Over the past week, I've watched something happen that I've now seen happen several times before. A beloved figure in San Diego's food community dies unexpectedly. Friends and family are devastated. A GoFundMe is launched to help with funeral expenses, support surviving family members, or simply help loved ones survive a tragedy they never saw coming. The community expresses shock. Tributes pour in. Stories are shared. Photos are reposted.
And then something else happens. Or rather, it doesn't. The people with the largest platforms in San Diego food media and hospitality, and the local media itself, largely stay silent.
This week it was Jesús "Jesse" Verduzco, the longtime owner of JV's Mexican Food, who was killed in a wrong-way crash. For more than three decades, Jesse operated one of San Diego's most beloved neighborhood taco shops. Thousands of locals have memories tied to JV's. Generations of University of San Diego students practically lived on his burritos. He wasn't just a restaurant owner. He was part of the fabric of the community.
His family launched a GoFundMe after his death. Through a single article and social media post, SanDiegoVille readers have already helped raise more than $7,000 through a trackable link in just a matter of days.
That isn't meant as a boast. It's a question. What might happen if everyone with influence did the same? What if the accounts with 50,000 followers participated? What about the publications with hundreds of thousands? How much difference could they make? I've wondered the same thing before.
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Originally published on June 7, 2026.
