L.A. Focus Newspaper September 2023

Hollywood Buzz: SHakeup on Real Housewives of Atlanta

4 From The Editor

“Up You Might People”

Commentary

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News Briefs On the Money

On Supreme Gifting

Halle Berry to Pay Child Support for the Second Time; Tiffany Haddish to Produce Homeless Dating Series; Jamie Foxx to Play God in Upcoming Movie

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Sarah Jakes-Roberts

Pastor Profile

George Hurtt

In Good Taste

Monique Kilgore

Saving Grace

60th Anniversary of March on Washington Sparks Contrasting Views on King’s Dream

Cover

Story

Navigating Black Power in L.A. Politics Headlines From Africa 8 HeadToHead 13 10 Special Report Governor Newsom Announces New Round of Efforts to Combat Hate 9

“No-Poaching” Decision Against McDonald’s Viewed as Victory for Worker’s Rights

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John David Washington

Red Carpet Style

ESPYS Awards

Eye On Gospel

The Breakout Success of Zacardi Cortez; Kirk Franklin Wants Everyone to Try Love New Project to Recover Names of Up to 10 Million US Slaves Before 1870 and Locate Living

Church News

J. Edgar Boyd to Retire as Pastor of First AME Church, WHW Conference Kicks Off October 2; WHW 2023 Set for October 2-6; George Hurtt to be honored with Preacher’s Cup Award

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Beyonce's Renaissance Tour made stops in Los Angeles on September 1, 2 and 4 to starstudded crowds at SOFI sta dium. The record-breaking tour–projected by Forbes to gross more than $2 billion by the time it ends in October–is the highest grossing tour by a Black artist.

(Left) California Secretary of State Shirley Weber speaking at the Ethnic Media Awards; •L.A. Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Mayor Karen Bass pose with a youth group at the opening of new permanent supportive housing developments in Hyde Park • Pastor Warryn Campbell performs with his group, The Soul Seekers, at the Carson Family Fest • Mayor Pro Tem Jawane Hilton poses with Erica Campbell and mother-in-law Sandra Campbell at the Family Festival

Mark Ridley-Thomas Dared to Lead Us”

Since I was four years old, I have witnessed and resisted racism. Now at the age of 95 (in just a few weeks), I have observed many disturbing events, but I am particularly perturbed by the sentencing of Dr. Mark Ridley-Thomas.

It is the cruelest of the ironies of history that Dr. Ridley-Thomas was sentenced for felony convictions stemming from efforts to empower African American voters on August 28th, the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington.

This unique case has been waged against the legacy of leadership produced by the African American community, the benefits of which are not limited to Black people. In other words, this case is the by-product of a racist power structure designed to crush the transformative leadership Mark Ridley-Thomas embodies and we share.

The United States vs Mark Ridley-Thomas is not a typical bribery case. Mark Ridley-Thomas received no monetary benefits from an exchange of something of value for something of value. His son received no monetary benefits. There was no exchange of money, no embezzlement, no lavish trips or gifts. The only thing involved was just one unanimously passed contract amendment to help mental health patients.

The case against Mark Ridley-Thomas lacks merit. It’s more persecution than prosecution. More abuse of power by the USAO aimed at communities of color and compounding its mass incarceration strategy.

As a matter of fact, the donation to the non-profit that was the basis for his conviction was determined to be legal. Yes, it originated from the Mark Ridley-Thomas Committee for a Better Los Angeles, a ballot committee he lawfully controlled. It was the same entity that funded the polling and research that led to the 2017 L.A. County voter-approved quarter cent sales tax to fund the fight against housing insecurity and the increase in homeless services.

The jury found Mark Ridley-Thomas not guilty on 12 of 19 counts pressed by Federal prosecutors – 63%. He was acquitted on the performance of acts related to his son’s admission, tuition and non-tenure professorship. But the government exaggerates the scale of corruption to propagate prosecutors’ ever-shifting, misleading and frequently false narrative. This is how the abuse of power and racism work hand in hand.

The Mark Ridley-Thomas we all know is an exceptionally well prepared servant leader–like him personally or not. No one familiar with his herculean efforts to empower Black people and other marginalized people can credibly refute this fact. His work ethic is unmatched. His academic credentials set him apart most others.

As founder of the African American Voter Registration, Education and Participation Project (AAVREP), he worked overtime to ensure that over 200,000 voters in Los Angeles County were registered since its founding in 2002. There was simply no other comparable, sustained effort to harness the Black vote at a time of declining demographic presence. Mark Ridley-Thomas refused to permit Black voters to be ignored, forgotten or dismissed. The martyrs of Mississippi’s Freedom Summer, the Edmund Pettus Bridge and Selma are testimony to the importance of the right to vote.

Mark Ridley-Thomas registered us to vote and mobilized turn out to ensure that we knew Black lives matter and Black votes count.

No one familiar with Mark Ridley-Thomas can dispute his commitment to facilitating the organization of his constituents to effectively make known their views through the Empowerment Congress. Its mission – “to educate, engage and empower” – has been a presence in the South L.A. community for over thirty years. Its annual summits have attracted thousands of civic leaders, neighborhood activists, elected officials, entrepreneurs, service providers and philanthropists in observance of the MLK

From the Editor

“Up You Mighty People ”

The tragedy in life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is certainly a calamity not to dream”–Benjamin E.

Mays

For about three years earlier in my career I did a column called “On the Money” that appeared in over 70 African American newspapers across the nation, keying in on the successes of African Americans. In the process I was able to profile some of the country’s leading black entrepreneurs and business leaders as well as some of the nation’s most powerful political leaders. I have since come to believe that Blacks–who can and have overcome just about anything–in their quest for success are just about the most resourceful group of people with some of the most extraordinary achievements.

Telling their stories was a reminder of that is possible in the face of that which often seems totally out of reach. Many of them had been systematically excluded. A lot of them didn’t even go to college, yet alone the right one. Most, however, adhered to a strict hard work ethic. They were prepared. They knew as much as they could about what they were pursuing and most importantly, they worked hard and made sacrifices. And all of them overcame the odds.

Empowerment is not only key to survival but is essential to success. There is power in numbers and in coalescing with others in the attainment of a common goal. During my tenure as the gospel columnist for Billboard Magazine, two friends and I formed a powerful coalition. One, Vicki Mack Lataillade went on to form GospoCentric Records and forge the most successful string of hits the gospel industry has ever seen with artists like Kirk Franklin, Kurt Carr and Byron Cage. The other, Teresa Hairston, went on to establish Gospel Today Magazine, and in addition to having one of the

most influential roles in gospel, I went on to found (well, you know)–L.A. Focus Newspaper.

But it was during the early years of Gospel Today that a powerful,rich White businessman decided that Teresa had a good idea in “Gospel Today”, and he was going to put her out of business as he forged what he called a publication of greater quality (I’m putting it nicely) aimed at the same consumer demographic.

When we got wind of what he was trying to do, we decided that we weren’t going to let it happen and called all the gospel record labels and artists and apprise them of our stance. One of my first calls was to the Winans who were set to be featured in the first issue.

I’ll never forget Marvin Winans calling me up–with the publisher on the other line –and stating that he wanted to say for the record (with me as his witness) that the no Winans family member would ever be appearing in the magazine, and that the Winans were withdrawing their consent to be on the front cover of the first issue.

Needless to say, the venture–though fully financed–never got off the ground.

Now, to be honest, we banded together just as much for ourselves as for our friend. One, because we wanted to support each other and build a resource base we would be able to tap into when we needed. Two, because if we allowed that to happen to one of us, it could possibly happen to each of us, so–in essence–we were just as surely saving ourselves.

In fact, the beauty of the collective empowerment of the Black community en masse is that it is the very key to our survival. The same principle applies with political empowerment and economic empowerment about which, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “We don't have to argue with anybody. We don't have to curse. We don't need any bricks and bottles. We don't need any Molotov cocktails. We just need to go around to these

REV. JAMES M. LAWSON, JR Guest Columnist

holiday. The summits en courage social activism and urge participants to take stock of the progress we have made as a society to redeem the Dream’s “promissory note” of social equity and genuine equality for all of God’s children.

This perspective gives rise to a political legacy and tradition of inclusive coalition building, civil and human rights advocacy, gender equity and multi-racial solidarity. Dr. Ridley-Thomas supported candidates and created organiations that shared these values and a demonstrated commitment to broad-based empowerment. It is what some of us aspirationally call the “beloved community.”

As an unapologetic advocate of political empowerment, Mark Ridley-Thomas consciously cultivated his base of support within the African American community by encouraging civic engagement and faith-based outreach and mobilization, voter registration, dialogue, education and participation. With this base as a foundation, he accumulated authority and used his unique ability to identify, marshal and deploy the resources of the public sector to address socio-economic issues on favorable terms for his multi-racial and working class constituents. Given his record of achievement, who denies he used his intellect and power to benefit his constituents, regardless of race, gender or orientation?

As a servant leader following in the tradition of March on Washington organizers, the Mark Ridley-Thomas we know dared to lead for all of us.

Rev. James M. Lawson, Jr. is pastor emeritus of Holman UMC and was a leading theoretician and tactician of nonviolence within the Civil Rights Movement.

LISA COLLINS Publisher

stores, and to these massive industries in our country, and say, "God sent us by here, to say to you that you're not treating his chil dren right. And we've come by here to ask you to make the first item on your agenda fair treatment, where God's children are concerned. Now, if you are not prepared to do that, we do have an agenda that we must follow. And our agenda calls for withdrawing economic support from you."

In a city where African Americans comprise 9% of the population, Black elected officials have consistently been able to punch above their weight and maintain power in historically Black areas of the city that have become Hispanic enclaves because they have worked together. In our feature story–Navigation Black Power in L.A. Politics–beginning on page 10, L.A. County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell references the shared benefit that reaches every person when you have Black leaders who are not afraid to stand up to injustice and Black public servants that see how we are all connected. Black political power continues to become more inclusive and multi-generational.”

To that end, our singular and collective agendas must be empowering each other with our dollars, our words, our love and our talents, understanding that the real power lies in what we do together.

In the words of an old African proverbs, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together and in the words of Marcus Garvey–“Up you mighty race, accomplish what you will.”

Keep the faith.

“Dr.

UpFront

Controversy Shrouds Hiring of Dr. Anthony Culpepper as Southwest College President

At a tension-filled board meeting of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) on August 2, numerous speakers took to the podium, both physically and virtually, to voice their thoughts on the controversial decision to appoint Dr. Anthony Culpepper as president of Southwest College. The announcement of Dr. Culpepper's appointment, which had been made earlier that day, sparked debate and had become the focal point of an ongoing controversy surrounding the college's presidential selection process.

The majority of speakers expressed opposition to the decision, but stressed that their objections were not targeted at Dr. Culpepper or his qualifications as an administrator, but rather, on the perceived flaws in the selection process. Among them was Blanca Barajas, CalWorks Director at Southwest College and a former college alumnus, who criticized the board for its apparent disregard of the selection committee's input.

“As one of 11 LASC (L.A. Southwest College) colleagues serving on the recent presidential search and interview committee, I was dismayed to learn that a board that promotes and proclaims diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility has brazenly disregarded the unified voice of a selection committee.”

Echoing this sentiment, Angela Echeverri, president of the LACCD Academic Senate, questioned the board's authority to handpick a candidate, bypassing the search committee's role and engaging in what she perceived as unfair hiring practices.

“The board should not send a message

that the work of a search committee is meaningless and that the hiring process outcome is determined from the onset and that this whole process is a sham.”

Other speakers, including an SEIU Local Nine representative, urged the board to start the process over, adding that he didn’t understand “the point of having an interview process if at the end, the chancellor gets to pick who he wants to pick,” said the representative.”

Despite the widespread criticism, some advocated for Dr. Culpepper, including Dallas Fowler, a member of the L.A. Southwest College Foundation Board of Directors, who praised the progress made under his leadership.

“It has been a joy to get his reports and actually see work and progress on our campus. Unfortunately, a lot of the work that has been done by Dr. Culpepper was unfortunately overshadowed by this process. I know there's a lot of folks in this room there's a lot of emotions, but if you are not living south of Manchester, please consider the people who really live here.” Several board members, including Andra Hoffman, joined the critics, expressing

GERALD BELL Contributor

concern over the future implications of the recent events.

“This is a very dark day in the district,” Hoffman said. “I literally had hundreds of emails flooding my inbox, not only concerned about what happened with this particular process, but what will happen moving forward when we have to take a vote like this in public, as this doesn't bode well for anybody.”

However, LACCD Board Vice-President Nichelle Henderson defended the decision, crediting Dr. Culpepper for increased student enrollment and community involvement, and ultimately supporting his permanency in the role.

“I truly respect your decisions”, Henderson said, “but I am a member of this community that LA southwest college is in and as a member of that community, I've watched this college change over the years and not for the good – the continual decline in enrollment, constant turnover of presidents. Over the past year there has been a distinct increase in student enrollment and community involvement.

“I am voting in favor of having Dr. Culpepper continue on as the permanent president of this college because he is a reflection of my interests and the interests of those people in the community who are supporting him. And in my view, if you don't live in that community–faculty member or not–you have no right to dictate what happens to folks in a community based off of the sheer reason that this particular college was created. It wasn't created because folks cared about process. The process excluded them.”

In the end, a 6-2 vote finalized Dr. Cul-

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Councilmember Heather Hutt Moves to Ban Cashless Businesses in L.A.

The advent of digital technology has significantly spurred the growth of cashless businesses nationwide and in L.A. County. Fueled by the convenience and efficiency of online transactions, more enterprises are embracing cashless operations, marking a dynamic shift in the business landscape.

Cashless transactions, facilitated through digital wallets, credit cards, mobile payment applications, and online banking, offer quick, secure, and hasslefree payment options for vendors. Business owners who have gone cashless say that it increases safety and reduces theft because cashiers aren't handling bills.

