L.A. Focus Newspaper February 2020 by LA Focus Newspaper

VOLUME XXV • ISSUE 1 • February 2020 >>

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HOLLYWOOD BUZZ: Kerry Washington Takes on Trump With “The Fight” PAGE

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INFEATURE MEMORIAM

The Legacy of Kobe Bryant In His Own Words“T

obe Bryant was the only man in history to win five NBA championships, two Olympic gold medals, four All-Star Most Valuable Player Awards and an Oscar. And he could speak four languages. A Beethoven fan, he was a genuine man of many gifts and interests...

SAVING GRACE: Viola Davis

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L.A. Focus Publications

February2020

(Left) Jackie Lacey speaks at Baptist Ministers Conference; (Middle) Hundreds gather to honor Kobe Bryant at the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles; (Right) Bishop Noel Jones, Inglewood Mayor James Butts, Bishop Kenneth Ulmer and Clippers’ owner Steve Ballmer greet at a recent breakfast meeting at the Hyatt Regency LAX.

From The Editor 25 Years Later... No Limits

Commentary “Redefining Sufferage, Unerasing Black Women”

UpFront

Head to Head

California, and 13 Other States Sue to Stop Trump’s Food Stamp Cuts; Black Activists Push for School Choice at Supreme Court

20 Eye On Gospel 22 Calendar/Around LA 23 Red Carpet Style 26 Hollywood Buzz

The Screen Actors Guild Awards 2020 & the Grammy’s Red Carpet

Kerry Washington Takes on Trump in New Film; Aretha Franklin’s Son Slams Upcoming Respect Biopic and more...

Reflections On The Impact of Kobe Bryant’s Death

Feature Story

Money Matters

Here He Comes...Again? Mark Ridley Thomas Comes Full Circle In His Race for The 10th District Council Seat

Gov. Newsom’s Record Breaking Billion Dollar Spending Plan for Public Schools

Biz News Briefs Taraji P. Henson Launches Haircare Line; Minorities, Millenials Among Those Who Pay the Most Bank Fees; Fox Debuts New Streaming Service Targeting Black Voters

staff Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Staff Writers Production Photographer Advertising

Lisa Collins Gerald Bell Kisha Smith, Tristin Alexandria Ian Foxx Leatha Davis

L.A. Focus–On the Word, is published monthly. Address all correspondence to: L.A. Focus, 333 W. Florence Ave., Suite C333 Inglewood, CA 90301 • (310) 677-6011 Subscription rates $25.00 per year.

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Lena Kennedy

Viola Davis

Tiffany Derry

One On One

Headlines From Africa

38 Through The Storm 39 Game Changers 40 Saving Grace 42 In Good Taste

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Church News First AME Partners with Mayor Garcetti, Love Lifted Me MBC Closes its Doors, OWN TV Will Not Renew “The Book of John Gray”

30 Pastor Profile 33 First Lady Files 37 From The Pulpit of Troy Vaughn

Barbara Howard- Israel MBC Church

Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar & Grill Febuary 6 - March 1st at The Nate Holden Performing Arts Center 4718 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles 90016

“Living on Left Overs”

honorary advisors West Angeles C.O.G.I.C. City of Refuge Greater Zion Church Family Southern Saint Paul Church Faithful Central Bible Church Mt. Moriah Baptist Church Baptist Minister’s Conference

Bishop Charles Blake Bishop Noel Jones Pastor Michael Fisher Rev. Xavier L. Thompson Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer Pastor Emeritus Melvin Wade Pastor K.W Tulloss

advisory board Napoleon Brandford Pastor Beverly Crawford Lem Daniels Bob Blake

Siebert, Brandford, Shank & Co. Bible Enrichment Fellowship International Church Morgan Stanley Bob Blake & Associates

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L.A. Focus/February 2020

Commentary

GWEN MCKINNEY Guest Columnists

“Redefining Suffrage, Unerasing Black Women” ojourner Truth. Harriet Tubman. Ida B. Wells. Shirley Chisholm. Rosa Parks. These household names, spanning a couple of centuries, qualify for the Suffrage Hall of Fame. Almost a buzz word synonymous with the Year of the Woman, in 2020 the centerpiece of suffrage will be marked by the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment granting women’s voting rights. Referred to as a bold justice movement, suffrage will be celebrated as America’s march to full democracy. In popular parlance, can we unpack the significance of suffrage and inclusive democracy for Black women? Words matter. But the impact and impetus of their meaning matter more. Here’s a composite definition from online dictionaries: Suffrage is the right to vote in public elections. Universal suffrage means everyone gets to vote, as opposed to only men or property holders… For example, after trying for about a hundred years, American women were granted suffrage and voted for the first time in 1920. The 19th Amendment was adopted Aug. 18, 1920, after the required number of states ratified the constitutional measure. Though many Black women led suffrage campaigns, the 19th Amendment put white women on an empowerment tract to electoral engagement. Interestingly, the suffrage movement, festooned in the symbolic color white, is often portrayed through a narrow window uncomplicated by the strictures of race and power that framed the Amendment then and now. Look no further than the historical landscape of that moment. Congressional approval of the Act in 1919 was the same year as the infamous Red Summer, a tumultuous white supremacist reign of terror and lynching in Black communities across the country. One year after the 19th Amendment was adopted in 1921 racist mobs set ablaze Tulsa, OK, decimating what was revered as Black Wall Street. The Year of the Woman battle cry is perversely at odds with Black women’s unbroken quest for liberation. Although lauded today as the most reliable and consistent voting bloc for democratic change, we’ve historically endured being marginalized, dismissed and erased. Black women’s demand to be equal and heard extends beyond the century run-up to

From the Editor

the 19th Amendment. It was intersectional and linked with abolition of slavery, anti-lynching battles, literacy drives, sharecropper land rights campaigns and the establishment of a radical Black press that was led by many Black women suffragists. Our suffrage quest continued through the Civil Rights Era and passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which finally, for the first time, delivered the franchise to Black people in the South. Rewind centuries earlier. Our demand to self-govern predates the formation of this republic, beginning in 1619 when the first Africans, snatched from their ancestral home, landed on these shores. Those nameless suffrage pioneers joined with their men to resist and carry the torch for all people — Native Americans, Chinese immigrants and even Irish indentured servants — denied fundamental liberty. Then and now, we wage claims to own our bodies, voices and choices. We build on that truth by redefining suffrage beyond the limited act of casting a ballot. For Black women, the narrative is rooted in telling herstory, unerasing the achievements of yesterday and the possibilities for the future. This centennial year is an appropriate time to redefine universal suffrage through the prism of triumphs and tragedies. Trust Black women must be more than a cliché. Unerased Black Women promises to create brave spaces and in alliance with Black newspapers across the country, unfurl a frank public conversation about Suffrage, Race, and Power. Through a digital destination, we’ll turn our ear to a beating heart of resilience, resistance, words and deed. Daughter of slaves, descendants of warriors, writers, journalists, teachers, mentors, activists — universal suffragists all — have something to say. Francis Ellen Watkins Harper. Anna Julia Cooper. Mary Ann Shadd. Harriet Jacobs. Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin. Mary McLeod Bethune. Fannie Lou Hamer. Ella Baker. Gertrude Bustill-Mossell. Charlotta Bass. Marvel Jackson Cooke. Most of these women can’t claim household name status in the traditional suffrage roll call. But their noble stories will be unerased. Stay tuned as suffrage, redefined, meets our truth. Gwen McKinney is campaign director of an initiative, “Suffrage. Race. Power: Unerased Black Women,” that will launch in March.

LISA COLLINS Publisher

“25 Years Later...No Limits”

n February 26, just before noon as news began widely circulating that 41-year old Lakers great Kobe Bryant had perished in a helicopter daughter with his 13-year old daughter, Gianna, we were all reminded that life is not only precious, but short. It appears to be something Bryant had known all along, given all that he accomplished in his relatively short life, both on and off the basketball court. In the time since his passing, a lot has been said about the records he broke, the paths he blazed for younger athletes, the fortune he amassed, the philanthropic impact of his generosity, the impact of his death on those who matriculated through the sports industry and his family, how he was able to transcend sports; but his biggest legacy, I believe, is the hard work ethic and standard he held both himself to and how he role modeled that for others. “No limits” is what a tearful Caron Butler recalled Bryant would always remind him, pushing him to consider next moves, always looking forward. “Everything negative, pressures, challenges, is an opportunity for me to rise,” Bryant has said. Always striving for excellence, Bryant didn’t have any respect or time for slackers, once stating, “I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you.” And by all accounts Kobe never rested on his laurels and giving up–even when behind–just wasn’t an option. “The moment you give up”, he said, “is the moment you let someone else win.” Fact is, 24 hours is as much as any of us get in a day and yet some people are better than others at squeezing the most out of it. Kobe Bryant was one of them, joining a seemingly elite group of society’s most productive people–folks who rose above their circumstances to leave their marks on this world, no matter the challenge. Auto pioneer Henry Ford characterized failure as “the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” I am particularly fond of this quote from Harry S. Truman, who once said, “A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.” Frederick Douglas once said, “People might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainly work for all they get”. And from Barack Obama comes this quote: “Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it, but it’s not. It takes patience, it takes commitment and it comes with plenty of failure along the way.” The last quote is my own personal testimony. Twenty five years ago, I launched the first edition of L.A. Focus Newspaper from the living room of my home, armed with a dream and the backing and support of a gospel industry I’d represented twice monthly –for over a decade– in a Billboard Magazine column dubbed “In the Spirit”.

Boy, how times have changed since that first edition which featured on its cover, sixteen of the top religious leaders in Los Angeles. Five of them have passed on and three have retired. The goal was to not only cover community news but to bring to light the church’s impact on it. For as long as I can remember the church has been the center of my life. My grandfather, H. Mansfield Collins pastored First AME in the 40s before going on to found Neighborhood Community Church, now the site of ECM Ministries. And my Dad, G. Mansfield Collins, was the executive director of what was then known as the Western Christian Leadership Conference, under Dr. Martin Luther Flashback photo 25 years ago King, Jr. for whom he set West Coast itineraries and raised upwards of $2 million for the Civil Rights Movement. Aside from familial descent, I am no different from most African Americans who make up this nation’s worship faithful, with a rich, deeply entrenched, cultural and spiritual attachment to the black church, which has for the last 400 years, served as the backbone to our communal strength and progress. Indeed, over the generations, pastors and churches have remained paramount in our communities, gathering force in the everchanging winds of our social climate, amidst the turbulence of a vastly changing political landscape, with the growing savvy of a group primed for empowerment. With distinct foresight, they hasten to keep us abreast of not only that which affects our inner-spirits, but outer bodies as well. Though I’ve prided myself on walking through doors God opened, it has not been easy and there are surely a lot of people L.A. Focus never could have made it without. From my former partner, the late Jheryl Busby to my earliest supporters–including Bishops Noel Jones, Charles Blake and Kenneth Ulmer, the late Pastor E.V. Hill II and his father, E.V. Hill Sr., Apostle Beverly “Bam” Crawford and bestie Vicki Mack Lataillade–to my mom, Aleasta Newborn, brothers and most especially friends (known and unknown), I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for keeping me on target despite the many setbacks and challenges. And truth be told, I have enjoyed the journey and look forward to what the next 25 years will bring–with no limits. In light of black history month, I leave you with a quote from Just Mercy author Bryan Stevenson: “I’m standing on the shoulders of people who did so much more with so much less.” Keep the faith.

UpFront

News Briefs

California, 13 Other States Sue to Stop Food Stamp Cuts ourteen states, including California, filed suit Thursday against the Trump administration to block a rule that would eliminate food stamps for an estimated 688,000 Americans. “No one should have to choose between a hot meal and paying their rent,” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “Yet again, the Trump Administration has failed to offer any legitimate evidence to justify decisions that have real consequences for the health and well-being of our residents.” The states plus Washington, D.C., and New York City are claiming that the Trump administration failed to follow the steps required to enact such a far-sweeping rule. It’s the latest in a record 65 lawsuits that Becerra has brought against the Trump administration. The new rule, scheduled to go into effect on April 1, requires that adults without children must work at least 20 hours per week to consistently receive food stamps. In California, that will initially affect about 400,000 Californians, or 11% of people currently getting food stamps, according to the state Department of Social Services. The social services agency and county welfare departments are scrambling to prepare people who might lose their monthly grocery money from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as CalFresh here. Meanwhile, state lawmakers are floating possible work-arounds that could blunt the edge of the federal cuts. Here’s what you need to know about the federal food stamp cuts, the lawsuit and how California is preparing. What exactly does the rule do? Under current federal law, able-bodied adults under the age of 50 with no dependent children must either be working at least 20 hours a week or in vocational training to get food stamps consis-

t e n t l y . Otherwise, they can only receive three months of the benefit every three years. For a decade, states and counties have gotten that limit waived by demonstrating that the local labor market made it hard for people to find jobs. All but six California counties– Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, Santa Clara and San Mateo– have waivers. The new federal rule makes that waiver much more elusive in most of the state. A city or county must have an unemployment rate of at least 6% to qualify. California closed 2019 with a statewide unemployment rate of just under 4%. An estimated 40 California counties would be subject to the 20-hour work requirement starting April 1, while 18 central and northern counties would be spared initially due to their higher unemployment rates. Why did the Trump administration do it? When he announced the rule in December, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said it will restore the original intent of food stamps: “self-sufficiency.” “We need to encourage people by giving them a helping hand but not allowing it to become an indefinitely giving hand,” Perdue said in a statement. But anti-poverty advocates reject the claim that limiting food stamps will encourage people to work more, citing evidence that food stamp work require-

JACKIE BOTTS

CalMatters

ments have failed in other places. The initial proposal spurred more than 140,000 public comments, with many calling the policy outdated and cruel. The Trump administration says the rule would shave $5.5 billion off the federal budget over 5 years. Critics counter that each food stamp dollar translates to $1.54 in economic activity, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture calculations. Why do the states say it’s illegal? The attorneys general say the rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act, a federal law that lays out steps, including notification of the public and comment periods, required to make new rules. The Trump administration did not adequately assess the impact of the rule, or how to mitigate its effects, the suit claims. Plus, the states argue that the rule defies long-standing policy and the original intent of the work requirement law by eliminating the states’ ability to decide whether childless adults must work given local labor markets conditions. “The Rule unequivocally runs afoul of Congress’s intent to ensure food security for low-income individuals and to permit Food Stamp cuts continued to page 37

Black Activists Push for School Choice at Supreme Court Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on whether parents should be empowered with the ability to use government-assisted scholarships to enroll their children in religious schools. Proponents joined a legal brief advising the justices that current laws blocking parents from doing so prevent them from making the best choices for their children's education. The case of Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue focuses on "Blaine Amendments" that are found in 37 state constitutions nationwide. Vestiges of anti-Catholic bigotry during the post-Civil War era, Blaine Amendments are now used to block school choice initiatives because they prohibit public support of "sectarian" schools. Supporters argue that the Court has steadfastly upheld a Due Process Clause right for parents to make educational choices for their children and that this "highly individual process" if successful - "improves the education of all students." It added that, for lowincome families, there is also an "unfortunate but real connection between the price tag of a house and L.A. Focus/February 2020

the quality of education a child receives" through the public education system. "Every child in this country should receive an excellent education - not an average or mediocre one. Removing Blaine Amendments will allow American children to access not only an excellent education, but an education that parents deem appropriate for their children and themselves," said Marie Fischer, a member of the Project 21, a leading voice of black conservatives for over 25 years. "Not only do we need to remove Blaine Amendments and guarantee freedom of choice when it comes to education, but we also need to protect freedom of religion. We have states with voucher systems that take them away from low-income families because the schools they want engage in their First Amendment freedom to exercise their religion. In the end, parents should be able to choose where their tax dollars go instead of the bureaucrats and liberal activists who have nothing in common with the average American family - especially the average low-income family." In the Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue case, regulators ruled that a tax credit for donations to groups providing private school scholar-

ships could not be used for religious schools because of Blaine Amendment restrictions. The main plaintiff, Kendra Espinoza, said that moving her children to a religious school had improved their educational performances and ended bullying problems experienced in public school. Montana's use of the Blaine Amendment, she asserted, harmed her children's educational opportunity. A brief filed on behalf of Project 21 pointed out that "denying parents their preferred educational option simply because their desired school has a religious affiliation inflicts direct and significant injury on parents and children." It added that "[r]eligious discrimination is particularly pernicious when it intersects with a fundamental liberty interest like directing children's education." The brief cited studies that found that education choice helps students "improve academic outcomes," promotes college enrollment, and cuts down on bullying and gang activity and that charter schools (often run by religious institutions) "regularly outperform their public counterparts, even with less funding." The brief claimed that the government's interest in indirectly funding a religious school is "miniscule."

NBA To Change All Star Game Scoring Format To Honor Kobe The NBA announced that the score will be kept normally for the first three quarters, but in the fourth, the game clock will be turned off and the teams will try to hit a target score of 24 additional points added to the leading team’s existing points. “For instance, if the cumulative score of the first three quarters is 100-95, the Final Target Score would be set at 124 points,” the league explained. “To win the NBA All-Star Game, the team with 100 points would need to score 24 points in the fourth quarter before the team with 95 points scores 29 points.” The number 24 was chosen in honor of Kobe’s second jersey number with the Los Angeles Lakers. Each team will also be playing for charity. The winners of each of the first three quarters will win donations to a charity of their choosing. The NBA All-Star Game is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 16 in Chicago.

