L.A. Focus Newspaper March Issue 2021

VO LU M E X X V I • I S S U E 2 • M a r c h 2 0 21 >> PAGE

W W W. L A F O C U S N E W S PA P E R . C O M

L.A. FOCUS

@LAFOCUSNEWS

<<

10

Money Matters California Rolls Out Billions in New COVID Relief PAGE

14

Hollywood Buzz: Billie Holiday Portrayal Sparks Oscar Buzzz for Andra Day PAGE

13

SEE PAGE

Upfront

Culture of Gangs & Violence Plague County Sheriffs, Targeting Blacks and Latinos A violent gang of Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies who call themselves “The Banditos” have on victims to try and justify shootings of unarmed suspects, a deputy alleged in a recent CBS investigation.

“They operate as a gang. They commit crimes, they assault people,” the deputy said, adding that many of the recruits are looking to get a “shooting” as a way to gain initiation within the gang.

People: First Ladies Team with Union Bank for Empowering Townhall Series

>>

SEE PAGE

6

21

contents

L.A. Focus Publications

March 2021

Left: Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, Mayor James Butts, Governor Gavin Newsom, Karen Waters and Steve Bradford pose together at a Pop Up COVID vaccination clinic held at Faithful Central Bible Church; Middle: Spike Lee’s kids–Jackson and Satchel Lee take their turn on the red carpet while serving as Ambassadors at the recent Golden Globes Awards; Right: Congresswoman Maxine Waters visits the vaccination site located at the Forum in Inglewood.

4 Commentary

From The Editor

“Tall Timber”

6

“We Need Strong Protections for Cash in the Wake of COVID”

UpFront Culture of Gangs & Violence Plague County Sheriffs; Proposed Changes to State Penal Code; Kimberlee Isaacs Fights to Become Redondo Beach’s first Black School Board Member

8 Headlines From Africa Money Matters 10 Head to Head

The Case For & Against Reparations

Billions in New COVID Relief: From $600 Stimulus Checks to Black-Run Vaccine Sites

Biz News Briefs Rosalind Brewer To Become Only Black Woman Running A Fortune 500 Company; Broadway Federal to Receive Equity Investment from Wells Fargo; Daymond John’s Virtual Pitch Program

12 People 13

Game Changer Dana M. White

staff

Photographer Advertising

Oscar Buzz for Andra Day; Michael B. Jordan as Superman?; Mike Tyson Vs. Hulu

One On One Leslie Jones

16 Eye On Gospel 18 Cover Story 21 Church News 28

Through the Storm What The High Cost of Redemption Taught Wesley Snipes

Lisa Collins Stephen Oduntan,Keith Delawder, Dianne Lugo Ian Foxx Kisha Smith

Excerpts from vintage Apostle Frederick K.C. Price sermon, “Receiving the Inheritance”

37 Saving Grace 38

In Good Taste

Regine Terry - Busy Baking

Anthony Anderson

The Legacy of Apostle Fred Price & How His Ministry Changed The Religous Landscape

Antioch’s “Joy In the City” Hands Out Millions In Goods; Technical Difficulties Force Postponement of COGIC Elections; Church Program Expand COVID Testing

29 Pastor Profile 30

First Lady Files

Apostle Sherman Dumas

Tiger Woods – who remains hospitalized at Cedars Sinai – tweeted his appreciation to PGA Tour players who wore the his trademark Sunday red and black for the final round of the WGCWorkday Championship on February 28.

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 Inglewood Minister’s Association

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 Bishop Robert T. Douglas Sr. L.A. Focus/March 2021

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.

32

From The Pulpit of

Live From Home; Charles Jenkins’ Double Play; Back On The Air

Jasmine Robinson

L.A. Focus & Union Bank Team for the First Ladies “We Got Your Back” Townhall Series

Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Staff Writers

14

Hollywood Buzz

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

Cover Design: UpScale Media Group

#LAFOCUS

@Lafocusnews

@L.A.Focus

3

Commentary

REV. K.W. TULLOSS Guest Columnist

“We Need Strong Protections for Cash in the Wake of COVID”

A

s the pandemic wears on and our communities continue to be affected disproportionately, it’s imperative that we look at how the pandemic has had a devastating impact on us economically. We are dying at a rate 2.53x higher than other groups and it is impacting us not just physically but financially as many in our communities remain underbanked. In the midst of it all, there is a rise of a cashless economy.

Because of the pandemic, the trend that aims to replace physical currency with credit and debit cards is rapidly spreading. In the name of greater efficiency and safety, businesses of all sectors have come to embrace it in recent years. However, what they and their customers too often fail to see are its innumerable harmful consequences, particularly for the poor, marginalized and oppressed.

The problem is that, while often presented as a quick and efficient way for customers to purchase goods, the cashless economy denies the ability of large swaths of Americans to buy what they want and where they want.

The reason is that millions of Americans–as much as 55 million, or 25 percent of households nationwide, according to FDIC estimates–are either under-banked or unbanked and thus simply do not have access to payment cards. Instead, they rely on cash.

The cashless economy shuts these people out from their local economies, denying their ability to purchase goods for themselves and their families simply because of how–and not whether–they can pay.

Disproportionately, the greatest burden falls on African American, Latino and immigrant communities, who suffer from some of the highest rates of financial exclusion and economic marginalization of all Americans. For these people, who I work with every day, the cashless system is little more than an unwritten form of discrimination and source of frustration. It prevents them from bringing their business to a wide variety of stores, including

restaurants, coffee shops, fast-food chains, department stores and more.

Unfortunately, this problem has only become more severe over the past year, as the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in and across our communities. The challenge is twofold: first, more businesses than ever before are choosing to go cashless thanks to unfounded rumors that cash will spread the virus, and second, more people in our communities are suffering greater financial hardship than at any point in generations. The result is bigger setbacks and deeper pain for more of our most disadvantaged residents, who have struggled immensely over this past year. What’s more, lawmakers in Washington are currently discussing putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill–a profound irony, as the very people who she worked to free and who this proposal is supposed to honor won’t have the freedom to use it.

For these marginalized Americans, the solution isn’t simply to expand access to traditional banking services.

It’s to guarantee their right to use the legal tender of this country, no matter where they want to spend their hard-

From the Editor

earned money.

With these challenges in mind, I am calling on Congress, and above all the California delegation, to spearhead this fight at the federal level. States and cities across the country have started to push back against this dangerous, discriminatory trend. However, now more than ever, the need to protect the right for all Americans to use cash–not just those who are lucky enough to live in a few select areas–is clear, present, and urgent.

Without bold legislative action from Washington, millions of the most disadvantaged Americans will fall prey to the cashless scheme–which is just another pushed by the big banks at the expense of working people.

This effort demands leadership. Right here in Los Angeles, we have the leader of the influential House Financial Services Committee — our Congressional representative Maxine Waters. Chairwoman Waters has the power to lead the charge on this critical issue.

We ask, that as her committee settles on an agenda and set of priorities for the current legislative session and this new congress, that they draft and pass legislation that enshrines the right for all Americans to use cash, no matter their city or state. This comprehensive, inclusive approach will ensure that no American gets left behind by the cashless economy.

The importance of this issue–and the millions of lives it affects and will continue to affect every day–cannot be overstated. Much more than politics, economic justice and basic civil rights are at stake. Without strong federal protections for cash, there may soon be a day when entire communities across the country are unable to visit certain businesses or participate in their local economies simply because of their socio-economic status. We simply cannot afford to take this risk, especially as the COVID19 pandemic continues to proliferate.

Rev. K.W. Tulloss is President of the Baptist Minister’s Conference of Southern California and senior pastor of the Weller Street Missionary Baptist Church.

LISA COLLINS Publisher

“Tall Timber Has Fallen”

L.A. Focus/March 2021

B

lack people need to learn to stand together not against anyone, but once and for all in our lives…to stand for us” ---Apostle Fred Price

Tall timber has fallen.

Apostle Frederick K.C. Price, the man who transformed the black church more than any other over the last six decades, has passed into glory.

Bishop T.D. Jakes recalled Price as “a man who stomped his foot, and the entire world shook!...And though he stomps no longer, the tremors remain as evidence he was here!”

Famed Pastor A.R. Bernard called him “a giant in the kingdom” and Creflo Dollar characterized him as “aweinspiring”.

“His vision was bigger than a building”, said Bishop Kenneth Ulmer. “His theology was bigger than a denomination. His faith was bigger than a season. He was a gift to Los Angeles. He was a gift to the Body of Christ.”

I remember the first time I saw Apostle Fred Price.

He wasn’t an apostle then and Crenshaw Christian Center hadn’t yet purchased the Faithdome. I had gone with my Aunt to the church and stood in line for what was about thirty minutes to get into his 8am service. As the line begin moving and people were being let in, I remember praying that we would make it in, because I did not want to sit in an overflow room, nor was I going to wait in line for the next service.

I remember thinking, ‘are we really going to all this trouble for a church service’ that would have been broadcast on local TV anyway. But I’d promised my Aunt that I would go and so there we were.

As we got to the door, I held my breath. The ushers were running out of seats and wanted to split people up in order to get them into the actual sanctuary, but split-

4

ting up wasn’t an option for me. The only reason I was there was to accompany my aunt and at that moment I thought of all the other churches we could go to where seating wouldn’t be a problem.

Fortunately, we caught a lucky break as a gentleman moved down a seat so that we could sit together.

For the next hour and a half, I was mesmerized by this preaching dynamo who spoke so boldly the word of God with his in-your-face, ‘don’t-you-see-I’m-talking-toyou’, confrontational style of teaching, challenging all who would listen to see what he saw so clearly–and to exercise the powerful faith principles he taught as he paced up and down the aisles, stopping to make his point in the face of whatever parishioner he was standing in front of, some of whom he knew by name.

For a moment, it became slightly uncomfortable.

We’d gotten good seats on an aisle and though I was getting a lot out of the sermon, I prayed he didn’t stop in front of me and put me on the spot, even if only for a moment.

While my experience that day was the last time I saw Fred Price preach in a formal Sunday setting, years later I would come to know Apostle Price and the Price family; of being in his company at numerous events; and had the privilege of interviewing him one on one on two occasions.

What struck me most about him was that his humility and at the same time, his unflinching candor. He was quick to say what he felt, what he studied and what he knew to be true.

I recall asking him what he envisioned when he set out to establish Crenshaw Christian Center–what his plan was.

“Actually, I didn't have one,” he responded “I guess I'm kind of different in that respect. I don't really make big plans in my own my mind for the future. I kind of just believe if I obey God and do what He has directed me to

do, I'll be happy and His will be done. How all of that will transpire, I just leave to Him." He was in public who he was in private.

“I do not have a façade,” he said. “I'm me wherever I am. I would hope other people would pick up on that and realize all you have to do is be you. You don't have to pretend. You don't have to try to be something you are not. Just be you. Let God anoint that and you will make a positive impression on people."

Like so many great men, Apostle Price never got all the credit he deserved for the unrivaled impact he made on the Black church and how it operates today, from his televangelism and his style of preaching to his community involvement, mega ministry and doors he opened with his success.

Most of all, he showed the Black church all it could ascend to, and for Price there was no limit.

“I'm a big dreamer in the sense that I always look for improvement and ascendancy. In other words, I always want to go up,” he told me in 1998. “I still think and see myself as climbing and I really can't tell you what the ultimate destination of this flight is. I just kind of let the captain of the plane do that and that's the Lord.”

That’s a lesson we could all stand to learn.

Keep the faith.

UpFront

News Briefs

Culture of Gangs & Violence Plague County Sheriffs violent gang of Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies who call themselves “The Banditos” have on victims to try and justify shootings of unarmed suspects, a deputy alleged in a recent CBS investigation.

“They operate as a gang. They commit crimes, they assault people,” the deputy said, adding that many of the recruits are looking to get a “shooting” as a way to gain initiation within the gang.

“If you get in a shooting, that’s a definite brownie point.”

The whistleblower, who remained anonymous for fear of reprisal, said the officers mostly consist of Latino deputies patroling Black and Latino neighborhoods in East L.A. John Sweeney–who won a $7 million lawsuit against L.A. County for the family of Donta Taylor, a 31-year-old Black man fatally shot by sheriff’s deputies in 2016–has been trying to raise the alarm on violent cliques in the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department for decades.

“These deputy gangs do exist. My goal was to expose it to the world,” Sweeney said. “And I knew that some decent people within the sheriff’s department would come forth and corroborate what I’ve been trying to prove for years.”

On Aug. 25, 2016, Samuel Aldama — one of the two deputies who shot at Taylor — were assigned to neighborhoods struggling with gangs when they encountered Taylor walking in an area controlled by the Cedar Bloc Pirus reportedly wearing attire commonly worn by those affiliated with the gang.

One of the deputies making the allegations against the Sheriff’s Department said the Banditos “do racially profile.”

Sweeney believes Taylor was killed in cold blood by the deputies that day.

During Taylor’s lawsuit, explained Sweeney, Austreberto Gonzalez, a former Marine and a sheriff’s deputy since 2007, confirmed allegations of a gang problem operating within the sheriff’s

A

Compton’s division.

“We later found out,” “that their name was the Executioners”, said Sweeney of the 10 to 20 deputies who controlled a patrol station in Compton through force threats and intimidation.

An FBI probe investigating members deputies assigned to the Sheriff’s East L.A. station said sources with knowledge of the matter told agents about deputies who brand themselves with matching tattoos of a skeleton outfitted with a sombrero, bandolier and pistol.

Aldama admitted under oath to having a tattoo depicting a skull with a rifle and a military-style helmet emerging from flames. The letters “CPT,” for Compton, were on the helmet, representing the station where Aldama worked.

Another whistleblower corroborated evidence gathered in the FBI probe that deputies affiliated with gangs identify themselves with a tattoo.

Still, despite numerous allegations of deputy gangs revealed in the CBS report and various investigations, Sheriff Alex Villanueva has repeatedly denied the extent of a gang problem within the departmen, but at the same time says he has zero tolerance for deputy gangs.

“Any employee who aligns with a clique or subgroup, which engages in any form of misconduct, will be held account-

L.A. Focus/March 2021

C

6

prison sentences be served in county jails; ●End mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent offenses; establishing that low-value theft without serious injury or use of a weapon are misdemeanors; ● Providing guidance for judges considering sentence enhancements; ● Limiting gang enhancements to the most dangerous offenses; ● Retroactively applying sentence enhancements previously repealed by the Legislature; ● Equalizing custody credits for people who committed the same offenses, regardless of where or when they are incarcerated; ● Clarifying parole suitability standards to focus on risk of future violent or serious offenses; ● Establishing judicial process for “second look” resentencing.

The recommendations address some of the most obvious problems the CRPC found and indicated that they were glar-

Staff

able. I do not want you joining these alleged cliques anymore,” Villanueva said in a video on the LASD’s website.

His comments drew sharp rebuffs from Attorney Carl Douglas, who said Villanueva is deliberately misleading the public about the troubling pattern within the L.A. County Sheriff’s and its welldocumented deputy gang problem.

“Anyone who denies the existence of gangs within the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, like Alex Villanueva, is presenting false information to the public for his own self-interest. He knows in his heart that gang culture is a serious problem,” Douglas said.

Recently elected Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, said his department takes any allegations of gangs within law enforcement seriously — a departure from his predecessor who failed to prosecute law enforcement officers in cases involving the use of force.

“If, in fact, we believe that there is criminal activity within the sheriff’s department then we will deal with it accordingly,” Gascón has stated.

But the president of the San Fernando Valley NAACP, James Thomas, a professor at Cal State L.A. and Clergy member for Black Lives Matter, said that while Gascón may mean well, he’s fighting an uphill battle.

“Gascón has done a lot since he took office. But these police associations and the D.A., , along with Trump’s America, have come together as a trifecta to do whatever they must to make sure that he can’t accomplish any of his goals”.

