11/15/2023
Official Statement:
November 14, 2023
Dear Community Partner,
The Comité Navideño in collaboration with the El Sereno Bicentennial Committee will host the El Sereno Tree Lighting Ceremony and Winter Jubilee on Friday, December 15, 2023, from 5:00 to 9:00 PM. The event will take place at 3420 Portola Ave. Los Angeles CA 90032.
Our organizations are working together as we have for many years. The Comité Navideño began its mission in 1995. The El Sereno Bicentennial Committee was established in 1976. For over a decade now the organizations have partnered In the true spirit of community.
Since 1995 Comité Navideño has worked with our elected officials, no matter who is in office at the time. There have been many years when we have received zero support from the council office. And yet we have managed to bring light and joy to the community through our events. An example of this is during Covid-19 when everyone cancelled their events we charged through to makes sure that we delivered gifts to the doorsteps of families in need. Year after year we have worked so hard and diligently to produce the largest completely free and successful events in El Sereno.
We are saddened, but not surprised that Councilmember Kevin de Leon, after a year of our organization working on this event, chose to erase us from our own event. They will light our Christmas tree that our organization planted and using the electrical system on the median that was advocated for by our member decades ago. He is creating division in our community by unethically bringing in the El Sereno Chamber of Commerce to take over our event. We have not been given the courtesy of a meeting or official communication from his office other than to say “It is an election year and we want to take the lead… you know how it is”. The El Sereno Chamber of Commerce has not met with our organization or offered any communication. This is a disgusting action taken by the Chamber that falls right in line with the actions of Councilmember Kevin de Leon and is a blatant hijacking of all our community events. He places his name and sends out mailers to make the community believe that HE is putting on these community events. When they are actually done by our local organizations. We are being abused and intimidated and are forced to accept Keven de Leon’s actions. We have all suffered this because they withhold services, assistance and even food,/turkeys during the holidays to organizations that are not in line with him.
Even these actions will not stop our event. We were forced to find a new location and a new date. Even though the date they are using is our historical date for this event. The 2nd Sat of the month has always been our date.
Barrio Action Youth and Family Source Center is being used by the Chamber of Commerce as a shield. Barrio Action and our organizations have a very good community centered relationship. Barrio Action is being dragged into this crossfire, not by us, when they have nothing to do with the situation at hand. As a matter of fact, they were intentionally misinformed about our role in this.
We have a commitment of inclusion to our community. Our event will continue to be a completely free event where all can come and enjoy the entertainments, toy tent with quality toys given with the utmost respect, snacks, games, prizes, activities, photos with Santa and more. We do not have any vendors that day, so that families can just come and enjoy. We host thousands of families each year. We invite the families of our community to spend the evening with us and share in the holiday spirit.
We will still decorate the Huntington Drive business corridor, between Eastern Ave. and Van Horne Ave. We have done this for over 28 Years. This will take place on Dec 10th.
We are looking to you, for help for the children of our families during this event. We are requesting sponsorship so that we may continue to make this event a success. We are in need of monetary donations. Toys, food, entertainment and activities are provided free to the children and families of El Sereno. We will gratefully accept donations in any amount.
The Comité Navideño and El Sereno Bicentennial Committee would love to have the honor of you joining us for this event. Thank you in advance for your kind and generous donations. You may also use the QR Code to donate easily. Please contact Genny Guerrero (323) 271-2428 [email protected] if you have any questions.
