Category: Community Spotlight

Evan Chase will readily describe himself as an unashamed bible thumping, Jesus loving, hard core Christian conservative.  His message, however, is quite distinct from the fire and brimstone you often hear from the far right evangelical camp.  He preaches respect and tolerance for viewpoints that may differ from his own.  Yes, he believes in Jesus and as President of the local Beach Cities Republicans Club he is accustomed to the political rhetoric that often draws sharp lines between his camp on the right and those on the left, but listening to him you get the sense that above all he cherishes the notion of community and bringing people together to solve the tough issues that plague our society.

To help create that sense of community, Evan currently serves as VP of a faith based non-profit organization called StraightWays.  The mission of StraightWays is to unite faith and business together to empower at-risk youth and the urban poor through vocational and job placement services.  StraightWays primarily seeks to serve those that come from the foster care system.  As a foster parent of two children himself, Evan will tell you that 65% of kids that get bounced from foster home to foster home end up homeless and that 70% of those in prison were in the foster system at some point.  StraightWays aims to give these at risk youth a chance to succeed before they become just another negative statistic.

To accomplish this mission StraightWays first helps at risk youth discover their passion and the value of employment through a Jobs for Life training program.  StraightWays then helps students that complete the program make the transition from course work to real work by providing placement with for profit businesses that StraightWays helps get off the ground.  One of these is a coffee producer named Black Coffee that utilizes a unique air roasting method.  StraightWays also has a construction firm and is working on a restaurant and catering business through revitalizing iconic Jordan’s Café in Watts.

StraightWays is also working to form alliances and partnerships with organizations like the United Small Business Alliance and other corporations like OMNI Hotels and PVP Communications to provide additional job placement avenues for those in the Program.

Even though StraightWays is still a new organization it is already well on its way to reaching its goals.  It has secured a 15,000 square foot property across from El Camino College it currently uses as an education center. It hopes to utilize the site to build a coffee shop for its affiliated Black Coffee brand as well as provide space for other start-ups such as a local tech company that has expressed interest.

As a man of faith Evan has seen the hand of God in the new enterprise. The pieces have come together quickly and people have stepped in with willing hearts and open checkbooks to help out. One individual, for example, dropped off thousands of dollars worth of used office equipment. Another offered to utilize some of their space to help establish an organization that could provide micro-loans to young entrepreneurs with good ideas. Mark Tsuneishi, a successful local businessman, volunteered to teach classes in the Jobs for Life program and helped the organization connect with Magic Johnson and the Lakers for an upcoming fundraiser.

The ultimate aim of StraightWays goes far beyond just vocational training and job placement.  Evan wants all those that participate in StraightWays to feel a part of a larger community that is there to support them and help them realize their dreams.  As Evan would tell you, “my agenda is your success.”   Just as the Bible teaches Evan has found himself by losing himself in the service of others.  Through StraightWays he hopes others will do the same.

To learn more about StraightWays or to attend their upcoming fundraiser with the Lakers at the Staples Center visit their website found here.

Even though Chery Carew and her husband Stan, of 35 years, never had kids of their own raising children has been a significant part of their lives.  She filled her home with such warmth and hospitality that many of those children she helped raise from her extended family lovingly refer to her home as “Hotel Carew.”  Chery is now trying to bring that same sense of kindness and compassion encompassed in “Hotel Carew” to homeless children throughout the South Bay by helping to establish a unique charity called Family Promise.

Family Promise is unique in that it caters specifically to homeless families with children.  Through Family Promise Chery seeks to bring hope, dignity, and a life change for homeless families by providing temporary housing and helping families to develop the tools they need to get back on their feet and into sustainable employment.

As a lifetime resident of the South Bay, Chery knows how homelessness can often go unnoticed. Though not talked about much, it is a significant local problem.  On any given night there are nearly 7000 homeless people in the South Bay.  Many of these are families with young children.  The plight of homeless families is especially difficult as most homeless shelters separate families.  Families that can’t find temporary shelter are often forced to sleep in their cars.  Sadly, some have no choice but to sleep outside.