However, there are millions of Americans who are unable to obtain bank accounts or have been denied access to credit, preventing them from being able to engage in consumer transactions unless they are able to pay for goods and services in cash and to that end Councilwoman Heather Hutt (CD-10) has introduced a motion to ban cashless retail businesses in Los Angeles.

“Cashless businesses create an economy in our City that is not inclusive and accessible for all people,” said Hutt. “There are many

Georgia Republicans Seek Action Against DA Fani Willis

District Attorney Fani Willis’ recent indictment of former President Donald Trump and 18 other defendantshas ignited a fierce debate over the intersection of politics and the judiciary.

State Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch, a prominent Republican figure, revealed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Senate GOP leaders are considering legislative hearings to examine whether Willis is exercising her authority for political gains. The move comes after her expansive racketeering indictment, which threatens to turn the 2024 presidential race on its head. Gooch emphasized that Senate Bill 92, which allows a state panel to investigate and remove prosecutors found to be acting improperly, could serve as a potent tool for Trump’s allies to scrutinize Willis’s utilization of public resources.

“She’s politicizing this,” Gooch asserted, and we want to make sure these people get a fair trial and a fair shake.”

The Republican initiatives represent a fraction of a broader effort by Trump’s allies to retaliate against Willis and other high-profile prosecutors handling Trump’s ongoing criminal cases. The twice-impeached and four-time indicted Trump faces 91 felony charges across four jurisdictions.

Harris-Dawson Debuts Two New Hyde Park Housing Developments

D.T. CARSON Contributor

unbanked groups, including BIPOC and low income communities, that rely on cash to pay for goods and services.”

Not accepting cash payments in the marketplace systematically excludes lowincome communities of color, young people who do not meet the age qualifications for credit or debit cards, seniors who have not transitioned to card or digital payment modes and the undocumented. As businesses increasingly move towards cashless transactions, these communities face potential exclusion from the digital economy.

A 2021 FDIC national survey found that an estimated 4.5 percent of U.S. households (approximately 5.9 million) were “unbanked” in 2021, meaning that no one in the household had a checking or savings account at a bank or credit union. However, unbanked rates were higher among lower-income households, lesseducated households, Black households, Hispanic households, working-age households with a disability and single-mother households.

A 2019 study by the Federal Reserve revealed that 34% of Black and 17% of Hispanic individuals in the U.S. made all or most of their purchases with cash.

Hutt was prompted to introduce the motion when she was out with a friend

who couldn’t make a purchase because the business did not accept cash.

Said Hutt, “You start thinking about what happens to folks if they don't have cash. 7% of the population in California is unbanked and 20% are underbanked. That means everyone cannot participate.

7% of the unbanked households feel like they don't have enough money to keep an account open, because there are minimums and if you buy a prepaid card, you’ve got to pay a fee on the card and then you’ve got to pay the transaction fee”.

Such a transition can create a barrier for individuals who lack access to banking facilities or digital literacy, making it more challenging for them to access goods

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Council President Pro Tempore Marqueece Harris-Dawson was recently joined by Mayor Karen Bass in the opening of two permanent supportive housing developments on Crenshaw Boulevard. To welcome formerly unhoused families and individuals to their new homes Harris-Dawson hosted a block party celebration featuring Grammy winning artist Cocoa Sarai.

The new developments, located in the Hyde Park neighborhood, will provide 141 new units and house over 200 individuals.

“Our housing philosophy at Hope at Hyde Park and Depot at Hyde Park embodies a humane shift, by prioritizing community and neighborly support,” said Council President Pro Tempore Marqueece Harris-Dawson. “This approach echoes Housing at Home's mission, emphasizing the vital role of support systems in combating homelessness, and inserting compassion into our housing strategy."

Housing at Home is a South LA initiative that advocates for keeping people housed and rooted in their communities. This is a practical solution that keeps people tethered to their communities. and provides housing in a place with all the familiarity of home.

“Los Angeles is becoming increasingly unaffordable which makes it that much more important to bring permanent supportive housing to South LA,” stated Mayor Karen Bass. “We must do all we can to ensure that Angelenos have a place to call home.”

UpFront

I Mark Ridley-Thomas Speaks Publicly on His Conviction for the First Time KISHA SMITH Staff

n the 21 months since former City Councilmember Mark RidleyThomas was indicted on federal corruption charge, he has not spoken publicly about the case, the 20-count indictment or his actions.

That changed as the 68-year-old veteran legislator stood before U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer prior to her sentencing him to 42 months (3.5 years) in federal prison and $30,700 in fines to address the court. Below is his statement:

I've had a full and intense twenty months, to reflect on the circumstance in which I find myself. It is true that I have chosen to exercise my constitutional rights as a citizen to offer the best possible defense for myself.

But I feel that it's important, Your Honor, to make it clear to you that I in no way want to convey anything but respect for you, and for this Court. Further, I want to assure you that when this is completed I will accept the outcome of this judicial process and give full and respectful compliance in accordance with the law.

I believe it's fair to say that this case exists somewhere between what is clearly legal conduct on one end, and clearly illegal conduct on the other. In between there is a line that distinguishes actions that are illegal – and actions that may be illadvised, but NOT illegal.

While I definitely disagree as to whether I crossed that line into illegal

conduct, I acknowledge with clarity where I belonged was at the end of the spectrum where there would be little, if any, question of even the appearance of unlawfulness. The very perception that I deviated from proper conduct in this matter is truly distressing as well as harmful, and I deeply regret it.

My actions – and the fallout from those actions – have hurt my family, beginning with my wife of 44 years who should never have had to go through and ordeal like this. I apologize to her with every breath and with my whole heart. And I apologize to my sons, daughter-inlaw and grandchildren, as well as other family members whose lives have been disrupted and traumatically impacted.

Additionally, the anguish that I feel causes me to say I’m so sorry to all of my constituents, colleagues and employees who have believed in me for many years, but who may now have doubts. I sincerely apologize to them not only for playing a role in bringing about those doubts – but also for no longer being able to be there for them in service. I can only trust and believe that the future will afford me the opportunities to continue to find ways to serve them and their families, to remove doubt and to restore faith.

I give you, and my former constituents, on all those here today and all those here today my pledge that I will find a way to continue to learn from this dev-

astating experience, to emerge from it as a more conscientious person, and to go forward once this is behind us with humility, with renewed commitment to service and with undaunted hope for a purposeful life dedicated to the communities who rightfully expect and deserve the very best of me.”

Ridley-Thomas was convicted earlier this year on bribery, conspiracy, honest services mail fraud, and four counts of honest services wire fraud relative to the funneling of a $100,000 donation to United Ways through USC.

In doling out her sentence, Fischer also remarked that Ridley-Thomas had “committed serious crimes and had not accepted responsibility or demonstrated remorse.”

“Whatever you think of what Mark Ridley-Thomas did,” MRT Attorney Galia Amram stated, “This is not a case about a public official diverting public funds for his own personal gain. The money at issue–a $100,000 donation from Dr. Ridley-Thomas’s ballot committee account–went to fund a non-profit devoted to ensuring that the voice of African American voters would be represented in political polling.”

She added that that government had presented no evidence of any pressure put on fellow L.A. Country supervisors to vote for the Telehealth contract by Dr. Mark Ridley-Thomas, and that the mo-

tion [in question] would have passed absent MRT’s vote.

“No victim has come forward to say Mark Ridley-Thomas harmed them,” observed Pastor Norman Johnson speaking for the South Los Angeles Clergy for Public Accountability. “He received no personal benefits. He is no threat to the community. His 30-year history of public service is unparalleled.

“Contrary to the claims of the prosecution, we are not blind loyalists or naïve,” Johnson continued. “We recognize the historic limitations of the U.S. judicial process when it involves Black people. All too often, it is less than favorable, balanced, fair and proportionate.

“Based on the evidence, including the acquittals, we support MRT’s appeal of the guilty verdict and the excessive sentence. Neither the conviction nor the

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60th Anniversary of March on Washington Sparks Contrasting Views on King’s Dream HeadToHead

ugust 28 marked the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his eminent "I Have a Dream" speech. The large black-and-white signs carried by the marchers are dominant images that have always stood out to me. There was an array of bold messages being paraded around the National Mall that included "We Demand Voting Rights Now," "End Segregated Rules in Public Schools" and "Civil Rights Plus Full Employment Equals Freedom."

Faith in Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream 60 Years Later

When looking at the historic photos of other iconic leaders who spoke that day – John Lewis, Daisy Bates, A. Phillip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, Walter Reuther, Floyd McKissick and Whitney Young – it is powerfully clear that a mighty declaration was being made against the evils of racial hatred and discrimination that still hardened the hearts of many in our nation. Bates was the only woman who spoke on the March's program as she gave the "Tribute to Negro Women Fighters for Freedom." Myrlie Evers had previously been appointed for this task but could not attend.

An estimated 250,000 gathered around the Lincoln Memorial to hear King and the civil rights leaders who stepped to the podium to proclaim, as Lewis put it, that a social revolution was sweeping the country. The fight for freedom and equality was one with righteous demands that the movement was fully committed to seeing through, as King affirmed that America could not continue to default on its "promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned."

We have made great strides towards fulfilling the core of the promissory note regarding job, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. This is evident as data from the Economic Policy Institute

shows that the overall poverty rate for African Americans decreased by more than 12% between 1968 and 2016. The gap in educational attainment between Blacks and Whites has also declined. In a recent interview with The Hill, Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, chief of Race, Wealth and Community for the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, explained that Whites now have 1.7 times "the four-year college attainment level of Blacks," down from 2.4 in 1962. Yet, disparities still exist for Blacks in homeownership and wealth equity, areas that civil rights organizations will continue to address.

What made King's remarks in "I Have a Dream" distinctive when confronting the years of racial discrimination that built up barriers of inequality is that he always reiterated everyone must work together to overcome them. King pointed out that "... many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny."

We are still quite far from embracing our interconnected destiny that King envisioned 60 years ago, and many Americans, as shown in a recent Pew Research Center survey, do not believe that racial equality will be achieved in their lifetime.

If King had lived to witness this year's momentous "I Have a Dream" anniversary, he would have been 94, and I believe that if physically able he would have given us rousing words of admonishment as well as hope. He would have warned us that the sinful spirit of racism

Johnson continued to page 24

Headlines From Africa

Central African Republic: Central African Republic continues to be a test bed for the integration of blockchain technology with the launch of an initiative that will see the country’s land and nat ural resources tokenized and sold on the blockchain.

Gabon: General Brice Nguema, who ousted former President Ali Bongo in a coup following last month’s contested election, has been sworn in as transitional president. The overthrow of Bongo ended his family’s 55-year grip on power. The U.S. state department urged Gabon's military to "preserve civilian rule" and urged "those responsible to release and ensure the safety of members of government". Nguema has said he will return power to the people after free and transparent elections.

Ghana: Religious leaders in Ghana have issued a strongly worded statement saying the West African nation will not compromise its values to satisfy foreign investors promoting LGBTQI+ rights and have called on Western countries to “stop the incessant attempts to impose unacceptable foreign cul tural values on us.”

Kenya: Kenya is set to begin construction of a $13.8 billion high-speed railway to Ethiopia. Construction of the 3,000-kilometre railway line will begin in 2025 and is part of a proposed $22 billion transport corridor.

Liberia: Election tensions in Liberia erupted into violence last month as supporters of President George Weah and his main political rival, Joseph Boakai clashed in a brawl. The violence came after politicians were warned to refrain from divisive and incendiary politics and adhere to issue-based campaigns leading up to the October 10 election. Weah is set to face 19 rivals.

Namibia: Namibia is poised to become an African oil powerhouse following significant oil discoveries and an influx of foreign investments with potential for Namibia to not only produce but refine and export

This past week, the nation noted the 60th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

The speech is without question a historic landmark, both in terms of recalling the unique stress of the time and in terms of King's eloquence in capturing the situation.

But beyond being interesting, why do we bother at all with history?

It brings to mind Albert Einstein's famous definition of insanity: "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Einstein essentially touched the question about why we study history. Our track record of success and failure is spotted. Looking back, we get a sense of what works and what doesn't. Regarding our failures, Einstein was conveying we should be honest about them, learn from them and have the courage to change.

Given that King spoke that day to all Americans – not just Black Americans or white Americans – we should assess where we are today given how King defined then what was wrong. What have we learned, and what remains for us to learn?

We need to ask why, 60 years later, race still occupies such a large part of our public consciousness.

King's complaint was not about our national charter. He referred to the "magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence."

His complaint and indictment were that the nation was not living up to that charter.

In the grand scheme of things, King, in that speech, defined the movement he led

as about leading America to its full potential, as defined by the ideals and principles in its founding documents.

He implored that the struggle to realize the American charter of freedom and protection of the rights of all citizens take place "on the high plane of dignity and discipline." He urged Black Americans to not "satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred."

And King's final appeal was to see our nation as a nation under God.

It is a critical point.

King's vision, as expressed that day, was that the American ideal of freedom would be made possible when "all of God's children, Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: 'Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.'"

Although our realities today are far different from August 1963 – certainly the material state of Black Americans is far, far better – there is a prevailing sense that things are not good.

If we take King's words at face value, then it is questionable we have learned much since then.

When he spoke about failing to live up to the "magnificent words" of our founding documents, he got applause from the crowd.

It is questionable that would be the case today. Many on the left see our nation as fundamentally flawed. They see government and politics as the answer, not individual freedom.

The nation's deplorable fiscal situation today reflects this change in attitude. Government spending now takes twothirds more from our national economy than when King spoke in 1963. King's appeal that the struggle take place

Parker continued to page 24

A look at current news from the continent of Africa

oil and gas, positioning itself as a significant player in the regional energy market.

