City Council approves redistricting map

March 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment


imageHundreds of furious South LA residents attended today’s Los Angeles City Council meeting to protest the proposed redistricting map they believe would weaken the influence of African Americans and severely disrupt their community.

“They’re going to take established communities and divide the neighborhoods, so they’ll lose influence,” said Jacqueline Arkord, as she waited to enter the council chambers.

“I’m not happy about what they’re trying to do with our community,” complained Joyce Stinson. “We as black people don’t have a say so. We’re here to make a stand.”

For three hours people from different districts of the city pleaded with the council to not make the proposed changes. At times, the testimony was explosive.

Korean American attorney Helen Kim, a member of the Redistricting Commission, testified that the process had been flawed and that the redrawing of the map had been done in secret back room meetings. Grace Yoo, the executive director of the Korean American Coalition, said they will sue over the new map.

In a heated exchange, a man accused Council President Herb Wesson of being an “Uncle Tom,” eliciting a strong reaction from a livid Wesson.

Not all public comments were against the proposed map. State Senator Curren Price, who represents much of South LA, was booed by the audience when he stated he was in favor of the new boundaries.

imageDespite the contentious public testimony, the City Council approved the map with new boundaries for the 15 council districts.

The vote was 13-2. Council members Bernard Parks and Jan Perry, who represent South LA districts 8 and 9 and who have been the most vocal critics of the proposed map, were the dissenting votes.

The approved map removes a big chunk of downtown from Perry’s district, just leaving her the area around the Staples center, and takes USC out of Parks’ district. On a bright note for Parks, the Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental Relations Committee approved an amendment earlier in the day that will keep parts of Baldwin Hills Estates in his district.

If not for that amendment, Parks’ place of residence would have been cut out of District 8, forcing him to either move or abandon his seat (council members must live within the district they represent). He has another three years left on his third and final term in City Council.

Perry will term out of her current seat next year, so the fact her downtown L.A. home residence has been left out of her district is not an issue for her. She is running for mayor in 2013.

In an unusual move, Perry addressed Wesson after the vote, apologizing for not having voted for him to become Council President. If she hadn’t been so critical of him, she said, perhaps her district wouldn’t have been sacrificed. “I feel your wrath, I feel your power,” she stated.

Wesson denied having used the redistricting process to punish Perry for not supporting his presidency.

“A great injustice has been done to the people of Los Angeles. Hundreds of people came out today in protest of what they viewed as maps that did not respect public testimony and the democratic process,” said Perry in a statement. “I am deeply offended and saddened that City Council insisted on rushing a process that will have enormous impacts on the future of communities for the next decade.”

Shortly after the vote, Parks sent his constituents an email saying the new city council district boundaries will “turn South LA Districts 8 & 9 into poverty pits, stripping away thriving business districts and economic engines, leaving little opportunity for new development and new jobs.”

The process is now in the final phase. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has yet to sign it. Parks is asking the mayor to veto the proposal.

Both Parks and Perry, whose districts will now be the poorest in the city, have vowed to sue over the new map.

Filed Under: Featured, Politics Tagged With: , , , ,

South LA town hall focuses on excessive force in Sheriff’s Department

March 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment


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Audience listens to ACLU attorney Peter Eliasberg, who detailed accounts of use of excessive force in L.A. county jails.

About 40 people showed up at a South LA town hall meeting on Thursday night to discuss the use of excessive force within Los Angeles Sheriff Department. The purpose of the event, held at the Imperial Church of Christ and organized by the Citizen Advisory Board (CAB), was also to introduce the community to a new task force made up of the department’s top brass currently dedicated to addressing the issue.

The first speaker of the evening, civil rights attorney Bradley C. Gaged, who described several cases of excessive force and abuse by law enforcement, questioned the efficacy of the unit.

“I don’t see how a task force can be of any use, because top management already knows about it,” said Gaged, referring to complaints against officers for excessive force. “The code of silence among officers is still strong…. There needs to be a strengthening of whistleblower laws.”

He also pointed out that among his biggest concerns was the fact that the majority of the cases of excessive force by law enforcement have involved African Americans victims.

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Assistant Sheriff Cecil W. Rhambo, Jr. addresses the crowd as CAB chair, Dr. Sandra Moore, listens.

Attorney Michael Gennaco, from the Office of Independent Review, was quick to acknowledge that there have been many problems in the handling of inmates by Sheriff’s deputies and that conditions in the jails have been deplorable. But he said that thanks to external advocates such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), many needed reforms have been implemented, such as reducing the number of inmates per cell from six to four and seeking to improve access to medical care within a facility.

Gennaco also said that every year, the Sheriff’s department fires half a dozen deputies for use of excessive force in jails.