Chery was inspired to start Family Promise after taking part in a Program that visited over 37 non-profit organizations and witnessing all the good that could be accomplished when one person followed through on their dream.  Despite keeping quite busy as an active member of her church and running a marine equipment consulting firm that she has owned with her husband since 1980, she has made time for Family Promise because she has a  passion for helping the people in the world that have the least.  She wants to help them move up, and to become successful.

To further that cause, Family Promise will hold two key upcoming fundraisers.  One of these called Cardboard Box City will be held on Saturday, September 20^th at the First Christian Church in Torrance.  At that event, people will be able to help create a city out of cardboard boxes as they enjoy an evening of food, entertainment, and chances to win tickets to such locales as Knott’s Berry Farm.  Another event, Empty Bowls, is scheduled for October 11^th at the American Martyrs Parish.

Family Promise is also seeking those willing to volunteer in various capacities throughout the organization.  Details on how to get involved, participate in any of the upcoming events, or become a donor can be found here at the Family Promise of the South Bay website.  With your help, Chery will be able to share the “Hotel Carew” experience with many deserving children in the South Bay.

Jim Stump was born amidst the fanfare of Hollywood, but he is actually not a man that enjoys the spotlight.  He much prefers to do his work quietly behind the scenes and would describe himself more as a foot soldier in the trenches than a general calling the shots.  Much of the work Jim has done in those trenches revolves around education.  He spent 23 years employed by LA Unified School District at times serving as Department Chair and Union Representative.  As a veteran advocate for education, he recently took on the charge of helping to educate people with regard to Common Core and how it’s being implemented in our local schools.

That effort is timely as the Torrance Unified School District (TUSD) is set to begin a new year with an increased focus on implementing the Common Core.  TUSD has been trying to inform concerned parents about Common Core through formal informational sessions held throughout last year.  One of Jim’s concerns, however, is that much of this information, such as the TUSD presentation found here, provides only top-level talking points and leaves parents with lingering questions as they struggle to understand the details of the Program.

To help parents in that regard, Jim Stump has helped organize a local group calling themselves South Bay Common Core Watch.  The aim of the organization is to help educate the community on some of the details of the Common Core Program as well as provide a forum where parents can collaborate and share experiences their children are having at their respective schools.

Common Core is often sold simply as a Program that standardizes curriculum and helps students to think critically by focusing more on the thought process than the answer.  While Jim believes there are many good things about the Program, there are some aspects of Common Core that has caused him concern.

For example, one aspect of Common Core is increased testing.  Under the Program, students may be shuttled to a computer lab for testing as much as once per week.  This could take away from needed classroom instruction.  Teacher performance will also be more closely tied to student test performance causing teachers to focus “on teaching to the test.”

A much larger concern is that students may be subject to psycho-metric testing.  Mixed in with the usual academic questions, students may also be asked questions designed to evaluate their behaviors and tendencies.  The information gained through this type of testing can be stored and later analyzed by the government to create a lifetime psych profile of the student.  Potentially the government could then use that information to discriminate for things like admission into the military or other government employment.  It could also be used as selection criteria into elite universities.

Another concern is the distortion of the standard curriculum.  Subtle changes are appearing in critical subjects like sex education and U.S. history.  Where previously teachers were instructed to focus on aspects of World II like the rise of Nazi Germany and the atrocities committed against Jews, they might now instead focus on how the war provided opportunities for women and minorities to improve their socioeconomic positions and how dropping the atomic bomb raised questions about American values.

Jim would also like parents to know their rights.  Parents can opt out of Common Core testing and take other measures if they are concerned.  How exactly Common Core will be implemented within TUSD is not totally clear at this point.  One thing that is certain, however, is that Jim Stump will continue to work behind the scenes to make sure the public is informed about what exactly this new curriculum entails.

To learn more check out the South Bay Common Core Watch Facebook site below or send an e-mail to obayccwatch@gmail.com to sign-up and receive weekly newsletters on Common Core.

https://www.facebook.com/SBCCWatch