L.A Focus On The Word Issue 12 December 2015

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In Good Taste: Patti’s Pies Are Red Hot

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L.A. FOCUS

DECEMBER

2015

LAFOCUSNEWSPAPER

BLACK LIVES MATTER Movement Or Battle Cry?

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Since 2013, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has taken >> center stage in a series of galvanizing events surrounding controversial police shootings — most notably high-profile killings of unarmed black men — that have renewed attention and energy on racial justice...

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Entertertainment Jada Pinkett’s Murder Town PAGE

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Getting In The Holiday Spirit of Giving With the last month of the year >> comes that last rush to buy gifts to put under the Christmas tree. Last year consumers spent over $600 billion and they are projected to spend even more this year…

Upfront: Black Pastors Draw Fire For Trump Meeting

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PAGE 7 COMES TO L.A.’S DOLBY THEATER

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contents

December2015 2015 December

L.A. L.A. Focus Focus Publication Publication

(Left): Entertainment Tonight’s Nischelle Turner, Jan Perry, YWCA-GLA CEO Faye Washington and Congresswoman Maxine Waters at the Greater L.A. YWCA’s Rhapsody Ball last month: (Middle) The “Holy Homies” (Pastors Miquail Broadus, Xavier Thompson and Rodney Howard) at the funeral of Pastor William Lowe; (Right) Apostle “Beverly “BAM” Crawford is joined by her children, Gabrianna and Gary, at her 70th birthday celebration.

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Commentary Hiding In The Shadows: California’s Homeless Children

From The Editor Lisa Collins

Upfront Selective Coverage of Terrorism Comes Under Fire; Black Pastors Draw Fire for Trump Meeting

Head To Head “French Lessons?

Headlines From Africa Feature Story Black Lives Matter: Movement Or Battle Cry

Money Matters Holiday Shopping In The Community

Biz News Briefs Rush Card Glitch Sparks Investigation

staff Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Staff Writers Contributors

Lisa Collins Stephen Oduntan Larry Elder

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Red Carpet Style Calendar/Around LA Inside Hollywood High Hopes for Mary J. Blige

One On One Michael B. Jordan

Through The Storm Eloise Laws Victory Over Cancer Inspires New Way of Giving

Church News

Bill Jones, Ian Foxx Kisha Smith

With Bro Steve

In Good Taste Patti LaBelle’s Sweet Potato Pie

Saving Grace Loretta Devine

Finding Your Pretty With Chez

Church Community Rocked By Deaths of Three Prominent Pastors

First Lady Files Paulette Douglas —Jacob’s Ladder

Pastor Profile Elton Johnson—Metropolitan Baptist Church

From The Pulpit The Rock Church

advisory board

Napoleon Brandford Pastor Beverly Crawford Marc T. Little

Photographers Advertising

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Eye On Gospel

Siebert, Brandford, Shank & Co.

First Lady Michelle Obama got her groove on during a Broadway at the White House event she held for high school students last month

On The Cover:

Bible Enrichment Fellowship International Church Law Offices of Marc T. Little

honorary advisors Bishop Charles Blake Bishop Noel Jones Paradise Baptist Church Dr. Aaron D. Iverso Southern MBC Rev. Xavier L. Thompson F. A.M.E. Church Dr. Cecil Murray Faithful Central Bible Church Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer Mt. Moriah Baptist Church Rev. Melvin Wade Mt. Zion MBC Rev. E.V. Hill II West Angeles C.O.G.I.C. City of Refuge

L.A. Focus–On the Word, is published monthly.

Address all correspondence to: L.A. Focus, 333 W. Florence Ave., Suite 315C Inglewood, CA 90301 • (310) 677-6011 Fax: (310) 677-2338 Subscription rates $25.00 per year.

Copyright, January 1995 by L.A. Focus Publications. All rights reserved. Unsolicited manuscripts/photographs are not accepted, nor shall any responsibility for them be assumed.

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SAVE THE DATE th

Annual

EMPOWERMENT CONGRESS SUMMIT

Saturday, January 16, 2016 “Building Stronger Communities”

Call, email or visit our website for more information: 213.346.3247 • info@EmpowermentCongress.org www.empowermentcongress.org

Davis Elen Advertising • City of Refuge• Refuel • Baptist Ministers Conference • IMMS • Southern MBC • Allied IM • Greater Zion Church Family • Dakota Communications • Mt. Moriah Baptist Church • California Black Media • FAME Corporation • LaGrant Communications • First AME • Bridgestreet • Christ Second Baptist Church • LAPD • Harvest International • California Endowment • Bible Enrichment Fellowship International • Covered California • One Church LA • County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas • Mt. Zion MBC • Children’s Defense Fund • Crenshaw Christian Center • Brand New Day HMO • Holman UMC • 1 Plus One Management, Inc • Mt. Sinai Baptist Church • People’s Independent Church of Christ • Toyota • New Mt. Pleasant MBC • Metro • Weller Street Baptist Church • Siebert Brandford Shank • Resurrection Church LA • State Farm • Peace Apostolic • Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corp • Paradise Baptist Church • Uncle Darrow’s • Antioch Church of Long Beach • Union Bank • Jacobs’s Ladder • RCA Inspirational • Unity Christian Fellowship • Motown Gospel • West Angeles COGIC • NHS • DIvine Deliverance Ministries • NID • Praises of Zion • Pasadena Playhouse • Love & Unity • Cerritos Center for Performing Arts • Atherton Baptist Church • Center Theater Group • Mt. Tabor MBC •

Happy holidays from our family to yours!

Many thanks for your continued support —the staff at L.A. Focus Bishop T.D. Jakes Ministries • NNPA • Christ Our Redeemer AME Church • Williams Tax & Financial • Trinity Baptist Church • City On The Hill • Bob Blake & Associates • First Church of God Center of Hope • Harbor Comprehensive • Greater Ebenezer Baptist Church • Pleasant Hill Baptist Church • Ebony Reportory Theatre • Citizens of Zion Baptist Church • Holy Chapel Baptist Church • Collins Chiropractic • New Antioch COGIC • Kimber & Kimber • New Pleasant Hill • Ethnic Print Media • New Shady Grove • It Is Done Communications • Miracle Temple Church of God Pentecostal • Community Coalition • Tree of Life MBC • Danielle Ashley Group • Crusade Christian Center • SIEIU • Victory Institutional Baptist Church • Word of Life Christian Bookstore • Crusade Christian Center • Peachez Entertainment • Bethel AME • California Board of Equalization • Lifeline Fellowship Chiristian Center • IPC • The Liberty Church • Liberty Baptist Church • National Action Network • Bethesda Temple Church Apostolic Faith •Park Windsor Baptist Church • House of Winston • Macedonia Baptist Church • Angeles Funeral Home • Miracle Center Apostolic Church • FICWFM • Church of Jesus Christ International • Ivie McNeill & Wyatt • Congregational Church of Christian Fellowship • Mt. Calvary Baptist Church • Martin & Martin • AMEN L.A. • Christ The Good Shepherd • Bethehem Temple Church • Price Chapel AME • St. Mark MBC • The Stop Church • Erica Campbell • The First Saint John Bible Church • California Mentor • Arise Christian Center • True Friendship Baptist Church • Morning Star MBC • Bethlehem Church • Spirit of Zion Christian Fellowship• Gospel Memorial COGIC

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Commentary Alex M. Johnson

Hiding In The Shadows: California’s Homeless Children

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n older African-American man seated in a wheelchair, his left leg amputated, a crudely worded sign propped up next to him: "Homeless Vet -- Support Your Troops." A blond-haired white woman with her head bowed holding a piece of cardboard that states: "Hungry & Homeless." The sign of the middle-aged Latino man outside the post office: "I used to be your neighbor."

We have grown accustomed to these images in communities across the country. We have often times become complacent in our response or our lack thereof. From Los Angeles to New York City, cities and states are grappling with ways to address the surge in their homeless populations. Hawaii's governor declared a state of emergency in October; the city and county of Los Angeles have authorized almost $200 million in recent spending to attack its homeless crisis; and homelessness in New York City is reportedly at its highest levels since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

While there are some reports of progress in curbing homelessness nationwide, there is one population in particular that continues to rise: homeless children. Approximately 2.5 million children experienced homelessness in this country in 2013, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education. This represents one in every 30 children in the U.S.,—a historic high.

The crisis of child homelessness is often hidden. While some families with children are sleeping on sidewalks, in cars or in shelters, millions of homeless children are invisible, "doubled up" with their families on the couch of a friend or hopping from motel to motel each week. In California, 86% of homeless students reported sharing the housing of others during the 2012-13 school year.

Homelessness has harmful effects on all who experience it, but the impact on children can be particularly devastating. Homelessness often leads to chronic stress and trauma that can have lasting effects, emotionally and cognitively damaging children.

California has the largest population of homeless children in the country and twice the rate of homeless students as the national average. In 2013, there were 526,708 homeless children in California. And millions of California families with children are just one paycheck, illness, eviction or family crisis away from homelessness. California ranks at the bottom in their state policy and planning efforts to address this crisis of child homelessness. It is simply unacceptable that in the wealthy state of California we allow so many of our children to fall into the pit of homelessness.

So where should we start? In order to create lasting solutions to end child homelessness in California we must begin by addressing child poverty. Poverty and the lack of

From the Editor

Guest Columnist

affordable housing are the principal causes of family homelessness. In California, nearly 1 in 10 children live in deep poverty (i.e., earning less than approximately $10,000 per year for family of three).

The Children's Defense Fund-California has outlined specific, long-term and systemic solutions to child poverty and homelessness that California policymakers should enact immediately: 1. Raise the state minimum wage to $15/hour and expand the new state Earned Income Tax Credit so working families have enough income to cover basic necessities.

2. Increase CalWORKs basic benefits and eliminate the Maximum Family Grant rule in CalWORKs that puts families with newborns at greater risk of homelessness.

3. Invest in affordable housing for extremely low-income families. A recent study found that providing families with permanent housing subsidies not only reduced homelessness, but also improved child well-being by increasing school attendance, decreasing food insecurity and keeping families together.

4.

Expand the number of quality child care slots for low-income children so parents can work and children can thrive.

We must redouble our efforts to end the crisis through effective interventions. I am confident that if we simply end the rhetoric and focus on substantive reforms, we will hear more inspirational stories like that of Britany Lewis, one of Children's Defense Fund-California's 2011 Beat the Odds® honorees. As a child, Britany lived in a two-door Honda Prelude with her siblings and was forced to miss school for a year. Despite homelessness and physical abuse, Britany persevered and overcame the challenges that threatened to destroy her dreams; recently graduating from the University of California at Berkeley.

There are countless children just like Britany. While Britany was one of the lucky ones, "luck" is never a viable policy solution. The scale of this issue demands action at all levels -- city, county, state and federal -- as well as the philanthropic and corporate communities. The Children's Defense Fund-California looks forward to working with our leaders across the spectrum to end child homelessness in California.

We must act with vigor and boldness to address child poverty and homelessness through a comprehensive blend of smart policy and effective programs. If we do not, our children today are at a higher risk of becoming tomorrow's adults with signs that read: Hungry & Homeless.

Alex M. Johnson is the Executive Director of the Children’s Defense Fund-California.

For more information, please visit www.cdfca.org

LISA COLLINS Publisher

A Season of Revelations

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Another film sure to stir controversy (though of a different kind) is also set to open this month starring Will Smith. It is the story of the African neuropathology doctor, Dr. Bennet Omalu, under pressure from the NFL to hide the truth about concussions after discovering chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) — or football-related brain trauma— in a player.

The story got personal for me last month with the death of an old friend, Fred McNeill, whose death from ALS is directly tied to hits he took in his 12 years as a linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings.

The issue has started a raging debate in sports over how many hits are too many and how is it possible to safeguard the players without taking what many consider to be the fun out of the game.

In one scene, Smith —portraying Omalu—is told, "You've turned on the lights and given their biggest bogeyman a name."

“There is a certain truth to the science that people aren’t aware of,” Smith stated.

“There are professional football players and parents who don’t have this information, so for me it illuminates a reality around the game.”

Thanks to all the news about CTE, parents are taking a harder look at whether or not they want their children to take the risk, and the NFL will pay out more than $900 million to settle a lawsuit filed by retired players whose lives have been impacted.

“Don't kid yourselves about what you are watching,” writes sportswriter Ron Chimelis. “From Sunday's NFL games will come more damage that will gradually impair, cripple and kill some of the players on your screens. We just don't know which.”

Another story getting a great deal of media attention is the controversy surrounding the recent meeting of 100 black pastors with Donald Trump and the fallout in the church community that has followed. Check it out on page 7.

Finally, in the spirit of this Christmas season, an annual tradition for L.A. Focus is to provide a listing of agencies that provide help over the holiday season in hopes that you will reach out to those in need. It is included on page 6. With that, the staff of L.A. Focus wishes you a safe and blessed holiday, urging you to remember the reason for the season—and the spirit of one who was born in a manger some 2,000 years ago.

Keep the faith.

L.A. Focus/December 2015

eads are beginning to roll in the shooting of 17-year old Laquan McDonald and alleged coverup by the Chicago police department that surfaced with the video 13 months later. It appears to be a classic case of corruption with video contradicting police station, reports of footage from a neighboring business being erased, a family paid $5 million before even filing a lawsuit and witnessing motorists at the scene of the shooting that occurred in October of 2014 allegedly being told to leave the scene or they would be arrested. All part and parcel of what a New York Times op-ed dubbed “a historically corrupt enforcement agency that is well versed in the art of hiding misconduct, brutality — and even torture.”

The dash cam video may never have come to light had it not been for a journalist who was told the video existed and then sued for its release. Only then did Mayor Rahm Emmanuel fire the police chief, label the now fired police officer as “rogue” and appoint a task force to review police accountability procedures. Too little, too late say most.

Given the charged emotions that have fueled protests surrounding such cases— tied mostly to the Black Lives Matter Movement, it’s easy to see why police wanted to keep the case under wraps.

Just what role has the Black Lives Matter movement played in all that is happening is the subject of our cover story beginning on page 10.

Yet, a growing number of people are beginning to argue that just as crowds and protests swell over those like McDonald, the focus must be expanded to include cases like that of nine year-old Tyshawn Lee, who was lured into an alley and then executed. An autopsy revealed several gunshot wounds in Lee’s body, including to the head and others at close range. A wound to the right hand appeared to show Lee put his hands up to try and block the gunshot Lee’s murder, while unquestionably heinous, was one of the more recent examples used to delegitimize the Black Lives Matter movement, cited it as an example of the type of killings the movement should be more focused on.

Observed a writer for Breitbart News, “Black Twitter didn’t catapult Tyshawn Lee’s name to trending topic status. There has been no Black Lives Matter-style acrimony tantamount to that of Michael Brown’s death.”

“It's got to be both ends. We cannot be out there [protesting police violence] and then when it comes to young brothers killing themselves, then mum’s the word” noted Spike Lee, whose film, Chi-Raq, is a satirical look at the violence in Chicago.

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UpFront Selective Coverage of Terrorism Comes Under Fire

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ast month, the world witnessed the city of Paris thrown into chaos.

Many people were killed in what French officials called an unprecedented terrorist attack. Facebook spurred into action and activated a feature that let people in the city alert friends and family of their whereabouts - and more importantly let them know they were safe.

As France confirmed its worst fears, social media users all over the world rallied together and began changing their Facebook profiles to the French flag as a symbol of mourning and solidarity Several people displayed words of tribute to the more than 140 people killed in the tragedy. But in the ensuing days the symbol that was meant to be a universal representation of grief instead became divisive. There were questions and even anger from those who felt Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and the media at large ignored the plight of other nations.

“People claim to mourn with all world tragedies in equal regard,” one Facebook post began, “but…when Lebanon experienced something similar last week they didn't even update their status... when the French slaughtered 2000+ Ivorian’s just 2 years ago to overthrow President Gbagbo... silence... when the US military dropped a missile on a hospital in Afghanistan and Syria... oooh, that's a little too controversial to comment on...

