BY PAT HENDRICKS MUNSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Due to citywide budget cuts and a plan to shed thousands of Los Angeles jobs, hundreds of children in Watts are facing a significant reduction to a program some describe as vital for youth.

At issue are the potential job losses of eight of nine Department of Recreation and Parks staff members who participate in the One Watts program.

One Watts is a collaboration between the recreation centers at Nickerson Gardens, Jordan Downs and Imperial Courts housing projects, notorious for high crime and gang violence. In the program, at-risk youth participate in after school and lunch-time services.

“The mayor’s approach is going to have a negative impact — racial tension, gang activity, etcetera — the very issues that we are working hard to eliminate,” said Carl Stevens, acting senior director of the recreation facility at Nickerson Gardens. 

Although these young people come from opposing turfs, they converge as students at Markham Middle School.

Markham, at 1650 E. 104th St. in Los Angeles, is considered neutral territory, Stevens said.

Because of the One Watts program, tensions at home and school are minimized or eliminated completely, he said.

The city has planned to shed a total of 4,000 jobs, and city officials are trying to close a $73 million budget gap.

“We are facing an unprecedented budget shortfall, and the mayor has been clear throughout this budget process that there are no easy solutions, and turning the city’s budget around requires tough choices that clearly state our top priorities and reduce or eliminate services that we can no longer afford to provide,” Sarah Hamilton, a spokesperson for L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, recently said in an e-mail to the L.A. Watts Times. “The mayor has also been clear that he does not relish making these decisions, but they are necessary to preserve the fiscal health of the city.”

Hamilton did not add any other comments or respond to other related questions from the L.A. Watts Times.

The City of Los Angeles’ Department of Recreation and Parks department did not respond to the L.A. Watts Times’ requests for comment before press time.

“We definitely see the benefits of this program,” Stevens said. “Our whole idea was to blow up the perception that they (the housing projects) can’t get along. We see everyday how our staff are making a difference in these children’s lives … It is well worth it to have this program in place.”

These kids — Hispanic and African American — play on the same sports teams, get help with their homework, learn team-building skills and take field trips together. It is all part of a process to teach the kids to see each other as human beings and not enemies, Stevens said.

One Watts has worked well for Marquon Thornton, 17, born and raised in Nickerson Gardens, who began participating in the recreation center programs when he was 12.

Thornton made good use of the services to steer clear of trouble and stay in school, said Gregory Thomas, acting facility director over the three project facilities. He has earned a scholarship and will attend California State University, Northridge, in the fall.

“We understand some layoffs are necessary, but there’s no common sense, no plan in place,” said Jack Foley, president of the Venice-based nonprofit People for Parks, a partner of One Watts that recently took local kids to the Mountain High Ski Resort. “They’re talking about laying off eight of nine staff members at the three housing projects, which use to be (a) dumping ground for the worst employees.”

The projects now have some dedicated young people working there who may be terminated as of June 30, he said.

“This needs to be stopped,” Foley added.

With Markham’s student population of 1,500 (roughly 70 percent Hispanic, 30 percent African American), and 24 known active gangs in the area, Tim Sullivan, Markham Middle School’s principal, said he believed the mayor and the city should be more concerned about the children.

Sullivan also said he believes the layoffs will be detrimental to the children and community.

“The recreation staff assists Markham, not only by providing enrichment opportunities for our students; they also assist with safe passage to and from school. These (children’s) lives are in danger when they are not involved,” Sullivan said. “They are more than staff members; they are community liaisons.”