That may not be enough, if you listen to the account of ACLU attorney Peter Eliasberg, who worked on a 2011 report detailing abuses in L.A. County jails. “Civilian eyewitnesses told us they weren’t afraid of the inmates, but of the deputies.”

Assistant Sheriff Cecil W. Rhambo, Jr. defended his department saying: “We don’t supervise perfect people. We’re aware there are problems out there, but we’ve implemented a lot of measures to improve [our department], including town halls like this one.

Nine people from the Sheriff’s department were in attendance, including a cameraman, who recorded the meeting.

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Cynthia Salomon wants to know how long it takes for an independent review process to be completed.

The audience was given the opportunity to ask questions after the speakers finished their presentations. Among the concerns: race as a factor in the use of excessive force by law enforcement.

“If I ever had a problem, I’d be scared to call for help,” says Cynthia Salomon, an African American special education teacher’s assistant. Salomon went to the town hall to get some answers about the process of independent review of cases in which excessive force was used. She says both her children were arrested in March of 2011 during a street altercation, after which two LAPD detectives fired 17 shots, injuring her 21 year-old daughter in the leg. Both are currently in jail. “I’m worried for her. She has a lump on her breast and needs medical attention, but she still hasn’t been seen by a doctor.”

Salomon’s concern over access to medical care in jails was just one of many from the crowd – and an issue which the CAB is monitoring. Dr. Sandra Moore, Chair of CAB, a faith-based community advocate group, will soon be releasing its report of the Women’s Facility in Lynwood and make recommendations on how to effectively change the current prison culture that contributes to deputy misconduct, abuses and negligence.

Filed Under: Community, Featured Tagged With: , , , , , ,

OpEd: Sending kids off to college unprepared

March 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment


By Amanda Riddle, Mike Fricano and Linda Bowen

imageFrom the moment kids walk through the kindergarten doors their schools are pushing them to aim for college, and with good reason. Even in the slow recovery from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, unemployment for college graduates was 4.2 percent in January 2012 compared to 8.4 percent for high school graduates, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And by 2018 as we become a more tech- and information-based economy, nearly two-thirds of jobs will require at least some college education, according to a 2010 report by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce.

Sadly, despite our increasing emphasis on the importance of college we’re failing to provide the proper conditions for students to get to college, let alone succeed once they’re there. Early last year, the California Legislative Analyst’s Officer of Higher Education noted in an issue brief: “The CSU currently admits many students who are unprepared for college-level writing and math.” In 2009, the number stood at 58 percent of freshmen. About 26 percent in 2010 were considered unprepared for college-level writing in the UC, while “almost all community college students have remediation needs.”

Last fall the Youth Media Los Angeles Collaborative, a consortium of advocates who engage and nurture young journalists, surveyed more than 1,800 high school and middle school students about how recent draconian budget cuts have harmed their ability to learn. From overcrowded classes of up to 50 students to not enough books and computers to dirty bathrooms, the answers revealed how much we’re sabotaging our country’s future.

Two-thirds of the survey respondents said that overcrowded classrooms make them feel like their teachers don’t have enough time to teach. Overcrowding takes away more than a teacher’s time.

Fifty-seven percent of students reported copying information from an overhead projector because there wasn’t even enough paper to make photocopies. Even though we’re heading into a more digital economy, 52 percent said that there aren’t enough computers. And 51 percent say students have to share textbooks.

When we asked about conditions at their schools, only 15 percent said their school was in good condition. Nearly two-thirds said that the bathrooms needed fixing and about half said there were graffiti-covered walls, faulty air conditioning/heating and that desks and classrooms needed repairs.

“Not all classrooms have air conditioning so in the summer it gets really hot,” one respondent answered. How can students be expected to focus their best when they’re dripping with sweat? And how much will students believe we genuinely care about their futures when we don’t care enough to pay to have the graffiti-tagged walls re-painted?

Not surprisingly, one in five students said that they’ve thought about leaving public school because of problems at their schools. Thirteen percent said budget cuts have affected their ability to get the classes they need to graduate. One wrote: “If you fail any classes you’re not able to retake it because classes are full.” Another said that he had to take Spanish 2 at Pierce College because his school no longer offered it. A third wrote: “Cutting summer school made it harder to catch up on the credits I need.”

Yet despite our failure to provide what these students need, nearly all of them said that they’re planning on attending college, with the majority preferring a four-year public university.

But, qualified students will find seeking higher education much more difficult in the coming years as California’s public colleges and universities grapple with significantly diminished funding even if the Governor’s tax initiative passes in November. In fact, the state has cut higher education general funding by $2.65 billion since the 2008-09 academic year. If the tax initiative fails, both the University of California and California State University systems are bracing for “ballot trigger reductions” of $200 million for 2012-13. For the California Community Colleges system, the budget picture as proposed by Gov. Brown is flat, with a predicted decline of $147 million that may be offset by property taxes from the elimination of redevelopment agencies.

