Page 2 July 22, 2021 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Tanya Taylor from front page
not waste any time courting Taylor. “Straight
off the bat, I asked her out to dinner, and she
said, yeah.” Dinner at an Italian restaurant in
Venice ensued. “We have been together 24/7
ever since,” he said.
But there actually were some disruptions in the
burgeoning courtship. At that time, Taylor was
making a “world tour,” with her stop in Los Angeles
scheduled to last for about a month. Tonks
and Taylor decided that they would attempt
to rendezvous in a different country every four
weeks. As Taylor continued her travels, Tonks
decided that he was not going to happily deal
with their monthly separations and travailed to
Nicaragua, where he said he “brought her back.”
Tonks, an ex-professional boxer on his wife
of five years: “She is an incredible person…
Intelligent, practicing international tax law for a
decade, speaks multiple languages…Exceptionally
beautiful…what is not to love?” he said.
Tonks noted the passion that Taylor puts into
the social causes that she champions. “She is
just getting started,” Tonks said. “The next
movie, and subsequent movies, are going to
blow this one out of the water…Her perspective
on being Black in America, because she
was born in Jamaica, and raised in England,
is a fresh perspective. It gives you a view of
America that is quite shocking, to understand
what racism is in America, and how intrinsically
woven into the fabric of the country and
the history that racism is.”
Denise Harris is featured in the Black in
Mayberry film: “I met Tanya a few years ago,”
Harris said. “Her partner, Lee Tonks, and I had
been close friends for more than ten years, and
after he introduced me to Tanya, she and I hit
it off immediately. I live in Inglewood. Tanya
knew I had been an activist most of my life,
and I had been participating in marches in Los
Angeles protesting the murder of George Floyd.
So, when Tanya called me and asked if I would
come to a protest in El Segundo, which I know
to be an above-average predominantly white
community, I felt compelled to join her. I was
compelled to go because for the first time in
my life, at every protest, I was experiencing
intergenerational and interracial protest, and I
felt it critical to show up and recognize allies
with my presence.”
Continued Harris: “I brought my young
son, Wayne, freshly graduated from Fordham
University, with me. As expected, for this first
protest, there was this rag-tag, passionate group
of a few dozen folks holding signs, chanting
“Say his name!” and “Black Lives Matter.”
Cars drove by with passengers pumping their
fists and giving the thumbs-up sign to us.
Many motorists and their passengers looked
genuinely shocked and pleased to see us out
there. We only got flipped the bird once or
twice. Me, my son Wayne (who is also in the
documentary), and Tanya and Lee’s daughter
Marley and Tanya were the only Black folks
there. FOUR! I was glad I came. And on that
day, the El Segundo Black Lives movement was
born and continued to grow. I participated in
a second protest event in El Segundo as well.
“I’m 68 years old,” Harris said. “I began
marching for justice and demanding this
country live up to its promise since I am 14
years old. The El Segundo movement felt like
finally - America was showing up. America was
saying enough is enough. When I began my
speech at the protest in the courtyard of the El
Segundo police station, my opening was to ask
that the people who are experiencing standing
up for justice through protest for the first time
raise their hand. The overwhelming majority
of hands shot into the air. I welcomed them.
I thanked them. I remain inspired.”
Taylor is a co-founder of the group El
Segundo for Black Lives. Her journey from
Jamaica to the United Kingdom to “Mayberry,”
as most journeys do, took the requisite twists
and turns. She moved to the United Kingdom
when she was a wee lass of three and ended
up garnering her collegiate degree, as well
as a master’s degree. Working as a lawyer,
she focused on tax law, because that was a
proficient way to help pay off the bills (she
talked of trading her soul to get the bills paid)
accrued while she was schooling, but Taylor
said she was always drawn to using her talents
to bring sunshine to social issues.
She made her “world tour” and met Tonks.
She said that once she heard his accent as he
stood behind her in line at the Venice café, she
knew where he hailed from London. As noted,
Taylor and Tonks hit-it-off-immediately, but
Taylor did say that their whirlwind romance
“disrupted my journey,” as she had planned to
continue traveling.
Alas, Taylor said, “Love blossoms. That is
why I am back here again.”
Taylor and Tonks were living in Long Beach
and decided they wanted to move closer to
the Westside. Taylor said that they applied for
residences in Santa Monica and Manhattan
Beach, but, Taylor said, for some inexplicable
reason, their applications were turned down.
So, a little more than a year ago, they settled in
El Segundo with their young daughter Marley.
And about a month or so ago, they welcomed
son Garvey into the family.
When she is not practicing law or spending
family time, Taylor said she likes to read and
travel. She was a first-class competitor in track
and field events in her heyday and gravitates
towards perusing books on the biographical
and historical side while also sneaking in a
read-or-two of fantasy tomes featuring “superheroes
and magical beans.”
