100 trees spruce up Broadway in South LA

May 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment


A tree grows on Broadway | Daina Beth Solomon

A tree grows on Broadway | Daina Beth Solomon

Politicians and community members have made a concerted effort over the past few months to clear away trash and debris from South L.A. streets. Meanwhile, they are also working to give something back in its place — trees. The organization City Plants L.A. (formerly Million Trees L.A.) partners with the city, nonprofits, community groups, businesses and residents to plant trees in barren areas — often low-income, underserved communities with limited park space. The group’s aim is to create comfortable shady areas, combat pollution, provide fruit and simply bring natural beauty to blighted streets. In April, City Plants took its project to the blocks between Slauson and 69th St. on Broadway in the Ninth District, where it planted more than 100 trees.

Flip through the slideshow below to view photos from the planting. (Roll over each image for the caption.) 

[Read more…]

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

First person: City Year tutor in Watts encourages others to mentor

May 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment


Vanessa Gonzalez with Superintendent John Deasy and Allison Graff-Weisner | City Year LA

Vanessa Gonzalez with LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy and Allison Graff-Weisner, executive director of City Year LA | City Year LA

By Vanessa Gonzalez

Growing up, I was a shy, self-conscious, but studious girl. I was afraid that I might become involved in gangs—a common occurrence in my neighborhood. My parents tried their best to help with schoolwork, but their limited education and language barriers were challenging for all of us. The lack of books and computers also made it difficult for me to learn.

I struggled with my self-confidence and circumstances, until one person changed my whole perspective. My amazing high school science teacher, Ms. Tam, told me that she genuinely believed in me and that I was capable of accomplishing anything I put my mind to. From that moment on, I was excited about the future and ready to show the world all that I could offer. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community Contributor, Education, More on Intersections, Opinion Tagged With: , , ,

New development breaks ground in Watts

May 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment


Congresswoman Janice Hahn, Rodney Shepard, and others break ground on Lanzit Industrial Park (Matthew Tinoco/Neon Tommy)
Dozens gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new industrial building in Watts last week, the first such project for the South L.A. community in more than 40 years. The building, a project of Lanzit Industrial Park LLC, will be about 46,000-square feet and house space for both offices and light manufacturing.

The industrial park promises to bring some much needed employment opportunities to the neighborhood.

“Today we can rejoice with the knowledge that new jobs are coming to Watts,” said Rodney Shepard, the South Los Angeles land developer leading the Lanzit project. “This development will bring economic security and good, stable, manufacturing jobs back here where they belong.”  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, More on Intersections, Watts Tagged With: , , ,

HIV in South LA, Ron Finley profile + Tijuana-style tacos

May 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment


Felipa Mayo cooks on the street in South L.A. | Daina Beth Solomon

Felipa Mayo cooks on the street in South L.A. | Daina Beth Solomon

A roundup of recent news stories about South Los Angeles:

KCET: Rudy Espinoza writes that street vendors can bring healthy food to South L.A. (See from Intersections: South LA street cooks could soon go legit)

LA Weekly:  In South L.A., Young Gay Black Men are Mired in Old Taboos — and HIV

KCET: Going green, the South L.A. way

The New Yorker: How Magic Johnson fought the AIDS epidemic

LA Weekly: A profile of Ron Finley, South L.A.’s “guerilla gardener”

LA Weekly: A profile of Gia Medley, “First-Generation Spitter” from South L.A.

LA Times: Food critic Jonathan Gold visits Tacos Los Poblanos in South L.A.

Environmental Protection Agency [Press Release]: The EPA has awarded the Los Angeles Conservation Corps $200,000 to continue providing “job training and skills to unemployed and economically-disadvantaged residents of South Los Angeles.”

Filed Under: In the news Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

USC student tells of racial profiling in South LA

May 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment


Tobi Oduguwa looks out onto the street where he said he experienced racial profiling in the area near USC. | Lensa Bogale

Tobi Oduguwa looks out onto the street where he said he experienced racial profiling in the area near USC. | Lensa Bogale

Tobi Oduguwa is a University of Southern California junior double-majoring in computer science and physics. But as a black man two inches over six-feet-tall, he gets asked what position he plays on basketball team more often than his major. The question comes up so often that he has given himself his own, unofficial basketball number.

“If you hear about a point-guard named number six, that’s actually me,” said Oduguwa.

But the assumptions aren’t always so harmless.

Oduguwa learned the hard way when officers from the USC Department of Public Safety stopped him one night outside of his apartment and, without explanation, asked to see his ID.

