LTSCene Monthly Newsletter
March 2021 Issue
For 40 years, through many obstacles, we’ve worked to create positive change in our community. Through this recent wave of hardship and anti-Asian sentiment, we remain steadfast. In this issue, we go back to the basics of our mission – helping those in need.
Statement in Response to the Shooting of Asian Women in Atlanta
The recent uptick in anti-Asian violence has been heavy for our community – but we are resilient. LTSC renews our commitment to uplift communities of color, fight for equitable policies and celebrate diversity. Click below to read our statement in response to the shooting of Asian women in Atlanta.
Earlier this month, Councilmember Kevin de Leon introduced a motion to City Council to expand the footprint of the Go For Broke project (LTSC’s affordable housing project in partnership with Go For Broke National Education Center “GFBNEC”). Yesterday, March 23, 2021, City Council voted to approve the expanded ground lease – giving LTSC and GFBNEC site control of a large parcel of the First Street North block.
The expansion covers the entire western part of the block along Judge John Aiso Street, as well as the northern section on Temple Street (over 2.5 acres). This allows our project to nearly triple its original 77 unit plan to include 220+ units of affordable and permanent supportive housing, including housing for veterans experiencing homelessness. The project also includes significant and much-needed ground floor commercial and community space for legacy businesses, arts, green space and more.
This expanded ground lease is a huge step forward in securing community control for the First Street North block in Little Tokyo – a campaign that’s been in the works for many years. As anti-Asian violence soars in our nation, this reclamation of land through self-determination is a victory in our fight to build a strong and sustainable Little Tokyo by and for the community and its stakeholders.
This emotional victory was years in the making and we’re grateful to all our community partners that helped make this happen – especially the Little Tokyo Community Council, Sustainable Little Tokyo, and the stakeholder businesses and cultural institutions on the First Street block.
“This is something the community and our partners have been fighting for across many years – we’re not fully there yet, but it is a huge step. I want to send a truly heartfelt thanks to Councilmember Kevin de Leon for his bold leadership in introducing this motion to City Council. From his days in the California Legislature, he has long been a champion for our community.” said Erich Nakano, Executive Director of LTSC.
LTSC & Wesley Health Centers Partner to Vaccinate Seniors in Little Tokyo
For vulnerable senior populations, receiving the COVID-19 vaccine is trickier than it seems. Hundreds of seniors in Little Tokyo don’t speak English, don’t have access to technology and don’t drive, creating high barriers to make an appointment for a vaccine. To help resolve this unmet health need, LTSC partnered with Wesley Health Centers to bring a mobile vaccination clinic to Little Tokyo, hosted at the new Terasaki Budokan facility. “I don’t have family nearby to take me to a clinic,” said Mariko Herron, a 17 year resident of the Little Tokyo Towers. “So I was thrilled when LTSC reached out about the vaccine clinic at Budokan.”
157 seniors were inoculated with their first dose in February and received their second dose on March 16, 2021. LTSC provided in-language support every step of the way from pre-registration to day-of check-in to escorting seniors to-and-from the clinic.
Yoshiko Takahashi, a 10-year resident of Little Tokyo Towers explains, “it was such a relief to be able to take my husband to the Little Tokyo vaccine clinic since it’s such a short walking distance from my home. It would’ve been a great challenge to take him elsewhere since he is in a wheelchair. I was so impressed by how smooth and efficient the clinic was. There was even a staff person directing people at the cross walk by my apartment. I appreciated all the thoughtful details of the clinic,”
“From the location to timing, having everything in Little Tokyo was very convenient. LTSC staff was very supportive at each step. It was very smooth and someone was always available. Even though I understand English, it was a great comfort to have the vaccine process and medical jargon explained to me in Japanese,” said Masayoshi Sasaki, a 6-year resident of Little Tokyo Towers.
LTSC Helps Secure over $5M in Small Business Aid
This month marks one year since the COVID-19 pandemic sent the world into lockdown. In Little Tokyo, small businesses (especially legacy businesses) have been struggling to stay afloat. LTSC’s small business assistance program kicked into high gear, helping businesses with everything from navigating tricky loan applications and launching digital marketing strategies to transitioning to e-commerce.