In an escalating standoff with other West African nations, Niger's ruling junta has authorized troops from Mali and Burkina Faso to come to its defense following last month’s coup, while demanding the departure of the French ambassador. France continues to recognize only the authority of Niger's detained democratically elected President, Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained. Nigeria: Africa's largest economy, is experiencing a severe cost-of-living crisis as annual inflation surged to its highest level in almost two decades, reaching 24.08% in July. A report from an international e-commerce organization revealed that the average Nigerian household dedicates about 59% of its income to food expenses, a figure that surpasses the global average of 11% and has placed approximately 25 million Nigerians at a high risk of food insecurity, as outlined in a UN report released in January.

Somalia: Somalia has banned video platform TikTok, messaging app Telegram, and online betting website 1XBet to limit the spread of indecent content and propaganda, its communications minister has said in a statement.

: Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has banned the importation of used clothing into the east African country, saying it stifles the development of local textile industries and that the clothes belonged to dead Westerners.

Zimbabwe: President Emmerson Mnangagwa has won Zimbabwe's election with 52.6% of the vote, after a process decried by the opposition and international observers for its irregularities and allegations of voter intimidation. The electoral commission said Mnangagwa's main challenger, Nelson Chamisa, won 44% of the vote in the nation this is suffering from years of runaway inflation and a joblessness crisis.

Our Sad Departure from Dr. King's 'Dream'

Jessica Johnson Star Parker

Governor Newsom Announces New Round of Efforts to Combat Hate

Last month, as part of California’s historic investment in combatting hate crimes–and as communities of color, religious groups, and LGBTQ+ continue to be targeted by acts of hate, including–Governor Gavin Newsom announced additional resources, funding, and guidance to empower and protect Californians. Following recent high-profile incidents, including the horrific murder of a shop owner in Southern California, the Governor has announced new investments and resources to build on the states robust efforts to empower diverse communities and address discrimination.

Those efforts include the first major statewide media campaign dubbed “CA vs. Hate” to focus on traditionally hardto-reach communities. Additionally, a letter is being sent to all California public school leaders highlighting the legal responsibilities to ensure ethnic studies curricula —— which give students a chance to “see” themselves in the fabric of our state —— are appropriate and do not reflect or promote bias, bigotry or discrimination.

“An attack on any of our communities is an attack on everything we stand for as Californians,” said Governor Newsom. “As hate-fueled rhetoric drives increasing acts of bigotry and violence, California is taking action to protect those who are targeted just for being who they are. We’re bolstering our support for victims and anti-hate programs and tackling ig-

norance and intolerance through education to prevent hate from taking hold in our communities."

Reported hate crime events in California increased 20.2% from 1,763 in 2021 to 2,120 in 2022 according to Attorney General Rob Bonta. Hate crimes targeting Blacks remained the most prevalent, increased 27.1% from 513 in 2021 to 652 in 2022.

In May, Newsom, along with the California Civil Rights Department, announced the official launch of CA vs Hate, a multilingual hotline and website that provides a safe, anonymous reporting option for victims and witnesses of hate acts. CA vs Hate is in direct response to the rise in reported hate crimes in California, which in recent years, reached their highest levels since 2001 — jumping almost 33% from 2020 to 2021.

“In California, our diversity is what makes the nation’s most populous state a beautiful and vibrant community,” said First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. “It’s horrifying that hate crimes are on the rise, and so let it be made clear: we stand with our diverse communities, and we are committed to ensuring they feel safe and heard.”

The hotline is complemented by a multilingual outreach campaign, emphasizing community engagement. CA vs Hate also seeks to overcome reporting challenges — whether due to fear of retaliation, lack of trust, or other issues — by offering people targeted for hate a com-

munity-centered approach that does not require engagement with the criminal legal system.

However, within the first month of launching the hotline, there were 180 reports of hate acts across the state.

“There is still much work to be done to combat hate in our state,” said Attorney General Bonta. "Our office continues to work with law enforcement, elected leaders, and community organizations across the state to increase awareness and bolster responses to hate crimes. An attack against one of us is an attack against all of us. The alarming increases in crimes committed against Black, LGBTQ+ and Jewish people for the second year in a row illustrates the need for our communities to join together unified against hate.”

If you believe you or someone you know has been the victim of a hate crime, notify local law enforcement and consider taking the following steps:

• If you are in immediate danger, call 911 and if needed, seek medical attention.

• Write down the exact words used and take note of any other relevant facts.

• If safe to do so, save all evidence and take photos.

• Get the contact information for other victims and witnesses.

Reports can be made anonymously by calling (833) 866-4283, or 833-8-NOHATE, weekdays from 9 am. to 6 p.m. PT or online at any time. Callers will be con-

KISHNA SMITH Contributor

nected with a professional trained in culturally competent communication and trauma-informed practices. Reports are not shared with law enforcement without consent. Care coordinators will follow up to ensure callers are able to access resources and support, including legal, financial, mental health, and mediation services.

Individuals who want to report a hate crime to law enforcement immediately or who are in danger, please are encouraged to call 9-1-1. For more information on CA vs Hate, please visit CAvsHate.org.

Note: This article is part of a twelve part series from the “Stop The Hate Campaign”-- a joint venture of the California State Li- brary and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Af- fairs (CCAPIAA) and administered by the California Department of Social Services in response to the significant in- crease of hate-related activity that has been recorded over the last few years.

Over the past year, the political landscape in Los Angeles has been dramatically reshaped for Black Angelenos. A city scandal exposing the efforts of City Hall politicians to wrestle away power away from African Americans, the conviction of Mark Ridley- Thomas– one of the Black community’s most powerful and effective politicians and the election of Mayor Karen Bass have all shed light on the complexities surrounding Black political power in the City of Angels.

“The Black community is in a constant state of survival - at all levels of government,” said Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove. “We are battling a widening wealth gap, the onslaught of gentrification, rising unaffordability, a shrinking demographic in historically Black neighborhoods, and anti-Black rhetoric that routinely turns violent. Oftentimes, it feels like we are under siege.”

Despite the conviction of Ridley-Thomas, political consultant Kerman Maddox highlights the recent election of Mayor Karen Bass as proof of the enduring potential of Black political influence.

“For the past twenty years Mark Ridley-Thomas was clearly the most effective black elected official in Southern California,” states Maddox, who runs Dakota Communications, one of the city’s top political consulting firms. “Some politicians are more vocal, some are more well known, some are more well liked, but none have been more effective in advancing a Black agenda. The packed crowds in the courtroom during his trial are evidence of how people in the community feel about him. However, despite his departure from elective office, all is not lost. The recent election of Mayor Karen Bass is clear evidence that despite reports of our imminent demise, black political power can still swing a major election in Los Angeles.”

The trajectory of Blacks in L.A. politics is particularly striking given that while two thirds of the settlers who founded Los Angeles in 1781 were of African des-

cent, no African American person held elected office in Los Angeles between 1900 and 1949.

In the decades since, blacks have risen through the political ranks on every front, from the halls of Congress to the recesses of Los Angeles City Hall with the likes of Gil Lindsay, Augustus Hawkins, Mervyn Dymally, Nate Holden, former L.A. County Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite-Burke, five-time mayor Tom Bradley, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, former Congresswoman Diane Watson and veteran legislator Mark Ridley-Thomas leading the charge.

Yet, while blacks have played key roles in city politics in the post-Bradley era, rapidly shifting demographics have transformed many historically Black areas of the city into Hispanic enclaves.

Of the nearly four million people who call Los Angeles home, Latinos make up 48%, Whites stand at 29%, followed by Asians (12%) and Blacks (8%). And as the state’s minority population has dramatically risen, political insiders have long predicted blacks would decline in power.

However, the election of Mayor Bass, along with the elections of Dr. Shirley Webber as Secretary of State and Malia Cohen as California's first Black state controller, signal that reports of the decline of Black political influence have been premature.

In a 2022 interview, City Councilman Curren Price pointed out that while the African American population might be small, the community holds considerable leadership positions at local, state, and federal levels and have consistently punched above their weight. Despite the increasing Latino majority in council districts traditionally held by African Americans, Price along with other figures like City Council President Pro Tem Marqueece Harris-Dawson, believe in the resilience of the Black community and its political representation.

Said Price, “Many of us are elected in the areas that are not primarily African American, demonstrating an ability to work with others–an ability to reach across

LISA COLLINS Staff

We're as challenged now as we've ever been, but we're also the strongest we've ever been. The struggles that produced people like Mark Ridley-Thomas and Karen Bass are still there. Our values are still there. Our institutions are still there. And we're still producing leadership. So, no matter what they throw at us—and they're always throwing stuff at us—we're going to be able to take that, turn it around and use it in our favor.

the aisles and meet those needs of residents where they are, regardless of race.”

“We're as challenged now as we've ever been, but we're also the strongest we've ever been,” said HarrisDawson. “The struggles that produced people like Mark Ridley-Thomas and Karen Bass are still there. Our values are still there. Our institutions are still there. And we're still producing leadership. So, no matter what they throw at us–and they're always throwing stuff at us–we're going to be able to take that, turn it around and use it in our favor.”

Kamlager-Dove calls Mayor Karen Bass is an incredible addition to the history of Los Angeles.

“She brings practicality, a political heft and inspiration to the needs of this city. She walks everyday with her eyes wide open and remains unafraid of the challenges ahead.

“On the opposite side of the political spectrum, the loss of MRT will be felt across the Black community. He created Days of Dialogue in direct response to the riots, he was a clarion voice on the issue of homelessness well before everyone else understood it to be a crisis, and he was instrumental in the re-opening of King Drew Hospital. We still need that kind of power and provocation as we battle what is ahead for the Black community.”

If the name Ridley-Thomas frequently emerges in discussions, it's for a good reason: any conversation about the influence of Black politics in Los Angeles over the last forty years would be incomplete without acknowledging Ridley-Thomas at its heart.

“It is absolutely a blow to our community to have Mark on the sidelines,” observed Mayor Karen Bass, “but somehow, I think that's going to change in the future. Still, I think the state of black politics in L.A. is strong. The question and the challenge for all of us is to maximize our power in developing an agenda and fighting for an agenda that moves Black Los Angeles forward. And as far as I'm concerned, our number one issue is the extreme disproportionality with homelessness. We're 9% of the population and 34% of the people on the streets.

“What a lot of people might not know is that we all work together, we meet together, we know what each other's doing, and we're supportive of each other. So, I think we're in a good situation.”

L.A. County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell underscores the importance of Black political power in creating progress that benefits all Angelenos.

“We know this because anti-Blackness serves as the blueprint for all forms of oppression that we must end,” Mitchell explains. “There is a shared benefit that reaches every person when you have Black leaders who are not afraid to stand up to injustice, when you have Black public servants that see how we are all connected. Black political power continues to become more inclusive and multi-generational.”

And for those who believe power to be a matter of numbers, Harris -Dawson disagrees.

“This is one of the misnomers that really irritates me because the power and the influence of black people has never been based on the amount of us that there aren't. When Tom Bradley got elected, it wasn't as if we were 51%.

“There's no magic number,” Harris-Dawson continued. “It's a magic story. Imagine the struggle and imagine the commitment to values that make people look at our community and say, ‘We want to follow their way of life. We want to follow their vision for justice, and their vision for society’.

“That's really, how we've been able to ascend to leadership at all–under any circumstances and no matter what the demographics were.”

Maddox agrees.

“Our population has declined but in recent elections we have over performed our vote compared to other groups, which has allowed us to hold on to and win seats in districts where the demographics don't favor us,” Maddox reflects.

“We have Holly Mitchell on the board of Supervisors, Jim Butts is the Mayor in Inglewood, Rex Richardson was recently elected Mayor in Long Beach and two of the most powerful positions in Los Angeles City Hall are held by African Americans. We clearly don't have the political power we had in the 80's and 90's but we remain major political players. Now, our elected folks just need to deliver.”

Some however argue that political power is not just left to politicians to exercise.

“Influence can be exercised by a minister, a politician, a great community leader, an educator,” said one political insider. “I think there are people who do exercise power in all of those areas–each different from the other.”

Community Build CEO Robert Salcedo also stresses the need for leadership at every level of people who can understand the problems and have the capacity to work to resolve them.

“If we only rely on our elected representatives, we have limited our power base immensely,” Salcedo contends. “You’ve got people like Tavis Smiley with the launch of KBLA and radio host Dominique diPrima who are providing a platform to drive social change. You’ve got black business leaders who are coming to the forefront and community activists and a number of faith leaders who are driving transformative change in their communities.”

Center of Hope pastor Dixon is one of them. With small business advocacy, youth development, battling human sex trafficking and supporting foster care among his many programs, Dixon is excited by the dynamic group of faith leaders he believes will assist in the transformation of the L.A. County particularly as it relates to the African American community.

“There are tons of leaders I consider to be contemporaries that have been in the woodshed getting ready. They’ve been laying the foundation and I believe that in the next ten years, we’re going to see these leaders – who have been emerging all this time–really come to the forefront and what has been in like a proof-ofconcept stage on a smaller level is going to be amplified in short order.”

“There’s much more of an emphasis on preaching a strong gospel in church on Sunday and then mobilizing on Monday to make sure the quality of life of our constituencies is being raised in every shape, form and fashion–social, economically, relative to health disparities, relative to the justice system.”

Even more exciting for L.A.’s seasoned black leadership is those coming behind them. Observed Mitchell, “I am excited about the next generation of rising leaders who are working alongside us to end anti-Blackness and create the future we all deserve."

Among the political leaders making headway in the Southland and in the California legislature are State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor and Assemblyman Isaac Bryan (55th Assembly District).

On July 3,2023, Bryan– at the age of 31–was named as majority leader of the California State Assembly.

“Change isn’t about a person,” Bryan said after the announcement. “We all have the power to make a difference in the lives of others. Let’s use that power.”

