Manual Arts debate team shows dedication

April 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment


This story appeared in The Toiler Times, the student newspaper of Manual Arts High School.

By Jovana Urrutia

The debate team is one of the most hard working and dedicated teams we have here at Manual Arts. The team’s advisor, Mr. Rohoman, works to help each team member.

The teams consist of two members per group and there are about twelve groups total in the debate team. They started to compete in December 2010 and since then they have been unstoppable.

They have won many competitions but the most challenging one was at Pepperdine University back in January. Other schools participated in the Pepperdine competition as well. All the team members had a rough start but they stayed calm and did their best.

I had the chance to interview one of the team members of the debate team. Her name is Alejandra Alvarez, a junior on the C-track. She told me that they went through obstacles to get to where they are now.

I asked if anyone felt nervous and what are their goals for the team. Alejandra said, “Yes some were nervous and the most important goal is to win every competition.” Every team member puts in a lot of effort. They get busy with it and they have every detail on their mind. That’s how much potential the team has.

The last question I asked was, “What is the next step for the team?” Her response: “For the team and expand get and more people involved, to learn more about it, get prepared for college and their future, and to win.”

The last thing she told me is that it’s not always about winning, it’s about having fun as well as enjoying every moment of the competition. The Toilers’ debate team will always have fun and they are not going to let anyone from other schools bring them down because they always keep their heads held high and they are motivated.

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Church-goers and skeptics meet for ‘interfaith’ dialogue

April 25, 2011 By 2 Comments


imageCongregants of Zion Hill Baptist Church in South Los Angeles probably thought Pastor Seth Pickens was certifiable when he proposed a community dialogue with the L.A. Black Skeptics Group. Founded in March of last year, the group provides a safe real time space for atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, humanists, and skeptics of African descent. As the group’s organizer, I had been in conversation with Seth about a forum for several months after interviewing him for my new book Moral Combat. A thirty-something, literary Morehouse College graduate from the East Coast, he was open to the idea of an “interfaith” dialogue from the beginning. As the pastor of Zion Hill since 2009, he seemed deeply concerned about the ongoing national critique of the Black Church’s waning influence (see, for example, Princeton religion professor Eddie Glaude’s widely circulated Huffington Post piece “The Black Church is Dead.”).

The Zion Hill church building itself is a sprawling beacon of provincial beauty. About forty participants of all ages and beliefs gathered in one of the churches’ smaller sanctuaries to hear the panel. In my opening comments I framed black secular humanist traditions within the prism of black liberation struggle and cultural politics. Far from being marginal to black social thought and activism, secular humanism and social justice were deeply intertwined in the work of leading black thinkers like A. Philip Randolph, Richard Wright, and Zora Neale Hurston.

imageHowever, analysis of 21st century black religiosity should be situated within the context of deepening social, political, and economic crisis. Faced with double digit unemployment and skyrocketing rates of homelessness, the American dream is even more of a brutal sham for African Americans. In the wake of Obama’s election it is no accident that reactionary forces seek to dismantle what little remains of the American social welfare safety net. Indeed, the decades’ long Religious Right backlash against civil rights, women’s rights, and gay liberation is exemplified by the ascent of Tea Party-style white nationalism. Consequently, to paraphrase panelist Carol Pierce, the Black Church is still something of a “refuge” in a hyper-segregated nation.

So why did the panelists become atheists or agnostics? Jim Pierce, a retired engineer, expressed his dissatisfaction with the church’s sexist treatment of women. Thamani Delgardo, a health care professional who described herself as a “former holy roller,” became disillusioned after repeatedly seeing innocent babies die despite prayer. Jeffery “Atheist Walking” Mitchell found Christian explanations for the creation of the universe absurd. Discussing the real life stigma black non-believers face, We Are All Africans author Kwadwo Obeng expressed his contempt for comedian Steve Harvey, who smeared atheists as having no moral compass in a now infamous 2009 interview. Obeng also condemned racist characterizations of the 2010 Haitian earthquake as an example of God’s wrath (due to Haitians’ blasphemous worship of Voudoun). Delgardo argued forcefully against the benefits of prayer as an antidote to pain and suffering. Predictably, monotheism itself came in for a vigorous beating. Both Obeng and Mitchell unpacked the illogic of thousands of competing religious truth claims; each faith’s loyalists insisting that their particular view of divinity, morality, righteousness, and the god(s) concept be privileged by the masses. Obeng articulated a radical African critical consciousness, arguing that European colonialism and white supremacy wiped out indigenous African belief systems amongst enslaved Africans in the so-called New World. Hence, all Abrahamic religions legitimized a kind of mental slavery, fatally undermining black self-love and self knowledge for both African Americans and Africans.