“Every day, police departments prove why they need to be defunded, because there’s no way you can reform this kind of ideology, no more than you could reform slavery,” Thomas continued. “The institution of slavery could not be reformed; it had to be abolished. And this institution of policing has to follow that same course”.

Nixing Prison Time for Certain Crimes Among Proposed Changes to State Penal Code alifornia’s Committee on Revision of the Penal Code (CRPC) released its first annual report last week.

The proposal included 10 recommendations that would significantly reform California’s criminal justice system — if they are adapted into law.

Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), the chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety, praised CRPC’s inaugural recommendations that, he says, “represent broad consensus among a wide array” of stakeholders, including law enforcement, crime victims, civil rights leaders, and individuals directly impacted by the legal system.

“In the past year, Californians have rallied for systemic criminal justice reform and have repeatedly rejected tough-on-crime measures at the ballot box,” added Bradford, who also chairs the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC). “As Chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety, I look forward to working with my colleagues and stakeholders on these recommendations.”

The recommendations are: ● Eliminating incarceration and reducing fines and fees for certain traffic offenses; requiring that short

STEPHEN ODUNTAN

ANTONIO RAY HARVEY CA Black Media

ingly widespread.

“The current system has deep racial inequity at its core,” the CRPC detailed in the 89-page report. “New data published for the first time in this report reveals that racial disparities may be even worse than many imagined.

The recommendations follow a year of studying California’s criminal punishments, with testimony from 56 expert witnesses, extensive public comment, staff research, and over 50 hours of public hearings and committee deliberation.

“We also sought out reforms that would have as broad an impact as possible with general consensus across interest groups, keeping in mind the goals of improving public safety and creating a more humane system,” the report stated.

The committee is also charged with advancing policies that reduce unnecessary incarceration.

“California must be a leader in criminal justice reform that will keep our communities safe and address the impacts that mass incarceration and ineffective policing have taken on poor communities of color,” Bradford stated.

The recommendations also line up with two potentially game-changing Penal Code continued to page 34

Life Expectancy of Black Males Drops by 2.3 Years Thanks to COVID-19 Pandemic A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp drop in the country’s life expectancy.

For the first time since WII, when life expectancy fell by 2.9 years, the U.S life expectancy slumped by a full year.

In 2019, Americans could expect to live an average of 28.8 years. As the United States continues to surpass 500,000 deaths, Americans are expected to live 77.8 years. However, the pandemic’s full impact won’t be seen until later, as the CDC analyzed mortality data from just the first six months of 2020.

The NCHS also believes overdose deaths contributed to the drops, thanks to an ongoing drug addiction crisis across the country.

"If you'll recall, in recent pre-pandemic years, there were slight drops in life expectancy due in part to the rise in overdose deaths," explained NCHC spokesperson Jeff Lancashire according to NPR. "So they are likely contributing here as well but we don't know to what degree. COVID19 is responsible for an estimated 2/3 of all excess deaths in 2020, and excess deaths are driving the decline."

Black males suffered the harshest decline with a drop of three years in life expectancy.

Hispanic males similarly saw a decline of 2.4 years. Black females’ life expectancy fell 2.3 years. The disproportionate impact was also seen in the rates of COVID deaths. According to one report, Black people are dying from coronavirus at 3.4 times the rate of white people.

“I knew it was going to be large, but when I saw those numbers, I was like, ‘Oh my God,’” said Elizabeth Arias, lead author of the report.

The drop will likely rebound quickly. The 1918 pandemic similarly caused a significant decline in life expectancy, dropping by 11.8 years from 1917 to 1918 as hundreds of thousands of Americans died from the flu.

That number rebounded in 1919.

California Bill Would Require State to Contract More With Black Businesses Last week, Assemblymember David Chiu (DSan Francisco) introduced the Economic Equity First Act of 2021, also known as Assembly Bill 915. The legislation is proposing measures to ensure fair opportunities for minority-owned small businesses in state contracting and procurement.

Under AB 915, all state agencies, departments, boards, and commissions would be mandated to achieve a minimum goal of 25% participation for minority businesses, which include Black-owned, women-owned and disabled veteran-owned firms in state procurement and contracts.

“Our small businesses, particularly minority-owned small businesses, have been hit especially hard by the pandemic,” said Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco). “This bill uses the state’s enormous purchasing power to help uplift our small businesses when they need it most.”

The legislation is based on the recognition that small businesses makeup 99.8% of all California private sector companies, and they make a significant contribution to the economy, accounting for 7 million employees across the State. Black businesses in California hire nearly 82,000 employees.

According to a June 2020 report by ZIPPIA, titled the “Most Supportive States for Black Businesses,” California ranked fourth.

UpFront Kimberlee Isaacs Fights to Become Redondo Beach’s first Black School Board Member

T

his is where surf, sand and sun all shape its identity. This is Redondo Beach, the part of California where homebuyers looking for properties within walking distance of the ocean should expect to pay upwards of $1 million.

The coastal city that is home to some of the finest distinguished schools in the country has been represented by a string of four-year term elected board members for decades.

But none of them was Black.

Kimberlee Isaacs thinks she has a shot at changing that this year and increasing diversity in the Redondo Beach Unified School District is one of her most important issues.

“The reason I am running is that there has not been a Black person on the Redondo Beach School Board, and my goal is to represent the children of all races.

Especially the children who don’t feel like they’re being heard or represented in the curriculum,” said Isaacs, who has one son at Redondo Union High.

Isaacs believes that expanding the school curriculum to include various perspectives allows educators to discuss views and ideas underrepresented and provide students with a more holistic understanding of the coursework.

The accountant and Durham, North Carolina native, moved to Redondo Beach to be in a better school district for the high school grades. She created a Diversity Committee at City Charter Middle School dedicated to educating students about different ethnicities and the LGBTQ commu-

nity and currently serves on the RBUSD Race and Equity Committee. She believes it’s vital that the school board represents the district and that just having one person of color on the board could make a huge difference for students of color in the district where issues of race and gender can be appropriately examined.

“Kimberlee is somebody who really wants to make a difference for positive changes on the Redondo Beach School Board,” said Trish Vasquez Valdez of the South Bay Equity Project. “I know that, and I feel that because of the time that we have spent working together. Her heart is truly about the safety of the students and equity and anti-racism, which are the kind of values I support too.”

But as Isaacs’s message may resonate with some voters and friends, she has also seen yard signs supporting her candidacy vandalized by those with opposing viewpoints. Recently, a campaign sign in north Redondo Beach was defaced.

In an email, an unidentified Redondo Beach resident sent an open letter to other residents informing the group that “there are a lot of concerned Redondo Beach voters who believe that some of Mrs Isaacs online views are abhorrent, and certainly have no place on the Redondo Beach School Board.”

Isaacs says her comments were taken out of context.

“I was having a conversation on social media with a Black female friend who understands the Black experience. Not everybody has the same feeling when they

see the American flag,” Isaacs explained.

“My people were enslaved, so not everyone in this country feels the same way about Independence Day. There are a lot of Black Americans who are more interested in celebrating Juneteenth.”

Isaacs said her perspective about the American flag is based on a deep understanding of racial inequities.

“This RBUSD election is a perfect example of being targeted, and it’s part of the trauma we as Black people experience every day. It’s violent and threatening when someone cuts out your face out off a lawn sign. It has me worried about my family,” Isaacs said.

Still, Isaacs has soldiered on with determination.

In advance of the March 2nd election, she and a small group of her supporters set out from the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center to knock on doors in the neighborhood. Each canvasser was armed with a stack of campaign flyers in hand encouraging registered voters to vote for Isaacs for the district school board.

District 3 Redondo Beach City Councilmember Christian Horvath, who has thrown his support behind Isaacs’s campaign, told L.A. Focus that her voice and experience is lacking at the Redondo Beach School Board. “[Isaacs’s] lived experience, and her perspective is one that we need to have on local, state and federal levels of government for us to move beyond some of the issues we continue to see on a day to day basis around the country”, he said.

STEPHEN ODUNTAN Staff

Asked how realistic Isaacs’s chances were of winning the election given some of the hostility she has faced by some Redondo Beach residents, Horvath said: “Take out the fact that she is an AfricanAmerican woman; if her message for what she wants to bring to the position is resonating with the residence, then I think she stands just as good as a chance as any of the other seven candidates.”

HeadToHead The Case For and Against Reparations

F

or nearly three decades, my African Americans have had to, The Government former colleague Rep. John in the words of President Must Take A Conyers would introduce Obama, “work twice as hard as Lead Role in the HR40, legislation to establish a anyone else if you want to get Conversation commission to study and develop by.” Black America’s unemploySurrounding reparation proposals. Though ment rate is more than twice Reparations many thought it a lost cause, he that of white America’s. Black believed a day would come when our families have just one-sixteenth of the nation would need to account for the bru- wealth of white families. tal mistreatment of African Americans Nearly one million Black people – during chattel slavery, Jim Crow segrega- mostly young men – tion, and the enduring structural racism are incarcerated endemic to our society. With the rise and across the country. normalization of white supremacist Though remote in expression during the Trump administra- time from the period tion, the discussion of H.R. 40 and the con- of enslavement, these cept of restorative justice have gained racial disparities in more urgency, garnering the attention of access to education, mainstream commentators and illustrat- health care, housing, ing the need for a national reckoning. insurance, employ- Sheila JacksonLee Slavery is America’s original sin, and ment, and other social this country has yet to atone for the atroc- goods are directly ities visited upon generations of enslaved attributable to the damaging legacy of Africans and their descendants. H.R. 40 is slavery and racial discrimination. intended to create the framework for a Though the federal government has national discussion on the enduring been slow to engage on the issue of reparaimpact of slavery and its complex legacy to tions, individuals, corporations, and other begin that necessary process of atonement. public institutions have engaged the disThe designation of this legislation as cussion out of both necessity and conH.R. 40 is intended to memorialize the science. In 1994, a group of California promise made by Gen. William T. plaintiffs brought suit against the federal Sherman, in 1865 to redistribute 400,000 government, and by 2002, nine lawsuits acres of formerly Confederate-owned were filed around the country by the coastal land in South Carolina and Restitution Study Group. Though litigaFlorida, subdivided into 40-acre plots. In tion has yielded only mixed success in addition to the more well-known land court, a serious foundation was laid for redistribution, the order also established alternative forms of restitution. For examautonomous governance for the region and ple, in 2005, J.P. Morgan & Company tried provided for protection by military author- to make amends for its role in the slave ities of the settlements. Though Southern trade with an apology and a $5 million, sympathizer and former slaveholder five-year scholarship fund for Black underPresident Andrew Johnson would later graduates in Louisiana. overturn the order, this plan represented In 2003, Brown University created the the first systematic form of freedmen repa- Committee on Slavery and Justice to rations. assess the university’s role in slavery and With the withdrawal of Union troops determine a response. Similarly, in 2016, from the South in 1877, the promise of Georgetown University apologized for its Reconstruction proved short-lived, and historical links to slavery and said it would over the next century and a half, the Black give an admissions edge to descendants of Codes would morph into Jim Crow segre- slaves whose sale in the 19th century gation and federal redlining and the war helped pay off the school’s debts. on drugs and mass incarceration and Even conservative voices, like that of New racism in policing and underfunded York Times columnist David Brooks, are schools – injuries not confined solely to starting to give the reparations cause the the South. These historical injustices con- hearing it deserves, observing that: nect through a web of government policies “Reparations are a drastic policy and hard that have ensured that the majority of Sheila Jackson Lee continued to page 34

Headlines From Africa Benin: The West African nation's constitutional court has announced that Benin President Patrice Talon will face two challengers— Alassane Soumanou and Corentin Kohoue— in the upcoming presidential election in April.

Botswana: The Botswana Innovation Hub has launched a funding program to support innovations that can accelerate progress towards achieving national development priorities and economic transformation.

Congo: U.S.-based production company Congo Rising is prepping a film on the life of the Congolese leader, Patrice Lumumba. Dubbed by Malcolm X as “the greatest Black man to ever walk on the African continent,” Lumumba was assassinated in 1961. Congo Rising’s mission is to rebuild the Congo film industry and bring U.S. filmmakers to the nation to teach students.

L.A. Focus/March 2021

Eritrea: Amnesty International is reporting that "hundreds" of people were killed by Eritrean troops in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region last November in what was one of the region’s deadliest massacres.

Last month, the US called on Eritrean troops to withdraw from Tigray.

Ethiopia: Ethiopian officials and allied militia fighters are leading a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing in Tigray, the war-torn region in northern Ethiopia, with who villages severely damaged or completely erased according to UN and Amnesty International reports.

Ghana: Sustained attacks from politicians, church leaders and media figures against the LGBTQ community in Ghana have spread across the country and serve to incite violence against the LGBTQ community with many looking for safe spaces to lay low amidst the dangers.

8

Liberia: Campaigns to increase women’s representation in political representation to 30 percent are picking

L

ast month, I testified In 2007, the year before he was The Case Against before the House elected president, Obama spoke at Reparations, Committee on the a Black church on the anniversary Part 1 Judiciary's Subcommittee on of Bloody Sunday. He said: "The the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil previous generation, the Moses generation Liberties regarding H.R. 40: Examining (the generation of Martin Luther King Jr.), the Path to Reparative Justice in America. pointed the way. They took us 90% of the In other words, reparations. This is the way there, but we still got that 10% in first part of the statement I submitted: order to cross over to the other side."

"Reparations is the extraction of money I thought that 10% remaining "to cross from people who were over to the other side" was a fair assessnever slave owners to ment. After all, a 2002 Fox News/Opinion be given to people who Dynamics poll found that 8% of Americans were never slaves." believed that Elvis Presley was still alive It is also inter- – or that at least there was "a chance." So, esting that we are as to Obama's 10% remaining, I'm not sure having this hearing at how much more wiggle room we have left a time when racism as before running into the Elvis factor. a barrier to success The reparations argument is based, in Larry Elder has never been so part, on the belief that but for slavery, insignificant. In 1991, Black Democrat and America would not have become the prosHarvard sociologist Orlando Patterson perous nation it is today. said: "The sociological truths are that To the contrary, conservative scholar America, while still flawed in its race rela- Michael Medved notes: tions and its stubborn refusal to institute a "It's not true that the U.S. became a rational, universal welfare system, is now wealthy nation through the abuse of slave the least racist white-majority society in labor: The most prosperous states in the the world; has a better record of legal pro- country were those that first freed their tection of minorities than any other socie- slaves. ... ty, white or Black; offers more opportuni"At the time of the Constitution, ties to a greater number of Black persons Virginia constituted the most populous and than any other society, including all those wealthiest state in the Union, but by the of Africa." time of the War Between the States the In 1997, Time/CNN did a broad survey Old Dominion had fallen far behind a halfof Black and white teens. Asked whether dozen northern states that had outlawed racism is a major problem in America, both slavery two generations earlier." said yes. But, when Black teens were About the difference in wealth between asked whether racism was a big problem, the North and the South, Frederick small problem or no problem in their own Douglass, after escaping from a plantation daily lives, 89% said small or no problem. in Maryland to freedom in Massachusetts, In fact, nearly twice as many Black teens, wrote: "But the most astonishing as well as compared to white teens, agreed that "fail- the most interesting thing to me was the ure to take advantage of available opportu- condition of the colored people, a great nities" was a bigger problem than racism. many of whom, like myself, had escaped During the 2008 race for the presidency, thither as a refuge from the hunters of the major contenders were Democrats men. I found many, who had not been Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton; and seven years out of their chains, living in Republicans Mitt Romney, a Mormon, and finer houses, and evidently enjoying more Sen. John McCain, who would have been of the comforts of life, than the average of 72 by the time he entered office, if elected. slaveholders in Maryland…"

A 2007 Gallup poll found fewer Americans Larry Elder is a bestselling author and would refuse to vote for a Black person nationally syndicated radio talk show host.