Meanwhile, as California college admission applications have risen dramatically over the last three years, tuition, at least in the short term, is expected to surge – again and again – to “backfill” the budget reductions at the expense of higher costs for providing Cal Grants to financially needy students. Those who actually get in will undoubtedly face other major obstacles, including restricted enrollment targets limiting the number of classes they can take or in meeting the requirements for obtaining financial aid.

Officials expect important programs and resources, such as services to students with learning disabilities and mental health issues, could be sacrificed as well. At CSUN, student journalists in the YMLAC project who have been probing these issues for a special report in the Daily Sundial learned that while annual budgets for these services have remained static for several years at about $750,000, growing numbers of students with these needs will be arriving on California campuses in coming years.

California students have adopted the goals we’ve told them to set for themselves, but by annually cutting money for teachers, programs and resources and raising tuition we keep placing that aspiration further out of reach.

Amanda Riddle and Mike Fricano are the co-managing editors of the independent teen newspaper L.A. Youth. Linda Bowen is associate professor, California State University, Northridge Journalism Department. They are members of the Youth Media Los Angeles Collaborative.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Opinion: Etiquette’s surprising historical facts

March 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment


By Demita Usher

imageI had a brief exchange with a woman a while back about how improper behavior and the lack of proper manners is hurtful to people wanting to advance and improve their lives and her response to me was “you can’t impose middle class values on the ghetto!” I was amused at her response, but also a little sad, she clearly did not understand that proper behavior has nothing to do with race or ones financial status, but more in the respect we pay to each other and ourselves.

I find it disconcerting at how a great number of people in the African American community seem to view any type of proper behavior as “selling out” or “acting white” as if carrying oneself respectfully will erase their “identity” from existence. Many also seem to want to disconnect from any type of proper behavior or etiquette with the notion that it has nothing to do with them, when in reality; it has A LOT to do with them.

Etiquette: A Surprising Historical Fact

In my research on the practices involved with training etiquette, I uncovered a tidbit of interesting history thanks to Judith Martin, the original “Miss Manners”. When it came to teaching manners to the children of the wealthy plantation owners guess who was responsible for that? THE SLAVES! This is what Miss Manners had to say on the subject:

“The plantation owners thought they were being English country gentlemen, but who was teaching etiquette to their children? The house slaves. The house slaves often came from a more elevated background than the masters. They were chosen among the slaves as the people who were more refined. They had been captured and brought over from Africa, whereas, of course, voluntary immigrants came because things weren’t so great at home. The house slave, usually the mammy, taught manners to the children. So she taught them the manners she knew. The “y’all come see me” kind of hospitality is an African tradition that they brought over.”

So you see, the culture of proper manners is not our shame, it is our birthright! Sadly while these women and men who were teaching their masters children proper manners, it was a valuable education they could not pass on to their children lest they be accused of being “uppity” and it could have cost them dearly. So what about today? Why do many still shy away from it seeing it as something “they” do but not “us”?

After slavery, many blacks sought to better their fortunes by taking advantage of the opportunities to become educated and to learn the proper usage of the social graces of their day to fit in. The racism, that banned them from being educated in white institutions did not stop them from educating themselves and setting up their own schools and implementing the social graces practiced at that time. These practices continued into the 20th century where blacks enjoyed their own social dinners, dances and cotillions. Maxine Powell, Motown’s artist development coach, taught The Temptations, The Supremes, and all the other Motown acts the finer points of charm, etiquette and social graces. This training was just as important as their ability to sing and in some situations even more important.

Other Cultures “Get It.”

People of other cultures who are advancing and prospering on a global level understand that if they want to interact with people and expand their influence, they have to refine their manners and social behaviors.

Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown, the founder of Palmer Memorial Institute and author of the 1940’s social graces handbook for African Americans, “The Correct Thing to Do, to Say, to Wear”, had this to say 72 years ago during a live radio broadcast:

“After all, the success of the American Negro depends upon his contacts with other races who, through the years, have had greater advantages of learning the proper approach to life and its problems. The little courtesies, the gentle voice, correct grooming, a knowledge of when to sit, when to stand; how to open and close a door; the correct attitude toward persons in authority; good manners in public places, such as railroad stations, moving picture houses, and other places where we are constantly under observation—the acquisition of these graces will go a long way in securing that recognition of ability needed to cope with human society, and will remove some of the commonest objections to our presence in large numbers.”

During a time of Jim Crow segregation, she understood even back then that proper conduct and behavior was important in working with people of other races and cultures to advance ones fortunes was of the utmost importance, at the same time, she was also very aware that despite those efforts that many African Americans would still suffer unfair treatment, so to not carry oneself respectfully would only make matters worse.