imageIn response, one audience member complained that it was easy to “poke holes” in scripture and Christian belief. But at the end of the day you had to believe in something. Secular humanists believe that faith in supernatural puppet masters are dangerous because we only have one life to live. Feminist atheists believe that social justice based on the universal moral value of women’s right to self-determination (rather than self-sacrifice, domestication, submission, and sexual degradation) is certainly not found in the Bible or the Koran. It is for this reason that the heterosexist, patriarchal hierarchies of Abrahamic religions are especially insidious for black women and LGBT people of African descent.

A lively exchange on biblical literalism versus liberal Christian theology ensued when I quoted several misogynistic passages from scripture. Pastor Seth took exception with the notion that Christianity prescribed misogyny, citing a passage in the New Testament which he interpreted to suggest equality between men and women.

Pondering the question of evil and free will, a younger parishioner contended that God didn’t micro-manage people’s lives, implicitly rejecting Epicurus’ caveat about God’s impotence if he didn’t intervene against evil. Speaking from the audience, my father, author and political commentator Earl Ofari Hutchinson, concluded the discussion with a spirited defense of “Christian” precepts of charity and forgiveness, whilst acknowledging the pernicious acts of some true believers. When I was growing up, our household was perhaps the only one in the neighborhood where secular humanism was the rule (my mother Yvonne still considers herself a secular humanist). So my father’s newfound belief in God and self-proclaimed “spiritual” humanism has been interesting to watch.

In the end, odysseys in belief, like family politics and intimate relationships, are complicated. Yet what is not in question is the need for a paradigm shift around social justice in black communities. So the atheists and the Baptists pledged to meet again, in the spirit of shared struggle.

Sikivu Hutchinson is the author of Moral Combat: Black Atheists, Gender Politics, and the Values Wars.

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Sit-in CSU Fullerton aimed at raising awareness about budget cuts

April 21, 2011 By 1 Comment


Listen to an audio story by Annenberg Radio News:

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image Sleeping bags and boxes of food lined the halls of the administration building at CSU Fullerton on Thursday. However, students weren’t preparing for the outdoors. They were protesting budget cuts and tuition hikes to raise awareness for the issue.

“It’s kind of uncomfortable at times,” said David Inga, a fourth-year history major at CSU Fullerton. “I mean, it can get kind of cold in here. Not really being able to shower. But I mean for the most part, I think everybody has helped each other to make it as comfortable as possible and as relaxed as possible.”

Inga was also one of the dozens of students who started the protest after President Milton Gordon refused to sign a statement the students called a “Declaration to Defend Public Education.”

Last night, six Cal State University campuses joined the sit-in to support the efforts of the Fullerton students.

“So, last night it was so crazy,” said Jaimee Dee, a CSU Fullerton student who stayed over night. “I’ve never seen so many students on this level before. There were students sleeping all the way through the back corridor and around through the lobby area — just sleeping bags and just trying to walk back form the bathroom, you had to be careful not to step on everyone.”

However, university officials said they aren’t the ones in charge of the slashed budgets. Christopher Bugbee, a CSU Fullerton spokesperson, says that students should be standing up to Sacramento instead.

“The issue does not lie on the campuses of California’s public educational institutions,” Bugbee said. “But it in fact lies in Sacramento, with the inability of the state legislature to address this issue.”

Just last fall, tuition was raised 15 percent to reduce the budget gap. And students are worried that Cal State Universities will face another budget short fall — that is, if the legislature passes Governor Jerry Brown’s proposed $500 million CSU budget cut.

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City offers rebates for electric vehicles

April 21, 2011 By 3 Comments


Listen to an audio story by Annenberg Radio News:

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image The Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf, the first all-electric vehicles to hit the market, went on sale this past December. The Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the Department of Water and Power are invested in helping these cars catch on. Today, they launched Charge Up LA. It’s a rebate program that will give electric car owners up to $2,000 toward the installation and cost of their in-home charger.

Villaraigosa boasted that this was another great pilot program to add to LA’s green campaign.

“We’re, like, the only city doing this,” Villaraigosa said. “I’m telling you this is something that really sets LA apart. Again, it’s not a hyperbole. This will be a game changer, and we will be the electric vehicle capital.”

