SAN DIEGO — Just north of Presidents Way and across the street from the Veterans Museum lies the World Beat Cultural Center. Housed in what used to be a water tower, this cylindrical building is filled inside and out with brightly painted murals celebrating the many cultures of the world. Inside, you will find a vegan café, an art gallery, reggae concerts and classes in the arts. What better place to celebrate Martin Luther King Day?
When I arrived on Monday afternoon, the energy was exuberant with African drumming and dancing. The full house was a spectrum of cultures and ethnicities, capturing the spirit of the holiday.
The keynote speaker was Rev. Shane Harris, Founder and President of People’s Alliance for Justice. A native son of southeast San Diego, he lost his parents at a very young age. Becoming a ward of the foster care system, he bounced from home to home, often suffering from abuse and neglect. Stories with such beginnings rarely end well. But, through sheer determination, Shane Harris defied the odds.
“Martin Luther King Day has been gentrified!”
A fiery preacher, Harris started organizing at twenty-one. He could have stuck to his day job in the church, but he felt that true leaders needed to not just preach from pulpits. They need to stand with their people against injustice. Like the radical first-century rabbi on whom his faith is based, Harris was very critical of the rich and powerful and he did not mince words.
“It’s time to stop talking about The Dream and make it a reality.”
San Diego is the 8th largest city in the US, yet we have the 4th largest homeless population. The police issue homeless people citations which they have no means of paying. Those fines and late fees add up and they wind up in jail. Meanwhile, our politicians raise funds from wealthy donors at gala breakfasts. They are busy debating strategies, whether to offer housing first or focus on mental health. But the fact of the matter is that these people desperately need both.
In a classic Black Gospel call and response, Harris intoned that Black lives count. Latino lives count. Homeless lives count. Everybody’s life counts. I was a little disappointed that he didn’t mention Jewish lives. We have become increasing targets of hate crimes, especially the visibly Orthodox. When I spoke to Harris afterwards, I noted the omission and the reverend assured me that he does indeed stand with Jewish Lives Matter. He added that he physically stood beside the faith leaders of Chabad after the shooting in Poway.
Sadly, the World Beat Cultural Center is in danger of losing its lease. Developers have their eye on this location and the city is always hungry for new streams of revenue. But the World Beat Cultural Center has never been about profit. It has always been about creating community through art, music, education and human connection. It is about people of different backgrounds coming together to celebrate life and our common humanity.
So the next time you are in Balboa Park, pay a visit to the World Beat Cultural Center. Enjoy a cup of kombucha and maybe a nosh from the café. They have hearty bowls of vegan chili that hit the spot. Take in the energetic vibe of the many drumming, dancing and yoga classes that they offer. And then contact your public officials and ask them to please renew the lease so that this beautiful oasis of hope does not disappear.
*
Eric George Tauber is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. He may be contacted via eric.tauber@sdjewishworld.com