According to an article from TIME magazine the #1 course that students from the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade is the manners course, training etiquette. With their newfound prosperity, they understand that their old behaviors are no longer acceptable if they want to stay on the competitive edge. We need to get with the program if we want a place in the global market and the accompanying respect or we will be left behind holding on to our right to “keep it real”.

Speaking of our right to “keep it real”, how has this false code of honor served us? I for one can say not very well. I believe that the breakdown began in the 1970’s and has continued to this day. We have abandoned many of the practices of social graces and etiquette in the light of “self-discovery.” We made the decision that good manners and celebrating “black is beautiful could not co-exist. Good manners and proper conduct were seen as “white” attributes to be shunned and so the baby is thrown out with the bath water so to speak. Dr. Brown also spoke about this:

“It is perfectly natural that we want to forget much that was associated with slavery and its aftermath; at the same time it is very necessary that we pay attention to some of the things gained by our fore parents through intimate association with an aristocracy schooled in the finer things of life. Well may we add to our modern culture and educational efficiency some of the fine manners of those bygone days.”

Dr. Brown understood despite the fact that proper conduct was associated with white society (though race has nothing to do with behaving properly), she urged African Americans to not forget the benefits of carrying oneself properly could provide despite the poor attitude of the people who wielded the most power and influence. To a certain degree, I understand the “rebellion” against these established practices and attempt to be more independent but what was gained us? Nothing! It has done nothing but isolate us and rob us of the things we desire to obtain and achieve and we must take measures to correct this behavior and fast if we want to not just survive but also thrive.

There is no crime in wanting to be independent, but utilizing wisdom is the key. The children of foreign rulers and diplomats are sent to finishing and boarding schools to learn western social graces, but at home they still utilize their cultural protocol. They understand the best gift they can give their children is to empower them to be well prepared for whatever environment they find themselves in. I recently watched a movie where two businessmen from the Middle East were negotiating with an American company in New York. At that meeting, they wore business suits, when they were in their home country; they wore their cultural attire. It is not about conforming, it is about knowing when it is appropriate to compromise for what you are trying to accomplish.

The world is becoming more global and if we do not get with the times, as aforementioned we will be left behind. A practical compromise for a greater investment in ones future, if done correctly is not “selling out. It is not to impress other people as much as it is to value ourselves.

Private and group etiquette classes are now being offered by Demita’s School of Social Graces & Savior Faire. Contact Demita Usher, Etiquette Instructor at 855 B-POLITE. For more info, visit www.MannersDoCount.com.

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South LA theatre tackles education

March 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment


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The 24th Street Theatre production team: (front row, left to right) Debbie Devine, Sara Zinsser, Brad Culver, Eduardo Enrikez. (back row, left to right) Jay McAdams, Ben Durham, Michael Redfield, Jennie McInnis.

Every week, busloads of children arrive at the 24th Street Theatre in South Los Angeles, expecting to have fun during their much anticipated school field trip – and they will. What they don’t realize is that their visit is actually part of a program that uses theatre to teach math, history and language arts.

The children take part in “Enter Stage Right,” a standards-based arts education program that introduces students to live theatre.

“We take them behind the scenes of the magic of theatre,” says Debbie Devine, the 24th Street Theatre’s co-founder and artistic director. “They come and experience the whole process. We demystify it and make it mysterious, fun and magical.”

From the moment they step off the bus, the children are captivated by the warmth, humor and energy of the enthusiastic Devine, actors and staff. A welcome video by actor Jack Black, a supporter of the 24th Street Theatre, sets the stage for the morning program, which makes use of multimedia, comedy, improvisation techniques and student participation to enhance the learning experience.

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Samantha Terrazas with her grandfather Cristóbal González were impressed by the 24th Street Theatre’s performance.

Devine and her team of actors, musicians and technicians show the children how acting, writing, music, costumes, lighting and props are essential in producing a play – while incorporating basic math concepts and vocabulary in interactive segments throughout the show.

“Listening and speaking creatively empowers you as an individual. Acting is a big component of that,” says Devine. “And that’s what theater is… the art of persuasion.”

Devine herself is skillfully persuasive in getting children – even the most shy – to come out of their shells and participate. “Doing this gives me purpose. I was a child that was critically shy,” she remembers. “One summer my mother enrolled me in a drama class and it literally saved my life. I thought I could do the same for others.”

Throughout the program that she emcees, Devine asks questions and the young audience competes to be called on for an answer. The children watch mesmerized as the troupe’s actors perform specially designed skits on stage – one of which even tackles racism and how to respond to it.

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Students volunteer to answer Debbie Devine’s questions.

“I had a lot of fun and I learned a lot,” says 8 year-old Samantha Terrazas, who was part of a group visiting from the 186th St School. “I learned making a play is hard and that your feelings are important,” she said referring to the skit about racism. Her grandfather Cristóbal González, who joined her in the field trip, thought it was “very instructional. They should have more of these programs in the schools.”