The cost of the home charger is too expensive for some — but the city hopes that the rebate combined with increasing gas prices will make the cars more attractive. The average gas price today in LA County is $4.21.

But it’s not just about savings for the consumer — it’s also about reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and improving air quality. Dr. Joseph Lyou is the CEO of the statewide Coalition for Clean Air.

“We are still challenged here in this air district with the worst air quality in the entire nation,” Lyou said.

There are other environmental benefits. Most people charge their cars at home at night — they can go about 90 miles until they need to recharge. Nighttime is also when the DWP is able to use the most renewable energy from wind power. It’s windier at night, sending more wind power into the grid.

Ron Nichols, the general manager of the DWP, calls electric cars an elegant solution.

“That’s a double win for the environment.”

The DWP plans to subsidize 1,000 chargers that will cost $2 million — and depending on demand to spend up to $6 million.

In most cases, the $2,000 rebate will pay for the entire cost of the charger and installation — in some cases it will be cheaper.

If you’re thinking about going electric, act fast — the rebate option starts on May 1 and is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

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To mark Earth Day: Bringing the green zone to South LA

April 21, 2011 By 1 Comment


Earth Day shines light on major concerns

“We want to build a green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty,” Van Jones said in his best-selling book “The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems.”
“We want to create green pathways out of poverty and into great careers for American children. We want this ‘green wave’ to lift all boats. This country can save the polar bears and kids too.”

As the nation turns its attention to Earth Day tomorrow, the country is looking to activists like Jones to explain how Blacks and Browns in minority communities can become part of a green revolution that hopes to sustain the environment and create jobs. This is significant because many Hispanic and African Americans are disproportionately exposed to air pollution and other environmental risks, according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies.

For example, a 1991 study cited by the EPA found that African Americans and Hispanics were more likely to be exposed to ground level ozone and several other air pollutants known to cause cancer, according to a General Accounting Office report on clean air rules.

In 1992, the EPA established an office to address environmental air pollution affecting racial minorities and low-income communities. Efforts to identify and address disproportionately high and adverse impacts on specific populations and communities are commonly referred to under the term “environmental justice.”

Justice is a term spoken frequently in the Black and Brown communities.

Environmental justice is something that a new building at Los Angeles Southwest Community College will hopefully address, said Jack E. Daniels III, Ph.D., president of the college.

The 44,142 square-foot facility located along Imperial Highway will house the Environmental Sciences and Technology Department, where students can receive training in alternative energy, including wind, solar and water technologies, as well as explorations in energy conservation and sustainability, according to information cited by the college. About 67 percent of the students at the school are African American and 32 percent are Hispanic, Daniels said.

“Green jobs realistically will take time. In the meantime, we’re decreasing our use of energy. It’s going to help the environment and the community. We can assist now in sustaining the planet. The whole issue of sustainability has been a focus of the community college district since 2001. In fact, the (Los Angles Community College District) has been a leader in the country in areas of sustainability.”

imageSouthwest has evolved since 1967 from a campus of bungalows that served as classrooms to state-of-the-art buildings that are certified by the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), says the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) district. Southwest is one of nine colleges that make up the district. The funds for the new buildings come from the $6 billion district construction program approved by Los Angeles voters.

“We are transforming more than a college campus. We are changing lives and a community,” Daniels said. “With the new School of Arts & Humanities and Career & Technical Education facilities coming online in 2012, we hope to inspire creativity and innovation, and expose our students to emerging alternative energy technologies that will be in high demand over the next few years.”

LEED created the Green Building Rating System in 1993 and is currently the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
“The [LEED] buildings are more energy efficient. The grounds have drought-resistant plants,” Daniels said. “There are solar panels generating the energy for the buildings.”

The buildings will be occupied in about 15 months, he added.

Environmentally friendly buildings are key components of the green revolution, but so are people and their behaviors, said Mike Meador, founder of California Greenworks Inc., a nonprofit organization whose charter is to improve urban communities in South Los Angeles. The motto for the organization is “Greening Communities One Neighborhood at a Time.”

“My take on Earth Day is that it’s not a holiday but a day we should recognize,” said Meador. “We only have one planet, and we share it with everybody.”
According to Meador, the sustainability of the environment is something that transcends racial lines.

“There is no race relations situation with the environment. We’re all impacted by those circumstances. In terms of the environmental movement, the environment crosses everyone’s path, because we all share the same planet together. For instance, we think about every day stewardship issues like recycling. If we are not cognizant of these behaviors, we can affect everyone. As a whole, we have not done enough to put in place other forms of energy. We rely on fossil fuels. I think we need to get back to basics. There needs to be green job opportunities.”

