May 14, 2020

C e l e b r a t i n g 2 6 Ye a r s o f Service in Inglewood, Airport area Communities

City of Champions Your Community Connection Since 1994

EYE ON THE CITY Rams

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May 14-20 , 2020

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& Lakers “Inglewood Basketball Coach” See Page 5

VOL. 35, No. 20

COVID-19 Stay at Home Order Extended

Mayor James T. Butts Jr.

By Kenneth Miller, Publisher

People who had anticipated that this would be the week that things would ease back to a sense of normalcy were dealt with some more disappointing news

when the Los Angeles County extended the stay at home order until possibly July as the COVID-19 pandemic continues its assault on our lives and ecosystem.

Public Health Director Barbara

remain in place through the summer, restrictions will be “gradually relaxed” under a five-step plan.

“We are being guided by science and data that will safely move us forward along the road to recovery in a measured way—one that allows us to ensure that effective distancing and infection control measures are in place,” Ferrer said, insisting that the orders will only relax if the public remains steadfast in compliance.

For the City of Inglewood, that means that Inglewood’s State of Emergency Order will remain in force. City Hall will only continue to accept meetings by appointment only.

Inglewood has 432-recorded cases of COVID-19 with 41 deaths, most of the fatalities have occurred at senior nursing home facilities.

Mayor James T. Butts Jr. also stated that City employees will soon be scheduled for the COVID-19 testing destination at the Forum in Inglewood Ferrer acknowledged during a Board of and those employees that test negative Supervisors meeting on May 12 that the will be allowed back to work when the order will last for another three months city opens for business. “with all certainty.”

Continued on page 3 Ferrer added that even if the orders

Essential or Non-Essential is the Question Businesses struggle with the distinction

By Kenneth Miller, Publisher

As the COVID19 pandemic regulations shifts into another phase with more businesses allowed to open their doors for business, many will still be shut out and among those are beauty supply stores.

However, there has been one such business, Sol Beauty in Inglewood that has managed to make itself essential during the most critical stages of the economy, possibly saving its business while many other minority businesses will be shuttered for good.

Sol Beauty specializes in products such as hair, wigs, clippers, natural oils, organic soaps and since COVID19 facemasks.

That’s right, facemasks! Try to find a business that doesn’t offer face masks among their many other products and they are probably closed for business.

How Sol beauty thrust itself into the essential business conversation was

they had obtained facemasks during the height of the pandemic when even our frontline medial professionals could not obtain them.

Briana Foster discovered Sol Beauty on NBC News, shortly after Inglewood Today published a story about them selling masks.

Her daughter works in the medial profession and is considered one of our frontline sheroes. However because of the limited supply of facemasks at hospitals, her daughter was vulnerable to COVID19.

Foster made her way to Sol Beauty in Inglewood where she was able to purchase a mask for her daughter, thus allowing for her daughter to continue to save lives, including her own.

“I was able to purchase a mask because I saw it on the news,” she explained to Inglewood Today. “And I also bought another mask for another nurse that did not have one.”

She continued: “It would be devastating if Sol Beauty is not able to stay open. This is what really saved the nurses lives.”

Sol Beauty has managed to remain open, but as stages of reopening the state has begun, Los Angeles County has ramped up its investigations into business that it deems non-essential and the supply store could be a target.

Recently Public Health Department evaluated over 400 businesses and only 25 percent were practicing the social distancing guidelines, according to a report.

Sol Beauty goes beyond the guidelines in practicing social distancing and wearing the mandated facial

Buppie is Back! See Page 6

covering.

Meanwhile, in New York, 80 percent of the people cited for not following social distancing guidelines were African Americans and Latinos.

There are a number of beauty supply stores doing business in Inglewood, but among the fraternity Sol Beauty is the newest and African American owned.

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Page 2

May 14-20 , 2020

Inglewood Game Changer – Highlighting One for All IT News Wire

For 18 years, One for All has been donating school supplies and providing scholarships to children and teenagers in Inglewood. Now, it’s the One for All kids who are giving back.

To show support for essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, One for All founder, Mari Morales Rodriguez has organized children throughout Inglewood to make signs for men and women caring for patients, teaching students remotely, and performing critical services like delivering mail and picking up trash.

The signs are displayed in windows, outside homes and on social media.

“What we have been doing to keep the kids busy is that I asked the parents to ask their kids to make signs giving everyone who is working thanks, and then the kids have been making signs,” Rodriguez said.

As an added incentive to make and post the decorative signs, families who participate are eligible for a meal from a local restaurant, courtesy of One for All. The meals help the families and small businesses alike.