L.A. Focus’ 2023 list of L.A. power players is listed below:

L.A. FOCUS 2023 LIST OF POWER PLAYERS

CITY HALL

Karen Bass, L.A. City Mayor

Marqueece Harris-Dawson (CD-8), President ProTem

Heather Hutt, 10th District

Curren Price, 9th District

COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Holly J. Mitchell, Second District

CONGRESS

Maxine Waters, U.S. Rep., 43rd Congressional District

Sydney Kamlager-Dove, U.S. Rep., 37th Congressional District

STATE SENATE

Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, 26th District

Steven Bradford 35th District

STATE ASSEMBLY

Isaac Bryan, 55th District, Assembly Majority Leader

Tina McKinnor, 61st District

Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer, Sr, 57th District

Mike Gipson, 65th District

UNIONS

Yvonne Wheeler, President, L.A. County Federation of Labor

Shomari Davis, IBEW Local #11

L.A. COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES

Compton Mayor: Emma Sharif

Carson Mayor: Lula Davis-Holmes

Inglewood Mayor: James Butts

Long Beach Mayor: Rex Richardson

Gardena: Tasha Cerda

Lawndale: Robert Pullen-Miles

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Kerman Maddox, Dakota Communications

Lisa Richardson, Rise Communications

FOUNDATIONS, AGENCIES & BOARDS

Cynthia McClain Hill, President—Board of Water and Power Commissioners (LADWP)

Va Lecia Adams Kellum, CEO — L.A. Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA)

Dr. Robert Ross, CEO — California Endowment

Nichelle Henderson, Vice President—Los Angeles Community College District

Capri Maddox, Executive Director—Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department

Matt Johnson, Los Angeles World Airport

Erroll Southers, President, L.A. Police Commission

Gene Hale, Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce

FAITH COMMUNITY

Bishop Charles Blake/Pastor Charles Blake II, West Angeles Church of God in Christ

Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, Faithful Central Bible Ch.

Bishop Clement Fugh, Bishop, 5th Episcopal District

Bishop Noel Jones, City of Refuge

Pastor Geremy Dixon, Center of Hope

Pastor Troy Vaughn, Christ Centered Ministries— President, L.A. Mission

Pastor K.W. Tulloss, President of the Baptist

Ministers’ Conference of Los Angeles

Pastor Michael Fisher, Greater Zion Church Family

Pastor J.P. Foster, Faithful Central Bible Church

Pastor Xavier Thompson, Southern-St. Paul

Apostle Beverly “Bam” Crawford, Bible Enrichment Fellowship

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

Michael Lawson, Urban League

William Smart, SCLC

Kellie Todd-Griffin, CA Black Woman’s Collective

Charisse Bremond, Brotherhood Crusade

Avis Ridley-Thomas—Institute for Non-Violence

Adrian Shropshire, BPAC Fund

NAACP Los Angeles

Robert Salcedo, Community Build

MEDIA

Tavis Smiley, KBLA

Stevie Wonder, KJLH

Regina Wilson, California Black Media

OTHER Areva Martin

Magic Johnson

LeBron James

UP AND COMERS

Yasmine McMorrin, Culver City Vice Mayor

Michelle Chambers, Former Compton Councilmember, Candidate for State Senate

David Price, Civil + Human Rights/Equity Dept

Pastor Eddie Anderson, McCarty Memorial Church

Money Matters

On the Money

No-Poaching” Decision Against McDonald’s Viewed as Victory for Worker’s Rights On Supreme Gifting

In what is being viewed as a victory for worker’s rights, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th District has ruled against McDonald’s in its controversial practice of “no-poach agreements” and its outcome could have significant implications for workers nationwide.

A lower court had initially ruled against the former McDonald’s employees in Demands v. McDonalds, but with that decision overturned the fast-food behemoth finds itself back in legal crosshairs as the antitrust lawsuit is now being allowed to advance.

“Workers should be able to move freely to another job – one that might pay them better, or have better hours, or better benefits, or be closer to their home. McDonald's use of no-poach provisions in their contracts undermines competition,” said Attorney General Bonta. “I’m pleased that the 7th Circuit ruled in favor of the former McDonald’s workers and allowed their lawsuit to proceed.”

The class-action antitrust case against McDonald’s was filed in 2017 after a McDonald’s manager had to pass on a higher paying job at another McDonald’s franchise due to the company’s anti-poaching policy preventing franchisees from hiring anyone working for McDonald's or another franchise until six months after the employee's last day.

Experts maintain that such agreements not only reduce worker mobility but also serve to depress wages and stifle competition.

No-poach agreements are arrangements among employers not to recruit each other’s workers or to fix wages or other terms of employment among a pool of workers. Antitrust regulators argue they can reduce worker mobility, suppress worker wages, and prevent workers from establishing competing businesses. In many cases, they also serve to reduce racial and gender equality in workplaces, create legal hurdles for employees looking to grow their careers, and deter workers from challenging harmful business practices.

More often than not, these provisions are not discussed up front and are sometimes added to the terms of employment after a worker has accepted a job, or even after they have begun work.

Biz NewsBriefs

All roads lead to Atlanta as Sean “Diddy” Combs will mark the tenth anniversary of his Revolt Network with the debut of Revolt World, a three-day immersive experience set for September 22-24 at Pangaea Studios.Those attending the three-day experience can immerse themselves in the world of Hip Hop through REVOLT's lens while engaging in impactful networking opportunities and exploring interactive touchpoints such as panels and conversations, day parties, an introduction to the company's commerce experience, the REVOLT World Market and more.

The event mirrors Diddy’s commitment to empowering Black creators, leaders, and culture builders and is rooted in his passion for Black culture and the desire to

KISHA SMITH Staff

In California, employers–including those who operate out of state but employ California residents–are generally prohibited from enforcing no-poach or non-compete agreements. California is not alone. Nearly 30 states have enacted laws that in some way protect employees from employer-imposed noncompete contracts and nopoach arrangements,

In January 2023, the FTC proposed the Non-Compete Clause Rule concluding that non-competes were an unfair method of competition. According to an analysis of U.S. national survey data from 2014, approximately 18 percent of labor force participants were bound by non-competes, and 38 percent had agreed to one in the past, usually because employers insisted on them and workers lacked a meaningful ability to negotiate otherwise.

Currently, the legality of such non-compete agreements is left to the states, creating confusion for workers and distorting labor markets that cover more than one state.

"Despite being prohibited in California, non-compete provisions are routinely included in employee contracts, including contracts for lower-wage workers,” said Attorney General Bonta. "I strongly support limiting noncompete clauses on a national scale. It's time for the federal government to catch up and help put an end to anti-competitive practices that depress wages and hurt consumers."

Low and middle-wage workers would benefit the most from such a move, with a high potential for wage increases and job mobility. Studies have also shown that non-compete clauses cause women and non-white workers to see earnings reductions two times greater than that experienced by white male workers. The states also note that eliminating non-competes would benefit businesses and the economy as non-competes restrict entrepreneurship and start-up activity.

Non-competes are widely used in the healthcare industry and restrict the entry of healthcare workers into their employment market, which inflates prices and decreases wages.

Justice Clarence Thomas, a Supreme Court veteran, currently finds himself under scrutiny for alleged ethical issues related to gifts he received from billionaire benefactors and more importantly his failure to report them. It is feared that the gifts and benefits reportedly accepted by the 75-year-old jurist, who has served on the court for over three decades, could have compromised his impartiality as a judge and raise questions about potential conflicts of interest.

According to one report the gifts–valued in the millions– include at least 38 lavish vacations, 26 private jet flights, eight flights by helicopter, a dozen VIP passes to sporting events, as well as stays at luxury resorts in Florida and Jamaica. One Texas billionaire reportedly even paid for his mother’s house and renovations while also making tuition payments for a nephew of Thomas’. In recent years, Thomas' financial disclosures have revealed significant income from sources outside of his Supreme Court salary of $285,000. These include paid appearances, travel reimbursements and gifts.

Current rules mandate that Supreme Court justices disclose any gifts valued about $415. There is however a “personal hospitality loophole” that does not require an official, including a federal judge, to disclose gifts of food, lodging, or entertainment “received as personal hospitality of an individual.”

But it too has limits. For instance, it does not include transportation.

A recent report revealed a pattern of gifts to Thomas from at least four billionaires who have been major con tributors to Republican causes. And while there are those who want to leave it to the justices to police themselves, Chief Justice John Roberts has reportedly hinted that the court may take ad ditional steps to firm up its ethics practices.

elevate it on a global platform.

We Are Hip Hop will not only represent the theme but also serve as a unifying declaration that personifies REVOLT's position as a cultural authority and leading multimedia network. This theme also pays homage to the global impact of Hip Hop, with a celebration of its 50th anniversary.

Walmart is the presenting sponsor of the event to support rising Black changemakers in their journeys.

Paramount Squashes Mounting Rumors of BET Sale

It appears that Paramount is having the last word in the rampant rumors and buzz surrounding a potential sale of BET, deciding that there will be no sale.

The move to squash the sale followed months of rumors and bids from entertainment heavy hitters, including Byron Allen, Sean “Diddy” Combs and most notably Tyler Perry, who already has a minority stake in the network as well as a multi-year deal with the network for content.

The decision to end the bidding process was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. According to one report, no bidder could meet their $3 billion asking price. But official word was that the company notified bidders

that it decided to end the sale process as it would not result in any meaningful deleveraging of its balance sheet.

Nike Releases Latest Kobe Shoe Designed by the Basketball Star’s Widow

Nike celebrated what would have been the 45th birthday of the late Kobe Bryant on August 23 with the release of his latest Kobe Brand shoe design.

Partnering with Nike Basketball, Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant created the Kobe 8 Protro Halo shoe concept and launch as a way to honor Kobe’s birthday each year. The Kobe 8 Protro has the same iconic look but features new updates in design and performance innovation. One of the more noticeable design updates include the embroidered Swoosh on the upper, paired with an embroidered Mamba logo on the tongue. Designers also replaced the Lunarlon midsole with Nike React foam, for comfort and responsiveness and to help create a durable design overall. The team also updated the herringbone traction pattern for strong grip and performance.

The Nike Kobe 8 first launched in 2012, and a posting on its site advertising the newest shoe design read, “The legacy continues”.

Diddy Debuts the “Revolt World” Immersive Experience

LIGHT SPOT HO L LY W OOD

Bride

Denzel Washington's charismatic portrayal of the enigmatic Robert McCall in "The Equalizer 3" serves as a fitting conclusion to his tenure in the role. His embodiment of the character's bstrength, intelligence, and moral compass has been the cornerstone of the franchise's success.

His reunion with Dakota Fanning–who he starred alongside in “Man On Fire” (2004) when she was just 10 and who co-stars in this final chapter–brings emotional depth as their on-screen chemistry adds a tangible layer of authenticity.

In this final chapter we find McCall living in Italy when he discovers that his new friends are under the control of local crime bosses. As events turn dangerous, the retired

OUT THIS MONTH

U.S. Marine/ex-DIA officer and former government assasin takes on the Mafia to protect them. Fanning plays a CIA agent who receive a mysterious call from him to tip him off about what’s going on.

Behind the scenes, Washington's lpartnership with director Antoine Fuqua played a key role in shaping the film's dynamic action sequences and poignant character moments.

Fuqua, who has collaborated with

Halle Berry to Pay Child Support for the Second Time

Last month, Halle Berry, 57, ended an eight-year divorce and custody battle with her ex-husband/actor Olivier Martinez. Although Berry and Martinez will share joint custody of their son Maceo, 9, the actress will pay $8,000 a month in child support according to court documents. The “Monster’s Ball” actress, who is reportedly worth $90 million, will also pay Martinez 4.3% of any income she earns above $2 million "for additional child support for Maceo" in addition to Maceo’s private school tuition, uniforms, school supplies, and extracurricular activ ities. Berry currently pays her ex, Gabriel Aubry, $8,000 in child support for their daughter Nahla, 15.

Tiffany Haddish to Produce Homeless Dating Series

Through her company, She Ready Produc tions, Tiffany Haddish is set to produce a documentary about successful women who date homeless men and another about Elliott Connie, a psychotherapist and author. The first

project was inspired by the “Girls’ Trip” star’s own personal experience while living on the streets. She said, “Everyone deserves to have someone supporting them and caring for them–not necessarily carrying them all the way. It’s really important for people to make sure that they know that because it’s really hard to be homeless. So many people are isolated and living on the streets alone.” Production is set to begin after the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes are over.

Jamie Foxx to Play God in Upcoming Movie

After thanking God for getting him through his highly-publicized health crisis, Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx, 55, is set to play God in the Johnny Mack comedy “Not Another Church Movie". Foxx will star as God alongside Mickey Rourke who will play the devil. Other notable cast members in the movie–who has to outfox the devil after being given about a man given a holy mission by God Himself to inspire folks– include Vivica A. Fox, Tisha Campbell, Jasmine Guy, Kyla Pratt, and Lamorne Morris. The movie will be released after the WGA and SAG-AFTRA

Real Housewives of Atlanta

Washington on numerous projects, has brought a synchronized vision to the franchise.

Yet, it is the knowledge that–at 68–this will be Washington's last time portraying McCall that adds a bittersweet tone to "The Equalizer 3". As viewers, we have followed McCall on his journey from a man with a haunted past to a symbol of justice, largely due to Washington's nuanced performance. Washington’s departure from the role symbolizes the end of an era, leaving a legacy that will resonate with fans for years.

While the 68-year old actor said it was the end of the road for him as McCall, he also quipped, ‘Never say never.”

The Equalizer 3 opens on September 1.

Shakeup

Fans may soon say goodbye to their favorite peach holders. According to sources close to production, Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta” will reboot without any of the season 15 cast members. This would mean that Kandi Burruss, Kenya Moore, Marlo Hampton, Drew Sidora, and Sanya Richards-Ross have been fired. The news triggered mixed reactions on social media, but no one was surprised. Throughout the season, fans called the show “boring”, “dry”, and the "worst". The silver lining would be that one or two of the peach holders could return as “friends of the show”. While Bravo sources said “nothing has been confirmed”, production is currently casting for season 16.