The 24th Street Theatre’s Enter Stage Right Arts Education program began in 2003 in only five schools. By the second year, it had expanded to 35. It now serves over 10,000 students a year at 110 schools. The field trips run from January to June, usually two to three times a week.

At first, the 24th Street Theatre program had the financial support of the Los Angeles Unified School District. But due to severe budget cuts, LAUSD cut off funding in 2008.

“It’s outrageous that the school system is putting out a crop of kids that have no access to arts education,” says theatre co-founder Jay McAdams. Determined to provide what he considers a necessary component to education, he took the initiative of raising over $250,000 to keep the program alive.

“It’s about inspiring people,” says McAdams. “We’re getting the children in touch with humanity. Most theatres do just plays. For us, it’s what we do with the plays and the impact we have.”

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Jack Black was a high school student of Debbie Devine’s theatre class. He’s now a major supporter of the 24th Street Theatre.

The field trip is only part of the program. Prior to the theatre visit, a teaching artist conducts a workshop in the school with the same group of students that will go to see the play. That same teaching artist does a post-field trip workshop in the classroom, with the same students, to summarize and reinforce the concepts learned during the show. The objective is to build trust and confidence with the children.

Husband and wife team McAdams and Devine also run the “After ‘Cool Theatre Program” for local students in the West Adams District, which brings students into the theatre from 3:00 to 5:00 pm three days a week for supervised afternoons of arts education programming. Additionally, they offer professional development workshops for teachers.

“With our plays, classes and workshops we inspire,” says McAdams. “We help people feel good about themselves. We provide social service through art.”

As part of their commitment to promote arts and theatre, they give students free tickets to evening shows, so they can return with their families. They also give people who live in the theatre’s low-income neighborhood tickets for 24 cents.

What’s the reward for the founders of the theatre?

“The kids write us, the call us, they come back and bring their families,” says Devine. “That we’re able to be literally in the lives of these children as they grow up is so wonderful. The ultimate legacy would be for the kids to bring their grandchildren in the future.”

Filed Under: Education, Featured Tagged With: , , ,

Stuntwoman goes from South L.A. to the big screen

March 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment


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Weeden on the set of the movie “Meet Dave,” where she doubled for actress Gabrielle Union

They’re the people who entertain others by jumping off of speeding cars, setting themselves on fire, breaking through windows, and fighting hand-to-hand combat – they’re stunt performers.

Some of these performers joined together in 1967 to establish the Black Stuntmen’s Association. This group strived to break racial barriers and earn black performers a place alongside white stuntmen in film and television.

In February 2012, the NAACP honored the founders of the Black Stuntmen’s Association with the prestigious President’s Award. Legendary actors Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte handed out the award at the 43rd NAACP Image Awards.

April Weeden, a former resident of South L.A., has been a stuntwoman since 1995 and was thrilled that the NAACP was finally honoring the Black Stuntmen’s Association.

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April and her daughter Kiera
Washington

“They sacrificed so much and fought a great fight for us,” Weeden said. She commended the Black Stuntmen’s Association for “going into the studios and to producers and demanding justice so… performers of color could do stunts in the entertainment industry.”

According to her biography, Weeden has stunt-doubled for celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Halle Berry, Vanessa Williams, and Taraji P. Henson.

Weeden’s film credits include “Seven Pounds,” “Swordfish,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Anaconda,” and “Eraser.”

She has also appeared on television in shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “True Blood,” and “Community.”

How did this woman from South L.A. make it big in the stunt business?

Weeden spoke to Intersections about how she became a stuntwoman, whether her family supports her career, and what she would say if her daughter decided to become a stuntwoman too.

What inspired you to become a stuntwoman?

My inspiration to become a professional stuntwoman came when I was doing extra work on the movie “Presidio,” and I was asked to be one of the people to ride on the Ferris wheel with stunt man Benny Moore. They needed someone to ride on the Ferris wheel that was not afraid of heights and have a camera above their heads. So I did the stunt with him as a background person, and I caught the bug. I still didn’t know how to get into stunts, but I kept in touch with Bennie Moore and pursued my acting career.

How did you start working in the stunt business?

I started working in the stunt business by doing background work in features, television shows and commercials. My former husband, William Washington, trained me as well as Shane Anderson, Rick Seaman, Wally Crowder, and Bobby Ore. William was instrumental in [teaching me] the ins and outs of the stunt business and taught me everything and how to survive in the stunt game.

Do you ever fear for your life when you do stunts?

No, I never fear for my life when I do stunts! I pray and ask God to protect me. I never do a stunt without praying first. My prayer process begins immediately when I receive a phone call to do a stunt. Being a professional stunt person does not require a person to be fearful. It requires training in as many areas as possible of a physical nature. Being fearful is very dangerous and you could lose your life. Of course, I get butterflies in my stomach, but I associate that with adrenaline. I get a major rush of energy and adrenaline before I do a stunt. Being prepared and trained up is key.