“Little Tokyo Service Center has been a great help throughout this COVID pandemic. Their knowledge of the government assistance and local programs were a great help to our store. Their kindness with helping me navigate the internet in applying for loans and social networking were greatly appreciated!” – Mary Onoue, Kuragami Florist
“We at Rafu Bussan are eternally grateful for the guidance and resources we’ve been given from LTSC’s small business counselors. Traditionally, we have been a hands-on retail establishment, but with the pandemic, it forced us to do more online marketing and sales. Without the advice and expertise from LTSC it would be very difficult for us, who are not tech savvy, to transition and keep the business afloat.” – Carol Tanita, Rafu Bussan
One year later, we’re proud to say our small business counselors have helped secure over $5 million in grants, forgivable loans and other funds to help support the small businesses that are essential to our community’s fabric.
One such funding source is the Little Tokyo Small Business Relief Fund set up in collaboration with our community partner, the Little Tokyo Community Council. This fund targets small businesses in Little Tokyo that typically don’t qualify for the existing relief support in the restaurant sector.
“Thank you so much to LTCC’s Small Biz Relief Fund and Mariko Lochridge [LTSC Small Business Counselor] for always looking out for the community, this grant will really help us stay open in Little Tokyo!” – Darin Maki, CRFT by Maki
YOU can help support small businesses in Little Tokyo by donating to the LT Small Business Relief Fund!
An Interview with Ayumi Omoto, Mental Health Coordinator
March is Social Work Month! 40 years ago, LTSC was founded as a social service agency providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services in the Little Tokyo community. Today, we provide a wide array of services throughout the SoCal region in over 5 languages. This Social Work Month we’d like to highlight our dedicated team of social workers, who tirelessly provide vital support for our community.
Tell us how you became a social worker, and why this field is important to you.
Upon graduating from college with psychology and East Asian Studies majors, I did not know exactly what I wanted to do, except for the fact that I wanted to find a profession where I could help people. I was very fortunate to be introduced to Bill Watanabe [LTSC’s Founding Executive Director] by someone my parents knew, and I was invited to volunteer. From there, I began to learn what social work was all about. I appreciated the fact that I found a profession where I could pursue my passion of helping those in need, while also utilizing my bilingual and bicultural skills.
What is your role at LTSC, and what services/support do you provide?
I am the Mental Health Coordinator at LTSC. There are 10 of us on the mental health team – although most of the staff work on multiple programs. We provide bilingual/bicultural mental health information and referral, mental health therapy and rehabilitation, as well as case management services under our program. Currently, we are able to provide services in Japanese, Korean, Chinese and English. As the coordinator, I do the initial intake for potential cases, manage the mental health contracts and reporting, have a few cases of my own, and provide supervision, support and guidance to the mental health staff.
What types of cases/clients do you work with?
We provide the majority of our services to lower income individuals 50 years and over who reside throughout Southern California. We provide treatment to individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. We also provide preventative mental health services to individuals dealing with various life stressors that cause depressive or anxious feelings. We serve individuals who are facing issues such as social isolation, adjustments to new phases of life issues (illness, physical or cognitive decline), caregiving stress, relationship issues, to name a few. We provide support for caregivers of loved ones with dementia, as well as family members with mental illnesses.
Why is it important to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services?
We have heard many clients say that they can speak English but that it’s difficult to express their deeper level feelings. Many of our clients are unable to speak English at all, so LTSC may be one of the very few places whether they can receive bilingual social services. For this reason, providing linguistically appropriate services is very important. Providing culturally appropriate services is perhaps even more important since each individual’s culture helps to shape their history, background, values, and life views – in general how they perceive things, including how they perceive mental health and seeking and receiving services. Providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services help our staff to build rapport with individuals and understand our clients better, in regards to their values and beliefs, stigmas and barriers.
