OPINION: Defense of Marriage: Racism, family values and the 99 percent



By Sikivu Hutchinson

As Proposition 8’s lead attorney trotted out the standard Christian fascist, marriage is only for procreation, party line before the Supreme Court yesterday, I was reminded of a 2011 Los Angeles Times story about the changing demographics of California families.

The article leads with an idyllic portrait of a white, lesbian-headed family whose daughter is asked “on a leafy drive…at a newly renovated home with cathedral ceilings and a backyard pool” why she has three mommies. [Read more…]

Prominent South LA endorsements in the race for mayor



By Sarah Politis

Listen to an audio story from Annenberg Radio News:

Two powerful endorsements were announced in the race for Los Angeles mayor on Thursday. City Councilman Eric Garcetti and City Controller Wendy Greuel are running against each other in the May run-off. On Thursday, they each joined their supporters in South Los Angeles to announce the endorsements.

imageJan Perry endorsed Eric Garcetti. (Photo by Neon Tommy)

Jan Perry stood in front of a crowd at the 28th street YMCA to endorse her colleague Eric Garcetti. While Perry might wish it was the other way around, since she spent most of her unsuccessful mayoral campaign competing against Garcetti. [Read more…]

Criminal justice advocate Susan Burton on prison realignment



imageSusan Burton is the founder and executive director of the “A New Way of Life Re-entry Project” in South Central Los Angeles. As a former drug addict, Burton cycled in an out of the criminal justice system for nearly fifteen years. She now works with women returning home from prisons and jails, helping them transition back into society.

Annenberg Radio News host Omar Shamout spoke with Burton about California’s prison realignment efforts and the problems facing former inmates. [Read more…]

L.A. City Council candidate retreats from racially charged remark



Reward offered in cold South LA murder case



Councilwoman Jan Perry offers $75,000 for information aiding a 5-year-old murder case.

The Sandwich Smith a welcome addition to Little Tokyo



By Tanaya Ghosh

imageHave you ever eaten a savory sandwich on a doughnut bun? Yes, you heard right — a doughnut bun! It’s exactly the kind of bread you can find at Little Tokyo’s The Sandwich Smith.

Before you write off the idea of a doughnut surrounding your sandwich fillings, it might be best to explain the concept behind The Sandwich Smith.

The Sandwich Smith was inspired by a San Francisco business that’s part bakery, part deli. Every sandwich at The Sandwich Smith is custom-built — perfect for those picky eaters.

The restaurant is clean and bright inside. imageAt night, the mood shifts to a slightly fancier, more romantic atmosphere. The Sandwich Smith staff is extremely friendly, from the moment you walk in until the moment you leave.

Customers fill out a form to build their sandwiches.The options are plentiful, with everything from buttermilk fried chicken to bacon coleslaw available as toppings. A variety of side dishes round out The Sandwich Smith menu.

I topped my pulled pork sandwich with cheddar cheese, BBQ sauce, pickled red onions, and sweet and sour coleslaw — all of it assembled on The Sandwich Smith’s doughnut bun.

imageThe doughnut bun didn’t look like an actual doughnut — more like a baked sandwich roll. ,It wasn’t sweet, but was soft and tasted great.

Wash down your sandwich with the Sandwich Smith’s Arnold Palmer — a mix of green tea and freshly- made lemonade. The drink was delicious and refreshing — a great complement to my pulled-pork sandwich.

Pull out your smartphone and check into the restaurant on Yelp to receive a free pastry.

Feel free to tweet at me: @MsTanayaG. Stay tuned until next time, when I share with you my next foodie find!

The Sandwich Smith is located at 362 E. 1st St. in Downtown Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo district. For more information, visit thesandwichsmith.com.

Congresswoman Karen Bass: A Women’s History Month salute



By Francisco Garcia
Dorsey High School Culinary Arts Student

imageThe day I met Congresswoman Karen Bass was an interesting occasion. She visited the Dorsey High School Culinary Arts students for a special breakfast in her honor. I made one of my specialty items, Breakfast Egg Spread, made with hard boiled eggs mixed with black pepper, ranch dressing and green onions. The ingredients are spread on top of a toasted baguette and topped off with sprinkles of chopped turkey bacon. Cooking the Breakfast Egg Spread wasn’t the best part; it was watching everyone eat and enjoy what I cooked.

Meeting the Congresswoman, who represents South Los Angeles, was an honor because she took time out of her busy schedule to support our Let’s Move! project, “Cooking Live with Dorsey High.” We sat down at the table with Ms. Bass and ate French toast, turkey sausage with sugar-free syrup, omelettes stuffed with vegetables and apple pastries. This was a very educational experience as it taught me that I can really cook and that there are so many diverse foods for me to learn how to cook. I’m not used to cooking food from different cultures and now I know more about different foods and will test my cooking skills with preparing Soul Food in the Dorsey kitchen.

imageFrancisco Garcia preparing his Breakfast Egg Spread at Dorsey High School.

Breakfast with Congresswoman Karen Bass gave everyone the opportunity to have an close and personal talk with her. Our sponsor, Ms. Daphne Bradford, introduced her and the congresswoman accepted the invitation to come up to podium and tell us about her history-making accomplishments in the political world. I didn’t know Karen Bass was the first African American woman to serve as the Speaker of the California Assembly. Not many of my friends can say they made breakfast for a history-making member of Congress. After Representative Bass finished speaking, we took a big group picture and she was off to her next meeting with a full stomach compliments of “Cooking Live with Dorsey High.”

imageThe finished Breakfast Egg Spread prepared by Dorsey culinary student Francisco Garcia.

OPINION: Who’s that white lady?



With the Isley Brothers’ hit song “Who’s That Lady” playing softly in the background, if I had a dollar for every time someone Black said to me “who, that white lady?” or “who’s that white lady?” when referring to Los Angeles City Controller Wendy Greuel, I’d be rich.

Even though Greuel’s been in elected office since 2002 when she won a runoff election against then Assemblyman Tony Cardenas to represent Los Angeles’ 2nd District and has served as city controller since 2009—around most parts of South Los Angeles—she’s simply known as the “white lady” running for mayor. Which by all accounts, isn’t good for her campaign.

[Read more…]

Reward money for Christopher Dorner withdrawn



The $1.2 million reward money put up for the ex-LADP officer Christopher Dorner may never actually make it into the hands of the citizens that helped with the manhunt. Click here to read more.

Bill Clinton endorses mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel



Bill Clinton announced Monday that he endorses Wendy Greuel for mayor of Los Angeles, according to a Clinton press release.

Clinton highlighted Greuel’s strength in making “government work for ordinary people…especially during periods of crisis.”

Click here for more of the story.