Did your family support your decision to become a stuntwoman?

Yes, my family supported me in wanting to perform stunts. I was raised by my single mother, Thelma Weeden, who was an educator, and she encouraged me to do whatever my heart desired. She always pushed me to do my best.

Would you allow your daughter to be a stuntwoman too?

My daughter Kiera Washington is already a stunt performer. She appeared in “Johnson’s Family Vacation” at the tender age of nine months. She was in the scene when the truck comes barreling in at the family function. She has also appeared in the television show “Trauma” as a stunt performer, in a scene with actor Derek Luke and stunt coordinated by Terry James. The stunt business is a family-oriented business. It is about your skills, who you know and who knows you.

What do you like to do on your off-time when you’re not working?

I go to the gym, travel, read many books, study the Bible, attend church, volunteer my time at church, and mentor over 100 children, women and men. I am always checking on my mentees. I have an organization called the Joy Foundation and I give back to many. I am the President and Founder of The Joy Foundation. I love helping others.

I am always on the red carpet, doing radio and TV interviews. I have so much to do. I am also a singer and currently have a Hewlett Packard commercial running and I drive in commercials stunt doubling actresses. I love what I do.

I have a motto I go by: “I give because I have and I have because I give – and because of this, I am never without!”

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April in all her gear.

Check out Weeden in action on an episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

The episode “Fool for Love” featured Weeden as “Nikki the Subway Slayer,” a vampire slayer who is killed by Spike the vampire.

“I did a lot of episodes of ‘Buffy,’” Weeden said. “I did all of my own fights and I really enjoyed working on ‘Buffy.’ I stunt doubled for many for the leads and it was tough working on the set, but I pulled it off.”

Weeden continued, “When I would work on Buffy, I had to be in the best fighting shape possible. I had to be alert and focused.”

“Sometimes I would have to perform five different fights in one day. I had to know them all on the same day.”

Filed Under: Arts, Featured Tagged With: , , , ,

Opinion:  Education for the 99%: how the top 1% is destroying public education

March 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment


By Jose Lara, Social Justice Educator, Community Organizer, United Teachers Los Angeles

imageWith the top 1% in full control of education policy and responsible for creating a financial crisis that is defunding our schools and eliminating essential programs such as Adult Education and Early Childhood Education, we must join together as the 99%. We must take back control of our schools from corporate interests and make those responsible for the financial crisis in this country pay, so we can fully fund our schools.

Billionaires like Eli Broad, Bill Gates, Philip Anschultz, and companies like NewsCorp, and Goldman Sachs all contribute to so-called education “reform” efforts across the country. Here in Los Angeles, they all directly fund the LA Mayor’s Coalition for School Reform. Yes folks, the 1% have more influence and control in our schools than parents, students and professional educators, who have the MOST interest in the success our children.

Writer Joanne Barkan carefully outlines how the wealthy have gained so much influence in her article, “Got Dough, How Billionaires Rule Our Schools.”

Whether it is through grants, donations or political contributions, no one has more power and influence in our schools than the Corporations and the Ultra Wealthy 1%. In Los Angeles, Billionaire Eli Board has trained and now pays the salaries of LAUSD top executives. The 1% has access to public education decision makers that only money can buy.

Moreover, what has the 1% done with their influence? They have increased the amount of standardized testing, approved new corporate charter schools, taken away adequate resources from public schools and then blamed teachers and unions with the failure of their own making. This has lead to a narrowing of the curriculum, a de-emphasis on arts, health, career and industrial education and a heavy emphasis on standardized testing.

But it does not stop there.

The 1% has no interest in closing the gap between the rich and the poor. With the onslaught of private career and technical colleges, the 1% would rather close down public Adult Schools to push adult students into predatory private schools, where they can make a profit.

But there is hope.

The 99% movement has inspired a new wave of activism and organizing that has not been seen in a long time. In the Fall of 2011, educators in Los Angeles came together and joined with the #Occupy movement that has swept the country and began a campaign to #OccupyLAUSD. Teachers from across the city began to set up tents, hold general assemblies and protest the lack of funding for public education and the 1% influence in Public Education. The first day of the encampment hundreds of people from Occupy LA and teachers held a march and rally. However, the encampment almost did not make it through the night as LAUSD School police came and tried to evict the teachers.

Over 15 police arrive to evict the teachers from the encampment. Jose reaches out through Twitter for help.

