Meet Your Neighbor - Terry Martinez

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Terry Martinez with Village Properties, I am a Realtor and co-owner of the San Leandro office.

What do you love about San Leandro?

I love the urban suburban feel, I love that its multicultural.  We have resources all within 30 minutes of us, we have 3 international airports, we have two BART stations, we are commutable to San Francisco and San Jose, but you also know your neighbors, you're out on your street and seeing your neighbors.

You are very much involved in the community, we met because we live on the same street and have even done a street party together

I want my neighborhood to be somewhere where people want to be, I want my kids to feel safe I have a houseful of kids. I want them to feel that other people are looking out for them. One of the things we have kind of lost is the sense that we are looking out for one another and for one another's families.  In other communities you open your garage door, drive into your garage, you close your garage door and you don't even know who is in your neighborhood.  I want my kids to know if they are four blocks over from us and they are misbehaving that someone is going to give me a call and say I saw your kid doing something stupid, I want to know that other parents think the same thing. We are all working together to raise this generation.

You are also involved with donations to schools, whenever I go to an auction there is always something provided by you, sponsoring wine of whatever.  Tell me about that?

Couple of things, its good marketing, it's also my way to give back to the community  that I benefit from.  I am really intentional, my work tag line is "Your neighbor and Realtor". I work in my neighborhood and community, I do work outside of here, but here is where I feel I really make a difference and have credibility. Doing things with the schools, it keeps me connected things that I may not always be directly involved with anymore because by kids are out of that school.  For Assumption, my kids didn't go there but a lot of my friends kids go there and through neighborhood sports our kids were intertwined .  I just want to know enough about my community to be able to sell my community.

In your office  window you have a community section, it's not the houses that are on top, it's the community section. 

Is that a good thing or not (laughs)

It's a good thing, I get a vibe\feel from you that you love San Leandro and the community.

Don't point that out to my broker that the house are on the second row (laughs).  My community is really important to me, I grew up in San Francisco, by husband grew up in Oakland. We didn't have that same small town neighborhood feel that we have here.

When I started This is San Leandro you were one of the first people to reach out to me and say "Hey, I love this idea" and to get involved, why?

A couple of things, I had just launched my personal website, seeing other people doing stuff that was a little similar was exciting to me.  Also I am on Nextdoor, I get so tired of everybody's rant posts. I wanted something to point my friends and clients to, something that is the real heart of San Leandro.  I don't want to hear about lost dogs and broken into cars all the time and have that be the only thing we are talking about.  I loved what you were doing as it was only the good stuff.

I appreciate that.  Any final quote or words of wisdom?

I am not that brilliant, I'm really not (laughs)

I think you are, when we did the block party I brought the movie screen you did everything else. You dealt with permits, blocking the street off, the decorations and the BBQ.

Thank you Terry

http://www.terrymartinez.net/

Meet your Neighbor - Susan McCue

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Susan McCue and I work as an office manager for a medical office and do a lot of volunteer work for my kid's school.

What do you love about San Leandro?

I love the community in San Leandro, you will almost always run into someone you know somewhere, which is nice.

You run or have been in involved in the Assumption school auction for how many years now?

For the Auction I chaired or co-chaired for four years, took 2 years off and am now co-chairing it again for a 5th year.

You love it?

I do love it, mostly (smiles)

You are the serial volunteer, you have also organized the Fall festival?

Yes, I love the fall festival.  It's actually something that I didn't think I would ever want to do, because its a multi-day event, but I found that it really brings just pure joy.  Of the volunteer things I do, I think that's my favorite.

That's not just an Assumption thing?

It's for the whole community, everyone is welcome.  It's a place where you feel safe, the kids feel safe, they enjoy themselves.  It's a great community event for Assumption, for all of San Leandro.

I hear you have a big day coming up tomorrow, with the CYO volleyball?

Yes. I am the assistant coach for the girls 8th grade team F Assumption team.  We are going to the championship for the dioceses tomorrow night.  It's really exciting!  These girls have played together  since 4th grade and it has been amazing to watch them grow and come into their own.  They have worked so hard, they have earned this.

It's not just Assumption families for CYO?

The great thing about CYO is its open to the community, you do have to live within the Parish boundaries.  Whatever parish boundaries you live in you can join their CYO program.  Whether it be Assumption or  St Leanders or St Felitias, OLG.  That is how it is in the Metro league.  It makes it more fun, these kids get to know other kids. Our team is made up of Assumption and Bancroft kids.

CYO sport is partially subsidized?

Part by the Assumption Dads Club, we try to keep our rates as low as possible.  Other areas have to charge a lot more, but we are able to keep the CYO rates lower. Which is nice.  There is basketball, volleyball,  track, cross country and Girls softball .

After you have survived the big game on Tuesday, the next thing is the Auction.  What's the theme this year and where is it?

So the Assumption auction is "Bubbles and Bling" and it is going to be held on February 28th at Scott's Seafood in Jack London Square.  All are welcome, it's also a community event.  You can register on the Assumption School website and it's a fun event.  We are raising money for the general fund and also technology in the classrooms, anything above what we have to earn will go towards technology in the classroom. Our MC again this year is Brian Copeland.

Any final parting words? Any words of wisdom?

Learn to say no (laughs), just kidding. I have learnt to say no and truly try and only do things that I feel passionately about.

You do so much for the Assumption school and the community.  As a community we thank you for everything you do.  