By all means feel free to change your pro-

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Staff Writer

file pic, but do not feel Terror Fatalities By Country free to lecture anyone Nigeria about how you view all 2987 666 Iraq life with equality, 283 Egypt because like most of the 280 people doing this, when Yemen 272 they’ve had the opportuPakistan nity to show solidarity Afghanistan 244 with the underclasses of 222 Syria this world, they’ve been 172 Cameroon conveniently preoccu163 Kenya pied with infinitely France 154 more important things.'

Turkey 150 Social media outrage Somalia 148 alleging possible bias Chad 116 prompted an explana- Philippines 78 tion from Zuckerberg.

Niger 75 'Many people have rightfully asked,' read Zuckerberg’s post, the top nine. “why we turned on [the] Safety Check for In January, more than 2,000 Nigerian Paris, but not for the bombings in Beirut civilians were killed by Boko Haram in and other places. Until yesterday, our the border town of Baga in what was policy was only to activate Safety Check reported to be the group’s deadliest for natural disasters. We just changed attack to day. Most of the world, howevthis and now plan to activate Safety er, was focused on the Charlie Hebdo Check for more human disasters going attacks in Paris. In fact, there were 12 other reported terrorist incidents that forward as well. week in Africa and the Middle East.

Still, the issue underscores—for “When the Islamic State makes a many—what is a huge oversight in the media coverage of terrorism,—particu- bloodstained statement in Paris, it gets nonstop, wall-to-wall coverage and larly in Africa.

A Pew Research Center survey found immediate global sympathy; attacks by that most of the terrorist attacks attract- the Islamic State in West Africa, not so ing American attention for the last much,” wrote columnist Charles Ellison decade occurred in Europe, with just one in a column titled, “When Terrorism African incident — the 2013 attacks at a Strikes, Black Lives Don’t Seem to Nairobi, Kenya mall — making the list of

Black Pastors Draw Fire For Trump Meeting

STEPHEN ODUNTAN Staff Writer

Black Lives Matter folks called them up and said: ‘You shouldn’t be meeting with Trump because he believes that all lives

“

I want to apologize because prostitutes get money and the 100 who went in there got nothing. They did it for free.

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matter.”

Many of the pastors, however, contend that they had never planned to endorse Trump.

On his facebook, Bishop Clarence McClendon wrote: “The meeting was presented not as a meeting to endorse but as a meeting to engage in dialogue.”

"I was asked 2 meet with Mr Trump too," Atlanta-based Bishop Paul Morton tweeted, "but I refused because until he learns how to respect people you can't represent me thru my endorsement."

Rev. Jamal Bryant of the Empowerment Temple AME Church in continued to page 23

continued to page 22

Community Agencies Spread Holiday Cheer to the Needy

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ith the last month of the year comes that last rush to buy gifts to put under the Christmas tree.

Last year consumers spent $59.5 billion and they are projected to spend $68.4 billion this year, according to a Forrester Research Inc. report. But while we’re running around looking for that perfect something for our loved ones, it’s important to extend that spirit of giving to those in need.

If you are in need this holiday season or you want to help others in need whether it’s with your time or money, , listed below are just some of the worthwhile programs you can tap into: AIDS Service Center: This organization aims to provide services for those living with AIDS and HIV. They will be hosting a food drive where they will give away food vouchers to those in need. The public can drop of gift certificates for food from any major grocery store or non-perishable food items at 65 N. Raymond Ave, Suite 240 Pasadena 91103. For more information, call Anthony Guthmiller (626) 441-8495 ext. 11 Department of Public Social Service's (DPSS) Adopt-A-Family Program: This program assists lowincome families with toys, clothes and food during the holidays. Those who want to help fill out a sponsor form no later than Dec. 13 and coordinators match you with the perfect family, providing a family name as well as their continued to page 22

News Brief Tensions Mount As Trial of Officer Indicted In Freddie Gray Death Gets Underway As the trial of the first of six police officers indicted in the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray—who was critically injured in the back of a police transport van in April,—get underway, the Baltimore police chief says that “the future of the city is at stake”.

Officer William Porter faces charges of assault, reckless endangerment, manslaughter and misconduct for reportedly checking on Gray several times, but failing to get him medical assistance.

Turns out the 26-year old officer had known Gray from earlier run-ins and reportedly told investigators that, “it was always a scene when you tried to arrest Freddie Gray”.

Further that he believed Gray to be feigning injury to avoid going to jail.

In their opening statement, prosecutors told jurors that Porter “criminally neglected his duty” to help Gray by failing to seatbelt him or call for help.

Experts believe that the outcome of Porter’s trial will set the tone for the rest of the cases, which is why the city of Baltimore has so much at stake. Already, there is mounting tension from Black Lives Matter protestors who have gathered in front of Baltimore’s City Circuit Courthouse East to demonstrate. At press, one social activist had been arrested in scuffles that broke out.

Supervisors Approve Full Implementation of Prop 47 The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion to move towards full implementation of Proposition 47.

Last November, California overwhelmingly voted to approve Prop. 47. The mandate from the voters was clear: invest in people, not prisons. Yesterday’s vote was a huge step in fixing our broken criminal justice system.

Of the move, Karren Lane, Vice President of Policy at the Community Coalition, said “We are in a moment of unprecedented opportunity, an opportunity to correct the course of history. For too long we put people in jails, instead of investing in treatment and prevention.”

Over the next year the County will: direct departments to identify people eligible to change their records; create a task force to connect individuals with Prop 47 convictions with jobs and support services; create a process for community input on how Prop 47 funding is spent; and increase transparency in the Sheriff and Probation department budgets.

L.A. Focus/December 2015

Depending on who you speak with the meeting Donald Trump had with 100 Black pastors on November 30 was either a huge success or a huge fiasco. Prior to the meeting, the presidential hopeful had announced he was holding a press conference to announce his endorsement by 100 black religious leaders. That, however, wasn’t what the majority of the preachers who turned out to a meeting at Trump Towers in New York had in mind. Instead, they say, they came to listen. To see what the billionaire Republican frontrunner Trump —who cancelled the press conference — said that the subsequent meeting was amazing and fruitful.

The meeting took place despite an open letter published on the website of Ebony Magazine by 114 academics and clergy leaders who cautioned the pastors that meeting with Trump would be a mistake.

"We are concerned that your choice to meet with Mr. Trump, particularly in such a visible way, will not only de-radicalize the Black prophetic political tradition, but will also give Trump the appearance of legitimacy among those who follow your leadership and respect your position as clergy," the letter read.

“Don’t be trumped by Trump,” said Rev. Al Sharpton, who was not at the meeting but urged those attending to ask the hard questions about immigration, gun violence and income inequality.

During an interview with MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Trump said, “It gets publicity—unfortunately, as everything I do gets publicity—and probably some of the

STEPHEN ODUNTAN

Community Coalitions’Alberto Retana

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French Lessons? arlier this year, my colalarm systems are booming. umn asked, "Will the Can We Learn Elliot Friedland, writing for the West Defend Itself?" I From Europe? Clarion Project, has an article pointed out that America's leftists and pro- titled "Belgian Government Admits It Has gressives believe that the U.S. should Lost Control of No-Go Zone." Security and become more like Europe. I wonder Home Affairs Minister Jan Jambon says whether they also want to import the government does not "have control of European policies that created barbaric the situation in Molenbeek." Molenbeek, a extremism among its Muslim population. district of Brussels, has been referred to as France's recent tragedy is not surpris- "Europe's jihadi central." ing, given some of its policies that are not Two of the terrorists who carried out widely publicized abroad. France has no-go the recent attacks in Paris were found to be zones, which are officially called "zones from Molenbeek. Terurbaines sensibles," or sensitive urban rorist plots connected zones, where police are reluctant to go. to this neighborhood Some of these zones are dominated by include the 2001 asIslamic extremists. According to some sassination of antireports, there is hardly a city in France Taliban leader Ahthat does not have at least one ZUS. It is mad Shah Massoud; estimated that there are more than 750 the 2004 Madrid train such zones in France. bombings, which According to The Washington Times, killed 191 people; the "France has Europe's largest population of 2014 attack on a Walter Williams Muslims, some of whom talk openly of rul- Jewish museum in Brussels; the January ing the country one day and casting aside attack on a kosher grocery in Paris after Western legal systems for harsh, Islam- the Charlie Hebdo shootings; and the based Shariah." It appears much of August attack on a Paris-bound train, in France's Muslim population has no inten- which an Islamic terrorist was overpowtion of joining the French culture. Many ered by three Americans. are hellbent on importing the failed compoThere are zones where the government nents of their motherland, such as has lost control in Germany, England and Shariah, the subjugation of women, sup- most other European countries, too. Viktor pression of free speech and honor killings. Orban, prime minister of Hungary, But France is not alone in tolerating explained the situation confronting people who have little desire to abandon Europeans: "For us today, at stake are the culture from which they fled. Ingrid Europe, the lifestyle of European citizens, Carlqvist has written an article titled European values, the survival or disap"Sweden Descends into Anarchy". pearance of European nations and, more Carlqvist says, "Once upon a time, there precisely formulated, their transformation was a safe welfare state called Sweden, beyond recognition. Today the question is where people rarely locked their doors." not merely in what kind of a Europe we She adds: "Since the Parliament decided in would like to live but whether everything 1975 that Sweden should be multicultural we understand as Europe will exist at all." and not Swedish, crime has exploded.

Europe provides a valuable lesson for Violent crime has increased by over 300 Americans. Most Americans, including me, percent, and rapes have increased by an welcome people to our country who come unbelievable 1,472 percent." here, as immigrants have in the past, to One Swedish policeman says, "The situ- become Americans. We don't welcome peoation is slipping from our grasp," referring ple who wish to import the failed culture to some no-go areas, such as Tensta and from which they fled. We could extend the Rinkeby. "If we're in pursuit of a vehicle, it welcome mat even further if we abandoned can evade us by driving to certain neigh- the welfare state. We have far too many borhoods where a lone patrol car simply Americans living off the earnings of others. cannot follow because we'll get pelted by We don't need to encourage others to do the rocks and even face riots. same.

These are no-go zones. We simply can't Walter E. Williams is a professor of ecogo there." As a result of the increasing dan- nomics at George Mason University. To ger, Swedes are arming themselves in find out more about Walter E. Williams unprecedented numbers and sales of home visit www.creators.com.

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Headlines From Africa Botswana: The world’s second-largest diamond of gem quality has been discovered by the Lucara Diamond firm in Botswana. At 1,111-carats, the diamond is second only to the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond found in South Africa in 1905. Roughly the size of a tennis ball, the newly found 1,111-carat diamond could sell for as high as a whopping $66.9 million!

Burundi: The United States says it will sanction four current and former Burundi government officials over ongoing violence in the country that was sparked by President Pierre Nkurunziza's highly disputed third term. Since April, the White House has received multiple reports of targeted killings, arbitrary arrests, torture and political repression by security forces in Burundi. Over 200 have been killed.

L.A. Focus/December 2015

Chad: A United Nation official has warned that Boko Haram violence in the drought and flood-stricken swamplands of Lake Chad, which has forced millions to flee their homes, may worsen Europe's migration crisis.

Earlier this year a joint offensive by Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon drove the militant group from much of the territory it held in northern Nigeria, disrupting its efforts to carve out an Islamist caliphate.

Ghana: A $12 million grant from China will be used to develop a series of boreholes to supply drinking water to 300,000 people in rural Ghana. It is hoped the project will help the communities to reduce water-borne diseases.

Kenya: A group of 40-50 athletes stormed the headquarters of Kenya athletics’ governing body in Nairobi waving signs that read “Time for the corrupt to go home” after allegations surfaced that officials accepted secret payments from Nike. Some senior officials have been asked to step down. The Professional Athletes’ Association of Kenya said they were taking the “united” action to “bring sanity to Athletics Kenya management and leadership”.

Nigeria: Rising cancer rates have become a huge concern for health officials who report that the Nigeria only has seven radiotherapy machines, five of which are said to be faulty.

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hat is behind However, while the Paris and U.S. Response to American reactions to Mali attacks reveal an the Syrian refugees?

Syrian Refugees is intense rivalry between ISIS Unfortunately, it’s very sim- Really About Hatred, and Al Qaeda, there is no eviple: America has an dence linking Syrian Fearmongering Islamophobia problem. And in refugees to the attacks in a nation with centuries of experience in Paris or Mali. The Paris attackers have the hatred and oppression of people for been identified as citizens of the European who they are and what they look like, Union, and the Mali hotel attackers are racism and fearmongering always trump loyal to an Algeria-based Al Qaeda operafreedom and equality. tive.

In a shameful dis- France is still accepting 30,000 Syrian play, Congress voted refugees into their country over the next for a bill that would two years, with French President Francois suspend the program Hollande saying it is his nation’s “humanallowing Syrian and itarian duty.” France, however, does have Iraqi refugees into an issue it must deal with regarding the the U.S. The meas- social, racial and economic marginalizaure passed with a 289 tion of Muslims in its own country, which to 137 vote. Joining could provide fertile ground for radicaliza242 Republicans were tion. spineless As for the U.S., which has a stringent 47 David A. Love Democrats —includ- refugee vetting process, 81 percent of ISIS ing Jewish, black and Latino lawmakers, terror suspects charged in the U.S. are whose people have a history of being tar- American citizens, and none are from geted for being different, and who should Syria. Just to take that a step further, know better. Senate Democrats vow to America’s terrorism threat is not primariblock the bill, so there is no assurance the ly an Islamic one, but rather a white, legislation will ever reach the White Christian, male and homegrown thing. A House. study released in June found that white The president still plans to accept 10,000 supremacists are the real danger to the of the 4 million Syrian refugees who have U.S. since 9/11, a reality of which Sen. fled civil war and ISIS terrorism. Obama Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) recently remindvowed that “as long as I’m president,” the ed us.

U.S. will be a welcoming place for people And for black folks in America, state-sponescaping violence around the world. sored, white domestic terrorism has been a Surely, this is the least the world’s richest problem for centuries. Between 1916 and nation can do, particularly one whose past 1970, over 6 million African Americans policies helped pave the way for ISIS. participated in the Great Migration from However, if the Republican governors have the rural South, refugees fleeing political their way, though they have no authority persecution and economic sharecropper to demand it, there will be no Syrian oppression, Ku Klux Klan violence and refugees in the U.S. On Friday, a group of lynching. And in light of the police vio27 Republican governors — including lence, racist prosecution and mass incarpresidential candidates John Kasich of ceration facing black people, some are sugOhjo and Chris Christie of New Jersey — gesting that black folks in the U.S. could wrote a letter to the president. In the let- qualify as refugees even today. ter, they said this “country has long served Meanwhile, GOP politicians are pandering as a welcoming beacon to individuals and to the fearmongering and xenophobia that families who seek safety and refugee sta- appeals to their base. Older conservative tus” in the U.S., but they are “deeply con- white voters are afraid of losing their cerned” that ISIS “may have exploited the white country, so they must create enegenerosity of the refugee system to carry mies to blame for manufactured crises out Friday’s terrorist attack in Paris.” that exist only in their minds, whether the Couched in a concern over security issues, “Sharia law” takeover (Muslim the governors stress they are “charged Americans), the “illegal alien” invasion with ensuring the safety and wellbeing of (Latino Americans) or #BlackLivesMatter our citizens.” continued to page 22

A look at current news from the continent of Africa Rwanda: After making significant efforts to clean up its mineral supply chain, Rwanda’s Minister of State in-charge of Mining, Evode Imena, is asking that Rwanda be considered a ‘conflict-free” mineral country.

Senegal: In the latest move to curb radical Islamic activity, Senegal is planning to ban women from wearing the full-face Islamic veil in public. With the move, Senegal will be the fifth African state to make such a restriction in the interest of national security.

Somalia: A top Shehab official has warned that they will "cut the throat" of members who shift allegiance from Al-Qaeda to Islamic State. The Shebab, East Africa's Al-Qaeda branch, is fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu, now protected by 22,000 African Union troops. While losing ground in recent years, they remain a threat in Somalia and parts of Kenya.

South Africa: Health officials believe an integrated approach to fraud is essential given that in terms of monetary value, healthcare fraud has become one of the leading crimes in South Africa. According to estimates by the Healthcare Forensic Management Unit, at least 7% of all medical aid claims in South Africa are fraudulent and the figure could be as high as 15%.

