“To me, the story of Shahrazaad is the story of City Heights. Out here in this community, there are thousands of stories being lived and told that require both the listener and the storyteller to understand—they require presence.”

“My background is in property management and that’s my work now, so I’ve seen both sides of the work. Property managers and landlords want sustainable housing, and vulnerable tenants should be protected—I’ve experienced both.”

“I don’t think people realize how humiliated renters can be, how few rights we have, and how often landlords break or go around the few protections we do have…”

Born in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Maseray ran a thriving small goods trading business from her home before being displaced and starting her life in City Heights.

Inspired by the Cambodian food scene in Long Beach, Somnang, a Cambodian-American raised in City Heights, shares her inspiration which led to the opening of her micro-kitchen, Lucky Sahn Flavors of Cambodia. 

Brandon Renteria, owner and creator of the brunch food truck, The Funky Frenchie, is a recipient of the San Diego Food Justice Project initiative.

All year long, we’ve shared stories of the community to celebrate four decades of community power, and now we’re asking you to invest in the decades to come by donating where it’s needed most.

The key to sustainability and resilience throughout movement work, your day job and just life in general is to ask for help. To ask for support. Nobody can take on a fight, especially a fight against institutional -isms by themselves. It’s important to work in collaboration with community, family and friends.

“I found that I love cooking, I'm good at it, and people like it.” Luz, owner of Las Tias food truck

“People across all cultures seek our food. That's when you see food goes beyond borders. Over one dish you gain friends or meet people you've never met.” Daniel, Co-Owner of The Birria Truck

“Sometimes at the end of the day, it's about survival. And survival comes with using what you know to make do with your daily expenses…”

One thing that has totally caught me off guard was how much I can relate with the residents I work with! For example, when I do after-school programming with the kids at Hollywood Palms, I often see myself in them.

At the age of one, Tran and her family migrated from Vietnam to City Heights. After graduating, Tran ditched her pursuit of a career in real estate, instead committing her efforts to protect City Height’s essence - its people.

Tran shares how growing up in City Heights framed her perspective of a successful and meaningful career.

Fern Street Circus is about performance and fun, but it’s also circus for social change, working alongside young people in the community to instill confidence, promote cultural understanding, and help youth realize their potential.

“I’ve seen people start businesses, and at first it’s cool and fun, but eventually the work and grind of it can leave you questioning…”

Almost everyday, you will find Nancy selling flowers. She owns and runs Mi Pequeña Lucia. More than a year ago, Mi Pequeña Lucia was nonexistent and Nancy was unemployed…

“The imbalance of power between landlords and tenants, which is created by weak tenant protections, places the tenants in a vulnerable position that is further amplified when the tenant has language, financial, or other barriers.”

As one of our most veteran staff members, Maria has spent decades working and waiting for promises to be kept. She was part of some of the earliest advocacy work dating back to The Visions Project.

“Being part of this community has made me realize that, even though we are different from one another, we still come together as one.”

"Running has always been important to me, but what I came to realize after coaching for City Heights Runners is that running is more than just about getting faster, it’s about becoming a more resilient and strong person.”