading advocate for the city council to change the zoning rules regarding mobile home parks. White believes the ordinance will save the mobile home parks from closure. To that end, with a city council seat waiting to be filled in special elections in two months, White has taken charge of gathering the candidates positioning on the ordinance. White claims Gomez never attended HOA meetings or advocated for mobile home park residents at rallies.

“If he would have called me or tried to make contact with us in any way, I would have heard about it,” White said. “I would have reached out to him because I am certainly interested in talking to him. It’s not like we would give him shit if he tried to reach out, but he hasn’t done that. He hasn’t done anything.”

White is not surprised by Gomez’s actions. After having lived in Carson for the past 24 years, and has seen a lot of political shenanigans take place through election season.

“It doesn’t surprise me in any way, but it’s still disappointing to see them acting this way,” White said. “In the flyer, he outright says that he assisted in stopping the closure of Park Avalon mobile home park, and if he helped in some way, I sure would like to know what that is because that’s all right bull.”

Freddie Gomez has not replied to Random Lengths News for comment in this story.

“It’s wrong that he is deceiving people in the city,” White said. “It’s just wrong to do that. Especially to use us in that way, that’s just outrageous.”

New Executives Named/Measures to Speed Cargo

Reporters Desk
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New Executives Named/Measures to Speed Cargo

Two Executives Named at Port of Long Beach

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners Sept. 20, selected two leaders in the Commercial Operations Bureau at the Port of Long Beach.

Samantha Galltin was appointed managing director of the Commercial Operations Bureau, comprising the business development, tenant services and operations, and security services divisions. She replaces Kenneth W. Duncan, who left the port earlier in 2021.

Carlo Luzzi, who has served the port for more than 30 years, was appointed acting director of tenant services and operations. He replaces Glenn Farren, who left the port earlier this month. The port is beginning a recruiting process for the role.

San Pedro Bay Ports Announce New Measures to Speed Cargo Throughput

The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles announced Sept. 17, new measures to improve freight movement and reduce delays through the ports. These measures will enhance the ports’ operations to help meet the unprecedented growth in cargo volume moving through the San Pedro Bay.

Both ports will expand the hours during which trucks can pick up and return containers. Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach, announced that Long Beach will take the first step towards a 24/7 supply chain by maximizing nighttime operations. Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka announced that the Port of Los Angeles will expand weekend operating gate hours. Named “Accelerate Cargo LA,” the Port of Los Angeles’ program will operate on a pilot basis to ensure that gate availability meets cargo demands and provides greater transparency to improve efficiency. In addition, both ports have called on marine terminal operators to incentivize the use of all available gate hours, especially night gates, to reduce congestion and maximize cargo throughput capacity.

The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles will work with the trucking community to ensure that all truck operators understand how to take advantage of incentivized gate hours as well as the expanded opportunities that will be created to move cargo during non-peak times. In addition, the ports urge terminals and the trucking community to consider other corrective measures.

August Cargo Volume Exceeds 954,000 TEUs at POLA

SAN PEDRO — With a steady amount of cargo streaming through the Port of Los Angeles, in August, the port processed 954,377 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), just under last August’s record of 961,833 TEUs.

Eight months into the 2021 calendar year, overall cargo volume is 7,273,053 TEUs, an increase of 30% compared to 2020.

Seroka said to better manage this record cargo, the Port of Los Angeles is co-hosting roundtable discussions with dozens of public and private stakeholders.

August 2021 loaded imports reached 485,672 TEUs, a decrease of 6% compared to the previous year, when American retailers ramped up orders to restock low inventory. Loaded exports decreased 23% to 101,292 TEUs compared to the same period last year.

Empty containers climbed to 367,413 TEUs, a jump of 17% compared to last year due to the continued demand in Asia. It was the highest number of empty containers the Port has handled in a single month, eclipsing the 361,359 TEUs processed in May 2021.

Details: www.youtube.com/watch?/BRIEFING-WITH-GENE SEROKA-and-ED-DESMOND

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