Good Neighbor Spotlight: Samy le Borgne of Silver Lake
Many people forget about the importance of having a quality neighbor, and they don’t take the time to acknowledge the small and helpful things these individuals do. When we think about what it takes to be a good neighbor, we think about someone who’s friendly and considerate, someone who looks out for others, and someone who helps hold the community together.
In a city as large as Los Angeles, it can be surprisingly difficult finding someone who fits the bill. Occasionally though, you come across a person who embodies exactly what it is to be a good neighbor, which is why Neighborhoods.com chose to spotlight a local community activist, Samy le Borgne.
Samy is a 31-year-old transplant from New York and aspiring musician who lives in Silver Lake, a trendy neighborhood in Los Angeles. Like many New Yorkers, Samy foregoes driving in LA—opting to work closer to home and ride public transportation instead.
“Maybe I’m just used to it,” Samy says while insisting that he knows how to drive, “some people here think it’s hard to take the subway, but it’s actually super easy and I really like it. I meet all kinds of people taking the bus.”
Meeting people is an ability that seems to come naturally for him, and it’s apparent in the way he makes conversation with others—no matter the setting. Even though Samy moved to Los Angeles five years ago, his eagerness to connect with others was quickly noticed by those in his community. When he’s not collaborating with local musicians, Samy spends most of his time volunteering at the local LGBTQ center, pet-sitting for neighbors in his community, and working at Doomie’s Home Cookin’, a local vegan restaurant in Hollywood.
Describing customers at work, Samy fondly explains, “I meet people from all over the world. There are some people who are just so friendly and easy to click with, it’s natural to become friends.”
Little does Samy know or care to admit, but many customers believe the same about him. On Yelp, several customers describe Samy as someone who “obviously enjoys what he does” and “is not afraid to go above his duties.”
In the densely-populated neighborhood of Hollywood, where both tourists and locals are always on-the-go, fostering a close sense of community is not an easy feat. However, Samy’s gift for building relationships as well as his open generosity towards others extends past customers at work, to the homeless and even small businesses around the area.
Describing his responsibilities closing shop, Samy shares:
“The restaurant gets so many leftover wrapped sandwiches and burgers at the end of the night. I give food out to the homeless when I can, but they’re not always around. I would put them all in a to-go baggy and give it to local businesses around the block.”
Samy explains that even though it seems there isn’t a tight-knit residential community in Hollywood, many of the small businesses in the area share a common bond and mutual understanding. He affectionately describes the mom-and-pop stores along Vine Street and says, “We would all look out for each other. The woman at the pizza shop. The bartender at the Cuban place. The guys at the taco stands. It’s like our weird little family.”
In addition to bringing local businesses together, Samy spends his time off supporting others in both his neighborhood and community. An avid activist, Samy enjoys building long-lasting relationships at his local LGBTQ Center. After years of struggling with his own sexuality and how it would fit in with his biracial identity (French and Algerian), Samy decided to use his personal and cultural experiences to teach others who might be going through a similar situation.
“I had no one to talk to about what I was going through, especially since I’m Algerian and gay rights still isn’t really accepted in the culture. It’s hard going through that alone, and no one should.”
Samy’s drive to be present for those in need is evident. He regularly goes with others to support groups, such as LGBTQ groups, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Crystal Meth Anonymous.
On top of being a good neighbor in the community, Samy is also a good neighbor in the traditional sense of the word. He enjoys pet-sitting for his friends as well as his Silver Lake neighbors. When asked what his plans were for the weekend, Samy simply laughed and said, “I’m hanging out with two bunnies at home this weekend. It’ll be great.”