Michelle Obama — Biden’s Choice For Vice President On Tuesday, while campaigning in Muscatine, Iowa, Former Vice President Joe Biden Biden was asked if he would consider appointing Obama to the Supreme Court, to which he responded: “Yeah, I would, but I don’t think he’d do it. He’d be a great Supreme Court justice”. Then, the voter followed up with: “Second question is – which Obama?” “Well I sure would like Michelle to be the vice president,” the 77-year old chuckled. “They’re both incredibly qualified people. I mean and such decent, honorable people.” It wasn’t the first time Biden cited Michelle Obama as a great choice for vice president. In September 2019, on The Late Show, when Stephen Colbert asked him whether he ever asks “Michelle Obama for advice,” Biden joked: “Only to be my vice president,” according to CNN. He added that he was just kidding. “I’m only joking. Michelle, I’m joking.” The former First Lady has made it clear that running for political office is of no interest to her.

Company That Owns Helicopter That Crashed—Killing Kobe—Suspends Flight Service Island Express Helicopters, the company that owns the helicopter that crashed –killing Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others–has suspended all flight service “for operational reasons," representatives of the company told CNN. NTSB investigators have been trying to determine what caused the crash and whether or not the pilot should have been granted special permission to fly in foggy conditions. It has been reported that Island Express was certified only for flights using visual flight rules, meaning that the pilots were required to steer clear of clear of clouds and in good visibility while using both visual and instrument navigation. Additionally, NTSB officials say that the helicopter was not equipped with a terrain alarm system that could have warned the pilot he was approaching a hillside.

“The beauty in being blessed with talent is rising above doubters to create a beautiful moment... Everything negative; pressure, challenges, is an opportunity for me to rise.” —Kobe Bryant

HeadToHead Reflections On The Impact of Kobe Bryant’s Death

he swift and cruel timing of define him, and instead spent 20 What Kobe Kobe Bryant’s passing, just Bryants Death years grabbing life by the neck and hours after Lebron James Has Taugh Me shaking every bit of goodness out of passed him on the NBA’s all-time it he could. About The scoring list, felt like a sick joke. Right before our eyes, we watched Way Black Most of us – myself included – a tall lanky kid become a good man, Men Mourn expected Kobe to grow old in the in the most breathtaking sense of public consciousness. For people in my age the word. A devoted husband, a proud “girl group specifically, he was the first NBA dad” and a tenacious and formidable athlete player we watched play out his entire career whose prowess on the from start to finish and then segue into an court was only outexciting new chapter after retirement. shined by his generosiHe was a North Star of sorts. We grew up ty towards his teamwith him and therefore, whether we realized mates and fans. it or not, his mortality was tied to our own, For Black men, with his death feeling just as abstract and Kobe Bryant was their distant as we would all hope ours to be. redemption song, their The Black Mamba was equal parts man constant reminder that and myth. As accessible as he was to several they could be more Blue Telusma generations of sports fans, to Black men in than whatever box sociparticular, he was a flesh and blood ety chose to put them in. He was the brother, reminder of what they could achieve and childhood friend, and superhero they all evolve into, even after making potentially needed to tap into when everything else on life-damaging mistakes. the planet conspired to tell them they Let’s be real, this world and particularly weren’t good enough. this country isn’t known for giving Black Because of this, they let themselves love men second chances, or even first ones. him deeply, and attach themselves to him as Since enslavement, our men have been seen if he was family. But that’s the tricky thing as property; sexually deviant brutes with no about love. Whenever you give anything (or humanity or tenderness to speak of. They’ve anyone) the power to make you that happy, been portrayed as unfeeling caricatures and you’re also giving them the ability to break dismissed as emotionally unintelligent your heart into a million little pieces. aggressors who only seek to pound their Black people are probably some of the chests and assert their dominance while proudest and most unflinching humans on instilling fear in the hearts of their women the planet, and our men in particular excel and white counterparts. at this. As a result many of us women, can And the saddest part is many of them go years or perhaps even a whole lifetime have bought into this image of themselves. never seeing the brothers around us shed a Black men are supposed to be things not tear. The side effect of this is we often end up people, with the only exception being made forgetting how vulnerable – and human – for the Ivy League, super articulate, Obama they are. archetypes who are so perfect in their presBut since Sunday I’ve seen men who I entation that even the mainstream has to honestly didn’t even think had tear ducts, begrudgingly acknowledge their “Black sobbing like little children, both in real life Excellence.” and on my television screens. And it’s been a Then there was Kobe; flawed, focused, bittersweet reminder about just how much unrelenting Kobe. “stuff” they hold in every day and teach A misstep and subsequent assault charge themselves to push aside. early in his career made the sheen of perfecThe last few days have revealed that tion an impossible distinction for him. To Black men don’t feel any less than the rest of many, that should have been the end of his us, or hurt any less than we do either, they story, leaving him dismissed as yet another just have much less freedom to show it. So bad boy Black male athlete with an asterisk when I knew I was going to be writing this next to his name. piece today, I asked many of them, flat out, But true to that “Mamba mentality” he “Why does this loss hurt so much?” refused to let the biggest mistake of his life In summation they said they felt “blind-

hen I saw updates on my everyone refers to on a first-name phone about the tragic Life Is Like A basis, it's obvious that such distinchelicopter crash that Vapor: Make tion indicates a wise and efficient killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant, the Most of it use of time in reaching a sterling Like Kobe his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna level of success. Thinking about life Bryant, and seven other passenbeing transient like a "vapour" or a gers last Sunday, like many, I did not mist calls for a deep reflection on what you believe the news at first. I waited until the have done thus far with the years God has major media outlets began breaking the blessed you to see. How are you using your story and then came time? to grips with what In his 41 years, Kobe achieved more seemed so unbeliev- than what most will in an entire lifetime. able. I happened to be His NBA accolades – five championship watching a modern rings, a 12-time All-Defensive Team selecbasketball classic, tion and a two-time Finals MVP, to name a "Coach Carter," in few – easily place him as the best player between church serv- of his generation. But his charity work ices. "Coach Carter" during and after his basketball career was Jessica Johnson came out in 2005, and equally impressive. I later thought how Kobe was generous with his money and Kobe had begun to cement his basketball resources through global philanthropy to legacy by this time, having already won help disadvantaged youth, and he estabthree NBA championships in just six years lished a family foundation with his wife, in the league. Vanessa Bryant, to assist the homeless in As I was reading tributes and condo- Los Angeles. He had a passion for investlences pour out on social media later that ing in young people, and he was pouring evening, I noticed a Scripture reference what he called a "tactical" strategy of sucthat several of my friends posted on cessful precepts into them through his Facebook. It was James 4:14, which says: Mamba Academy and undertaking of juve"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the nile literature. morrow. For what is your life? It is even a Kobe often spoke about instilling confivapour, that appeareth for a little time, dence in Gianna and her teammates and then vanisheth away." At just 41, through the toughness of sports competiKobe had only lived "for a little time." tion, hence providing them with a "mamba The lives of those traveling with him to mentality." One of his 2019 children's attend a game for his Mamba Sports books, "The Wizenard Series: Training Academy girls' basketball team were also Camp," a fictional story about the struggle painfully cut short. Gianna and her of five poor basketball players to rise above Mamba teammates Alyssa Altobelli and low expectations, was a New York Times Payton Chester were looking forward to No. 1 bestseller. playing in the game and having fun with One of the most notable qualities about their friends. Altobelli's parents, John and Kobe was his keen awareness of just how Keri Altobelli; Chester's mother, Sarah important time is. I believe he came to Chester; Christina Mauser, an assistant know this more deeply after rededicating girl's basketball coach; and pilot Ara his life to God during one of his lowest Zobayan had probably organized their moments, after he was accused of rape in work and family schedules for this week. 2003. Although the case was settled out of I'm sure Kobe, being a cultural icon and court, Kobe's reputation was severely damthriving businessman navigating his way aged. Twelve years later, Kobe would say through his post-NBA life, had thoroughly in an ESPN interview that he wanted to be outlined his 2020 plans for most of his remembered as "a player that didn't waste upcoming ventures. Time ran out for him a moment." much sooner than any of us would have There were definitely few wasted anticipated. moments in Kobe's life, and this brings to When the world pauses to pay homage mind another well-known Scripture, to a deceased celebrity whom pretty much Ecclesiastes 3:2, which says that there is

Blue Telusma continued to page 37

Jessica Johnson continued to page 37

Headlines From Africa

Cameroon: Armed separatist rebels in Cameroon burned down an electoral office last month to thwart elections scheduled for February 9. They also kidnapped and attacked candidates and announced a lockdown during the campaign period.

Congo: Countries are being asked to step up assistance to the Democratic Republic of the Congo which is experiencing the world's worst measles epidemic, with more than 6,000 deaths since the start of 2019. The UN and its partners worked with the authorities to vaccinate more than 18 million children under five during 2019, but coverage remains low in some areas, with under-five year olds accounting for a quarter of cases.

Eritrea: Eritrea is one of six African countries —also including Tanzania, Sudan and Nigeria—that President Trump reportedly plans to impose travel restrictions on, making it difficult for citizens of these countries to obtain American visas.

Gambia: The Gambian government launched a crackdown on a movement demanding the departure of President Adama Barrow, following violent demonstrations in which three protesters were killed. Tension had been building in the West African nation over Barrow's decision to stay in office for five years after pledging to step down after three years. Kenya: A severe locust outbreak—the worst in 70 years—spread across Kenya destroying farmland and threatening crops in its wake. The infestation of upwards of 100 billion locusts will has cost the country upwards of $70 million to step up its aerial pesticide spraying. The plague of locusts follows one of the wettest rainy seasons in four decades.

Madagascar: Madagascar launched a national drive last month to plant 60 million trees in the coming months to mark 60 years of independence and to help restore the island’s forests. Between 2001 and 2018— driven primarily by the expansion of shifting agriculture—the country lost about one-fifth of its tree cover, according to Global Forest Watch,

Malawi: Tens of thousands of Malawians took part in protests over alleged attempts to bribe judges overseeing a legal

A look at current news from the continent of Africa challenge to last year’s re-election of President Peter Mutharika. 50,000 took to the streets after the country's chief justice charged that the five judges presiding over the case had been offered kickbacks.

Nigeria: Mass evictions prompt protests as Nigerian housing crisis mounts. People living in waterfront communities in Lagos, a city of 21 million, have been forcefully evicted in recent years by authorities citing safety concerns. Last month, over 4,000 residents were forced to leave a Lagos slum adding to the number of those displaced.

Niger: President Muhammadu Buhari ordered fighter aircraft deployed for effective air attacks against bandits, kidnappers and cattle rustlers terrorizing communities in Niger State.

Somalia:Somalia topped this year's list for corruption followed by Syria and South Sudan in a report released by the watchdog group, Transparency International. Delia Ferreira Rubio, Chair of Transparency International stated, “Governments must urgently aggress the corrupting role of big money in political party finance and the undue influence it exerts on our political systems.” South Africa: Though a third of the labor force is already unemployed, South African companies recently announced thousands of job cuts accelerating the strain on economic growth. If realized, the job losses will add to an unemployment rate that is at its highest in at least 11 years, and would place a further damper on demand and consumption spending in an economy stuck in the longest downward cycle since World War II. Tanzania: A multi-million-dollar World Bank education loan to Tanzania is back on the table for possible approval after being pulled amid concerns about the country's policy of banning pregnant girls and young mothers from attending state school. The revamped loan pledges to provide pregnant girls and new mothers with "Alternative Education Pathways”. Zimbabwe: With more than 70% of Zimbabwean children in rural areas living in poverty, a UN study has found unprecedented levels of poverty in Zimbabwe. The report, compiled by Unicef and the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, shows high levels of privation in rural areas, where 76.3% of children live in abject poverty.

In Memoriam “The Legacy of Kobe Bryant In His Own Words” CURTIS BUNN

Urban News Service

“LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO GET BOGGED DOWN AND BE DISCOURAGED. YOU HAVE TO KEEP MOVING. YOU HAVE TO KEEP GOING. PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER, SMILE AND JUST KEEP ON ROLLING.... obe Bryant was the only man in history to win five NBA championships, two Olympic gold medals, four All-Star Most Valuable Player Awards and an Oscar. And he could speak four languages. A Beethoven fan, he was a genuine man of many gifts and interests. Many measure Bryant’s life by the numbers, but his humility, sacrifice and tireless work ethic shone through. He was the youngest starter in NBA history, at 18 years and 158 days old. Bryant became the first guard to play 20 consecutive seasons and all with the same team. When he retired in 2016, he had scored more than 30,000 points. The greatness of Kobe’s athletic career merited a first-ballot selection to the Hall of Fame, as the basketball world unanimously agreed. He would have been inducted into Hall this year even if he had survived the helicopter crash near Los Angeles that killed him, his 13year-old daughter and seven other people on Sunday. But the world lost more than a hardworking phenomenon known for a picturesque jump-shot and graceful style of play. Lost was an honest voice that shared a lot. He told his mercurial story in heartening detail. He shared his uneasiness with life, and people who were not hardcore NBA fans felt a connection to him. “When I was growing up in Italy, I grew up in isolation,” Bryant said in 2015. “It was not an environment suited to me. I was the only black kid. I didn’t speak the language. I’d be in one city, but then we’d move to a different city and I’d have to do everything again. “I’d make friends, but I’d never be part of the group,” he added, “because the other kids were already growing up together. So, this is how I grew up, and these are the weaknesses that I have.” Bryant’s plainspoken humanity and link to the outside world are not typical in professional sports. He donated at least $1 million to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. In Los Angeles he backed My Friends Place, a safe haven for homeless youth, and Stand Up on Second, which offers job training and finds jobless Americans housing.

“The most important thing is that you try to inspire people so they can be great in whatever they want to do,” Bryant said. Part of his message, however, was centered on the sort of sacrifice he made during every off-season–working out at 3 a.m., spending countless hours in the gym perfecting his artistry. . . instead of enjoying his wealth and down-time with his wife and daughters. “We can all be masters at our craft, but you have to make a choice,” Bryant said. “What I mean by that is, there are inherent sacrifices that come along with that: family time, hanging out with your friends, being a great friend, being a great son, nephew, whatever the case may be. There are sacrifices that come along with that.” Bryant won five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, one short of his idol, Michael Jordan, but more than most. In times of duress, he wanted the ball, seeking the responsibility of a game’s biggest moment. Often he delivered. “If you’re afraid to fail, then you’re probably going to fail,” said Bryant. “My brain, it cannot process failure. It will not

process failure, because if I sit there and have to face myself and tell myself, ‘You’re a failure’ ... I think that’s almost worse than death.” He was a constant thinker, a musing adventurist who won his 2018 Oscar for an animated short, “Dear Basketball,” with music by “Star Wars” composer John Williams. He patterned the pace and momentum of some games on Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. He thought of himself as a symphony conductor, leading the Lakers and their global legion of fans in one orchestrated aria after another. And the ensemble of his opponents never intimidated him. “The last time I was intimidated was when I was six years old in karate class,” he said. “I was an orange belt and the instructor ordered me to fight a black belt who was a couple years older and a lot bigger. I was scared s**tless. I mean, I was terrified, and he kicked my *ss.” “But then I realized he didn’t kick my *ss as bad as I thought he was going to and that there was nothing really to be afraid of,” Bryant said. “That was around the time I realized that intimidation didn’t really exist if you’re in the right frame of mind.” He shared that mantra with his daughters, including his basketball-loving 13-year-old Gianna, who perished with him on Sunday. He coached her team, basked in her passion for the game, and was proud she adopted his assertive attitude. “The best thing that happens when we go out,” Bryant said, “fans will come up to me and she’ll be standing next to me and they’ll be like, ‘Hey, you gotta have a boy! You and [wife Vanessa] gotta have a boy to have somebody to carry on the tradition and the legacy.’” And Gianna, he said, replied: “Hey, I got this! You don’t need a boy for that.’ ” Kobe smiled a daddy’s grin, broad and knowing. It was a proud moment for him. “Have a good time,” he said. “Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged. You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile and just keep on rolling. “It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you or don’t. So, don’t take it lightly.”