When asked why she decided to proceed
with the Black in Mayberry project, Taylor said
that “Knowledge is really important. It is nice
to stand in the street and hold signs, but you
must educate the supporters. There are really
no changing people’s minds in the middle of
a demonstration.” She noted how, now, many
have already made up their mind about issues,
“digging their heels in,” she said. She said she
was looking for a way, a non-confrontational
way, to reach people in her new community.
Taylor has only lived in El Segundo for a
tad bit more than a year but said that “there
are more people here who are trying to be
positive than perpetuate the ‘sundown town
stereotype,” and is looking forward to getting
to know her neighbors, as most of us shed our
pandemic facemasks and start re-connecting
with friends and family. •
Black in Mayberry producer Tanya Taylor.
Tanya, Marley, and Lee attend a 2020 El Segundo for Black Lives
Protest. Photos provided by Tanya Taylor.
Seniors
Staying Fit In Retirement Can Also
Reduce Health Care Costs
(BPT) - It’s no secret that staying physically
active supports overall well-being,
especially for older adults. From reducing
risks of certain conditions like heart disease
and diabetes to minimizing injury and
helping maintain independence, exercise is
essential to supporting health and wellness
as you age. Another noteworthy but often
unrecognized benefit of regular exercise is
that it improves overall health, which can
result in lower healthcare costs.
Improved health, lower health care costs
and reduced hospital stays are some of the
benefits enjoyed by active seniors, according
to a recent nationwide study by Avalere Health
and Tivity Health, a national provider of senior
fitness, nutrition and healthy lifestyle solutions,
including SilverSneakers, a community fitness
program designed for older adults. The study
compared new SilverSneakers participants and
closely matched non-participating Medicare
Advantage beneficiaries.
So how much are healthcare costs reduced
by participating in this program? The study’s
findings showed the total cost of medical care
for participants to be 16% lower than for nonparticipants
and total annual average health
expenses among participants to be $4,463
compared to $5,303 for non-participants.
That can make a big difference, especially
for people with fixed incomes.
Part of this reduction in costs includes
fewer visits to the hospital, which can
be expensive. After starting the program,
participants experienced a significant 42%
fewer hospital stays and 18% fewer ER
visits compared to Medicare Advantage
non-participants. Length of stay for hospitalizations
was also significantly shorter for
participants: 4.4 days compared to 5.8 days
for non-participants.
“This research shows that seniors who are
regularly engaged in more healthy behaviors
enjoy improved health outcomes and lower
health care costs compared to those who
do not incorporate exercise in their daily
routine,” said Julie Logue, fitness expert and
senior trainer at Tivity Health. “More than
just exercise, the impact of senior fitness is
also emotional and social, providing older
adults an opportunity to make meaningful
connections with others.”
Logue believes every senior can support
their well-being and save on health care costs
by being physically active.
She recommends the following tips to keep
in mind when starting an exercise routine:
Talk with your doctor: Before you try a
new fitness routine or take a class, speak
with your doctor to make sure it’s a good
fit for your health needs. You can typically
reach out through your clinic’s nurse triage
line or through a telehealth appointment so
you can get insight without an in-person visit
to the doctor’s office.
Listen to your body: Whatever activity
you decide to do to stay physically active,
start slow and increase length or intensity
as you build endurance. Any movement is
better than no movement, so be proud of
your efforts. Listen to your body and when
you need to rest or take a break, do what
feels right.
Research senior programs: Fitness programs
focused on the needs of older adults
help position you for success while also
connecting you in community or virtually
with likeminded people. SilverSneakers is
a national fitness membership program that
offers fitness classes designed for seniors at
over 15,000 locations nationwide including
a FLEX network outside of a traditional fitness
center such as parks, medical centers
and community centers.
Check virtual options: Not everyone is
comfortable with indoor fitness, so consider
online alternatives. Members have access to
more than 13,000 instructor-led live classes
each month as well as over 200 classes in
our On-Demand library.
Check eligibility: Some health plans offer
options for low-cost or no-cost fitness
programs. For example, SilverSneakers is
available at no cost for adults 65 and older
through select Medicare plans. Visit silversneakers.
com to verify eligibility.
“Improving health and combating social
isolation and loneliness are significant benefits
of senior fitness, the measurable reduction
in health care costs can’t be ignored,” said
Logue. “There are a variety of programs to
suit all interests, abilities and lifestyles to help
seniors find safe, enjoyable and convenient
ways to get moving today.” •
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Email class@heraldpublications.com or call 310-322-1831 for more information.
Love Thy Neighbor
Dear El Segundoans,
The Herald staff and I only know so many El Segundoans,
but we want to learn about more of you. With 8,000
residents, we’re sure there are some gems we may have
overlooked or not been aware of them. Do you have an
interesting friend, neighbor or student? With most of El
Segundo sports and events on hold, we are looking to do
more El Segundo residents’ profiles. All you have to do
is ask their permission and send us
their contact information. Of course,
if you find yourself fascinating, send
us your information too.
– Best to you all. HM.
Send your suggestions in
to letters@heraldpublications.com
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