“They are families in need and we have been sending food to their homes,” Rodriguez said.

One for All was founded by Rodriguez to help guide students away from gang activity by focusing

PRESIDENT/ EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Willie Brown PUBLISHER Kenneth Miller VICE PRESIDENT Gloria Kennedy

on academics and higher education.

The first events hosted by One for All were held at a church at 67th Street and West Boulevard in Inglewood. When that church was torn down, Rodriguez moved the events to her own street.

“I was just asking the City to give me permission to close the street and that’s where I had activities for the kids but it grew so big that it was time to move somewhere else and that’s when I went to St. John’s,” she said. For the past six years, One for All has been using the church’s parking lot and community room for its regular events.

Today the group works with 500 students between the ages of 5 and 17 and is expected to move into new offices in fall 2021. For her work and charitable spirit, Rodriguez has been recognized with the She has received the Woman of Distinction Award, The Shero Award, and The Woman of the Year Award in 2015 by Assemblywoman Autumn R. Burke.

Throughout the Los Angeles area, the organization donates school supplies to children and scholarships every August. In 2019, the organization gave out 30 scholarships to students entering college. Every December, One for All hosts a second event to provide toys, scholarships and Christmas cookies to children, along with a visit from Santa Claus. Outside of the organization’s two big events, One for All hosts academic

workshops, exercise classes, food drives and fun activities like taking kids to LA Clippers’ games.

“In the area where I live, I saw the need of having a non-profit. That way we could help the kids in the community,” Rodriguez said. “I saw young kids going in the wrong direction, meaning becoming gang members, and I thought that it was needed to put together a group to keep them busy.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended innumerable aspects of life, including high school graduations. To recognize the hard work and sacrifice of Inglewood’s graduating seniors, One for All is planning to post photos of graduates on Facebook and Instagram and encourage community members to post words of encouragement.

Rodriguez is also organizing an event in front of Inglewood High School where students will hold signs spelling out “Grads 2020” and the community will be invited to drive by and honk in support of the students who will not be able to have a graduation ceremony.

Though she works full-time in the

private sector, donating her time and energy to One for All is Rodriguez’s way of giving back a community she has called home since 1975.

“I love Inglewood and I feel that I can

give part of what I have received from Inglewood. I can give to the community by helping the kids and I love helping the students because to me, it is a reward when I see the kids happy and going in the right direction,” Rodriguez said. “I love being involved with the students and with the community.”

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Page 3

May 14-20 , 2020

EYE ON THE CITY GEORGE DOTSON

ALEX PADILLA

JAMES BUTTS

ELOY MORALES

RALPH FRANKLIN

AROUND THE CITY

Rams new uniforms revealed

IT New Wire

As the Los Angeles Rams prepare to open SoFi Stadium this fall, they usher in this next era with the launch of their new uniforms. The Rams are introducing three uniform combinations that draw inspiration from their history and their hometown of Los Angeles.

“SoFi Stadium is an iconic, transformative stadium that encouraged us to design uniforms as innovative as our new home,” said Los Angeles Rams COO Kevin Demoff. “Our new uniforms preserve the storied legacy of the Rams with the horns at the heart of the design, while introducing vibrant colors and groundbreaking materials. We are proud to unveil a modern look for our players

to wear as we begin this exciting new era for the Los Angeles Rams.”

Honoring the team’s legacy, the iconic ram’s horn remains the focal point of the new look. Reminiscent of the original 1948 “golden-horn helmet,” the first NFL helmet to feature an emblem, this new helmet features vibrant colors, a metallic finish, and an evolved horn shape. This modern take on the horns brings the horns forward into the next era of Rams football. This horn also appears on the team’s capped sleeves.

From design to color to fabrication, the Rams collaborated with Nike Global Identity Group and the National Football League.

The color uniform includes a monochromatic look of a vibrant, royal

blue, as well as a set featuring the royal jersey paired with a yellow pant. The lighter uniform introduces a first-of-itskind color called Bone, which reflects the color of an actual Rams horn and the beaches of Los Angeles.

Design highlights include a gradient on the royal jersey’s numbers and pant stripe to honor the horn’s color evolution over time from white to yellow, as well as a unique reflective application on the numbers and pant stripes of both the royal and bone uniforms. Both jerseys feature front patches, with a Rams wordmark logo on the royal jersey and threestacked Los Angeles Rams wordmark on the bone jersey. In addition, there is a back-neck tag showcasing the ‘L.A.’ monogram logo balanced with the rams

head logo inside the neckline.

