Diversity and Shared Interests

* How sadly ironic. The same day your newspaper published an editorial urging residents of Los Angeles to “Find the Common Ground” away from divisiveness and balkanization (April 5), the paper also featured an interview in which Richard Quevedo, co-chair of the Southwest Voter Registration Project, seemed to isolate one ethnic community’s interests over the entire community in all its wonderful diversity.

In that interview, Quevedo said: “If we have a community made up of a certain ethnic group, it’s important that we take from that ethnic group leaders that come from the community. You know, I’m not saying that a gentleman like Richard Katz is not a good representative for our community. But I think when you talk about what the needs really are and what the concerns are of the community, it’s good to have somebody from the community to identify with.”

We agree with Quevedo about the need to register more Latinos and other under-represented ethnic groups. Such efforts are at the heart of the democratic process. But we must disagree with Quevedo’s assertion that there is one ethnic community--his own--that would seem to deserve representation more than others within the 20th state Senate District solely on the basis of ethnicity.

The 20th state Senate District stretches from Reseda to Sylmar and from Northridge to Studio City. It is highly diverse, encompassing a wide range of ethnic groups who need and should work together for the greater good.

Instead of championing leaders because they are of one ethnic heritage versus another, as Quevedo suggests, we must commit ourselves to “find the common ground.” We must move beyond the destructive process that tries to portray part of the San Fernando Valley as “our community” based on a particular ethnicity. We must support leaders, no matter what their ethnicity, who have demonstrated their commitment to our entire community.

THE REV. JOHN L. LETT SR.

Pastor, Greater Missionary

Baptist Church

Lake View Terrace

THE REV. JIM HAMILTON

Pastor, Sepulveda

United Methodist Church

North Hills

RABBI JIM KAUFMAN

Temple Beth Hillel

Valley Village