In his books, Jones calls for ensuring “that those communities that were locked out of the last century’s pollution-based economy will be locked into the new clean and green economy.
“We know we don’t have any throwaway species or resources, and we know that we don’t have any throwaway children or neighborhoods either. All of creation is precious and sacred. And we are all in this together.”

Meador agrees. “The environment crosses everyone’s path because we all share this planet together. We all drink the same water, breathe the same air, and live on the same land,” he said. “I know there are those who believe (in the Legislature) that saving the environment hampers business. But we have to be good stewards of the day-to-day care of the environment. But I know the fight is fierce (in Washington) over the environment.”

The environmental movement has become an issue of political polarization. Jones said in his book “…it is tempting to say that we don’t need a U.S. president who will fix everything; we just need one who will stop breaking everything. That alone would make a tremendous difference…”

Jones himself became a political casualty in the environmental debate. Not long after being appointed environmental adviser to the White House, Jones resigned in 2009 after his left-leaning politics resulted in
Republican calls for his ouster.

Jones is well-known in the environmental movement. He worked for the White House Council on Environmental Quality before his resignation.

Southwest professor of environmental science Alistaire Callender shied away from speaking directly on the political issues involved with creating a sustainable environment.
“Sometimes people don’t understand what the issues are,” Callender said. “When you explain the issues, their perspectives change. We’re all in this together. It doesn’t matter what side of the (political) spectrum you’re on.”

As far as job creation, one plan is for the college to develop a certificate program in environmental studies that trains students to conduct home energy audits. Beyond that, the college will be providing courses in environmental studies that can be transferred to schools offering four-year degrees in environmental science.

“We use a lot of resources in the United States. We’re less than 5 percent of the population, but we use 25 percent of the resources,” Callender said. And as other nations such as India develop and seek to use resources commensurate with their share of the population, the American way of using resources becomes increasingly unsustainable, he said.

Callender said he wants people to take a more holistic view of the environment beyond the creation of green jobs to the moral obligation of individual action that could help to sustain the environment.
The public must be encouraged to develop a personal relationship with the environment and think about how individual action can affect sustainability, Callender said.

“(To mark Earth Day) I would say stop using so much bottled water. It’s merely tap water that’s been filtered. We have been convinced that our tap water is bad. Just think about how much plastic we waste when we’re doing that. (The bottles) end up in the landfills or being dumped somewhere else. We’re using large amounts of material to make these bottles to carry around a product that we can get from the tap. Buy yourself a stainless steel container, and fill it with (tap) water.”

The political landscape and the environment can be a hotly contested issue, Meador said. Still, he is cautious about blaming either Republicans or Democrats for what ails the environment. He said he would rather focus more on creating those so-called “green collar” jobs that Jones championed.

To this end, Meador hopes to start a program called California Greenworks@works Environmental Resource and Development Program. The program is designed to create jobs in the green economy, he said. One of the “green jobs” people can be trained to do is energy audits of homes. For instance, the technician will check the air flows of the home and whether the air conditioning is working efficiently.

Meador said he is seeking about $3 million over five years from organizations like the EPA and other government entities like the county of Los Angeles to get such a “green jobs” training program started.
“We can work toward creating jobs. At least (people in South Los Angeles) will have the skills and training to compete (in the new green economy),” he said.

California Greenworks plans to host the sixth annual Los Angeles EarthFest Concert in the Park for the Environment & Expo Saturday. The event will include a concert in the park from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This year’s festival includes a host of free activities for the entire family, each centered on relevant environmental topics. The concert features smooth Jazz performances from leading guitarist Paul Brown and saxophone sensation Jessy J and Blues Jazz artist Barbara Morrison. If you mention OurWeekly, the concert tickets will be $35. The event will be held at Kenneth Hahn Park 4100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles.
For information on the event, call (323) 298-5077 or on the web at earthfestla.org.

California Greenworks partners with local community-based organizations and groups along with other nonprofit organizations. These partnerships allow the group to put programs and projects into action that make a difference in neighborhoods across South Los Angeles.

Some of the recent efforts include restoration of waterways, engaging elementary school students on the importance of protecting the environment, and creating a community-based program that raises watershed pollution awareness. The group extends invitations on its website to “help to plant a tree, clean up a waterway, or lend a hand to restore a wildlife habitat.

