Stuck at Home, Dreaming of Travel and Interaction
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B14 THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE SUNDAY • MAY24, 2020 APATH FORWARD STUCK AT HOME, DREAMING OF TRAVEL AND INTERACTION BY STEVEN P. DINKIN Americans seem intent on well says that when we as we’ve been doing every seen, firsthand, the conse- bly timely notion that was staying put for a while. As a change our experiences, we May for nearly 30 years. The quences of taking this path: pioneered by a Frenchman This Memorial Day result of the coronavirus, change our impressions — commemoration recognizes an “us-vs.-them” mentality some 200 years ago. The idea weekend, I’m thinking the usual hassle surround- eliminating unconscious Asian Americans and Pa- that produces hostilities, is to journey around your about St. Augustine. Not ing travel has been magni- bias. cific Islander Americans for manifested as vitriol or room — as in your own bed- the city in Florida that fied by a factor of 100. This pandemic is clog- their many contributions. violence. room or living room — with draws many visitors, but One of the worst things ging our neural pathways. Local public television Still, there is no substi- the same level of curiosity rather the 4th century philo- about prolonged isolation is For instance, hostility station KPBS recently aired tute for an opportunity to and awareness you bring to sopher who was known for missing out on valuable toward Asian Americans — adocumentary series titled meet the world, face-to-face. traveling in a new place. his contributions both to opportunities to interact something I wrote about “Asian Americans,” which Travel teaches us that peo- I’m not giving up com- Catholic theology and West- with others who don’t look several weeks ago — contin- chronicled the role this ple of all cultures are more pletely on the real thing. But ern thinking. or act or think like us. That’s ues, unabated. In the last community has played in alike than different, despite for now, I’ll take a trip to the St. Augustine said, “The how we learn and grow as two months, there have shaping our nation’s story. the variations in their ap- yard and imagine that it’s world is a book, and those human beings. So, once this been more than 1,100 docu- Such programming is in- pearances, customs and Senegal, which I visited last who do not travel only read pandemic is over, Ameri- mented attacks. Our fellow tended to broaden a viewer’s languages. Travel opens our year. I will recall the wildlife one page.” Here we are, at cans really need to get up citizens, Americans of Asian knowledge and build under- minds, reshapes our think- and beauty of the country. the unofficial start of the and go. descent, are being spat standing among cultures. ing and deepens our human- And if he’s agreeable, Milo summer travel season, and In his best-selling book upon, yelled at, even phys- It’s much the same work ity. can play the role of the Americans are stuck just “Blink,” Malcolm Gladwell ically assaulted. They’re that we do every day at the Alas, for most of us, at jackal. reading one page. writes about the new neural blamed for bringing the National Conflict Resolu- least for now, travel is but a The extent of the trav- pathways that are formed “Chinese virus” to the tion Center, where our train- dream. Dinkin is president of the National eling I’ll be doing over the when we meet other people. United States. Asian- ing gives people the tools for Alain de Botton’s book Conflict Resolution Center, a San next few months is making These pathways help us American children are being finding common ground, “The Art of Travel” offers a Diego-based organization working to trips to the yard or raiding overcome the stereotypes taunted, too. Imagine the appreciating differences fix. The author returns create innovative solutions to the refrigerator — that is, that creep up on society. scars this cruelty will leave and encouraging tolerance. home to London after a challenging issues, including when I’m not taking my dog, Unconscious bias, as it’s behind. The unfortunate, and all satisfying trip, feeling de- intolerance and incivility. NCRC is Milo, for a walk. known, is far more prevalent Ironically, this is occur- too comfortable, alternative pressed. To recreate his nationally recognized for its conflict I’m not alone. Even as than conscious prejudice. It ring even as our country is to only seek out informa- travel experiences, de Bot- management and communication some states take baby steps is also, often, incompatible celebrates Asian/Pacific tion that reinforces our ton introduces the concept strategies. To learn about NCRC’s toward reopening, many with a person’s values. Glad- American Heritage Month, prejudices and fears. We’ve of “room travel,” a remarka- programming, visit ncrconline.com SMOLENS FROM B1 Over the years, Adam Day has served