Want to vote for president in California but bewildered by the changing rules? We’ve got you. BEN CHRISTOPHER Cal Matters

If you’re confused about how to vote in California’s presidential primary, you’re in good company. Election day in California is March 3, but already social media has become a bipartisan chorus of wrongness about the what, how and why of the state’s presidential primary. If you’re unsure about how to get the ballot you want, why things here are so complicated or what presidential primaries are all about, here are four things to know before you vote: The presidential primary will not use the familiar “Top Two” ballot California voters can be forgiven for assuming that political party registration doesn’t really matter. In 2010 voters backed a measure to create the state’s nonpartisan “top two” election system, in which all primary voters fill out a ballot with every candidate on it – regardless of either the voter’s or the candidate’s political party. The top two winners then move on to the general election ballot – even if they’re both from the same party. In races for state legislative and congressional seats, the top two method will still reign on the 2020 ballot. But when you vote in the presidential primary, it’s back to the old partisan system: Democrats on the Democratic ballot, Republicans on the Republican ballot, and so on. Registered Democrats, Republicans, Greens, Libertarians and other party members, rest assured. You are guaranteed a primary ballot with all of your party’s presidential contenders on it. But voters who don’t belong to a political party – the fastest growing voting block in the state – will have to navigate a more daunting set of obstacles to cast a presidential primary vote. Some parties have “members only” policies: The Republican Party, The Green Party and The Peace and Freedom Party. If you want to vote in one of these three primaries, you’ll have to join that party. You can’t do it as a member of any other party, or even as a “no party preference” independent. No exceptions. The following three parties do allow political independents to cast ballots in their presidential primaries (though not members of other parties): The Democratic Party, The Libertarian Party and The American Independent Party (which is the party’s name and not to be confused with being a party-less political independent) But – and this is an important caveat – these voters do have to specifically request the ballot they want. For those who vote in person, this is a cinch. Just go into your polling place when it’s time to vote and ask. But independents who vote by mail need to let your county know which ballot they want ahead of time. If you received a postcard, fill it out and mail it back. If you missed the deadline or lost the card, and you’re not going to vote in person, email or call your county registrar’s office and let them know which ballot you want. And if you’ve already received a ballot in the mail and

were disappointed by the lack of presidential candidates, do not fill it out. You can always request a new ballot, but trying to vote twice is frowned upon (and also punishable as “voter fraud”) . The California Secretary of State’s office has an all-inone website where you can check your registration status, register or change your party affiliation online, and learn more about the presidential primary. You can make registration changes online through February 18. After that, you’ll have to do it in person –

which you can do up to and even on Election Day itself. In state legislative races, the electoral calculations are straightforward: The two candidates who earned the most votes, regardless of party, move on to the final voting round in November. But the math is trickier in the presidential primary: citizen votes are used to select party convention delegates, who then select the party’s nominee for the White House. CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

LISA COLLINS & GERALD BELL Staff

e is by all accounts the most powerful black politician in L.A. County, but it means nothing to this 65-year old native Angeleno if he is not positively impacting the lives of the 2.1 million residents he gives voice to in the second supervisorial district. From sexual trafficking and his campaign against STDs, to transformative job creation and labor agreements and reopening MLK Hospital, that has been his quest since he was elected to represent them in 2008. And though he terms out of office in November, Ridley-Thomas is nowhere near done with the work he has set out to accomplish, presently setting his sights on the 10th city council race for the seat a termed out Herb Wesson will vacate this year. “The 10th District has been my home for the past 26 years,” Ridley-Thomas states. “This is where my wife Avis and I raised our sons, worship and have deep roots. Moreover, as a County Supervisor I currently represent much of the 10th District, and I want to continue the work I’ve started on behalf of the citizens for whom I fight every day for.” That work includes what he believes to be his most notable achievement–keeping his promise to build a new hospital in South Los Angeles and creating a topnotch medical campus; bringing civilian oversight to the Sheriff’s and Probation departments and developing hundreds of acres of open space and parks, and miles of hiking trails and bike lanes. This March, he will put that service record up against a slate of candidates that includes Attorney Grace Yoo, former LADWP Commissioner Aura

L.A. Focus/February 2020

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Vasquez, climate justice organizer Channing Martinez and human rights activist Melvin Snell. Not surprisingly, he leads the field in political donations having raised more than $424,000 in the first six months of 2019, and $569,000 by the end of the year, according to documents filed with the City Ethics Commission. Yoo has raised $217,000, Vasquez has raised $85,000 and Martinez has raised $12,000, and while that is a key factor in assessing his odds, RidleyThomas believes there is something even more attractive to the approximately 239,000 residents in the tenth district. “The difference between me and others is the race is that is that whether it’s building a hospital or having a street paved, building a park or leading the charge for civilian oversight of law enforcement – I don’t just had a record of ideas, I have a record of collaborating with communities and getting things done,” states RidleyThomas, affectionately known as “MRT”. “I have a lot to offer the residents of the 10th District, and I would be honored to represent them. “I’ve been building affordable housing, housing the homeless, fighting for civilian oversight of law enforcement, standing up to a Sheriff who’s moral compass is broken, building park space, bike lanes and public buildings that are LEED certified as energy efficient.” He is not alone in his assessment. Ridley-Thomas has received endorsements from Sen. Diane Feinstein, Congresswoman Karen Bass, Congressman Adam Schiff , Gov. Gavin Newsom., Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles, Diane Watson, Former U.S. Representative 33rd District, Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr, LA County Democratic Party, United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, New Frontier Democratic Club and the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters. “I have also earned the support of many young Democratic clubs, from the Black Los Angeles Young Democrats, Los Angeles County Young Democrats, Stonewall Young Democrats, USC College Democrats and the Westside Young Democrats,” Ridley-Thomas

adds. “They know I am ready to get to work!” Fact is, in his near three decades in public service, winning is something Ridley-Thomas hasn’t failed at. He was first elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 1991, representing the 8th Council District, after serving for a decade as executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles. It was during his tenure on the council that he founded the African American Voter Registration, Education, and Participation (AAVREP) in 2002, the largest organized effort to register African American and urban voters in the state of California in more than a decade. In 2002, with more than 80% of the vote, he was elected to the California State Assembly representing California’s 48th district and was a leader in addressing the problems facing the hospitals and health care system of Los Angeles, sponsoring a bill that would create the Office of Inspector General in an effort to detect and prevent fraud, waste and abuse in government agencies. In 2006, he was elected to the California State Senate with more than 87% of the vote and in 2008, he beat out former LAPD police chief/city councilman Bernard C. Parks for the Second District seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Now, in a stroke of irony, Ridley-Thomas is heading back to where he started–City Hall to represent a reconfigured district that now includes the home he has lived in for more than 30 years with his wife, Avis and where they reared their two now adult sons– Sinclair and former Assemblyman Sebastian RidleyThomas. Dynamically diverse, the tenth district is geographically one of the smallest council districts at just 14.5 square miles–taking in over 50 neighborhoods including Leimert Park, Koreatown, Baldwin Vista, MidCity, Little Ethiopia, Country Club Park, Wilshire Center and West Adams Heights (Sugar Hill). Political insiders believe that Ridley-Thomas would

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Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas with Bishop Charles Blake on the steps of the West Angeles COGIC Cathedral

be hard to beat, but the Manual Arts High School graduate– who holds a Ph.D. in Social Ethics and Policy Analysis from USC–would rather rest on his record than his laurels. “The reason to vote for me is to put someone on the Council to knows the community, has lived in the community for decades, stays connected and engaged with the community and is a strong advocate who can get results. “Elections are about supporting candidates who are the most qualified and best positioned to hit the ground running to improve conditions in the community as soon as possible,” said Kerman Maddox, a political consultant who heads up Dakota Communications, one of the city’s leading public affairs consulting firms. “In the race for Council District 10, Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas is hands down that candidate. While we may not always agree with him and sometimes not even understand him, his passion, advocacy and record for improving conditions for African Americans in Southern California is impressive. “His work on transforming MLK Hospital is nothing short of a miracle. The Crenshaw Line was a bus way until he demanded our community be treated like others and he turned it into a full blown light rail line with a stop in Leimert Park. His efforts to help launch and diversify the emerging Bio Science Industry in LA County is making a difference and his determination to lead and help solve Los Angeles toughest problem, homelessness, are admirable.” In sizing up his competition for the seat, and in reference to the question of whether or not his experience may or may not trump their individual talents or youthful experience, Ridley-Thomas is quick to make one thing clear. “I’m not actually running on experience – I’m running on results. Lack of experience would be a real problem for the 10th District. Los Angeles is a massive bureaucracy, as is the County and as is the State. It takes about five years just to come up to speed on the organizational structure and build the relationships necessary to be effective. My years of experience and my expertise on issues such as homelessness, sustainability and jobs mean I hit the ground running.” Ridley-Thomas’ priority these days is homelessness. He considers it to be the most important work he is doing. “It is the moral crisis of our time,” Ridley-Thomas declares. “As the author of the County’s Measure H, I’ve helped house 35,000 who were unsheltered. Much more work needs to be done – but ending this crisis of homelessness and affordable housing will be, I hope, my biggest accomplishment, should I be returned to the City Council.” While he has led the charge at the county level for resources and policy changes to stem the tide of this crisis, the work has necessarily been spread throughout both his district and the 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. By contrast, he says his efforts in the 10th District will be concentrated and hyper-focused. According to the Homeless Count released last June,

the tenth district saw a 21 percent rise in a year in homelessness, to nearly 1,600 unhoused individuals. It only helps that last May Ridley-Thomas was appointed along with Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg by Governor Gavin Newsom to co-chair a statewide homelessness task force that would assess best practices and strategies to increase the production of navigation centers, positive housing exits and guide local governments as they develop joint regional plans to address homelessness. “The suffering on our streets is tremendous. How did we ever get to the point where we are debating the morality of whether little children should grow up shivering in tents, doing their homework by flashlight – or whether our seniors should bed down at night in doorways? There is sickness, untreated addiction and chronic illnesses that are only exacerbated by living unhoused. Three people die on the streets of L.A. County every day – that’s higher than our homicide rate. People have a right to be indoors. It is the only moral position to take. “That said, we should never, ever criminalize people for their poverty. Never criminalize people for being homeless. So how we move people into shelter and permanent housing will be tremendously important. We also have to acknowledge that people of color, and especially African American people, are suffering the brunt of this crisis, and we cannot ignore the systemic racism that has pushed people out of their homes and into poverty. In our efforts to re-house people, we can’t give power to the forces, such as mass incarceration, that caused the problem. Ridley-Thomas also acknowledged the tremendous work of the faith community, a community he has long been an ally of. “Our churches have long been in the forefront of developing affordable housing – for them it’s nothing new – and now they’ve expanded to support Shower of Hope and other projects bringing dignity to our unsheltered brothers and sisters. I look forward to continuing to partner with our outstanding faith leaders until we bring everyone indoors.” At his campaign kickoff, Freddy Escobar of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles, Local 112, added that while the Supervisor’s record on homelessness is well known, workers throughout the city and county have benefited from his leadership on labor issues. “It’s not just firefighters who support MRT,” Escobar said. “It’s all of the working men and women of this city. The L.A. County Fed supports him, and thousands of workers who count on labor unions to ensure they are paid fairly, work in safe conditions and are treated with dignity, support him too.” Next month, Ridley-Thomas wants voters to keep one thing in mind as they mark their ballots in the upcoming March 3 primary. “Look at my record,” Ridley-Thomas says. “You can tell what I will do by looking at what I have done. There is no trail of broken promises. I deliver.” If no one gets more than 50 percent of the vote, the race will be decided in November when the top two finishers would face off.

I’m not actually running on experience — I’m running on results. Lack of experience would be a real problem for the 10th District. Los Angeles is a massive bureaucracy, as is the County and as is the State. It takes about five years just to come up to speed on the organizational structure and build the relationships necessary to be effective. My years of experience and my expertise on issues such as homelessness, sustainability and jobs mean I hit the ground running...

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MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

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Championed the construction of the Crenshaw/LAX Line

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Reopening of the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital

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Spearheaded three projects that dramatically expand recreational and transportation opportunities: The first is the Park-toPlaya project, the second, Rail to River and the third is the $100 million upgrade to Magic Johnson Park

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Established LA County’s first-of-itskind Reentry Opportunity Center

Championed the establishment of the Sheriff and Probation oversight commissions

MoneyMatters Gov. Newsom’s Record Breaking Billion Dollar Spending Plan for Public Schools n January 10, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled his record $222 Billion state budget for 2020-21. The $84 billion he allocated in it for K-12 schools and community colleges represents a historic high level of funding for education in California. The proposed investment in K-14 education is 3.03 percent or $3.8 billion more than last year. Total K-12 expenditures from all sources in the budget are projected to be $17,964 per pupil. While state spending on education is at its highest level numerically, Governor Newsom expressed that “none of us is spiking the ball” because education outcomes for many students are not where it should be or can be. According to Newsom, “We are making progress, but it is stubborn and slow. We have disparities that are being closed and disparities that are persistent.” The achievement gap is being closed for Latinx students, students with disabilities, low income students, and African-American students in some metrics. Latinx students narrowed their gap in English language arts scores and high school graduation rates. Students with disabilities made the greatest gains in math and English language arts. African-American students showed the largest graduation rate gain among student groups. Where progress has been slow has been with students with disabilities, youth in foster care, homeless youth, and African-American students continuing to score below the state standard on English language arts and math tests. Newsom was very candid in pointing out that 23 low-performing, high-poverty school districts have an over-representation of African-American students. “It seems self-evident that we should focus and concentrate our efforts in those areas in order to address ….the substance of the vexing issue as it relates to academic achievement for African-American students.” “We have to start getting serious and do something about it. We believe the biggest achievement boost is fully prepared teachers,” Newsom said. The governor is proposing $900.1 million to be invested in workforce investment grants, professional development grants for existing teachers, and teacher recruitment strategies. “The plan is to build a diverse teaching workforce of stable, prepared professional teachers, including more teachers that look like their students. That's incredibly important as relat-

On the Money JOE W. BOWERS JR

Cakifornia Black Media

ed particularly to African-American achievement,” Newsom said. The budget includes $100 million to fund $20,000 stipends for new teachers who choose to teach in high-need schools. This addresses the stubborn fact that high-poverty schools have three times as many unprepared teachers. $300 million in grants is being made available to close the academic achievement in the lowest-performing districts. Another $300 million is proposed to expand community schools to address students’ physical and mental health needs by establishing public-private partnerships with community services. The funds will also be used to promote parent engagement. “Special Education in the state of California is in a crisis,” according to Newsom. About $900 million dollars is being allocated to increase base funding for Special Ed students, support specific teacher training, fund early diagnosing and intervention and pay for studies on how districts are delivering services to respond to the learning needs of those students. The budget calls for establishing a new Department of Early Childhood Development to consolidate under one roof the various efforts to implement the governor’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, a policy initiative he announced last year. Newsom is committed to adding 10,000 fulltime preschool slots this year and providing universal preschool for all low-income 4-yearolds by the end of next year. Education leaders’ reactions to the governor’s 2020-21 state budget presentation has been mixed. “The Governor mentioned that students should have teachers that look more like them, and we couldn't agree more. We look forward to having the opportunity to invest in our teacher workforce and the pipeline of future teachers coming into the profession, specifically teachers of color and in the fields of science, math, and special education,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said. State Board of Education President Linda Darling Hammond said, “Some students spend the year in classrooms staffed by highly trained, highly prepared teachers. But many others do not. These disparities are particularly grievous for low-income students of color. The 2020-21 budget investments in educator recruitment and professional development will help place California on solid footing moving forward as we work to build, train and support the kind of high-quality educator workforce all our students need and deserve.” California Teachers Association President E. Toby Boyd expresses some cynicism.

Blacks Make Up Half of the Decades Highest Paid Athletes According to a new report from Forbes Magazine, black athletes comprised half of the top ten on the list of the highest paid athletes of the decade. Leading the charge is Floyd Mayweather, who topped the list with $915 million netted over the last ten years. This despite the fact that the 42-year old boxer has not fought professionally since his 10th round TKO win over Conor McGregor in 2017. He has, however, announced that a comeback is in the works. If it’s Manny Pacquiao (who also made the list), you can bet on another huge payday. Lebron James came in fourth on the list with $680 million. Last month, Nike released James “I Promise” signature basketball shoe. Retailing for $200, the shoe is inspired by the NBA superstar’s philanthropic I Promise village that will provide transitional housing for students and families of the I Promise School which opened in 2018. Golf phenom Tiger Woods was sixth with $615 million. $425 million in earnings placed Kevin Durant at number nine, while British racecar driver Lewis Hamilton was ranked tenth with $400 million. A six-time Formula One world champion, Hamilton is widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport. Rounding out the top ten was Cristiano Ronaldo ($800 million), Lionel Messi ($750 million), Roger Federer ($640 million), Phil Mickelson ($480 million) and Manny Pacquiao ($435 million). No baseball, football, or hockey player made the cut and while no woman cracked the top ten, Serena Williams did make the top 40 with earnings of $215 million. Calculations for the list included endorsements, salaries, prize monies, bonuses, appearance fees and income from licensing.

Biz News Briefs Empire star Taraji P. Henson has launched her first haircare line, TPH by TARAJI, inspired by her own hair experiences. “We are all hair chameleons! Whether your hair is in weaves, wigs, braids, or its natural state, #TPHByTaraji was created by @tarajiphenson to help you redefine how you care for your scalp and hair,” the actress posted on Instagram. Infused with the finest cruelty-free and vegan ingredients, TPH by TARAJI is suitable for all hair types — blonde, red, curly, afros, synthetic hair, etc. — the line offers a selection of four different collections: “Scalp Care,” “Cleanse + Care,” “Repair Care” and “Treatment Stylers,” each tackling different aspects of haircare. “I created this hair care line because I wanted to maintain healthy hair [and] a healthy scalp while wearing wigs, weaves, or installs,” she said. “I realized a lot of

Taraji P. Henson Launches Hair Care Line

women were putting weaves in their hair totally neglecting their hair. And I know the weave is fabulous honey, but you have to take care of that hair underneath. That’s what TPH by Taraji will give you. This line is perfect for taking care of your natural hair.” Priced at $8.99 and up, TPH by Taraji debuted in Target stores last month and is also available at Target.com. For more information, visit tphbytaraji.com .

