Letters to the Editor: Though tied to city demographics, Sawdust Festival is welcoming to artists of color

Re. “Non-diverse Laguna art scene paints a white-walled garden,” (David Hansen, March 9): I am a woman proud of my Middle Eastern heritage. I have brown skin and a name that most ask me to repeat. As an artist supporting myself in affluent Laguna Beach without any trust funds or affordable live-work space to rent, I have done what I can to maintain my artisan life here. I am thankful for the Sawdust Art Festival as a venue to support my artistic endeavors.

I have been a successful full-time artist and art educator in our community for many years now. I also serve on the Sawdust’s board of directors. If it were not for the hospitality of the Sawdust Art Festival, regardless of race, color, or gender, dreams like mine would never come true. I know of several artists with colorful and diverse backgrounds who contribute to our colony and who proudly share their work and stories with visitors to our festival.

The rule of being a local resident corresponds with that of any town that wishes to support local talent and small business and to offer authentic local art and artisanal wares to those who come from miles in search of it. As for the ratio of ethnically diverse artists at the Sawdust, when those people arrive with dreams bright enough, courage strong enough, humility to overcome obstacles like affording rent in a coastal city, and grace to build enduring relationships, the door is always open.

Reem Khalil

Laguna Beach

Newport city staff is truly professional

Thank you to the city of Newport Beach Community Development Department for holding its community forum late last month at City Hall. The department walked through its core responsibilities, current projects and introduced the public to about a dozen key staff members who process everything from kitchen remodels to major construction projects.

Seimone Jurjis, the department’s director, should be commended for running such a tight ship. A handful of naysayers in our town seem focused on ginning up controversy and being negative. But our city is in great hands and the professionals clearly work on behalf of the people.

So thank you to the city of Newport Beach and its Community Development Department.

Lorrie Levin

Corona del Mar

Academy Awards were empowering

This year’s Oscar show seemed to go fairly smooth with no big wrinkles, goofs or surprises. The show did place a lot of emphasis on empowering women, as well it should have, plus provided some darn good and necessary rhetoric on the apparent out-of-control sexual misconduct of numerous men with special attention paid to the king of creeps, Harvey Weinstein.

Bill Spitalnick

Newport Beach

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