The Rams will introduce the uniforms through unique, virtual experiences providing an opportunity for fans to engage with the new look. The Rams are unveiling their uniforms through a custom-created Snapchat augmented reality Lens, featuring the ability to trigger players into action. The AR uniform reveal is a first for any NFL team, and for Snapchat.In addition, the team has collaborated with EA Sports’ Madden NFL franchise to offer a sneak peek of the uniforms in action. The uniforms will come to life through ingame renders of Rams players showing off the new look. Fans also will see the uniforms highlighted at SoFi Stadium through interactive content on Instagram.

Timed to the launch, the Rams are surprising more than 5,000 members of the Los Angeles community with new Rams “LA Together” t-shirts, which feature elements of the new jerseys, as a thank you for their dedication to the community.

The Rams gifted first responders and healthcare workers from CedarsSinai, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Fire Department as well as students from Los Angeles Unified School District. Additionally, the Rams are surprising each of the Watts Rams youth football players with sweatshirts inspired by the new jerseys.

Continued from page 1: COVID-19...

City Council Dons Face Masks, Socially Separates and Conducts Business as Usual

By Francis Taylor, Sr. Writer

In empty city council chambers, the mayor and city council members donned masks and seated themselves a safe distance from their colleagues to conduct the city’s business on Tuesday. The meeting was a short one with a minimal agenda and no public comments that would have been permitted by telephone call in only.

A staff report recommended that the council approve, authorize and execute a Billboard Lease and Development Agreement with WOW Media, Inc. The council set a public hearing to consider the adoption of Categorical Exemption EA-CE-2020-36, and General Plan Amendment GPA 202001 to adopt an Environmental Justice Element of the General Plan and another public hearing to consider adoption of a Categorical Exemption EA-CE-2020-37, and General Plan Amendment GPA 2020-02 to amend

the Land Use Element of the Inglewood General Plan to clarify existing population density and building intensity allowances for all land use designations.

There were no remote public comments on any item on the agenda or any other matter and there were no reports from any city officials.

During the council member’s comments portion of the meeting, Member Padilla noted that it was National Police Week and he thanked the dedicated members of the Inglewood Police Department for the work they do day in and day out patrolling the streets of Inglewood and maintaining law and order. He asked Mayor Butts to adjourn this week’s city council meeting in celebration of National Police Week.

Mayor Butts adjourned the meeting in what was probably one of the shortest Inglewood City Council meetings in recent memory.

The city is anticipating the opening of the new $5 billion SoFi Stadium in September that host both the Rams and Chargers NFL teams. Construction of the site has continued.

On March 19th the State of California will implement a new modified stay at home order that will allow for additional business to open and offer curbside service.

Retailers and shopping malls can reopen for delivery or curbside pickup, along with the manufacturing and logistics sectors that support retail.

Retail does not include personal services such as beauty salons but does include the sale of goods, such as: Bookstores Jewelry stores Toy stores Clothing and shoe stores Home and furnishing stores Sporting goods stores Florists Offices (in all sectors, not only critical infrastructure) Limited Services, which do not generally require close customer contact, such as: pet grooming dog walking car washes appliance repair residential and janitorial cleaning plumbing

Outdoor Museums Dine-in restaurants Bars and nightclubs Entertainment venues Gyms and fitness studios Public events and gatherings Convention Centers Hair and nail salons Officials have warned the risk of COVID-19 infection is still real for all Californians and continues to be.

Other limited services and outdoor museums are also permitted to open.

Essential services that protect public health, public safety, and provide essential needs will remain open, such as: Gas stations Pharmacies Food: Grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, take-out and delivery restaurants Banks Laundromats/laundry services Essential state and local government functions will also remain open, including law enforcement and offices that provide government programs and services.

Businesses in a number of other sectors can now also open, with necessary modifications.

Individuals still must adhere to social distancing guidelines and wear face coverings at all times.

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May 14-20 , 2020

Area Communities S e r v i n g L a d e r a , H a w t h o r n e , W e s t c h e s t e r, L a w n d a l e , G a r d e n a , C a r s o n

California State Senator Steven Bradford Secures $25,000 Contribution from Phillips 66 and Participates in Food Giveaway

IT News Wire

Gardena, CA – State Senator Steven Bradford (35th District) helped secure a donation of $25,000 to the Gardena Carson Family YMCA through a grant from the Crisis Response Community Relief Project of Phillips 66. The check presentation occurred at the YMCA food giveaway today. Senator Bradford and over 20 volunteers handed out food and fresh produce to hundreds of residents while practicing safe social distancing.

The grant will support the YMCA’s following COVID-19 relief efforts: Farm Fresh Produce to low-income families and seniors, Grab-and-Go Food Programs, Blood Drive, Essential Supplies to low-income residents and Child Care for first responders.

