Representing Phase One:
Floyd Hampton Livingston*
What’s up everyone, I’m Floyd Hampton Livingston also known as “The Man” from 562CityLife.com. I’m of Samoan and Black descent. My mom is from New Zealand and pops is from Buffalo, NY (Go Bills!) I enjoy bringing a different kind of style of media coverage to 562CityLife which I help run with a business partner of mine, Matt Saunders. Be on the lookout for things such as on the spot audio interviews, along with videos from everyday people in Long Beach. I’m a journalism student at Long Beach City College and I am currently serving as editor in chief on the City Magazine. I tend to gravitate towards events and issues going on in Long Beach. Be on the look out for my blogs and other dope stuff coming from my direction. Let’s build. Holla.
Representing Phase Two:
Kelli Johnson
Kelli grew up in Bixby Knolls and is now raising a family there. Life and work has been an interesting and fabulous journey; working at her parents wrecking yard in Wilmington dismantling cars as a child, running off to a ski resort for “college”, and spending 10 years training to become a chef in restaurants and hotels such as Scandia on Sunset and the Century Plaza. Growing food by day and cooking it up by night became the foundation for opportunities that came after.
She is inspired by everything related to community, family and improving the local and sustainable quality of life. Seeing life through the eyes of her medium sized children and recapturing (for them) the amazing childhood she experienced at the very same schools and on the very same streets is priority numero uno. She is in the process of and thoroughly enjoying, her primary school do-over and plans to ace fourth grade this year-with her youngest.
Still growing and preparing food, she is the project manager for the Green Lab Urban Farm on the LBCAP campus at Spring Street and Long Beach Boulevard, and part of the growing food reform and urban farming movement in Long Beach. With a grant from the Connected Corridor project, she also founded the Long Beach Sunday Farmers Market in California Heights to create a weekly gathering place for the community and to support the local schools. While the market is currently closed, after 45 Sundays rain or shine on the Longfellow playground, there is a group of locals looking in to re-opening the community market in a new and sustainable configuration. Circle of life in 5 square miles, it’s a pretty cool place to be!
Representing Phase Three:
Hello, I’m Sasha Kanno a homeowner and community activist in the phase III area of Connected Corridor.I started off in the floral industry creating wedding arrangements in Hawaii in 1998. Since moving to California in 2002, I have worked with some of the most talented decorators and coordinators in the industry. I created arrangements for the stars at a famous shop in West Hollywood, as well as designed, managed and produced entire affairs for a full service event company in Los Angeles. My designs have been seen on numerous television shows such as Touchstone Television’s What About Brian, VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club, NBC’s Las Vegas, The Heartbreak Kid, Cougartown, & United States of Tara. In 2006 I was a contributing designer in the launch of a floral and décor wedding magazine, Bride and Bloom.
Backyard farming since childhood helped me start the Wrigley co‐op food exchange in 1998, which harvests, shares and preserves the excess produce from our city. This project led to the formation of the Wrigley Garden; a community garden started in the spring of 2009 with its 40 plots, 14 hens and a small orchard. I also founded Long Beach Local in 2010 a farmer based official 501(c)3 nonprofit to aid in the formation of these projects.
The newest and most exciting project so far is Farm Lot 59. This 1-area farm parcel on California and 27th St. in Long Beach is making it possible for people to enjoy fresh pesticide free produce direct from the farm. The farm will also serve as an education resource for our community as well as create jobs for veterans and youth alike.
I’m honored to be a resident of Long Beach as well as a soon to be new mom. Life along the corridor is wonderful for my family and myself; I hope it is for you too. Please join our mailing list at www.longbeachlocal.org for updates on Farm Lot 59 as well as our other projects. Happy growing!
Representing Phase Four:
Eric Leocadio
As a web and community developer, I translate the concepts of technical networks into relational networks utilizing online tools to catalyze offline connections between individuals, groups and organizations. I work to inspire a greater sense of community, collaboration, and citizenship through meaningful relationships by catalyzing collaborative communities that build relationships, establish partnerships, encourage contribution, and inspire growth. I am the founder of a local non-profit organization called Catalyst Long Beach, Inc. (aka Catalyst Community). See www.GoCatalyst.org.
Carina Cristiano Leoni (Project Director)
Carina Cristiano Leoni currently serves as Project Director for the Leadership Long Beach Atlantic Corridor Project. Carina’s highly driven work ethics and personal integrity have earned her high praise among community leaders, neighborhood groups and her small business peers. Carina understands both the private and public sectors because she has experience necessary to bridge differences and produce collaboration among partners and stakeholders alike. Her diverse background and genuine people skills are reflected in her natural ability to build relationships.