Nia Long Seeks Full Custody of Son Eight Months

In Los Angeles County Superior Court, actress Nia Long, 52, filed paperwork to obtain legal and physical custody of the son she shares with her ex-fiancé Ime Udoka, 46. In court documents, Long alleged that the Houston Rockets’ head coach "failed to support” their son 11-year-old Kez Sunday Udoka. “The Best Man” actress requested that Udoka be granted “reasonable visitation” and pay attorney fees and other expenses associated with the case. The filing comes eight months after Udoka's affair with a coworker was revealed. As a result of the scandal last December, Udoka's ties to the Boston Celtics and Long were severed.

Footnotes

John DavidWashington

Age: 39

Hometown: Los Angeles

First Break: Ballers

Breakout Role: BlacKkKlansman

Current Projects: The Creator

The eldest of Denzel’s Washington’s four children, John David Washington excelled in sports throughout high school and college and played professionally in the United Football League and NFL before being permanently sidelined by a career-ending injury. The training was not, however, in vain. The experience prepared Washington for his breakout role in HBO's "Ballers" as football pro Ricky Jerret. Washington went on to star in critically acclaimed films and on Broadway. In 2019, he was nominated for a Golden Globe and SAG award. On what he learned from his mother and father: My father taught me how to hunt, my mother taught me how to love.

On why he pursued sports instead of acting at first: Because of who I'm related to. My mother is an extremely talented artist, and my father is one of the greatest of all time. That was intimidating. When we're in the comforts of my own home and with the family, I felt comfortable. But then when I get to the outside world, it didn't seem as simple to just pursue it; and I felt football would change that narrative when they saw me play ball.

On writing down his prayers when he began acting: It was about the process of getting from my heart to my head to the pen. It made me more concentrated on what I was asking for and being grateful for. It was interesting reading those prayers again a few years later. I was embarrassed at some of them, but as I kept reading I realized where I was in my life at that time, how hopeful I was with this new frontier of acting. Praying is also a way to manage my expectations and to know I can achieve my goals if I believe in them, even if they’re beyond my understanding.

On not trying to prove himself:

I have to understand I can have the best career — the headline's always gonna be what it is. So, to try to prove something to somebody is a fool's errand. The best acting advice, he received from his father: This is a privilege, what we get to do. To be able to tell stories. It's a luxury. So, I have a business-like approach to it, the same way I had with football. But I embrace how much fun it is and the people I get to meet and create with and learn from. I'm always learning. It's a growing and evolving art, and you can only get better with age.

On how sports helped him tackle learning chunks of dialogues for August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson”: Having a sports background, I go by this motto of, “Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they can’t get it wrong. I just knew that if I could get it in my body, I wouldn’t have a problem on stage. I recited lines at the gym, and in front of strangers – which at times created awkward situations—but I had to keep it pushing. We had a very strong leader in LaTanya [Richardson-Jackson], and she demanded we be at our best.

Quita

Outlaw Johnny Black September 15

The Kill Room September 29

57 Seconds September 29 Expend4bles September 22

The Equalizer 3

RedCarpet Style

Celebrities and sports stars alike turned up the heat at this year’s ESPY awards. Here are just some of the looks that were lighting up the red carpet this summer.

H.E.R showed off her curves in this body hugging Black leather

SAVANNAH JAMES sparkles in this floor length beaded cutout Illusion gown

FLAU’JAE JOHNSON wowed in a purple bandeau top, high waisted skirt and a

TIFFANY HADDISH sported a long sleeve black dress from Alexandre Vauth-

COCO JONES stunned in a diamondstudded, cut-out PatBo dress

Eye On Gospel

The Breakout Success of Zacardi Cortez

On the heels of three Stellar Award wins in July, Gospel recording artist Zacardi Cortez has received his first two Dove Award nominations–all for his breakout album, Imprint: Live in Memphis.

The project's hit single, "You've Been Good to Me," which recently spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel Airplay chart, has been nominated for Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year. The song was written by Cortez, Marcus Calyen, Morgan Turner, Kerry Douglas, Alonzo J. Keeton, Tyrone Belle, and Tyrell Belle.

"Imprint is the first record under my company, ZetRoc Entertainment," says Cortez. "I had no idea how it would be received; I just knew what God put on my heart. To now be nominated for two GMA Dove Awards for the album feels incred-

“As a 2023 Stellar Awards co-host, it was awesome to watch Zacardi perform and win for the first time," says Grammy® Awardwinning Gospel recording artist Jonathan McReyn -

olds. "It’s cool to see he’s been nominated for the Dove Awards as well! On top of us sharing the same birthday (September 17), his vocals are inspiring, and the anointing is apparent.”

Cortez, who came home from the 2023 Stellar Awards last month with wins in three categories, including Traditional Male Vocalist, Traditional Album and Praise & Worship Song of the Year for the project's hit single, "You've Been Good to Me," following earlier nominations from the Grammy® Awards and the BET Awards, as well as a 2021 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Award for his No. 1 Billboard hit, "You Don’t Know."

His award-winning album features guest performances from some of Cortez’s favorite singers, including Kim Burrell, Lisa Knowles-Smith and John P. Kee.

Zacardi’s voice is his imprint,” says Black Smoke Music founder Kerry Douglas, who first discovered Cortez when he was just a teenager singing in churches around Houston. “His voice is leaving a mark on the music industry. When people hear it, they know instantly know who it is because no one sounds exactly like him. His God-given talent has left an undeniable stamp on Gospel music.”

Cortez, who has released three Top 10 albums–The Introduction (2012), Reloaded (2014), and Imprint: Live in Memphis (2022)–has appeared on many on major platforms, including The Stellar Awards, Black Music Honors, P. Diddy’s Bad Boy Reunion Tour and BET’s “Sunday Best."

Imprint: Live in Memphis is the first time I’ve been able to write or be this involved in a project,” says Cortez, who wrote, co-wrote everything on the album. "This record is all of who I am, in all the different styles and ways I love to worship and sing,” says Cortez. “It's 100% my imprint.”

Kirk Franklin Wants Everyone to Try Love

19-time Grammy® Award-winning producer, songwriter and artist, Kirk Franklin, debuted his latest song, “Try Love,” – the second single from Franklin’s upcoming album, Father’s Day, which will release on October 6, 2023. The track is the follow up to the album’s lead single, “All Things”.

Written and produced by Franklin, “Try Love” is a feel-good, mid-tempo anthem. The song makes listeners bob their heads while encouraging them to choose love and peace when facing life’s challenges to exemplify God’s everlasting love. The music video reinforces the theme of the song, showing people of different ages, races and backgrounds reaching out to and connecting with one another. Franklin–stars along with wife Tammy in The One, the dating series he and his wife Tammy Franklin co-host and co-executive produce currently airing on TV One. He is also gearing up for his highly publicized “Reunion Tour”. Featuring David and Tamela Mann, The Clark Sisters, Tye Tribbett and Israel Houghton, the tour is set to kick off October 1 in Boston and conclude on November 24 in Fort Worth, Texas. The tour will stop off in the Southland on November 7 at the Crypto Arena and on November 9 at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

Briefly: Six-time Grammy Award winner Bebe Winans will be performing his first solo concert in over a decade at the legendary Apollo Theatre on Saturday, December 2, 2023. Winans will be backed up by the incomparable Donald Lawrence & Company, the result of which will be a live album…Grammy & Stellar nominee Renee Spearman is back with her new single, “Tap Into It (The Source)” featuring 4-time Grammy nominee Kim Burrell!. The highly anticipated follow-up to "I Love Him", Renee's Top 5 smash featuring 10-time Grammy nominee & multiple winner Hezekiah Walker, "Tap Into It (The Source)" is a churchy toe tapper.”

New Project To Recover Names of Up to 10 Million US Slaves Before 1870 and Locate Living Descendants

American Ancestors, a national center for family history, is partnering with family historians, leading African American scholars, and cultural institutions to recover the names of the 10 million people of African descent who were enslaved between the 1500s and 1865 in the U.S. The project–10 Million Names–will centralize genealogical and historical information about enslaved people of African descent and their families on a free website.

ABC News will serve as the exclusive media partner of the year-long initiative that will feature the findings, research, and work of a collaborative network of genealogists, cultural organizations, and community-based family historians through impactful and informative storytelling across ABC News platforms.

The advisory board includes Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Harvard scholar and host of the popular PBS Series Finding Your Roots, which often reveals surprising information to celebrity guests about their ancestors.

Dr. Gates and others associated with the project have described it as having the potential to connect millions of people with American history through genealogy in ways never possible before.

"For the first time ever, we have the means to accomplish a project of this importance and magnitude," said Cellini, the founding director of the 10 Million Names project. "The institutional will and the technology exist. We have a collective obligation as a nation to tell African American family stories."

Beginning in 2018, American Ancestors worked with Cellini to create a searchable public portal, subsequently presenting the family histories of more than 300 men, women, and children sold by the Jesuit priests of Georgetown University (then known as Georgetown College) in 1838 to Louisiana sugar plantations.

When he first discovered the sale, Cellini, a Georgetown alumnus, created an independent non-profit ded-

icated to finding the people who were sold, and worked with American Ancestors to publish the results.

"Our collaboration with Richard Cellini on the Georgetown Memory Project served as a model and launch pad for 10 Million Names," said Ryan Woods, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for American Ancestors. "The work done on the Georgetown project demonstrated we could apply a different methodology to help more Americans of African descent recover their family history before 1870–which is often

"ABC News is proud to be the exclusive media partner on this historic project to tell the untold stories of familial histories that have been a mystery until now, and we are looking forward to serving our audiences with straightforward reporting that shines a light on this chapter in American history," said ABC News President Kim Godwin.

"Slavery separated families and obscured family history. Before the 20th century, genealogical data about enslaved Africans and their descendants was often deliberately obscured, altered, or simply unrecorded in the first place. This lasting legacy of slavery–the erasure of family history–remains with us today," said 10 Million Names' Chief Historian Dr. Kendra Taira Field, Associate Professor of History, Co-founder of the Du Bois Forum, and Director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at Tufts University.

difficult. Community-based family historians will play a vital role in the success of this project.

To accomplish its goal, the 10 Million Names research team will reverse the typical approach used by genealogists, and borrow from the historian's toolkit by starting with original source material, stretching from the 1500s to 1865. Genealogical researchers, historians, and data specialists will source data about enslaved people of African descent from archives, libraries, genealogical and historical societies, and organizations around the world. The team will also seek input from communities of family historians around the country and encourage the public to submit material that contains names of people and locations.

"So while those Americans attempting to claim Mayflower ancestry have had ample records to prove it, African Americans who have been collecting their family histories and stories privately for centuries have not generally had easy access to collective repositories of genealogical data. This divergence is a stark reminder of our unequal and uneven access to our familial past," Field concluded.

The public is invited to begin exploring the website at 10MillionNames.org, where a small but growing number of datasets are presently available, with more to be added on a regular basis.

The site also offers resources for self-directed research. People areencouraged to submit original family materials containing names and locations such as family trees, copies of diaries or letters, bible records, and interviews with relatives to help create a publicly accessible repository about African American ancestors. More detail about what materials 10 Million Names is seeking is available at 10MillionNames.org/share.

J. Edgar Boyd to Retire as Pastor of First AME Church, WHW Conference Kicks Off October 2

After 52 years of ministry, First AME Senior Pastor J. Edgar Boyd will officially step down from pastoring and his post at First AME Church, having reached the AME’s 75-years of age retirement mandate.

“I’m happy about it,” said Boyd. “I’ve done a lot. My career began way back in 1969 and has gone all the way up through 2023. I’m happy about the places I’ve served–seven different congregations located in different parts of the country, and it's been a great experience, meeting people, working with people in the civic arena, working with law enforcement and community development. It’s been a thrilling 52 years.”

In those 52 years, Boyd is proud of what he has accomplished, including the building of a worship center in Oakland, the establishment of a community development organization that has built nearly 1000 units of affordable housing in San Francisco, and the development of a technology center that provided training for over 3,000 seniors.

It was his success in those endeavors that led to his appointment to First AME in 2012.

“When I came in 2012, the nonprofit organization which includes some 320 units of affordable housing and also the community development arm– both those organizations had been usurped from the control of First AME by the former administration, so we had to engage in some legal wrangling to get those restored. After five years of litigation, we got a favorable judgment from the courts to have those properties remanded back to the control of First AME Church. I have to admit that the condition they came back in reflected nothing like the condition that they were in under the leadership of Cecil Murray, but we've worked laboriously trying to get back to the

standard that the church would be proud of and the community will be well served by.”

One of the highlights of his tenure at the city’s oldest Black congregation is successfully steering the church though the COVID pandemic.

“It was three years of COVID oppression, and the church learned a lot. Technology is something that we really get a chance to use and we're able to do things now in the congregation–through technology–that we were not able to do prior to that. I’m proud of that. “

Boyd is just as proud of his efforts in supporting the key elections of civic officials.

“For the first time to see a Black woman secretary of state, a black man who's the superintendent of public education for the state and a black woman who's serving as the state’s controller. These are great milestones and we participated in those efforts.”

His departure from the church will also mark his departure from the city.

“I'm sure that for years to come I will be back and forth into Los Angeles, but my official role with the church will come to an end on the 30th of October and whatever relationships or connections I have will be unofficial as it relates to the church, but perhaps official as it relates to some of engagements. I will not be living here. I will be domiciled in Northern California and making my presence known electronically and physically on some other matters.”

Though not in the pulpit, Boyd intends to continue his work in ministry.

“When you get to the twilight of your life where I am now, you stop working and start teaching,” Boyd says. “You share what you've experienced, and you help people understand how they can use things that have been beneficial to you for development and how they can avoid pitfalls that you can speak to and address from a very experiential standpoint. I will probably be more engaged and busier in that season, than I am now.”