(5%); than would refuse to vote for a His latest book, "The New Trump woman (11%); than would refuse to vote for Standard," is available now. To find out a Mormon (24%); than would refuse to vote more about Larry Elder, visit for someone who would be 72 upon enter- www.LarryElder.com. ing office (42%).

A look at current news from the continent of Africa up steam again in the country with key officials promising to support the Women Legislative Caucus.

Malawi: Teachers in Malawi's public schools are staging a sit-in strike, demanding bonus pay for working during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as better protective equipment.

Nigeria: Gunmen raided a boarding school in northwestern Nigeria last month and kidnapped more than 300 girls, in what was the third mass abduction of children since December. Reports are that criminal gangs known as “bandits” are increasingly seizing groups for ransom prompting some Nigerians to call for a national state of emergency.

Rwanda: A judge ruled that the trial of the man who inspired “Hotel Rwanda”— Paul Rusesabagina— can be held in Rwanda. Rusesabagina faces nine charges including the formation of an irregular armed group; financing terrorism; and murder, abduction and armed robbery.

If convicted, he faces over 20 years in prison. His family claims he has no chance at a fair trial because of his outspoken criticism of Rwandan President Paul Kagame and fear for his health.

South Africa: A statistics agency has reported that South Africa's unemployment rate jumped to a record high in the fourth quarter of last year to 32.5% in the October-December quarter, with 7.2 million people reported as unemployed.

Sudan: World Bank President David Malpass said he was optimistic that Sudan’s exchange-rate stabilization and reforms would lead to broad-based growth and poverty reduction.

Uganda: The U.S. has called for "independent, impartial and thorough" investigations into alleged irregularities in Uganda's January 14 presidential elections. Washington officials also want members of state security services probed for alleged abuses against opposition candidates and civil society.

Money Matters Billions in New COVID Relief: From $600 Stimulus Checks to Black-Run Vaccine Sites

L

ast month, Gov. Newsom visited Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood, a predominantly Black congregation that serves its local community with a number of outreach ministries. The church is hosting a mobile COVID-19 vaccination site.

“We’re not doing enough. We need to do significantly more programs like this,” said Gov. Newsom at the Faithful Central Bible Church. “We’ve got to get people back to work. We’ve got to get people back into church.” The California Department of Public Health also announced Sunday it has administered 7.3 million COVID-19 vaccines.

Last week, Gov. Newsom announced several steps the state is taking to provide much-needed financial relief to people in the state who are facing financial hardships due to the pandemic.

California residents from households with income below $30,000 will receive a one-time $600 stimulus check to reduce economic hardships related to the pandemic, the governor’s office says. According to Newsom, the state reached a federal deal worth $9.5 billion for COVID-19 relief funds. The money is expected to help individuals and families, college students, as well as local business owners. More than $2 billion will be allocated to small businesses impacted by the pandemic, including funding for the tax-deductible Paycheck Protection Plan.

The federal funds also include over $400 million for critical childcare resources. The state allotted $100 million in emergency relief funds to support community colleges.

An additional $6 million will support college supplemental food programs.

Gov. Newsom said support from lawmakers to provide relief funds is what Californians need after nearly a year of attempting to fight the pandemic and recover.

“These actions are critical for millions of Californians who embody the resilience of the California spirit,” he said.

Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), California Senate President pro Tempore, said the emergency relief funds echo the state’s long-term plans to promote equity for communities most affected by the pandemic.

“People are having a hard time making ends meet,”

BO TEFU Calif. Black Media

Atkins said. “People are hungry and hurting, and businesses our communities have loved for decades are at risk of closing their doors. We are at a critical moment, and I’m proud we were able to come together to get Californians some needed relief.”

Racial Equity, Vaccinations and Overcoming COVID-19 California and the Biden-Harris Administration opened two new community-based vaccination sites in Oakland and Los Angeles, among the first in the nation, as part of a larger initiative to promote equity in areas across the country where Black and Brown people live.

The pilot sites co-run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the state of California and the Department of Defense administered vaccinations to residents Tuesday morning at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum and California State University Los Angeles.

Bob Fenton, acting FEMA Administrator said, “these sites demonstrate how we can provide more opportunities for vaccination to the hardest hit communities and ensure everyone who wants a vaccine can get one.”

Gen. Glen VanHerck, Commander of U.S. Northern Command, said military medical providers have supported various hospitals across California.

"Defense Secretary Austin has made clear we must move further and faster to eradicate the devastating effects of the coronavirus," said VanHerck.

The governor's office also partnered with more than 100 community organizations, “to safely, swiftly, and equitably vaccinate all Californians,” said state officials.

The state awarded an additional $17.3 million to various community-based organizations for outreach and efforts to alleviate racial disparities in the healthcare system.

The selected organizations offer a variety of critical services, resources, and information to help communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The community-based organizations cater to diverse populations, including African Americans and other minorities, LGBTQ individuals, as well as faith-based groups.

Gov. Newsom said systemic inequalities in the government and healthcare systems have put many Californians at a higher risk of COVID-19. The state plans to use the

On the Money Kim Kardashian Files for Divorce— Sizing Up the Marital Assets

T

he year seven wasn’t so lucky for Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. Kardashian filed for divorce last month marking an end to what appears to have been a tumultuous ride for the superstar couple with three children, a net worth upwards of $2 billion and plenty of assets to split in a divorce that reportedly has been a long time coming.

In terms of money, no one need shed any tears for either one of them. West is worth an estimated $1.3 billion. (Remember his angst when Jay-Z was officially declared hip hop’s first billionaire), thanks mostly to his Yeezy shoe brand (priced at upwards of $200 a pair) which Forbes has valued at $1.26 billion.

Kardashian is said to be worth in the neighborhood of $780 million. The 72% stake she owns in her own namesake cosmetics brand, KKW Beauty is worth around $500 million. That doesn’t include the $200 million she earned when she sold 20% of her company for a cool $200 million just last year.

It also doesn’t include the millions she’s earned starring in Keeping Up With The Kardashians–with a reported salary of $4.5 million per season, or the monies she makes from her appearances, her mobile app revenues, and her social media (where earnings range from a minimum of $300,000 to $500,000 per post).

Assets, however, might be where things get a little sticky. The jet setting couple owns homes in Calabasas, Miami and two ranches in Wyoming (though it’s unlikely that Kardashian would leave L.A.); at least $5 million in art; $4 million in vehicles, and only God knows how what else.

One thing is for sure, their lawyers will have the most to gain.

Kim and Kanye will be just fine.

Billions continued to page 34

Biz News Briefs

L.A. Focus/March 2021

Rosalind Brewer To Become Only Black Woman Running Fortune 500 Company

Walgreens has announced its new CEO after Stefano Pessina announced his departure from the company in July.

Rosalind “Roz” Brewer, currently Chief Operating Officer at Starbucks, will take the helm at Walgreen on March 15, becoming the only Black woman presently in charge of a Fortune 500 company.

She will become the third Black woman in history to do so.

"I am excited to work alongside the entire [Walgreens Boots Alliance] team as we deliver further innovation and positively impact the lives of millions of people around the world every day," said Brewer in a statement announcing her new position. "This is especially true today as the company plays a crucial role in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic."

Brewer has experience as a trailblazer. She joined Starbucks’ board in 2017 and became the first Black woman to be COO of Starbucks later that year. Before that, she was the CEO of Sam’s Club, owned by Walmart, for five years.

Brewer has been candid about her experience as one of the few high-ranking Black women executives.

10

“If there is a place where bias doesn’t exist, I have not found it,” she said during her 2019 commencement address to Spelman College graduates.

“When you’re a Black woman, you get mistaken a lot,” she added during the speech. “You get mistaken as someone who could actually not have that top job. Sometimes you’re mistaken for kitchen help. Sometimes people assume you’re in the wrong place, and all I can think in the back of my head is, ‘No, you’re in the wrong place.’”

Broadway Federal to Receive Equity Investment from Wells Fargo Last month, Wells Fargo announced that Broadway Federal was one of six Black-owned banks that it would be making equity investments in as part of its pledge to invest up to $60 million in Black-owned banks. As part of the capital investment, the banks will have access to a dedicated Wells Fargo relationship team that will provide financial, technological, and product development expertise in order to help each institution grow and benefit their local community. In the ongoing pandemic, communities of color have been disproportionately impacted, and this investment is part of Wells Fargo’s effort to generate a more inclusive recovery across the country.

“These investments are designed to help the banks become stronger and more impactful to the minority communities they serve, which leads to economic revitalization and job opportunities,” said Bill Daley, vice chairman of Public Affairs at Wells Fargo. “So many communities have suffered over the past year. MDIs need capital, but

they can also benefit from access to other resources, and Wells Fargo is committed to building lasting, strategic relationships with these institutions in support of their goals.”

In August, Broadway Federal is set to merge with Washington, D.C.-based City First Bank in a deal that will create the nation’s largest Black run bank with assets of nearly $1 billion. Broadway will keep its name and its shareholders will own 52.5% of the company. The bank will maintain its status as a community development financial institution, requiring it to make at least 60% of its loans in low- and moderate-income communities.

Daymond John Teams With Lowe’s for Virtual Pitch Program Lowe’s has teamed up with Shark Tank star Daymond John in the creation of its first virtual pitch program, “Making It …With Lowe’s”. Over 1300 signed up for the launch of the campaign which will offer diverse entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their products to the home improvement company.

The program is part of an initiative to lift emerging businesses across the country while uncovering unique products. During the course of the program, over 400 new products were evaluated for sale by the retailer. In addition getting their products into Lowe’s stores or on Lowes.com, winners receive a marketing support package and small business grants. For more information, visit Lowes.com/MakingItWithLowes.

Baptist Minister’s Conference

of Los Angeles & Southern California

APOSTLE

FREDERICK K.C. PRICE GAMECHANGER TRAILBLAZER VISIONARY TRUTHTELLER DISCIPLE THE BAPTIST MNISTERS CONFERENCE IS THANKFUL FOR HAVING HAD THE CHANCE TO WITNESS HOW APOSTLE FREDERICK K.C. PRICE CHANGED THE GAME FOR ALL OF US. HE WAS A TRUE MAN OF FAITH AND THE EVIDENCE OF THAT IS MANIFESTED IN ALL THAT HE LEAVES BEHIND AS HE STEPS INTO GLORY. WE WERE NOT JUST WITNESSES TO HIS TRUTH, BUT BENEFICIARIES OF IT. HE WAS A GIANT IN THE KINGDOM AND WE WILL NEVER FORGET. —-PASTOR K.W. TULLOSS PRESIDENT

GameChanger: “Dana M. White”

I

L.A. Focus/March 2021

n her career of just over 20 years Chief Communications Officer for Hyundai Motor North America, Dana W. White, has seemingly done just about everything. Along with being the first black person to ever head the communications department of a major automaker, White has worked under Presidents and four-star generals, advised CEOs and political candidates on foreign policy, crafted the communication strategies for major corporations, managed U.S. relations with foreign countries, ran her own communications consulting firm, and worked for a major newspaper and television news outlet-- just to name a few. But according to the hard working and detail oriented White, what she does is simple-- she’s a storyteller.

“I love stories,” White tells L.A. Focus. “I feel really suited for communications because I love stories.”

Fluent in Mandarin Chinese and specializing in East Asian culture and policy, White uses her public relations and communication skills to synthesize and communicate messages that progress her organization's mission. Over the years she has worked her way to being the go-to person in Washington D.C. and in the corporate world when it comes to east Asian affairs.

White, whose family ran the black-owned local newspaper, The Charlottesville-Albemarle Tribune, in her hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia, began her pursuit in east Asian affairs largely as a bet on future job security. In high school, White saw Japan booming and China with a quiet empire of over a billion people and figured that part of the world would be increasingly important.

She went on to study East Asian Languages and Civilizations and was afforded the opportunity to study abroad in Korea upon graduation before moving to D.C.-without any prospects of finding a job.

In fact, she was down to the last four dollars when she was waiting for a train at the metro station one day and recognized a Congressman who was also waiting on the platform. Figuring she had nothing to lose, she

12

I always tell women and people of color, people aren’t thinking about you as much as you think they are,” says White. “People are thinking about themselves and if you can solve their problems it’s amazing how fast they’ll forget you’re a woman or you're black.

“

KEITH DELAWDER Contributor

approached the lawmaker and impressed him enough for him to take her under his wing and help her find work.

She ended up landing a position as the Deputy Press Secretary for the House Republican Conference which jump-started her career in D.C. and beyond.

White is a self-declared republican who would go on to be an appointee under two republican presidents. Her beliefs stem from her family having come from the south where historically the Democratic party was the party of segregation, Jim Crow, and big government. She also values the principals of independence and self-reliance that have been the cornerstone of GOP values.

“The republican party has always appealed to me from the standpoint that it believes and invests in the individual, and gives the individual the benefit of the doubt,” says White. “For me, I’ve always had a healthy skepticism of the government from the influence of my parents and grandparents who were all entrepreneurs. My grandfather always used to say, ‘I don’t need your help up, I just need your foot off my neck!’. I believe in the boundless potential America offers if you just get out of my way.

And the Republican Party is the party that believes in stepping aside and letting Americans have the freedom to determine their own destiny. Especially since the government is an entity I pay for. I don’t prefer to have them feel empowered to dictate what I can and can’t do. The government works for me not the other way around.”

After her time with the House Republican Conference, she then moved over to FOX News Channel as a publicist for FOX News Sunday where she promoted FOX’s coverage of the historic year 2000 election. White next began a two-and-a-half-year stint at the Heritage Foundation working at the Director of the Roundtable for Asia-Pacific Press where she was an in-between for journalists from east Asian news outlets and lawmakers.

During her time at The Heritage Foundation, White was able to make a valuable ally in Virginia Thomas, wife Gamechanger continued to page 35

People L.A. Focus & Union Bank Team For The First Ladies “We Got Your Back” Townhall Series In partnership with Union Bank, LA Focus Charities is launching the virtual “We Got Your Back” townhall series on March 12. The series of six town halls will focus on sharing vital information for women attempting to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged Americans in all sectors in ways that grow increasingly more difficult every day, particularly for African Americans who are disproportionately affected,” said Lisa Collins of L.A Focus Charities. “The Black Church, in particular, exercises a vital function within the communities they serve and the pastors’ wives (“first ladies”) wield a great deal of clout and influence within those communities. It is only fitting that we bring the black faith community together with its more popular first ladies to discuss critical issues during this COVID crisis.”

“Union Bank takes a critical role in keeping their local economies vibrant through the investment of local dollars back into the community to ensure growth. The COVID-19 economic downturn has challenged all of us, particularly the African-American community, hard.

Our partnership with L.A. Focus and the First Ladies “We Got Your Back” Townhall Series will help educate and empower women of color to take control of their financial future and navigate what has been a difficult season for so many,” added Frank Robinson of Diverse Markets & Community-Based Programs Executive.

Serving as spokesperson for the townhall series is Erica Campbell of Mary Mary fame. Campbell–who serves as first lady of the California Worship Center– will play an active role and will take the lead on a panel exploring the impact COVID has had on Gen Z and why now is the time to set financial goals.

“I’m glad to be a part of The First Ladies “We Got Your Back” Townhall series. It is an honor to be partnered with LA Focus magazine and Union Bank to

increase financial literacy and financial freedom in our communities,” said Erica Campbell.

The series kicks off on March 12–hosted by Myesha Chaney, author, entrepreneur, and first lady of Antioch Church of Long Beach– will focus on “Rethinking Small Business and Stepping Up Your Side Hustle. Guest panelists include actress/entrepreneur Wendy Raquel Robinson.