On the first night of our encampment at OccupyLAUSD outside LAUSD headquarters (also known as “Beaudry” for the name of the street), suddenly school police showed up with the intention to evict our group, which was very small on the first night. While we negotiated with them to buy more time, I reached out across the Twitterverse to the media and our friends at OccupyLA. The standoff became quite tense, but many people started retweeting us—and within an hour a contingent of 100 people from OccupyLA marched over from City Hall to the LAUSD School Board, swelling our ranks. Spanish media outlets also showed up. At that point the police backed down, and left us alone. We had won our first victory with OccupyLAUSD! People began chanting, Beaudry is ours!

Using social media, grassroots mobilization and outreach strategy, #OccupyLAUSD quickly joined the network on hundreds of Occupy sites across the country. Just like the Occupy Wall Street movement protested Wall Street greed, the #OccupyLAUSD campaign protested Wall Street greed and influence in our schools.

The #OccupyLAUSD Campaign ended with a huge protest bringing together labor leaders and teachers from across the state. This included local presidents of the largest teachers unions in California, including the Oakland Teachers Assoc, United Teachers of San Francisco, the San Diego Education Assoc. and United Teachers Los Angeles. The #OccupyLAUSD campaign completely changed the discourse around inadequate school funding and exposed the corporate greed and influence in the Los Angeles Unified School District. For the first time in years, we put corporate influence in our school on the defensive.

The Occupy movement reignited a fire for educational justice and reminded us once again that organized people beat organized money any day of the week.

The resistance movement against defunding pubic education has already regained traction in Los Angeles. It has been spurred by threatening cuts to eliminate Adult Education and Pre-school programs. Both programs directly serve the working class community in LA and both have had massive amount of support from the community. Over the course of the past month there have been numerous protests organized by parents and teachers. The organizing in support of Adult Education has been particularly impressive as thousands across the city make phones calls, write letters and join in many of the protest rallies.

Fighting for educational justice for the 99% has just begun. We must continue to fight against budget cuts to essential educational programs and support Tax initiatives like the California Millionaires Tax, that make the top 1% pay for the economic crisis they created. We must take back our schools and not allow the 1% to destroy public education. United we win!

Jose Lara is a community organizer, adult education activist and a leader of #OccupyLAUSD, a grassroots campaign linking the 1% influence in privatizing public education.
Jose is a guest blogger in the discussion series “Cut the Excuses, Not Education! How SaveAdultEd.org Is Fighting the Proposal to Eliminate Adult Education in L.A.” See the full discussion schedule online. Participate by posting your comments and questions in the box below and signing SaveAdultEd.org’s petition.

This blog post was originally published on the National Coalition for Literacy website.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: ,

South Central school faces hurdles in proposed move

March 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment


imageOn the corner of 38th and Broadway in South Los Angeles sits a small charter high school with a big agenda on its hands. After six years in the same building, the warehouse-turned campus plans to move to downtown LA in the fall. But as Kira Brekke reports, the school has a lot of problems to tackle because it leaves South LA.

Jessica Davis has been an advisor at the Film and Theatre Arts Charter High school, or FTA, for the past six years. She says she has really fallen in love with the school’s alternative agenda.

“I feel so blessed to work in this environment,” Davis said.

The school is unique in that there are no class schedules, no bells, and the school is dedicated to their project based learning curriculum, which means, no tests. Also, two days per week the almost 150 students are sent to internships of their choice all over Los Angeles.

The alternative environment is why their potential move to downtown Los Angeles is both exciting and scary for Advisor Jessica.

“When they first told me we were moving to downtown, my heart sank because I was like, ‘No we have this very special thing in this community,’” Davis said. “But the truth is, it’s not possible for us to exist in this neighborhood anymore.”

FTA is in the final negotiating stages of moving to a new building on Wilshire Blvd. in Downtown Los Angeles. Director Steve Bachrach says the school no longer has the resources and space it needs to grow.

“There’s nothing around us. It’s not fertile ground for our model,” Bachrach said.

The people I spoke with seem pretty excited for the move; but, this doesn’t go without worries.

Former student Pedro Torres says he is scared the 5-mile move is going to be a real culture shock for the students.

“A lot of these kids from south LA, they don’t know anything on the other side,” Torres said. “It’s just a different environment than they’re used to.”

It’s a short distance, but with downtown traffic, it could add an hour to the student’s daily trek. FTA says it will provide discounted bus passes for students who can’t afford the increase in transportation costs.

Despite the challenges students will face in adjusting to a new part of town, Bachrach thinks it will be a beneficial move.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: ,

Elections needed for neighborhood councils, Parks says

March 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment


imageOne thing was clear after Thursday night’s special city council committee meeting: the neighborhood councils need change. And fast.

Neighborhood council systems are established in several major cities throughout the country, including Tacoma, Wash., and San Diego, Calif.

In communities like South Los Angeles, neighborhood councils are supposed to function as an extension of the city council that involves resident participation. They are supposed to be responsive to local needs and serve as the voice of their constituents to the city government.

