Feb. 4th, 2023 - Letter from Sergio
"Friends are islands in a sea of indifference." – (my father, Sergei Lub)
Today I am 70!
Seven decades ago today, on February 4th, 1953, I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to two Belarusian parents who met in Argentina after finding refuge on this rare island of peace from WWII.
My mom, 26-year-old Szura “Alejandra” Pronko Lub, was very happy to have delivered a healthy 10-pound baby boy after laboring through the hottest day on record.
My dad, 44-year-old Isador Sergei “Siroya” Lub, was elated that the family name would be preserved, toasting celebratory vodka with his closest friends.
My sister Rosa was 5 years old, and at first sight said that her new baby brother’s head was way too big.
By age 6, I started making small sculptures and ventured to sell them nearby by going door to door. Some neighbors still have them decorating their home.
My father, a skilled craftsman and the sole survivor of a family of 19 after enduring two World Wars, supported our family by making fine furniture. Somehow, he found the time to organize many Eastern European immigrants to donate and fill 4 Red Cross ships with warm clothes and shoes for needy refugees, and proceed to build 5 medical clinics to help heal our community.
On the weekends, I would help my Dad build our home, by mixing mortar and carrying bricks. Following my sister’s example, I became the best student in my class.
Five decades ago, I, Sergio, now a fine arts and architectural student, was granted an international patent on gyroscopic articulations improvements that I developed for my kinetic jewelry. Thanks to this, at age 19, I became the youngest inventor in Argentina, had a solo show at the Buenos Aires City Museum, and started selling my work on Sundays at the San Telmo Fair, which was popular with foreign tourists. Out of necessity, I learned to communicate in 7 languages.
At the fair, I met the American consul Lawrence “Larry” Grossman, who invited me to visit the USA by granting me a special work visa, allowing me to emigrate in 1976 and thus avoiding the worst of Argentina’s Dirty War, where I sadly lost several dear friends to the military junta.
I left in a hurry due to the repression and with almost no money. However, I hand-carried a bag of gyroscopes, and one of the flight attendants recognized me from the fair, moved me to first class, and helped me sell my jewelry to fellow passengers. The success was such that upon arrival, and with the help of my friend Steve D’Auria, I was able to buy a car and drive from LA to San Francisco.
I secured a job in San Francisco as an architect's helper but found it boring, so I soon quit to set up a small studio in Belmont. In three years, this venture allowed me to buy an old farmhouse in Walnut Creek, where I moved with my dear friend Cristina Poblete. In 1982, my friends Monica and Pepe Luis visited me on their honeymoon and decided to stay, joining the fun and helping produce and grow our jewelry business.
The increased production allowed me to wholesale to stores and galleries. I found them by driving cross-country seven times and visiting all 50 states. During trade shows, I met many lifelong friends, including my chosen brothers Jan Mayer and Chuck Feil, with whom I shared countless adventures on six continents.
Four decades ago, in 1983, concerned by the Falkland/Malvinas war, I brought my parents, sister, brother-in-law Nestor, and their two young daughters, Tatiana and Sofia, to join me in California. Soon, Rosa was expecting Valentino while Nestor studied hard to become a licensed psychiatric doctor, passing all the needed exams in record time.
Also in 1983, in a most magical encounter, I met my love and life partner, glass artist Gaye Frisk. She started etching and hand painting large wine bottles that sold at auctions for exorbitant prices, up to $100,000 for a Robert Mondavi magnum. Her novel business started a whole new industry, and soon dozens of wineries wanted her work. She trained many other artists to help meet the growing demand.
In 1986, Gaye and I were married by Ron Gordon at Club Sonoma (aka Pocket Ranch), the same place we met three years earlier. The wedding brought together 300 of our friends in a 3-day celebration that extended to 5 days for many.
Also in 1986, Sonia was born, followed in 1989 by Nikolas. Caring for two young children proved too demanding for two entrepreneurs, so Gaye sold her business and became a dedicated mom. She volunteered at Saint Helena Elementary as a beloved art teacher and joined me in traveling to over 50 countries while Abuelos Alejandra and Sergei happily watched Sonia and Nikolas until they became old enough to join us.
In 1995, I helped organize the State of the World Forum with Jim Garrison, meeting and working with Chairman Gorbachev and hundreds of conscious activists from around the world.
At the Forum, my mentor Willis Herman gave me the idea of using the yet little-known Internet to help interconnect my growing network. Thus, non-commercial and by invitation, Friendly Favors was born, soon followed by commercial and more open similar projects, including Facebook 9 years later.
Countless other progressive initiatives were born at the Forum, including the development of a novel plan to legalize medical cannabis. This was funded with $2M in donations raised in one afternoon at a round table that I chaired.
Friendly Favors grew with the help of wizard programmer Victor Grey and coordinator Stella Pronko. It became the first and is now the oldest ongoing online social network interconnecting over 60,000 conscious activists in 200 countries today, within a free and private chain of trust, accessible by referral, and searchable by name, location, interests, and/or keywords.
Victor and I, with the help of Bernard Lietaer, Margrit Kennedy, Hazel Anderson, and Thomas Greco, added the first online mutual credit currency exchange to acknowledge the favors participants did for each other, thus fostering generosity and goodwill.
This novel contribution made us invited keynote speakers from Europe to Japan, where we inspired countless other web-based social networks. As Victor and I mature, we are searching for young champions interested in taking Favors.org to its full envisioned potential.
2 decades ago, In 2003, my oncologist gave me about 6 months to live. This triggered a so-far successful worldwide search for conventional and alternative treatments to supplement the outstanding care and support received from my loving family.
Currently, after 50 years in business and personally hosting hundreds of live Favors events highlighting remarkable thinkers, I now enjoy my active retirement while Sonia, Nikolas, and their partners Matt and Rebecca continue the family’s jewelry business, with the help of Gaye and the ongoing joy of playing with our now 3 years old grandson Rad.
As I reach my golden years, I clearly realize that our most valuable assets are our relations, and the source of true happiness arises from helping each other.
As my wise Dad used to say: “Friends are islands in a sea of indifference.”
Life has been a most precious gift full of intense experiences, and I deeply thank all my loved ones for making them possible.
Gracias!
- Sergio Lub at 70