“The pandemic might have stopped many things, but it has not hindered our creative ability to think outside of the box. Small business owners have a great opportunity to tap into unfulfilled potential and step up their side hustle. There is no moment greater to have relevant discussions about how the small business landscape is changing and what we can do to thrive in the midst of it,” said Chaney.

Later this month on March 25, First Lady Shalonda Crawford will host the second town hall, “When Storms Collide: Financial Hardships and Your Mental Health.”

"Minding your mental health is minding your business! Staying in the know is your responsibility. Facts matter,” emphasized Crawford.

Other topics include youth struggling with the pandemic, credit tune ups, COVID assistance, resources available to purchase a home and financially equipping women to escape abusive situations.

L.A Focus Charities has a history of outreach efforts and events, such as the Annual First Ladies High Tea. "L.A. Focus was the first to recognize the power and influence of first ladies with the establishment of our First Ladies High Tea in 1998. This townhall series represents an opportunity to build on all we've done with first ladies and to highlight their vast influence and how they are changing lives in more ways than we know. We are so very happy to join with Union Bank in this effort to shine a light on how financial

empowerment is so very critical at this moment in time,” explained Collins.

The virtual series is set to continue through May, with updates provided monthly on www.lafocusnewspaper.com. The event is free. Those who want to participate in the question and answer forums, can register on Eventbrite. For more information on the town hall series, call (310) 677-6011.

Dr. Frederick K.C. Price A Personal Reflection

One of the most influential giants in my life was Apostle Frederick K. C. Price. Thirty eight years ago, I was waiting on the football game to come on & popping up on the screen was this sharp brother rocking a big Afro. For the first time I heard a pastor telling the truth. At the time I was broke, my wife was very ill and we had two small kids. But what I heard was a message of hope. That I did not have to be a victim. That with faith I could do all things through Christ. My wife & I made the decision to attend his church.

We’d often sit on the back row & were sponges soaking up the Prophet’s teaching. I applied those principals to my life & my wife and I never looked back.

What I know for sure was that he lived what he taught. There was no truer man of integrity. Over the years I had a chance to get to know this prophet personally. I remember having communion in the Garden of Getshsemane as he ministered...and having lunch on the Sea of Galilee with the Apostle preaching while we ate fish as if Jesus was feeding us and how kind he always was to me.

When I was sick with cancer, Dr. Betty would call & pray with me. I knew the Apostle had my back. As he transitioned to the heavens, I can only say how blessed I am for God to have allowed him to be my teacher.

—Bob & Roslyn Blake

“I join with countless others in honoring the life of Dr. Frederick K. C. Price. His wise counsel was always a treasure. I celebrate the MAN, definitely sent by God; his Mission, designed by God; his ministry ordered by God; and his methods, blessed by God. He shall die no more; his hardships have been redressed!”

—Quaford Coleman

HO L LY W OOD SPOT LIGHT with Mario SIngleton The United States Vs. Billie Holiday is the latest original film from Hulu. The story of the FBI’s undercover sting operation against legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday was produced and directed by Lee Daniels. The screenplay was penned by Pulitzer prize winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks who based the movie on Johann Hari’s bestselling book Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs which features a chapter on the federal agents who targeted the singer.

The movie stars the talented singer Andra Day who delivers a remarkable performance in her acting debut as the late jazz songstress.

Andra Day won a golden globe award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama for her portrayal of Billie Holiday which was a welldeserved honor. Her win makes her just the second Black woman to win the award following in the footsteps of Whoopi Goldberg who became the first Black actress to do so back in 1986.

The film focuses on the latter part of Holiday’s career up until her death in 1959 and the FBI’s relentless pursuit of the Jazz singer during that time period. The storyline centers around the

political uproar that was caused by the singer’s most famous song, “Strange Fruit.” An anti-racism song that vividly depicts a horrible lynching. The governments war on drugs was touted as the FBI’s motivation behind their quest to take Billie Holiday down, but in actuality it was the threat of exposing America’s ugly truth hidden in its racist

policies of the time. The song became a battle cry for many Black people during that time and has been called one of the catalysts of the civil rights movement.

While the movie is not considered a biopic, it does cover many real moments throughout Holiday’s career that helped shape her legacy.

From being rushed off the stage by the police to her tumultuous relationship with her manager/husband and her long battle with drug addiction, this film does not sugar coat any of her experiences. You get a real sense for how Billie Holiday was negatively impacted by some of the people who were closest to her, the system and by her heavy drug use.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a film about the troubled jazz singer. Back in 1972 Diana Ross played Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues along side Billy Dee Williams. While the United States vs Billie Holiday takes a different approach to telling the late jazz singer’s story, it too provides an award-winning performance for yet another soul singer as Andra Day’s star shines brightly in this film.

OUT THIS MONTH

HOLLYWOOD BUZZ

Coming 2 America March 5 Oscar Buzz for Andra Day

L.A. Focus/March 2021

Electrifying.

Brilliant.

Oscarworthy. Just some of the acclaim Andra Day is receiving for her masterful portrayal of Billie Holiday in Lee Daniels “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”, which was released on Hulu last month. For her part, Day received a Golden Globe “Best Actress — Motion Picture Drama” , becoming the first black actress to win the category in 35 years.”

Pretty remarkable for an acting debut with awards season just getting underway and talk of a possible Oscar nomination in the air. Day, who lost 40 pounds and took up drinking and smoking to take on Holiday’s persona, says she cried upon getting the nomination. “I think I was just crying because this movie and this role has had me in a lot of really sort of unstable, emotional places.” The actress–born Cassandra Monique Batie, who changed her surname to Day in homage to Billie “Lady Day” Holiday has said that there’s still a lot she is working through after having played the complicated jazz icon.

What is clear is that this is not the last of her we will see onscreen, even if for the moment she is concentrating on the release of the film’s soundtrack. Meanwhile, Lee Daniels has a full slate of projects in the works including TV adaptations of The

14

Dutch March 12

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent March 19

Spook Who Sat by the Door and Waiting to Exhale, a reboot of “The Wonder Years” and a remake of the 1983 film, Terms of Endearment with Oprah Winfrey.

Michael B. Jordan As Superman?

The next onscreen incarnation of Superman will reportedly be Black and the frontrunner is rumored to be Michael B. Jordan. That’s as news of a reboot of the film being produced by JJ Abrams hit social media. Word is Warner Bros. and DC Films intend to introduce a Black Superman…In other casting news, Winston Duke (Black Panther, Us) is set to star as famed Black nationalist Marcus Garvey in Marked Man, inspired in part by the book, “Negro With A Hat: The Rise and Fall of Marcus Garvey”. Set in the 1920s, Marked Man follows a young black man who joins J. Edgar Hoover’s Federal Bureau of Investigation and then infiltrates Garvey’s UNIA organization, testing his loyalty to both race and country as he grows weary of both men’s actions.

Jesse Williams and DeWanda Wise are also in talks to star.

Mike Tyson Fires Back At Hulu Mike Tyson is not happy with Hulu these days. He didn’t take to kindly to the on-demand streaming service’s an-nouncement of an eight-episode series exploring Tyson’s life and career in and out of the ring.

Unautho-rized, of course.

Tyson shot back on social media, writing: “Hulu’s announcement to do an unauthorized mini-series of the Tyson story without compensation, although unfortunate, isn’t surprising. This announcement on the heels of social disparities in our country is a

Genius Aretha March 21

prime example of how Hulu’s corporate greed led to this tone-deaf cultural misappropriation of the Tyson life story.

To make this announcement during Black History Month only confirms Hulu’s concern for dollars over respect for black story rights. Hollywood needs to be more sensitive to black experiences especially after all that has transpired in 2020. The real Mike Tyson authorized story is in development and will be announced in coming days.

Hulu to announce stealing a black athletes story during Black History month couldn’t be more inappropriate or tone deaf. #boycotthulu #corporategreed On the Home Front: It doesn’t appear that single life is the life actor/singer Tyrese Gibson wants to lead. That’s if the prayer he posted on social media serves as any indication. Here is what he wrote in an emotional post on social media: “Dear God, With a healing heart I post this… I am sorry for my sins and sorry for anything I’ve ever done to anyone rather I’m aware of it or not I just hope you find it in your heart to forgive me….. I have not met my BEST self yet and I know it…. I can’t wait to meet the NEW ME!!!!!

This single life hits different especially since I could of never ever seen this coming…… Ever…. Back to the basics…. What’s your name? Where you from? Who yo momma nem? What you do? What’s your credit score?” In December, the Compton native, reavealed that he and his wife, Samantha, would be going their separate ways. Married for four years, the couple have one daughter...And if you’re wondering what the final straw was that led Kim Kardashian and Kanye West spllitting up, you won’t have to wonder too long. The breakdown of their marriage will reportedly play out in the final season of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” which gets underway March 18 on E!

Q&A

Leslie Jones Hometown: Memphis Big Break: Saturday Night Live Upcoming Projects: Coming 2 America; I Am Maurice On whether she misses Saturday Night Live: “I don’t miss it. At all. I miss Kenan [Thompson]. But I don’t miss that. That job was hard. That job was like two jobs and very restrictive too. I wasn’t very free there.”

On what SNL changed for her: It just opened up all the doors that I thought were shut.

I think I noticed that I wanted to do a lot of other things, but I think maybe I had already put myself in the box of being a standup comedian. Talk about developing and changing...It’s like now I sing, write, and direct. It’s crazy. My love of wigs has changed. I didn’t even use to like wigs and now I love wigs. I love when they pop a wig on me and then I look totally different.

On her role in Coming 2 America: I’ll be honest. When I first got the project, I wasn’t going to do it because I was like, “I don’t want to be part of another remake.” I thought, “Is it going to be good?”

When I saw the rewrite of the script, I was like, “Wow, this is actually really funny.” They don’t stay stuck, they move into the future, They update everything. I think everybody’s really going to love it.

On outing racist trolls after the premiere of her last remake, Ghostbusters: “What’s scary about the whole thing is that the insults didn’t hurt me. Unfortunately, I’m used to the insults.

I’ve always been talked about. All my life. But what scared me was the injustice of a gang of people jumping against you for such a sick cause. Everyone has an opinion and it all comes at you at one time and they really believe in what they believe in. And it’s so mean.

It’s so gross and mean and unnecessary. It was just one of those things of, if I hadn’t said anything nobody would have ever known about this. All those people would still have an account.

On her career and work as a Black comedian: When I started comedy, I started in the Blck club. My dad lived off of Essence, Ebony and JET magazines. He would pick up the magazines and look for all the black people and what show they was going to be on. So, when I made it, the magazine that I wanted to hit me was Essence, and I never got no love like that. At least that’s what I felt. I felt like my people just wasn’t into me as much as I was getting it from other people.

It’s a trip because the stuff that me and Keenan [Thompson] was doing, I was like, “Oh man, Black people should know what we’re doing over here.” If you go back and look, there was a season of SNL that literally dominated with Black hosts because me and Keenan was out there.Me and Keenan was doing a lot. It’s like, we would sit and watch the BET Awards and say, “so, they don’t like us? Do they not like us?”

On what comedy means for comedians: True comedy relieves people of pain, but for comedians, it’s delving into pain. We go straight for it. The philosophy of a comic, of a true comic, like you said the good ones, is to take your pain straight to the stage because usually the audience is in pain also, and they need to be shown how to relieve it.

RedCarpet Style

ANDRA DAY is dreamy in this Chanel gown

ANGELA BASSETT in Dolce & Gabbana

Awards season is in full bloom and we are happy to see many of our favorite celebrities back on the red carpet. Here are some of the best looks popping off at this year’s Golden Globe Awards.

REGINA KING donned this black & silver metalllic Louis Vitton

TIFFANY HADDISH decked out in this Alberta Ferretti sparkler

CYNTHIA ERIVO in a lime green ball gown by Valentino

Through the Storm What The High Cost of Redemption Taught Wesley Snipes...

W

L.A. Focus/March 2021

esley Snipes is back! After a relatively quiet last decade the talented multihyphenated actor best known as the star of the vampire-slaying action series “Blade”, as well cult classics such as “White Men Can’t Jump” and “Jungle Fever,” has paired with comedy legend Eddie Murphy for a couple of new movies including the upcoming the sequel to Murphy’s 1988 hit ‘Coming to America’ with “Coming 2 America” along with Netflix’s 2019 comedy “Dolemite Is My Name”.

Snipes, who made it big as an action star, shows his range alongside Murphy as he returns to comedy for the first time since his roles in the 90’s such as “To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar”. Though Snipes’ standout supporting role in “Dolemite Is My Name” received critical acclaim, he recalls the pressure of working alongside a comedy genius such as Eddie Murphy.

“Working with [Murphy] was surreal, joyful, hilarious and at times a little scary,” recalls Snipes. “Because you know he lives in the world of funny and you want to at least be in the room with his level. I don’t know if I was toe-to-toe with him, I’d characterize it more like riding along, and in some cases, hanging on.”

With Snipes set to star in a limited fictional Netflix series entitled “True Story” with another comedy heavyweight-- Kevin Hart-- on the horizon, 2021 is set to be a comeback for the 56-year-old who a decade ago had his career derailed after being convicted for failure to file federal income tax returns and serving a two-and-a-half year federal prison sentence.

In 2006, Snipes, along with his lawyer and accountant, was charged with one count of conspiring to defraud the United States and one count of knowingly making fraudulent claims for payment against the United States- alleging that he filed a false tax refund claim of over $4

16

“

I was gone for two years and some months, and the most amazing thing was to return back to what they call the world— interesting term—and find that there were people who were doing the exact same thing, in the exact same situation. It’s almost like time stood still for two years...

”

million for the year 1996 and a false tax return refund of over $7.3 million in 1997. Snipes was also hit with six counts of failing to file federal income tax returns for the years 1999-2004. Snipes went to court in 2008 and was acquitted for the conspiracy and fraud counts but convicted of three misdemeanor counts of willingly failing to file tax returns totaling upwards of $16 million owed to the government.

For his part, Snipes denies being a tax protester-- or someone who refuses to pay taxes by claiming that the tax laws are unconstitutional or otherwise invalid-rather that he relied on professional advice from individuals who probably were tax protesters themselves. He also asserts that he was a scapegoat who was unfairly targeted by prosecutors, and that he was taken advantage of.

“The law says you pay for people who are experts to manage your business affairs,” says Snipes. “Yet I was included as a co-conspirator with the lawyer and the accountants. Now this is rare. Very unusual situation.”

Though he maintains that the charges against him were unfair and that he shouldn’t have been convicted, he admits that he wasn’t entirely blameless in the situation.

“I don’t see myself as an innocent bystander in any of it,” says Snipes. “I made decisions. I accept the ramifications of those decisions. No one forced me to take that person as my accountant, no one forced me to take that person as my lawyer. No one forced me to believe what they were saying. That was on me. I don’t have time to sit back and say I was wronged and recapture all that was lost.”

In retrospect Snipes may have a point when it comes to unfairness in his case, especially considering the New York Times’ revelation that Donald Trump paid no federal income tax in 11 of the 18 years their reporters investigated, and has never been charged with a crime. Why

Trump was able to get away with not paying taxes while he served jail time is a no brainer for Snipes.

“This is not rocket science. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” says Snipes.

After two years of failed appeals, Snipes turned himself in to serve what was a three-year sentence in December of 2010 at McKean Federal Correctional Institution in northwest Pennsylvania. At the medium security facility-- which Snipes refers to as ‘camp’ rather than jail- he was given a work assignment and began everyday with a 6:35 am wake-up call with showers and change of clothes limited to three days a week.

Though his situation was challenging, Snipes was able to make the best of his time at ‘camp’.

“The biggest thing I got from it was learning the value of time and how we often squander it,” says Snipes “I understand that very clearly now, having been away from my family and loved ones.

