Monrovia Family Opens its Heart and Doors to Neighborhood Kids
By Monrovia Weekly
Published: Thursday, February 28th, 2008
By Erica Blodgett
“Why would people have a war about their skin?” asked seven-year-old Karmel. The little girl looked from the teachers sitting on the couches in front of her to another seven-year-old girl sitting next to her, who happened to be of a different ethnicity. “When I met Jackie I didn’t care about how she looked.”
It is a beautiful, honest logic that is hard to argue with and exactly the worldview that the folks behind the Cypress Oneness Class in Monrovia are hoping to foster in the kids they spend time with.
Every Thursday afternoon for the past two years, neighborhood kids have gathered at the home of Steven Gholar and his family on Cypress Avenue and, under the guidance of some very dedicated teachers volunteering their time, have learned the value of unity, of celebrating diversity, respect for one another, and of standing up for friends in need.
Gholar grew up in Monrovia and when he moved back a few years ago, he immediately became a big brother to the kids in the neighborhood. When his sister encouraged him to do something more structured, like creating an afterschool program, he didn’t hesitate.
“I’ve experienced a lot here. I felt I had to try to do something,” Gholar explained.
The class continues to be a family affair. Two of the teachers are Gholar’s sister and her daughter, and Gholar’s own kids join in the fun. Anywhere from nine to 12 kids stop by every week, mostly elementary or middle school age, and after they read stories, share ideas and challenges from their lives, and sing songs, everyone is invited to his sister’s house for a family style dinner. It’s an open door policy, everyone is welcome, and they do it without any funding. The teachers share their own supplies and resources, and they keep everything pretty simple and fun.
“It wasn’t even a question of sacrificing some time,” explained Ruhiyyih Yuille, Steven’s niece, who grew up in Monrovia and graduated from Monrovia High, of why she extends her day of teaching and volunteers to spend time with these kids. “My vision would be to get everybody to just get to know their community.”
Today, Yuille has just finished reading a story about a war between white elephants and black elephants that prompts young Karmel’s innocent but powerful insight. Yuille tells the group of open-hearted children that what everyone has in common is that they are different, adding, “You guys are so lucky that you guys live in a time when people are much better at getting along.”
Yuille’s mother, Joannie Gholar-Yuille, is the other teacher on duty today. As she explains, part of the impetus for the class came after watching the news coverage of Hurricane Katrina and seeing people suffering alone. She said the family agreed that they did not want their children or any child to grow up thinking that it was ever acceptable to watch someone hurting and not reach out to them.
As for the impact of the class, which only reaches as many kids as can fit in one family’s living room, she affirms, “I think we end up doing what’s really important and that’s developing the notion that we’re one big family.”
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