Alumni Spotlight: Judy Abe
Judy Abe’s mom, with baby Judy in her belly, and Judy’s sister and brother
Judy Abe remembers taking the bus from Fruitvale to Chinatown with her mom and brother on the weekends. She and her brother would play in the sandbox at Lincoln Square Park while their mom shopped for food nearby. Judy also specifically remembers attending two Wa Sung Pancake Breakfasts with her family as well.
It should come as no surprise that Judy’s life has come full circle, as she is raising her children in Oakland Chinatown. Not only do her sons attend Lincoln Elementary and the after school program at the recreation center, but they also visited the park with their parents, and their grandmother, who passed away in 2021, but left behind a legacy of family and community. Judy appreciates the community engagement her sons receive at the center, as well as the comfort of community that envelopes her family. Her family epitomizes the multi-generational fabric that is woven into the DNA of Lincoln Square Park. Judy is grateful her children can see their elders exercising at the park at the same time they participate in the after school program. The continuation of multi-generational programming is something Judy hopes will continue with a new and updated Lincoln Square.
“I think it’s important to have a center that addresses health across ages. I know the elders benefit from being around kids they know and I think that the younger ones keep them young, too. ”