“I was gone for two years and some months, and the most amazing thing was to return back to what they call the world– interesting term– and find that there were people who

were doing the exact same thing, in the exact same situation. It’s almost like time stood still for two years.

Now who was in jail? Who is still in jail?”

For Snipes the hardest part of his time served was being away from his five children, the eldest of which is 32 and the youngest, 13, and his wife-- South Korean artist Nakyung Park.

But despite the hardships, in the end Snipes believes the experience made him stronger.

“I hope I came out a better person,” he says.

“I came out a clearer person. Clearer on my values, clearer on my purpose, clearer about my relationship with my ancestors and the great god and the great goddess above, and clearer on what I was going to do once I had my freedom back. I’ve gained so much more. I understand so much more. And if two-and-a-half years of my life were in meditation and isolation up at that camp out of the 100 I plan on living, good deal. Good deal!”

Unfortunately for Snipes though, his fight with IRS didn’t end in 2013 when he was released from incarceration as they continued pursuing what Snipes owed, which according to reports, was $23.5 million. Snipes and the IRS made head-

lines once again when it was revealed he had tried to make a payment of $842,000 as an offer in compromise, claiming he was financially unable to settle the debt. The IRS rejected the offer, and after calculations, decided Snipes should pay an adjusted amount of $9.5 million.

Snipes took the case to a tax court, asking them to overturn the decision, but the judge agreed with the IRS. His on-going battle with the U.S. government over money also changed his perspective and relationship with money.

“I don’t focus on making money,” says Snipes. You don’t see pictures of me wearing all the big chains and driving big fancy cars. Is that how you define wealth, by having a lot of money? Money is the icing on the cake, the trophy for hard work done. But the money is not really what it’s all about. It’s the knowledge of how to create the value that creates the money.”

And with everything that he’s gone through, there’s no doubt he’s learned and grown from his adversity, and his outlook now could not be more positive. He credits the faith to persevere through his storm as the key to his mental transformation.

“First you have your faith in the most high and your spiritual foundation-- that’s the key to anything no matter what the situation is. And then the knowledge that greater men than me have been through worse situations is always an inspiration. Your family’s an inspiration.

You overcome,” says Snipes, who in 2017 co-authored the dark fantasy novel, Talon of God. “Both as an actor and as a martial artist, one is trained to deal with adversity and embrace it as an opportunity to improve and see a brighter future for yourself. And you do what they call the shaking time, like when you trim a plant and you cut away all of the dead stuff or when a snake sheds its skin and you’re born anew.”

Eye On Gospel Live From Home

L.A. Focus/March 2021

Nearly a year after beginning his #WorshipWednesdays livestream services for stay-at-home worship services, gospel singer-songwriter and worship leader Israel Houghton is sharing the first single, “Hymn of Breakthrough,” from a new live album Feels Like Home: The Quarantine Worship Experience. The albumis derived from Israel & New Breed’s hugely successful live event of the same name last year.

“New Breed celebrated our 20th year together in 2020.”

Houghton explains. “Though the entire landscape changed with how we do concerts and touring, we knew it was still very important to come together. I’m grateful for the sacrifices made by everyone on our team to carefully come together and participate in this offering. Truth be told, it’s one of the most rewarding worship experiences I’ve ever been a part of.

Feels Like Home was streamed live from Houghton’s sister-in-law’s house in New York last November with a group of musicians who agreed to quarantine and test for COVID-19 prior to gathering.

Performing the entire show facing one another in a circle, the improvisatory looseness and sheer inspiration of the session is a warm and glowing reminder of gospel’s intimate roots as a communal religious celebration and experience. Houghton’s performance leading the group alongside his wife Adrienne is inspired and inventive while the fly-on-the-wall perspective highlights the lyrical comfort of the supporting musicians and numerous special guests who take an easy grip of the performance during their features.

Feels Like Home, and its #WorshipWednesdays roots, are a monument of Houghton’s career-long inspiration to explore and reinvent the possibilities of group worship dynamics even as communities

18

started reforming online throughout the ongoing pandemic. Since the release of his first studio album in 1997, Houghton has found success in the live performance format dating back to 2004’s Live From Another Level and 2005’s Alive in South Africa, the latter of which won the Grammy® Award for Best Traditional Gospel Album.

Charles Jenkins’ Double Play Stellar Award-winning artist Charles Jenkins, is impacting the marketplace both on radio (and the charts) as well as with the release of his second book, Seasons: How To Grow And Succeed During Times Of Transition.

Jenkins’ current single, “He’ll Make It Alright” reaches #2 on Billboard’s National Gospel Airplay Chart. “He’ll Make It Alright” features Jenkins’ signature vocals, progressive instrumentation and serves as a simple reminder during Pandemic that “everything will be alright.” In the meantime, he is promoting his second book which seeks to give readers clear direction on any transition in their lives.

After serving as pastor for two decades, Jenkins made the difficult decision to retire from full-time ministry and dive into other areas of his life. He inspires people to consider that they might be on the verge of a new season.

“Never have we seen a time of global transition that has affected, if not decimated, every country, corporation, sector, family and individual. All of our proposed strategies have in a moment aged to antiquated irrelevance. Inside we clasp our hands and secretly ask, “What’s next?” Charles Jenkins’ latest book, Seasons: How to Grow & Succeed during Times of Transition, holds many insights, solutions, and enlightened perspectives about the tough decisions, options and dilemmas that keep many of us up at night,” shared Bishop T.D. Jakes.

Jenkins – a multi award-winning song-

writer and acclaimed gospel artist– is married to accomplished speaker and author Dr. Tara Rawls Jenkins and together they parent three children.

Back On The Air Gospel superstar Yolanda Adams is back on the radio airwaves with her second syndicated morning show kicking off on Philly’s Favor 100.7FM. “These are extraordinary times and what better moment to inspire our faithful Philly radio family than this. We are proud to bring Love and Insight as we continue to encourage faith, family, friends and fun!! It’s a new day”, said Adams. Known as the “Queen of Contemporary Gospel”, Yolanda Adams is a five-time Grammy award winning Gospel artist who has sold nearly 10 million albums worldwide and in 2009, Billboard listed her as the top-selling Gospel artist of the decade. In 2006 Adams launched her radio career with The Yolanda Adams Morning Show which aired in over 40 radio markets and had a successful ten-year run. In other gospel music news, RCA Inspiration has partnered with Marquis Boone Enterprises, to release upcoming projects from Kelontae Gavin and Fresh Start Worship.

The Atlanta-based artist manager, pastor and author has built an independent company managing fresh contemporary voices including Casey J, Bri Babineaux, Kelontae Gavin, and Fresh Start Worship. Gavin first became a YouTube viral sensation singing a hymn in his high school cafeteria in 2014. Signed by Boone, Gavin released his debut The Higher Experience in 2018, which hit #1 on the gospel chart. Marking the partnership’s first release this quarter, Kelontae Gavin’s second full-length album, The n.o.w. Experience, will release this month…

Grammy-nominated singer Kelly Price has joined the Motown Gospel family and is currently prepping her EP Grace for release next month…Finally, Grammy nominated artist, composer, and producer, Mali Music, premiered the new video for “Blessed,” an up-tempo, hip-hop infused track from his latest album, The Book of Mali. He is nominated for a Grammy® Award at the 63rd Annual Grammys for “Movin’ On,” his duet with Jonathan McReynolds.

Lisa Collins Editor/Publisher

L

"In the spirit realm, the City of Inglewood is enjoying worldwide acclaim as the future host of Super Bowl and home of the world's finest state of the art sports stadium - indirectly - because of Apostle Fred Price,” observed Ulmer, senior pastor of Faithful Central Bible Church.

“The So-Fi Stadium would not exist if the former Great Western Forum had been torn down - which was its fate.

It was not torn down because Faithful Central Bible Church bought it and maintained it from 2000 to 2012.

We would not have bought it without the vision of "great faith" inspired by Dr. Fred Price. God used Dr. Price to stretch my faith! He modeled and lived the word of faith and stretched the vision of multitudes.”

“It’s virtually impossible to be a preacher of the Gospel and not have been impacted by this giant in the faith,” said Bishop Joseph Walker, who serves as the International Presiding Bishop in the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship.

Even his style of preaching was seen as game changing.

“There are tons of people who don't even know that they're impacted by his ministry in our profession,” said Pastor Geremy Dixon of the First Church of God Center of Hope. “He changed the game in so many ways.

“Our black preachers had a very unique style speaking from behind the pulpit in a robe. Then you have Dr. Price walking around with a suit on, preaching from an open Bible, and it just gave us kind of a different way to look at even the presentation style of the preaching moment.

“When I became pastor at Center of Hope my media team complained that it was hard to film me in the audience, because I was doing the exact same thing Dr. Price had done. I had a Bible in my hand, and I was walking around preaching.”

It wasn’t just his style, noted Apostle Beverly “Bam” Crawford–who served as his assistant for more than seven years, before branching out on her own to form Bible Enrichment Fellowship International. It was his methodology and the rationale that fueled it.

Said Crawford, “The thing that made Apostle so different is that he was a teacher. People were amazed that we would go there Sunday after Sunday with our Bibles and go line after line studying the word because most

“

Some people can’t handle directness, but I don’t sugarcoat. You will know what I meant when you leave my presence. You may not like it or accept it, but you will never wonder what I meant, because my encounter with you may be my first and last and I can’t afford to let you leave my presence without making my point clear to you.

”

L.A. Focus/March 2021

ast month, the Black religious community across the nation was shaken by the passing of Apostle Frederick K.C. Price, a man credited with revolutionizing the way Black ministries have evolved over the last five decades.

In the wake of his death is left an indelible imprint on today’s black religious experience from Price’s pioneering televangelism in the black church with the 1978 launch of his Ever Increasing Faith Ministries and forging one of the nation’s first Black mega ministries; to the construction of the Faithdome– which at the time of its completion topped the nation’s previously mostspacious churches; and the Fellowship of Inner-City Word of Faith Ministers (FICWFM) in 1990.

In fact, there weren’t too many aspects of the black church experience Price didn’t impact, even if through the efforts of those religious leaders influenced by him, including Bishop T.D. Jakes, Pastor Creflo Dollar, Dr. Bill Winston and Bishop Kenneth Ulmer.

21

Left: Price and wife Betty with Pastor Fred Price Jr. and his wife, Angel; (Middle) Price at his apostle ordination ceremony; (Left) Price and his wife, Betty, are greeted by the late Whitney Houston.

L.A. Focus/March 2021

churches didn't teach.

“Fred felt that a great many blacks had been taken advantage of by the church. We had put money into building programs and money to buy Cadillacs and alligator shoes, and yet people like me were no better off financially or in terms of their own progression. This is where he had a different concept.

“He told us his stories or when he was down and out, couldn't pay the bills,” Crawford continued. “His first son was hit by a car and tragically killed in a hit and run accident that devastated him.

“He was willing to share his and [wife] Betty’s own life experiences to show us how he did it, and how he was doing it. For those of us who were listening, we learned the power of prospering and that God wanted us to prosper. He didn't want us to wait and die to go to heaven and then walk the streets of gold. It was the examples Apostle used of his own life to teach us stewardship.”

And in the words of Bishop T.D. Jakes was that “there is no corner of the globe his message didn’t reach!”.

In fact, the religious airwaves were saturated with Price’s message of faith be it through his broadcast network of 84 television and 35 radio stations throughout the world; the fifty books he authored over the course of his lifetime (including his controversial series, Race, Religion & Racism); or from membership at his sprawling 32-acre, South L.A.-based, Crenshaw Christian Center complex.

Like fire, his ministry had taken flight, expanding beyond Los Angeles to the nation and then the world with an estimated viewing audience of 30 million. Before long, churches across the nation were putting “Christian Center” at the end of their church names. But what made Crenshaw Christian Center work had little to do with the name.

“There had not been a lot of options for those who had a sense that I need to go to church even if it was not ministering to their needs,” Price told L.A. Focus in 2005.

“Our ministry and what God was doing through me made people think. Ministers could no longer just play the emotional game. They had to give something more than that.”

A gauntlet had been thrown down and Price was often criticized for not what he was saying but for his bold, inyour-face, ‘yeah-I’m-talking-to-you style’.

22

“Some people didn't like his antics or the way he put his message across,” Crawford explained. “He was very confrontational. He took on topics no one else would touch and he occasionally said some things in a way he perhaps shouldn’t have said. We’d know that by looking at Betty's face and Betty was no joke. She was his alter ego, and he respected her opinion.”

“Some people can’t handle directness, but I don’t sugarcoat,” Price would say. “You will know what I meant when you leave my presence. You may not like it or accept it, but you will never wonder what I meant, because my encounter with you may be my first and last and I can’t afford to let you leave my presence without making my point clear to you.”

And his point?

“To teach you how to live just as successfully as I live.

Prosperity starts from the inside of you. God wants us all to be prosperous. But if we don’t know what to do, we are going to be poor, because the system is presided over by Satan and he does not want the children of God to be beneficiaries of the resources, because if we do, we will be able to finance the gospel.”

But Price would insist that his was not a prosperity ministry.

“The difference,” he maintained, “is if you preach prosperity but don’t impart the methodology to people to be prosperous with you, then you become suspect.”

His desire was that people from all walks of life would reach their full potential to impact their families, homes, workplaces, and society-at-large and for Price, it was hardly rhetoric. He was, as he was fond of saying, his own best customer.

“I am not playing a role,” he told L.A. Focus. “This is my life. What I put out on the pulpit, I live by and that’s why I prosper. If you just do the will of God and operate under your covenant rights by faith, it’s automatic.”

Ironically, the explosion and subsequent success of Price’s ministry even surprised the Santa Monica native who met his wife, Betty, while they were both students at Dorsey High School.

“When I first started, I had a church that held 158 people. You couldn’t have paid me to believe we’d be here,” he once said.

“We came out of nowhere. No one knew who we were, and there were pastors in this city with people in their congregations hungry for information – who wanted more than the sweet pill of emotion. Those people started coming over to our church.”

“Then there was one thriving church whose people were leaving, and the pastor found out about it and sent a deacon over one Sunday night to spy us out. The deacon stayed.”

Back then, people would line up as early as 6:30 on Sunday mornings to attend services at the second facility he purchased in Inglewood, now home to First Church of God Center of Hope. By 10a.m., there were lines around the block as police were dispatched to unclog traffic bottlenecks near the parking lot. Those arriving too late to get into the 1,400-seat sanctuary would have to view the proceedings on closed-circuit television from the gymnasium or stand in line for the next service.

Surprisingly, a big chunk of his financial support came from whites.

“When I first started out, there was not one black ministry or church that ever invited me to speak,” Price recalled. “I was on channel 11 here locally, but our greatest support came from Orange County. Even though they wouldn’t come to the church, they loved the ministry.”

Crenshaw Christian Center quickly outgrew their second facility leading to what Price would call one of his biggest triumphs, securing the Pepperdine University campus and erecting the 10,145-seat Faith Dome. The $9million geodesic structure was inspired by a visit to Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose in Long Beach.

What’s more, the fact that both the facility and the grounds that it sits on were all paid for years in advance “without a struggle and without reducing God to the state of a beggar in the eyes of the world.”

After the broadcast program found an audience in New York – its second-largest market behind Los Angeles – Mr. Price fulfilled another vision he had to establish a church in Manhattan”, conducting the first service of Crenshaw Christian Center New York in 2001.

But Price’s impact wasn’t limited to ministry. With his sprawling 32-acre campus, Price was the largest landowner in South Central and he and his wife, Betty,

L.A. Focus/March 2021

took pride in being one of inner city’s largest black-owned businesses and employers.

"No matter whether you agreed with his views he was still large, still impactful and earnestly attempting to make the community better,” noted Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, who worked with the Price’s during his tenure as Supervisor of the Second District. “He and Dr. Betty were a part of the community and always felt it could be improved, which they sought to do. He was a teacher, an innovator, a builder, an investor. Our community is better for his stewardship.”

