History comes to life at the Angelus Rosedale Cemetery
September 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Marilyn Monroe’s Grandmother, Buster Keaton’s Cameraman Join Vaudeville and Jazz Age Performers on this Unique Outdoor “Stage”
Flappers, singers, dancers, magicians, and even a celebrity chef – a host of colorful entertainers rest at Angelus Rosedale Cemetery, one of the city’s oldest, most historically significant cemeteries.
On Saturday, September 29, at the 22nd annual Living History Tour, visitors will “meet” some of Los Angeles’s most interesting early performers and entertainment industry personages as costumed actors, at graveside, portray the lives of a Civil War-era escape artist, a headlining dancer who lost her life in the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, a mezzo soprano who fought for civil rights, and a Chinese-American dancer/actor/MC, among other quirky and wonderful characters. Tours depart every 25 minutes from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Advance reservations are required.
This year’s tour commemorates not only Los Angeles’s longtime role as the center of this country’s entertainment industry, but also the roles several of these personages played in the larger history of civil rights. In addition, the tour memorializes the 150th anniversary of the Civil War (1861-1865).
This year’s portrayals include:
• Della Hogan Monroe, Marilyn Monroe’s colorful grandmother; a religious devotee, Mrs. Monroe had baby Norma Jean baptized at the Hawthorne Foursquare Church in 1926;
• Victor Dol, L.A.’s first chef trained in Paris, who opened an elegant French restaurant in 1876 that soon earned the nickname “Delmonico’s of the West”;
• Rita Carewe, a Jazz Age starlet and “Baby WAMPAS” (Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers) winner who appeared in films with Delores del Rio, Edward Everett Horton, and Mary Pickford;
• Sadie Cole, a Fisk Jubilee singer and a civil rights activist who helped desegregate L.A.’s cafes and beaches;
• Byron Houck, baseball pitcher for the 1913 World Series Philadelphia A’s, who later became Buster Keaton’s cameraman on “The General.” Houck was the Vernon Tigers’ ace pitcher when the team was owned by Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle;
• Mildred Washington, a vaudeville dancer and choreographer who headlined at Sebastian’s Cotton Club in Los Angeles;
• Harry Cooke, Magician and Civil War Union Army “scout” who was America’s first Escape Artist;
• Honorable Wu (Harry Gee Haw), actor, singer, dancer, and vaudeville impresario known as “The Broadway Mandarin.”
Angelus Rosedale Cemetery was founded in 1884, and is now home to many generations of Los Angeles’s citizens, representing every race, faith, and creed. Each year, West Adams Heritage Association (WAHA) tells some of their life stories while touring the historic grounds and elaborately carved monuments of L.A.’s first lawn cemetery.
TICKET SALES/TOUR TIMES
Advance Ticket Sales Only—No Walk-ins! $25 in advance, paid by September 24. $35 after that or on day of tour, space permitting. (Children under 10 attend free.)
Tours depart approximately every 25 minutes, beginning at 9 a.m., with the last tour at noon. The public is invited. Tickets are by ADVANCE RESERVATION ONLY; each tour has a limited number of spaces. The Living History Tour is a three-hour docent-led walk through the cemetery, over uneven terrain; visitors are advised to wear appropriate clothing and walking shoes.
Address: 1831 West Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007.
For tickets and information, log onto www.WestAdamsHeritage.org. 323-732-4223 or tours[at]westadamsheritage.org.
The tour will raise funds for the West Adams Heritage Association, a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1983 to support preservation of the community’s architectural and cultural heritage. WAHA has grown from a small resident support group to a recognized preservation voice with hundreds of members who live in the many neighborhoods of the Historic West Adams District.
South LA Democratic Spaces Public Exhibit
August 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment
This collaborative multimedia storytelling investigation reveals 15 democratic spaces and places in South LA through the eyes of local community organizers and advocates. These sites encourage positive social change, promote advocacy efforts, and serve as building blocks for community-based social movements. As part of the launch opening reception on September 27th, the community organizers and advocates will share how their work contributes to making South LA a more democratic place in which residents live and work.
The exhibit features stories from the Advancement Project, Black Workers Center, CD Tech, Children’s Nature Institute, Community Coalition, Community Financial Resource Center, Community Services Unlimited, Esperanza Community Housing Corporation, LA CAN, Peace Over Violence, SAJE, SCOPE, Trust for Public Land, T.R.U.S.T. South LA, and 24th Street Theatre.
Location: Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Building, 3502 Watt Way, East Lobby, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90089
Date: Public Exhibit Launch—Thursday, September 27, 6:30-9:00 p.m. (Exhibit opens at 6:30 p.m. Panel presentation starts at 7:30 p.m.). The exhibit will be up through December 2012.