Minorities Among Those Who Pay Most Bank Fees Minorities, millennials and Northeasterners report paying more in bank fees than everyone else, according to a new Bankrate.com study. While the average U.S. checking accountholder indicates paying $8 per month on fees like routine service charges, ATM fees and overdraft penalties, some segments of the population report spending as much as twice that amount. For example, while white checking accountholders report paying just $5 per month in bank fees, the numbers are much higher for those identifying as Hispanic ($16), black ($12) or another race ($8). More than threequarters (78%) of white adults say they pay no bank fees in a typical month compared to 59% of Hispanics, 60% of blacks and 73% of other races. “While those getting paid in cash, living paycheck-topaycheck or without convenient access to an in-network

ATM are often paying the most right now, many individuals would save by spending just a little time to shop around to find less costly banking options,” said Bankrate.com senior economic analyst Mark Hamrick. “The truth is, it isn’t that difficult or time consuming to move an account to another product or institution that better fits your lifestyle.”

Fox Debuts New Streaming Service For Black Viewers Fox-TV has got “soul”, –a new, live, ad-supported streaming service aimed at African-American viewers. Original programming from the free channel will be available on weeknights from 6pm Pacific through 10pm Pacific, followed by two hours of FoxTV’s locally-produced programming. “We are proud to debut this African American focused channel, created by and for the members of the black community. We intend to inform, inspire, and empower our viewers by meeting their needs for authentic conversations on topics relevant to our lives,” James DuBose, Fox Soul’s head of programming, said in a statement. The channel’s lineup will include “Out Loud with Claudia Jordan,” “Fit and Fab with Elise Neal,”“One on One with Keyshia Cole” (featuring in-depth interviews with celebrities) and “The Tammi Mac Late Show” from KJLH drive time announcer Tammi Mac.

Eye On Gospel Donald Lawrence Leads Stellar Award Nominees

L.A. Focus/February 2020

Central City Productions has announced the Stellar Award nominees in 28 categories for the milestone 35th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards taping on Friday, March 27 at the Las Vegas Orleans Arena. The Stellar Awards recognizes the year's best performances in the genre, honors Gospel music icons and acknowledges the accomplishments of individuals instrumental in advocating for the industry. Gospel music’s most epic celebration is co-hosted for the first time by rising Gospel superstars and Stellar Award winners Koryn Hawthorne and Jonathan McReynolds. Donald Lawrence Presents The Tri-City Singers led the field of nominees this year with nine nominations. The powerhouse choir and its leader earned recognition this year for its work on the album “Goshen” in the key categories of Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Choir of the Year, Producer of the Year, Contemporary Male Vocalist, Contemporary Album, Urban/Inspirational Single and Contemporary Choir. With eight nominations, Kirk Franklin was nominated in the categories of Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, Contemporary Male Vocalist, Contemporary Album and Urban/In-spirational Single for his work on “Long Live Love” (Fo Yo Soul/RCA/RCA Inspiration). Tasha Cobbs Leonard was rewarded this year with eight nominations for her work on “Heart. Passion. Pursuit. Live at Passion City Church”, including Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Contemporary Female Vocalist of

the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year, and Praise and Worship Album of the Year. She is also nominated for Producer of the Year for her work on William Murphy’s “Settle Here” project. Receiving seven nominations this year, JJ Hairston continues the praise party with his project “Miracle Worker”, recognized in the categories of Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Choir of the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year, Contemporary Choirand Praise and Worship Album. Choirs continue to inspire Gospel audiences and raise the roof with songs of praise, and this year Bishop Paul S. Morton & The Full Gospel Ministry of Worship (“A Month of Sundays”) and John P. Kee (“I Made It Out”) receive six and five nominations respectively, going head-to-head in the categories of Choir of the Year, Traditional Choir of the Year, Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year and Traditional Album of the Year. Representing traditional, contemporary and urban music genres on the Gospel spectrum, Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers, William Murphy and Pastor Mike Jr. were blessed with four nominations each. Carr’s recognition comes from his work on “Bless Somebody Else” (RCA Inspiration), which earned nods for Duo/Chorus Group of the Year, Traditional Duo/Chorus Group of the Year, Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year and Traditional Album of the Year. Other artists earning multiple Stellar nominations include: The Walls Group, Todd Dulaney, Maranda Curtis, Fresh Start Worship, Le’Andria Johnson, Jekalyn Carr and Jerard & Jovaun. In addition to celebrating the year’s best album releases, Jackson will bestow special honors upon Gospel greats who have elevated the genre. This year’s James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award will honor none other than the iconic Clark Sisters - Karen Clark Sheard, Dorinda Clark Cole, Twinkie Clark and

Jacky Clark Chisholm -- who hold a collective fifteen Stellar Awards, in addition to the Thomas Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award (2007).

Marvin Sapp to Record This Month at New Church Multiple award-winning Gospel recording artist Marvin Sapp has a new music project slated for later this year that he will record live at his new church, The Chosen Vessel Cathedral in Fort Worth, Texas. The recording is set for Friday, February 21st at 7 p.m. CST, and will reunite Sapp with his musical masterminds - producer Aaron Lindsey and vocal director Myron Butler. Tentatively titled The Chosen Vessel, this album will be the follow up to Sapp’s 2017 release, Close. This will be Sapp’s first live recording since I Win, which was recorded live in 2011. “This recording is special to me because I’m doing it in my new home — literally and figuratively. I never imagined I would live in and pastor in the DFW Metroplex, and now that I am here, I can’t wait to continue to connect with the community and immerse my church into this side of my ministry ,” said the preacher/author/radio show host and singer has received 4 Stellar Awards, two Soul Train Music Awards and three Dove Awards. The Chosen Vessel will be released later this year. Briefly, award-winning singer, author, Erica Campbell to offer a companion Bible reading plan to her critically and consumer acclaimed book, "More Than Pretty: Doing The Soul Work To Uncover Your True Beauty." Launching today, Campbell's devotional 5-Day Bible reading plan, “More Than Pretty,” is now available on all YouVersion BIBLE apps, and online. Inspired by topics from the book, Campbell offers soul-searching insights to help engage readers deeper into what the Word of God says about you. "I believe the Word of God illuminates every message," said Campbell. "This Bible Plan is the perfect partner to the book, and I hope you enjoy and hear God's voice speaking loudly to you through this devotional."

Calendar of events

Ongoing

Monday, February 3

Exhibits: “Making Mammy: A Caricature of Black Womanhood, 18401940” (Through March 1, 2020) Also: Dust My Broom: Southern Vernacular (Examines the reach and legacy of arts traditions from the South) (Thru Feb 16, Free Admission (Parking = $12) California African American Museum 600 State Drive Contact: (213) 744-7432 http://caamuseum.org

Book Signing: Tommy Davidson (“Living In Color: What’s Funny About Me”) 7:00PM • Free Barnes & Noble 189 The Grove Drive Info: (323) 525-0270 www.barnesandnoble.com

BFit Yoga Class On the Macy’s Bridge 10:00 — 11:00am • Free Saturdays Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 3650 West King Blvd Info: (323) 290-6636

Tuesday, February 4 Workshop: Operating an Online Business 6:30—8:00pm • Free Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corp 1130 W. Slauson Avenue Info: (323) 753-2335 www.vsedc.org

Thursday, February 6 In Conversation: Jill Moniz and Alison Saar 7:00 — 9:00pm • Free(Parking = $12) California African American Museum 600 State Drive Contact: (213) 744-7432 caamuseum.org

Friday, February 7 In Concert: Gregory Porter 8:00pm • $28+ Royce Hall, UCLA

10745 Dickson Court Contact: (310) 825-2101 cap.ucla.edu

Saturday, February 8 No Limit Reunion Tour With Master P 8pm • $39 - $205 Microsoft Theater 777 Chick Hearn Court Tickets: (213) 763-6020 www.microsofttheater.com Building Strong Marriages Conference Hosted by Pastor Larry and First Lady Patricia Weaver 8am — 3:30am; $30 -$60 Atherton Baptist Church 2627 West 116th Street Hawthorne www.athertonbc.org

(How the legacy of the mammy stereotype lives on through film, entertainment, and advertising) 3:00-4:30pm • Free (Parking = $12) California African American Museum 600 State Drive Contact: (213) 744-7432 caamuseum.org 2020 African American Heritage Month Worship Service with Mayor Eric Garcetti & Pastor J. Edgar Boyd • Special Guest Performance by Jennifer Holliday First AME Church 10AM • Free

Sunday, February 9 In Concert: Jonathan McReynolds 7pm • $20-75 Troubadour 9081 Santa Monica Bl Info: (310) 276-1158 troubadour.com Discussion: Making Mammy– Stereotypes in Black Cinema

2270 S. Harvard Bl Info: (323) 735-1251

Tuesday, February 11 The Pan-African American Film & Art Festival (Thru Feb. 23) America’s largest black film festival with 150+ new films from over 40 countries. Also panels and workshops, music, comedy, spoken word and an artfest with over 100 fine artists and craftspeople. (Check online for prices/schedule) Baldwin Crenshaw Plaza 3650 W. King Blvd Contact: (310) 337-4737 Opening Night Screening: Hero 6PM Red Carpet • 7:30

EVENT SPOTLIGHT Friday, February 21 West Angeles CDC 26th Annual Unity Awards Dinner Gala Hosted by Bishop Charles Blake Honoring John David Washington Featuring Donnie McClurkin 6-9PM • $300 Intercontinental Hotel • 900 Wilshire Bl Info: (323) 751-3440 www.westangelescdc.org

L.A. Focus/February 2020

Beyonce Knowles-Carter at the 2020 Golden Globes award ceremony in Los Angeles.

k in her ns in pin tu s o iv Er nce. Cynthia -carpet appera red

the 29th Annual Zoë Kravitz attended erly Hills Golden Globes in Bev

Viola Da vis with th e young b Victoria a reakout st nd Kai N ars Sana . Ture of i the upcom “Troop Z ing film ero”.

Tika Sumpter looked lovely in lilac promoting her show “Mixed-ish” at this year’s ABC Winter Press Tour.

(L-R) Adil El Arbi, Will Smith, Joe Pantoliano, Martin Lawrence, Bilall Fallah, and Charles Melton attend the celebreation of their new film “Bad Boys for Life” in Los Angeles last month.

showing Director’s Guild 7920 Sunset Blvd www.paff.org

Thursday, February 13 In Concert: Mavis Staples with Son Little 8pm • $36 — 200 The Soraya 18111 Nordhoff Street Northridge Info: (818) 677-8800 www.thesoraya.org ‘And You Know Who I Am’: Paul Robeson in Concert UCLA Choirs and community singers perform musical innovations of Paul Robeson 7:30pm • Free Schoenberg Hall 445 Charles E Young Drive East Contact: (310) 825-4761 schoolofmusic.ucla.edu

Friday, February 14 Class: Custody and Child Support: Where You Begin 12:00 — 1:30pm • Free (Register online) LA Law Library — Main Downtown Library

301 W. First Street Contact: (213) 785-2529 www.lalawlibrary.org In Concert: Morris Day & The Time Opening Set by Vickie Lee Robinson 7pm • $58 - $88 The Saban 8440 Wilshire Blvd Info: (888) 645-5006 www.sabantheatre.com

www.fabulousforum.com The Heart of Hip Hop Featuring Ashanti, JaRule, DMX, Xzibit, Frankie J, Baby Bash Honda Center 7:30pm • $49- $154 2695 E. Katella Anaheim www.hondacenter.com

4337 Degnan Blvd Contact: (213) 300-0080 www.lablackhistorymonthfestival.com In Concert: Luke James 8pm • $25 -85 Troubadour 9081 Santa Monica Blvd Contact: (310) 276-1158 www.troubadour.com

Sunday, February 16

Saturday, February 22

In Concert: Nelly 8pm • $39 - $297 The Novo 800 W. Olympic Blvd Info: (213) 765-7000 www.thenovodtla.com

Harlem Globetrotters World Tour 2pm • $25 - $275 Staples Center 1111 S. Figueroa Street Contact: (213) 742-7340 www.staplescenter.com

In Concert: Charlie Wilson With Stephanie Mills & Con Funk Shun 8pm • $49.50 - $129.50 Microsoft Theater 777 Chick Hearn Court Tickets: (213) 763-6020 www.microsofttheater.com

Valentine’s Love Jam With Tyrese, Joe, Ginuwine, Avant, Dru Hill and Brownstone 7:30pm • $59 - $129 The Forum 3900 W. Manchester Blvd Info: (310) 330-7300 www.fabulousforum.com

Aquarium of the Pacific Annual African American Festival (Through Sunday, Feb 23) Featuring live entertainment, arts and crafts, ethnic food, hip hop/ break dancers, Mardi Gras second line dancers and storytellers. 9am–5pm • $19.95$29.95 100 Aquarium Way Long Beach Info: (562) 590-3100 aquariumofthepacific.org

Saturday, February 15

L.A. Black History Month Festival Featuring art, food, music, shopping and discussion 11am — 7pm • Free Leimert Park

Sunday, February 23

3320 West Adams Blvd Contact: (323) 731-7285 www.holmanumc.com Dance: Animate Space with Debbie Allen Dance Academy (Inspired by Cross Colours: Black Fashion in the 20th Century and Hip Hop Music 2:30 — 3:00pm • Free (Parking = $12) California African American Museum 600 State Drive Contact: (213) 744-7432 caamuseum.org Dance: Step Afrika! Drumfolk 3pm • $29 The Soraya 18111 Nordhoff Street Northridge Info: (818) 677-8800 www.thesoraya.org

Thursday, February 27 Upgrade LA Meet The Decision Makers Breakfast Honoring Mayor James T. Butts, Commissioner Cynthia McClain-Hill Host: Dominique DiPrima 8AM — 10AM

around los angeles TobyMac: Hits Deep Tour 7pm • $23 - $95 The Forum 3900 W. Manchester Blvd Info: (310) 330-7300

Will Smith beams with pride at sons Jaden Smith and Trey Smith. attening the “Bad Storm Reid sizzles ere. Boys for Life” premi

60th Annual Concert of Negro Spirituals Presented by Holman United Methodist Church 4PM — 7PM • $15 - 50

Millenium Biltmore Hotel 506 South Grand Avenue Contact: (310) 815-8444 info@upgradeLA.com

Saturday, February 29 WW Presents: Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus Featuring aninterview with Jennifer Lopez 9am • $194 - $299 The Forum 3900 W. Manchester Blvd Info: (310) 330-7300 www.fabulousforum.com L.A. Cookie Convention Free.samples, celebrity chefs, baking demonstrations, and classes (Thru Sunday, March 1) 9am — 5pm • $12 —59.95 Pomona Fairplex 1101 W. McKinley Ave Pomona, 91768 lacookieconvention.com In Concert: Raphael Saadiq 7:00pm • $29 - $55 The Wiltern Theater 3790 Wilshire Blvd Contact: (213) 388-1400 www.wiltern.com

daugher Chris Brown poses with his carpet. red y’s mm Royalty on the Gra

Zendaya Coleman sho wed off a bold look at the 25th Annual Cri tics Choice Awards held in Santa Monica.

RedCarpet Style

CRYSTAL FOX Looks regal in a streamlined black dress.

DANAI GURIRA Is glowing in a form fitting coral spaghetti strap..

The Screen Actors Guild Awards—held last month at the Shrine Auditorium—drew some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Here are some of the red carpet looks sported by some of your favorite stars.

LUPITA NYONGO Stands out in a bold floral print dress.

NATHALIE EMMANUEL Gives attitude in a bold pearlized gown.

ZOE KRAVITZ Is the vision of class in a peach dress.

The Grammy Awards—-held last month at the Staples Center—recognized some of Music’s biggest stars. Billie Eilish, Lizzo, and Lil Nas X were among some of the big winners of the night. Here are some of the red carpet styles from your favorite artists.

LIZZO Looks red hot in a head-totoe white ensemble.

H.E.R. Showed off a colorful flowey look.

LAUREN LONDON Wears a sequin suit by by Pamella Roland.

ELLA MAI Pairs her red gown with a micro-strap red heel.

CHRISSY TEIGEN Stuns in a bold pale orange gown.