The Price family made it a point to be involved, spearheading the Vermont Village Community Development Corporation (VVCDC) to re-establish the local economy of the surrounding community in an effort to increase individual and business prosperity; establishing relationships with other ministries including the neighboring New Antioch Church of God In Christ who joined in their efforts to revive and restore the corner of Manchester and Vermont after the 1992 riots; and opening up the church to numerous community activities–most recently, COVID testing and vaccinations.

For all of the bluster in his preaching, off the ministry stage, Price was a humble, and highly disciplined family man, who was faithfully married to his wife Betty–an author and minister in her own right–for 67 years, and the devoted father of four, all of whom play a role in the ministry. Eldest daughter, Angela Price Evans, serves as CEO of Crenshaw Christian Ministry. Son, Fred Price III, has served as senior pastor since his father retired in 2009.

Keeping his family close is what Price credited with keeping him scandal free.

“I don't want to go anywhere without my wife,” he said. “My father was an alcoholic and I saw what that did to him, so drinking won't be a problem. Money doesn't move me, so what else is there? I'm not a power-hungry person. All I do is my job, and I got the power. I didn't have to walk over any dead bodies to get anywhere. I just did what I'm supposed to do, and God honored that and promoted me.”

Off the preaching circuit in his later years, Price spent a lot of time mentoring younger pastors like Southern St.

24

Paul Pastor Xavier Thompson, Bishop Clarence McClendon and Dixon.

“Everything he did was excellent, and he expected excellence,” Dixon observed. “And he was always keen on ‘assignment.’ When I sat with him, he was like, ‘Yes, you're called to ministry, but what's your assignment?’

“Because he had such clarity about his assignment, he was unapologetic and unapologetic leaders are typically trailblazers.”

To be sure, life for Price was about fulfilling his assignment, and for the last six and a half decades, his was a divine assignment.

"I knew my assignment when I started this church," Price says. "It was to teach people how to live victoriously.

To teach them who they are, what they have, what they can do based on what God tells them. To teach them to walk by faith, not by sight."

Faith for Price was the key to everything.

States Pastor Fred Price Jr. of his father and mother, “The bible depicts levels of faith–rich faith, poor faith, strong faith, weak faith, etc. All we’ve ever seen from the two of them is strong faith. Big faith. Humongous faith.”

Price passed last month at the age of 89 after a near two-month long battle with COVID-19. His wife, Betty, also contracted the virus, as did their middle daughter, Cheryl, who was caring for her parents. Neither of them had to be hospitalized, suffering only mild symptoms, and –having finished their quarantines–are doing well.

By all accounts, their Mom, affectionately known to many as “Dr. Betty”, has been steadfast in her faith.

“She is the rock for our family,” said daughter Angela Evans.

“The outpouring of love has been amazing and unbelievable,” Evans added. “People calling to say how he saved them or changed their lives–how he was an icon.

But Daddy didn’t see himself as an icon, just as a humble servant and consummate family man.”

“Apostle Price’s legacy is all the people that he's left to carry on the message,” says Crawford. “And there are hundreds of thousands of thousands of people who heard him around the world for the last 50 or 60 years whose lives are changed, and my life–like theirs–will always be tied to his legacy.”

26

L.A. Focus/March 2021

ChurchNews

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

Antioch of Long Beach’s “Joy In the City” Hands Out Millions In Goods to Residents in Need

Pastor Wayne Chaney with grateful community resident.

I

L.A. Focus/March 2021

t started out as a desire on the part of Antioch Church of Long Beach Pastor Wayne Chaney to help folks facing hard times over the holidays with a giveaway of goods. They partnered with a giant retailer and global organization for an event he would dub “Christmas in the City” and $250,000 in goods –ranging from air fryers and toilets to living room sectionals and other home décor. They didn’t know what to expect.

What they could not have imagined was its overwhelming success. An estimated 2,000 people lined up for blocks –and some for up to five hours–for what was to be a two-hour event that had to be extended additional hours.

Says Chaney, “We literally had $250,000 of the items go about halfway through because the demand was so great. I had to go to Big Lots and I bought everything in the store that was over $30 to keep the event going and the stories coming through that place were just unbelievable. People that have been put out of their homes or on the verge of losing everything. Families where the children had no beds and were sleeping on the floor. So many needs were met during that first event.”

“Things went so well that they started to send us $400,000 - $600,000 worth of merchandise every single month–85% of it or more being brand new”, Chaney continued. So, we decided to rename the event “Joy In The City” to help restore hope by giving people not only what they stand in need of, but also what many of them would have never dreamed they would have in times like these.

It’s open to the community and as opposed to seeing lines that are blocks long and extended wait times, we now have folks schedule their time slots to come through, so no one waits longer than 30 minutes.

Chaney says that any fees associated with the event are offset so that blessings –in his words–"are multiplied exponentially to the people that need it most.”

“We're just grateful to God for the opportunity to steward it and to contribute what we can to make it happen” Chaney states. “There's not a giveaway that goes by where 25% of the people in the crowd don't leave in tears.

They just can't believe that in such a difficult time they're experiencing blessings they wouldn't have received otherwise.”

Chaney also believes events like his are changing the narrative on the church.

“Society has become increasingly more hostile toward ministries, churches, – hostile at worst, suspicious at best,” Chaney points out. “People were seeing the church step up and meet their needs and some of their wants, and we’ve asked nothing in return. What this has done is helped to turn the tide, so it’s a win not only for us, but for the entire body of Christ of Christ.

For more information contact Antioch Church of Long Beach at (562) 918-8778 or info@antiochlb.com.

Church Program Expands COVID Testing In L.A. County The Tabernacle Community Development Corporation (TCDC), in partnership with the Los Angeles County Health Services, has launched a new program to expand access to free community-based

28

COVID-19 testing in the Black community.

TCDC is setting in motion its effort in some areas of Los Angeles County where there have been the most minority COVID-19 deaths, infections, and hospitalizations. The death rate for African Americans in California’s most populous county is 155 for every 100,000 people compared to 95 for every 100,000 among Whites.

This expansion is part of the “Black Church COVID-19 Testing Partnership,” a Southern California grassroots public initiative that will provide free coronavirus exams at pop-up health centers located at 35 Black churches.

The new testing sites at the churches will not require appointments, removing one barrier that has prevented some African Americans around the country from getting tested. The program goal is to provide free tests to 150 individuals at each church location daily through June 30.

“Throughout Black communities in California, and across the country, lack of medical service has resulted in a disproportionate and an inequitable higher percentage of deaths and infections by this deadly pandemic,” said the Rev. J. Edgar Boyd of First AME Church.

“The Black community bears a great burden with poor health outcomes due to longstanding inequities and racism in healthcare and related institutions,” Boyd continued. “The Black church has long played the role of advocate and provider, a place of trust. When the government failed us historically, the church stepped in to provide and care for our community. That work continues today.”

Technical Difficulties Force Postponement of COGIC Elections, Sparking Confusion and Controversy On Tuesday, Feb. 23, the nation’s largest Black religious body, the Church of God in Christ held its Quadrennial Election to fill numerous positions, including vacancies to the General Board, Financial Secretary, General Secretary, Treasurer, Trustee Board, and Judiciary Board (General Assembly).

However, due to technical difficulties, the elections were suspended, leading to a great deal of confusion over when–and how–they would take place.

In a statement and video released to the entire church body, Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake indicated he was troubled by an election spirit in conflict with the fundamentals of the Word and what he described as a slow and systematic compromise of the groups’ constitution.

“I’m grieved by what I see,” said Blake. “I have a responsibility to you both ecclesiastically as the Chief Apostle of our denomination, and civilly as the President and CEO of our beloved Church of God in Christ, to speak the truth in the midst of lies; to speak peace in the middle of confusion; and to speak order to chaos.”

A date for rescheduling the election has been the subject of ongoing debate.

“The present agenda of forcing an election in the coming days despite consequences and without transparency is unacceptable. Postponing the election will give us time to address this matter.”

“We have always operated with excellence and integrity,” Blake added. “We can do better and we will do better.

I am still on watch and I will not leave my post as your Chief Apostle until we are assured that technological due diligence has been done and constitutional efficacy has been observed.”

In other church news, famed Pastor Tony Evans joined the long list of pastors who have tested positive for COVID-19. Evans–whose offices were devastated by recent Texas storms–posted on social media that he was “continuing to seek treatment, and coveting the prayers of our ministry family, partners and church members.”

“Our offices will be fine. We will rebuild. We will continue serving those who partner with us in ministry, added Evans who stressed that prayers make a difference.

Corprate Office: 4602 Crenshaw Blvd, Suite 2A, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 295-5571 www.agapela.org Bishop Craig A. Worsham, 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 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

Bethesda Temple Apostolic Faith 4909 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 299-2591 • thevoice4904@att.net Pastor Kyron S. Shorter Sunday Morning Prayer: 9:00am Sunday School: 9:30am Morning Worship: 11:00am Children’s Church: 11:00am Sunday Evening Service: 6:00pm

Bryant Temple AME Church 2525 W. Vernon Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90008 (323) 293-6201 • F: (323) 293-0082 Pastor Dwaine Jackson Sunday School: 8:15am Morning Worship: 9:15 am Bible Study (Tues): Noon Pastor’s Bible Study( Tues): 6:00pm

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

Congregational Church of Christian Fellowship 2085 S. Hobart Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 Phone: (323) 731-8869 • F: (323) 731-0851 www.christianfellowshipla.org Pastor James K. McKnight Sunday LiveStream: 10:00am (facebook.com/christianfellowshipla) Sunday Conference Call: 10:00am (310-372-7549 / code: 342408) Tue/Thurs Morning Word & Prayer: 7:00am Wed. Bible Study w/ Elder Stephen Brown (701-802-5001 / code: 825252# 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. 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

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 Ruby Cottle, Ph.D., Pastor & Teacher Prophetess June Morgan / Assistant Pastor

Services Every Friday: 7:00pm -9:30pm We meet at: St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church 3901 West Adams Blvd, LA, CA 90018 Watch Dr. Cottle on HBN TV on Wed’s 7:30am Channel 20 Dish & DirectTV,Channel 3 U-Verse

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

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

Greater Ebenezer Baptist Church 5300 S. Denker Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90062 (323) 759-4996 Rev. DeNon Porter Early Worship: 8am Sunday School: 9:30am Mid-Morning Worship: 11am Radio-KALI 900AM: Sun. 11-Noon, 7-8pm KTYM 1460AM Sundays: 5:30pm Bible Study (Tues, Wed & Thurs): 7pm

Holman United Methodist Church 3320 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 703-5868 • www.holmanumc.com Email: holman@holmanumc.com Rev. Dr. Ken Walden, 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 (Adults) Bible Study: Every Thursday @ Noon We Gather,Grow,Go and Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

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 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 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

Mount Moriah Baptist Church of Los Angeles, Inc. 4269 South Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90037 (323) 846-1950 •Fax: (323) 846-1964

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 Sunday Tues. Pastor’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Wed. Noon-day Prayer: Noon

FIRST LADY FILES

Jasmine Robinson Pilgrim’s Hope Baptist Church & ZBET

C

hurch is all Jasmine Morton Robinson has known so taking on the role of First Lady at Pilgrim’s Hope Baptist Church in Los Angeles and Zion Baptist Evangelistic Temple (ZBET) in Compton was second nature, particularly given that she had the consummate model of a first lady in her mother, Debra Morton, one of the nation’s most renowned female pastors. The eldest of three born to Bishop Paul Morton and wife Debra, Robinson knew early that the church was tied to her destiny.

For the last four years, she’d been busy being a helpmate to her husband, Rev. T. Delbert Robinson; a mother to the four children they brought to the marriage and working as a faculty affairs associate at Loyola University. But in a move that even took her by surprise, she accepted her calling to preach during the pandemic.

“I’ve been in ministry all my life–leading worship, in administration for my father and never heard the call to preach,” said the New Orleans native. “Of course, people, when they hear you lead worship and exhort, they’ll say, “Oh, you're going to preach.” I didn't feel that, but I remember hearing his sweet, still voice saying Jasmin, it's time, it's time for you to preach my word.”

And while she recently preached her first sermon, Robinson’s main role for now is as first lady–a role she says has evolved over the years.

“Even as far back as when my mom started, first ladies were just there to sit pretty in their little hats,” Robinson observes. “But women now are finding their voice. I'm a worship leader and the overseer of the youth ministry. I absolutely love pouring into them the way I was poured into as a little girl. So, here's more of a freedom for first ladies to do what they've been called to do, opposed to just sitting and being pretty.”

The results of she and her husband’s combined labor can be seen in the growth of both church locations.

“People have connected from all over and that's been a blessing in this pandemic where everyone has so much access,” she states. “I want the people we've coveredto be a reflection of the leadership we've exhibited. They keep choosing us Sunday after Sunday and what I want for the people who we've had the privilege of covering to leave changed, to walk differently and to live differently.”

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

People’s Independent Church of Christ 5856 West Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90043 • (323) 296-577 Pastor Roshod Sundays: Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Wednesday Bible Study & Mid Week Worship: Noon & 7:00pm Prayer Meeting: 6:30pm

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

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 Watch Live: http://tphla.org/watch-live/

Trinity Baptist Church 2040 West Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 735-0044 • F: (323) 735-0219 Rev. Alvin Tunstill, J Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 am YouTube channel: tv.trinitybaptist.cloud Facebook/Website:trinitybaptistchurchofla.org SundayRadio Broadcast KJLH FM: 9:00am Zoom Wed. Night Virtual Bible Study: 7:00pm Sign in to zoom.us click on “join in a meeting” enter meeting ID: 480-271-5449. By phone call 1-699-900-6833 give zoom ID. Sign-in at 6:55pm 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 “We have not walked this way before” Joshua 3:1-6

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

In Carson

Reverend Johnteris Tate-Pastor 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, 10:00am, 12:00pm Tuesday Night in the Truth: 7:15pm Radio: KKLA 99.5 FM (Sat): 9:00pm During the pandemic, all in-person gatherings are suspended. Tune in from our website, YouTube channel or Facebook page.

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 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

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

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

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

In Hawthorne

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

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

Love and Unity Christian Fellowship 1840 S. Wilmington Ave, (P.O. Box 5449), Compton 90224 (310) 604-5900, www.loveandunity.org • info@loveandunity.org

Bible Enrichment Fellowship International In Inglewood 400 E. Kelso, Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 330-4700 • www.bamcm.org Dr. Beverly “BAM” Crawford Morning Worship: 9:30am Tues. Bible Study: 7:30pm Wed. Mid-Week Prayer: 5am, Noon & 7:00pm Wednesday Pathway: 7:00pm Thurs Bible Study: 10:00am Sat Marriage & Family Prayer: 7:30am

Apostle Ronald C. Hill, Sr. Founder and Pastor Live Stream Sunday Worship:10am & 6:30pm Live Stream Bible Studies:Wed.7:30pm&Sat 9am Live Stream Prayer w Apostle: Fri: 9am Food For Your Soul TV Ministry Impact Televison Network: Mon-Fri @6:30amPST KJLH 102.3 Sundays 9:00pm

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

Blessed Family Covenant Church 325 North Hillcrest Blvd, Inglewood, CA, 90301 (310)-674-0303 • F: (310)-674-0303 • blessedfamilycovenant.org Rev. Wendy Howlett Mon, Wed, Fri Service Times: 10 - 4 Virtual Worship on YouTube Blessed Family Covenant Church

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

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

Pastor Profile: Sherman Dumas Church: All Nations Worship Assembly How Long at Church: 11 years Hometown: Marrero, Louisiana Family: Wife Jaquet, of 15 years, five children Congratulations on your success in the Inland Empire (as well as Las Vegas) with All Nations, how did you get first get into ministry?

