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# Letter: Professor Ron Wilkins defends Oscar de la Torre against police allegations
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/050405-story-20050504-4/
- Published: 2005-05-04T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T06:54:16.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Pico, #archive-import

*By Ron Wilkins Professor, California State University Dominguez Hills, Department of Africana Studies*

I am writing this letter to express my unqualified support for Oscar de la Torre. Please be advised that I have known and worked closely with Mr. de la Torre for nearly 10 years. We met for the first time in 1996 at Santa Monica College where he had been instrumental in organizing a pro black and brown unity conference among its students. From that moment forward, Mr. de la Torre and I have collaborated together on numerous occasions with the goal of bringing Mexican and African American people closer together. Our mutual commitment to increasing the cooperation between and improving the futures of our two respective cultures is what has defined, enriched and strengthened our relationship from its beginning.

What has prompted this letter is the false and malicious allegation by representatives of the Santa Monica Police Department that Oscar de la Torre recently engaged in activities designed to exacerbate tensions between the two groups (SMDP, April 23-24, page 1). Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only is Mr. de la Torre fully committed to establishing and sustaining collaborative efforts between black and brown youth, he continues to be one of the most genuine, sincere, ethical and hardworking role models and leaders that the Santa Monica community has ever had. I view his character, organizing efforts, youth intervention skills, organizational and interpersonal skills as nothing short of outstanding.

In the past, Oscar de la Torre and I worked successfully together at Santa Monica High School as resources to at-risk students. We come together periodically to develop worthwhile activities for the Pico Youth & Family Center and only recently chaperoned black and brown young men to the Ninth Annual Meeting of Black Villages in Mexico, where they witnessed firsthand the harmony between indigenous and black villagers. Oscar de la Torre is a creative problem-solver and community asset, who secured my trust, respect and friendship long ago.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 4, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/050405.pdf?ref=smdp.com)