Meet Your Neighbor - Nicole Hunter-Maes

I caught up with Nicole at the Pinewood derby for Pack 506 and 556.  She is the Cub Scout leader for Pack 506.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Nicole Hunter-Maes and I am a volunteer, I do Cub Scouts, I volunteer at the Roosevelt Elementary.  I have 2 kids at school at Roosevelt  and a 3rd son who goes to St James. I work part time for Knights of Columbus insurance.

What do you love about San Leandro?

I love the sense of community here.  We moved here when my oldest son was starting kindergarten. So we didn't have any experience with school or community, we both worked full time. It was all about work and the kids were in daycare. Then we moved here and all of a sudden it like this extended family, its unbelievable how welcoming it is, this small town community, yet your minutes away from the city, it unbelievable.

Final words?

All I can say is if you are going to raise a child, San Leandro is a great place to do it. I hope that in the future the city allows us to grow, get some more new businesses, get some new restaurants here.  Get people to come here not just to live but to spend their money and enjoy their weekend time.

Meet Your Neighbor - Derick Lee

For meet your neighbor this week I came to see Derick Lee, he has been provided a space to run FLEET at Type A Machines. 

We arrived a little early (my son really wanted to come) and while we waited were given a tour of Type A Machines by Espen. He took us around and showed us models, printers and explained the process and application for the 3D printing technology, he patiently answered all our questions. He gave me his card, our guide was Espen Sivertsen, the CEO of Type A Machines. Thanks Espen. 

Derick Arrived.

Who are you and what do you do?

What a tough question. The fundamental truth of that is that I am a resident of San Leandro that has been here his whole life and I want to make this city great.  There are certain steps to get there and we have to start with step 1.  Step 1 I believe is education and getting our students fundamentally prepared.  Not just attract businesses like this (Type A Machines) which is great, which provides opportunities but really working into the core of where our people are who are vested in this town and have lived here their whole lives and incubate them, have them grow out and make their own businesses have them be talented individuals who work at the companies .  I believe that we need to prepare our people that live here and it starts with the youth

What do you love about San Leandro?

Before or after I got engaged?  Before I got engaged I liked it being a quiet, safe neighborhood with a lot of good people.  The people who came out of this place are very diverse and very diverse minded, very open minded.  You don't necessarily get that from Hayward and Oakland which is interesting. 

After I got engaged , I mean wow.  The business community, the government community, community in general , educational community has all tied in together.  So again it's about the people, the people thread it together.  I think that is a resent thing too, that is what I have witnessed, everyone across all the sectors are working together.  When you get into that, they support you.  That's what I have experienced about San Leandro..

I understand you received an award, the Makers and innovators award of the year, can you tell me about that?

I didn't expect it, I go to the chamber every few days,  I chat with Cece, chat with Dave .  Passing information, hanging out,  They understand what has been happening, what I have been trying to do, what I have worked on and what I am trying to push.  Whether it's starting a company like FLEET, which they are a fiscal agent of, or wanting to do the video and hiring someone to work on that.

Or other ideas that pop up because we are talking about it.  They know everything that I have been working on, they understand my mission. 

I had a wonderful chat with Lisa Jackson about FLEET and got really excited, tell me about your involvement with that?

Fleet essentially a delivery service for emerging technologies .  Our city is looking to transform itself in to a center for innovation and technology and is gaining momentum.  Our citizens have no idea what these technologies are 3D printing, laser cutting. They have heard about it, read about it, seen it on you tube, but they haven't seen it in person, or touched it in person. Our goal was to expose people to those technologies so they can understand what it is about.  So maybe they can be empowered to use it .

And that's going into schools?

It was going to go to just the broad community  at first, but what our focus is on is schools (as the program develops).

I hear you have a bus?

Yes, our bus is the start to how we got mobilized. but when we are talking about schools, we are also talking about high impact, impacting more people that can fit in a bus.  There is only 20 or 30 people that can actually fit in a bus,  then people leave for the next group to come in and be exposed, there is an issue with capacity. So we are thinking of auditorium events, bus less events where we can impact over 100 students at one time.  Just had a meeting with San Lorenzo High and they want our bus March 31st and they want to impact 600 students.

What Stuff do you take?

Type A Machines 3D Printer

Stuff from Type A Machines (in picture), Phase space, Sound fit.  That cube looking thing right there, it's a 3D scanner .  What they do is ear fit, they can make molds, 3D scan it into digital and then print it with any material that's rubber and flexible, they do hearing aids, bio-medical use.  Method Machines which has robotic arms. 

What we are doing is pulling in these partners with their employees.  Say we get Tim Holmes and we get Scot McGregor and Angie from Methods and we develop an event.  My friend Jeff Lou, who will be joining us shortly, calls it "an away team".  We are creating these resources that we have as partners, grabbing their human resource and their knowledge, bringing them to these events to expose potentially thousands of students. That way we have a model of not just training our own staff and try and sustain that, but employee consultants from the companies that we work with.  Those two people (pointing across the warehouse) they don't work for Type A .  They work for their own company Design, Build Draw.  They are just incubating here.  Huge co-working space.  Essentially we are pooling consultants and different free lancers from these companies to bond, to solve challenges.

Derick explains to my son how a laser
cutter works 

I could see the FLEET bus being great for after school programs?

That is further along on our timeline, creating a meaningful long-term program, so it is actually effective in the work place.  Everyone is going to work eventually.  How do we pull information from our partners and create pilot programs for work based learning, which is like internships, job shadows, who do we pull data from these companies  to inform and create curriculum.

Parting Words?

Take the first step

Thanks Derick

After the interview Tim Homles rolled by on his long board to say Hi, the atmosphere is relaxed at Type A but there is definitely a creative focus within the space. When we left my son said that he could really see himself working somewhere like Type A, I can see why.

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