Well, I kind of knew when I was eight years old. My mom tells stories about me preaching to teddy bears and stuffed animals. I was literally almost probably born on the Pew and my mom did like Samuel's mom did– placed him in the temple so he could learn and be developed for the call on his life. When I was about nine, we joined West Angeles COGIC and I started in full-time ministry at 18 working in Bishop Blake's office. I eventually went away to college to Oral Roberts University.

How did you come to be in San Bernardino of all places?

We were serving at a church in Oklahoma after I finished school, and knew it was time to plant a church. My wife was talking to one of her uncles who owned an apartment building in San Bernardino, and he was saying everything negative you could say about the city and while he was talking, we felt that was where God was leading us.

Ironically, when we arrived here, the city itself went bankrupt, but throughout the journey, the Lord has allowed my wife and I to have major impact over these 11 years.

church, those over 50 are called our “champions” and it's phenomenal to see them worshiping with millennials and Gen Zs and all the rest of the Gens.

What is the biggest part of church you've re-imagined and how has that affected your preaching?

One of the main things we've done is re-imagined how the church is presented to culture. Sometimes I think the church has been a place where you come and go, rather than us manifesting the church to bring change and affect the culture and the cities around us. We're feeding thousands of people a year. We do a big thing called our Easter extravaganza, –a Easter hunt on steroids. There's like 30,000 Easter eggs full of candy and we’re feeding over 1000 people all for free and just caring for them. We've seen over 10,000 souls come to the kingdom.

You make it all sound so easy, but we know that ministry is anything but easy…

Yeah, the most difficult part for me has been the challenge of processing through your own pain and at the same time having to lead people through their pain. The pandemic was one of those major points because here we all are stunned by everything we're being hit with. My mother-in-law passed in the midst of this and I'm struggling with my pain of losing a loved one and at the same time, having to walk people through so many things that were happening. I also think one of the ways we've reimagined pastoring is that we don't feel the need to present ourselves as having it all together. We make a statement at our church almost every week that we're all jacked up. Every single one of us has problems and things we're processing through and allowing God to work us through it.

What do you think is your biggest strength– the thing that draws people?

The vulnerability and the honesty – what you see is truly what you get. I don't have to let my hair down because it never goes up. We just kind of we make sure that we show ourselves as not being above the people, but walking with them and of course, leading them and guiding them. It’s being open and sharing with other people, our journey, our life. My wife and I have a docuseries on YouTube that allows people to walk through our journey and follow with us.

Is it that sweet spot that has fed and led your ministry to grow so much?

Without a doubt. It's reaching back and reaching forward. It's also a precedent into multi-generational ministry and the importance of it. I'll be 40 this year but when I started the church, I was in my early 20s and we had mainly young people, but we were very specific about building in such a way where we could reach all generations. I love the fact that in our

Growing up at West Angeles, what did you learn from Bishop Blake?

One of the things I gained from Bishop Blake is the need to be able to reach several types of people at one time.

Bishop had an amazing ability to reach influencers and at the same time someone on their last dime, the educated, and those not so educated and being able to connect with all of them. That's one of the things I took away from him– the importance of being able to balance that as well

L.A. Focus/March 2021

There couldn’t be a more traditional church than West Angeles, but you say you don't do traditional church. How did you evolve to that point and what did it mean to you to break with tradition?

It's a middle ground of honoring what once was and being open to re-imagining what could be. We know God's word, His plan. He never changes, but the methods we use in order to express His kingdom to others can shift and should shift as we see culture evolving. That's been really important because there are people who are just being introduced to Christ and we've got to figure out ways– and we've done that –to reach them both simultaneously, and still find a place where everybody can drink from the well.

30

as knowing everybody matters. In a world where pastors are like running out of the side doors with 15 security people, Bishop Blake was at the bottom of the stairs, shaking the hands of as many people as he possibly could at the end of every church service. I do the exact same thing because learned that through such a humble man.

What’s the most difficult thing you've had to overcome?

I think the greatest thing I've had to overcome is comparison in a culture where lots of people are celebritized.

Oftentimes you'll look at where other people are, you'll see their success and there was been times in my life where I've looked over and said, wow, why don't I have that yet?

And I don't want to sound like I'm so far off from it, but what helped me overcome that is God encouraging me to live out my difference and that if I own what I bring to the table, specifically, not looking at anyone else's lane, then I'll be able to change the world the way I'm supposed to.

If there was a personality for your church what would it be?

If there was a theme, it would be a contemporary spirit driven church. It’s the expression of being able to have a modern reach and touch people's lives, but without a doubt, being led by the power of the Holy Spirit and allowing for God to manifest His presence.

How important is outreach to you?

It's lived out every single week at our church. Every week we're feeding hundreds of people and also giving them love. This past week, we did something called love week where we just went out and every single week and served a group– frontline workers inside of community hospital here, our fire department, our sheriff, a convalescent home.

It's a big part of our culture.

Political?

Without a doubt.

We are right there on the front lines.

In fact, we have some newly elected city council members and we're hosting them at our church with a live reception on Facebook to ask them some of the Pastor continued to page 34

From the Pulpit of: Crenshaw Christian Center Excerpts from vintage Apostle Frederick K.C. Price sermon,“Receiving the Inheritance”

I

am like Abraham in that I am fully persuaded that what God said is true. And you know what he told me? Jesus told me, "Fred Price, according to your faith, be it onto

you."

You have to know the reality of the name of Jesus. He [God] has appointed him heir of all things. I'm a part of the body of Christ, so I'm an heir.

[Hebrews 1:2] Hath in these last days, spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

That's Jesus. That's your high priest– your savior, your Lord and Redeemer.

Switch over to Acts 3. You may or may not be aware of the story. Peter and John went up to the temple at the hour of prayer, and there was a man who was lame from his mother's womb who was placed at the gate of the temple called Beautiful everyday so he could ask alms of the people going into the temple. On this particular day, he saw Peter and John going into the temple and he asked alms of them.

Peter said, Silver and gold have I, none but such as I have I give thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise and walk.

And he took him by the hand and immediately the man received strength in his ankle bones, etc, and he leaped and walked.

As a result of that, it created quite a stir. The religious leaders got bent out of shape as they usually do when the supernatural is in operation and they can't understand it, or it wasn't their denomination that did it.

So they called Peter and John on the carpet. They interrogated them and threatened them, and wanted to know who told you to do this and in whose name are you doing this?

(You're not of our denomination. You don't go to our church. You're not one of us).

Let's go to the 12th verse. This is part of Peter and John's response to the religious leaders.

Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this?

Or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness, we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers hath glorified his Son, Jesus, whom ye delivered up and denied him in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him go.

Now here's the key, verse 14, But you denied the Holy one, and the just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

Here's the icing on the cake, [Acts] 16: And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

There's a revelation here that is absolutely astounding. Most people never see it. They read right by it. I did myself for years until one day the spirit of God arrested me–put the handcuffs of revelation on me and suddenly I saw something I’d never seen before and it's outstanding.

A lot of Christians have the name of Jesus, but they don't have any faith in the name, so they never use the name.

Therefore, the authority that is invested in that name never works on their behalf.

They're going around talking about praise the Lord, there's something about that name, Jesus, yet they don't have any faith in that name.

There's a key here. It's not a play on words. It's a revelation.

What does he mean through faith in his name?

To believe that name carries all of the authority of heaven behind it. To believe that all mighty God himself will validate and rubber stamp that name.

In other words, he'll say amen and yes

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

Antioch Church of Long Beach 350 Pine Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802 (562) 591-8778 •www.antiochlb.com Senior Pastor Wayne Chaney, Jr.

In Long Beach

Online Services Stream live: Sunday 10:00 am at antiochlb.com Give: text antiochib to 77977 Social Media: facebook.com/antiochlb instagram.com/antiochlb youtube.com/antiochlongbeach

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

to that name when that name is used in line with the word of God–to have faith in that name to dare to stand before the affairs of life and the circumstances of life and confront those circumstances by faith with that name.

See, I have an American express credit card among the other credit cards that I have. Excellent credit card, great reputation. I can just about do, spend, buy anything I want with that card. So, I know the card is good, but if I don't have any faith in the card, I'll never use the card, and though that card could buy my dinner, provide me with transportation, house me, give me an automobile to drive, I'll sit there in the cab, in the rain, in the snow and starve to death or walk to my next destination, and I got the card in my pocket.

I got to have faith in the American Express company that they'll back me up when I walk into an establishment, and I don't leave home without it.

That's exactly the same thing God has given to us. He has given us a super heavenly universal credit card. It's called the name of Jesus. But you have to have faith in the name to use it, not just have the name.

Look at the fourth chapter of Acts. This is still a part of the same story. It was actually after what we just read there in the third chapter –that they were actually called on the carpet, interrogated and had to give a defense.

Now, in Acts 4: 8-10, this is Peter's defense. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said onto them, "Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole, be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Hm doth this man stand here before you whole.

He knew the authority of the name of Jesus, and he dared to use that authority and it made him bold. But see, people don't understand bold, so they think you're bragging. So

be it. I don't mind looking at the [negative] letters. I just put the letter in one pocket and put my third deposit for the week in my other pocket while I'm driving to the bank.

Alright, Acts 16. Now we see another aspect of this name and the authority of this name to show you how powerful this name is.

Verse 16: And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us and cried saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days, but Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, (not to the damsel, not to the girl, but to the spirit), I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

The name has authority over the demons.

Now listen to this, Acts 19:13. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew and chief of the priests which did so. And the evil s p i r i t

Pulpit continued to page 34

Apostle Frederick K.C. Price

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

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

Family of Faith Christian Center 345 E. Carson Street, Long Beach, CA 90807 (562) 595-1222 • F: (562) 595-1444

First United Methodist ChurchCompton 1025 S. Long Beach Blvd •Compton, CA 90221 (310)639-0775•F: (310) 639-1161

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

Bishop Sherman A. Gordon, E.D. Min

Dr. Arnetha E. Inge, Pastor

Sunday School: 8:00 am Morning Worship: 9:00 am

Sunday School: 8:30am - 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship: 10:00-11:45am TONGAN Worship:1:00pm(2nd&3rd Sundays) Wed. Prayer & Bible Study: 7:30am & 6:30pm

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

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

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

In Norwalk

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

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

L.A. Focus/March 2021

Pulpit continued from page 33 answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye?

Oh friends, if you would only grasp the authority that's in the name of Jesus, you wouldn't be afraid of anything.

That's one reason why the Lord told me to go on television. I don't care nothing about television, especially getting some stupid ignorant letter from some stupid ignorant preacher or some other stupid ignorant person who doesn't know the word of God. God needs some men that will tell people what to do after you get saved. I don't need the hassle of television, but the Lord told me to go, told me what cities, told me how to do it. I've done that and he blessed it and he's going to keep on because he never fails. His word doesn't change.

But we need to tell the people about the authority there is in the name of Jesus. I mean the evil spirit spoke up using the vocal apparatus of that man he was possessing and said, now Jesus, I know, and Paul, I know.

I have news for you: He knows you. And he knows that we have the authority over them. Nothing we need to be afraid of. That authority goes from the very pinnacle of heaven to the very pit of hell. That name is recognized. I mean the demon said, Paul, I know, and Jesus, I know, who are you?

See, they didn't have the authority to use that name, but every born-again Christian has that authority. You got the credit card, if you don't use it, that's on you.

Turn to Mark:16. Now again, some people don't understand. You think I'm maybe using some kind of a reverse psychology. Let me tell you this: I learned a long time ago–walking into things of God and walking in faith. I have no problem with people talking about me. I've got my daughters right here. They work in the ministry. They'll tell you most of the time, they want to answer these letters. I have to hold them down. I don't have time for that foolishness.

What can I do about what you think about me?

Nothing. You got the problem not me. I know who I am.

My father told me who I am. What you think about me doesn't mean a thing to me. Only reason I bring it up: Ninety-nine percent of all the letters we get are positive.

They're praise reports of how the ministry has blessed the people–how the word of God has helped them.

Even if I was a braggart, even if I was materialistic, even if I was a money grabbing, what does that have to do with your salvation? I'm the one that's going to have to

34

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

For more info, call

310.677.6011

answer to God. I want to help you because I know you're missing it.

Just like the Bible points out things that are wrong. God doesn't point those things out to put anybody down. He's trying to help you.

Quick Mark 16: 17-18. We're talking about the reality of the authority of the name of Jesus. Jesus is speaking verse 17. And these signs shall follow them that believe in my name. They shall they cast out devils. They shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents. And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick and in the name of Jesus, they shall recover.

There's power in the name of Jesus, and you need to learn the reality of that authority and begin to use that name in your own life against the circumstances that Satan would bring against you to try to inundate you and blow your boat out of the water.

Pastor continued from page 30 hard questions and talk about some of the things they're going to do in our area. We're consistently finding ways to bring change in our area and in the nation as a whole. We can't be silent on what's happening because we give people a kingdom perspective on how to be able to engage the issues we're seeing in our nation, in our world.

Is there a scripture or philosophy that has served as something that keeps you going?

I'm taken consistently to the place of Jeremiah in Jeremiah Chapter 1, where God tells him, “Hey, before you were ever in your mother's womb, I had an ordination for you.” And Jeremiah comes with his excuses and says, “I cannot speak for I am a youth.” And God says, “Do not say that. You will go where I tell you to go and you'll do what I tell you to do.”

I believe that when I'm challenged through life about pressing forward I'm reminded about the conversation that God had with Jeremiah says, “Go do what I told you to do.” That just really drives me because I know that when we do that, we are truly part of God's plan.

So is that to say you now love San Bernardino?

I actually call San Bernardino my first city love. I did not like her when I first got here, but I have literally fallen in love with this city and what God wants to do with it.

Without a doubt, my prophetic eyes are set on additional cities beyond San Bernardino, Las Vegas, but this will always be home.

Billions continued from page 30 community-outreach model of the census to help underserved communities.

“We must reach these disproportionately affected Californians through trusted messengers and community-based partners to minimize the spread of the virus, overcome vaccine hesitancy and save lives,” said Newsom.

The community partnerships also aim to provide workplace protection and public health guidance for people working in sectors hit hardest by the pandemic as part of its outreach.

In California, the majority of low-wage essential workers are Black and Brown individuals.

More than 80 % of low-wage essential workers perform their duties in close proximity to others, reports the University of California Berkeley Labor Center.

Co-authors Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto and Monica Davalos said it is time for California policymakers, “to declare racism a public health crisis,” emphasizing that the pandemic has hit Black and Brown people the hardest.

The coronavirus exposed that the damaging effects of racism in California are “not by accident, but by design,” the report stated, citing unequal access to health care, unemployment, housing and education.

“This devastation must be the catalyst for California policymakers to acknowledge that racism has caused lasting and negative impacts on communities of color,” the report pointed out.

Sheila Jackson Lee continued from page 12 to execute, but the very act of talking and designing them heals a wound and opens a new story.” Similarly, a majority of the Democratic presidential contenders have turned to H.R. 40 as a tool for reconciliation, with 17 cosponsoring or claiming they would sign the bill into law if elected.

Though critics have argued that the idea of reparations is unworkable politically or financially, their focus on money misses the point of the H.R. 40 commission’s mandate.

The goal of these historical investigations is to bring American society to a new reckoning with how our past affects the current conditions of African Americans and to make America a better place by helping the truly disadvantaged. Consequently, the reparations movement does not focus on payments to individuals, but to remedies that can be created in as many forms necessary to equitably address the many kinds of injuries sustained from chattel slavery and its continuing vestiges.

While it might be convenient to assume that we can address the current divisive racial and political climate in our nation through race-neutral means, experience shows that we have not escaped our history. Though the civil rights movement challenged many of the most racist practices and structures that subjugated the African-American community, it was not followed by a commitment to truth and reconciliation. For that reason, the legacy of racial inequality has persisted and left the nation vulnerable to a range of problems that continue to yield division, racial disparities, and injustice.

