Meet Michael—CommUNITY Member, Global Citizen (Story 12/40)

“I am Michael, member of the GullahGeechee, born in Angola, here by way of the Carolinas and Missouri’s first all-Black city, son to Michael and Josephine and father to Layla, a marine corps veteran and humbly proud commUNITY member of City Heights, East San Diego.”

To know Michael is to know a passionate neighbor. He leans forward in his chair, energy building behind an easy smile.

“After moving to San Diego, I was drawn to City Heights be the typical things: diversity, cultures, and so on, but it wasn’t until I heard a woman from City Heights offer this challenge that I really decided to move here. She said, ‘Don’t assume anything about us, spend time with us. Come check in and get to know us.’ — so I took those words to heart and moved to City Heights.”

Not one to do anything halfway, he began asking older neighbors, “What is community?”

“Tribes and cultures from around the world come here for a safe haven. Some came before and found a home, and it’s that willingness to make room for others I need, to allow your safe haven to shelter another, that I love about this place. We have so many incredible, generous families who are all different but all united around this space as a haven.” As Michael made City Heights his home, he met neighbors who taught him to check in, and he wants you to know their names:

Luken Gibore

Maria Chavez

Agustin Pena

Tyshen Mosely

Michael’s love for community is infectious, his passion for a deeper understanding of those things that help hold us together is inspiring, but it’s his open-hearted kindness that most inspires.

“I thank God for the people who really check in and spend time in City Heights. Not everyone lives here, I get that, but you know when someone really cares about a place and has friendships and connections there. Those are the people I’m happy to have here, we are united around this safe haven of City Heights.”