Workers march for better wages on May Day

May 4, 2014 By Leave a Comment


MayDay2014On the occasion of May Day this year — International Workers’ Day — more than forty organizations gathered in Chinatown to support workers’ rights and advocate for wage increases. The workers began their day by demanding wage increases from the Burger King and WalMart on Cesar Chavez Avenue. They they marched to Broadway, where a massive rally and march took off with thousands of people representing workers’ rights as well as causes such as as gay marriage, women’s rights, and environmental protection.

See also: Activists call for May Day worker reforms

Listen to an audio story from Annenberg Radio News to hear the sounds of protest on the street:

Filed Under: Immigration, More on Intersections Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The music of South Central plays the same, from Death Row to Bompton; Fire damages South LA ice cream shop

May 2, 2014 By Leave a Comment


Photo Credit: Skylar E Myers

Photo Credit: Skylar E Myers

A roundup of news stories about South L.A.:

The music of South Central plays the same, from Death Row to Bompton (CBS Local)

And so it begins: Crenshaw sees major street closure and reconfiguration starting Friday night (Streetsblog LA)

South LA charter school students build needed new playground (Neon Tommy)

Fire damages South LA ice cream shop (CBS Local)

 

Filed Under: In the news

Brandon Spencer’s father speaks out against son’s 40-year sentencing

May 1, 2014 By Leave a Comment


James Spencer at a press conference in Leimert Park | Camille Requiestas

James Spencer at a press conference in Leimert Park | Camille Requiestas

Brandon Spencer, a 21-year-old South L.A. native, was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison last week for four counts of attempted murder. On Halloween night in 2012, Spencer opened fire at a party at the center of campus at the University of Southern California.

Spencer’s father, James Spencer, has declared the sentence unjust. He held a press conference at Leimert Park on Tuesday to protest the decision, saying it was motivated just to placate USC.

Listen to his comments and the response from the District Attorney in a story from Annenberg Radio News: 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Crime, Criminal Justice, More on Intersections, Public Safety Tagged With: , , , ,

Facing off against pollution in South LA neighborhoods

May 1, 2014 By Leave a Comment


Screenshot of the Southern California area on CalEnviroScreen. The dark blue portions indicate the most polluted areas. | CalEnviroScreen

Screenshot of the Southern California area on CalEnviroScreen. The dark blue portions indicate the most polluted areas. | CalEnviroScreen

Many California residents, particularly in metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, gripe about the smog that chokes the horizon. But some communities, including several in South Los Angeles, have it worse than others.

According to a recent report from the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, ethnic minorities comprise a large proportion of residents in California’s most polluted neighborhoods despite making up a relatively small percentage of the statewide population.

An online tool called the CalEnviroScreen depicts California’s pollution levels by the state’s more than 8,000 census tracts using a color scale. It shows immediate pollution levels as well as “potential vulnerability.” Launched in 2012, the tool has been updated several times since. Recent versions include an analysis of the relationship between race and the CalEnviroScreen scores. The data indicates that Latinos and African Americans are disproportionately affected.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Environment, Health, More on Intersections Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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