“The $25,000 donation will support some of the most vulnerable members of our community and ensuring their welfare is extremely important to me,” said Senator Bradford. I am proud to have played a small role in recommending such a great organization.”

The donation is part of Phillips 66 commitment of $125,000 to several nonprofits in the Greater Los Angeles area.

“During this pandemic crisis, where challenges are widespread, Phillips 66 is proud to support our community

State Senator Steven Bradford

by helping those leading response efforts,” said Los Angeles Refinery General Manager Tim Seidel. “We have partnered with several outstanding local organizations that are providing necessary food and shelter to those in need in addition to critical medical supplies for health care facilities.”

Phillips 66 is a diversified energy

manufacturing and logistics company with over 14,500 employees committed to safety and operating excellence.

They have been serving the needs of the motoring public since 1932 under the Phillips 66, 76 and Conoco brands.

For more than 130 years, the mission of the YMCA has been to strengthen our communities through programs focused

on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The Gardena Carson Family YMCA serves an area that encompasses 27 square miles serving the cities of Gardena, Carson, and the regions of the Harbor Gateway communities. This branch serves one of the most ethnically diverse areas in all of Southern California.

California Black Newspapers Win Hundreds of Thousands in Facebook Grants

By Quinci LeGardye | California Black Media

[Editors note: Inglewood Today was NOT among the member newspapers to receive a Facebook grant] Several Black-owned newspapers in California have received grants to help them weather the economic downturn the COVID-19 pandemic has caused.

Facebook announced May 7 that it is awarding nearly $10.3 million to 144 local newsrooms through the company’s COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Grant Program.

According to the Facebook Journalism Project, more than half of the recipients are publications operated by — and targeted to — communities of color, and the majority are independent or family-owned.

“We are honored to have been chosen to receive the Facebook Journalism Project COVID-19 program Grant,” Danny J. Bakewell, Sr., Executive Editor and CEO of The Los Angeles Sentinel, told California Black Media.

“We have been and remain committed to helping our community survive in these unprecedented challenging times, when all businesses and families are struggling, especially those within the African-American Community,”

Bakewell added.

The majority of the Black-owned California newsrooms that received over $300,000 in grants are located in Southern California around the greater Los Angeles area, including the L.A. Sentinel, the L.A. Focus Newspaper, the Los Angeles Wave and Independent News Paper Group and Black Voice News in Riverside.

The Oakland Post, a Black-owned paper in Northern California didn’t receive a grant but was delighted that so many Black media throughout the nation did.

“I am pleased to see that Facebook invested in African-American and other ethnic media,” said Paul Cobb, publisher of the Oakland Post. “I am however concerned that it was concentrated in Southern California and left a huge void with the rest of the Black community statewide. I hope this opens the door for more conversations to fund those who still need support.”

Lisa Collins, publisher of the L.A. Focus Newspaper, said the money is timely.

“I am thrilled [the Focus] was selected to receive this grant. This will help us continue to serve our community with timely and valuable news and

information on COVID-19 and better inform our community,” said Collins.

Paulette Brown-Hinds, founder of Voice Media Ventures and publisher of Black Voice News, has big plans for the grant money.

“This Facebook grant will allow our team to build on our current reporting on the economic impact of COVID 19 on our community, as well as expand our expertise in data journalism and data visualization and mapping.”

“As a community focused media entity, we look forward to continuing to be a resource not simply contributing to community thought and understanding, but to community engagement and action.”

The grant recipients were chosen from a pool of more than 2,000 applicants by the Facebook Journalism Project and its partners: The Local Media Association and the Lenfest Institute for Journalism. The grants range from $25,000 to $100,000 to help publishers serve their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re proud to support this diverse group of publishers — many of which are family or independently owned, said Campbell Brown, VP of global news partnerships at Facebook.

“Not only are these journalists working tirelessly to serve people right now — they’re focused on transformation, building innovative local news businesses that can continue to serve communities beyond the current pandemic.”

In addition, to the COVID-19 relief grants, Facebook also awarded $5.4 million in grants to North American newsrooms that have participated in Facebook’s Local News Accelerator programs.

Report for America, a nonprofit that embeds early-career journalists in newsrooms, received $2.5 million to help its 2020 cohort, 225 journalists, who will be placed in 160 local news organizations.

Bakewell says he appreciates the support the grant has provided. It places his publication in a stronger position to provide vital information to people in his community whose lives the pandemic has disrupted.

“This grant will help us to continue our mission of informing our community of the resources available to help navigate through this pandemic so that we can all come through this together — safe, healthy with our dignity intact,” he said.