This story also appears on Our Weekly

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For one long-time resident, Compton offers the best of both worlds

April 20, 2011 By 1 Comment


Cleo Turner has lived in Compton for more than 50 years and has seen the drastic changes that The Hub City has gone through. He shares with us the inside of his home and what it is really like to live in Compton.

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Visitors to the Compton Courthouse traffic court face long lines, high fees

April 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment


A no-win situation image

The way William Kirkwood sees it, he’s going to end up back in jail either way. He’s not actually at the Compton Courthouse for himself. He’s here with his brother. But later in the week he’s got his own traffic arraignment downtown for a Metro ticket. He’s not sure how much the ticket will cost him, but he’s failed to appear at several previous hearings and figures he owes at least a couple hundred dollars by now.

“If I don’t have money to pay them, how am I going to pay them?” Kirkwood asked. “If I go to commit a crime to try and pay off this ticket, then what? I’m gonna go back to jail, right? If I don’t pay the ticket, then they’re going to track me down and I’ll go to jail. I’m in a no-win situation with this court.”

Indeed, no love seems lost between Kirkwood and the Compton Courthouse. Earlier he was kicked out of the room where his brother was giving his plea. Before the arraignments began, the bailiff was clear about not coming in the courtroom unless your name was posted on a list by the door. Kirkwood ignored the rule and went in with his brother. He said he doesn’t trust what goes on inside those rooms.

“I could be out here for four hours while he’s handcuffed and going to jail,” he said. It was his excess talking that eventually got him kicked out.

Kirkwood’s got his complaints, but he’s also got ideas. He thinks traffic court could be better with a few improvements.

“For one, the long wait we have to wait. We’re out here at 8 in the morning, and things don’t start until 11.”

In the Compton Courthouse, traffic court does begin at 9, but only for people with trials. People who come to plead guilty or not guilty have to wait in the hallway until the trials are done—usually about a two-hour process.

“Then they need to change the way they talk to people,” Kirkwood continued. “They think they can talk to you any kind of way, like you’re a kid. I’m not a kid. I’m a grown man. I expect respect.”

In a word, frustrated.

Padraig O’Callaghan comes from a different world than Kirkwood. He grew up in Dublin, Ireland, and has never, before today, been inside a courthouse for a ticket. But in many ways, his sentiments are the same.

O’Callaghan said the instructions about appearing in court said to arrive before 9, so he was here at 8:50. He didn’t know he’d have to wait for the trials to finish up first. At around 10:30, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, he sighed.

“If I had to choose one word to describe the mood right now, it would be ‘frustrated.’”

He’s right. About 40 people lined the sides of the hallways outside the traffic courtroom. Several had resorted to sitting on the floor. About half had their cell phones out, texting or playing games. A toddler tugged at her mom’s shirt, upset, and started moaning, “Mommy, mommy,” over and over again.

At one point, the traffic court cashier opened her office door, stuck her head out into the hallway, and snappily asked, “Whoever is banging on the wall, please stop.” Everyone looked around befuddled. No one had been banging.

Minutes ticked by, and more people started to sit on the ground. The toddler’s complaints turned into full on crying. Someone made a comparison about being stuck on an airplane.

“Poor kiddo,” said O’Callaghan.

At 10:55, the traffic court bailiff, Deputy Stannard, appeared in the hallway. He cupped his hands around his mouth and announced that everyone needed to form four lines, one on each of the big rows of white tiles on the floor.

“Not the brown squares. Stand on four white squares,” he repeated.

O’Callaghan rolled his eyes. He whispered, “I feel like a sheep.”

Stannard clarified the purpose of traffic arraignment court to the group. “All you’re gonna do is tell the judge guilty or not guilty. The judge is not here to hear your case.”

image“If you want a trial, he continued, “you have to pay the ticket first, and if you don’t have the money, the judge doesn’t care.”

The judge Stannard referred to is Ellen C. Deshazer. Stannard said she’s been the traffic judge at the Compton Courthouse for about a year and a half. The last judge was there three years. They don’t usually stay much longer than that, Stannard said.

Stannard continued his pre-arraignment speech, reminding people that if they wanted community service, there was still a fee for that, and it wasn’t an option if someone already had a job.

“If you want community service you have to ask to the judge.” He repeated the phrase again, word for word. “Don’t tell me later that you didn’t hear me say that—because if you didn’t hear me say it, three times now, then frankly you shouldn’t get anything.”

He advised people with tickets for driving solo in the carpool lane to avoid claiming another driver ran them off the road and forced them into the special lane.

“It’s a running joke about swerving into the carpool lane around here.” He said. “Don’t try it.”