What would you like people to know about social work as a profession, or about seeking help from a social worker?
Often, we are asked by the community if we are volunteers. I would like to let people know that social workers are professional staff- specifically, the mental health staff have all completed their graduate studies in either social work/social welfare, or counseling services. In addition, many of our mental health staff are licensed (LCSW or LMFT) by the state of California. We would like people to know that it is our mission to provide mental health and other social services to individuals in need as well as to the community in a non-judgemental manner, providing empowerment, advocacy and support while ensuring self determination.
Volunteer Spotlight: Jason Yee
Jason Yee began volunteering with LTSC’s small business assistance program during the pandemic to help Kenji Suzuki, owner of Suehiro Cafe. Along with his teammate, Kathy Pham, the two have worked on the restaurant’s digital marketing efforts like revamping the Suehiro website and keeping their social media up to date. Thanks to help from small business volunteers like Jason, LTSC has been able to connect business owners with additional help to navigate the pandemic, including digital marketing assistance, online delivery set up and more.
How did you become a volunteer for LTSC?
One of my coworkers is a volunteer with Far Bar. He mentioned that with COVID the small businesses in Little Tokyo needed help. He connected me with Mariko [LTSC Small Business Counselor] and she connected me to Suehiro. I have great memories of Suehiro since they’ve been around for ages. I would go to karaoke across the street and would wander over afterward and grab something to eat. So I jumped in and tried to support however I could.
What motivates you to volunteer your time and talent to help our small business assistance program?
I’m a big believer in giving back and being part of a community. I’ve been fortunate that in my personal life and career I’ve always had people give me a helping hand so I strongly believe it’s my duty to pay it back and pay it forward – how can I help the next person? I think small businesses are the backbone of LA and seeing what the pandemic was doing to mom and pop shops was devastating to me.
What’s your experience been like working with Kenji?
He’s such a nice guy. He’s been super open and communicative. I’ve run a food business before and I’ve been a marketing professional for years, so I was able to understand the challenges that Kenji was facing and then generate new ideas for marketing that were practical for both the business side and advertising side. It’s been super collaborative, and it’s been great working with him and Kathy, the other volunteer on the team.
What would you say to someone who was considering volunteering with LTSC?
Raise your hand. It doesn’t matter what level of involvement or skill you have, many hands make for light work. I always feel like I get back so much more than I put in. You never know how great an impact you can make, and it will definitely enrich your life.
If you or someone you know is interested in supporting Little Tokyo’s small businesses, please consider signing up as a volunteer or donating!
API Small Business Program Woman’s Center
This Women’s History Month, we’re spotlighting the Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program Women’s Business Center (API SBP WBS) and their vital work uplifting women entrepreneurs. LTSC is a proud member and fiscal sponsor of the API SPB program.
When COVID-19 hit, Teresita “Tess” Mercado was furloughed from her flight attendant job at United Airlines after 14 years. Not one to give up easily, Tess decided to pursue her dream of becoming a gourmet snack purveyor, restarting the Nutridge Farms business she put on hold 17 years ago.
By April, Tess had registered the business in California, launched a website, obtained a commercial kitchen space, received approval by the San Bernardino Health Department, and secured three wholesale customers.For Tess, the signature nuts and pretzels created at Nutridge Farms are a true labor of love as she uses only the best products for her customers assuring them impeccable personalized service every time.
Tess contacted API SBP looking for assistance with minority-owned certifications. Together with small business counselor Sharon Senko, Tess strategized about scaling production and targeting larger wholesale customers. She realized her products are ideal for specialty grocers, and shifted her sales strategy. Through her hard work and tenacity Tess landed 5 additional wholesale customers and in September closed a deal with Jensen’s Foods. She is looking to hire part-time help and will soon need a larger commercial kitchen space. “I am so proud of Tess. To change careers and re-start a business takes courage and she is one of the most resilient women I know,” said Sharon.