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May 14-20 , 2020

Sports & Entertainment It’s Bray Day at Inglewood High School Omar Bray named boys basketball coach

By Kenneth Miller, Publisher

Omar Bray

It has been close to a decade since Inglewood High School boys basketball program played for a CIF-Southern Section championship and years since the Sentinels have been prominent players in the South Bay. Amid the cloud and chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, Inglewood made a major hire that could be responsible to returning the Sentinels to hoop prominence.

Inglewood will turn the basketball the head coaching reigns over to long time AAU power coordinator and veteran collegiate and professional assistant coach Omar Bray.

The Sentinels saw first hand what a home run hire can do when it reeled in Milvon James for the football program last year when Inglewood was one game away from competing for a CIF title.

Rep. Waters Statement on the Death of Andre Harrell of Andre Harrell.

Andre and I were just on the phone a few days ago discussing he an P. Diddy’s ‘Vote or Die’ initiative, which they were planning to relaunch in order to galvanize young people and African Americans in the upcoming presidential election. While ‘Vote or Die’ is not a new program, Andre asked me to evaluate their 2020 proposal. He and I spoke for over an hour and discussed our observations about current events and the stakes for Andre Harrell people of color and vulnerable communities in 2020. He Inglewood Today News was passionate, upbeat, and focused on Congresswoman Maxine Waters doing everything in his power to ensure (CA-43) issued a statement on the that the African American community’s death of music industry executive and voice and power were realized in the icon, Andre Harrell: Continued on page 7 “I’m in a state of shock over the death

Bray, who played at Cal State Los Angeles and in Pro Am Leagues for years, has never been a high school head coach, but during 16 years of coaching and mentoring in the sport he did not find it necessary to apply for coaching jobs.

All that changed with his two sons Malik and Malcolm left home for college a few years ago.

“I didn’t really have the time,” he explained to Inglewood Today. Malik is now a promising college assistant coach and Malcolm is starring in college.

The Inglewood job was intriguing to Bray on a number of levels.

“I remember the history of Inglewood basketball, not just at the high school but at Rogers and Darby Park as well.”

For Bray becoming the coach at Inglewood, which last played for a CIF title in 2012, is a responsibly that he cherishes.

He remembers the glory years of 1980 when Vince Combs led the Sentinels to an unprecedented 30-0 championship season.

Bray knows all too well the rich tradition of Inglewood basketball that produced such players as Paul Pierce,

Reggie Theus, Harold Miner, DeAngelo Collins, Jason Crowe, Noel Felix, USC assistant coach Jason Hart, Jay Humphries and Ralph Jackson to name a few.

He already has plans to honor some of the former greats when and if the Sentinels play a basketball season in the fall.

The task for Bray and the Sentinels will not be easy. Rival Morningside is fresh off sweeping the Sentinels last season and qualifying for the playoffs.

However, in Bray, Inglewood will have a seasoned basketball coach who came highly qualified and recommended by many prominent coaches and former players, including NBA Hall of Famer Marques Johnson.

There is no question that he knows basketball, but the key ingredient to the Omar Bray hire is the abundance of character that he brings to the table and the tremendous respect that he has garnered from the parents of players he’s coached.

It’s safe to say now that Inglewood boys basketball program is on the right path to success both on and off the basketball court.

As COVID-19 Hits the Black Community Hard, Atlanta Filmmaker Sends Out a Cinematic Warning Shot It News Wire

After this coronavirus pandemic, life may never get back to normal.

And that’s precisely the message Atlanta-based filmmaker Bobby Huntley is trying to make with his “cinematic PSA,” CORONAMAN: STAY HOME, a parody, inspired

by Jordan Peele and Nia DaCosta’s remake of CANDYMAN that went vial.

CORONAMAN: STAY HOME cleverly re-imagines the trailer of the horror flick – frame by frame -- and shows the consequences of not taking social distancing and the quarantine seriously.

Huntley shot the PSA in less than 14 hours in Atlanta, while practicing social distancing and taking other safety precautions mandated.

In Huntley’s cinematic PSA, starring, Diezie Sahn, the boogey man is the coronavirus, and he warns if you don’t keep yourself safe during the

Bobby Huntley

quarantine, the consequence is death.

Even the opening credits offer a gentle reminder to “take yo ass home.”

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is one of the first to lift stay-at-home restrictions, drawing criticism from around the country, including mayors within the state, like Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Continued on page 7

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May 14-20 , 2020

BUPPIE | BUSINESS Black Barbers, Beauty Professionals Push Gov. Newsom to Reopen Their Shops

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Business

Two weeks ago, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp drew sharp criticisms from African Americans across the country.

