WHAT A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD WE LIVE IN!
We are Baldwin Park strong H
with friends and family and make new friends, whether through work or virtual groups and gatherings. We gained a new — and, in some cases, overdue — respect for our essential workers, from those in health care to those in grocery stores and everything in-between. Personally, we learned to do whatever we needed to do to take the best care of ourselves in times when we never knew what was going to happen next. In the words of some famous lady, “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell you gonna love somebody else?!” We did whatever we could to support each other. When our neighbors and friends who lost their jobs turned hobbies into businesses, we supported them however we could. Our own businesses in downtown Baldwin Park pivoted to continue serving their customers in new and different ways. Those who were able went out of their way to shop small and support local. Personally, Andrew and I made a point to get takeout at least once a week from the local restaurants (usually more because, well, he was exhausted from work as a Publix store manager, and I didn’t want to cook). We all have a vested interest in what happens around here, and it 347217-1
WILL CAMPBELL PRESIDENT BALWIN PARK JOINT COMMITTEE
ey, neighbors! How’s everyone doing out there? It’s hard to believe it was only a year ago that I was first introducing myself on this page to the neighborhood that I love so much. When I wrote the article in February, I was getting ready for a trip to celebrate mine and my husband Andrew’s 40th birthdays with our closest friends. Little did we know that, as we were flying home on March 9, so much was about to change in so many different ways for everyone, even in our little Baldwin bubble. I’m not trying to make anyone relive any painful memories here; we’ve all had enough of that. Although nothing is really “back to normal” and may never be back to pre-pandemic times, it’s important to look at what we’ve accomplished in the past year. Some of us learned to work from home. Many of us learned a new appreciation for K-12 teachers. We learned what social distancing was, that hand sanitizer is critical, and that face masks could be protective and be fashion statements. We learned patience for everyday aspects of life and gratitude for the parts of normalcy that remained. We found new ways to connect
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truly showed over the past year. We are one of few areas that did not have businesses permanently close because of COVID, and that says something about us as a community. Some of our local businesses even managed to do the same or above what they did during the same time period in a “normal” year because of that support. “People in Baldwin Park, more than other areas, understand their individual role in the success and survival of the community,” Kristen Painter, of Lafayette & Rushford, says. “And it goes both ways: We (as businesses) were motivated to be creative and work hard to pivot because the community responded.” The start of 2021 brought us lots of changes and hope in the form of multiple potential vaccines. As we continue to move through the new year and see how all of these changes will impact our lives long-term, let’s take what we learned and carry it forward. Let’s continue to build up our neighbors, our neighborhood businesses and ourselves. Together, we have and will continue to show The City Beautiful what Baldwin Park is all about! Until we see each other again, be safe, be well and be kind. #WeAreBaldwinPark