“Working with my API SBP business counselor has truly been a Godsend. Sharon Senko is not just my counselor but an invaluable partner. I look forward to our standing weekly meetings to report my weekly progress and get her feedback. She not only provides me with valuable information and resources on how to grow my business, but also provides encouragement and support that keeps me motivated and accountable. I was very fortunate to be partnered with Sharon from the onset, and can attribute some of my success to her and the program in general,” says Tess.
You can find Nutridge Farms’ products at Cal Poly Pomona Farm Market, Tom’s Farms Candy Shoppe & Farmer’s Market, The Avocado House, Idyllwild Village Market, Gerrard’s Market, Irvine Ranch Market, Jensen’s Finest Foods, and at the Chino Hills Farmer’s Market. Or order online at: www.nutridgefarms.com
Bringing Affordable Housing to East Hollywood
LTSC’s Santa Monica & Vermont (SMV) Apartments, in partnership with LA County Metro, promises 187 units of deeply affordable and permanent supportive housing in a high-traffic area in East Hollywood – a neighborhood that has seen skyrocketing cases of homelessness, gentrification and displacement.
SMV is a model project, weaving affordable housing with transit access, jobs, social services, health care, small business space, green sustainability and more. The ground floor will include approximately 20,000 sq. ft. of commercial and community uses, including a federally qualified health center, pharmacy and convenience store, local legacy business food court, community rooms and social service offices.
This project is the culmination of more than two years of in-depth community engagement and is the product of a co-developed vision with more than 500 stakeholders and two dozen local organizations, including the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council, Thai Community Development Center, and Jimbo Times (an East Hollywood stakeholder).
LTSC is proud to partner with neighboring communities of color to build equitable housing and services by and for the community. Last week, LTSC Assistant Project Manager Caroline Calderon spoke on the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council’s panel series discussing the future of housing and planning in East Hollywood.
You can support East Hollywood community stakeholders Jimbo Times and This Side of Hoover by purchasing their magazine ‘Making our Neighborhood’ which explores the past, present and future of East Hollywood.
Social Services Completes Second Round of Wellness Checks
LTSC staff completed a second round of wellness checks to 400 seniors residing in Little Tokyo Towers, Far East Building, San Pedro Firm Building, Daimaru and JCI Gardens earlier this month. The first round of wellness checks at the beginning of the pandemic identified urgent needs and informed LTSC’s response – addressing food insecurity, providing social interactions through safe wellness activities, disseminating public health information regarding COVID vaccinations in Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Spanish, providing mental health support, and more. LTSC’s pandemic-related support continues as we strive to meet the unmet needs of our senior residents.
Senior Activities Return at Little Tokyo Towers
A variety of safe senior activities have returned to LTT. Socially distant exercise classes are offered twice a week through the building’s CCTV. In-person activities are offered twice a week (following CDC guidelines) and range from arts and crafts to exercise to basic language classes. Activities are offered in Korean, Japanese, and English.
Angelina Preschool Opens Up Fourth Classroom
When the pandemic hit, school class sizes were reduced in order to keep students and staff safe. For Angelina Preschool, that unfortunately meant reducing their enrollment by almost half. Working hard to get students back in the classroom, LTSC renovated the building’s community room to receive temporary licensure as an additional classroom. After months of renovation and inspections, Angelina Preschool opened a fourth classroom in December 2020 and was able to welcome back families and students in need! This temporary classroom will remain until state guidelines allow for a safe return to full capacity.
Outdoor Movement Classes at Budokan
Sign up for outdoor movement classes at Terasaki Budokan: yoga classes by instructor Riki Aihara and fitness classes by instructor Cameron Lew. Classes start March 20, 2021. Register for a class here. These outdoor classes will follow CDC guidelines.
A3M Patient Update and Registration Events
Paul received a transplant! A3M patient Paul Goodman went to transplant Friday, March 12. Although a match from the public registry wasn’t found in time, his doctors proceeded with transplanting his sister’s cells who was a 50% match. We wish Paul well on his road to recovery!
There are thousands of people in need of a match. Visit Paul’s website to see upcoming registration events (or to register online).
February 2021 Donors
Thank you to all our supporters for your contributions last month!