Black politicians, social media commenters, and others blasted the governor, saying his decision to lift his state’s month-long stay-at-home order by first opening businesses like barbershops, nail salons, sneaker stores, tattoo parlors, gyms, and bowling alleys put the lives of Blacks at risk. Those are businesses African Americans frequent, his critics pointed out.

But unlike Georgia, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said businesses like barbershops, beauty shops, and nail

salons will not be allowed to begin servicing their customers again until the third phase of the Golden State’s reopening plan.

“Phase three is not a year away. It’s not six months away. It’s not even three months away. It may not even be more than a month away,” Newsom said at his daily press conference Friday.

“We just want to make sure we have a protocol in place to secure customer safety, employee safety, and allow the businesses to thrive in a way that is sustainable.”

On May 8, California started the second in a four-stage process of reopening business and public spaces shut down during the COVID-19 crisis on a category-by-category basis.

Businesses in industries such as retail, manufacturing, logistics, and others that fit certain safety requirements opened Friday, still maintaining recommendations for wearing masks and gloves, and maintain a social distance of six feet between people.

Now, smaller businesses like salons and barbershops that require closer contact between people — and that have been hit hard in the pocket by coronavirus-related shutdowns — are calling on the California governor, state legislature and other politicians to allow them to return to work.

The Black Small Business Association

of California (BSBA) wrote letters to Sacramento Mayor Darryl Steinberg and Gov. Gavin Newsom urging them to consider allowing barbers and cosmetologists to safely resume their business.

“While we understand the need to prioritize public health and safety during this unprecedented crisis, the economic devastation of this moment cannot be overstated,” the letter read. “This loss of income is compounded by the limits of California’s safety-net services and has left too many barbers and cosmetologists without assistance during this difficult time.”

The BSBA claimed that many of the protections federal and state officials promised to small businesses did not reach barbers and cosmetologists.

“For example, many of these individuals have applied for Unemployment Insurance, but were denied,” the letter read. “Others applied for the federal Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans through the Small Business Administration and were denied access to these funds as well. In addition, few if any have received access to information about local emergency funding options when these funds have been made available.”

In addition to those letters, the BSBA, along with the Mixed Cosmetology

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Continued from page 5: As COVID-19...

Bottoms.

In fact, in the midst of Georgia’s early re-opening efforts on April 24, 2020 officials reported more than 1,000 deaths related to coronavirus the SAME day! With legislators at odds with reopening cities, clearly Huntley is on the side of Team Keisha Lance Bottoms, the highest-ranking governmental official of a predominately Black city.

With African Americans dying at a disproportionate rate from COVID-19, Huntley wanted to use his art to make a political statement in an entertaining, but poignant way.

“With CORONAMAN: STAY HOME, I wanted to amplify the call of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ to stay safe and sound,” said Huntley.

“During this pandemic, we need to choose safety over our own personal comfort.”

COMING UP! For Huntley, CORONAMAN: STAY HOME was a creative detour from his “day job,” as a director for his latest

film, titled CONNECT. Set in Atlanta, the film revolves around a 24-year-old Black man, named Vincent, struggling to live a normal life, but discovers he has a supernatural gift, which he deems a curse. But when a senseless death of another young, Black teen hits the community hard, Vincent may be forced to tap into this secret gift in order to help a grieving mother, much to the chagrin of family members who object to it. CONNECT stars fresh-face actors Bryan Earl and Ashley John.

According to Huntley, the film is an exploration of a classic reluctant hero who is marred by emotional, mental, and psychological limitations that stems from trauma.

Taking a lead from Hollywood, with only two days of production remaining, Huntley shut down production of CONNECT for the safety of his cast and crew. Shot in Atlanta, Huntley hopes to wrap up production in the coming months in time for the film festival circuit.

School, several barbers and cosmetologists wrote safety guidelines to serve as a model for how these specific businesses could begin reopening sooner rather than later.

Those guidelines include the implementation of personal protective gear, mandatory temperature checks, symptom questionnaires, and extensive disinfection.

Robert Brown, a barber at Another Look Hair Salon in Sacramento, highlighted some of the unique issues facing barbers and beauticians during the pandemic.

“Many African American owned salons didn’t qualify for the PPP loan because we rent booths to our stylists and barbers,” Brown said. “We didn’t have the payroll numbers to give banks to qualify.”

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a federal government stimulus loan program under the CARES act that provides cash to small businesses to cover payroll. The federal government forgives the loan if 75% of it is used to keep employees hired.

California joins several other states in reopening businesses after months of closures in the midst of this pandemic.

