Barrio Logan native and lifelong activist, Georgette Gomez first hit the local political scene in 2016, when she ran for San Diego City Council. She assumed the role of president in 2018 and remained on the City Council until 2020. Gomez now works as the community development and policy officer for Casa Familiar, a San Ysidro-based nonprofit working to improve the lives of locals and their families through advocacy, affordable housing, and immigration assistance, among other services.
Gomez’s perfect day always starts at home with her wife, three dogs, and four chickens, but it really kicks off when she heads to Peninsula Bikes in San Ysidro. “It’s a café-slash-bike-shop. If you know anything about me, you’ll know I’m really into cycling, so I just like to go there and check out the bikes, see what they have in stock, and be around the folks repairing and talking shop,” Gomez says. “There’s never too much of a crowd, so I chat it up with the owners, the other bikers, and the workers. They’re also going to be running some bike education programming for the community this year.” She always orders a black drip coffee, but Peninsula also has more on offer.
Java fix procured, Gomez ventures south for lunch in Chula Vista, where Mexican food is plentiful and virtually guaranteed to be delicious. Gomez prefers Aqui es Texcoco, a spot known for its Mexican-style lamb barbecue and named for the area in Mexico credited with popularizing the technique. Belly full, Gomez is on to San Ysidro to check out the latest work at The Front Arte Cultura, a community art space run by Casa Familiar that hosts art exhibitions, artist talks, and temporary installations and performances.
After putting a few miles on her electric vehicle, it’s time for a quick recharge at he Las Americas Premium Outlets, where standard and fast-charging stations are available in multiple locations for convenient plugging-in. Finally, Gomez likes to end her day with a movie at the South Bay Drive-In Theatre. Operating since 1958, it’s the last of its kind in the county, now that the Santee Drive-In has officially closed its doors. Showing films on three screens, seven days a week, the theater is also home to the South Bay Swap Meet every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.