INSIDE HO L LY W OOD with Neily Dickerson The Oscars Didnt’ Get It Right from “Queen & Slim” and Adam Sandler in, “Uncut Gems.” Brad Pitt will probably win best supporting actor for “Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood,” but missing from the category are Jamie Foxx for his performance in “Just Mercy” and my personal favorite, Wesley Snipes for his performance in “Dolemite Is My Name!” Another blatant oversight is Lupita Nyong'o for best actress for “Us.” Even Eddie Murphy gives Stellar performance if you didn’t quite get the movie, her in “Dolemite”. performance was solid. Best picture picks and those that I think deserve, at oversights were “Queen & Slim,” least, a nomination. “Dolemite Is My Name,” and The best actor category is solid. “Rocketman.” The 92nd Academy Joaquin Phoenix became “Joker” and Awards Show airs this month. Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa will win best actor, but a couple of If you decide to tune in for the pomp other names that surely should have Big Break: A chance meeting former singer and music & circumstance and fashion of it all, been considered are Daniel Kaluuya executive Perri "Pebbles" Reid and her then-husband Enjoy! L.A. Reid For all its success, TLC has endured a roller coaster of ups and downs over the last thirty years, the biggest blow being the loss of group member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes in a 2002 car cash, and taking away one third of the lightning in a bottle that made them the biggest selling girl group in music history, taking home four Grammy awards and selling sixty five millions albums, worldwide throughout their career. Resolute in their will Bloodshot The Invisible Man The Photograph Burden to go on, T-Boz and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas have conFebruary 21 February 28 February 14 February 28 tinued to record music and tour, most recently co-headlining a tour with Nelly and Flo Rida which continues Kerry Washington Takes on these incredible superheroes and Nor do we support the book “The through this summer. These days T-Boz is reveling in know that they also have the capacity Queen Next Door” Franklin posted on the most recent chapter of her life as mom to daughter Trump With “The Fight” social media. “Neither entity felt the Chase and son Chance, author of the 2017 memoir, A A documentary produced by to create change.” need to contact the core family about Sick Life, and co-creator of her newly launched line of Kerry Washington–through her Simpson Street produc- Bad Boys For Life Triumphs At Box anything! How can you make a movie CBD-infused health and beauty products, TLCBD. tion company–is getting a Office (A Fourth Installment on The about a person and not talk to the persons sons or grandchildren about great deal of buzz and atten- Way) Is there a prominent memory or flashback from your life, tion for its political overtones. A $100 million dollar debut –which important information? How can you whether it's a really great memory that you love to reThe 90-minute film, titled broke a box office record– just goes put a persons family image in a book visit, or even something that wasn't so great, that helped The Fight, chronicle the to show that Bad Boys make for good and not ask permission? If you are a shape you? American Civil Liberties business. Shattering box office “real” fan of my Mothers...please do I always think about the first time I saw each of my kids Union’s legal battles against records to come in at number 1 its not support this. Ask yourself...would and that’s a feeling you can't really describe. the Trump administration first weekend out (twice what was ini- you want this done to you? (Side note: No matter what’s going on in my life, that will give me over the last three years. The tially projected), Martin Lawrence the “ONLY” person my mother was in a good feeling and a smile. Anytime I’m having a terrifilm follows four brilliant and Will Smith proved that they still favor of for the movie was Jennifer ble time, I try to think about what the best thing in my lawyers as they argue cases got it and what’s more that movie Hudson, period. Everything else is life is, and that is my two kids. being done against our wishes.” dealing with immigrant fami- going audiences want to see it. Franklin’s longtime attorney has Were you happy with the way TLC's final album (the ly separation, blocking aborThe third film in the series that tion access, the trans military made its debut in 1995 marks Sony’s however stated that Kecalf Franklin group's fifth and final album, titled "TLC" was released ban and the census citizen- highest opening weekend for an R- is not speaking for the whole family in 2017) turned out? Do you feel it was a good swan ship question. “The film is an rated film, raking in an estimated and believes his motives are tied to song? invitation for people to be $68.4 million and making it the sec- his desire for control over his mother’s No, I don't. I feel like it wasn't worked good enough. I don't even like the song Haters; I'm going to be honest. hopeful and to engage in the ond-biggest opening ever for the holi- estate. I think that was a terrible choice as our second single. I fight that’s going on,” co- day weekend and in the month of Beyoncé and Sony/ATV Ink New Global believe there were better songs we should've gone with, director Josh Kriegman told the Daily January. that were deeper. We have a song called American Gold. Beast. “It’s also an inviLittle surprise that the film’s suc- Music Agreement It was right before Trump came into office and there tation to step into cess at the box has paved the way for Beyoncé and Sony/ATV Music was all this uproar with black men who were dying and your own ability to be a fourth installment, already report- Publishing announced a global agreebeing abused and killed by the cops, including my a hero in your com- edly in the works. For diehard fans, ment covering the music icon’s entire cousin who was murdered by cops and shot 18 times m u n i t y , ” the great news is you won’t have to song catalog, including hits from her with an AR15, and he was mentally ill. The reason that start with Destiny’s Child, and a colW a s h i n g t o n wait as long. song is so important is because we hit on all of that, and lection of solo works written added. “And you know how you bleed and die for your American throughought her prolific career. realize that Aretha Franklin’s Son Slams gold? Just being American is tough these days, especialbecause we Upcoming “Respect” Biopic Starring “I am excited for what’s to come with ly when you're black. That song would have really hit my continued partnership with Jon are in a Jennifer Hudson home in a lot of places, kind of the way Waterfalls did, Platt in his new leadership role at democracy, The producers of MGM’s forthcoming if the right visuals had been put to it. Sony/ATV,” said Beyoncé. Sony/ATV we all have Aretha Franklin biopic–starring Chairman and CEO Jon Platt said: the ability to What do you have faith in? Jennifer Hudson–are getting a “Beyond all of her well-deserved accohave an impact God! That's pretty much it. Period. mouthful from the youngest son of the lades and accomplishments, Beyoncé in the world late singer, Kecalf Franklin. Angered How do you define God for yourself? is simply one of the most driven and that we live in. that they have not sought input from I know I have a relationship with God, and I know that impactful talents I know.” . Beyoncé We just want the family, Franklin is blasting MGM God exists for me. I don't push my beliefs on anybody inspires generations with her songs people to on social media and wants the world else, but I know when people, and even doctors, walk and I am honored to reunite with her know how to know that the Franklin family is out of the room and they can't explain why I'm still here at Sony/ATV.” Beyoncé , a 23 Gammy much they not supporting the movie. (referring to her sickle cell disease). I know there’s Award Winner, remains one of the matter as “The Franklin Family does not supsomething up there higher than me that made it possimost critically-acclaimed music artist they look port the movie that is in production! ble. of her generation. t o w a r d

Sooo... the Academy Awards panel still didn’t quite get it right and excluded some outstanding films, directors, and actors. I’ve been a fan of the Oscars since I was a child and often wondered how the voting members determine what makes a “good” movie, performance, and complete body of work. Here’s the thing: You don’t always have to “identify” with the story, but I’ve always thought the point of a movie was for the viewer to “suspend disbelief” and take two hours or so and journey into the minds of producers, screenwriters, directors, actors, and production companies who decided a story was worth telling and investing in. That said, I’m going to share my

HOLLYWOOD BUZZ

DUE IN THEATERS THIS MONTH

Q&A

T Boz

ChurchNews First AME Partners With Mayor Garcetti for African American Heritage Month Service

irst AME Church–led by Pastor J. Edgar Boyd–is partnering with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti for their annual event honoring the partnership of civic leaders and the faith community around civil rights. “In the month of February, African Americans across the country are celebrating the achievements of individual African Americans and groups in their reflection of the tremendous gains that have been made in the community,” Pastor Boyd observed. “The rich and diverse culture of the community have been benefitted by the interaction of blacks with other communities and entities like our civic leaders. “So, we take pride in celebrating the 2020 African American experience with Mayor Eric Garcetti and civil servants from the federal, state, county and local levels of government. We’re actually honoring some of the leading officers of the three branches of law enforcement–the CHP, the LAPD and the sheriff’s department.” The event–set for Sunday, February 9 at 10am, will feature a special guest performance by Grammy Award Winning vocalist Jennifer Holliday will honoring some of the

Love Lifted Me Missionary Baptist Church Closes Its Doors After 32 years of service to the community, Love Lifted Me Missionary Baptist Church–pastored by Rev. S. Shuffie Shigg, officially closed its doors on January 31. Pastor Shigg cited declining membership and a changing neighborhood as key reasons for shutting down the church he organized in his home before moving to their location at the intersection of Hyde Park and Crenshaw. “Our congregation has dwindled… and rather than just become a property manager here – I’m about ministry – so we’re just moving on to bigger and better work,” Shigg said. Shuffie and his wife, Alyce, will be moving to Alabama where they will continue in ministry, teaching life skills to young women and men.

OWN TV Will Not Renew “The Book of John Gray”

L.A. Focus/February 2020

After three seasons, it is being reported that the Oprah Winfrey Network will not be renewing “The Book of John Gray” for a fourth season. Declining viewership and a string of high-profile controversies–including an alleged extramarital affair and fan pushback over the controversial purchase of a Lamborghini for his wife– were believed to have played a role in the decision. The reality show centered in on the pastor and his wife Aventer as they juggled raising their kids against his duties first as an associate pastor under Pastor Joel Osteen at Houston’s Lakewood Church and then as senior pastor of the Greenville, South Carolina-based Relentless Church. The news comes as Gray’s Relentless Church is presently facing eviction for lack of payment. The court notice was filed on January 2, one month after the landlord, Redemption Church, opted to terminate its lease agreement with Gray’s church, instead asking the megachurch to vacate the property by the end of the year.

Black Churches Found to Have the Longest Sermons According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, historically black Protestant churches had by far the longest sermons, at a median of 54 minutes. In general, the median length of the sermons was

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Agape Church of Los Angeles Worship Center Consolidated Plaza: 3725 Don Felipe Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90008

God’s Faithful Disciple of Jesus Christ / Prayer Clinic & Deliverance Ministry P.O. Box 561368, Los Angeles,CA 90056 (323)293-7566 • www.gfdjc.org• gfdjc@att.net Corprate Office: 4602 Crenshaw Blvd, Suite 2A, Ruby Cottle, Ph.D., Pastor & Teacher Los Angeles, CA 90043 Service Time (323) 295-5571 www.agapela.org Every Friday: 7:00pm -9:30pm We meet at this location: Bishop Craig A. Worsham, St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Founder & Senior Pastor

Sunday School: 10:00am Morning Worship: 11:00am Loving, Lifting & Liberating Humanity Through The Word Bethel Missionary Baptist Church of South L.A. 10905 S. Compton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90059 (323) 566.5286 Pastor Reginald A. Pope Sunday School: 9:30am Morning Worship: 8am • 11am Children’s Church: 11am (2nd/4th Sundays) Evangelism Training/Bible Study/Independent Prayer: (Mon): 7:29pm Mobile Prayer/Bible Study: (Wed) 11am Book by Book Bible Study (Wed.): 6:30pm Bryant Temple AME Church 2525 W. Vernon Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90008 (323) 293-6201 • F: (323) 293-0082 Pastor Dwaine Jackson Sunday School: 8:15am Morning Worship: 9:15 am Bible Study (Tues): Noon Pastor’s Bible Study( Tues): 6:00pm

3901 West Adams Blvd, LA, CA 90018 Watch Dr. Cottle on HBN TV on Wed’s at 7:30am Channel 20 Dish & Direct TV,Channel 3 U-Verse Prophetess June Morgan / Assistant Pastor

Grant AME Church 10435 S. Central Avenue • Los Angeles, CA 90002 (323) 564-1151 • F: (323) 564-5027 Rev. Dr. J. Arthur Rumph, Senior Pastor Reappointed to Grant AME Church Los Angeles Rev. Dr. James A. Rumph

Sunday School: 8am Worship: 9:30am Wed. Bible Study: 11:30am •6pm

Grace Temple Baptist Church 7017 South Gramercy Place, Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 971-8192 Rev. Rodney Howard Sunday L.I.F.E Group: 8:30am Sunday Worship Service: 9:30am Wednesday Intercessory Prayer: 6:30pm Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00pm E-Mail: gtbcla@gmail.com

Calvary Baptist Church 4911 W. 59th Street,Los Angeles, CA,90056 (323)298-1605•F: (310) 568-8430 • calvarybaptistla.org Rev. Dr. Virgil V. Jones Sunday Prayer: 8:30am Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 11:00am Wednesday Bible Study: 12:00pm & 7:00pm We are the Church on the Hill where the Light Shines Bright!

Grace United Methodist Church 4112 West Slauson Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 294-6653 • F: (323) 294-8753 • graceumc1@earthlink.net Rev. Dr. Cedrick Bridgeforth, Pastor • www.graceumcla.com Early Morning Worship: 7:45am Sunday School (all ages) : 9:45am Morning Worship: 10:45am Tues. Mobile Prayer: 6:15am Wed. Bible Study: Noon Follow us on Facebook

Christ The Good Shepherd Episcopal Church 3303 W. Vernon Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90008 (323) 295-4139 • F: (323) 295-4681 Rev. Edith Oloimooja Sunday School: 10:00am Early Worship: 8:00am Morning Worship: 10:00am Mon. Centering Prayer/Meditation: 6:30pm Mon. Overeaters Anonymous: 7:00pm Wed. Bible Study & Eucharist: 7:00pm Wed. Alcoholic Anonymous: 7:00pm E: cgshepherd4041@sbcglobal.net

Greater Ebenezer Baptist Church 5300 S. Denker Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90062 (323) 759-4996 Rev. DeNon Porter

Congregational Church of Christian Fellowship 2085 S. Hobart Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 Phone: (323) 731-8869 • F: (323) 731-0851 www.christianfellowshipla.org Pastor James K. McKnight Sun. Early Worship: 8:00am Prayer Meeting: 10:30am Morning Worship: 11:00am Wed. Afternoon Bible Study: 1:00pm Wed. Prayer Meeting: 6:00pm Wed. Evening Bible Study: 7:00pm View Pastor McKnight’s Sermons on YouTube

Holman United Methodist Church 3320 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 703-5868 • www.holmanumc.com Email: holman@holmanumc.com Rev. Paul A. Hill, Interim Senior Pastor Sunday Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Sunday Radio: KJLH 102.3FM at 11:00am Sunday School: 9:30am (Children/Youth) & 9:45am (Adult) Bible Study: Every Thursday 12:00pm

Crenshaw Christian Center 7901 South Vermont, Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323) 758-3777 • F: (323)565-4231 • www.faithdome.org Pastor Frederick K. Price, Jr.

Israel Missionary Baptist Church - A Holy Spirit Filled Church 4501 South Compton Ave, Los Angeles,CA 90011 Church/Fax: (323) 233-3295 or 3296 Website: www.Israelmbc.com • Email: israelmbc@yahoo.com

Sunday Service: 9:45am Bible Study (Tue): 11:00am & 7:30pm Tue. Night Children’s Ministry: 7:30pm Tue. Night Bible Study (Teens): 7:30pm Alcohol & Drug Abuse Program (Wed): 7:30pm

First AME Church (FAME) 2270 South Harvard Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 735-1251 • F: (323) 735-3353 • www.famechurch.org Pastor J. Edgar Boyd, Senior Pastor/CEO

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

Rev. Rodney J. Howard, Sr. Sunday School: 10:00am Morning Worship: 11:30am Sunset Service: 5:00pm Communion Every First Sunday First Sunday Men In Prayer: 8:30 am Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesdays: 7:30pm Mount Moriah Baptist Church of Los Angeles, Inc. 4269 South Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90037 (323) 846-1950 •Fax: (323) 846-1964 Reverend Johnteris Tate-Pastor

Sunday School: 10:00am Worship: 8:00am, 10:00am, Noon Teen Church (2nd Sundays):Noon,Allen House Wed. Prayer Service: Noon Wed. Bible Study: 7:00pm Radio: 10:30am on KJLH-102.3FM First AME is the oldest Black Church in the City

Sunday Church School: 8:00am Worship Service: 9:15am Baptist Training Union: 7:00am Tues. Bible Study/Prayer:Noon & 7:00pm

Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church 3669 W. 54th St. Los Angeles, CA 90043 • (323) 291-1121 F: (323) 291-1133 • office@sinai.church • www.sinai.church George E. Hurtt, Pastor-Teacher Sunday Worship: 8:00am, 11:30am Discipleship Groups (Sun): 9:45am Noonday Bible Study(Tue): 12:00pm Tuesday Night in the Truth: 7:15pm Radio: KKLA 99.5 FM (Sat): 9:00pm Our Goal: To glorify God by winning more Christians and developing better Christians (Matt. 28:18-20)

Park Windsor Baptist Church 1842 W. 108th St. Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 756-3966 • RevTerrellTaylor@sbcglobal.net Rev. Terrell Taylor Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Bible Study Wednesday: Noon & 7:00pm Communion: 1st Sunday at 8:00am & 11:00am

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

People’s Independent Church of Christ 5856 West Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90043 • (323) 296-5776

New Antioch Church of God in Christ 7826 So. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323) 778-7965 Elder Jeffrey M. Lewis

Pleasant Hill Baptist Church 2009 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90062 (323) 293-6448 • F: (323) 293-6605 • email:phbcoffice@yahoo.com www.pleasanthillbconline.com

Sunday Early Morning Worship: 8:00am Sunday School: 9:30 am Morning Worship: 11:00am Tuesday Prayer and Bible Band: 11:00am Wednesday Bible Study: 7:30pm Wednesday in the Word: 7:30pm Paradise Baptist Church 5100 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90037 (323) 231-4366 Pastor Darryl Barnes Adult Life Sunday School Study: 8am Sunday Worship Servie: 9:30am P3 - Pray, Praise & Partake (Fri before 1st Sunday) Mission Bible Study(Wed): 12:00pm Women’s Bible Study(Thurs.): 7:00pm New Life Bible Study(Sat.): 9:00am