But due to the size of the state, Gov. Newsom says, the reopening process Continued on page 7

NEWSLETTER OR SCAN THIS CODE

Continued from page 5: Rep Waters...

upcoming election.

“Those of us who knew Andre Harrell understand that this is exactly who he was and what he stood for. He was a brilliant and highly respected visionary, whose leadership and unique ability to identify and cultivate talent was unparalleled. He is unrivaled in his contributions to the music industry and the world of entertainment. The careers of countless artists and music legends, including Mary J. Blige, Heavy D and the Boyz, and Teddy Riley, were launched by Andre Harrell. He is credited with having the foresight to hire and mentor music mogul and icon, P. Diddy. He served as chief executive officer of Motown, was president of Bad Boy Records, was vice chairman of Revolt TV, and founded his own highly successful label, Uptown Records.

Many entertainers and corporations sought his counsel, and he was always accessible to elected officials and civil rights leaders. He joined me in Washington for my annual CBCF

“Life is messy but when we get through the mess we find out who we really are..”

Financial Wealth Building Series in 2017 where I organized a panel featuring P. Diddy, Andre Harrell, and the executives of Combs Enterprises to discuss the economic impact of hip hop.

“There are few individuals who fully embody the undeniable impact of our community on music, entertainment, the arts, and the global economy. Andre Harrell is one of them. I am so grateful to have known him, and I thank him for so willingly sharing his talent and creative genius with the world. It is hard to believe or understand that Andre is no longer with us, and I extend my deepest sympathies to his son, Gianni Credle-Harrell, his family, friends, and colleagues. The magnitude of Andre Harrell’s genuine commitment to the concerns of the African American community cannot be overstated. In honor of his legacy, let us all strengthen our involvement and participation in the 2020 election.”

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May 14-20 , 2020

Classified

have someone put together a list of questions that have to be answered by has been based on the needs of different the doctors so if you’re there by yourself, counties. your issues and concerns aren’t being Kathryn Barger, a member of the Los overlooked,” Thompson-Robinson said.

Angeles County Board of Supervisors, detailed how Los Angeles County will cooperate with the governor’s reopening The City Council of the City of Inglewood, California, will hold a public hearing on May 26, 2020 at the hour of 2:00 p.m., to consider plan. the following: “[Los Angeles] County is in 1.A public hearing to consider General Plan Amendment 2020-01 2020-001) to adopt an Environmental Justice Element to the conversations with our state partners (GPA General Plan. of Exemption (EA-CE-2020-036) has been prepared stating and wants to ensure any restrictions we AthatNotice the proposed project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a copy of which is available for public review in ease are in the best interest of the health the Planning Division office, fourth floor of City Hall. An electronic of all of our residents,” Barger said. copy can be obtained by emailing fljackson@cityofinglewood.org.

2.A public hearing to reconsider General Plan Amendment 2020“What’s best for other counties may 002 (GPA 2020-002) to amend the Land Use Element of the City of General Plan to clarify existing population density and not necessarily be right for Los Angeles Inglewood building intensity allowances for all land use designations.

County as we are the most densely A Notice of Exemption (EA-CE-2020-037) has been prepared stating that the proposed project is exempt from the California Environmental populated county in the state, our Quality Act (CEQA), a copy of which is available for public review in the Planning Division office, fourth floor of City Hall. An electronic guidelines will certainly look different copy can be obtained by emailing fljackson@cityofinglewood.org.

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN REGARDING PUBLIC than others.”

PARTICIPATION that Pursuant to Executive Order N-29-20 and the current health concerns, members of the public can access Dave Charles Presley Jr., a Rialto given this meeting and make public comments in the following ways: Viewing and Listening to Meeting: Live on-line, with audio and resident, and barber for 28 years had limited video, at https://www.facebook.com/cityofinglewood/ to move out of his apartment due to Viewing and Listening to Meeting: On Spectrum Cable Local 35 with audio and limited video. Please check with your all of the revenue he has lost since the Channel cable provider for details.

Written Public Comments: Should you choose to submit comments COVID-19 pandemic began. electronically for consideration by the Inglewood City Council/ “It’s been an absolute nightmare,” Successor Agency/Housing Authority/Finance Authority/Parking Authority/Joint Powers Authority (Legislative Body) by sending Presley said. “I’m looking at all of these them to the City Clerk/Secretary at yhorton@cityofinglewood. and Deputy City Clerk at aphillips@cityofinglewood.org. To politicians with these fresh haircuts, yet org, ensure distribution to the members of the Legislative Body prior to of the agenda, please submit comments prior to 12:00 our businesses are suffering. I know they consideration P.M. the day of the meeting, and in the body of the email, please identify the agenda number or subject matter. Those comments, as didn’t cut that themselves.” well as any comments received after 12:00 P.M., will be distributed Presley also claims that he has to the members of the Legislative Body and will be made part of the public record of the meeting. Contact the Office of the City waited for over a month to receive the official Clerk at 310-412-5280 with any questions. to Meeting and Oral Public Comments: Members of the unemployment benefits that he applied Listening public can participate in the meeting telephonically by dialing 1-877for after the governor issued his stay-at- 369-5230 or 1-617-668-3632 (Access Code 0266586##).

