Political and environmental activist Valerie Sklarevsky has lived in Malibu for more than 30 years. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Valerie has dedicated herself to causes ranging from local environmental concerns to international issues that have taken her all over the world. She has been arrested and jailed, and dragged through the streets, but her commitment to social and political justice has never wavered. The Malibu Times caught up with Valerie at her home.
When did you move to Malibu?
I moved to Malibu in 1980 to get away from the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in Pennsylvania. I thought Malibu was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. I still believe that.
Have you always been an environmental and political activist?
Not until Three Mile Island happened. That same day I was violently beaten by my boss at work and I went home and fasted for 34 days on water only. I had an epiphany and thought, why is there so much violence against women? And why is there so much violence against the environment? It made me change the way I thought.
What cause means the most to you?
I think my opposition to war because not only do so many people suffer but also the environment suffers, and it suffers for many generations.
Have you ever been arrested?
I’ve been arrested 53 times. My first arrest was at the Pentagon in Washington. The Pentagon is five acres of men who plot and plan war all over the world. Another time was at Frank Gehry’s office. I had dated him many years ago and he was going to put his new office in a wetland on the way to the airport. I went down to his office and chained the door shut and as people came to work I told them to go home and take the day off. They sent police cars to unlock the chains and took me to jail. Frank Gehry tried to bail me out, but I would not accept, and when I got to court he had dropped the charges.
What’s the most outrageous act of civil disobedience you have ever participated in?
My most outrageous arrest was at the Army-Navy football game that was held at the Rose Bowl [in 1983] with 81,000 fans. While the ball was in motion, I walked through the goal posts, out onto the playing field, got to the 22nd yard line, knelt down and held my sign: “No War-Thou Shall Not Kill.” Three men carried me off and locked me up in jail. We worship football in the United States. We worship war, and you have to be in opposition to something that goes on; you have to be a voice. I have always participated in nonviolent actions and so I have always been able to accept the blows or accept responsibility. I’ve never harmed anybody else. I’ve been dragged by my ears by the police-20 feet! And not to be able to react, when you practice nonviolence, you have to really concentrate and pray.
Do you have a sense of humor about your causes?
Anything I do, especially when it’s something so serious, I have fun. When I was protesting a big development, I dressed in white and went down to the site and I crawled under the fence, walked over and sat on a bulldozer with a sign that said Environmental Death. The police were on the outside wondering how I got in! For me, I felt like I was divinely led to get in there.
How are you active in the community?
I speak my mind and I have an opinion that I think is different from anyone in the community and hopefully that might make other people think. I feel really blessed. One of my mottos is ‘Live simply so others may simply live.’ If we live simply we can have the time to do meaningful things.
What do you love the most about Malibu? What upsets you most about Malibu?
What I love most about Malibu is the natural beauty. What upsets is the use of pesticides in our parks and the pollution down at the Malibu Lagoon. Politically, I was really upset about the performing arts building being taken over for the city; we had a perfectly wonderful opportunity to have plays and concerts. They spent a lot of money to change it and that to me is all about ego. We live in this beautiful spot and we’re really respectful to each other, we feed each other’s egos and pride and we’re not really in touch with what else is going on in the world.
If you could rebuild Malibu, what would you do? How would you set up a new Malibu community?
The most important thing to me would be housing for the poor and middle income. A town square where people could meet. I would like to see more diversity-that the people who work here can live here. I would like to see Malibu take the fluoride out of the water. I hate it when the government decides what to do for us. Malibu’s a bubble and I feel we have to really reach out and try to include the young people, include the elderly, and not be so separate.
Have your radical views influenced your relationships with friends and family?
Yes. It was very hard for my family in the beginning because they were mortified I was going to jail. Meanwhile, I felt really good about it. But over the years, after being so involved, my mother would beg me not to do so much.
How do you earn a living?
I work for Martin Sheen as a personal assistant. He has a conscience. He’s very involved with human rights. It’s wonderful to work for someone like that who’s not only nice and very kind, but very aware of what’s going on in the world. I am also a pet sitter.
I hear you’re a great cook, tell me a little bit about thatŠ
I’m very passionate about organic food and I truly believe that our health is all about what we eat. I live very simply and I do a lot of salads, I try to do lots of fruits and vegetables and I’m vegetarian.
Is there a perfect place on earth?
Within your own heart.