Why this site? I surmised many of CSUN’s large donors are Jewish. We got to sit with a couple who had sustained conversations with my hubby, a former Department Chair of Asian American Studies, Enrique de la Cruz, a CSUN scholarship donor as I am, though not an alumni and unrelated to CSUN.
The dinner was a bit upscale, pairing salmon and filet mignon, all in wine reduction sauces. They served wine liberally and Russian River’s Cabernet Sauvignon was aplenty. I had a sip and made me wish I was back in Orewa Beach, NZ where a glass of red Devil’s Staircase was smoothly enjoyed.
Even the dessert was inviting – a chocolate Marnier cake with strawberry sauce. Best of all, ease of parking. Hubby knew how to commute, he drove us through canyons and took us through roads lined by mature trees and bushes and unobstructed landscape in some areas, though disturbingly smoggy, even with more electric vehicles on the roads. Population in LA has become dense.
Speaking of dense, folks came on time to enjoy cocktails at the bar, mine was sparkling water with lime. We had several canapés, one we liked was mini ice cream cones filled with diced cucumber and raw tuna – it was yummy.
We were introduced by Suren Seropian to Filiberto Gonzalez. I knew right away that this man is genuine, truthful and credible. How did I make that assessment? His careful sharing of stories, of community icons that matter and as he kept unraveling them, my husband and I kept saying – oh yah, we know him, we know her. Then, the last kicker, he introduced his organization and I knew right away about the organization.
What a beautiful way of meeting a person who describes memories, beautiful encounters of community leaders, future projects eliciting support of live theater, before himself. I told him that I sensed his solid credibility and alignment of his principles with his stories. He nodded. He even described his job interview and of late, the musical, Larry, where he took all his staff to watch on its last sold-out day.
Plays are getting a robust support amongst our community, of late – Mix-Mix (Halo-Halo) that we attended on its last day, though less than sold out, had an engaged audience on a Sunday afternoon, Father’s Day.
I spotted Dean Jeffrey Reeder with his lovely wife and we exchanged pleasantries. Of all things it turns out that Dean Reeder wanted to meet Filiberto. I looked for him, spotted him, and requested his company, then introduced him to Dean Reeder. Before going inside the hall, Dean Reeder looked back and said:” Thank you for that, Prosy.” Of all the CSUN deans I have met, Dean Reeder is genuine, warm, and sincere. He has been supportive of Philippine Chamber, and in walks in Lois Klavir.
What’s philanthropy? CSUN President Erika Beck defined it as a Greek word meaning love and kindness to humanity. More than that, it is leveling the playing field for students in film, as an example, whose donors provide them with the latest in cameras, ARRI and their short films become competitive portfolios. Beyond function, technical abilities, it is the personhood formed at CSUN that makes the students competitive.
One story shared was a parent needed help on the last day of moving out in campus. Only one student stopped to help this parent. This student subsequently got an internship at this parent’s organization and today, this former student is now Vice President of Production Operations.
What a rise, all because of best selves!
Tonight, I went home, more determined to sustain my philanthropy at CSUN, for in this community of over 400 folks, the collective humanity is at its best, donating to students, and enabling them time to focus on their studies and to do their research.
Because of robust philanthropy, CSUN is building so many structures to house places of innovation, collaboration, engineering, research and future development I just wish CSUN develops a robust philanthropy more focused on improving the soulful lives and Doubling the economic wellbeing of teachers, professors, staffers, and even helping out the students in writing, more study abroad programs, and their fullest creative expressions.
More writing seminars perhaps such that students write without constraints of grammar, imagination, and even inviting retired professors to teach short term courses in poetry, literature appreciation, critical thinking, digital cartooning from animators?
What a beautiful, dynamic, living CSUN we are part of, as donors. Thank you for a great experience of collective humanity at its best! Thank you too Teresa Williams León for joining us at our table and where I learned she raised a daughter, now in her first year of college, comfortable to navigate her freshman years as she was raised with love and nurtured abilities with natural fluency in English, Spanish, Japanese and French. Can you imagine her future possibilities much like CSUN students nurtured by a caring administration and development folks? -@Prosy Delacruz