Sundays: Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Wednesday Bible Study & Mid Week Worship: Noon & 7:00pm Prayer Meeting: 6:30pm

Bishop Sylvester Washington Sunday School: 8:30am - 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship: 10:00am Tuesday Night Evangelism Classes:6:30pm Corporate Prayer 3rd Wed. monthly:7:00pm 1st Sun. Holy Communion 10:00am Worship Praises of Zion Baptist Church (“Praise City”) 8222 So. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90003 (323) 750-1033 • F: (323) 750-6458 Dr. J. Benjamin Hardwick, Sr. Pastor Early Morning Worship: 6:45am Educational Hour: 9:15am Mid-Morning Worship: 10:45am Wed. Bible Study: Noon & 7:00pm Sunday Morning Broadcast: 5:30am Live Streaming Sundays: 12:00pm http://www.pozlive.com

Price Chapel AME Church 4000 W. Slauson Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 296-2406 • pricechapel@sbcglobal.net Rev. Benjamin Hollins Sunday Worship Service: 10:00am Sunday School: 8:30am Power Lunch Bible Study (Wed): 11:00am Praise & Worship Bible Study (Wed): 6:30pm

Southern Saint Paul Church 4678 West Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90016 (323) 731-2703 • smbc@smbcla.org Rev. Xavier L. Thompson, Senior Pastor/Teacher Corporate Prayer: 8:30am L.I.F.E. Groups: 9:45am Morning Worship Service: 11:15am Baptism & Communion (First Sunday): 4:00pm Pastoral Bible Study (PBS)Wednesdays:7:00pm North Campus: Worship Service: 8:00am 11137 Herrick Av • Pacoima 91331 (818) 899-8031 st.paul@smbcla.org •“Loving People Making Disciples”

St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church 5017 S. Compton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90011 (323) 231-1040 • stmarkmbcofla.org Reverend Dr. Lovely Haynes, Pastor Sunday Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Sunday School: 9:30am Mon-Wed Corporate Prayer: 6:00 - 6:55 pm Monday Night Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday Noon Prayer: 12 Noon Wed. Exposition of Sunday School Lesson: 7:00pm

St. Matthew Tabernacle of Praise “The S.T.O.P.” 1740 West 59th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90047 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 56608, Los Angeles, CA 90056 (323) 291-1115 • F: (323) 293-0471 Rev. C.Barry Greene, Pastor Sunday Worship Service: 8:00am PrayerLine: (Tuesday & Wednesday): 6:00am WordLine (Tuesday): 7:00pm ( (712) 775-7031 Access Code: 814352108) E: thechurchstop@yahoo.com pastorcbgreene@aol.com

The Potter’s House at One LA 614 N. La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036 (818) 763-4521 • www.tphla.org Sr. Pastor Toure’ Roberts Sunday Worship: 9:00am, 11:15am & 1:00pm Thursday Midweek Service: 8pm

Weller Street Baptist Church 129 S. Gless St, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (323) 261-0949 • F: (323)264-6601 • www.wellerstreetlive.com Pastor K.W. Tulloss Sunday School: 8:00am Sunday Morning Worship: 9:00am Tues. Bible Study: 6:45pm www.wellerstreetlive.com

Watch Live: http://tphla.org/watch-live/ “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 Sunday Worship: 7:30 & 10:30am Sunday Church School: 9:00am Radio Broadcast KJLH FM: 9:00am Wed. Prayer & Bible Study: Noon-7:00pm www.trinitybaptistchurchofla.org

Victory Baptist Church 4802 South McKinley Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90056 (323) 231-2424• Pastor Dr. W. Edward Jenkins Sunday School: 10:45 am Morning Worship: 9:00am Bible Study Wednesday:Noon Radio Sundays: KPRO 1570AM: 9:00pm

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

In Carson

Sunday School: 10:00am Morning Worship: 11:45am Evening Worship: 6:30pm Wed. Noon Day Bible Class: 12:30pm Wed. Bible Class: 7:30pm

West Angeles Church of God In Christ 3045 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90016 (323) 733-8300 Bishop Charles E. Blake Sunday School: 8:00am & 10:30am Early Worship: 8:00am Morning Worship: 11:00am Evening Worship (North Campus): 7:00pm Wed. Mid-Week Worship: 7:00pm Sun. Radio Broadcast KJLH 102.3FM: 10am www.westa.tv

Citizens of Zion Missionary Baptist Church In Compton 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)

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

Unity Christian Fellowship 16133 Atlantic Ave., Compton, CA 90221 (562) 980-0280 • www.unitycf.org Bishop Johnny Withers, Senior Pastor

Sunday School: 9:00am Early Worship (Glory Prayer): 8:00am Morning Worship: 10:30am Evening Worship (1st & 2nd Sun.): 5:00pm Wed. Bible Study: 7:00pm

Sunday School: 9:00am Morning Service: 10:45am Wed. Mid-Week Bible Study: 7:00pm

Sunday Worship: 8:00am • 10:30am Tuesday: 7:15pm Inland Empire Services on Thursday: 7:15pm 2920 E. Inland Empire Blvd, Suite 100 Ontario, CA 91764

Pastor Profile: Troy Vaughn Church: Inglewood Community Church How Long at Church: 38 years Hometown: Los Angeles Background: Former Marine Family: Wife Darlene and one son How did you come to be pastor of the church? We were a part of a church planting team and the founding pastor passed away. I was appointed the successor pastor after the assistant pastor to the founder left after two years. Did you want to pastor? I never really felt called to pastor. I was in ministry, but I was just really happy doing an evangelistic work and going out into the community. My passion is for the homeless and disenfranchised, but God had other plans. He really wanted me to take the leadership reins of the church. That was difficult in the beginning because while I'm a people person, pastoring is a different call.

L.A. Focus/February 2020

Then there’s the business part... The church is definitely a business. I believe every pastor either needs to have some understanding of business. Not being able to understand the business aspect of church and the governance, compliance and stewardship of resources and finances gives a lot of churches trouble, especially as it relates to how they expand out in ministry. We have 12 recovery treatment facilities and partnerships with the County of Los Angeles, Long Beach police department, the County Sheriff's Department and other community-based providers. We provide services to 240 men and women that are diverse in nature. A lot of our ministries are designed to help people dealing with substance abuse issues and mental illness, but also we deal with issues around sex trafficking. One of our houses are dedicated to women that have been sex trafficked and it is the only one of its type in Los Angeles that actually takes the women off the street and gives them a safe haven. What kind of staff are you working with to do all these things? We have 167 employees. Our church is about 120 members and about 60 of those members work for our ministries. As a result of that, 80% of our church tithes, so we've been able to do a lot as a church even though we are not big in terms of numbers.

30 Was that shift from evangelism to community out-

reach planned or did it just come organically? I saw everything I did as ministry at that point because I believed the work I was doing –even though I was working for nonprofit organizations–was unto the Lord. You believe the church is to be on the forefront of all things community, meaning they should have resources to supply to members. When did you come to that understanding? That’s funny because God had brought me full-circle. When I was homeless, I lived on a hotel voucher bed at the Weingart Center Association for the homeless downtown. In 1999, I was hired there as a case manager and in a year I was promoted as program manager. I eventually moved all the way up to executive vice president and ran all their programs and services. It was during that whole maturation process that God began to show me the importance of everything we do impacting the kingdom. How did you come to be saved? God called me out of a cardboard box on Skid Row in 1992. What led you to being homeless? I graduated from high school and went into the Marine Corps, but I had a psychotic break. My father was found dead in a park with a needle in his arm and even though I has been estranged from him, it triggered something in me. So I was actually receiving medical treatment and I ended up getting out of Marine Corps under medical general discharge, but I started using controlled substances to deal with the emotional trauma I was experiencing. I got addicted to crack cocaine and for about seven to nine years, I lived in the street life. I went through all my resources and I ended up destitute on skid row. December 13, 1992 was the day I became born again and gave my life to Christ. I made a covenant with God that if He would deliver me and take all of the desire for controlled substance and for the world away from me, then I would serve Him for

the rest of my life and He's proven to be faithful. In essence, you opted out of life for a moment. Yeah, I literally checked out of life. I didn’t have the will to do it and I became the very thing that people used to say, "You're just like your dad," – a drug user. So I was on my way to have the same demise as my Dad’s, but God interruptd that. Now the testimony is totally different. Now I am just like my heavenly father. Was that covenant easier to make because you’d hit rock bottom? Yeah, coming to the end of yourself, I think, is critical to actually accept Jesus Christ as savior and Lord and that happened for me. I checked into a program at the Union Rescue Mission downtown called the Christian Life Discipleship Program and it was there that I began to be introduced to people who were sold out for God. One of my mentors, Dr. Lula Balton, she was an evangelist, a friend of mine now a colleague, but she was a mentor. And so I became a part of her staff because inside the mission you get to work under assignment and she was running the education department at the time. She convinced me to go back to school. So I checked into Trade Tech– a program called Pace, an adult learning program. That's where I met my wife. What do you hope to instill in your parishioners? I'm very focused on prayer. I talk about real-life issues. I also talk about how my life is impacted by the scriptures because I believe pastor should lead in front of the church.What we've done, especially in our community, is that we prevented the pastor from being seen him as a human being. We don't want to hear about how they're going through anything. I resist that. I'm the kind of pastor who believes it's more beneficial for the person to see me as a human being... To see you going through something… And learning the Word of God and the application in my own life. So I lived that in front of my church. I always have. That's how my messages are developed and delivered from that. What do you hope your legacy to be? I hope my legacy is that I have loved and developed people to love people and to live a life that is transparent and as focused on community as it is family.

Congratulations L.A. Focus on 25 years of dedication!

Apostle Beverly

Bam

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Greater Zion Church Family 2408 North Wilmington Avenue, Compton, CA 90222 (310) 639-5535 • (Tues - Thurs 10am -4pm) Dr. Michael J. Fisher, Senior Pastor Sunday Worship: 8:00am|10:45am| 5:00pm Wednesday Bible Study: 12pm|7:00pm FB: GreaterZion IG: GZCFamily www.gzcf.us

Love and Unity Christian Fellowship 1840 S. Wilmington Ave, (P.O. Box 5449), Compton 90224 (310) 604-5900, www.loveandunity.org Apostle Ronald C. Hill, Sr. Founder and Pastor Sunday Worship: 8:00am & 11:30am Sunday Evening Worship: 6:30pm Bible Studies: Wed. 7:30pm & Sat. 9am Prayer w/Apostle: Tue - Fri: 9am Food for Your Soul TV Ministry- 6:30am Impact Network Television: Mon-Fri 6:30am KJLH 102.3 Sundays: 9pm The City of Refuge 14527 S. San Pedro Street, Gardena, CA 90248 (310) 516-1433 Bishop Noel Jones

In Gardena

Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Evening Worship: 6:00pm Bible Study (Wed): Noon & 7:00pm BET/Fresh Oil (Wed): 7:00am

McCarty Memorial Christian Church 4103 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 731-4131 • www.mccartychurch.org Senior Pastor Edward Anderson Sunday Worship: 10:45am Sunday School: 9:30am Bible Study: Tues Noon

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

In Hawthorne

Sunday Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00 am Sunday Bible Enrichment Class: 9:45am Mon.-Thurs. Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday Bible Study: 12:30pm & 7:00pm

First Lady Files Barbara Howard Israel Missionary Baptist Church

When First Lady Barbara first began dating Pastor Rodney Howard (Israel Baptist Church), she told him that he should move on because–having already been married–she wasn’t thinking about getting married again and Victory Institutional Baptist Church especially not to a pastor. 4712 West El Segundo Blvd., Hawthorne, CA 90250 “Being a first lady wasn’t me,” says the Longview, Texas (310) 263-7073 • www.vibconline.com native who moved to Los Angeles with her family as a teen. Pastor Richard Williams, III “The idea was they have to be prim proper, on and smiling all the time. I’m not a hat person and I didn’t feel like being Sunday Morning Worship: 9:00am held to a standard a lot of other people aren’t held to. Sunday Evening Worship: 6:00pm Wed. Mid-Week Worship: 7:00pm But Pastor Howard was determined and intrigued by Bible Study Tuesday: Noon & 7:00pm the gifted singer and motivational speaker he’d met when his church fellowshipped with Tree of Life Baptist Church, where she was a member. In the end he won out and nine years ago, she became first lady of Israel Baptist Church. “What’s working for me,” Howard said, “is that my husband is truly a covering. He protects me by his teaching me Bible Enrichment Fellowship International In Inglewood thru example. He loves people, he’s great at what he does 400 E. Kelso, Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 330-4700 • www.bamcm.org in the church and he allows me to be myself. He supports Dr. Beverly “BAM” Crawford me so that I live my truth. Morning Worship: 9:30am “Today, the most important thing to me is making sure Tues. Bible Study: 7:30pm that I represent Christ and my husband the way Christ Wed. Mid-Week Prayer: would want me to.” 5am, Noon & 7:00pm “In addition to helping my husband with his vision to Wednesday Pathway: 7:00pm build and impact the community, we are preparing to start Thurs Bible Study: 10:00am a new teaching academy for the ministers as well as develSat Marriage & Family Prayer: 7:30am oping a 5pm sunset Service and this month we’re very excited about our upcoming anniversary on February 9-16. Blessed Family Covenant Church This is 28 years for Pastor Howard which is a long time 325 North Hillcrest Blvd, Inglewood, CA, 90301 (310)-674-0303 • F: (310)-674-0303 • blessedfamilycovenant.org pastoring”. And ironically enough, she is also a minister of the gospel, occasionally bringing the word on Sundays. She Rev. Wendy Howlett also sings in the choir, and serves on the leadership of their Sunday School: 8:30am women’s ministry dubbed, Silk. Morning Worship: 9:30am “As first lady, you have to share your husband with Wed. Prayer & Bible Study: 7:00pm everybody and to do that, you have to be secure enough to realize that God is first, and if God is first in your life, He is going to take care of you. That’s the message I want to share.”

Church of God Center of Hope 9550 Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90305 (323) 757-1804 www.go2Hope.com Pastor Geremy L. Dixon Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Wed. Mid-Week Service: Noon Wed. Teaching Ministry: 7:00pm 1st Sunday Communion 5th Sunday Baptism

Crusade Christian Faith Center 801 S. La Brea Avenue, Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 330-8535 Bishop Virgil D. Patterson Sr.

Wed. Mid-Week Service: 7:00pm Sunday School: 9:00am Sunday Worship: 10:30am

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: 7:00am, 9:30am & 11:45am Wed. Mid-Week Service: 7:00pm The Tabernacle is located at 321 N. Eucalyptus Ave., Inglewood www.faithfulcentral.com

Jacob’s Ladder Community Fellowship, inc. 1152 E. Hyde Park Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90302 (866) 330-1702 • F: (310) 674-0760 Watchman/Shepherd Dr. Robert T. Douglas Sr. Sunday Fresh Start & Prayer 9:00am Sunday School: 10:00am Morning Services: 11:45am Evening Service: 7:00pm Wed. Lock & Load Prayer: 7:00pm Wed. Bible Study: 7:30pm 3rd Friday Youth Night: 7:30pm www.jacobladderschurch.com

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 Early Worship: 8:00am Sunday School: 9:30am Morning Worship: 11:00am Mid-Week Bible Study (Wednesday): 7:00pm Afternoon Bible Study (Thursday): 1:00pm

True Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 7901 South Van Ness Ave. Inglewood, CA 90305 (323) 750-7304 Rev. James A. Perkins Sunday School: 9:30am Early Worship: 8am Morning Worship: 10:45am Bible Adventure Hour (Tues): 6pm Bible Study (Tues): 7pm Bible Study (Thurs): Noon

In St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church 1720 N. Walnut Avenue, La Puente, CA 91744 (626) 918-3225 • F: (626) 918-3265 Pastor Tony Dockery

La Puente

Sunday School: 9:30 AM Early Worship: 8:00 AM Morning Worship: 11:00 AM Spanish Service: 9:30AM Bible Study: Every Wednesday 7:00 PM www.stsbc.org

Antioch Church of Long Beach Mailing address P.O. Box 2291, Long Beach, CA 90801 website:www.antiochlb.com

In Long Beach

Pastor Wayne Chaney Jr. Sunday Worship Services: 10:00am Long Beach Poly High School 1600 Atlantic Avenue Long Beach, Ca 90813

Christ Second Baptist Church 1471 Martin Luther King, Jr., Ave. Long Beach, CA 90813 (562) 599-3421 • Fax: (562) 599-6175 • www.csbclb.org Rev. Welton Pleasant II, Senior Pastor Sunday School: 8:30am Sunday Worship Service: 9:40am Wed. Bible Study: 7:00pm Wed Youth & Young Adult Ministry: 7:00pm

Christian’s Community Center of Los Angeles 3960 E. Gilman Street,Long Beach, CA 90815 (562) 597-3252 Senior Pastor Thom Washington Sunday Morning Prayer 8:00am New Member’s Class 9:00am Sunday Bible Class 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship 11:00am Sunday Afternoon Services 4:00pm (2nd & 4th Sunday) WednesdayPrayer 6:00pm Bible Study Wednesday 7:00pm

Family of Faith Christian Center 345 E. Carson Street, Long Beach, CA 90807 (562) 595-1222 • F: (562) 595-1444 Bishop Sherman A. Gordon, E.D. Min Sunday School: 8:00 am Morning Worship: 9:00 am

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: 11:00am Evening Worship: 6:30pm Wed. Intercessory Prayer: 7:00pm Wed. Pastoral teaching adults: 7:30pm Wed. Youth Ministry Boot-Camp; Youth Bible Study: 7:00pm & Choir Rehearsal: 7:30pm

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. Sun. Worship Experience: 10:45am 3rd Sun. Healing & Annointing: 10:45am Wed. Bible Study: Noon & 6pm Mothers of Murdered Youth & Children Were all receive a little attention, affection and love.