He will also be spending more time with family as well as fishing and golfing.

In the meantime, the church is planning to commemorate his decade long leadership with three days of festivities kicking off on Friday, September 8 with a “Holy Roast” at the Fame Renaissance Center. On Saturday,

Bethesda Temple Apostolic Faith 4909 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 299-2591 • thevoice4904@att.net

Pastor Kyron S. Shorter

Sunday Morning Prayer: 9:00am

Sunday School: 9:30am

Morning Worship: 11:00am

Children’s Church: 11:00am

Sunday Evening Service: 6:00pm

September 9th, the congregation will gather for a black tie dinner and the Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel. The services will conclude with an afternoon “Jazz in the Gardens” event on Sunday, September 10 at the Allen House. Special guest at the Sunday services earlier that day include Rev. Mark Whitlock of Reid Temple AME in Washington D.C. (10AM) and Rev. Terry White of the Marsalis Avenue Baptist Church (8AM). The announcement of Boyd’s successor will be made by Fifth Episcopal Bishop Clement Fugh during the 99th Annual Southern California Conference, which will be held at the Hilton LAX, October 24-30.

WHW 2023 Set for October 2-6; George Hurtt to be honored with Preacher’s Cup Award

The WHW biblical expository conference returns to the LAX Hilton October 2-6 with some of the top biblical scholars in America, including Dr. Claybon Lea of Fairfield, Ca., Pastor Rufus Smith of Memphis and Pastor F.D. Sampson, Sr. of Houston.

The annual ministry conference–founded by McCoy Memorial Senior Pastor R.A. Williams–has grown from 37 registrant to over 1,000 in the 31 years since it was established, offering resources, programs and sessions that help pastors to master their expository preaching skills.

Pastor George Hurtt (Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church) will be honored with the prestigious “Preacher’s Cup” award.

For more information, visit whwministries.com.

Crenshaw Christian Center 7901 South Vermont, Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323) 758-3777 • www.faithdome.org

Dr. Frederick K. Price

Please Join Us! Sunday Service: 10:30am

Wednesday Bible Study: 11:00am & 7:30pm Thursday Intercessory Prayer: 7:30pm faithdome.org @elfministries

Agape Church of Los Angeles / Three Oaks Baptist Church Corporate Office 4602 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (O) 323-295-5571 •www.agapela.org

Bishop Craig A.Worsham - Senior Pastor

Worship Center: 8109 South Hoover Street Los Angeles, CA 90044

Sunday School: 10:00am

Morning Worship: 11:00am

Loving, Lifting & Liberating Humanity Through The Word

Brookins-Kirkland Community AME Church

3719 West Slauson Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 296-5610 • www.bkcamechurchla.org

Rev. Mary S. Minor, DMin,Pastor

Sunday Church School: 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM

Sunday Morning Worship: 9:00 AM (in-person and virtual)

Thursday Bible Study with Pastor Minor (via Zoom): 6:00 PM

Please call the church office for virtual information.

Bryant Temple AME Church 2525 W. Vernon Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90008 (323) 293-6201 • F: (323) 293-0082

Pastor Dwaine Jackson

Sunday School: 8:15am

Morning Worship: 9:15 am

Bible Study (Tues): Noon

Pastor’s Bible Study( Tues): 6:00pm

Calvary Baptist Church 4911 W. 59th Street,Los Angeles, CA,90056 (323)298-1605•F: (323) 298-4867 • calvarybaptistla.org

Rev. Dr. Virgil V. Jones

Sunday Prayer: 8:30am

Sunday School: 9:30am

Sunday Worship: 11:00am

Wednesday Bible Study: 12:00pm & 7:00pm

We are the Church on the Hill where the Light Shines Bright!

Congregational Church of Christian Fellowship

2085 S. Hobart Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018

Phone: (323) 731-8869 • F: (323) 731-0851

www.christianfellowshipla.org

Pastor James K. McKnight

Sunday LiveStream: 10:00am (facebook.com/christianfellowshipla)

Sunday Conference Call: 10:00am (310-372-7549 / code: 342408)

Tue/Thurs Morning Word & Prayer: 7:00am Wed. Bible Study w/ Elder Stephen Brown (701-802-5001 / code: 825252#

God’s Faithful Disciple of Jesus Christ / Prayer Clinic & Deliverance Ministry P.O. Box 561368, Los Angeles, CA 90056 (323) 293-7566 • www.gfdjc.org •gfdjc@att.net

Dr.Ruby I. Cottle, Ph.D., Pastor/Teacher Services every Friday: 7:00pm We meeet at:

Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church

CA 90018

Pastor J. Edgar Boyd with First Lady Florence Boyd

Grant AME Church

10435 S. Central Avenue • Los Angeles, CA 90002 (323) 564-1151 • F: (323) 564-5027

Rev. Dr. Timothy o. Coston, Jr.

Sunday School: 8:00am

Worship: 9:30am

Wednesday Bible Study: 11:30am & 6:00pm

Grace Temple Baptist Churchh

7017 South Bramercy Place, Los Angeles, CA 90047

(323) 971-8192 • gracetemplebaptist7017@gmail.com

Rev. Rodney Howard

Sunday Worship Service: 9:00am

Sunday Life Group: 11:30am

Wed. Night Intercessory Prayer: 6:30pm

Wed. Night Bible Study: 7:00pm

Greater Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church

5300 S. Denker Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90062

(323) 759-4996 • www.gembcla.org

Rev. DeNon A. Porter

Sunday School: 8:30am

Sunday Morning Worship: 10am

Facebook/YouTube Livestream: @gembcla

Radio-KALI 900AM: Sundays 7-8pm

Bible Study: Tuesday 7pm

Holman United Methodist Church

3320 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018

(323) 703-5868 • www.holmanumc.com

Email: holman@holmanumc.com

Rev. Dr. Ken Walden, Senior Pastor

Sunday Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am

Sunday Radio: KJLH 102.3FM at 11am

Sunday School: 9:30am (Children/Youth) & 9:45am (Adults)

Bible Study: Every Thursday @ Noon

We Gather,Grow,Go and Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ

McCarty Memorial Christian Church

4103 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 731-4131 • www.mccartychurch.org

Senior Pastor Edward Anderson

Sunday Worship: 10:45am

Bible Study: Tues @12:30pm/Wed @6pm

Zoom Call: (605) 472-5454 Access:188857

Online Stream Live: Sundays@10:45am to www.mccartychurch.org

Give: Text 77977

Instagram@mccartyconnect

Mount Moriah Baptist Church of Los Angeles, Inc.

4269 South Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90037

(323) 846-1950 •Fax: (323) 846-1964

Rev. Johnteris Tate-Pastor

Sunday Church School(In-Person): 8:30am

Sun. Baptist Training Union:7:30am

Worship Service(In-Person): 10:00am

Tues. Refuel/Bible Study/Prayer: 12Noon

(Conference Call: (330) 207-7446)

Weekly Mission Assembly/Bible Study:7:00

(Conference Call: (339) 207-7446

Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church

3669 W. 54th St. Los Angeles, CA 90043 Phone (323) 291-1121•Fax: (323) 291-1133

office@sinai.church • www.sinai.church

George E. Hurtt, Pastor-Teacher

Sunday Worship: 8am & 10am

Tuesday Night(as scheduled):7:15pm

All services stream live on our website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel.

Call for any pandemic-related questions.

Our Goal: To glorify God by winning more Christians and developing better Christians. (Matt. 28:18-20)

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church

1300 E. 50th Street Los Angeles, CA 90011 (323) 235-2103

Rev. Joshua Daniels, Pastor Morning Worship: 10am

(In Service and Online Live Stream Worship)

Sunday School: 8:45am

Wed. Bible Study: 7:00pm www.mtzionla.org

ONE LA Potter’s House Church 614 N. La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036

(818) 763-4521 • hello@one.online

Pastor Touré and Sarah Roberts

The ONE Experience

FIRST LADY FILES

Sarah Jakes-Roberts

One LA at Potter’s House

One LA at Potter’s House Co-Pastor Sarah JakesRoberts is gearing up for her Fifth Annual Woman Evolve Conference this month (Sept. 14-16) at Globe Field in Arlington, Texas. Over 30,000 tickets have already been sold for the three-day event that will feature Yvonne Orij, Devon Franklin, David Mann and Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Naomi Raine among its speakers. It will also be a family affair as the lineup includes her parents, T.D. and Serita Jakes, and her husband, Pastor Toure Roberts.

With Woman Evolve, Jakes Roberts is redefining what it means to be a modern woman of faith. As a wife, mother to six, author and businesswoman dedicated to honoring her father's mission of empowering underrepresented communities–including the disappearing middle class–her messages have spread throughout the world defying cultural, religious, gender, and socio-economic boundaries.

"It's not about what women can build on their own but going further together through Woman Evolve as opposed to doing this fast and alone," said Jakes Roberts of the conference that will address such topics as courage, loving your body, mental health, finances, a man's perspective and ministry.

"I believe the power of connection and community allow us to facilitate a chartering of new paths so that we can go forward deeper and together."

Jakes Roberts founded the Woman Evolve movement to inspire women to overcome their fears and live with purpose and passion. The conference is rooted in the belief that women have the power to revolutionize their lives and become the best versions of themselves.

In July, Jakes-Roberts and her husband, Toure´ Roberts were officially named as copastors of the Potter’s House Church in Dallas.

New Antioch Church of God in Christ 7826 So. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323) 778-7965 • www.newantiochcogic.org

Superintendent Jeffrey M. Lewis

Sunday Early Worship: 8:00am

Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00am

Sunday School: 9:30am

Tuesday Bible Study: 11:00am

Wednesday In The Word: 7:00pm

All services streamed on: Facebook and YouTube @New Antioch Church of God In Christ Park Windsor Baptist Church 1842 W. 108th St. Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 756-3966 • RevTerrellTaylor@sbcglobal.net Rev. Terrell Taylor

Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am

Wednesday Virtual Bible Study : Noon & 7:00p Communion: 1st Sunday at 8:00am & 11:00am

St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church 5017 S. Compton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90011 (323) 231-1040 • stmarkmbcofla.org

Reverend Dr. Lovely Haynes, Pastor

Sun. Worship: 8:30am

Sun. Classes follow morning service

Tues Eve Family Prayer Line: 6:30pm

Wed. Noon: Hour of Power Prayer line

Wed. Bible Study: 6:00pm (Zoom & Facebook)

Exposition of Sunday School Lesson:10am

Trinity Baptist Church

2040 W. Jefferson Blvd., L.A., CA 90018 • (323) 735-0044 F: (323) 735-0219• trinitybaptistchurchofla.org

Rev. Alvin Tunstill, Jr

Sunday Worship Services: 10:30am

YouTube: tv.trinitybaptist.cloud

Sunday Radio Broadcast KJLH-FM: 9am

Wed. Night Virtual Bible Study: 7pm

(Meeting ID: 480-271-5449. Or call 1-699-900-6833; give zoom ID Sign-in at 6:55pmrchofla.org

Weller Street Baptist Church 129 S. Gless St, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (323) 261-0949 • F: (323)264-6601 • www.wellerstreetlive.com

Pastor K.W. Tulloss

Sunday School: 8:00am Sunday Morning Worship: 9:00am Tues. Bible Study: 6:45pm www.wellerstreetlive.com

West Angeles Church Of God In Christ 3600 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008 (323) 733-8300 • Office Hrs: M-F 8:30am-5:30pm • westa.org

Senior Pastor Charles E. Blake II

Sunday School: 10:00am Sunday Radio Broadcast KJLH 102.3FM: 10:00am

Citizens of Zion Missionary Baptist Church 12930 S. Lime Ave, Compton, CA 90221 (310) 638-0536 • email: citizensofzionmbc@gmail.com

Rev. Bobby L. Newman, Jr. Pastor

Sunday School: 9:30am

Morning Worship: 10:45am (In-person & Virtual YouTube)

Wednesday Bible Study: 12pm (In-person or dial in at:(774)267-8085)

Wednesday Evening Bible Study: 7:00pm (via Zoom (Call church office for information)

Greater Zion Church Family

2408 North Wilmington Avenue, Compton, CA 90222 (310) 639-5535 • (Tues - Thurs 10am -4pm)

Dr. Michael J. Fisher, Senior Pastor Sunday Worship: 9:00am

Online Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00pm

FB: GreaterZionChurchFamily

IG: GZCFamily www.gzcfamily.com

Holy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church 1016 E. Rosecrans Avenue, Compton, CA 90220 (310) 537-3149 • www.holychapelbc.com

Rev. Dr. George L. Thomas

Morning Worship: 8:00am

Sunday School: 10:30am

Wed. Mid-Week Bible Study: 7:00pm Sun. New Members’ Class: 10:45am

Communion/1st Sunday: 8:00am Broadcast KALI 900AM - Sun:2-3:00pm

Love and Unity Christian Fellowship

1840 S. Wilmington Ave, Compton 90220

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5449, Compton, CA 90224

Bishop Ronald C. Hill Sr., Founder/Pastor Sunday Worship:10am/6:30pm

Wed. Bible Studies: 7:30pm

Prayer w /Bishop Hill: Fri: 9am

Food For Your Soul TV Ministry

Impact TV Network: Mon-Fri PST 6:30am

The Word Network Fridays @ 12:30pm

In Compton

PastorProfile: George Hurtt

Church: Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church

How Long at church: 15 years

Hometown: Detroit, Michigan

Family: Single

If there’s one thing Senior Pastor George Hurtt is, it is that he is abundantly clear. He says what he means and means what he says.

“My number one task when I go into the pulpit,” said Hurtt, “is not to make people think I have a good style, not even to be relevant to people, but to be faithful to what the Bible is saying.”

Today, the church is thriving and next month Hurtt is set to receive the prestigious Cup Award at WHW Ministries Expository Preaching and Teaching Conference at the LAX Hilton for his exceptional work in ministry.