This notice is given by the order of the City Council of the City of home order.

Inglewood and is dated this 14th day of May 2020.

Horton, City Clerk Lorenzo Griffin, CEO of Laran Yvonne City of Inglewood, California you will require special accommodations due to a disability, please Products, has been trying to help barbers Ifcontact the City Clerk’s Office at (310) 412-5280 or FAX (310) 412like Presley as Laran Products only sells 5333, One Manchester Boulevard, 1st Floor, Inglewood, California 90301. All requests for accommodations must be received 48 hours their merchandise directly to salons and prior to the day of the hearing.

Pursuant to Government Code section 65009, if you challenge the barbershops. proposed general plan amendments in court, you may be limited to only those issues you or someone else raised at the public “The beauty industry, the barbershops, raising hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence and the beauty salons is the second- delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing.

In the event that the City Council meeting of May 26, 2020 is not largest social institution in Black held, or is concluded prior to this public hearing agenda item being considered, the public hearing will automatically be continued to the America, second only to the church,” next regularly scheduled City Council meeting. no entiende esta noticia o si necesita mas informacion, favor de Griffin said. “It’s vital that we open but it “Si llamar a este numero (310) 412-5280.” is absolutely vital that we stay safe when we open.”

Some have expressed concern about Black people returning to certain jobs during this reopening process. Dr. Melva Thompson-Robinson, Executive Director of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Center for Health Disparities Research, spoke about the many challenges Black people have been facing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For the African American community, this has been something that has been centuries in the making in terms of the inequality and the racism that African Americans, in particular, have experienced,” Thompson-Robinson said. “As far as the African American community, they are often working in positions where they’d be considered essential workers. Not just as a doctor or nurse, but they are part of the janitorial staff or other essential staff.”

Thompson-Robinson also expressed her concern about the inherent racial bias in the medical community and explained how African Americans can combat that bias without coming across as hostile.

“You can advocate for yourself by having someone who can go with you, who can advocate on your behalf, or if you can’t have someone go with you, Continued from page 6: Black...

PUBLIC NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICES

PRESS RELEASE City of Inglewood – Recognizes a great incentive program engaged in by the City’s Waste Haul provider, Consolidated Disposal Services/Republic Services to help local businesses, their employees and customers during the pandemic

SUBJECT: Waste Hauler – “Committed to Serve” INGLEWOOD, CA, April 27, 2020, Mayor, James T. Butts, Jr. is pleased to announce a community initiative launched by the City’s waste hauler, Consolidated Disposal Service/Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG).

The “Committed to Serve” initiative is designed to help its employees, customers and communities across the United States during this time of crisis. The Company has committed $20 million to support frontline employees and their families, as well as small businesses that are the economic engines of local communities.

The program will last for two months. Key elements are: 1) a weekly meal for all frontline employees, a weekly dinner for frontline employees and their families, and; 2) bi-weekly $100 gift cards to all frontline employees (totaling $400 per employee over 2 months). All meals will be purchased from local small businesses to help support the Company’s business customers and to generate local taxes for the community.

Finally, Republic Services will donate $3 million to the Republic Services Charitable Foundation to fund our longterm nonprofit partners that operate locally and serve local communities and small businesses. To date, they have used several local Inglewood restaurants and will continue to do so in the future.

“This initiative is targeted economic stimulus at the local level, designed to benefit small business customers as well as local employees, their employers and our region.”; says Mayor Butts. CDS/Republic Services has a stable, predictable and resilient business model, and through prudent planning and hard work they are wellpositioned to manage through this crisis. The City has a valuable partnership with this company and applauds their innovative efforts.

The Company is taking enhanced measures to help ensure the well-being of its employees by closely following guidance from the CDC, and state and local public health agencies. The Company is also continuing to work closely with public health experts and other advisors and will continue to adhere to OSHA guidelines regarding the safe handling of waste and recycling.

For more information, contact - Ms. Dawn Harris-Benton @ dharris@Republic Services.com or 310.628.2115.

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May 14-20 , 2020