New Philadelphia A.M.E. Church 6380 S. Orange Avenue, Long Beach, Ca 90805 (562)422-9300•F: (562) 422-9400 Pastor Darryl E. Walker, Senior Pastor Worship: 9:00am —1st & 5th Sunday Sunday School/New Member Classes: 8:00am 2nd thru 4th Sunday Worship:7:30 am &10:00am•Sunday School New Member Classes: 9:00am Sunday worship services streamed live on the web Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday Eve 7:00pm Mid-Week Bible Study: Thursday 12:00 noon www.nuphilly.org

Greater Emmanuel Temple 3740 E. Imperial Highway, Lynwood, CA 90262 (424) 296-0400 •www.greateremmanuel.org

In Lynwood

Pastor Nissan Stewart Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00am Wednesday Prayer: 6:30pm Mid-Week Refuel/Bible Study: 7:00pm (Wednesday) Follow us: @GETFamilyNow The Greater Emmanuel Temple App Available in App Store Second Baptist Church In Monrovia 925 S. Shamrock Ave., P.O. Box 478, Monrovia,Ca 91017•(626)358-2136•(626) 303-2477 Fax Church Office: Tue-Thur 9am -5pm e-mail:sbcmon925@gmail.com • www.sbcmonrovia.org Pastor Christopher A. Bourne, Sr. Sunday School: 9:45am-10:30am Sunday Worship Service:10:45am Prayer/Bible Study Wed.:10:45am & 6:45

Walking In The Spirit Ministries In Double Tree (Sonoma Grill) 13111 Sycamore Drive, Norwalk CA 90650 (213) 248-6343 P.O Box 1597 Norwalk CA,90651 Tim & Leshia Brooks

Norwalk

Morning Worship: 11:00am Services Held Every 2nd & 4th Sunday and Free Breakfast Is Served Bible Study: 8:30am (Every 5th Friday)

Greater Morning Star Missionary Baptist 1973 Seventeenth St., Santa Monica, CA 90404 (310) 450-1168 • Pastor Study:(310) 450-4880 (City by the Sea) Pastor Michael Larry, Jr. Senior Pastor Sunday School: 9:00am New Member Class: 9:45 - 10:15am Children Church.: 11:15am Wed: Mid-week Bible Worship: 7:00pm 1st Sunday Communion Trusting God to Transform the Creature, the Church and the Community, Romans 12:2

Morning Star Christian Church In Pasadena 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 and First Lady Ranza Trotter Sunday School: 8:30am Sunday Worship: 10:00am Bible Study Wednesday: 7:00pm Intercessory Prayer (Fourth Wed.): 7:00pm Christians Uniting To Make A Difference -Eph. :13 First African Methodist Episcopal Church, Pasadena 1700 N. Raymond Ave, Pas, CA 91103•(626) 798-0503 admin@famepasadena.org•www.famepasadena.org Rev. Dr. Larry E. Campbell Sunday Worship Service: 8:00 am - 11:00am Church School: 10:00am Wed’s: • Sunrise Prayer Service: 5:30am • Hour of Power Bible Study: 10:30am • Sunset Prayer Service: 6:00pm •Evening Bible Study: 7:00pm Third Saturday Bible Study: 10:00am Children Ch 1st, 2nd, 4th Sun: 8 & 11:00am First AME Church Santa Monica In Santa Monica 1823 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404 (310) 450-0331•Email: choffice19@aol.com Rev. Carolyn Baskin-Bell, Pastor Sunday School: 9:30am Worship Service: 11:00am Wednesday Bible Study & Prayer: 12 noon Thursday Bible Study & Prayer: 6 pm

“The Church In The Heart Of The Community with The Community at Heart”

Arise Christian Center In Westchester 6949 La Tijera Blvd. Suite C,Westchester, CA,90045 (310)568-8445•F: (310) 568-8430 • Arisechristiancenter.com Pastor Ron Taylor Morning Worship: 9:00am & 11:15am Bible Study Wednesday: 7:00pm Intercessory Prayer Tuesday : 7:00pm Intercessory Prayer Sunday: 8am - 8:45am Thursday:11:30am-12:30pm

Holy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church In Compton 1016 E. Rosecrans Avenue, Compton, CA 90220 (310) 537-3149 • F: (310) 537-3149 Rev. Dr. George L. Thomas Sunday School: 9:45am & 10:15am Early Morning Worship: 7:30am Mid-Morning Worship: 11:15am New Members’ Class: 9:45am Holy-Communion (1st Sunday): 7:30 & 11:15am Mid-Week Prayer & Bible Study (Wed)- 7:00pm Broadcast (KALI 900AM - Sunday): 2:00pm3:00pm

Johnson continued from page 9 "a time to be born and a time to die." We don't know how much time we will be allotted during our lives, but Kobe's untimely death is a stark reminder that we need to make the most of it. Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer at Ohio State University. Email her at smojc.jj@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JjSmojc or visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. Blue Telusma continued from page 9 sided” and “deeply wounded” to lose someone they identified with so intimately. One went so far as to explain that he felt society needed to “let us have this wake for Kobe. Let us play our pick-up games in his honor. Let us hug our children, kiss our wives and dap our friends. Let us cry together and surprise everyone who doesn’t think that we’re people.” So out of respect, that’s exactly what I plan to do. I’m going to let the Black men around me mourn, hold space for them to put down their armor and remind them it’s ok to weep for as long and as hard as they need to. Because the unexpected, but incredibly soulstirring silver lining of this tragedy is that the men in my life are finally allowing themselves to feel and show vulnerability in ways I’m not sure even they knew they were capable of. I’d like to think that Kobe – the older and wiser family man who planned to dedicate the rest of his life to uplifting his community, would be proud to know that this too gets to be part of his amazing and complicated legacy. Follow writer Blue Telusma on Instagram at @bluecentric Money Matters continued from page 17 “Despite California’s economy consistently expanding — now being ranked fifth-

largest in the entire world — we have some of the most underfunded schools in the country,” he said. “We rank 39th in the nation in per-pupil funding. We boast the most overcrowded classrooms in the entire country.” Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner said, “California’s public schools will remain woefully underfunded, especially when compared with the rest of the nation.” “This budget proposal does not go far enough in funding supports for our most vulnerable students,” Beutner added. “Including students whose families are experiencing homelessness and students with special needs.” The governor’s presentation begins the formal state budget process. Over the next several months, the California legislature will hold hearings on the budget and special interest groups and the public will have an opportunity to comment on various budget proposals. In mid-May the Governor will release a revised budget plan reflecting changes to spending. The budget will be finalized by the end of June 2020.

Church news continued from page 18 37 minutes. Catholic sermons were the shortest at an average of just 14 minutes, compared with 25 minutes for sermons in mainline Protestant congregations and 39 minutes in evangelical Protestant congregations. Pew found that sermons at the black churches lasted longer than mainline Protestant sermons even though, on average, they had roughly the same number of words. A possible explanation, Pew said, is that the preachers at black churches allow more time during their sermons for musical interludes, responses from worshippers in the pews and dramatic pauses in their oratory.

Food stamp cuts continued from page 18 States, who have a better understanding of their labor markets and economic conditions, to apply for waivers and use exemptions where local or individual circumstances warrant relief,” the lawsuit states. Who would be most affected? In the first year, more than 55,000 Californians are expected to lose the benefit, according to Becerra’s office, amounting to more than $100 million in lost benefits. The lawsuit claims that women and people of color would be most affected because they face higher barriers to employment. data underemployment National reveals who might be at risk. Black adults are nearly twice as likely as their white counterparts to be out of a job or working part-time even though they’d prefer a fulltime schedule. Hispanics, people without a high school degree and adults under 24 also face high rates of underemployment. Other groups at risk of losing their food stamps include people experiencing homelessness, veterans, people recently out of jail or prison and former foster youth, according to Jessica Bartholow, a policy advocate at the Western Center on Law and Poverty. For some, having to provide proof of working 20 hours per week may become a roadblock.“They will have to go through a lot of hurdles to verify eligibility,” Bartholow said. “A lot of people don’t work in places that regularly provide a printed time-sheet.” What about other food stamp cuts? This is the first of three Trump proposals to cut food stamps. All are part of a broader set of policies aimed at reducing the country’s social safety net. Another food stamp proposal would restrict the ability of states to raise the eligibility limit on income and assets, as California has done. The other would set a national standard for deducting utility

costs from a household budget to determine food stamp eligibility. If all three rules go into effect, an estimated 3.7 million Americans, including about 625,700 Californians, could lose food stamps. How is the state getting ready for the rule? State and county officials are reaching out to all recipients subject to the new requirements, alerting them of the change and getting as many as possible into local employment and training programs. Through those programs, affected adults can keep their CalFresh benefits. What else could the state do? State lawmakers and advisors to the governor are exploring ways that the state could provide a bandaid if the rule survives the courtroom. For the first few months, the state plans to shield people from the new requirements using a backlog of monthlong exemptions to the work requirement that the state has been banking. Under the new rule, those exemptions will disappear in the fall. One solution is to use state funds to provide food stamps. That’s the idea behind a bill introduced by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, a Democrat from Oakland. That could be pricey. The state estimates it could lose as much as $400 million in federal funding for CalFresh if all three of the proposed food stamp rules go into effect. “The state is not in a position to backfill directly the federal contributions by writing a $400 million check,” Governor Gavin Newsom said last week. But, he added, his administration is looking at ways “to significantly minimize” that cost. Jackie Botts is a reporter at CalMatters. This article is part of The California Divide, a collaboration among newsrooms examining income inequity and economic survival in California.

From the Pulpit of: Resurrection Church LA Our scripture of the month comes Acts 2:22. The Bible declares that the God we serve is a God of signs. He is a God of miracles and He is a God of wonders. Jesus performed, at least, 30 miracles during his earthly sojourn. Faith and a need are the indispensable criteria, the non-negotiable formula for a miracle to take place. There's got to be a deficiency in your life, a hole that you desire to be filled. The old song says, "If I never had a problem, I wouldn't know that faith and God could solve it." If you look at the miracles the Lord Jesus performed, every single person had a problem. There were 5,000 people who were hungry. There was a woman who could not stop bleeding–had spent all of her money and still hadn't gotten well. There was a man who had been paralyzed sitting in a convention of the disabled for 38 years. But not only do miracles require a need, miracles also require faith. And it's interesting that in many of the instances of the miracles that are recorded in scripture, it is not necessarily the size of the faith that determines the miracle. You should be comforted that in just two instances does Jesus commend individuals for having great faith. There was the Centurion who had a servant that was sick at his house, and a woman who had a daughter who was possessed by a devil. Neither one of them were Israelites or covenant people. Neither had a relationship with God. If there were 30 miracles and only two people had great faith, that means the other 28 had so, so faith. The vast majority of us are trying to arrive at the point where our confidence in God increases. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus makes a staggering statement and the statement is that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can move mountains. So the issue is not how big your faith is. The issue is, do you have any faith? Because if I have faith, God has power to solve my need. In Hebrews 11:6, the Bible says, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God." Note, it doesn't say without faith you can't serve God because you can serve God and not believe God. Our praise pleases God, but not like faith. Our giving pleases God, but not like faith. Our church-going pleases God, but not like faith, because you can engage in religious gymnastics and have no faith. The scripture continues because he that cometh to God must believe, first of all, that He is. I've got to believe that God exists. I'll tell you this, I'd rather believe that there is a God and find out that I've

“Living On Leftovers (Acts:22)

have of yourself, but of others. You can’t expect your wife to work all day, sit in traffic for two hours, and then have your dinner ready in high-heel shoes and swing from the chandeliers. Your expectation of God has to be grounded in the Word, not a bunch of excerpts from your favorite preacher. When your expectation of God is rooted in the Word of God, you learn a couple of things. One of the things you learn is God ain't going to answer every prayer." Moses asked God to change His mind and let him in the Promised Land. God said no. Paul had a thorn in his flesh and asked God to remove the thorn. Not one or two times, but three times, and God said no. Even Jesus, the Son of God, prayed in Gethsemane "Let this cup pass for me," and the Lord said no. You ain't going to get a miracle every day. And this is the lesson that greets us in the epilogue of this text. This particular miracle is the one miracle recorded by all four of the Gospel writers. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, all record the miracle of Jesus taking two loaves of bread, five fish, and feeding a multitude. They are all in agreement that this miracle occurred after the death of John the Baptist somewhere near the sea of Galilee. He fed an entire multitude until everybody was full and then bible says Jesus gives the disciples a very strange instruction. He says, I want you to go round now and gather all of the scraps that have not been eaten and when they got finished collecting, it was 12 baskets full. So every disciple got a basket. It's interesting that Jesus tells them don't waste it. And I think that that's significant because hear me, this miracle only happened one time. He didn't feed 5,000 folk other any time. So it's almost as if Jesus was s a y i n g , I'm since blessing you so good today, you better save this because might you need it a little on down the line. Pastor Joe Carlos Robinson See, what you’ve

been wrong than not to believe in God and then find out that I was right. It's easy for me to trust some things that I see. But the difficulty with faith and God is that God requires us to commit our lives to Him, but He is not present to our senses. You can't see, touch, or feel God. You've got to believe God and faith is the mechanism that transports us into a relationship with God that is principally covered by His Word. There's a marvelous story about Frederick Douglas, the great civil rights abolitionist. Born a slave on the Eastern shore of Maryland, he prayed for his freedom, he asked God for his freedom and he paid for his freedom. Then he said one day his prayer got in his feet and he ran away. See, at some point in your life, you've got to work for what it is you're believing called for. Romans 4:17 says that we’ve got to call those things that are not as though they are. In Psalms 27:13, David cried, "I would have fainted unless I believed to see the goodness of the Lord." So when I have an expectation about something, I start changing my behavior now for what's going to happen then. If I'm about to get married, I don't wait till the night of my wedding to start changing my behavior. I learn how to cook now. If you ain't making no changes in your behavior now, I've got to seriously question whether or not you are in expectation. Faith works. Faith speaks. Faith expects. This causes friction in our lives because many of us have been taught that the way to protect yourself from disappointment is to lower your expectations. I would counter that God doesn't want us to lower our expectations. Instead He wants every single one of us to learn how to our manage expectations. Sometimes we are not realistic about our goals and dreams. You ain't going to go from a size 20 to a 8 in four months. You not only got to manage the you expectations

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got to realize is sometimes God is going to give you a one-time, incredible blessing. The Bible says that God will open up the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing you won't have room enough to receive. So God said most of the time when I'm going to bless you, I'll give you a job or a relationship or a promotion and you got to learn what to do with that because that might be the last one you get. You've got to be clear, when God gives you a miracle, that is not an everyday occurrence. That occurs at a specific time when your faith is about to run out to keep you standing on you feet and your confidence on Him. American wasteland is the name of a very popular video game, but before it was a video game, it's also the name of a powerful book by a man named Jonathan Bloom. And it, he talks about how America is the richest nation and we are also the most wasteful nation. 25% to 50% of all food produced is wasted every year. Not only do we waste food, but we waste some money and time and opportunity and people, I hope and pray today you don't waste your miracle. You're going to have to learn how to live on the leftovers of your miracles. The question then is how do I live on leftovers? Number one, just don't ask God for more. Start asking God to make you a manager. Understand that sometimes God will put you in a season of favor– a season of prosperity. Well, don’t spend it all. God might be setting you up for the rest of your life. You've got to learn how to say to yourself, I know God is good, but I’ve got to manage the goodness He's given me because for everything there is a time and a purpose and a season under heaven. So when God gives me more, I've got to learn how to manage the more he’s given me. The 30 miracles happened to those people one time. Maybe this is why when Jesus died, none of them were at the cross, because if your faith in God requires miracles, when the miracles stop, your faith will stop. The real miracle is when you're no longer need miracles. When God changes you from the inside out and when He changes me from the inside out, I don't need Him to get me out of trouble because I don't get in as much trouble. Maybe God is trying to usher you to a new dimension where He's trying to wean you from the need. Remember, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings as Eagles. They shall run and not get weary. But here's the most important part, they shall walk and not faint.

