A Peace in the Park event was held in the Southcrest neighborhood Saturday afternoon. Its theme was “Winter Wonderland,” and it included toy giveaways, a snowy hill for sled runs and a visit from the big man in red himself.
But, according to one of the organizers, Gabriel Yslas, also known as “Mr. G,” the most important part is connecting the community with available resources.
“Everybody in their neighborhood knows where their park is, so we bring all these nonprofit organizations there and connect them together to make a familiar face,” Yslas said.
The event was done in unison with the San Diego Police Department and the Diamond Business Association. There were dozens of organizations set up at the event, including San Ysidro Health’s mobile health services.
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“It’s important for the community, for the children, to feel special,” Blanca Nunez, a resident, said. “There’s resources for them. They’re not left alone.”
Mr. G was one of those kids, like Nunez mentioned, who grew up in the Southcrest area.
“This is a place that needs laughter the most. This place, these kids grow up super, super fast and they get caught up in other things because they feel people forgot about them,” he said.
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Yslas said he had more than a handful of siblings and would visit community events like this one with his mom when they needed services.
“We didn’t have a lot, so we used to go to those pantries and to those places and they would give to us,“ he said. “They would help us, so I figured let me give back to where I come from.”
He added a big part of the event is working to build the relationship between the community and law enforcement.
“We’re not someone to be scared of,” SDPD's Lt. Dan Brinkerhoff said. “We’re just like them.”
Brinkerhoff has spent eight of his more than 20 years with SDPD working in the division that oversees the Southcrest area.
“We want to build trust with the community. We want to be transparent. We want to work hand-in-hand,” he said.
Brinkerhoff was joined by other uniformed police officers, including San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit, who handed out badge stickers and spoke with residents at the event.
Peace in the Park lasted from noon to 8 p.m. at the Southcrest Park and recreation center.