Tanzania: Upwards of a hundred thousand Burundian refugees in neighboring Tanzania face overcrowding and disease living in overcrowded refugee camps. Matters are only being compounded by heavy rains and an increase of even more new arrivals.

Uganda: Political uncertainty ahead of the 2016 general elections has led to Uganda's credit rating being downgraded from stable to negative.

Zimbabwe: Citing his numerous missing front teeth and a wide range of grotesque facial expressions, judges crowned a new winner of Zimbabwe’s 4th annual Mister Ugly contest, over William Masvinu, who had held the title since 2012. Masvinu and his supporters then mobbed the judges charging that the man’s ugliness wasn’t natural since it was based on missing teeth. “I am naturally ugly”, stated Masvinu.

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L.A. Focus/December 2015

“It was so easy!“ L.A. Focus Columnist Chez Hadley lost 19lbs in 21 days

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BLACK LIVES MATTER Movement Or Battlecry?

S

ince 2013, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has taken center stage in a series of galvanizing events surrounding controversial police shootings — most notably high-profile killings of unarmed black men — that have renewed attention and energy on racial justice and put heat on local officials to act.

Born out of the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin when the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter began popping up on social media, the movement gained traction in Ferguson, Missouri following the death of Mike Brown and snowballed into a national phenomenon with the surfacing of a video tape showing the deadly confrontation of police with Eric Garner last July.

The killings of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, Walter Scott, Tamir Rice and the riots in Baltimore fueled both popularity and interest in the movement.

Initially, several prominent leaders—both Church and political—around the country saw the movement as drawing attention to legitimate concerns somewhat reminiscent of activism during the civil rights era. But the group’s confrontational and divisive tactics have caused many to question whether the BLM movement has any coherent solutions.

Last month, community leaders in South Los Angeles criticized BLM protesters after their actions disrupted a gathering inside a church in which several concerned residents were present to discuss issues about how to move forward.

Citing the Black Panthers of the 1960s, Reverend K.W. Tulloss of the Waller Street Baptist Church said historically African-American radicalized movements have

“

If you look at the history of African-American movements - from the 1960s when we talked about ‘Black Power,’ to the 1980s with Jesse Jackson and ‘I am somebody,’ to Al Sharpton’s, ‘No Justice, No Peace,’ you begin get a sense that ‘Black Lives Matter’ is more of a battle cry that resonates with a significant number of people. Mainly because black lives do matter.

”

yielded little to no results in terms of advancing equality and justice.

“I believe BLM is more of a battle cry than an organization said Tulloss. “If you look at the history of African-American movements - from the 1960s when we talked about ‘Black Power,’ to the 1980s with Jesse Jackson and ‘I am somebody,’ to Al Sharpton’s, ‘No Justice, No Peace,’ you begin get a sense that ‘Black Lives Matter’ is more of a battle cry that resonates with a significant number of people. Mainly because black lives do matter.”

Such criticism is dismissed by Dr. Melina Abdulla— a key leader of the Los Angeles BLM movement who countered with, “BLM is a multi-generational movement. It’s not just a movement of black people. It’s not just a movement of young people. There are grandmothers and grandfathers who are part of BLM. There are working class people. There are middle class people and straight and gay [people].”

The “complete diversity of the BLM movement” said Abdullah illustrates how much people are determined in their effort to affirm the value of black life and address social injustices.

The real value BLM accomplishments hinge on whether nationwide marches and demonstrations will succeed in changing polices that govern investigation and prosecutions of not only police involved shooting but the criminal justice system overall.

Some say they already have, pointing to the swifter implementation of body cameras in police departments across the nation, prompting a major change in policies for investigating such cases and leading to the inclusion of more black officials and task forces in the process as well as greater transparency, accountability and faster payouts to families affected.

“The indictments of the officers [in Baltimore] was the by product of the uprisings. With no protest there would have been no arrest,” tweeted BLM supporter Jamal Bryant.

At the same time critics are baffled that BLM activists have remained entirely mute about the 9-year African-American Chicago boy Tyshawn Lee who was

Focus 12.15_Focus 7-04 12/2/15 9:35 PM Page 11

executed by gang members over beef involving his father.

“As a black man, I agree that black lives matter…but chanting, marching and hashtag activism isn't going to work unless we also are willing to see the big-picture problems affecting black America”, said Derryck Green, a member of the national advisory council of the Project 21 black leadership network. “There is a disparity regarding violent death in the black community. We are killing our own at an alarming rate.

Greg Akili, a BLM activist told L.A. Focus “BLM supports and works with other groups and clergy members who have directed their focus on intercommunity violence, but BLM’s main focus has been state sanctioned killings.

“People are held accountable for the crimes committed in our community, but that doesn’t happen when it’s state sanctioned violence.”

Tulloss believes the BLM movement offers nothing of

substance, saying, “It’s a just a group of individuals that have banded together around black lives. It’s not a movement.

“In fact, they said it themselves that they are a ‘leaderless’ movement of people. Well I’ve never heard of a movement without leadership.”

BLM activist say they will continue to push their agenda of curbing police violence. ing.

A Timeline of Events That Have Defined A Movement February 26, 2012: Trayvon Martin: a black, unarmed 17-yearold shot and killed by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. Bay Area activist Alicia Garza and Los Angeles activist Patrisse Cullors coined the term Black Lives Matter after Zimmerman’s acquittal.

September 14, 2013: Jonathan Ferrell: an unarmed black man shot 10 times by a Charlotte police, afterknocking on a homeowner’s door in search of help after an auto accident.

A mistrial was declared when the jury could not reach a verdict.

July 17, 2014: Eric Garner: 43, was stopped on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. After a confrontation, police officer Daniel Pantaleo placed his arm round Garner’s neck in an apparent “chokehold.” No officer was indicted in the death of Garner.

August 5, 2014: John Crawford III: 22, was shot by police four days before Michael Brown’s death holding a toy gun in Walmart after a customer called 9-1-1 claiming a man was waving a gun. In September 2014 an Ohio grand jury declined to indict the officers involved in the shooting of Crawford.

August 9, 2014: Michael Brown: was killed by Darren Wilson, a white police officer, in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson, Missouri. Wilson said he opened fire after a struggle in the patrol car during which Brown reached for his weapon. Officer Wilson was not indicted.

April 30, 2014: Dontre Hamilton, who was schizophrenic, was shot 14 times after workers at a Starbucks complained to police about him sleeping in a park. The officer said Hamilton resisted arrest and hit him on the neck after exchanging punche sand was found to have acted in self-defense. The US justice department will review the case.

September 10, 2014: Darrien Hunt was shot by police officers in Saratoga Springs, Utah, while dressed as a samurai and holding a decorative sword. The killing was ruled 'justified'. Activists called for a review of the findings after an autopsy showed Hunt was shot in the back, and TV footage appeared to show him running away from officers.

November 23, 2014: Tamir Rice was shot in Cleveland, after a 9-1-1 caller told police the 12-year old was pointing a gun at people in a park. The orange sticker denoting the gun as a toy had been removed. The case is in review and will be turned over to a grand jury to determine if charges will be filed.

December 2, 2014: Rumain Brisbon, 34, was shot dead by a white police officer as he reached into his waistband when instructed to raise his arms, according to police reports. It turned out that he had a pill bottle in his pocket, not a gun. The officer involved the incident did not face charges.

April 2, 2015: Eric Harris, 44, was chased by police officers then shot as he lay on the ground during a weapons sting. Officers continued to subdue him despite his complaints that he couldn’t breathe. An officer was charged with second-degree manslaughter and will stand trial in February 2016.

April 4, 2015: Walter Lamer Scott, 50, was stopped for having a broken rear light on his car in North Charleston, South Carolina. He was then shot from behind eight times as he ran away from Officer Michael Slager. The grand jury filed charges against the officer.

The case is still pending.

April 19, 2015: Freddie Gray, 25, died in hospital from spinal injuries a week after police took him into custody.

Police said he "suffered a medical emergency" while in the van. Gray's lawyer says that his "spine was 80% severed at his neck". Six officers were charged in the death of Gray—the trial of one the officers began this month.

July 13, 2015: Sandra Bland was found hanged in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas. Her death was classified as a suicide by the county coroner, but was followed by protests against her arrest, disputing the cause of death and alleging racial violence. A grand jury to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.

July 19, 2015: Samuel DuBose fatally shot during a traffic stop for a missing front license plate in Cincinnati, Ohio. The officer involved in the shooting was charged with murder in the killing of the unarmed motorist. A trial date not officially set as of yet.

November 19, 2015: , Video of the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was held by Chicago police more than a year before a judge ordered it released last month. The officer was charged with first-degree murder, the police chief was also fired and protesters were calling for the resignation of the Mayor and city prosecutor.

High Profile Southern California Police Incidents Turned Deadly August 11, 2014

March 1, 2015

March 28, 2015

May 6, 2015

August 12, 2015

Alesia Thomas, 35 died in police custody after she was kicked seven times in the groin, abdomen and upper thigh during an arrest which ultimately led to her death. Mary O'Callaghan, the LAPD officer was sentenced to the maximum three years in jail. However, the judge suspended the last 20 months of the term.

Ezell Ford, a 25-year-old man who was described at mentally ill by family members, was shot by LAPD officers three times, including once in the back, according to a longawaited autopsy report.

No criminal charges were brought against the officers involved in the shooting

"Africa" Leundeu Keunang, 43, died of multiple gunshot wounds following an altercation with police in front of the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles.

The shooting is under investigation. The family of the Cameroonian man filed a $20 million claim against the city last April.

Meagan Hockaday was a 26-year-old African American resident of Oxnard who was shot and killed by police officer Rodger Garcia when police were called to the scene of a domestic dispute and Hockaday reportedly charged at him with a knife. The shooting is still under investigation.

Brendon Glenn: killed by LAPD officer in Venice when an altercation occured after two officers attempted to detain the suspect. Both officers involved in the shooting were assigned non-field duties. No charges have been filed.

Redel Jones: 30, was fatally shot by police who say she was armed with a large knife in a South L.A. alley after the robbery of a nearby pharmacy. It is not clear what happened or why the officers shot her.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

L.A. Focus/December 2015

July 22, 2012

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MoneyMatters

On the Money L.A. Restaurants Add New Fees To Cover Healthcare Costs

Holiday Shopping in the Community

B

lack Friday officially marked the start of the retail industry's 2012 holiday season. According to the National Retail Federation, an estimated 135.8 million people were expected to hit the stores or shop online Thanksgiving weekend and top last year sales totals of $50.9 billion.

Largely drawn in by bargains national retailers aggressively pushed, shoppers were looking to make the most of their hard earned money. Some of the best deals, however, can be found right in their own communities as local retailers compete for sales in the retail industry's biggest shopping season.

Of course, many savvy black consumers understand all too well the principle of recycling black dollars in extending the reach and depth of their purchasing dollars given that the more money spent in the community, the more residents it can impact and employ.

“People shop in their communities because it's what keeps the community viable and thriving,” said CJ's Elegance owner Carol Shaw. “We do good business year around, but what I'd like to see more of is the community residents coming in- if nothing more than to see what we have to offer-and that includes not just my store, but also our neighboring stores, One-of-a-kind Hats and Africana Imports. Just come and meet us for the holidays.”

Shopping closer to home can also help consumers avoid being caught up in the dreaded holiday rush.

“I also love being able to stay right in my own neighborhood,” says Janet Singleton. “It takes the stress out of holiday shopping when everything is so convenient.”

Observed Stephanie Saint Louis, "Some people feel like the more they pay, the more they get so shopping in Beverly Hills or at the Beverly Center is great for them, but they never take into consideration how much those retailers mark up their merchandise to pay their high

rents. I'm just looking for the best buy."

Listed below are our top picks for some community retailers you might find it worth your while to check out.

Africana Imports – Wares from Africa • 4442 West Slauson Ave. Los Angeles (323) 294-8151 Audacity Studio (Men’s Haberdashery) 4440 West Slauson Ave (323) 299-1999 CJ’s Elegance (Women’s Clothing) • 4446 W. Slauson Ave, Los Angeles (323) 299-1141 Eso Won Books 4327 Degnan Blvd. (323) 290-1048 Glamour Girls • 4444 W. Slauson Ave. Los Angeles (323) 299-4475 • 5365 Wilshire Blvd, L.A. (323) 934-4475 One-Of-A-Kind Hats 4432 W. Slauson (323) 296-0130 Philthy Ragz • 4840 West Slauson Avenue Inglewood (310) 703-0132 Pinky Rose • 5372 W. Pico Blvd. (323) 9369213 Velvet Monkey Designs 333 West Florence Ave. Level C. Inglewood • (323) 3094764 Word of Life Christian Bookstore • 6321 West Blvd, Los Angeles (323) 295-8223 Zahra's Books• 900 N. La Brea Ave. Inglewood (310) 3301300 Zambezi Bazaar (Cultural Gifts) • 4334 Degnan Blvd. Los Angeles (323) 299-6383

Depending on where your dining these days, your restaurant bill—no matter what you order—will be a little bit larger. 3-5% to be exact. That’s the surcharge restauranteurs are beginning to tack on to pay for their employees’ medical insurance.

It will be billed to you as a “wellness fee” and it made its debut late last year at one upscale L.A. area restaurant and has since been making the rounds to the city’s higher end eating spots like Lucques, AOC and Chaya Downtown.

It may not sound like much. But that all depends on what you order and for how many. Given that the restaurants are upscale, 5% of a $200 bill is $10. Add that to the increasingly standard 18% tip and 9.5% tax and that $200 bill jumps to $265.

Restaurant owners maintain that their margins are slim, while dissenting diners maintain that it’s the restaurants responsibility to provide insurance to their workers.

The fee, however, does not cover the servers at most swanky, high-end restaurants as they are part time and can make upwards of $80,000 annually on tips. Instead, it is directed toward those like cooks and dishwashers who normally don’t share in the tip pool and aren’t paid as well.

Some restaurants are now debating the viability of an all inclusive service fee that would replace tips and include healthcare. Some believe that route will likely be the future trend as restaurant industry insiders don’t see the majority of restaurants adopting the surcharge.

Whatever the case, all agree that restaurant fees will be rising

Biz NewsBriefs Rush Card Glitch Sparks Investigation

Two U.S. Senators are seeking an investigation into what caused the more than two-week system outage at Russell Simmons UniRush LLC that left up to 100,000 RushCard users without access to their cash. The senators want to know how the pre-loaded card technology failed people who —on average— were not using banks to access basic financial services as well as how the 12year old firm planned to make customers whole.

The system was reportedly down because the company was transitioning to a new processing partner, but the outage took

longer than expected and for up to two weeks, some cardholders were unable to access money to pay for food, rent, car payments and utilities.Russell Simmons, who founded the RushCard, dubbed “the grand daddy of prepaid celebrity cards,” issued an apology and has promised to pay up to $3 million to refund customers for any liabilities or losses associated with the crash. The glitch sparked renewed concerns to the costs those without traditional bank accounts are often saddled with, including pre-paid debit cards, which don’t require credit checks and in many cases offer cash advances on one’s paycheck.

Best Cities For Black Businesses The majority of Black business owners lived in the South, were millennials and worked alone. That according to a recent study conducted by Thumbtack that also found that most of their businesses were concentrated in the areas of entertainment, catering and event décor industries and to a lesser extent the cleaning, moving, tax preparation, and tech fields. It also studied in which cities black businesses were most prone to survive. The top ten are as follows: (1) Austin, Texas; (2) Dallas; (3) Columbus,

LA BusinessSource Center-South Los Angeles can help you start or expand your business with quality services including business trainings, counseling, loan assistance and affordable office space.