His final piece of advice was not to blame a child for a seatbelt violation. “No one believes your kid unbuckled your seatbelt.”

As he ushered people into the courtroom, he asked the woman with the crying child, now slightly calmer, to stay outside. He would come and get her when her name was called. Later, he came back into the hall and the two made small talk. He looked at her ticket and said she could reduce her fine by going to traffic school.

The woman seemed unsure. She didn’t think she’d have time.

“Oh, it’s not a big deal,” Stannard said. He explained she could do the course online, from her home.

“I’d get a pizza and have some friends over,” he said. “Put the little one to bed and make a night out of it.”

Thoughts to share, but no chance to speak

Robert Rocha has been to his fair share of L.A. County traffic courts. He likes the one in San Pedro the best.

“At San Pedro, they take everyone in at the same time,” he said. “That way you’re not left waiting with no chairs.”

He’s also had plenty of interactions with court employees. Deputy Stannard yelled at Rocha and his friend for talking while he was trying to give his pre-court speech.

Rocha’s friend is waiting for his sister to get out of traffic court. He thinks she’ll have to pay $1,000–two $500 tickets for the same thing. Rocha’s not sure what his friend’s sister got a ticket for. He thinks it might be a DUI, but probably not, since that’s a matter handled in a different courtroom.

“Maybe open container then,” he speculated as he checked his watch. Rocha had to make it to a parole meeting in Long Beach after wrapping up here.

Suddenly, Kirkwood emerged from the courtroom, a goofy grin on his face, despite having just been kicked out. Rocha doesn’t know Kirkwood, but they bond over their mutual dislike of Deputy Stannard.

Rocha makes a joke about black and brown relations. Kirkwood is black and Rocha is Latino.

“Yeah, they say we’re not supposed to get along, but look at this love,” said Kirkwood, wrapping an arm around Rocha’s shoulder.

O’Callaghan came out shortly after and made his way into another line, this one to pay the cashier.

He pleaded guilty to riding a Metro bus without the appropriate pass. He said he bought a weeklong pass on a Saturday, but broke his rib the following Monday and ended up not using the pass until two weeks later. In Ireland, he said, bus riders validate their passes once they get on the bus, so the week doesn’t begin until you actually use the pass. He didn’t know the week starts at the date of purchase in LA.

“It’s quite draconian that you can’t even speak up,” he said. “That’s $180. Just gone.”

O’Callaghan would have liked to have had a trial and explained his case, but he didn’t want to take another day off of work to come back to the court.

He took one last glance at the receipt from the cashier’s office before folding it in half and stuffing it in his pocket.

“No Irish luck today,” he said.

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Glamour project for Los Angeles homeless creates confidence

April 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment


Listen to an audio story by Annenberg Radio News:

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image Instead of getting food and money, the homeless women of Southern California are getting makeovers.

After losing nearly everything of material value, the last thing a person would think a homeless woman needs is a makeover; but Kara Fox, the co-founder of Glamour Project, knows that homelessness is not only about losing houses and cars.

“Sometimes people who are having challenging times are looked at as though they are lesser people or as though they’re invisible people, and I think it’s critically important to mirror back to someone how lovely they are,” Fox said.

That is exactly what Glamour Project does. The project is a volunteer non-profit effort to remind homeless women they’re beautiful inside and out.

“That I think is part of the backbone of Glamour Project, to allow the women to get in touch with the beauty that they have that they don’t remember because no one has really addressed it,” Fox said.

The Glamour Project visits homeless shelters throughout the Los Angeles area. The group takes makeup and props for a day of pampering and dressing up. Pamela, a veteran of Daybreak Women’s Shelter and a participant in Glamour Project, remembers the day she got her makeover.

“They did the nails, they put hats on, they did some makeup and they dressed me up,” she said. “They brought, like, a series of clothes for different types of personalities. It was fun to see myself as someone else would dress me up.”

Not everyone thought the project was fun, though. Linda, another Glamour Project participant, couldn’t wait to wash her face at the end of the day.

“I finally get this stuff off,” Linda said. “I don’t wear makeup normally, so this is kind of, like, woah. When I go outside and see myself, I’m kind of like where did all of this come from, woah.”

But even though she wasn’t a fan of all the makeup on the outside, Linda says the makeover she got on the inside was worth it.