“I don’t want to be cliché, but I’m humbled,” said Hurtt. “For me, the height of it is that someone like Dr. R.A. Williams would consider me deserving of such an award.”

Hurtt has been innovative in his approach to ministry in South Los Angeles with free gas giveaways, the church’s support of local Black restauranters, a radio show, podcast, youth trips to foreign countries and a once monthly “no church Sunday where instead of attending church service, members come together to provide service to the community.

The efforts have paid off both in impact to the community, excitement for members and stability in church attendance and growth.

“We just want to continue the lesson we learned from pandemic which is that the church has to be mobile,” Hurt explains. “We can't just be dependent on the Sunday morning worship experience (as critical and important as it is), but our “no-church Sundays” allow us to still get together and get the word, but at the same time consciously and intentionally have a presence in the community.

“That can mean walking the neighborhood, giving away free groceries and gas as we did before and it allows members– who may not be fully connected to the ministry as they should be– to be engaged and active without a long term commitment”.

Put simply,

from food shortages or seeing members get involved in other ways, it all boils down to ministry in action for Hurtt.

“For me it is always trying to communicate the Bible, but not just communicate the Bible overtly but also what is the personal implications of it? What is the sermon asking you to do?

“In that respect, it’s substance over style. You might not be emotionally pulled towards the sermon in a certain way, but you will always be intellectually stimulated during the sermon. Being clear is the most important thing,” said Hurtt, “and explaining scripture in such a clear way that those who are listening can apply it to their life spiritually.

“I also wanted to affirm that we needed to trust God even amid difficulties and emphasize the need for love, obedience and truth in the local church.”

The foundation of Hurtt’s outlook and involvement in ministry began early. One of nine siblings born and raised in Detroit, Hurtt’s mother and father were both active in church. His father was a Pentecostal bishop at Mt. Carmel Pentecostal Church until he passed away when Hurtt was just ten years old.

“By high school, I found that I had become a student of preaching. I would have my mother drop me off at revivals,” recalls Hurtt, who was not one to bow to peer pressure. “I was a loner and always a free thinker. I didn't embrace the notion of doing stuff because everyone else was doing it.”

His independent spirit served him well as he took his first post high school steps into studies for masonry and bricklaying, which eventually landed him at Wilberforce University for two years.

“I walked in as a civil engineer and walked out health services major,” laughed Hurtt.

But his path to the pulpit had already been firmly established, with Hurtt becoming a double major in Religious Studies when he transferred to University of Detroit Mercy. He finished his courses overseas at Oxford University, where he graduated cum laude. Returning to the states he would go on to earn a Master of Health Management and Policy degree from the University of Michigan.

With several prominent degrees under his belt, Hurtt moved from Detroit to Southern California when he joined the Navy as a commissioned officer in health management. It was during this time he began to look for a solid church home base and sought out one of his favorite preachers, H.B. Charles Jr., who at the time was serving as the senior pastor of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church.

“I’d heard H.B. preach in Detroit and I had visited three churches to hear him,” Hurtt remembered. “I enjoyed it and challenged myself to go to church every Sunday.”

In return, H.B. challenged Hurtt to go to seminary. Hurtt accepted the challenge, graduating with a Master of Divinity degree in May of 2006. He landed a job as associate pastor at Mt. Sinai six months later serving under Charles and eventually became the assistant pastor.

In August 2008, Charles resigned and while normally finding a successor for pastor as gifted as Charles would be challenging at best, three years of working under him and a recommendation from the former pastor sealed the deal. Just one month later Hurtt was unanimously voted in as pastor.

“It's a loving church,” Hurtt adds. “Everyone makes an effort to know everybody who's there. And it’s a church that's committed to sound doctrine, prayer and making a difference.”

Next month, the church will celebrate its 81st anniversary. Guest speakers for the three-day celebration include the esteemed Rev. Ralph West II of The Church Without Walls in Houston (September 26), Pastor Carlos Kelly of Macon, Georgia (September 24) and Pastor Romell Williams of Chicago (also on September 24). For more information, visit: www.sinai.church.

The City of Refuge 14527 S. San Pedro St, Gardena, CA 90248 (310) 516-1433

Bishop Noel Jones

Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am

Evening Worship: 6:00pm

Bible Study (Wed): Noon & 7:00pm

BET/Fresh Oil (Wed): 7:00am

The Liberty Church 4725 S. Gramercy Place, Gardena, CA 90249 (310) 715-8400

Pastor David W. Cross

Morning Worship/Livestream:10:00 am

Hispanic Ministry

Worship/Livestream:12Noon

Word Power Wednesday/Livestream: 7:00pm

The CROSSWORD with Pastor Cross: YouTube

Atherton Baptist Church

2627 W. 116th Street Hawthorne,CA 90250 (323) 757-3113 • www.athertonbc.org

F: 323-757-8772 • athertonbaptist@sbcglobal.net

Pastor Larry Weaver

Sunday Morning Worship: 8:00 & 11:00 am

Sunday Bible Enrichment Class: 9:45am

Mon.-Thurs. Bible Study: 7:00pm

Wednesday Bible Study: 12:30pm & 7:00pm

Bible Enrichment Fellowship International 400 E. Kelso, Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 330-4700 • www.bamcm.org

Dr. Beverly “BAM” Crawford

Morning Worship: 9:30am

Tues. Bible Study: 7:30pm Wed. Mid-Week Prayer: 5am, Noon & 7:00pm

Wednesday Pathway: 7:00pm

Thurs Bible Study: 10:00am

Sat Marriage & Family Prayer: 7:30am

Blessed Family Covenant Church 325 North Hillcrest Blvd, Inglewood, CA, 90301 (310)-674-0303 • F: (310)-674-0303

Pastor Wendy Howlett

Sunday Morning Worship & Word: 9:30am

Wednesday Prayer & Bible Study: 7:00pm View Sunday Worship: www.youtube.com (Under Blessed Family Covenant Church) www.blessedfamilycovenant.org

Center of Hope LA 9550 Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90305 #centerofhope•#cohla•Info@GO2HOPE.com

Give: Text COHLA to (833) 246-7144

Pastor Geremy L. Dixon Service Times: 8:00am & 10:00am Watch Via: Facebook|YouTube|Live Stream Closer To People...Closer To God! www.GO2Hope.com

Faithful Central Bible Church 333 W. Florence Ave. Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 330-8000 • F: (310) 330-8035

Pastor J. P. Foster

In-Person Services: 7:00 am & 9:30am

Online Services: 7:00a, & 9:30am

Wednesdays, The Download: 7:00pm

Facebook + Youtube+ Website The Tabernacle is located at 321 N. Eucalyptus Ave., Inglewood www.faithfulcentral.com

Jacob’s Ladder Community Fellowship, inc. 1152 E. Hyde Park Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90302 (866) 330-1702 • F: (310) 674-0760

Watchman/Shepherd Dr. Robert T. Douglas Sr.

Sunday Fresh Start & Prayer 9:00am

Sunday School: 10:00am

Morning Services: 11:45am

Evening Service: 7:00pm

Wed. Lock & Load Prayer: 7:00pm

Wed. Bible Study: 7:30pm

3rd Friday Youth Night: 7:30pm www.jacobladderschurch.com

60th March on Washington Commemorated with Calls for Continued Civil Rights Struggle

STACY M. BROWN NNPA Newswire

n the 60th anniversary of the iconic March on Washington, civil rights leaders and a diverse coalition of allies convened at the historic gathering site to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and advocate for renewed commitment to social justice. The event, convened by the Kings’ Drum Major Institute and the National Action Network, aimed to rekindle the spirit of the 1963 march, which played a pivotal role in advancing civil rights and voting rights legislation.

The original March on Washington, a cornerstone of the civil rights movement, drew approximately 250,000 participants in 1963. Its influence paved the way for significant legislative milestones, including the passage of federal civil rights and voting rights laws in the 1960s. The erosion of voting rights, recent Supreme Court rulings that impact affirmative action and abortion rights, and the rise of hate and violence against marginalized communities, however, punctuate the current commemoration.

Martin Luther King III, the eldest son of the civil rights icon, along with his sister Bernice King, visited their father’s monument in Washington on the eve of the event. Bernice King shared her reflections, stating, “I see a man still standing in authority and saying, ‘We’ve still got to get this right.’”

Addressing the urgency of the occasion, King III emphasized, “This is not a traditional commemoration. This really is a rededication.” Among the featured speakers was Ambassador Andrew Young, a close adviser to Dr. King during the original march and a key figure in the civil rights movement. Leaders from the NAACP and the National Urban League also delivered impactful remarks.

Arndrea Waters King also addressed the tens of thousands on the mall. “We are here to liberate the soul of the nation, the soul of democracy from those forces who want to have us all go backwards and perish rather than go forward as sisters and brothers,” she stated. “We will never betray those who marched for us, fought for us, lived for us, died for us. We are the children and

grandchildren of their struggles, and we will be worthy of their sacrifices.”

Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York also spoke during the event. “We’re here today to fight for voting rights,” urged Jeffries, the first Black congressperson to lead a major political party in Congress. “We’re here today to fight for civil rights. We’re here today to fight for reproductive rights. We’re here today to fight for workers’ rights,” he said.

Notably absent from the program were several individuals who had worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., such as Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. and the Rev. Peter Johnson, a Plaquemine, Louisiana, native and close aide to civil rights giant Andrew Young, and the Rev. Ralph Abernathy. Despite their significant contributions to the movement, they did not receive invitations to participate in the commemoration, shedding light on the challenge of preserving historical continuity and recognizing all those who played a role. However, Chavis was spotted among the crowd giving a hug to an unidentified Jewish man who had singled him out. “We were here 60 years ago, and we were both 15,” the man said to Chavis.

America’s “Black Attorney General,” civil rights lawyer Ben Crump embraced his hard-earned moniker, whipping the crowd into a frenzy by insisting that he would fight “until hell freezes over.” “As your attorney general, I declare now more than ever, that we must be unapologetic defenders of Black life, liberty, and humanity,” Crump remarked. “Just like they try to ban our Black history, we must tell them without Black history, you would not have American history. Just as the fight for the families of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Tyre Nichols and so many others, Americans must now fight for Black literature and culture.”

Rev. Jesse Jackson, another prominent civil rightsera figure, wasn’t expected to attend due to ongoing health concerns. The absence of these veteran activists threw a damper on an otherwise remarkable occasion.

Ahead of the event, several organizers engaged in

discussions with Attorney General Merrick Garland and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the civil rights division. The talks encompassed crucial issues like voting rights, policing reform, and addressing redlining practices.

The commemoration served as a prelude to the upcoming 60th anniversary of the original March on Washington, which President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris planned to observe on Monday, Aug. 28. During that scheduled meeting, Biden and Harris will engage with organizers of the 1963 march as well as members of the King family, aiming to honor the legacy of the event and its enduring impact on the struggle for civil rights.

As Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network, reflected on the continuous observance of March on Washington anniversaries, he recalled a promise he made to Coretta Scott King, the matriarch of the King family. Twenty-three years ago, she urged him and Martin Luther King III to continue the movement’s legacy. Sharpton, who didn’t serve during the early civil rights movement like Chavis, Johnson, Young, Jackson, and others, expressed his dedication to this cause, emphasizing the need to persist despite setbacks in civil rights protections.

The challenges the civil rights movement faced weren’t confined to the past; history revealed moments of triumph and tragedy. Following Dr. King’s landmark speech in 1963, dark incidents such as the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham and the abduction and murder of civil rights workers in Mississippi underscored the ongoing struggle. Those tragedies spurred the passage of pivotal legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Bernice King, CEO of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, acknowledged the weariness that can accompany the enduring fight for civil rights. She invoked her mother’s wisdom, stating, “Mother said, struggle is a never-ending process… Vigilance is the answer.”

True Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 7901 South Van Ness Ave. Inglewood, CA 90305

(323) 750-7304

Rev. James A. Perkins

Sunday School: 9:30am

Early Worship: 8am

Morning Worship: 10:45am

Bible Adventure Hour (Tues): 6pm Bible Study (Tues): 7pm Bible Study (Thurs): Noon

Antioch Church of Long Beach

350 Pine Ave. ,Long Beach, CA 90802

(562) 591-8778 •www.antiochlb.com

Senior Pastor Wayne Chaney, Jr.

Christ Second Baptist Church 1471 Martin Luther King, Jr., Ave. Long Beach, CA 90813 (562) 599-3421 • Fax: (562) 599-6175 • www.csbclb.org

Rev. Welton Pleasant II, Senior Pastor

Sunday School: 8:30am

Sunday Worship Service: 9:40am

Wed. Bible Study: 7:00pm

Wed Youth & Young Adult Ministry: 7pm

House of Refuge Church of God in Christ 1446 W. 36th Place, Los Angeles, CA 90018

(323)515-9022•Email:info@horcogic.org•www.horcogic.live

Pastor: Dr. Pierre Codio

First Lady Shavon Codio

Sunday Services:11:00am

Sunday School: 9:00am

Thursday Online Bible Study:7:00pm (via Facebook & YouTube)

Friday Morning Online Prayer:10am Prayer call-in # : (516) 259-9968 Tuesdays Substance Abuse Counseling:6:00pm

Walking In The Spirit Ministries

Grant AME Church

In Long Beach In Norwalk

Online Services Stream live: Sun 10:00am at antiochlb.com

Give: text antiochib to 77977

Social Media: facebook.com/antiochlb instagram.com/antiochlb youtube.com/antiochlongbeach

1129 Alamitos Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813 (562) 437-2567 • Fax: (562) 599-6175 • www.csbclb.org

Rev. Dr. Michael W. Eagle,Sr.,Ed.D, Community Activist Sunday School: 9:00am Worship Service Sundays: 10:45am (On Facebook Live, YouTube) Free Conf Call: 857 232 0156 877511

Zoom:438 996 2703

Where all receive attention, affection & love

Double Tree (Sonoma Grill) 12623 Norwalk Blvd, Norwalk CA 90650 (213) 248-6343 P.O Box 1597 Norwalk CA,90651

Tim & Leshia Brooks

Morning Worship: 11:00am

Services Held Every 2nd & 4th Sunday and Free Breakfast Is Served

Bible Study: 8:30am (Every 5th Friday)

L-R: Martin L. King III is joined by wife Arndrea and daugher Yolanda Renee King as he addresses the crowd; Members of King Family with Rev. Al Sharpton and billionaire businessman Robert Smith at the March; Rev. Al Sharpton speaks to the thousands of people who participated in the commemoration.

