2012 Gems & Jewels Honoree

Luis Natividad

A National City resident for 56 years, Luis Natividad (or "Louie" as he's best known) is always "there" for the community. "There" to get things done – like keeping our streets clean and safe, fostering a healthy economy, and mentoring and empowering our youth.

Working with young people is, in Louie's opinion, one of the most worthwhile ways anyone can spend their time. "I feel that young people are an asset to our community," says Louie. "And it's our job as adults to make sure kids reach their potential. We need to do everything we can to pass on our knowledge and experience so that they have the pride to never give up…and to succeed." These are values that Louie lives by, as evident in how he invests countless hours doing things like coaching softball, teaching boxing, and helping steer gang members away from dangerous activities (by engaging them in graffiti clean-ups, voter registration drives, and other efforts that encourage a sense of community pride). These same kids – and their parents, friends, neighbors, and relatives – also look to Louie when they need career guidance. This is because Louie works tirelessly, using his resources to match job candidates with employees. In these efforts, he is especially focused on expanding job growth within his own neighborhood.

Louie is currently going into his 6th year as a Councilmember for the City of National City. He has served as the Community Affairs Specialist and Field Staff Coordinator for San Diego City Deputy Mayor George Stevens and for Councilman Charles Lewis for 2 years. Louie's professional background runs the gamut from entrepreneurial ventures to public service. He owned his business and used his administrative skills as owner of a limousine service. Because of his employment in food, grocery and retail management he was able to develop the first San Diego Food Bank. He was the Executive Director of the Chicano Federation of San Diego County, Inc. in the early 1970s, he worked for the Neighborhood House Association and helped co-found National City-based Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee (MAAC) – which has grown to become South Bay's largest private nonprofit human service agency. Additionally, he held the position of interim executive director for a drug prevention residential home and a narcotics prevention program. He has also served as administrative assistant to former County Supervisors Jack Walsh (District 1) and Jim Bates (District 4).

Despite his impressive resume, Louie says his "real work" goes beyond his paying jobs because serving his community is where his heart is. Highlights of his lifetime of giving back to the community include serving on numerous boards and volunteer positions in National City, founding holiday food drive, emergency food and clothing programs, and launching Latino cultural and advocacy programs. Louie also started Operation Warm Heart, which was a program formed to collect blankets for the dying children in the hills of Tijuana. He has also worked extensively with the police department, criminal justice system, and our schools to make our communities safer. These efforts included helping the Citizen Patrol in Paradise Hills bordering the City of National City.

Louie has received numerous honors and accolades for his public service and community work, including a Channel 10 Leadership Award, the Thurgood Marshall Good Government Award, the Volunteer of the Month award and Proclamation for Mentor of the Month of April from U.S. Congresswoman Susan Davis, the Alba '80 Volunteer of the Year award, Hispanic Heritage Hero Award, KPBS Local Hero Award, Leadership Awards from the Indian Reservations, Ninth Annual U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Awards and Recognized by many churches for his work with the underprivileged, both in the U.S. and Mexico. “My greatest satisfaction has been working and being embraced by the African American and Filipino communities,” Louie recently stated at a State dinner.

Highlights from Louie's involvement in National City include serving as a board member and in other capacities for:

1. •Advisory Educational Opportunity Program of Southwestern College
   

2. •Attorney General's Volunteer Advisory Committee
   

3. •South County Economic Development Council – Board member
   

4. •Metro Wastewater Joint Powers Agreement (JPA)
   

5. •Committee for a New Jail for National City
   

6. •Community Action Council (former vice chairperson)
   

7. •Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee (founding member)
   

8. •National City Girls' Softball League (15 years of service; president, fund-raiser, coach)
   

9. •National City Junior City Chamber of Commerce
   

10. •Traffic & Safety Commission of National City
    

11. •Employed by the Jacobs Family Foundation
    

12. •Appointed for two years by the Census Department
    

Additional community service highlights include:

1. •Bi-national Health Council Emergency Medical Committee
   

2. •Community Advisory Committee on Gang, Alcohol, and Substance Use Prevention for  Sweetwater Union High School District
   

3. •Operation Warm Heart (founder; program bringing emergency food, clothing, and blankets to families living in the freezing hills of Tijuana)
   

4. •Holiday Food Drive (co-architect with then San Diego City Councilmember Susan Golding; effort yielded millions of pounds of food for needy families and seniors)
   

5. •Lawsuit against the County of San Diego for unfair hiring practices
   

6. •Latino/Latina Indigenous People Unity Coalition (founder)
   

7. •San Diego Mariachi Festival (helped create first one)
   

Louie and his wife, Pat, reside in National City in the home they purchased 38 years ago. Louie and Pat have been married for 45 years, and have three daughters and five grandchildren. Born in El Paso, Texas, Louie is a product of the Sweetwater School District, and graduated from Southwestern College with an Associate Degree in Arts & General Studies.