Upcoming Entrepreneurial Training Programs: Level I: Marketing Feasibility 3 weeks (Sat. 9:30am-11:30am) December 5 – 19 Off-Site 8-Week Level II Business Plan Writing Workshops Tuesdays, 6:30pm - 9:00 pm Dec.1- Jan.26, 2016 Thursdays, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Dec. 3 - Jan.28, 2016 Saturdays, 9:30am-12:30pm – (Orientation) Dec. 5 – Jan. 30, 2016 Upcoming Events: Quarterly Lending Workshop: New Funding Options to Start / Grow Your Business Wed.,Dec. 9 6-8pm http://www.facebook.com/vermotslausoneconomicdev.corporation

Ohio; (4) West Palm Beach; (5) Richmond, Va; (6) Virginia Beach, VA; (7) Kansas City, Missouri; (8) Nashville; (9) Jacksonville, FL; and (10) Raleigh, North Carolina.

Clinton Taps Black Firm For Assist With Ad Campaign Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign has Chicago-based ad agency, Burrell Communications, to assist with its focus on the concerns of African American voters. The firm, now headed by two black women, counts McDonalds, Toyota and General Mills among its clients.

Lucas & Hobson Make Big Donation to USC Citing Hispanic and Black stories as “underrepresented in the entertainment industry’ Star Wars creator George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson donated $10 million to the University of Southern California to help boost diversity and provide support to black and Hispanic students at the university’s School of Cinematic Arts.

The George Lucas Foundation Endowed Student Support Fund for Diversity will be awarded to both undergraduate and graduate level students, and the first awards are set to be distributed in next fall.

DRIP. CLOG. LEAK. Double J. Plumbing 310-846-8380 Specialist in all plumbing,repairs and construction Repairs Replacements Remodels Reliable

Focus 12.15_Focus 7-04 12/2/15 9:35 PM Page 13

Re d Carpet Style

Red Carpet Hits Stars stunned this year on the red carpet for the 2015 Soul Train Awards which was held November 29th in Las Vegas and aired on Centric.

ERYKAH BADU

SHANiCE ALEXANDER

JANELLE MONAE

OMAROSA

WENDY RAqUEL-ROBiNSON

The show’s Mistress of Ceremonies never disapoints with her outlandish style.

OWN’S reality star and singer looked stunning in this white mini.

Putting a twist to her signature white and black uniform with a classic Chanel broach and pearls.

The reality show villian looks stunning in this gold floor length gown

looked gorgeous in this below the knee off the shoulder dress and those shoes... OMG!

Focus 12.15_Focus 7-04 12/2/15 9:35 PM Page 14

Calendar of events

Billy Davis and Marilyn McCoo join Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas at the YWCA Rhapsody Gala

Ongoing

Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham stunned at American Music Awards

17th Annual Downtown On Ice (Through January 19) Annual outdoor skating rink featuring a variety of free activities and live music.

9am–11pm $9 – Admission Pershing Square 532 South Olive Street Contact: (213) 847-5970 www.pershingsquareicerink.com

Friday, December 4 In Concert: Power 106 Cali Christmas Feat. Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell Macklemore & more 7pm • $50–$130 The Forum 3900 W Manchester Bl fabulousforum.com Holman UMC 70th Anniversary Gala Honorees include Marian Wright Edelman 6PM • $175 Omni Hotel 251 South Olive Street Info: (323) 731-7285 www.holmanumc.com In Concert: The Temptations 8pm • $45-75 Cerritos Center 12700 Center Court Drive Contact: (562) 916-8500 www.cerritoscenter.com

L.A. Focus/December 2015

KIISFM Jingle Ball Featuring One Direction, The Weeknd, Selena Gomez, Ellie Golding & more 7:30pm • $35–$400.00

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Staples Center 1111 S. Figueroa Street www.staplescenter.com

Tuesday, December 8

Saturday, December 5 Holidays By The Sea + L.A. Harbor Holiday Afloat Parade Ballet & glee club performances, light show, movies, boat parade, arts & crafts (Through Dec. 21) 6pm-9pm •Free Fanfare Fountain near World Cruise Center 425 S Palos Verdes St San Pedro www.portoflosangeles.org Free Yoga With Kali Sampson (Every Saturday - Macy’s Bridge) Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall 10am – 11am 3650 W. Martin L. King Jr. Blvd Information: (323) 290-6636 http://www.baldwinhillscrenshawplaza.com

In Concert: The Weeknd (Through Wed., December 9) 7:30pm • $44.50–$130.50 The Forum 3900 W Manchester Blvd www.fabulousforum.com

Wednesday, December 9 Disney On Ice: Frozen (Through Dec. 14) $35–$125 • Check for times Staples Center 1111 S. Figueroa Street Tickets: (888) 929-7849 www.disneyonice.com

Thursday, December 10 Jazz For The Soul (Featuring The Holman Quartet, Spoken Word, Light Meal & Stand Up Comedy)

6:30PM Holman UMC 3320 W. Adams Blvd Info: (323) 731-7285

Friday, December 11 Atherton Bapt. Church Christmas Celebration 7pm • $25-$45 Double Tree Hotel 21333 Hawthorne Blvd Torrance www.athertonbc.org Dinner & A Show With Tisha Campbell Martin & Friends (Every Friday) Dinner: 8PM • Showtime: 9PM $15 Entertainment; $10 Table Reservation; $25 Per Person Table Minimum Xen Lounge

Sunday, December 6 Gifts of the Season Workshop Decorate a canvas bag or embellish a ceramic tile (Materials provided while supplies last) (Also Sunday, Dec. 20) 2pm CA African American Museum 600 State Dr – Exposition Park RSVP: (213) 744-7432 www.caamuseum.org Free Flu Clinic (Offering Flu shots) 10am-Noon Holman United Methodist Ch 3320 W. Adams Blvd Information: (323) 731-7285

Shayla daughter, ld o r a e -y wards. d7 Tyrese an American Music A t a charm on the red h McNeill wows Empire’s Seraya Awards ic us M erican carpet at the Am

EVEnT SPoTLIGHT

Friday, December 18 - Saturday, December 19 On Stage: "Hot Chocolate Nutcracker" Performed by Debbie Allen's famed Dance Academy Friday: 7:30pm • Sat: 1PM/7PM • $34–$125 Dorothy Chandler Pavillion •135 No. Grand Avenue Contact: (310) 280-9145 www.musiccenter.org/hotchocolate

Vin Diesel and night out a pal Tyrese have a b oys t P. Diddy ’s birthday g ala

Zendaya is pretty in pink at American Music Awards

Focus 12.15_Focus 7-04 12/2/15 9:35 PM Page 15

Carl Weathers, Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan at Creed Premiere

10628 Ventura Blvd Studio City Info: (818) 505-3513

8:30am – Noon • $30 Information: (323) 7338300 (Sylvia Reid)

Saturday, December 12

Live Recording: Deante Duckett/Justified Crew Free • 6PM Greater Emmanuel Temple 3470 E. Imperial Highway Lynwood Info: (323) 979-4126

In Concert: Colors of Christmas With Peabo Bryson, Oleta Adams, Bebe Winans, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. 8pm • $55–$100 Cerritos Center 12700 Center Court Drive Contact: (562) 916-8500 www.cerritoscenter.com Christian Kid's Fest Meet the creator of popular Christian entertainment for children 2:00-4:30pm Word of Life Bookstore 6321 West Blvd Info: (323) 295-8223 Love Came Down Christmas Celebration With Virtuous Women Bible Study class of West Angeles COGIC Keynote Speaker: Dr. Holly Carter, Producer— “Preachers of L.A.” series West Angeles COGIC Crystal Room 3045 Crenshaw Blvd

Sunday, December 13 The Wave’s Soulful Chrstmas Featuring Boney James, Eric Benet & more 7:30pm $45.00 - $99.50 Microsoft Theater 777 Chick Hearn Court Info: (213) 763-6020 www.microsofttheater.com

Friday, December 18 In Concert: Johnny Mathis 8pm•Call for ticket prices Cerritos Center 12700 Center Court Drive Contact: (800) 300-4345 www.cerritoscenter.com “A Stolen Christmas” Production (Family discovers the true meaning of Christmas)

7PM • Free (Bring an unwrapped toy) Mt. Tabor MBC 6614 S. Western Avenue Contact: Lady Lasonja (323) 753-3189 Greater Zion Church Family Christmas Gala Honorees include L.A. Focus Publisher Lisa Collins 7:00pm Call for ticket prices Torrance Marriott Hotel 3635 Fashion Way Info: (310) 639-5535 In Concert: Dave Koz & Friends Featuring Jonathan Butler, Candy Dulfer and Bill Medley (Through December 19) Friday: 8pm • Sat: 3PM $50 - $95 Cerritos Center 12700 Center Court Drive Contact: (800) 300-4345 www.cerritoscenter.com An Evening With Ben Vereen (Through December 19) 8:30pm •$30 Catalina Bar & Grill 6725 W. Sunset Blvd www.catalinajazzclub.com

Saturday, December 19 Special Needs Network’s Toy Giveaway & Brunch with Santa 11AM – 2PM Free -Registration required 5300 Angeles Vista Blvd Contacts: (323) 291-7100 www.snnla.org CD Signing with Gospel recording Artist David Daughtry 3:00-5:00pm Word of Life Bookstore 6321 West Blvd Info: (323) 295-8223 In Concert: The Whispers & Stephanie Mills 8pm •$35.00 - $99.50 Microsoft Theater 777 Chick Hearn Court Info: (213) 763-6020 www.microsofttheater.com

Monday, December 21 A Swingin’ Christmas: Count Basie Orchestra 8pm • $43-$106 Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 South Grand Ave www.laphil.com

8pm • $43-$106 Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 South Grand Ave www.laphil.com

4330 Degnan Blvd Contact: (213) 789-0580 www.kwanzaaheritage.org

Thursday, December 24

In Concert: Gladys Knight 7pm • 10:30PM $74.50-$208.50 Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 South Grand Ave www.laphil.com

56th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration Featuring L.A.-based music ensembles, choirs & dance companies 3pm–6pm • Free Dorothy Chandler Pavilion 135 N. Grand Avenue Contact: (213) 972-3099 www.lacountyarts.org

Saturday, December 26 In Concert: War 6pm $37.50–$52.50 (with dinner $30 more) Grove of Anaheim 2200 E. Katella Avenue Tickets: (714) 712-2700 www.citynationalgroveofanaheim.com Kwanzaa Heritage Festival & Block Parade Candle lighting, live music, drum circle, children’s village, authentic crafts & food court 10am–7pm • Free Leimert Park Village

around los angeles In Concert: Soweto Gospel Choir

In Concert: Charles Wright & Watts 103rd Street Band w. Chante Moore, Bloodstone and Lakeside 8pm • $75-$200 Saban Theater 8440 Wilshire Blvd Beverly Hills Contact: (323) 655-0111 49th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration An African Feast of Fine Foods, Music & Dancing Presented by The African American Cultural Center 6PM - 9PM • $40 Friendship Auditorium 3201 Riverside Drive Tickets/Reservations: (323) 299-6124d www.AfricanAmericanCult uralCenter-LA.org

mpson strikes a pose Creed co-star Tessa Tho Creed premiere on the red carpet at the

Janelle Monae is fashion forward on the red carpet at the Creed premiere last month.

Tichina Arnold turns out in style for the YWCA Rhapsody Gala

L.A. Focus/November 2015

to BET’s presents award Kelly Rowland Gala. dy CA’s Rhapso Debra Lee at YW

Wednesday, December 23

Thursday, December 31

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Focus 12.15_Focus 7-04 12/2/15 9:35 PM Page 16

InSIDE Ho L LY w ooD with Chez’Ney Mary J. Blige’s High Hopes With her stint as Evilene in NBC’s live TV version of the famed musical, The Wiz, receiving rave reviews, Mary J. Blige just be setting up for the biggest role of her life. That is, her life story—and she believes the best place for it just might be on the Broadway stage.

At least that’s what the No More Drama singer told Playbill.com in a recent interview. Fact is, Blige, who has released 11 hit CDs, has endured the kind of drama— a battle with drugs and alcohol, overcoming poverty and family struggles—that is ripe for the stage.

In the meantime, the 44-year old multi-Grammy award winning R&B superstar, launched a positive and inspirational radio show dubbed “Real Talk” on Apple Music's Beats 1 Radio and is set to join Maxwell, Raphael Saadiq, Tamar Braxton and Young Thug at the BET Experience Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa on December 12.

Murder Town Following a brief break from work after “Gotham”, seems Jada Pinkett Smith is back to work in a new series for NBC titled “Murder Town.” This time, however, Smith will be doing double duty. She’ll not only star, but serving as executive producer in the show that is part of ABC’s initiative to incorporate diversity and color into their lineup with the successed of Black-ish and American Crime.

In the legal drama, Pinkett Smith will star as a beautiful prosecutor who makes history as Wilmington, Delaware’s first African-American District Attorney, while dealing with deceit

and the corruption associated with her husband’s death and a racially-charged case that could set the city and her dreams afire.

Rev Runs Around the World After spending years traveling the world with bandmates and friends, a world-famous rapper, social media maven, and television star Rev Run is embarking on his next travel adventure — but this time, Rev is bringing along his along his wife, Justine, and their kids, 18-yearold Russy and 7-year-old Miley and a TV crew.

Rev Runs Around the World is green-lit for 16 halfhour episodes in 16 cities, including Tokyo, Bali, Hong Kong, Dubai, Istanbul, Geneva, Reykjavik, Copenhagen and Rio de Janeiro. In each half-hour episode, the family will be stretched to their limits as they explore new territories, fascinating cultures and authentic food.

The Next 15 A new TV ONE reality series will follow 15 reality “stars”—no longer on shows—looking to capture another 15 minutes of fame. The cast includes Tiffany "New York" Pollard ("Flavor Of Love," "I Love New York") and Claudia Jordan, who was fired from "The Real Housewives of Atlanta” after just one season. The cast also consists of Jennifer Brown ("Basketball Wives: Miami"), Karamo Brown ("The Real World: Philadelphia"), Laura Govan ("Basketball Wives: LA"), and Raymond "Benzino" Scott ("Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta"). The series is slated to premiere in 4th quarter 2015.

RAVEREVIEwS

Concussion Will Smith stars in this dramatic thriller based on the story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, the forensic neuropathologist who discoverd CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in a pro player and fought for the truth to be known.

Dec 24th

Star wars: The Force Awakens Thirty years after defeating the Galactic Empire, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his allies face a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and his army of Stormtroopers.

Dec. 18th

The Hateful Eight While racing toward the town of Red Rock in post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunter John "The Hangman" Ruth and his prisoner encounter another bounty hunter (Samuel L. Jackson).

Dec 24th

Chi-Raq Chi-Raq is a modern day adaptation of the ancient Greek play “Lysistrata” by Aristophanes. After the murder of a child by a stray bullet, a group of women organize against the ongoing violence on Chicago’s Southside.

Dec 4th

Preachers of Atlanta Prep For TV Debut First there was Los Angeles. Then Detroit. And now, come February, Oxygen will debut “The Preachers Of Atlanta”, featuring Pastors Corey Hambrick (Life Church Christian Center), Judah Smiley (The Movement), Kimberly JonesPothier (Church of The Harvest), Canton Jones (Free Life Church) and Le’Andria Johnson (Imperfect People Changing Ministries).

Most of them will be new faces with the exception of Johnson, a Grammy winning gospel vocalist who was crowned the season three winner of BET’s Sunday Best in 2010; and Jones, a Grammy-nominated Christian rapper who has more than a handful of CDs to his credit.

Through the lens of five pastors with drastically different approaches to their ministry, the show explores many of the most hot-button and polarizing issues in America today. “‘Preachers of Atlanta’ features a young, vibrant group of pastors who are pushing the envelope and tackling realworld issues in their communities, creating thought-provoking dialogue,” said Rod Aissa, Executive Vice President of Original Programming and Development, Oxygen Media.

“The series showcases a new generation of preach-

ers who, through their nontraditional approaches, are unapologetic in their ministry and unafraid to break down boundaries in an effort to drive positive change.”

The show is set to debut in February.

Q&A Michael B. Jordan At just 28, Michael B. Jordan has amassed the kind of acting resume that would intimidate a great many veteran actors, from his roles in such critically acclaimed TV series as “The Wire”, “Friday Night Lights” and “Parenthood”, to his work in box office hits like “Red Tails”, “Fantastic Four” and the Oscar nominated “Fruitvale Station”. Last month, he added to that impressive list with the opening of “Creed” in which he stars as an up-and-coming fighter Adonis Creed, the son of world heavy weight champion Apollo Creed, who is trained by the legendary “Rocky” Balboa.