To RSVP: http://www.annenberg.usc.edu/rsvp
For more information: http://www.metaconnects.org or call 213.740.1260
This project is presented by the USC Metamorphosis Project and Intersections South LA with support from the California Humanities and the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
Intersections South LA becomes part of the Civic Engagement and Journalism Initiative
July 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment
We are excited to announce that Intersections South LA will be part of the newly created Civic Engagement and Journalism Initiative at USC Anenneberg. This project will help us refocus our local online journalism efforts by partnering with the Alhambra Source, and incorporating Communication research from the Metamorphosis project. And we are looking forward to launching a new program for 18-26-year-old residents of South LA to report on their own communities.
Those are the positives. The downside is we did not receive enough funding to continue to hire a full-time editor. As a result, the editorial side at Intersections will decrease the amount of content we’re producing in the coming months.
Intersections South LA was officially launched in 2009 as a reporting lab for USC journalism students and a source of news and information for residents in South LA, which has traditionally been under-served by the media. We have maintained the website these past few years with financial help from J-Lab, the McCormick Foundation, the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism—where Intersections South LA is based—and the hard work of journalism students, faculty, staff and community contributors.
Despite decreased funding, our mission remains the same. We will use this time to do some strategic planning and identify priorities for our coverage and for better community engagement, and to brainstorm ways to financially support the website. Please let us know what type of content you depend upon by taking this survey. And if you have stories you would like covered, let us know. With continued community contributor input and student journalist reporting, we hope to continue coverage of important issues in South LA communities.
Upcoming Plans
We plan to switch our website platform to a WordPress site in October. You’ll notice a revamped website, new graphics and new features. In the meantime, we welcome suggestions.
Communication doctoral students will begin posting about their research on South LA in the coming months.
We will begin recruiting in January for a journalism training initiative for 18-26-year-olds who will be community reporters for Intersections South LA. If you, or someone you know, would like to get involved in this program e-mail dgerson[at]usc.edu.
What you can do:
Send calendar items, photos, story ideas to southla[at]usc.edu.
We will be posting a survey soon. Please take it so we can incorporate your ideas and suggestions on how we can better serve the South LA community.
Thank you for your ongoing support, and do not hesitate to write with any questions or thoughts.
Willa Seidenberg
Co-founder and director, Intersections South LA
Boys to Men life skills program open to boys 12-17
July 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment
On August 21st, On A Mission will begin our “Boys To Men” Life Skills Program for boys ages 12-17. This program will address some of today’s most pressing issues facing young men today. The 8-week workshops will include: Self-Esteem, Respect, Fatherhood, Goal Setting, Health & Fitness, How To Open & Manage a bank account, Dress For Success, Pregnancy Prevention, Mock Job Interviews, and Much More…
On Thursday, August 14th, we will host a Meet and Greet and sign-ups session for parents of kids participating, Parents will have the chance to ask any questions they may have regarding the program. The meet and greet will take place from 7-9PM, at On A Mission, Inc.
On A Mission, Inc.
3031 W. Vernon Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90008
(323) 298-4779
For More Information:
Call On A Mission, Inc at (323) 298-4779 or log on to http://www.joinoam.org
Register Your Child Today *Space Is Limited*
To make a tax deductible donation or to sponsor a child click here
Like us on Facebook here
June 27th: HIV testing day
June 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Each year, on June 27, the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA), in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), AIDS.gov, and other national and local entities across the country organizes National HIV Testing Day. This unique initiative sends the message, “Take the Test, Take Control,” to those at risk from HIV from those already living with HIV.
National HIV Testing Day was developed in response to the growing number of HIV infections in communities of color and other heavily impacted communities. Nearly 1.2 million people are living with HIV in the U.S., and almost one in five don’t know they are infected.
Who should get the HIV test?
Here is what the CDC’s website says:
The following are behaviors that increase your chances of getting HIV. If you answer yes to any of them, you should definitely get an HIV test. If you continue with any of these behaviors, you should be tested every year. Talk to a health care provider about an HIV testing schedule that is right for you.
—Have you injected drugs or steroids or shared equipment (such as needles, syringes, works) with others?
—Have you had unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with men who have sex with men, multiple partners, or anonymous partners?
—Have you exchanged sex for drugs or money?
—Have you been diagnosed with or treated for hepatitis, tuberculosis (TB), or a sexually transmitted disease (STD), like syphilis?
—Have you had unprotected sex with someone who could answer yes to any of the above questions?
—If you have had sex with someone whose history of sex partners and/or drug use is unknown to you or if you or your partner has had many sex partners, then you have more of a chance of being infected with HIV. Both you and your new partner should get tested for HIV, and learn the results, before having sex for the first time.
For women who plan to become pregnant, testing is even more important. If a woman is infected with HIV, medical care and certain drugs given during pregnancy can lower the chance of passing HIV to her baby. All women who are pregnant should be tested during each pregnancy.