Several neighborhood councils make up South Los Angeles including the Empowerment Congress north, central and west councils, the Vermont Harbor Neighborhood Council and the Vernon/Main Neighborhood Council, to name a few.

After holding four special committee meetings throughout the city, Councilmember Bernard Parks said he heard complaints across the board about the 12-year-old neighborhood council system — everything from the councils needing clearly defined rolls to calls for dissolution of the whole system.

“From listening to the four meetings (the election process) seems to be the No. 1 issue,” said Parks, who was recently appointed chair of the Education and Neighborhoods Committee of the Los Angeles City Council.

Elections in the various councils has been cancelled for the last year in an attempt to save money, but council board members and stakeholders urged Parks to reinstate them so that they could elect their peers, rather than having only appointed representatives.

The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment is a network of 90 neighborhood councils throughout Los Angeles and many of the complaints heard Thursday were about its failure to hear complaints from shareholders about abuses of power by members of the councils.

Nora Sanchez from the Greater Echo Park area said she filed a grievance in 2009 because her council wouldn’t provide materials translated into Spanish — a language she believes is spoken by many of the residents in her neighborhood.

“They want the Latinos’ help once it comes time to voting,” Sanchez said. “But they don’t care the rest of the time (if we are informed).”

After getting the runaround for years, Sanchez simply stopped going. She now hopes that Parks will be able to reform the system.

David Rockello, president of the Rampart Village Neighborhood Council, said an easy way to fix the grievance process would be to put everything online.

“There are no forms, there is no real, formal way to complain,” he said. “It’s a venting and a catharsis that people need if there are issues in their neighborhood.”

But reform isn’t good enough for Ida Talalla, an Echo Park resident who previously served on her neighborhood council. She wants the system obliterated, or at least the Great Echo Park Elysian Council.

“The council needs to be investigated by the FBI and de-certified,” Talalla said. “We are going to be the Bell City poster child of neighborhood councils.”

Talalla said that she was pushed out of her neighborhood council as a result of the appointment system that replaced elections and when she tries to voice her opinion now, she said she is verbally harassed and laughed at.

“What does it take to be heard?” she asked Parks.

Parks will be meeting with his committee in the coming weeks to sort through what was said at the various public meetings and make recommendations to the full City Council.

Filed Under: Featured, Politics Tagged With: , , ,

South LA pocket park gets a facelift

March 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment


imageHoover Recreation Center is a small little pocket park situated at the busy intersection of 25th and Hoover. It’s in the bustling working-class neighborhood of South Adams, which nestles up against the University of Southern California.

The fact that the park exists is unusual—older areas like South Adams in dense cities like LA typically don’t have enough parks and green spaces. City Councilman Ed Reyes supported the upgrade at Hoover:

“In this pocket [of LA], we’re talking about 40,000 people per square mile. Children are playing on the fire escapes, in the hallways of their apartments. The moms and dads are worried about where their children will be.”

These small parks function as essential breathing spaces in crowded urban lives.

But in a densely populated area like South Adams, it’s hard to carve out more space for anything. With local and state governments making massive cutbacks, it’s hard to find money to improve anything. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, and small things can be done that add up to large improvements.

Said LA Parks Commissioner Barry Sanders, “We can never add enough acreage. So what you can do when you can’t add enough is you try to make what you’ve got count.”

Jill Werner, of the Werner Family Foundation, is a member of the Parks Commission. She was instrumental in getting a $150,000 grant from the Foundation for improvements at Hoover. That grant, in part, helped fund a study conducted by the University of Southern California’s Graduate Program in Landscape Architecture, which looked at ways in which the park could be better organized. USC professor Robert Harris, who supervised the study, said the park was underutilized because it wasn’t clear how to divvy up the space between different activities.

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Hoover Recreation Center benefits from a $150,000 grant from the Werner Family Foundation to install walking trails, exercise equipment, new grass, and a general tidying.

“The people playing soccer, the balls always came into the place where the kids were playing. The picnic space was being occupied by people doing all kinds of things.”

A walking trail was added with exercise equipment installed at various points along the path. The trail gives valuable space for walking and exercising, and it creates a clear visual separation between spaces for different uses.

For instance, said Harris, “The path itself separates the picnic area enough that it will seem to everyone that that’s what that’s for.”

The new improvements, which also include freshly planted grass in the lawn areas, are a hit with the neighborhood. While the dedication ceremony was going on, several children and their families were playing in the playground and open spaces.

Local resident Juany Molina said she’s lived in the neighborhood for 42 years.

“I am 67 years old…now we have a place where we can come do exercises. Before we didn’t have anything like exercise machines, and there were many people drinking—we disapproved. But now I think when more people are coming, it’s going to be different. Nicer.”

The Parks Commission has plans to add 50 more pocket parks in areas, like South Adams, that have a lot of people and not enough parks.

Filed Under: Community Tagged With: , , , , ,
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