Was it hard growing up with the name Michael Jordan?

When I was younger, I was always getting teased and picked on. I thought about changing my name a bunch of times until I was finally able to embrace it. I started looking at it as a positive as opposed to a negative and it gave me the motivation and drive to create my own legacy and make my own name.

How was it to work with Sylvester Stallone?

Amazing. He is a really, really talented actor. Smart guy, very knowledgable and to see him transform from Sly the person to Rocky is pretty incredible.

How did you get in shape for the role?

Honestly it started with the diet. I completely changed my diet. I went down to eating every two and a half to three hours. Strip away all the sugar, cheese, dairy and pasta and bread and stuff like that and get down to protein like grilled chicken, steak or fish and brown rice. I had lots of brown rice and a gallon and a half of water. Then consistently working out. I worked out two to three times a day, six days a week. I boxed and lifted weights and it was really consistent for about 10 or 11 months and eventually your body will change."

Did you do the fight scenes yourself or did you have a stunt double?

“I did everything on this film which was a challenge. I’m super competitive so anything that’s a challenge especially on set or physically I have to step up.

If there was a sequel would you sign on?

"A character so rich as this, and the world he's in, I want to see what happens to him next and what he does. Especially the way it ends off, it's pretty cool. I think with success and time and circumstances, it would be exciting to come back and work with Sly and Tessa again."

Finally, what do you want people to take away from the movie?

That everyone has an inner fight. I think you have to believe in yourself and use that as a motivation to follow your dreams. There will be obstacles. You will stumble. You will fall, but if you rely on friends and family to keep you strong, you can accomplish pretty much what you want to.

Twitter: @michaelb4jordan

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T h r o u g h t he Storm Eloise Laws’ Victory Over Cancer Inspires New Way of Giving

I

t was eight years ago, during one of her regular annual checkups, that Award-winning singer, Tony nominee and Broadway actress Eloise Laws received the news she had Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (a noninvasive form of breast cancer).

“The technician came out and asked me to go sit and she said ‘we need to check you again.’ It was 15-20 minutes until they came in and said, ‘we want to send this report to your general practitioner. We think we found spurs of cancer in your breast. We want to do a biopsy.’”

“I just sat there numb,” recalls the native Texan, who hails from a musical family, including her brothers respected jazz flutist Hubert Laws and saxophonist Ronnie Laws and her younger sister, Debra Laws. “I don't even remember driving home. I was in a fog.”

For two weeks, she kept the news to herself, dreading the reactions of her friends and family. “I didn't want to feel like the victim. I didn't want to feel like people were thinking “Well, what could she have done in the past that this is what has fallen on her?” I know now that none of those things are true.”

Laws finally built up the courage to tell her youngest sister, who has a PHD in medicine. “She just embraced me, and we didn't cry, we just held each other close for a moment. And she told me ‘we’re going to get through this.

You’re going to be fine.’ She immediately started researching my condition.”

The cancer had spread through h e r

Minister of Music Organist/Keyboardist For Hire Reliable & Experienced Musician new to Los Angeles from NYC •Available for Church Services, Revivals, Funerals, Prayer Breakfasts, Retreats • 14 Years of Experience • Can provide Keyboard and Amp upon request Permanent, Temporary or Fill-In work desired • Competitive Prices • Reliable Transportation • Comfortable w/ Baptist, Methodist, COGIC, Non-Denom & PAW liturgy & Hymns Phone: 201-208-9557 • Email: Fullermosley@icloud.com Web Samples: www.fullermosley.blogspot.com Please have a songlist or song suggestions prepared for the audition/service/rehearsal.

A new report from the American Cancer Society finds that breast cancer rates among African-American women in the United States are increasing. For decades, AfricanAmerican women had been getting breast cancer at a slower rate than white women, but that gap is now closing... breasts, and doctors were worried that simply doing surgery after surgery to tackle the cancerous cells was going to take too much of a toll on her, and might miss something. Their suggestion was to remove the breast altogether. “‘That way we can just get it all and there’s no question. And we’ll do chemo. We won’t need to do radiation if we take it all.’”

Eager to hasten the process, Laws’ decision became clear. “Why don’t I just get rid of it? Get it out of my body completely? So I came back and said I’ll do the mastectomy.”

But throughout this discovery and life-changing decision, Laws kept her eyes on her healing. “There was fear but I never had the fear of not winning or not overcoming and dying. I did have a fear of the unknown, but it wasn’t death. I just didn't allow myself to go there.”

She underwent chemo treatments for five years.

“Chemo side effects were for me very hard. It creates joint pains especially in the hands, in your knees and feet. I suffered with that tremendously. It reached the point where it was so bad I had to get injections of cortisone. And that was painful. Another side effect was hot flashes. It’s like going through menopause.”

These days, Laws is gearing up for another show making its debut later this month at the Catalina Bar & Grill in Los Angeles. The fourth of eight children of Miola and Hubert Laws, Sr., Laws began recording in the 70s and has eight CDs to her credit, charting in 1977 with the release of Eloise which featured the hit single, Love Comes Easy. She was also featured on albums from such artists as Harvey Mason, Lee Oskar, Aquarian Dream, Ahmad Jamal, as well as several releases by her siblings and continues to perform locally and internationally in concert tours as both a solo artist and as an integral part of the legendary “Laws Family.”

Laws is an original lead cast member and cowriter of the highly successful Tony-nominated play It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues. Opening on Broadway with great bravado at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre, it garnered four Tony

nominations, while earning her a Drama Desk Nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.

Amidst the native Texan’s preparations for her upcoming cabaret entitled “Live, Laugh, Love: A Musical Review,” Laws—who is married to top attorney Ricky Ivie—has also released her first book.

Both autobiographical and educational in nature, “The H e a l i n g Shower,” serves as both a cautionary tale and a source of advice for those facing life-threatening illnesses.

Laws penned the book, which has a forward

by Judge Joe Brown and a personal quote from Stevie Wonder— who lost his first wife to breast cancer—, after she herself battled, and won, against cancer.

Now a seven-year breast carcinoma survivor, Laws’ “The Healing Shower,” details her experience with the illness and the shower idea she thought up with her hairdresser one day when airing her grievances over her cancer worries.

“I opened up to her about all my concerns with things that I wanted to do and that needed to be done before going in,” says Laws, who co-wrote and starred on Broadway in the Tony-nominated musical, It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues. “And she said ‘it would be nice for you to have some sort of a shower.’ And I said ‘Yeah, like a healing shower’ and that’s where the concept came from.”

The shower involves a gathering in which someone suffering from a life-threatening illness surrounds themselves with their closest loved ones, who in turn channel strength, support, and love towards the person in their time of need. They each, in turn, also offer services to aid the person while they are unable to take care of their affairs.

“When you are away in the hospital, they are going to monitor for you anything that needs to be done at your home that you’ve left behind such as collecting the paper, collecting the mail and sorting it out for you, or a bill that needs to be paid, these are all things that will help you so you don't need to worry while you are in the healing process.”

Like others who have emerged victorious, Laws story of survival underscores the importance of regular physicals.

“My one suggestion for all women is to not take this lightly. Get your regular breast checkups. At this point it’s not only in your family. They don't know what causes it.”

Focus 12.15_Focus 7-04 12/2/15 9:36 PM Page 18

ChurchNews L.A. Church Community Rocked by the Deaths of Three Prominent Pastors

Amen L.A. (Affirming Ministry Enlightening Nations) 1455 W. 94th St. Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 229-9351 • www.amenla.org Rev. Dr. DiAnn L. Johnson Sunday Morning Worship: 9:30am-10:30am PTP / Preach the word- Teach the word practice the word

Bethel AME Church of Los Angeles 7900 South Western Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 750-3240 • www.bethelamela.org Rev. Kelvin T. Calloway

capacity crowd turned out to mourn the passing of—and celebrate the life of—Pastor William Lowe at the Mount Moriah Baptist Church on November 14. Lowe, who pastored 28 years at Tree of Life Missionary Baptist Church and was active in local, state and national Baptist conventions, had been battling diabetes. He was 53.

Officiating the service was Pastor Xavier L. Thompson, a longtime friend of Lowe’s and president of the Baptist Minister’s Conference. The Los Angeles native was licensed to preach at the Fountain of Life Missionary Baptist Church and at the age of 21 became senior pastor at Tree of Life. In addition to preaching, Lowe was renowned for his vocals having recorded and toured with the Voices of Watts Choir.

On the same day, parishioners at Southside Christian Palace Miracle Center Church were holding homegoing services for Pastor W.R. Portee.

During his 65 years in the ministry Bishop Portee ministered to countless individuals, families and churches, first as a nationwide evangelist, then as a pastor and ultimately as a world traveling Apostle to places such as Jamaica, Indonesia and Spain. For 15 years he conducted soul winning crusades, Fire Conferences as well as he and his wife, Evangelist Denise Portee fed over 30,000 widow women in Lagos Nigeria, West Africa.

While authoring numerous books, he was also known for the dynamic tent revivals he once conducted throughout Los Angeles, Fontana, and San Bernardino.

Just months ago, New Dimension University he received the designation of: "Father of Faith/Master Teacher Elite," reserved for “leaders of great stature who have served in the ministry for over 50 years and have borne sons and daughters whose influence has impacted the nations."

The following Saturday, the Dr. Willie T. Snead was laid to rest. Snead, the founder/pastor of the Greater Temple of God Christian Fellowship for nearly 50 years, had held three leadership positions as Moderator of the Pacific Missionary Baptist District Association, President of the California Missionary Baptist State Convention and National President.

Services were under the direction of the Pacific Missionary Baptist District Association, Dr. Rodney Howard, Moderator and the California Missionary Baptist State Convention, Dr. Wayne Gaddis, President.

The eulogy was delivered by his son, the Rev. W. Terrell Snead, II, of the Worship Center Community Church.

A

L.A. Focus/December 2015

Aidsand Wright Honored Upwards of 400 turned out to celebration banquet in honor of Rev. Dr. Aidsand Wright-Riggins III last month.

Wright-Riggins was retiring as Executive Director of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies after 24 years of devoted service. Rev. William Thurmond, Pastor Norman Johnson, Pastor Shane Scott, Rev. Dr. Norman Bullock and Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas were among those making remarks at the gala held at the Hilton LAX. Of his two-plus decades in the post, Wright-Riggins said: Much of what I have led the Home Mission Society to do is to get back in touch with its essential DNA as a mission organization and to ask the question: “What does that look like in the 21st Century? While we have not fully answered that question, we do know that a big part of the answer involves equipping churches to be the front line of home mission in their communities.”

Finally, congratulations to Bam Crawford on a joyous 70th celebration, held last month at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood. Special guests included actress Tasha Smith, Apostle Clifford Turner, psalmist Jackie Gouche-Farris and acclaimed gospel artist, Kathy Taylor. Guests dined on a five-course meal and danced into the evening.

18

Early Worship: 7:45 am Morning Worship: 10:45am Mid-week “Hour of Power” (Wed): noon

Bethesda Temple Church Apostolic Faith 1101 W. Florence Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 299-2591 Interim Pastor Robert Lockett Sunday School: 9:40am Morning Worship: 11am Evening Worship: 6pm Bible Study (Wed): 7pm Prayer (Sat): 7am Evening Prayer (Mon.): 6:30pm

Bethlehem Temple Church, INC. 958 East 52nd Street Los Angeles, CA 90011 (323) 232-8429 • F: (323) 232-8660 Pastor Elder Gentry Richardson, Jr. Sunday: Christian Education: 9am Morning Worship: 11am PYPU (youth services): 4:30pm Evening Worship: 6pm (5pm 5th Sun.) Monday Prayer Revival: 7pm Wednesday Ministerial/Teacher’s Prep. Class: Noon; Bible Class: 7:45pm Bryant Temple AME Church 2525 W. Vernon Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90008 (323) 293-6201 • F: (323) 293-0082 Rev. Theodore W. Payne, IV Sunday School: 10am Early Worship: 8am Morning Worship: 11:30 am Bible Study (Tues): Noontime Pastor’s Bible Study( Tues): 7pm

Crenshaw Christian Center 7901 South Vermont, Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323) 758-3777 • F: (323)565-4231 • www.faithdome.org Rev. Frederick Price Jr. Sunday Service: 10am Bible Study (Tue): 11am & 7pm Tue. Night Kidz Unlocked: 7pm Tue. Night Bible Study (Teens): 7pm Alcohol & Drug Abuse Program (Wed): 7pm Intercessory Prayer (Wed.): 7:30pm Prayer & Praise (Thurs.): 6:30pm First AME Church (FAME) 2270 South Harvard Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 730-7750 • F: (323) 735-7829 • www.famechurch.org Pastor J. Edgar Boyd, Senior Pastor/CEO Sunday School: 10am Worship: 8am, 10am, Noon Youth Church (Fame Renaissance): Noon Wed. Prayer Service: Noon Wed. Bible Study: 7pm Radio: 10:30am on KJLH-102.3FM First AME is the oldest Black Church in the City Grace United Methodist Church 4112 West Slauson Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 294-6653 • F: (323) 294-8753 • graceumc1@earthlink.net Rev. Pastor Paul A. Hill • www.graceumcla.com Early Morning Worship: 7:45am Sunday School: 9:45am Morning Worship: 10:45am Wed. Bible Study: Noon & 7pm Fri. Alcoholic Anonymous: 7pm Tues. Prayer Fellowship: 6:30pm Super Seniors (Thurs/Bi-Monthly): 10:30am Follow us on Facebook Greater Ebenezer Baptist Church 5300 S. Denker Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90062 (323) 759-4996 Dr. Solomon Drake Early Worship: 8am Sunday School: 9:30am Mid-Morning Worship: 11am Radio-KALI 900AM: Sun. 11-Noon, 7-8pm KTYM 1460AM Sundays: 5:30pm Bible Study (Tues, Wed & Thurs): 7pm

Holman United Methodist Church 3320 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 731-7285 • F: (323) 731-2609 • www.holmanumc.com Rev. Kelvin Sauls Sunday School: 8:00, 9:45 & 11am Fuse Worship (Sunday): 6pm Early Worship: 8am Morning Worship: 11am Bible Study (Thurs.): Noon Sun. Radio: KJLH 102.3FM: 11am E: Holman@holmanumc.com

Christ The Good Shepherd Episcopal Church 3303 W. Vernon Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90008 (323) 295-4139 • F: (323) 295-4681 Rev. Joseph Oloimooja Sunday School: 10am Early Worship: 8am Morning Worship: 10am Mon. Centering Prayer/Meditation: 6:30pm Mon. Overeaters Anonymous: 7pm Wed. Bible Study & Eucharist: 7pm Wed. Alcoholic Anonymous: 7:pm E: cgshepherd4041@sbcglobal.net

Liberty Baptist Church 1500 West 51st Place, Los Angeles, CA 90062 (323) 295-3866 • F: (323) 295-0366 • E: LBCwim@aol.com Rev. Terry Lovell Brown Sr.