“Well, when you’re depressed and living on the streets, you know when that has happened in your life, you’re in the gutter,” she said. “You’re self-esteem is in the gutter and just this little thing of showing up and they make you up and dress you up and take pictures and everyone’s oohing and ahhing and saying things. It helps the self-esteem; it helps lift you up and make you feel better about yourself.”

At the end of the day, the women may still be homeless, but the glamour shot keychain they now have serves as a reminder that transformation is possible.

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Lucy Florence Cultural Center struggles to stay open

April 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment


Listen to a story from Annenberg Radio News

image When you walk through the doors at Lucy Florence Cultural Center, you are taken aback by the bright colors and elegant decorations. There’s a coffee bar to grab a bite to eat. The hallway leads to hidden rooms filled with artistic treasures. There’s even a room with a stage, piano and rows of seats to put on a good show.

It’s a place for the people of Leimert Park to collaborate and bring together the cultural, political, talent and economic values of the village.

“This place, Lucy Florence Coffee House and Cultural Center, is one of the things that holds it in,” said a woman who frequents the coffee shop. “You know, one of the anchors of the village.”

As loved as Lucy Florence is, it still hasn’t brought a lot of foot traffic. The center is owned by twin brothers Rich and Bob Harris. Rich says they have to close up as early as May because they’re having trouble coming up with the rent money.

“We are desperately gathering up money to pay a financial emergency here at Lucy Florence,” Rich said.

The brothers recently returned, back from visiting their home city, Atlanta, where Rich says all businesses in the African American community flourish and attract people of all backgrounds. They believe Lucy Florence can do the same.

“We want that type of feel to create itself in a community that has often way before we became a part of it is labored as the last and only cultural participation in Los Angeles,” Rich said.

As a way of encouraging people to come into the store, they’ve been offering a 50 percent off sale, but right now, the center still stands as an important place. One woman came today because she wants to support the family-like atmosphere.

“You don’t have to come in and buy anything,” she said. “You come in and sit down and have a cup of tea, you know, and you can partake in all the art that’s in here because there’s a lot of culture in this building.”

Even though you don’t have to buy anything, the Harris brothers are hoping you do. If the Lucy Florence Cultural Center can bring in more business, it will have a chance to survive and serve the community.

The following is a letter from the owners of Lucy Florence Cultural Center

image We are in a season of resurrection. The photo was taken on Easter 1961; a past season of resurrection. We stood before our twin sisters with no knowledge of the many rebirths we would experience during this lifetime. We were young, protected, loved and unafraid. We stood before our twin sisters knowing nothing about the wonderful adventures in our future. That was 50 years ago. Today, we are living proof of the Divine MotherFatherGod and the spirit of resurrection. We embrace countless lessons about life, death, fear and achievement along the way. We are boys, students, men, teachers, retail buyers, managers, dancers, coaches, designers, owners and creators. We’ve died and been reborn so many times we’ve lost count of our birthdays! This is a season of resurrection; but is it our season of resurrection?

We’ve lived in Los Angeles for nearly 30 years and it’s our second home. Last week, we visited the original Lucy Florence (our mother) in our hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. Absence makes for interesting insight. We forgot how different things can be from city to city.

Small business is thriving in the ATL. Surprisingly, we saw no invisible racial borders when it came to commerce. Money changed hands among, between, within and across ethnicities. Businesses were packed with people of different races. There was no ‘Hollywood’ expectation of free services to boast celebrity patrons. People didn’t act like anyone “owed” them anything beyond the good or service for which they paid. Everyone pays and everyone benefits. Don’t be mistaken, though. There was no chorus of Kumbaya, just a respectable exchange of currency for quality goods and services. You know, business.

During our absence, we closed our doors because … well … staffing is expensive when business is slow. We returned to concerned voicemail messages (and perhaps a few nosy-bodies) asking if we were closed for good. People shouted from car windows shoutins, “we hope you guys aren’t closing?” But they didn’t stop conduct any business.

Businesses are failing all around us. Other groups are closing ranks and going into survival mode, while our community dollars are spread about like discarded candy wrappers. Spending dollars close to home matters – it matters to us and it matters to you. This is about more than keeping a business open; it’s about quality of life in your community. It’s about maintaining property values and creating a supportive economy and healthy tax-base in your own neighborhood. It’s about stepping up to the plate and spending money where you live to enhance your own standard of living.

Ongoing complaints about metered parking in Leimert Park are futile. Paid parking is the norm in other shopping areas around Los Angeles (Santa Monica, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Hollywood, Inglewood, Hawthorne, Downtown). Why not in Leimert Park? This is not a reason, it is an excuse. What can you do? Make a shift in your fiscal consciousness. Every dollar counts. It’s time for common sense consumerism.