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Through the Storm

ne in one hundred men get breast cancer. Last year, M a t t h e w Knowles– father of Beyonce and S o l a n g e Knowles, record executive and the former manager of Destiny’s Child–became one of them. “Just out of nowhere”, Knowles recalls, “I was wearing this white Tshirt and I look one day and notice one dot of blood. So that first day, I didn't think anything. The second day I was like, "I thought I saw that yesterday. So a few days later, I asked my wife, " I keep seeing a dot of blood on my T-shirt" and she said ‘That's crazy, yesterday I saw a dot of blood when I was cleaning the sheets but I didn't think anything of it." The revelation set off alarm bells for Knowles, who had worked for eight years, selling Xeroradiography, which at one time was the leading modality for breast cancer. He squeezed his nipple and was further concerned by a small bloody discharge. “I knew it wasn't normal and I also knew my family history,” the 67-year old music executive said. “My mother's sister died of breast cancer. Two of her three daughters died of breast cancer. My grandfather died of prostate cancer as did four of the six of my dad's brothers. So there's a family history.” The very next day, Knowles went to the doctor who at first tested a smear of the blood and when that turned out to be nonclusive, a mammogram was scheduled. “When they did my mammogram, I actually looked at it and the doctor is like, well, you know, we need to do a biopsy,” Knowles recalls. He suspected then that the news wasn’t going to be good and was right when the test results for breast cancer were positive for the presence of stage 1A breast cancer. “What I did not know in my 20 years of marketing diagnostic imaging was about the BRCA gene,” Knowles notes. “Everyone living has a BRCA gene and it's supposed to fight off cancer and other diseases. But mine has mutated, which means I have a BRCA 2 gene, which means that I have a higher risk of prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, melanoma, and male chest cancer. For a woman, it means you have a higher risk of getting ovarian cancer and breast cancer.” The first calls were to his kids and he had a mastectomy that same month. Knowles credits early detection, an exceptional team and his own medical savvy with saving his life and a smooth recovery. “I don't care what you have, if you catch it early, your chances of recovery and living a full life is better,” Knowles said. The disease kills about 460 men in the country each year and is nearly 100 times as common among white women as it is for white men and 70 times as common among black women as it is for black men. “I'm full of gratitude,” says the Gadsden, Alabama native who now makes his home in Houston. “I'm not on chemo or radiation. I take one pill and keep it moving and I will have to have a mammogram every six months. I feel better than I've ever felt. I had started changing my diet and I’m pretty much (not 100% yet) vegetarian. I completely stopped drinking alcohol. I was already working out so I was almost there and I meditate.” Knowles was scheduled to get his second breast removed early this year, in order to further reduce his cancer risk. “We use the words "cancer-free,",” Knowles adds, “but medically there’s no such thing as "cancer-free." My

“

I want the black community to know that we’re the first to die, and that’s because we don’t go to the doctor, we don’t get the detection and we don’t keep up with the technologies and what the industry and the community is doing.

”

risk of a recurrence of breast cancer is less than 5%, and the removal of the other breast reduces it down to about 2%.” The experience, however, has left Knowles on what he feels is a greater mission to change the shame associated with male breast cancer along with the terminology he believes shames men afflicted with the disease. “I did the interview with Good Morning America and the first part of the interview was with Michael Strahan. After the interview, he says, ‘Well, you know, Mr. Knowles, I've never told anyone this before but my brother has breast cancer." Knowles not only has a problem affixing the label of breast cancer for me, but flat out refuses to use the term, opting instead to characterize it as “male chest cancer.” “No man wants to go to a women's breast center,” Knowles states emphatically. “It angered me because when I'm there going through the paperwork and it's asking me when is the last time I had a pregnancy or when was my last menstrual cycle. Or that I have to put a smock on and get a mammogram. Men don’t like doing that because that's what women do when they get a mammogram. I'm a guy. I don't care. I run around everywhere with my chest out. “It was just a myriad of things like when you look at the guidelines by the American Cancer Society that they don’t say the words men or males, at all. It says, ‘these are the female guidelines for breast cancer.’” Knowles believes that because of these things men tend to want to keep the diagnosis secret, insisting that however men internalize the experience, the shame is real. “Clearly, there’s an embarrassment and shame that's built around a man having breast anything. It's ridiculous,” he scoffs. “Men walk around with their shirt off. Women don't do that. Men are on commercials with their shirts off. It's because we don't view that part of our bodies the same.” Knowles is not alone in that assessment, as the doctors he says he’s spoken with all agree with his crusade to change the label. “I just got a commitment from a pharmaceutical company to support me in this initiative. We're in a process of setting up a

nonprofit and hope to have a website completed soon.” Changing just the term itself, he believes, will eliminate the shame associated with male breast cancer. “I also believe what will happen is that you have more men going to get mammograms. So I think we have work to as there's still finances. It's going to take a while to do this.” In the meantime, the record executive and talent manager, presently serves as executive producer for the first ever Cancer TV reality show, Eight Days. Created by Charles Mattocks, Eight Days takes viewers inside individual cancer patients’ journey through their courageous treatment and their compelling stories. With over 1.7 million cancer diagnoses documented per year in the U.S. alone, there is certainly a lot of fieid to cover for the series that premiered last month on the FYI Network. “Charles saw me on Good Morning America and reached out to me,” Knowles says. “I didn't know anything about the show, but he told me what his goals were and they were in line with my goals. And that's providing information. There was areas that he had tremendous strength, which is in the production side. And he felt I had some strengths he didn't have. We thought it would be a good combination since we were both black men, both had families with medical histories and challenges.” In addition to the reality show, Knowles released, Destiny's Child: The Untold Story. The number one release on Amazon brings the number to five of books he has authored including “The DNA of Achievers”, “10 Traits of Highly Successful People”, and “The Emancipation of Slaves through Music, Public Relations and Media”. Knowles also teaches sports events and entertainment marketing at Prairie View A&M University and guest lectures on entrepreneurship, the music business, motivation and can now add to that male chest cancer. “I want the black community to know that we’re the first to die, and that’s because we don’t go to the doctor, we don’t get the detection and we don’t keep up with technologies and what the industry and the community is doing,” Knowles states. “I get frustrated that people aren’t taking the time to get a BRCA test -- just a simple blood test. You can do it in addition to any other blood tests you’re doing, or do it separately. It can be as low as $250, and may be covered by insurance carriers. That’s why I’m speaking up.” For more information on Knowles and all that he’s doing, visit Mathewknowles.com.

Game Changers Lena Kennedy

Lena L. Kennedy is not here to be your mouthpiece for the African-American community but she will gladly guide you to collectively work together. As a political consultant, community organizer and corporate advisor Kennedy has spent the last few years building a career marking her as a go-to woman for individuals, political candidates and non-profit organizations. Reflecting on her career path, Kennedy considers it a “path ordained by God.” “Everything that I was doing from a child up until adulthood really was in preparation for what I’m doing and where I am now,” she says. At the core of her work has been philanthropy and advocacy for individuals who need assistance and representation the most. A voice for the voiceless by not only being the voice and woman in the room of those making decisions but also teaching others how to be their own voice. Kennedy serves as President of Community Women Vital Voices, a nonprofit organization that works to improve women’s health and wellness and CEO/President of L. L Kennedy and Associates, a powerful consulting firm working with candidates and organizations. Additionally, her nonprofit has sponsored a major conference each year named the Southern California Women’s Conference with over 32,000 attendees. Women in Leadership Vital Voices is just another of Kennedy’s impressive projects, a consortium helping women lead public policy conversations on local and national stages. Her full career involves all entities that keep her busy around the clock and has gained her various accolades. With L.L Kennedy and Associates, she has been able to work with high profile individuals and companies that are able to move forward with agendas and strategies that provide tools for those in need. “I get involved and I just strategically position them to get it to the next level with tools they already have in place,” she explains. “So I don’t work with the average person. I have to work with people that have all the tools already.” The people she has worked with include Vice President Al Gore, Secretary of Labor

I’m that little pixel creating the bigger portrait because every pixel, a part of the portrait is important. Alexis Herman, senators John Kerry, Patrick Leahey and Rep. Adam Schiff—one of the lead investigators in the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump— and most recently er political activity directly assisted in the 2008 election and 2012 reelection of President Barack Obama. “I was doing my civic duty and in doing my civic duty, I was working presidential campaigns,” she said when asked about her thoughts on working with those clients. “My first big client on the political side was Mayor Tom Bradley when he was running for governor. And, again, this wasn’t something that I planned. It was ordained and it just organically happened. Creating is what I love doing. I love making a difference in the lives of other people by making a difference and empowering individuals. I’ve been blessed to make a living off of it.” Kennedy also doesn’t consider her work on elections political. Instead, she sees the work as policy work. “Those are policymakers that impact everything that we do in our everyday lives from the water we drink to the that we breathe, to the products we put in our bodies, to the clothes we put on, elected officials control all of that,” she emphasized. “And so that’s policy to me. And that’s what I really tried to educate individuals on understanding that it’s not political, it’s policy.” Outside of her business, she remains dedicated to being involved with the community through volunteering, sitting on boards and various other projects that help make a difference by teaching people to “hone in on the skills God has already given them to be their voice for themselves” Every human being of value is a deeply held position and philosophy for Kennedy. It is why she’s worked not only on the notable and high profile campaigns but

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also at the grassroots level with working mothers, stay at home mothers, middleclass to low income to no income to millionaires and billionaires. Kennedy has spent her years building her network to assist her community. Unfortunately, her biggest challenge continues to be a lack of people of color engaged and involved in her spheres. “I just don’t see that the diversity is there,” she said. “I speak up when I don’t see diversity. When Obama was running for president when Jesse Jackson and others were running I always said, ‘where are the people of color?’ When John Kerry was running, when Bill Clinton was running, I’d go to these round tables and I would see nothing but Caucasians with one little speck of A f r i c a n American.” To her frustration, her question was s o m e t i m e s met with a n answer that gett i n g involved required paying “big money.” “But everybody votes. And if you want people going to the polls to vote, which gets people elected and create policy, you need to create opportunities for everyone,” she would reply. It is a reply she has been saying for 40 years. “We have seen some progress,” she concedes but her frustration remains and it can be tiring. “I’ll be honest, it is a challenge staying optimistic. Sometimes I feel like after doing this work for these many years that I would have seen a bigger change by now,” she said. “This is not new. It is something that’s been going on. I mean there’s so much injustice and it wears on you and sometimes I feel like it’s more than I can

handle and it is more than I can handle. I feel like I don’t see that I’m making a dent and I feel like…[I should] just let life fall as it may.” But Kennedy has kept herself moving by letting go of the benchmarks and constraints she often put herself in towards the start of her career. Instead of setting specific benchmarks of seeing a certain thing in so many years she views herself and achievements as a single pixel making up a picture. “I play a role in creating the portrait that we all look at. And so I don’t look at it that I have to see tangible results right away. I just keep moving one step at a time doing what I can in the moment of where my life has taken me,” she said. “I don't become overwhelmed with frustration. I just say, "I'm that little pixel creating the bigger portrait because every pixel, a part of the portrait is important." Kennedy accepts that she may never see the immediate gratification she has always dreamed of but she is happy to be part of whatever the picture looks like and happy to play a role in the bettering of our world. “I’m just looking to keep moving forward and trying to make a difference.” For 2020, she looks forward to seeing how the strategy may change to achieve the same goal she has always been pursuing: educating people and helping them understand the value of their voice. “When people come to me and say, ‘Lena, I want to meet you.’ I always say to them, ‘Let me pull a group of our women together and you can meet them. It’s more than just me.’ When I have people come to me and they say, what does the African-American community think? I say, ‘I cannot speak for the African-American community. I can only speak for myself,” she added. “Every African-American does not think the same and they are not the same. But you need to understand that. And the way you understand that is by building relationships and not being afraid to.”

SavingGrace Viola Davis arlier in my career, I didn't have anything. I didn't have a profile, I didn't have any money and I didn't have any choices. I’m in a profession that has a 95 percent unemployment rate. Less than one percent of the profession makes $50,000 a year of more.” Thanks to a 31-year career of stellar performances on Broadway (Fences, King HedleyII); on film (The Help, Widows, Fences, Suicide Squad); and on television where for the last six seasons she has starred in “How To Get Away With Murder”; that is no longer the case for Viola Davis. In 2015, she made history as the first black actress to win the primetime Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her lead role in “How To Get Away With History; and then again in 2017 when she scored an Oscar (Best supporting actress, “Fences”) becoming the first black actor to take home an Oscar, Emmy and Tony Award (She has two Tony Awards and a Golden Globes award to boot). Today, the 54-year old Hollywood A-lister has four movies in the works not including Troop Zero, a dramedy released on Amazon last month, and is in the ninth and final season of ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder”. Praise aside, Davis–who received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame two years ago– treasures the journey. “Living life for something bigger than yourself is a hero’s journey,” says Davis. That answer to your call, to adventure and journeying forth with mentors and allies, and facing your greatest fears, where you either die or your life as you know it will never be the same. And then you seize the sword, the insight, the treasure. The hero at that stage must put all celebrations aside to prepare for the final battle. The road back– the moment where the hero goes back to the ordinary world, where she must choose between her own personal objective and that of a higher cause. The reward? Your gift to the ordinary world. That is the Holy Grail.” Davis’ call to acting came early amidst the challenges that come part and parcel with mired in a world of poverty. She was born in a one room shack on a former plantation in St. Matthews, South Carolina where her grandparents lived while working as sharecroppers before moving with her parents and five siblings to Central Falls, Rhode Island.

L.A. Focus/February 2020

Living a life for something bigger than yourself is a hero’s journey. That answer to your call, to adventure and journeying forth with mentors and allies, and facing your greatest fears, where you either die or your life as you know it will never be the same. And then you seize the sword, the insight, the treasure. Raised in what she has characterized as “abject poverty and dysfunction”, Davis’ parents struggled to make ends meet, often coming up short, leaving a young Viola to worry more about when her next meal would come than dream of becoming a star. On occasion, times were so hard Davis would have to eat from dumpsters or go without meals altogether while the family’s housing was often in condemned and or rat-infested dwellings. She and her sister discovered a much-needed outlet through acting and would write and perform plays around the house at 8 or 9. Starting in youth programs she eventually studied acting at Rhode Island College before matriculating to the prestigious art school Julliard. Davis received her Screen Actors Guild card in 1996 for doing one day of work, playing a nurse who passes a vial of blood to Timothy Hutton in the film The Substance of Fire and was nominated for her First Tony Award for her performance in August Wilson’s Seven Guitars just three years after graduating Julliard. Finding success on Broadway, she received her first Tony Award in 2001 for King Headley II. Davis used her Broadway success as a launching point from which she embraced her unique ability to channel depth to her characters and began to take Hollywood by storm, her breakthrough role coming opposite Meryl Streep in “Doubt”. With just one scene in that movie, she earned both Golden Globe and Oscar nod for best supporting actress. Just like that, she had arrived. Despite her successes, Davis has always been keenly aware of how blessed she has been for the steady work that has come since. "The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity," she said during her acceptance speech in 2015. "You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there." Her latest project, Troop Zero (the first release from her own JuVee Production), gives voice to her passion to let others know their value. “I feel like when people don’t feel valued and they don’t feel like they matter there’s nothing but selfdestruction and external destruc-

tion,” Davis observes. “That’s what comes out of it. You need to know that you have some investment in this world and some space in the world. My husband is always saying there are 400 families in this country that are billionaires and if they moved out we would be a third world country. That gives you an idea of the gulf between the haves and have nots. We gotta give voice to the voiceless. “It was a message in wanting to matter and wanting to see your value in a world where you don’t fit in. What it does is it drives home the whole idea that you’re worth it. And that you don’t have to hustle for your worth you’re born with it. Here are kids who are wanting to put that message forth in the world. I tapped into myself when I was 8 or 9 years old and being bullied and I had a troop, but sometimes they were hard to find.” Her “a-ha” moment came when she was just nine. “I remember my parents fighting in the middle of the night.,” she recalls. “It was so bad that I started screaming at the top of my lungs. My older sister Dianne told me to go in the house or people would hear me. I ran in the house. I ran to the bathroom, screaming still and got down on my knees and closed my eyes. I put my hands together and said, “GOD! If you exist, if you love me, you’ll take me away from this life! Now I’m going to count to 10 and when I open my eyes, I want to be gone! You hear me?!” And I put my hands together and I was really believing it. “One!” And then I got to eight. “Nine! 10!” And I opened my eyes … and I was still there. But he left me right there so when I gained vision, and strength, and forgiveness, I could remember what it means to be a child who was hungry. I could remember what it means to be in trauma. I could remember poverty, alcoholism. I could remember what it means to be a child who dreams and sees no physical manifestation of it. I could remember because I lived it. I was there. And that has been my biggest gift in serving. “You can only understand people if you feel them in yourself,” states the classically trained actress, whose first love is theater. That humanity is what inspired Davis to serve as an ambassador for Hunger Is, helping the foundation raise millions of dollars to feed undernourished children and what moved her to narrate a documentary about diabetes called "A Touch of Sugar," which is part of Merck's America's Diabetes Challenge. She was diagnosed with pre-diabetes in 2016 and her family history is rife with Diabetes. A practicing Christian, Davis–who has been married to husband Julius for 17 years and has a 13-year old daughter, Genesis–is thankful to God not only for her abundant blessings but for how people are positively affected by her work. She likes to quote the old saying about the two most important days of one’s life being the say they were born and the day one finds out why, believing that people are called to live a life greater than their own. Upon being honored as one of Glamour Magazine’s Women of the Year in 2018, Davis said, “I kind of have an issue with the word icon. Just a little bit! But if it means that you feel like I represent anything and that I inspire anybody to do anything. It's like they say, you don't die until the last person who has a memory of you dies."

InGoodTaste

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