Church of Jesus Christ International 3719 W. Slauson Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 296-1106 Pastor Michelle Beal

Miracle Center Apostolic Church 2638 S. Western Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 735-5121 or 735-5122 Dr. Roy S. Petitt • Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 8am, 11am & 6pm Tues. Prayer & Bible Class: Noon Rights of Passage: 7pm Wed. Bible Study: 8pm Thurs. Prayer/Bible Class: Noon Fri. Faith Seminar: 8pm Radio KTYM-1460AM: (M-Fri.) 8am - 8:15am

Sunday Morning Glory Service (2nd & 4th): 8:30am-9:30am Christian Education Classes: 9:45am-10:45am Sunday Morning Worship: 11:15am Tuesday Prayer: 7pm Wednesday Bible Class: 7pm 1st Sunday Nights: 7pm Congregational Church of Christian Fellowship 2085 S. Hobart Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 Phone: (323) 731-8869 • F: (323) 731-0851 • www.cccf-ucc.org Pastor James K. McKnight Sun. Early Worship: 8am Prayer Meeting: 10:30am Morning Worship: 11am Wed. Afternoon Bible Study: 1pm Wed. Prayer Meeting: 6pm Wed. Evening Bible Study: 7pm View Pastor McKnight’s Sermons on YouTube

Sunday Church School: 9am Morning Worship: 10:30am & 12:30pm Wed. Bible Study: noon & 6:30pm Prayer Meeting: 6pm Follow us on Twitter @dacrossculture www.thecrossculture.org

Mt. Moriah Baptist Church of LA, Inc. 4269 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90037 (323) 846-1950 Rev. Melvin V. Wade, Sr. Sunday School: 8:15am Morning Worship: 9:45am Evening Worship: 6:30pm Mid-Week Worship (Wed): 7pm Bible Study (Wed.): 8pm

Focus 12.15_Focus 7-04 12/2/15 9:36 PM Page 19

Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church of Los Angeles 3669 W. 54th St. Los Angeles, CA 90043 • (323) 291-1121

F: (323) 291-1133 • msmbc-la.org • mt.sinai@msmbc-la.org Pastor George E. Hurtt, Pastor-Teacher Sunday Worship: 8am, 10am Noonday Worship (1st Sun): Noon Sunday School: 8am, 10am Noonday Prayer (Mon): Noon Noonday Bible Study (Tues): Noon Tuesday Night in the Truth: 7:15pm Our Goal: To win more Christians & develop better Christians to the glory of God. (Matt. 28:18-20) Mt. Tabor Missionary Baptist Church 6614 S. Western Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 753-3189 • F: (323) 753-1018 • www.mttabormbc.org Dr. Ticey M. Brown, D. Min. Pastor/Teacher Early Morning Worship: 8am Sunday School: 9:30am Mid Morning Worship: 11am Tues. Bible Study: 10am & 7pm Meeting/Bible Study: 6:30pm–8pm First Sun. Communion: 11am & 5pm Baptism First Sunday

Paradise Baptist Church 5100 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90037 (323) 231-4366 Dr. Aaron Iverson Pastor’s Bible Class & Sunday School: 8am Morning Worship: 9:30am Tues. Prayer: 7pm Tues. Bible Study: 8pm

Park Windsor Baptist Church 1842 W. 108th St. Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 756-3966 • RevTerrellTaylor@sbcglobal.net Rev. Terrell Taylor Morning Worship: 8am & 11am Bible Study Wednesday: Noon & 7pm Communion: 1st Sunday at 8am & 11am

“You can end your search for a friendly church” Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church 1300 E. 50th Street Los Angeles, CA 90011 (323) 235-2103 • F: (323) 235-3177 • www.mtzionla.org Dr. Edward V. Hill, II, Pastor Sunday Intercessory Prayer: 9:15am Morning Worship: 9:30am Children’s Church: 9:30am Sunday School: 11:30am Baptism: 2nd Sun. & Lord’s Supper: 1st. Sun. Tues. Pastor’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Wed. Noon-day Prayer: Noon New Antioch Church of God in Christ 7826 So. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323) 778-7965 Elder Jeffrey M. Lewis Sunday Early Morning Worship: 8am Sunday School: 9:30 am Morning Worship: 11am Tuesday Prayer and Bible Band: 11am Wednesday Bible Study: 7:30pm Wednesday in the Word: 7:30pm

New Mt. Calvary Baptist Church 402 E. El Segundo Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90061 (310)324-0644 • F: (310) 769-1287 Rev. Sonja Dawson, Senior Pastor • Rev. Lonnie Dawson, Sr., Founder (1962 - 2010) Morning Worship: 7:30am & 10:45am Sunday School: 9:45am Wed. Prayer/Bible Study: Noon Pastor’s Bible Study: 7pm

New Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church 9537 South Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323) 755-1130 or 755-1139 • F: (323)755-8961 Rev. Melvin Hill, Pastor Worship Services: 8am & 11am Sunday School: 9:30am Prayer Meeting(WED): 6:30pm Bible Study(WED): 7pm

People’s Independent Church of Christ 5856 West Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90043 • (323) 296-5776 Bishop Craig A. Worsham, Sr. Pastor Sundays: Morning Worship: 8am & 11am Wednesday Bible Study & Mid Week Worship: Noon & 7pm Prayer Meeting: 6:30pm

Pleasant Hill Baptist Church 2009 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90062 (323) 293-6448 • F: (323) 293-6605 Dr. Sylvester Washington Sunday School: 8am Morning Worship: 10am Tues. Bible Study: 11am Wed. Evangelism Class: 6:30pm First Sun. Holy Communion Service: 4pm www.pleasanthillbaptistchurch.org Praises of Zion Baptist Church (“Praise City” 8222 So. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90003 (323) 750-1033 • F: (323) 750-5458 • www.pozlive.com Dr. J. Benjamin Hardwick, Sr. Pastor Early Morning Worship: 6:45am Educational Hour: 9:15am Mid-Morning Worship: 10:45am Wed. Bible Study: Noon & 7pm Sunday Broadcast: 7pm

Price Chapel AME Church 4000 W. Slauson Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 296-2406 • pricechapel@sbcglobal.net Rev. Benjamin Hollins Sunday Worship Service: 10am Sunday School: 8:30am Power Lunch Bible Study (Wed): 11am Praise & Worship Bible Study (Wed): 6:30pm

The Church where “It pays to be nice”.

New Shady Grove Baptist Church 1509 W. Manchester Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 753-0198 • www.newshadygrove.com Rev. Jewett L. Walker, Jr. Sunday Worship: 11am Sunday School: 9:30am Wednesday Bible School: 6pm Men’s Ministry Meetings 2nd Tues: 6pm Youth Mentoring Program 3rd Sat: 10am-11am

Sunday Worship: 9am, 11am & 1pm Wednesday Midweek Service: 8pm www.Channel1Live.tv—View live streaming

St. Matthew Tabernacle of Praise “The S.T.O.P.” 3770 Santa Rosalia Dr. Baldwin Hills, CA 90008 (323) 291-1115 • F: (323) 293-0471 Rev. C.Barry Greene, Pastor Morning Worship: 8am Church School Hour: 10:15am Tuesday Hour of Power: 7pm www.thechurchstop.org E: thechurchstop@yahoo.com pastorcbgreene@aol.com

Paulette Douglas-Jacob’s Ladder An ordained minister with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW) and a national evangelist, Dr. Paulette Douglas is renowned for exhortation through deliverance and biblical counseling at seminars, crusades and conferences. Married to Bishop Robert T. Douglas (Jacob’s Ladder), she is the author of "Get Rid of It Before It Gets Rid of You".

Though baptized at seven and raised in church, Douglas’ road to the ministry ironically began while working at Pac Bell as an engineering technician.

“I was teaching Bible study and people were getting saved. I’d send them to churches, but they weren’t getting the same kind of teaching. At about the same time I enrolled in Fuller Seminary and the only way I could qualify for it a scholarship was if I was in a pastor’s program.”

After receiving her master’s, the mother of three— formed the Radiant Life In Christ Community Fellowship in Baldwin Park, using the same name as the Bible study.

Douglas was recently elevated to the post of Suffragan Bishop. Together with her husband of 27 years, they make up the first PAW couple where both spouses are Bishops.

“My goal is ministry is to win as many souls as I can and to make sure people are equipped to preach, teach and train God’s people.”

Salem Missionary Baptist Church 729 S. Park View St. Los Angeles, CA 90057 (213) 738-1077 • jranniew@gmail.com Pastor J. Williams Sunday School: 10am Morning Worship: 11:15am Ministry For Alcohol & Chemical Addiction Wednesday: 5:30pm Bible Study Thursday: 7:30pm Office Hours: Mon 1:30pm-5:30pm; Thurs 2:30pm-7:30pm St. Paul’s Mission Fellowship Church 4816 S. Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90018 Cell: (760) 214-8282 • burtcj@cox.net Rev. Dr. Charles J. Burt, Senior Pastor Morning Worship: 11:30am

“Join us for worship–you will be blessed!”

St. Rest Missionary Baptist Church 709 W. Manchester Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323)752-6179 Rev. Torrey Collins, Pastor Sunday School: 9am Morning Worship: 10:45am Evening Worship: 3:30pm Tues. Bible Study: 7pm Wed. Bible Study: 11am Choir Rehearsals (Wed. & Fri.): 7pm Southern Missionary Baptist Church 4678 West Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90016 (323) 731-2703 • F: (323) 737-5202 • smbcla@gmail.com Rev. Xavier L. Thompson, Sr. Pastor L.I.F.E. Groups Sundays: 8:30am Morning Worship: 10am Baptism & Communism (First Sunday): 5pm Word Wednesday: 6:45pm “One Church For All Generations”

The First Saint John Bible Church 11030 S. Willowbrook Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90059 (323) 566-5055 • F: (323) 566-0219 Pastor/Teacher: Bishop Michael A. Brass, Jr. Sunday School: 9:30am Morning Worship: 11am Bible Study Wednesday: 7pm

L.A. Focus/November 2015

One Church International 614 N. La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036 (818) 763-4521 • www.onechurchla.org Sr. Pastor Toure’ Roberts

St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church 5017 S. Compton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90011 (323) 231-1040 • stmarkmbcofla.org Rev. Dr. Lovely Haynes Morning Worship: 8am & 11am Mon. Night Bible Study: 7pm Mon. Tutorial Study: 6:30pm Wednesday Prayer: Noon Wed. Exposition of Sunday School Lesson: 7pm • Wed. Prayer Meeting: 7pm Thurs. Evangelism: 7pm (enrollment required)

first lady files:

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Tree of Life Missionary Baptist Church 9702 Holmes Ave. Los Angeles CA 90002 Cell: (323) 566-1202 • burtcj@cox.net Rev. Marcus A. Murchinson, Pastor

Weller Street Baptist Church 129 S. Gless St, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (323) 261-0949 Pastor K.W. Tulloss

In Carson

Judson Baptist Church 451 E. 223rd St, Carson, CA 90745 (310) 834-2630 • F: (310) 513-0943 • www.judsonbc.net Dr. Johnny V. Baylor, Pastor/Teacher

Sunday School: 8am Sunday Morning Worship: 9am Evening Worship: 6pm Tues. Bible Study: 5pm

Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Service: 11am Wednesday Bible Study: 7pm

Sunday Worship Service: 9:30am Children’s Church (Except 5th Sun): 9:30am 2nd & 4th Sun. Speak Life Youth Ministry: 12:30pm Wed. Bible Study: Noon Streaming live at judsonbclive.net

“We have not walked this way before” Joshua 3:1-6 Trinity Baptist Church 2040 West Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 735-0044 • F: (323) 735-0219 Rev. Alvin Tunstill, Jr

West Angeles Church of God In Christ 3045 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90016 (323) 733-8300 Bishop Charles E. Blake

Sunday Worship: 7:30 & 10:30am Sunday Church School: 9am Radio Broadcast KJLH FM: 9am Wed. Prayer & Bible Study: Noon-7pm

Peace Apostolic Church 21224 Figueroa Street, Carson, CA 90745 (310) 212-5673 Suff. Bishop Howard A. Swancy

Sunday School: 8am & 10:30am Early Worship: 8am Morning Worship: 11am Evening Worship (North Campus): 7pm Wed. Mid-Week Worship: 7pm Sun. Radio Broadcast KJLH 102.3FM: 10am www.westa.org

www.trinitybaptistchurchofla.org

UpLift Christian Fellowship 4745 W. Slauson Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90056 (310) 927-3476 Pastor Anthony Thompson

Lifeline Fellowship Christian Center 2556 N. Lake Ave., Altadena, CA 91001 (626) 797-3585 • F: (626) 797-3233 • www.lifelinefcc.org Pastor Charles D. Dorsey

Sunday Worship: 10am Bible Study Wednesday: 7pm

Sunday School: 9am Early Worship (Glory Prayer): 8am Morning Worship: 10:30am Evening Worship (1st & 2nd Sun.): 5pm Wed. Bible Study: 7pm

Sunday School: 10am Morning Worship: 11:45am Evening Worship: 6:30pm Wed. Noon Day Bible Class: 12:30pm Wed. Bible Class: 7:30pm

Resurrection Church L.A. 1135 East Janis St. Carson, CA 90746 Office Address: 1143 East Janis St. Carson, 90746 (310) 626-4864 • www.resurrectionchurchla.org Pastor Joseph Carlos Robinson Service times: 8am, 10am, 12:15pm Communion: every 5th Sunday Tuesday Bible Class: 7:30pm

Pastor Profile Elton Johnson • Metropolitan Baptist Church When did you receive the call to preach?

I got called to preach when I was 17. I tried to run from it for about four or five years and then I just ran out of room. I was still in high school at the time and didn’t think being a preacher was something I wanted to do. I wanted to enjoy my life like any other teenager, but I gave my life to him and the rest is history.

Did you grow up in church?

Yes, I grew up in the church. My mom pushed it on while I was a kid, but when I turned 16, I made my own commitment, got saved and started getting into church for myself. I was going to school in Northridge back when they had that big earthquake and I got back to school and saw how it affected my school. Then I thought what if I was in school during this? That’s when I lined up with God and started to take my spiritual walk a little more serious.

L.A. Focus/December 2015

Why were you so hesitant?

It was just me being nervous as a young man with such a big assignment of being a preacher. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to handle the critiques, the pressure.

It was quite a journey. I was the first preacher in my entire family. I had a lot of cousins and friends that I used to hang out with and they had to see me in a different light. It was a challenge because I had a couple of people I ran into and they weren’t so nice and then trying to grow in ministry. I began to pray about it and God spoke to me clearly and said He was going to be with me no matter the place or situation.

How did you come to pastor Metropolitan?

I had been preaching a little over 10 years before I became a pastor in September 2009. I wasn’t trying to pastor at the time, so the timing threw me off, but Metropolitan was without a pastor for five years and I was one of several preachers that would go by and preach on Sundays. After five years of helping, they decided to make me their pastor. God used my pastor, Dr. Michael J. Metters to prepare me for the assignment.

I was 32 at the time and really didn’t fit their qualifications. They wanted somebody older, married, with degrees and all that. I didn’t have any of that working for me, but they believed in what they saw in me. Not only that, but the church had gotten down to about 25 members and they believed I would be able to help them restore the church.

How’d that work out for you?

Over the last six years, we’ve grown to over 400 mem-

20

Hometown: Los Angeles Education: L.A. Bible College Age: 38 Childhood Church: Faithway Baptist Church Family: Married three years to wife, Charle; two children with a third on the way bers.

Are you satisfied?

I am not quite where I want to be, but there’s been a lot of progress in the last six years. Before, the majority of the church was older. Today, we have a lot of young people and a lot of life in the church. It is a pretty exciting ministry, but I am never satisfied—always pushing to the next level.

I have the ability to reach all ages and where I used to be a traditional Baptist preacher, I have grown to be more versatile to where I can preach and teach in any setting—any level.

Despite our working to upgrade the church and give it a more contemporary look, our membership continued to grow so we end up moving to a bigger facility that can seat over 1500 people. Now we have a lot of room to grow, a lot of room to build and that’s the season we are at now.

What is the focus of your ministry?

Integrity, humility and excellence are the focus of my ministry. I love people and that’s key in our church. I work and fellowship with the members. I go to graduations, I go to some of their family gatherings. I interact quite a lot with my members.

Some pastors don’t have the time to deal with the people, but my members can call me directly and can meet with m e whenever they want to meet with me.

Also, I believe in marriage, I

believe in honoring couples. My wife and I have only been married for a couple years, but we have a great story. We work with the married couples and the singles. We have a lot of singles in our church, so we try to help them to the best of our ability to get to the altar.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to face?

My son was born on Christmas day 2013 with some health challenges. Recently, he had an open-heart surgery and it was during the last two years. It shifted my faith, I have always believed in God, but I had to tap into faith a little deeper.

He spent the first 37 days of his life in the ICU after his first two heart surgeries, one of which included a pacemaker being put in.

At almost two years old, he has had four open-heart surgeries and other situations going on. There are procedures he still needs, but the major thing is his heart.

It was very painful going through the things we had to go through with him. My wife and I lived at the hospital. I didn’t miss any Sundays, but it was difficult preaching knowing my son was in the ICU. It brought me and my wife closer and strengthened our prayer life.