Culpepper continued from page 6

pepper's appointment, who had been serving as Interim President since July 2022. Chancellor Francisco C. Rodriguez praised Dr. Culpepper's passion and leadership, expressing confidence in his ability to take Southwest College to new heights.

“Dr. Culpepper has proven that he has the passion, ingenuity and drive to lead Southwest College,” said Chancellor Francisco C. Rodriguez. “During his tenure as Interim President, he connected with diverse populations that have promoted access to educational opportunities for students and the college. He has navigated LASC through several key milestones and I know that he has what it takes to lead Southwest to the next level.”

Expressing gratitude for the appointment, Dr. Culpepper reaffirmed his commitment to supporting his colleagues' dedication to student success.

“I believe that LASC is a doorway to social and economic mobility and that everyone should have access. As President I will continue my connection to the staff, faculty, students and the community,’ said Dr. Culpepper. “I look forward to supporting my campus colleague's passion for student success and continue to be awed by their tireless work. My job will continue to lift and highlight the special jewel that is LASC, and our willingness to change the social and economic mobility of all who engage with it.”

Cashless continued from page 6

and services in a predominantly cashless market.

As of 2021, several cities and states across the U.S. have enacted ordinances requiring businesses to accept cash, including San Francisco, Berkeley, New Jersey, Colorado, Massachusetts, Washington D.C. and New York City.

Philadelphia made history in 2019 as the first city to have a cashless retail prohibition with a spokesman for the Mayor Jim Kenney, stating that, "In a city with a 26% poverty rate, it is critical we do what we can to support equal opportunity for all residents."

In 2020, New York City begin requiring businesses to accept cash with businesses that failed to comply facing fines of up to $1,000 for a first violation and $1,500 for any violation after that. Businesses were also barred from charging a fee for accepting cash.

Most recently, Seattle’s county seat voted to require businesses in unincorporated parts of the county to accept cash of up to $200. Such measures reflect a growing trend that reflects the need for inclusive financial policies that consider the diverse needs and circumstances of all communities.

Hutt expects that the motion will move to the floor over the next couple of weeks given that she hasn’t had any pushback from her City Hall colleagues.

“I believe that the outpouring of emails will help my colleagues understand how important it is to make this equitable,” said Hutt. “As a city that has promised to be a safe and fair place for all, we must be proactive in ensuring that all our systems create fairness and equity for each and every individual.”

If the motion passes, an ordinance requiring businesses to have a cash option could be in place as soon as the first quarter of next year.

Johnson continued from page 8 is still present and that we must continue "pray(ing) together" and "stand(ing) up for freedom together."

I also think King's warning would have been a compelling statement to challenge us to look within our souls. Knowing that God sees what is truly in

our hearts, King would have reminded us that when we are callous regarding the needs of our fellow citizens, the societal consequences, while significant, would be "small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul(s) when we look the other way."

Lastly, I believe that King would have had a prophetic revelation to share with us as he quoted part of Isaiah 40:5 in 1963, declaring that "the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." Although this text specifically points to the eventual coming of Christ, King using it to address the marchers revealed his hope of seeing God's power and love heal the divisiveness of our nation. Faith was always the firm foundation of King's dream, and he knew that we needed to exercise it in order to truly be free.

Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at Ohio State University. Email her at smojc.jj@gmail.com.

Parker continued from page 8

"on the high plane of dignity" is also, sadly, lost. The divisions and hate between citizens today are an unfortunate and troubling reality.

And, what should trouble us most, is we have moved in the opposite direction from King's vision that ultimately our freedom will be realized as children of God.

The political left sees our future in socialism and secularism.

If, over the 60 years since King spoke, we pursued freedom in terms of personal responsibility, limited government and faith, we would be far, far better off today.

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly TV show "Cure America with Star Parker." For more on Star Parker, visit www.creators.com.

sentence serves the interest of justice. This case should have never been pursued.”

L.A. County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell echoed the sentiments of many in the community upon hearing the news of Ridley-Thomas' sentencing.

“From the initial allegations to the sentencing - as a fellow Angeleno and friend - I have been deeply saddened for Mr. Ridley-Thomas, his family, and our entire community," Mitchell said. "This heartbreaking outcome does not negate his unwavering love and commitment to the Black community. His 40+ years of service has benefited every Angeleno and won't be forgotten, nor will it be ignored when reflecting on the impact of his leadership.”

Ridley-Thomas has been ordered to surrender to authorities by noon on November 13, 2023. Attorneys for RidleyThomas have said that their client would pursue an appeal.

“No Poach” continued from page 13

In 2022, Bonta issued an alert reminding employers and workers that non-compete agreements were not enforceable in California. A new bill–AB 1076–introduced by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan would also make it unlawful to include a noncompete clause in an employment contract, or to require an employee to enter a noncompete agreement, that does not satisfy specified exceptions. The bill would require employers to notify current and former employees in writing by February 14, 2024, that the noncompete clause or agreement is void.

In the meantime, California workers who have entered into, an unreasonable or overly restrictive non-compete agreement can report it to the Attorney General's office at www.oag.ca.gov/report.

Ridley-Thomas continued from page 7

L-R: J. Kingdom aka Pastor Michael Fisher perform at the Carson Family Fest; Assemblymember Mike Gipson presents certificate to Mayor Pro Tem Jawane Hilton: Pastor Johnteris Tate performs as part of The Soul Seekers; Mayor Pro Tem Jawane Hilton and Major take a moment for a photo on the red carpet at the Family Fest, held at Stevenson Park, in Carson. Photo credit to oD’Angelo’s Photos_425.

InGoodTaste

Monique Kilgore launched Divas Can Cook back in 2009 when she noticed a shortage of authentic Southern recipes like the kind she grew up on in Elberton, Georgia. Dedicated to teaching fromscratch cooking to the busy, modern day woman Kilgore–whose Divas Can Cook was one of the first video food blogs – has been featured on Forbes.com, The Nate Berkus Show, CNN and in Black Enterprise Magazine, Walmart and The Huffington Post.

Chili Salmon w/ Pineapple Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

½ lemon

Guest Chef Monique Kilgore

Sweet & Spicy Coca Cola Glazed Turkey Chops, Cheddar Biscuits, Old Fashioned Blueberry Cobbler and Apple Pie Pops. The happily married mother of two learned how to cook by attending the prestigious “Grandma Barb’s Culinary School of the South” aka her grandma’s kitchen!

It currently consists of over 600 self-produced video recipes that draw over 2 million website visitors every month to such mouth-watering delights as Spicy Honey Chicken Wings, Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Sticks, Southern Fried Pickles,

1 pineapple, diced

1 mango, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

½ red onion, diced Handful of fresh cilantro,chopped

1 lime Salt

Salmon

3-4 salmon fillets

“Growing up, I spent many hours at her table learning mainly through osmosis as I completed my homework. Now that I’m older I absorb every single thing my grandmother shows me. Taking notes and carefully preserving all of her recipes down to how many shakes of herbs and spices she uses.”

Visit www.divascancook.com for more information and recipes or to sign up for her newsletter.

Salt

½ tablespoon, chili powder

½ teaspoon,garlic powder

½ teaspoon, onion powder

½ teaspoon, cumin

½ teaspoon,brown sugar

¼ teaspoon, black pepper

Butter

Directions:

1. Prepare Pineapple mango salsa a day ahead, if possible.

2. Combine pineapple, mango, red onion, jalapeno and cilantro into large bowl.

3. Drizzle with lime juice and sprinkle with salt. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

4. Preheat oven to 400.

5. Place fillets in a casserole dish lined with foil. Drizzle both sides of salmon with lemon. Sprinkle with salt.

6. Combine chili, onion, and garlic powder with cumin, brown sugar and pepper. Sprinkle both sides of salmon generously with chili mixture.

7.Place a long slice of butter on each fillet. Bake 12-15 min. (Check after 12 minutes).

Note: Salmon will be tender and flaky when cooked to perfection. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Top with pineapple mango salsa.

SavingGrace

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson is not a person who discusses his faith very often. In fact, the Academy Award honoree is more likely to spill other choice words before quoting Scripture. He did, however, publicly acknowledge God's importance in his career, during a rare moment in 2016.

Upon accepting the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, Jackson said, "I want to thank God for this opportunity even in the beginning. A young man who grew up in a segregated Tennessee, nobody told me I could be this. So, here I am, and here you are. Thank God for that."

Jackson's gratitude and God's grace combined made the Capital One spokesman one of the most celebrated and revered entertainers in the world. He is known for his memorable roles in “Die Hard with a Vengeance”, “Do the Right Thing”, “Snakes on A Plane”, “Pulp Fiction”, “Django”, and a slew of movies within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Nick Fury actor is reportedly ranked as the highest-grossing all-time box office star. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Jackson holds the record for most films over $100 million at the global box office. With nine projects in the works–including the film version of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson” and “The Kill Room” (set to hit theaters on September 14), Jackson shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

In fact, his production credits are just as impressive dating back to Eve’s Bayou in 1997, which he starred in and produced. Among his growing list of production credits is “The Banker” and most recently the Disney TV mini-series, Secret Invasion.

The 74-year-old actor was first introduced to God while growing up in Chattanooga. He was raised by his mother and grandparents who took him to church regularly. By giving him "the good news" on a consistent basis, they made sure the young Jackson was always inspired even amid a time of racial of upheaval. In addition, it gave him the strength he needed to face the challenges ahead — bullying, addiction, and career roadblocks.

Jackson became interested in acting after outings with his aunt to the movie theater, but feared his debilitating childhood stutter would present a challenge. The speech impediment was so severe that it often caused him to be bullied and at one point the teasing got so bad he stopped speaking for almost a year.

Formal training didn’t help. Instead, it was reading that provided the answer.

“I read a lot,” Jackson recalls. “I read things about breathing exercises…I actually went to the library to combat stuttering.”

Stuttering and bullies proved no match for Jackson. He regained control of his speech and confidence.

In 1966, he attended Morehouse College to study

marine biology. As fate would have it, while in a public speaking class, the professor asked Jackson and other male students to audition for a play for extra credit. Jackson agreed and said from that moment on his acting dreams were reignited.

Those dreams were put on hold when famed civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was fatally struck down at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis–a tragedy that hit home for Jackson. Aside from the assassination taking place just five hours from his hometown, King was a Morehouse alum, and Jackson considered himself a political activist. After serving as an usher at Dr. King’s funeral, Jackson fled to Memphis to join the equal rights protests and “Black revolution”.

Upon his return to Morehouse, he channeled that same energy to help lead a protest on campus, holding the school's board majority white trustees hostage to demand curriculum changes and more Blacks on the board. In the end, Morehouse agreed to change, but Jackson was expelled. The FBI also took notice of his political activism. His mother, who feared for Jackson's safety, urged him to leave for Los Angeles, not returning to Morehouse until 1971 when the suspension was lifted.

Jackson took the second chance se riously.

“I decided that theater would now be my politics,” Jackson noted. “It could en gage people and affect the way they think. It might even change some minds."

His return set the stage for acting as well as love. Jackson met his wife LaTanya Richardson, a drama major at Spel man, during a student rehearsal. It was love at first sight.

“I knew she was the person for me. From then on, we were always together, and we’ve stayed that way.”

The couple moved to New York in the late 70s and married in 1980. It was a great time to be in New York for Jackson who was running in cir cles with stars like Keith David, Laurence Fishburne, Morgan Free man, and Wesley Snipes. However, it did not stop him from abusing drugs and alcohol while tackling smaller roles in “Ragtime”, Eddie Murphy’s “Coming to America” (he was the holdup man), and “Mo Better Blues”.

The minor roles did not translate into major figures and having to provide for his family and build a career he could be proud of weighed heavily on Jackson. His depression and drug abuse increased as a result.

Before he knew it, he was becoming a full-blown addict.

In a previous interview, he revealed, “I had basically moved into the basement of our brownstone. Every now and then I’d come upstairs and hover around to do something. I was addicted and being crazy. My daughter Zoe and my wife LaTanya found me passed out on the floor after I left somebody's bachelor party and put me in rehab the next day. They supported me and pushed me and give me a reason to get up and go and chase it day after day after day.”

Eventually, rekindled his spirituality and career. Fresh out of treatment in 1991, Spike Lee offered him a role in "Jungle Fever". In the film, he played “Gator Purify” alongside Academy Award winner Halle Berry. It was ironic that he assumed the role of the "crackhead" because it was the first time he performed sober.

Four years later, he landed a starring role in Pulp Fiction, the first installment of the popular Quentin Tarantino franchise. Soon after, Jackson became a prominent figure in the franchise space, starring in “Star Wars”, “The Incredibles”, “Jurassic Park”, and “The Avengers”.

Over the years, Jackson has been nominated for numerous awards, including the Golden Globe, Primetime Emmy, Tony, and NAACP. In 2021, Jackson was named an Academy Award Honoree for his exceptional contributions to the field of motion picture arts and sciences.

In 2016, his career even came full circle with his church upbringing when he was chosen to provide God's voice in the audiobook, “The Bible Experience”. The project dominated Wal-Mart’s best seller list for weeks.

By God's grace, the 74-year-old has come a long way. The NAACP Award winner and his wife regularly donate to his church, and Jackson has publicly shared his life principle, which is the Golden Rule: "Do as you would have others do to you."