After being question, Oduguwa realized that he was suspected of choking a young woman in the building across from his own. It wasn’t until a friend vouched for Oduguwa that he was finally released. [Read more…]

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

Opponents to South LA oil drilling say AllenCo upgrades won’t be enough

May 18, 2014 By Leave a Comment


Nalleli Cobo walks in her neighborhood near AllenCo | Esperanza Community Housing

Nalleli Cobo, part of the People Not Pozos campaign, walks in her neighborhood near AllenCo in November 2013. Click to view more photos. | Esperanza Community Housing

For months South L.A. community members complained of foul odors coming from their neighbor: AllenCo Energy Inc., an urban oil drilling site. After more than 200 complaints and a four-month investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency, the company agreed to spend $700,000 to improve their site. Yet the South L.A. community that has been opposing AllenCo’s operations says those upgrades still won’t mitigate the health consequences.

“They really shouldn’t be there at all,” said Ashley Kissinger, project manager for Esperanza Community Housing, which offers affordable housing properties as little as 25-feet away from AllenCo.

Last year Esperanza launched a campaign called People Not Pozos (People Not Oil Wells) to draw attention to community health concerns, including complaints of asthma, headaches and nosebleeds. Eventually the campaign helped bring about a temporary shut-down of AllenCo. [Read more…]

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

South LA councilman Bernard Parks reflects on 50 years of public service

May 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment


At ease behind a desk in the conference room of his Crenshaw district office, Councilman Bernard Parks sat down recently with Intersections South LA, in shirtsleeves and a tie, surrounded by poster-sized District Eight maps from yesteryear and took stock of his career and legacy of service in Los Angeles.

In July of next year, Parks’ third and final City Council term will come to a close, marking five decades that he has served the City of Los Angeles.

[Read more…]

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

OPINION: South LA gentrification blues

May 8, 2014 By Leave a Comment


Let me tell you a little something about South L.A. 

 

A response to the L.A. Times article: “Soaring home prices spur a resurgence near USC.”

A South LA mural depicts the neighborhood's mixing of cultures. | Foshay School 7th Grade Photo Project

A South LA mural depicts the neighborhood’s mixing of cultures. | Foshay School 7th Grade Photo Project / Intersections

As I read the article mentioned above, I couldn’t help but picture “South Los Angeles” as a meaningless, desolate neighborhood infested with drugs, abandoned houses and cars, and weird and scary “ethnic” people. Thank goodness for gentrification, coming to save the day! (Note: sarcasm.)

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not against diversified communities—racially, ethnically or socio-economically. In fact, I am completely in favor of mixed-income neighborhoods that promote the well-being of all residents, and enrich all of our lives, regardless of color, culture and economic status. I genuinely believe and embrace the richness of a multi-cultural, diverse world. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community Contributor, More on Intersections, Opinion Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

$15 minimum wage could help South LA hotel workers

May 7, 2014 By 2 Comments


Embassy Suites hotel workers on strike | LA County Federation of Labor

Three Los Angeles City Council members have launched a bid to increase the wages of the city’s hotel workers to $15.37 an hour, a major pay jump for more than 40 percent of the industry’s workers who live below the poverty line.

The raise would affect hotels with more than 100 rooms — 87 of them in L.A. — and an estimated 10,000 employees. Union workers said the increase could lift housekeepers, busboys and maintenance workers out of poverty.

That could be especially significant in South L.A.’s 9th District, an area with the city’s highest poverty rate.

“Income inequality is a persistent issue plaguing our country, our city and especially our under-served South Los Angeles community,” said District 9 councilman Curren Price, who is pushing for the wage increase along with councilmembers Mike Bonin and Nury Martinez representing West Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, respectively. [Read more…]

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

South LA corner stores turn full-service

May 5, 2014 By 4 Comments


Nelson Garcia welcomes visitors into his "converted" corner store. | Sinduja Rangarajan

Nelson Garcia welcomes visitors into his “converted” corner store. | Sinduja Rangarajan

When more than 100 children, teenagers and adults gathered on the corner of Vermont and 60th streets last March to enjoy a four-hour block party complete with face painting, booths offering food coupons and a live disc jockey encouraging people of all ages to dance by blasting R&B, rap and Latino music, onlookers may have assumed the occasion was a national holiday or neighborhood fundraiser. Instead, the festivities were meant to mark the re-opening of Alba Snacks & Services, one of South L.A.’s few grocery stores.

The approximately 51 square mile area of South Los Angeles is largely considered a “food desert” — a space where finding food that is both affordable and high-quality is difficult.

See also on Intersections: South LA creates healthy food options

The Alba re-opening was part of the Healthy Neighborhood Market Network and the Community Market Conversion Program, an initiative run by Los Angeles’s Food Policy Council, an independent multi-stakeholder entity of the Mayor’s Office. These dual programs, said Director of Policy and Innovation Clare Fox, aim to transform convenience stores in neighborhoods with limited food access to full-service grocery stores. [Read more…]

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