He’s recovered well. Looking at him you cannot believe that he has been through that. It has definitely changed my life and my preaching. I don’t worry about small things anymore.

Focus 12.15_Focus 7-04 12/2/15 9:36 PM Page 21

From The Pulpit: The Rock Church (“They Sang a New Song”)

L

“They sing a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God and they will reign on earth.”- Revelations 7:9 Differences between people are important. God created difference. The Kingdom will reflect difference.

In elementary and middle school, I was raised in a small black Baptist church in Watts where my grandfather was a deacon. In my high school years, I was a part of a cross-cultural church plant in the city of Lynwood and Compton where my uncle found-

Pastor Peter Watts

ed and pastored Calvary Chapel church.

Currently, his church is in Virginia and has been deemed as one of the most diverse churches in the city of Chesapeake in a 10 square mile radius.

I received my call into ministry at a local black Baptist church in Compton, but knew that God had a call on my life for cross cultural ministry. Over seven years ago my wife and I planted a church, which is currently made of up one third African Americans, one third Latino/Spanish speaking and one third Anglo. I believe God has called us to this incredible work of reconciliation between groups because— according to the gospel—it’s by our unity that the world will know that God sent Jesus.

Martin L. King Jr. said, “It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is eleven o’clock on Sunday morning.”

Unity is not always easy, but God tells us it’s worth it. Together we can transform communities better and greater than any of us alone will ever be.

To some people unity sounds like conformity. Once we have grounded ourselves in the identity of Christ, we can let go of what scares us about our differences. We don’t live in a color-blind society nor do we live in a post-racial society.

We live in a society where there are different cultures, and ethnic groups who all live and gather in one place.

If we are going to be the

In Compton

Citizens of Zion Missionary Baptist Church 12930 No. Lime Ave., Compton, CA 90221 (310) 638-0536 • F: (323) 636-2080 • www.citizensofzion.org Rev. Bobby Newman, Jr., Senior Pastor; Rev. B.T. Newman, Pastor (Pastor Emeritus) Sunday School: 9am Morning Service: 10:45am Wed. Mid-Week Bible Study: 7pm Greater Zion Church Family 2408 North Wilmington Avenue, Compton, CA 90222 (310) 639-5535 • E: GreaterZionCF@gmail.com Reverend Michael J. Fisher & Dr. W. Jerome Fisher, Pastor Emeritus Sunday Morning Worship: 9am, 11am & 5pm Wed. Bible Studies: Noon-7pm www.greaterzionchurchfamily.com

Holy Chapel Baptist Church 1016 East Rosecrans Ave. Compton, CA 90220 (310) 537-3149 Rev. George L. Thomas Early Morning Worship: 7:30am Sunday School: 9:45 & 10:15am Mid Morning Worship: 10:45 am 1st. Sun. Holy Communion: 7:30 & 10:45 am Sat. Broadcast KTYM 1460AM: 10-11pm Wed. Mid-Week Prayer & Bible Study: 7pm

Sunday Morning Worship: 8am & 11:30am Sunday Evening Worship: 6:30pm Bible Studies: Wed. 7:30pm & Sat. 9am Food for Your Soul Radio & Television Ministry: KTYM 1460AM: Mon - Fri. 6:30am Church Channel: Tues. 5:30pm & Fri. 2:30pm

Victory Institutional Baptist Church 4712 West El Segundo Blvd., Hawthorne, CA 90250 (310) 263-7073 • www.vibconline.com Pastor Richard Williams, III

Unity Christian Fellowship 16133 S. Atlantic Ave., Compton, CA 90221 (310) 604-0234 • F: (310) 886-0198 Bishop Johnny R. Withers, Jr., Senior Pastor Sunday G.I.R. Up Leadership Class: 8am Morning Worship Tuesday: 10am Teaching Empowerment Night: 7:30pm

In Gardena

The City of Refuge 14527 S. San Pedro Street, Gardena, CA 90248 (310) 516-1433 Bishop Noel Jones Morning Worship: 8am & 11am Evening Worship: 6pm Bible Study (Wed): Noon & 7pm BET/Fresh Oil (Wed): 7am

Sunday Morning Worship: 9am Sunday Evening Worship: 6pm Wed. Mid-Week Worship: 7pm Bible Study Tuesday: Noon & 7pm

Bible Enrichment Fellowship International 400 E. Kelso, Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 330-4700 • www.bamcm.org Dr. Beverly “BAM” Crawford

In Inglewood

Morning Worship: 9:30am Tues. Bible Study: 7:30pm Wed. Mid-Week Prayer: 5am, Noon & 7pm Wednesday Pathway: 7pm

The Liberty Church 14725 S. Gramercy Place, Gardena, CA 90249 (310) 715-8400 Pastor David W. Cross Early Worship: 8:30am Morning Worship: 11am Children’s Church: Both Services Word Power Wed.: 7-8pm

Faithful Central Bible Church 321 N. Eucalyptus Ave. Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 330-8000 • F: (310) 330-8035 Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer, Ph.D. Senior Pastor/Teacher Services at The Tabernacle: Sunday Services: 7am & 10am Wed. Mid-Week Service: 7pm The Tabernacle is located at 321 N. Eucalyptus Ave., Inglewood

www.thelibertychurch.com

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

solution for good practice. Research says that differences in a group facilitate moral development and leadership training.

Because so many people in the city live in multicultural neighborhoods, the church has a unique opportunity to bear witness to God’s plan for harmony and peace within that setting.

The church must respect people as individuals and as members of a cultural group. The traditional American view of cultural diversity is that differing cultural groups should blend in with the dominant culture. America is viewed as a melting pot where people groups lose their distinctive in a common American culture.

However, I believe that American cities like Los Angeles are like a toss salad. The people group mix, but maintain their identity as separate peoples. So when Koreans interact with Italians neither one of the groups has to lose their cultural identity.

When we get to glory there won’t be a white section, a black section, or Spanish speaking section. The Word of God tells us that every tribe and every nation and tongue will worshipping together.

John the revelator declares that there will be a new song. It might be gospel, or Latin, it might even be contemporary worship. I don’t know what we’ll be singing.

What I rejoice in is that the people of God will be hand-in-hand under the banner of Christ. He is the one who torn down the walls of hostility. He is the one who declared that the world will know God sent him based on the fact that we are worshipping, walking, and working together as one.

In Hawthorne

Sunday Morning Worship: 8am & 11am Sunday Bible Enrichment Class: 9:45am Mon.-Thurs. Bible Study: 7pm Wednesday Bible Study: 12:30pm & 7pm

Crusade Christian Faith Center 801 S. La Brea Avenue, Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 330-8535 Bishop Virgil D. Patterson Sr. Wed. Mid-Week Service: 7pm Sunday School: 9am Sunday Worship: 10:30am

L.A. Focus/December 2015

Love and Unity Christian Fellowship 1840 S. Wilmington Ave, P.O. Box 5449, Compton 90220 (310) 604-5900 Fax: (310) 604-5915 Dr. Ron C Hill

light and example for the rest of the world to follow, we have to be willing to live in the uncomfortable, uneasiness of race, culture, ethnicity and class in our city for the sake of the gospel. We are going to have to learn how to lean into the image of God of all of us on the inside in order to truly appreciate what God created on the outside.

One of my heroes of the faith is Dr. John Perkins who says, “We need more congregations in our cities that are cross cultural and that are planting churches that reflects the true Kingdom of God.” One of the problems in cross cultural relationships and the church is that it becomes really easy to work in a mono-cultural context where we create these spaces that are indigenous to one people group.

Its really easy to be with people who look like you, sound like you, dress like you, like to eat the same kind of food as you or listen to the same kind of music like you do.

The truth of the matter is that major cities like Los Angeles are increasingly multiethnic and urban where we are forced to work with several different cultural groups, often tightly compressed into one geographic area. As a result, we have to be willing to think seriously about the church of Christ in an area reflecting the neighborhood’s diversity.

The basis that we have for this is our apostolic witness in scripture, which presents to us a picture of the church in which race, class, ethnicity and people from varying cultures worshiped together in unity.

Because this is good theology it’s also a

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Focus 12.15_Focus 7-04 12/2/15 9:36 PM Page 22

In Irvine

True Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 7901 South Van Ness Ave. Inglewood, CA 90305 (323) 750-7304 Rev. James A. Perkins

Christ Our Redeemer AME Church 45 Tesla, Irvine, CA 92618 (949) 955-0014 • F:(949) 955-0021 • www.corchurch.org Pastor Mark E. Whitlock, II

Sunday School: 9:30am Early Worship: 8am Morning Worship: 10:45am Bible Adventure Hour (Tues): 6pm Bible Study (Tues): 7pm Bible Study (Thurs): Noon First Church of God Center of Hope 9550 Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90305 • (323) 757-1804 Pastor Geremy L. Dixon Morning Worship: 8am & 11am Wed. Mid-Week Service: Noon Wed. Teaching Ministry: 7pm 1st Sunday Communion 5th Sunday Baptism

In Monrovia

Second Baptist Church 925 S. Shamrock Avenue • P.O. Box 479, Monrovia, CA 91017 (626) 358-2136 • F: (626) 303-2477 Bishop W.M. Larue Dillard, Phd.

Sunday Worship: 8am, 10:30am New Generation Praise Service: 10:30am Sun. Bible Univ.: 9:30am Tues. Interactive Bible Study: 7pm Wed. Pastor's Bible Study: Noon, 7pm Thurs. Bible Study: 7pm Fri. Singles Bible Study (1st Fri): 7pm Antioch Church of Long Beach 1535 Gundry Ave. Long Beach, CA 90813 (562) 591-8778 • F: (562) 599-6048 Pastor Wayne Chaney Jr.

Sunday Worship: 7:45am, 10:45am, 4:45pm Ministry Worship to Children/Youth Sunday: 9:45am - 10:45am Prayer/Academy of Biblical Studies (Wed): 10:45am - 6:45pm www.second-baptistchurch.com

In Long Beach

In Pasadena

Bethlehem Church 1550 North Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103 (626) 794-5211 • F: (626) 794-6592 Pastor Christopher A. Bourne

Worship Services: 8am, 9:30am, 11:30am Elements Bible Study: 8am & 10:15am Spanish Worship Service: 3pm Family Night Bible Study (Wed.): 7pm

Sunday School: 9am Sunday Worship: 10am Tuesday Bible Study: 7pm Mid-day Worship Thursday: Noon www.bethlehemcoch.org

Jacob’s Ladder Community Fellowship, inc.

1152 E. Hyde Park Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90303 (866) 330-1702 • F: (310) 674-0760 Watchman/Shepherd Dr. Robert T. Douglas Sr. Sunday School: 10am Morning Services: 11:45am Evening Service: 7pm Wed. Lock & Load Prayer: 7pm Wed. Bible Study: 7:30pm 3rd Friday Youth Night: 7:30pm KYTYM 1460AM (Sunday): 11:30am www.jacobladderschurch.com Miracle Temple Church of God Pentecostal 733 S. Grevillea Avenue, Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 419-7335 • info@cogpinglewood.org Bishop Johnny J. Young, Ph.D., Senior Pastor Elder Jonathan J. Young, Executive Pastor Sunday School: 8:30am Morning Worship: 10:15am Thursday Praise & Bible Study: Noon & 7pm Weekly Prayer: Noon Monday-Friday Early Morning Phoneline Prayer: 5am Fridays *(209) 255-1000 Access code = 100061# "Where the Difference is worth the Drive" New Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church 434 S. Grevillea, Inglewood CA 90301 (310) 673-6250 Office • (310) 673-2153 Rev. Dr. Phillip A. Lewis, D. D., D. Th., Senior Pastor Sunday School: 9:30am Early Worship: 8am Morning Worship: 11am First Sunday Evening Worship: 5pm Mid-Week Bible Study Wed.: 7pm Radio: KTYM 1460 AM on Saturdays at 8pm & Mondays at 7pm

Head 2 Head continued from page 8

protesters as cop killers (African Americans).

Republican presidential candidates have seized on racism for political gain, shifting from Barack Obama to the Syrian refugees as the face of their Muslim enemy. Ben Carson, who said a Muslim American should not become president, compared Syrian refugees to rabid dogs. “For instance, you know, if there is a rabid dog running around your neighborhood, you’re probably not going to assume something good about that dog, and you’re probably gonna put your children out of the way,” Carson said.

“Doesn’t mean that you hate all dogs by any stretch of the imagination.”

Donald Trump has crossed the Nazi line by suggesting that the U.S. should force Muslims to wear special ID badges and shut down mosques. His statement is reminiscent of Hitler’s Germany, when Jews were made, by law, to wear a yellow star of David — part of a psychological tactic to isolate and dehumanize them and pave the way for the extermination of 6 million Jews.

Americans turned away Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany, just as they are rejecting Syrian refugees today. While Trump wants to shut down mosques, Marco Rubio would shut down any places where Muslims gather “to be inspired.” Even Jeb Bush suggested the U.S. only allow refugees

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: 7pm Wed Youth & Young Adult Ministry: 7pm

Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church 980 Rio Grande Street, Pasadena, CA 91104 *Mailing Address: 1416 N. Mentor Ave. Pasadena, 91104 (626) 794-4875 • F: (626) 794-7815 Pastor W. Harrison Trotter Sunday School: 8:30am Sunday Worship: 10am Bible Study Wednesday: 7pm Intercessory Prayer (Fourth Wed.): 7pm Christians Uniting To Make A Difference -Eph. 4:13

In Van Nuys

Gospel Memorial Church of God In Christ 1480 Atlantic Ave. Long Beach, CA 90813 (562) 599-7389 • F: 562-599-5779 • gospelmemorial@aol.com Bishop Joe L. Ealy Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 11am Evening Worship: 6:30pm Wed. Intercessory Prayer: 7pm Wed. Pastoral teaching adults: 7:30pm Wed. Youth Ministry Boot-Camp; Youth Bible Study: 7pm & Choir Rehearsal: 7:30pm

Spirit of Zion Fellowship Church 10853 Victory Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601 (805) 517-1907 • www.mtzionla.org Pastor E.V. Hill II

Grant AME Church of Long Beach 1129 Alamitos Ave. Long Beach, CA 90813 • (562) 437-1567 grantamelb@aol.com • www.grantamelb.org Rev. Michael W. Eagle, Sr.

In Arise Christian Center 6949 La Tijera Blvd. Suite C, Westchester, CA 90045 (310)568-8445•F: (310) 568-8430 • Arisechristiancenter.com Pastor Ron Taylor

Sun. Worship Experience: 10:45am 3rd Sun. Healing & Annointing: 10:45am Wed. Bible Study: Noon & 6pm Mothers of Murdered Youth & Children: Thurs. by appt • On/off Parole, Now What?: Thurs. by appt

who can prove they are Christian.

Years from now, America will look back at this embarrassing chapter in its history and wonder what people were thinking. In America, fearmongering sells, but there is time to shift course and act based on morality.

Follow David A. Love on Twitter at @davidalove.

Terrorism continued from page 7

Matter As Much”.

“The Nairobi, Kenya, Westgate mall incident,” he wrote, “caught mainstream-mediaoutlet attention only because 1) geographically ignorant American audiences seemed stunned that modern malls and a middle class existed in Africa and 2) there was a fear that American shopping centers were on the terrorist hit list.”

“In the United States we really don't pay much attention to the rest of the world period, but we identify more with Europe," Congresswoman Karen Bass told the Huffington Post earlier this year.

Those most recently comparing the media coverage point to the attack on Garissa University College in Kenya which left 147 dead and 79 injured in an attack that lasted for hours.

The incident, which happened in April of this year, found new life in the news after the attacks in Paris last month as social media users sought to balance out the cover-

Sunday Worship: 1pm Children's Church: 1pm

Westchester

Morning Worship: 9am & 11:15am Bible Study Wednesday: 7pm Intercessory Prayer Tuesday : 7pm Intercessory Prayer Sunday: 8am - 8:45am Intercessory Prayer Thursday: 11:30pm - 12:30pm

age of terrorism around the world.

“When 147 Kenyans were murdered I didnt see anybody changing their profile pic with African flags”, posted one Facebook user.