as chief of staff to county Supervisor Dianne Jacob and worked for Supervisor Greg Cox, former Supervisor George Bailey and former U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson. He has been a county planning commissioner and sat on the Del Mar fair board. He was an executive at the public affairs firm of Porter Novelli, where he worked briefly with Kevin Faulconer, now San Diego’s mayor. The two have been allies for years. Day was appointed to the CSU Board of Trustees in 2014 by then-Gov. Jerry Brown and was named chairman in 2018. He has been an executive at Sycuan for 20 years, the last seven as CAO. “Adam came to us with substantial experi- ence in government,” said Cody Martinez, tribal chairman of the Sycuan band, according to Day’s CSU bio. “The relationships he has built up over his career have enabled Sycuan to set itself apart from other tribes.” As the state and county began loosening the coronavirus shutdown rules for some non-essential businesses, Sycuan and other tribes announced plans to reopen their ca- sinos. But they weren’t among the businesses envisioned as part of the state’s early phases to reboot the economy. County Public Health Officer Dr. Wilma Wooten immediately said she would try to JOHN GASTALDO PHOTOS prevent them from opening, but quickly Arnulfo Azaam Quintero IV (center) gets a hearty welcome at Paving Great Futures having recently come off parole. backed off, realizing she had no authority over the sovereign tribes. Newsom privately and because (then) they win; you publicly asked them to delay, but to no avail. FUTURES didn’t.” Tribal leaders noted that they voluntarily King walked around the closed their casinos to help slow the spread of FROM B1 room looking at each participa- the deadly coronavirus and developed de- some spacing between partici- nt and sharing his own experi- tailed safety protocols in order to reopen. pants. On Wednesday, most ence with the justice system. Day said Sycuan has conferred with people sat apart, and not every- King spent more than a decade Wooten about their plans. “I think we have met one was wearing a face mask. working as a pimp until he be- the county’s guidelines,” he said. The participants, five young came active in the anti-sex traf- He said the casinos are needed to generate men and a woman, said they ficking movement. essential revenue so Sycuan can continue weren’t concerned about get- He told participants to carry providing services to its tribal members. For ting sick. One joked that the co- aphoto of someone they care that to continue, he emphasized the casino ronavirus was the least of his about and don’t want to let needs to operate safely in the coronavirus problems. down — for those difficult mo- world. “A lot of us come from broken ments when the easiest thing to “The most important thing is to have the homes or in and out of juvenile do would be to react negatively. confidence of our patrons and employees,” he hall or jail,” Quintero said. “(The “It’s good getting a certifi- said. program) allows me to feel nor- cate and everything, but the On the eve of Wednesday’s official reopen- mal, because I’ve been locked population we are dealing with, ing, Day said: “There’s a little bit of trep- away.” Ijust don’t want them to die or idation, but we’re all highly confident in our AZoom teleconference, go to jail,” King said. “If we can staff.” Facetime chat or weekly phone Julio “Bolo” Dulay, who has been jailed for previous run-ins get past that ... we will work on Hundreds of regular customers were in- call won’t do that, he said. with the police, speaks highly of Paving Great Futures. “It getting you a job. I just need you vited to a soft opening on Tuesday, which “Sitting behind a computer, keeps me busy, keeps me focused,” he said. alive.” served as sort of a shakedown cruise and trying to do a call would not be King said the nonprofit con- informed the casino operators what adjust- the same,” Quintero said. Men fication and on Wednesday at- He said the program keeps sidered running the program ments were needed before thousands showed make up the majority of partici- tended the customer service him busy and away from old online, to keep everyone safe up the following day. pants in this program. Everyone certification class. habits. Dulay, who is Quintero’s from the coronavirus, but he “There’s no room for error,” Day said. has been involved in the crimi- The 23-year-old admits he cousin, said meeting with King knew that if he did, he would be While Day has been steeped in the logistics nal justice system for various hasn’t always been consistent every week helps him stay fo- shutting out a lot of people who of the casino reopening, he was not as inti- reasons, from sex trafficking to with the work readiness pro- cused; he doesn’t think a virtual are not responsive to online out- mately involved in the SDSU-city negotiations selling drugs.