Wilmington Honors Historian and Advocate with Proposed Simie Seaman Intersection By Writer and Contributor Emily McGinn
The Wilmington Neighborhood Council has requested that the intersection of M Street and Banning Blvd. be named after longtime Wilmington resident Simie Seaman. The intersection would be named Simie Seaman Square.
The request comes as a recognition for Seaman’s work and impact on the community.
“She has been a resident of Wilmington for close to 50 years, and she has yet to stop giving to our community,” reads the request letter by Gina Martinez, the chair of the Wilmington Neighborhood Council. “Simie loves history and has fought endlessly to preserve the history of Wilmington for future generations to enjoy. Put simply, Simie is a force to be reckoned with.”
Seaman has a long list of community accomplishments, including co-founding the Wilmington Historical Society, which she now serves in as president. She also spearheaded efforts to preserve Banning Park, leading efforts to get it designated as a Historic Cultural Monument, as well as other parts of the city.
She also served with the Port of Los Angeles Wilmington Community Advisory Board and on various neighborhood associations and safety committees over the past several decades.
Originally from Torrance, Seaman’s motivation to get involved in the community is rooted in what her father used to tell her: to be part of solution, not part of the problem. When she moved to Wilmington, she realized it was much different from Torrance. Wilmington is part of the city of Los Angeles, and with that came the challenges of urban living.
But that did not stop Seaman from getting involved. In fact, it fueled her to make a difference. As she began to learn about the community, she realized the rich history of the area.
“I began to learn more about that history because I'm interested in history, but I just didn't know Wilmington history,” Seaman said. “And once I started finding out about that, my passion just kept growing and growing. And I decided that I wanted to do something about it.”
Simie was inspired to launch the Wilmington Historical Society and move to preserve the history of the area. Seaman is also a passionate photographer, a practice she has used to document Wilmington history as it unfolds. In fact, she contributed to an effort to create a book of photographs of Wilmington.
“I love Wilmington, and it all comes down to [this]: you live in your community, you love it, you respect it,” Seaman says. “And I feel that [it’s important to] be a part in leaving that little piece of the world a better place than you found it and in keeping our wonderful history alive. It's just — it's incredible.”
Regarding the request to have an intersection in the city named after her, Seaman appreciates the recognition of her community-centered work over the years.
“I was very touched about the request for the designation for the square,” Seaman says. “It was just out of the blue. And it actually made me cry, because I thought: ‘How incredible that what I did that I loved, other people recognized.’ I feel so blessed that God gave me the desire in my heart, and he gave me the fire in my soul, to do this journey. And it was incredible.”
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