Experts say that media coverage of these incidents is what prompts people to pressure their governments to act, which is why selective coverage of terrorism has come under fire.

For his part, Zuckerberg has changed its policy in activating safety checks, stating '...

We care about all people equally, and we will work hard to help people suffering in as many of these situations as we can.'

Terrorism continued from page 7

phone number, address, children's ages, clothing & shoe sizes, preferred colors and any particular "wish list" they have, though sponsors decide what they will give. Gift baskets, grocery gift cards, meals and gifts are all appropriate. For information, call (213) 744-4348 or e-mail dpssvolunteers@dpss.lacounty.gov Foundation for the Junior Blind: The emphasis of this organization is on instilling confidence to the blind and visually impaired through recreation and activities. You can help out by donating holiday gifts that include: new musical toys, CD, school supplies board games. 5300 Angeles Vista Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90043.

Contact: Debbie McBeth (323) 295-4555 ext.

267.

His Sheltering Arms: You can help brighten the lives of disadvantaged women and children in assisting this worthwhile group. Donate toy, toiletries, food, clothing, and money that will go to families in need.

The facility is located at 11101 S. Main St., Los Angeles. Call Fannie Upshaw (323) 7556646.

Homeless Housing Placement Agency: Requests for services increase greatly during the holiday season.

Donations are gladly accepted for toy and clothing for children, canned and non-perishable items. The agency is located at 1644 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 103, Los Angeles 90017. Call (213) 484-2150.

Minority AIDS Project: This organization provides food, transportation and nursing referrals to its HIV clients. This holiday they would be more than grateful to accept donations of toys, infant clothing and food. You can drop off donations at 5147 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles 90016 Call: Thea Williams (323) 936-4949 Project Angel Tree: Prison Fellowship Los Angeles reaches out for children with incarcerated parents getting churches and other groups to purchase gifts for them. For information on how you can help, contact (800) 55-ANGEL (2-6435)

Focus 12.15_Focus 7-04 12/2/15 9:36 PM Page 23

InGoodTaste

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Pastors continued from page 7

Baltimore said he does not think any religious leaders who took part in the meeting “have been socially active or involved in the last year in issues of injustice. He has gotten preachers who are primarily from the sidelines.”

Bryant went on to Dr. Bryant called the people who attended the meeting prostitutes and pawns. When confronted

by Rev. James Davis, who did attend the meeting and will endorse Trump, Bryant countered, “ I want to apologize because prostitutes get money and the 100 who went in there got nothing. They did it for free.”

“I’m able to chew the meat and spit out the bones with anyone,” stated Dr. Davis, who insisted that Trump did put forth some relevant policies in the meeting.

“What we were able to do today was to see for themselves and they find out that he’s not the person that the media has depicted him to be,” said Rev. Darrell

Scott, one of the pastors who organized the meeting.

Among the local clergy in attendance was Omarosa Manigault, who serves as an associate minister at Weller Street Baptist Church.

“I felt we came out of the meeting knowing that Donald Trump is committed to Christian values and that Donald Trump is committed to the black community…but more importantly opening a dialogue,” Manigault said. “I don’t know any of the other candidates that took two and a half hours —almost three hours to sit down and talk to black clergy and that’s important to be noted.”

“There’s always a side of me that wishes and prays for hope,” said Bishop Hezekiah Walker, “and it just seems like the more I’m trying to say, ‘Give this guy a chance’ . . . the worse things get. He’s constantly doing something.”

L.A. Focus/December 2015

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Eye On Gospel Kirk Franklin Returns To The Top of The Charts Multi-GRAMMY Award-winning artist, songwriter, producer and music icon Kirk Franklin has crafted another #1 hit with his eleventh studio album, Losing My Religion. Released on November 13th, Losing My Religion debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Current Gospel Chart and Billboard’s Top Christian/Gospel Albums Chart. The album also entered No.10 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums Chart, according to Nielsen Soundscan. The CD marks Franklin’s eleventh consecutive No.1 debut.

Continuing with a week of No. 1 wins, lead single “Wanna Be Happy?” tops the Mediabase Gospel radio chart, Billboard.com’s Hot Gospel Songs and Digital Gospel Songs Charts. Debuting in late August, it broke the record previously set by Franklin with “I Smile (2011)” to become the best first-week digital single in gospel sales history. With other songs such as “Pray For Me,” “When” (feat. Kim Burrell and Lalah Hathaway), “My World Needs You” (feat.

Sarah Reeves, Tasha Cobbs and Tamela Mann), “Miracles,” and the title track “Losing My Religion,” Losing My

Religion is Franklin’s most comprehensive album yet, garnering accolades from fans, peers and critics.

Franklin has been on the road for the release of Losing My Religion, including a sold-out album release concert at the Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York and recent television appearances around the country.

In Other Chart News…

Also climbing the charts is two-time Stellar award winning recording artist Maurette Brown Clark's debut single “King Oh King”. The track—from her 5th forthcoming solo album—has reached the Top 15 on both the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs and Mediabase Gospel charts.

Brown Clark has hit Billboard's Hot Gospel Songs Chart Top 5 three times in recent years of her career with her singles "I Hear The Sound (of Victory)," and #1 singles "One God" and "It Ain't Over (Until God Says It's Over)," setting the stage for her highly anticipated new single, "King Oh King.” Her fourth album, “The Sound of Victory” was released to acclaim from critics and fans, garnering a career-high Top 10 album debut at #7 on Billboard's Gospel Albums Chart.

Affectionately referred to as The Princess of Praise & Worship, Maurette Brown Clark is in-demand for her musical ministry. Growing up in Long Island, New York singing with her family group The Brown Singers, Brown Clark remains committed to expanding boundaries and uplifting others in faith as a singer, songwriter, musician, producer, wife and mother.

With Brother Steve

Full Circle J. Moss had a g r e a t deal to e b thankful for as he celibrated Thanksgiving with his wife and two Bro Steve Harris sons last month in his newly rebuilt home. It’s full circle for the Detroit native, whose West Bloomfield, Michigan home was destroyed in a fire last October (2014). A fire that nearly took his life as he barely escaped injury as the blaze—sparked by electrical issues—spread so quickly that he was unable to saye anything but the clothes on his back.

Well, it’s a different story now for the artist who is set to release a brand new album, 'GFG Reload,' on December 18.

Congratulations Hats off to Lecrae who was honored with Best Gospel and/or Inspirational Song for his single, “All I Need Is You” at the 2015 Soul Train Awards held in Las Vegas last month. The single was up against Erica Campbell's "More Love," Fred Hammond's "I Will Trust," Kirk Franklin's "Wanna Be Happy?" and Marvin Sapp's "Yes You Can." The award marks the 8th major honor of the year for the rapper who was named “Artist Of the Year” at the Dove Awards just one month earlier and in June he became the first rapper to win “Best Gospel Artist” honors at the BET awards.

Congratulations are also in order for gospel’s superstar sibling acts, BeBe & CeCe Winans and Mary Mary. They will be honored at the 17th Annual Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards in Atlanta next month. Hosted by past honoree Yolanda Adams, the night will pay tribute to the best in the gospel music community.

The invitation-only event, which is part industry celebration and part aweinspiring worship service, will be attended by gospel music's premier songwriters, brightest stars, and leading industry executives. In addition to honoring BeBe & CeCe and Mary Mary, BMI will also announce the "Most Performed Gospel Song of the Year" at this memorable ceremony….In the meantime, Bebe Winans will be in L.A. December 12 for “Colors of Christmas” at the Cerritos Center of Performing Arts with Peabo Bryson, Oleta Adams, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis.

T h e appearance holds special meaning for Winans who will be appearing for the first t i m e w i t h Bryson, who he at one time idolized.

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SavingGrace

T

Loretta Devine

he hardest part of being Loretta Devine for Loretta Devine is the perception people have of her that is usually a character she has played and not her at all. But that is most likely due to the fact that she is so good at what she does in a career that spans three decades, work in more than 40 films including “Jumping The Broom”, “Woman Thou Art Loosed”, “Colored Girls” and “Waiting To Exhale”, a groundbreaking Tony-award winning Broadway play and a score of TV shows.

To be sure, the three-time NAACP Image Award winning actress is not among those who never get any work. In the last year alone, she’s had recurring roles on three series—”Being Mary Jane”, “Doc McStuffins” and NBC’s summer series, The Carmichael Show in which she starred along with David Alan Grier.

The sitcom—which NBC has renewed for a second season—is loosely based on the life of one of its writers, Jerrod Carmichael and deals with such topical issues as “Black Lives Matter”.

Said NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke, “We’re extremely proud of The Carmichael Show and Jerrod’s voice and point of view is a breath of fresh air in a comedy series. The show made a big impact with viewers and critics because it’s funny and relatable, but also because it’s fearless about discussing issues that are significant in the world today.”

If that wasn’t enough, Devine is the voice of Muriel Hobblepot in the King’s Quest video game and is working—or has completed work—on four films due out in 2016.

“God has blessed me so. I’m always working on something —either on stage or in film and television,” Devine says.

L.A. Focus/December 2015

“I tell people God is my manager because I really think your work comes straight up from Him, because no matter what you’re doing He has a hand in who gets what and why and how it affects their lives.”

For all of the work, success has been hard earned for Devine who started out

on Broadway where she originated the role of Lorell in the hit play "Dreamgirls" which opened on December 20, 1981 at the Imperial Theatre and went on to win six Tony Awards in 1982.

And for all the blessings, Divine is just as familiar with the down side.

“This business is so hard to stay afloat in,” Devine noted. “I have so many friends who have fallen away from it because there is not enough work. You always feel like you’ll never work again. You never know what tomorrow’s going to bring. I live with that knowledge. So you take it a day at a time. All you really have is right now.”

To that end, she says she never knows when her next job is going to be and like so many others waits, hope and continues to audition, always seeking to push herself. She does just that in her recurring role as a lesbian in “Being Mary Jane”.

“It was a role that was originally written for a man but I have all of this incredible dialogue and it was really a great challenge. I’m getting a chance to do a lot of things that are just incredible.

“In this business,” Devine continues, “if you drop out you can get lost. I am lucky now that I have sort of a name. You can say Loretta Devine and people know who I am, so the struggle for me isn’t fame. I just put pressure on myself to keep going and doing great work.”

Seeing God as more than her source, but her accountability, the actress turns down those parts that go against her beliefs.

“There is a lot of cussing and profanity and just street life I am not comfortable doing,” Devine explains. “I try to pick films that have a meaning and where the entire piece is saying something and the story could motivate and touch people to continue to live beautiful lives.”

For Devine, there’s a lot more to life than trying to be a Hollywood celebrity.

It is part of the work ethic instilled by her father, James, a laborer and her mother, Eunice, a beautician who raised her Baptist in Houston and from whom she got her distinctive voice. A voice she credits with opening a lot of doors for her and continues to get her a great deal of work in animated films and series.

She set her eyes on the entertainment industry while in high school, before going on to the University of Texas, where she earned a B.A. in speech and drama.

“I was in love with Aretha Franklin and Nancy Wilson and all those people I grew up with and I could mimic them,” Devine recalls. “I was one of the lead singers in church and I wanted to be this incredible singer, but I was black and skinny— a very introverted child with this squeaky voice. I thought no one was listening.”

“My family thought I was absolutely crazy, but in time they became supportive because they realized how much it meant to me,” Devine recounts. “I was never worried. I believed God would see me through. That’s just how He is. He just leads you through everything and one day I was like, oh my God! I really am an actress.”

It is a platform she has used in giving back as well in a variety of programs that benefit the community while also cognizant of effect she has on the women watching her on screen.

“So many full-sized women come up to me and say, ‘Oh, you’ve made my life easier’ and ‘I look just like you.’ They absolutely don’t,” Devine laughs, “but their spirit is similar to mine in that they know what the struggle is in being larger and not feeling good about yourself and so they say, you make me feel good about being the size that I am.”

And while she often sees herself apart from “that Hollywood world,” she insists that she wouldn’t change what’s happening in her life for anyone else’s.

“I’ve got a chance to see so many people shoot way up to the top and then disappear,” says Devine. “Some stay, some don’t. I’ve been able to be what I’ve wanted to be. A working actress. And I’m happy with that.”

As to her saving grace? That question’s an easy one for Devine.

“God. God is everything—my voice, the way I look.”

She elaborates, “I’m so clear on who has allowed all of this to be which is a part of why I do service. Everyday that I get up it’s because of God. Sometimes I feel like there’s so much more I should be doing or could be doing, and still I can’t fit in the course of a day, all the stuff that I want to do. So I thank God for all the blessings and to be a part of something that makes a lot of people feel wonderful because it brings joy. And I always pray for the joy that comes in my career to come into my home.”

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Finding Your Pretty with Chez

"here are no ugly “T women, only lazy ones," that's what beauty business mogul Helena Rubinstein claimed and cosmetics m a d e Rubinstein one of the worlds richest women in the world so we might want to listen to Helena.

I don’t think it is healthy to hate the way you look and whatever you need to do to accept yourself physically, I support. I believe as long as you are doing it for you and not for the acceptance of society or for the attention from men you should change whatever you are not able to accept. With women literally

dying to enlarge their butts to astronomical uncomfortable sizes for Instagram likes and to be the object of lustful men, we are clearly at a time when the mere acceptance of ones God given physical attributes is a brave and courageous thing.

In 1500s-1600s In the 1600s pale skin that was untouched by the rays of the sun signified wealth and power. To further the skin-whitening process, Queen Elizabeth used Ceruse, a poisonous mixture of white lead and vinegar. Some would even draw their own blood to achieve that faint color.

At the turn of the century beauty products like Madame Rowley's toilet mask hit the market in 1875. An ad for the overnight beauty mask was "recommended to ladies for Beautifying, Bleaching, and Preserving the Complexion." The mask that suffocated your face and encouraged perspiration while you slept quickly fell out of favor.

In the 1900s cosmetics companies started putting the chemical radium into their products. One product was Kemolite Radio-Active Beauty Plasma that was advertised as a volcanic clay mud treatment that promised smoothness. Needless to say, the radium salts in the OG facemask were very harmful to

their health.

Sunbathers in the ‘30s were so anti-freckle that they would wear a freckle-proof cape to avoid sun damage. For the already freckleafflicted, An Italian physician invented a new spot removing procedure that used carbon monoxide to freeze off freckles with a sharp needle. Luckily, sunscreen was invented in 1946.

With beauty moguls Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden leading the industry in the 40s, more salons began opening nationwide offering a variety of new anti-aging treatments for a perfectly flushed, youthful complexion, like the glamour bonnet. Rosy cheeks were also sought after via electronic heated facemasks, skin-tightening wraps and vacuums aimed at addressing issues like sagging skin, circulation and acne.

In the 50’s television becoming more prevalent in homes and women began to desire that Hollywood beauty standard that still haunts us today but now we also have the internet and social media to add to the pressure of being “beautiful”. So, like Helena taught us “don’t be lazy” take pride in your beauty.

BE BOLD

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So Who Does Your Hair...

Elgin Charles has been on top of his game for a long time and two decades ago he showed the world just how much when he opened his swanky upscale hair salon in Beverly Hills. “We came over blazing with all our clientele and it was a shocker to Beverly Hills. People came around and were looking in the window and it just felt awesome.”

The Austin, Texas native has the ‘Elgin Way’ of styling hair earning him the nickname “The Emperor of Hair”. With Celebrity clients like Star Jones, Keri Hilson,

and Diahann Carroll Hair stylist “To be "Elginized" is to do hair like me. I'm not about oil. I'm all about sheen, closing down the cuticle and giving body to the hair. Hair on the West Coast is all about body, shine and movement.”

Elgin has his own line of products including a Lithium Relaxer, which uses the chemical lithium to relax & straighten even the

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curliest, kinkiest hair.

Jo-Anne Wright McKenzie has been a client of Elgin’s for more than 18 years and says it’s his vast knowledge and creativity in hair preparation that keeps her coming back.”My hair constantly changes. I am always happy with his ideas and suggestions.”

Jo-Anne says she always gets compliments on her hair and she Loves Elgin as her stylist simply because “He just knows what to do with Hair to make it look beautiful.”

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