Buy from your customers. When someone patronizes you, patronize them. If Lucy Florence purchases your cakes, pies, beverages, gift items, clothing or jewelry, return the favor by making a purchase when you deliver the order. Reciprocity is the Golden Rule.

Support those who support you. When you leave flyers, postcards and announcements at a place of business, buy something. Do your part to pump blood through your own vein of low-cost PR and advertising.

Support Leimert Park Village for preservation of African American culture. Shop at Eso Won Books. You’ll be impressed with their lineup of booksignings and lectures. For unique handmade jewelry and gift items, check out Sika Dwimfo and our women-friends at Zambezi Bazaar. Gallery Plus is well known for African American artwork, hand crafted dolls and other collectibles. KAOS Network owner and filmmaker, Ben Caldwell, provides a rich and diverse experience for creatives with his Leimert Park Art Walk. For women’s clothing, cards, gifts and jewelry, make Lucy Florence your first stop. Looking for lovely home and garden decorations? Come to Cultural Interiors inside Lucy Florence. Need to relax, unwind and feed your soul? Looking for answers to questions about life, career and romance? WU Wellness Loft inside Lucy Florence offers Reiki, crystal therapy, polarity therapy, massage and readings. Looking for a fun place to learn something new or to host your workshop? Call Lucy Florence for rentals or attend a workshop.

Thank you all for making us feel appreciated. To answer the question, no. Lucy Florence is not closing. Not yet. But if another resurrection is in our future, we are ready and willing to do it again if that is our calling. And when we rise, we will soar again because potentiality and possibility are endless gifts from God. Perhaps we will see you at the (other) top, where we will laugh and talk about the wonderful business we transacted to our mutual benefit. But only if that is the truth. In the meantime, let’s celebrate and be held accountable to one another for the success of our businesses and local economy. Happy Resurrection Day, everyone.

Fondly,
Ron and Richard Harris

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SHOW YOUR SUPPORT NOW

Lucy Florence Cultural Center has been a part of the Historic Leimert Park Village for 10+ years. We have opened our doors to communty theater groups and professionals. We helped launch the careers of entertainment greats like Tyra Banks and Macy Gray. We’ve been a safe place for latchkey children and a training ground for young college students to gain valuable work experience. Lucy Florence is home to independent business owners and vendors who need to work in partnership to survive these tough times. We are an affordable and lovely meeting place for local clubs, groups, associations, and organizations. We are a space to celebrate births at parties and mourn deaths with repasts. In short, we are proactive community contributors and activists. Now we need immediate support from the community.

Here’s How You Can Help

(1) Show your support in dollars and cents. Shop at Lucy Florence this April 18th & 19th and save up to 50%.

(2) Show your support by referring others. Forward this to your email distribution list and ask your friends and associates to shop at Lucy Florence on April 18th & 19th.

Filed Under: Community Tagged With: , , ,

Community cleans up South Los Angeles neighborhood

April 20, 2011 By 3 Comments


By: Travis Cochran

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Listen to an audio story from Annenberg Radio News:

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Members of the community speak about the clean up:

“It’s beneficial for young people to get out and be a part of maintaining and cleaning and sprucing up their own community,” one woman said. “That in and of itself is a great impact.”

Another person involved in the clean up added, “Overall, it’s pretty good. We’ve been cleaning up. It feels good to clean up a community with all of this dirt and trash everywhere.”

“When we have some graffiti on, it just keeps happening,” a man at the event said. “It’s a cycle. Everybody wants to represent something, so when we have some graffiti in the area, it affects our corridor. It affects our small businesses.”

One man says he’s a believer in programs that helps the community, especially when it comes to inner city youth.

“They may have parents who work two, maybe even three, jobs or long shifts,” he said. “It gives them programs to be in while their parents are away at work, instead of just being at home or being on the streets with nothing to do.”

“A lot of them tell me they don’t litter no more,” another event-goer said. “They used to litter before, but working here, they know how hard it is to pick up the trash, so they stopped littering.”

“It shows that this community is not being left behind,” a man said. “The community does care about it. The Coalition for Responsible Community Development is very proud to assist with the clean up.”

Another woman in the community praised the coalition’s efforts to keep the city street clean.

“That’s one of the reasons I moved into this area because when I was looking for places, I noticed how clean and well-kept the neighborhood is,” she said. “That’s directly due to CRCD that has a youth program and a street cleaning program.”

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