Add your name to the list by making a DONATION today.
George and Helen Abe
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Anonymous
Dennis Arguelles
Ron Baca
Elizabeth Burton
Yi Bing Chen and Ming Shan Liang
Ben Chida
Brenton Chuck
Samantha de Castro
Daryl Doami
Jeffrey and Lorraine Dohzen
Edison International
Susan Fujisaki
Caitlin Gattuccio
Myron Gee and Ann Ogawa Gee
Robert Guffin
Lisa Hasegawa
Kerin Higa
Meghan Holtan
Edna Ikeda Horiuchi
Justine Jose
Ronald Kamiya
Gary Kanemoto
Marsh & McLennan Companies
Carolyn Kobayashi
Keiko Kuida
Elisabeth Lassanyi
Vien Le
Oliver Lee
Atsuko Lee
Little Tokyo Community Health Fair
Yuet Lui
Lori Magallanes
Susan Maki
Gary and June Masada
Microsoft Rewards / Give with Bing
Carmen Middleton
Victor and Meriko Miyamoto
MUFG Union Bank
Mike Murase and June Hibino
Nicole Murph
Eliza J. Ngo
Ross and Elaine Nishimura
Office of Supervisor Hilda L. Solis
John Okita and Michiko Yamamoto
Oracle
Pacific Life Foundation
Maria Paulus
PlayStation Cares
David Sakamoto
Trevor San Antonio
Taeko Schaeffer
Margaret and Ken Shimada
Grant Sunoo and Emily Mayeda
Michael Suzuki
Esther Taira
Sumiko Takahashi
Kelly and Rintaro Takasu
Yuka Takeuchi
George Tanaka
Stacey Tanaka
Chelle Tateishi
Carolyn Tokunaga
Reiko Totani
Toyota
Loan Thi Tran and Ngoc Vuong
Keith Umemoto
Douglas Urata
Jane Voong
Momoyo Walters
Marsha and Gary Watanabe
Weingart Foundation
Lesley and Russell Wong
Shannon Wu
Yukiko Yamamoto
Teiko Yamazaki
Catherine Yen
Eileen Yumibe
Ryoko and Yoshiro Yunouye
Tribute Gifts
In Honor of Gidra Journal
Judy Wu
Memorial Gifts
In Memory of David Y. Miyashita
Marivic A. Miyashita
In Memory of Merilynne Hamano Quon
Anonymous
Denise Barrera
Aneta Chen
Rocky Chin and May Ying Chen
Pamela Eguchi
Kim Geron
Aki and Liz Horiuchi
Edna Ikeda Horiuchi
Katherine and Robert Landy
Lawrence Lee
Mayumi Masaoka
Vivian Matsushige
Carole Nakano
Emily Quon
Candice Quon
Jamie Shimomura
Emiko, Keigo, Ryo, and Mika Ueda
Brian Niiya and Karen Umemoto
Gayle and Craig Wong
Jason Wong
Mrs. Wong, Mike and Candice’s Family
Suzi Wong
In Memory of Mitsue Nishio
Nancy and Ronald Ellison
Atsuko Fukunaga
Richard Katsuda
Raymond Lockwood
Alan and Yvonne Nishio
In Memory of Mitzi Naohara
Kitty Sankey
In Memory of Rose and Charles Fujisaki
Anonymous
In Memory of Yoshinori Takamine
Kitty Sankey
In Memory of Jeannette Kyoko Sanderson
Emily and Dan Weaver
Terasaki Budokan
Akemi Arakaki and Takao Suzuki
Akira Fujimoto
Katherine Li
Don Matsumoto
MUFG Union Bank
Jason and Rachelle Samson
Loana Valencia
Jayne and Gideon Young Family
Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches (A3M)
Christine Chang
Veronica Lases
Medtronic
Sabah Rahman
Unique Plant Rentals Inc.
A3M Tribute Gifts
In Honor of Paul Goodman
Cynthia Nishimoto-Nishida
James and Melissa Sarashina