For more information on HIV testing visit the CDC website at http://hivtest.cdc.gov/faq.aspx
Participating organizations, including the Inglewood Wellness Center, believe that HIV testing is a critical first step in taking control and responsibility over one’s health. To find a South LA location to take a free HIV test log onto the CDC’s website.
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Obama teacher vs. Obama chicken & waffles
May 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment
$75,000 Educator Investment vs. $8.90 Obama Three Wing special
Apple Distinguished Educator Daphne Bradford
When I donated $15 to enter the “Obama, Clooney & You” dinner lottery, I knew a Super Star educator like myself had a slim chance of winning dinner with President Obama at the mega glitzy home of George Clooney. Although the anticipation of hopefully winning was kind of fun, I understood losing against the odds on that one. But when I read the accompanying TMZ and Huffington Post news reports about Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles renaming my favorite “#9 Country Boy” to “Obama’s Special” in honor of an unscheduled visit the commander-in-chief made on October 24, 2011, my hope of meeting the president during his next Los Angeles trip was instantly renewed.
I felt, deep in my soul, there has to be a HUGE possibility for President Obama to make a scheduled visit to meet the most innovative Obamateacher in nation and the history,the student-led, Barack Obama Digital Media Team at Crenshaw High School. After investing personal money, priceless overtime and raising more than $75,000 dedicated towards implementing four years of President Obama’s “Blueprint for Change” in education, I firmly believe the “man of HOPE” I voted for in 2008 would give me and my amazing students the same $8.90 Roscoes’ Chicken and Waffles visit if the opportunity presented itself.
Well, I guess God’s ears heard me because on June 7, 2012 President Obama is schedule to attend a View Park, California $2,500 – $40,000 per couple fundraiser that’s five minutes or less from Crenshaw High School; probably close to the same distance as Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles was from the October 24, 2011 fundraiser hosted by Will & Jada Smith.
Just as the Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles visit endorsed the president’s support of small businesses, a Crenshaw High School visit with the Barack Obama Digital Media Team will support his “everyone deserves a fair shot at a first-class education” anthem. The $75,000 plus investment in the commander-in-chief’s 21st Century innovative education blueprint has produced amazing students who are Apple certified technology geniuses, budding Microsoft game designers, Let’s Move! High School gardeners and first time teen authors of Journey to the White House: An Educational Blueprint for Change in Action. Every where we go people are more than happy to record video messages to POTUS asking him to check us out. Hopefully he will listen. We have a book already signed and waiting for President Obama to accept.
The Crenshaw Digital Media Team
The first of its kind, the Crenshaw High School Barack Obama Digital Media Team has carried the Obama name since the 2009 inauguration, years ahead of the Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles $8.90 Obama’s Special. Beginning in the 9th grade, the four years strong digital media team will graduate a week after the president’s June 6th-7th visit to Los Angeles. These career and college bound students will also exercise their right to vote for the first time on November 6, 2012.
Mr. President, how about making a scheduled visit to Crenshaw High School on your way to breakfast on June 7, 2012? Let a dedicated educator and her students have a Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles chance at meeting you. I’m easy to reach: db4obama[at]gmail.com.
L.A. Youth newspaper in a battle to survive
May 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Anyone who has worked on their high school newspaper knows there often comes a time when the newspaper’s commitment to the First Amendment butts heads with the school’s administration. In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court stepped into that classic battle with its decision that allows public school officials to impose limitations on what is published in school-sponsored student publications. High school journalists have another word for it: censorship.
Out of that decision, L.A.Youth was born as an independent voice for teenagers. In those 25 years, founder and publisher Donna Myerow has built an impressive non-profit with five “grown-ups” on staff and dozens of teen journalists from all over Los Angeles County who churn out stories on often taboo subjects in school newspapers, such as teen pregnancy, drug use and sexuality to insightful coverage of budget cuts, foster care and the effects of poverty on young people—all written from the voice of those teenagers who are often shut out of the conversation.
Thousands of students and teachers have had the benefit of L.A. Youth’s reach in both its print publication and its online version. The hundreds of young people who have gathered on Saturday afternoons at L.A. Youth’s offices on West Third Street east of The Grove have been forever changed by their experiences.
But with a severe economic recession in recent years and major upheaval in the newspaper industry, L.A. Youth is in a do or die battle to survive. The newspaper has until May 15th to raise $500,000 or it will go dark with the end of the school year. As L.A. Youth notes, this comes at a time when school budgets are being chopped and high school publications have disappeared in many schools.
L.A. Youth is asking for help in the form of donations to keep the presses rolling and the website operational. Please visit the L.A. Youth website to see why you should donate and how to do it.
You can read more about L.A. Youth in a recent LA Times article.