By passing H.R. 40, Congress can start a movement toward the national reckoning we need to bridge racial divides. Reparations are ultimately about respect and reconciliation – and the hope that one day, all Americans can walk together toward a more just future.

Sheila Jackson Lee is a member of the Congress representing Texas’ 18th congressional district.

Penal Code continued from page 6 criminal justice reform bills making their way through the legislature, Senate Bill (SB) 81 and SB 82, introduced on Feb. 9 by Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley). Skinner and Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager, who is vice-chair of the legislature’s Black caucus, are also members of CRPC. SB 81 would reform the state’s use of sentencing enhancements that add years to prison sentences. It would also reform a 150-year-old law that gives prosecutors the ability to classify a petty theft charge as felony robbery.

“Serving on the Committee on the Revision of the Penal Code gave me the opportunity to engage with experts and advocates to identify common-sense proposals for criminal justice reform.” Sen. Skinner said. “SB 81 sends a clear message to our courts: Sentence enhancements should be used judiciously, and only when the enhancement is necessary to protect the public. And SB 82 will help ensure that in the case of theft, the punishment meets the crime.”

Gamechanger continued from page 12 of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who in her words “adopted” her. Mrs. Thomas introduced White to Dr. Condoleezza Rice and brought her into the Pentagon where she would find her next position. Because of her background, the Department of Defense saw her as a perfect fit for their China desk and she became an appointee under the Bush administration working at the Pentagon as the Taiwan Director. From there White was recruited to work for the Wall Street Journal as an editorial writer and culture editor covering Hong Kong. It was then she received the call to come work for the presidential campaign of Senator John McCain as a foreign policy advisor.

From inside the McCain campaign, White had a front row seat to the rise and fall of Sarah Palin and shares an important lesson for women and minorities on seizing the opportunity when it is handed to you. “[Palin] didn’t realize what opportunity she’d been given. She came into being a Vice Presidential candidate almost stereotypically as a woman would-- in that women tend to be conditioned to play the supporting role,” notes White. “She was very supportive of McCain and his biggest cheerleader, but that’s not what he was offering her-- he was offering her a partnership. She didn’t understand that this was the opportunity put in front of her, so she floundered. So, from a learning perspective as a woman, it’s important to recognize the opportunity you're being afforded. Because in politics or corporate, if you’re invited to the “grown-up table” and you show up and aren’t ready, it’s hard to come back from the “kids table” again even when you’re old enough to do so.”

After the campaign White continued to stay busy, spending four years as a staff member on the Senate Armed Services Committee; three years as director of policy and strategic communications with Nissan in Paris; authoring a book on leadership entitled “Leadership Designed: Become the Leader You Were Made to Be”, and becoming founder/CEO of her own firm, 1055 Grady.

It was in 2017 when White was enticed to return to the Department of Defense to be the assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs under Secretary James Mattis, becoming the first person of color and only third woman to hold the position. Working under Mattis in the

Pentagon, White would routinely find herself as the only woman or person of color at the table. From this White imparts some important lessons on the perceived judgement that people who are in this position often experience.

“I always tell women and people of color, people aren’t thinking about you as much as you think they are,” says White. “People are thinking about themselves and if you can solve their problems it’s amazing how fast they’ll forget you’re a woman or you're black. They’re just like, ‘that’s just Dana, she solves my problems’. Many of us walk into every situation thinking I’m going to be discriminated against, people don’t like me, people won’t give me credit, but you don’t have to do that. People don’t know anything about you until you open your mouth. So, it’s really important to control the energy you give off because for the most part people aren’t thinking about that they’re just thinking, ‘how are you going to help me?’’

Currently White has relocated to Southern California where she works at Hyundai’s corporate offices in Fountain Valley and is excited to help bring the automaker into the electric era. And no matter what capacity she’s working in, she likes to keep her philosophy on communication rather simple.

“I look at communications as storytelling,” says White.

“I see it as knitting a wider story, empowering others to figure out how to communicate this story effectively and setting the agenda so everyone can take our story and spread the word.”

And for keys to her success, she has many, but paramount to White is having the right attitude to excel in any environment you work in.

“The key is to do whatever you’re doing really well,” she says. “But not only that, people will notice your attitude before anything else. It’s not just what you do but the attitude with which you do it. I notice young people who are just on it, like, ‘how can I help?’. That’s a person I’m looking at like, ‘I’m taking them to the next level’. It’s the attitude not necessarily the skill level that matters because if you have the right attitude the skill will come.

We can teach you everything you need to know but attitude is harder to teach.”

Apostle Price was a man of God who shared timeless messages of faith and love which transcended race and generations. As an elected official, I look up to leaders like Apostle Price who lead with purpose, empathy and grace.

For generations, the 89-year-old internationally renowned Church leader was a household name in South Los Angeles and beyond. As the founder of Crenshaw Christian Center, he was a fixture in countless households through his television, radio broadcasts and the thousands of parishioners who attended his Sunday service. He delivered uplifting messages to advance his followers, encouraging growth, responsibility and urged members to serve others outside of oneself.

His passion and devotion to serving humanity and the beauty of the words he spoke will live on in the hearts of all who knew him. May he rest in eternal peace. On behalf of Team Price, our deepest sympathies to his wife Betty, his children, family, friends and loved ones.

May the strength he had in his faith continue to guide you through this difficult time.

Councilman Curren D. Price, Jr. · 4301 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90011

NBA Star Russell Westbrook Launches Academy To Deliver World Class Education to South L.A. Youth Russell Westbrook along with wife, Nina, and longtime business partner, Donnell Beverly recently partnered with LA Promise Fund to launch the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy with the goal of ensuring students in South Los Angeles have access to high quality athletic programs while balancing a strong education and leadership development. Westbrook and Beverly will also sit on the board to help oversee developments at the schools.

Approved by the L.A. County Board of Education, the academy will deliver world class education to youth– grades 6 through 12–to develop academic achievers, athletes and citizens committed to social change. Westbrook aims to ensure that students from South Los Angeles have access to a college and career education that is communitybased, fights institutionalized racism, and uplifts and empowers individuals and the communities they live in.

“Creating and supporting educational opportunities for underserved youth has always been a passion of mine. It’s so important that every child has access to a good education regardless of their socioeconomic background. My goal in partnering with the LA Promise Fund is to ensure our South LA students are ready for college and ultimately success in a 21st century career,” said Westbrook.

“We all know Russell Westbrook’s accomplishments on the court.

His pledge to the LA Promise Fund Schools and the South LA community demonstrates his deep commitment off the court to uplift the community and positively change lives,” said Veronica Melvin, President of LA Promise Fund.

InGoodTaste

Cake Vanilla Pound Ingredients: sugar 3 c. granulated unsalted butter s) ick st (2 .

1/2 lb ning te or 2 T. Crisco sh 6 eggs

about electric mixer, Crisco with an d an , er tt bu r, Cream the suga about 10-15 . es ut in m electric mixer 4 3an ith w at be vanilla; Add eggs and e full time. low, add re to beat for th su e B . ith the mixer on es W r. de minut w po ng sugar and ur and baki to the creamed y, Combine the flo el at rn te al , and milk st combined. flour mixture dition until ju ad ch yed ea r te af Mix generously spra eggs mixture. that has been n at pa e be ak B tu ) a ed to ur Pour batter in r buttered & flo baking spray (o ick inserted hp ot to a til with non-stick un urs r 1 to 1 1/2 ho 325 degrees fo n. ea cl t ou es cake in the top com e pan; remove 2 an hour in th Cool about a 1/ from pan.

Directions: couldn’t accomcember 2017, she De By d ive ce orders she had ke oven she re ate the requests for od m It was an Easy Ba rtsta rry me and in 2018, got Regine Te rking out of her ho wo as a little girl that ed rn tu e sh the time ened Busy Baking. ed with baking. By d when a Mom’s “real op r he to d te ua lowing skyrockete fol ad r He 11 and gr at th 2019 went e up in her mind ke she made in ca m sto cu oven”, she’d mad ht on views on be a chef and straig securing 2.5 milli al, vir she was going to Le at ol, she started out of high scho ary Facebook. custom cakes for international culin an , eu Bl Terry specializes in en rd Co s to . ne isi cu m wedding cake in French all occasions fro school specializing n estga qu re be t d os an m r rs hono ers. Among he ow sh by “I graduated with ba Baby cakes, g industry. The expe ns are her Boss sig de ed working in the bakin I y le cake and ht me that one da aw/Nipsey Huss sh en Cr rience I gained taug d pound cakes, my own bakery.” essy bir thday an nn He would like to have a rt sta es such delights as years off to ile her menu includ After taking a few wh s, ok to irit sp secake brownie preneurial strawberry chee family, Terry’s entre aw str d an s stuffed apple hold. ler t cheesecake bb ou co ab h for ac e pe m ho ing m rry lemonade pudd “I braided hair fro a business be rt sta d an . ke s ca ar two ye d cheese says Terry. “You hairbybusy. It helpe like to do freestyle,” “I Instagram page @ y wl slo and I create you family and had ll me your theme te to provide for my spa my ’t but it wasn something unique.” started to take off, again.” g kin or for more inforba rt sta to n To place an order sion, so I bega ifam to s e, call (323) ke ca her about Chef Regin ion at She began selling m as ers. Word spread it busybaking.info. ly and her custom . 919-3937 or vis ow gr to n ga be rs orde her custom cake

tract 1 tsp. vanilla ex flour se po ur 3 c. all-p wder po ng ki ba p.

1 ts 1 c. milk

psey Terry’s famed Ni ke Ca le Huss

SavingGrace

A

L.A. Focus/March 2021

merican TV audiences know Anthony Anderson best from his ABC hit show” Black-ish”. Presently in its seventh season, it has spun off two sitcoms–Mixedish and Grown-ish, in which he not only appears but serves as executive producer.

But what most hardly recall is that Anderson’s current success–two decades in the making–was blazed by a trail of more than 90 film and TV projects, including a two year stint on “Law & Order” and a co-starring role in “Hustle & Flow”.

With his rousing, high pitch style of delivery and keen comedic timing, Anderson is as much a media delight as he is consummate professional. What is easy to glean is that entertainment is hardly a job for Anderson, it’s a passion.

“I can't call what I do a job because it's what I believe my energy was created to do. That's to entertain and I can't think of a better way to do it than to share this gift that I've been blessed with in the medium of television and film,” Anderson expressed.

More recently, the 50-year-old has been focusing on season six of his game show, “To Tell the Truth” which he hosts alongside his mother Doris Bowman.

“We’re one of the first shows to go back into production and we're halfway done with our 22-order episode,” he explained.

Anderson sees working with his mother as a way of paying her back for sacrificing so much early on in his career.

“My mother put her dreams and ambitions of being an actor on hold to raise an actor as a single parent, and not knowing that that's what she was doing. So, for me to be able to give her the opportunity, to pay it forward, so to speak to, for her to live her dream is truly a blessing,” Anderson explained. “And we are enjoying every minute of it, from our game show to our T-Mobile commercials to her even guest starring on ‘Black-ish.’ We're having a great time working together and working with one another.”

Anderson grew up in Compton with his mother, who at the time was a telephone operator and aspiring actress. Watching his mother delve into the performing arts is what inspired him to take a leap of faith.

“My mother was in a production of “A Raisin in the Sun” at Compton Community College and we were all in the theater as my mother was rehearsing the play, me and my two brothers. I just happened to look up on stage at that moment. And I realized that that is what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, to the point where I said, ‘That is what I'm going to do with the rest of my life,’” Anderson recalled. “For the last 41 years subconsciously and consciously, I've been preparing for this moment that I'm in right now, and that's how it happened. Since the age of nine, I've always put myself in a position to be in front of an audience, be it in school, a spelling bee, anytime a teacher asks me to read out loud, be it singing in church, wherever I could have a captive audience is what I wanted and that is what I did. And years down the line,

38

Anthony Anderson it started to pay off.”

Graduating from Hollywood High School Performing Arts Magnet in 1988, Anderson’s attempt at stand-up comedy got off to a rocky start. Despite a blow to his ego, Anderson was able to make valuable connections that allowed his fame to skyrocket. Anderson recalls his first paying gig to be alongside Debbie Allen and LL Cool J in the ABC series, “In the House.”

“I grew up watching Debbie on fame, and everything else that she did. I grew up listening to LL’s music and to be playing a friend of his opposite him on his own television show was exciting, nerve wracking, and all of those things. I believe I did a good job. They invited me back, so I had a few episodes of the show and until I got the Saturday morning show, “Hang Time,” he recalled.

Anderson went on to land leading roles in TV shows like “Law and Order” and starred in popular feature films like “Barbershop,” “Kangaroo Jack” and “Transformers.” The “Scary Movie 3” actor even briefly starred in his own sitcom, “All About the Andersons.”

“It took me a few years to get on my feet and find my way. And once I did, I never looked back,” Anderson said.

While the NAACP Image Award winner is finding an immense amount of success in film and television, he would still like to one day take it back to where it all started the theater.

“New York is still a dream of mine. I got to live in New York for a few years and work on a wonderful television show, “Law and Order,” but I've always wanted those bright lights of Broadway. I've always wanted to be on stage because the theater is where all of this is born from anyway. So, I still have my sights on New York and Broadway, eventually one day.”

For now, Anderson is focused on TV shows and becoming more involved in creative projects that highlight up-and-comers in the entertainment industry.

“Someone afforded the opportunity to me, so it's my responsibility to pay it forward and provide the opportunities like I say, for the next generation of storytellers and that's what I'm most excited about right now. We're going to be on this “Black-ish” ride for a little while longer, but in the process of going along on this ride, providing lanes for other people to take their rides. That's what I'm

most excited about right now, just giving the opportunity to others.”

“Black-ish” is back and he is poised to tackle all of the tumultuous events that took place in 2020.

“We started with the election, a two-part animated episode of the election. We're dealing with the pandemic in which we're living right now. We’re going to talk about mental illness, police brutality, social injustice, police reform. The things that we're all dealing with as a family, as a culture, as a community, we'll continue to talk about on our show,” Anderson explained.

Back on set after being forced to wait out the effects of the coronavirus pandemic with the rest of the world, Anderson has taken a lot of time to reflect on the life changing events of the past year.

“A lot of self-reflection just like everybody else who was trapped at home or confined to home. Got back with nature, got back into my gardening in my place, self-centered myself for when the world would eventually reopen itself,” Anderson said.

Anderson is just happy that he and his family remained in good health and had several reasons to count their blessings amidst the chaos.

“In spite of everything that was going on, it was a nice time to recenter myself and redefine my purpose and what it was that I wanted to do and how it was that I wanted to move forward,” he expressed.

Even before the pandemic shook the globe, Anderson had developed quite the toolkit for coping and staying grounded.

“It's all about being in tune with who you are, taking the time to sit in the silence alone and just dealing with it and centering yourself, meditation. For me, I meditate on occasion. I like to be in my garden,” he said.

“That's how I'm able to stay grounded and to protect and guard and shield my mental health and to make sure that I'm as best as I can be.”

So, how does one amass the amount of success Anderson has been blessed to find in his career? Aside from undeniable talent, it all comes down to authenticity and work ethic.

“Be your authentic self and tell your story as honestly as you possibly can and that's it. You're telling your story because the stories aren't being told for you, stories aren't being written for you. So that's why you had to go out and create them. You create the opportunity for yourself so continue to do that,” he explained. “Never be in competition with another man or another person, another woman, another artist, be competitive with yourself, but don't be in competition with someone else. Be as prepared as you can be in the room and know that you can't will it any sooner than when it's destined to come.

You never know when that window of opportunity is going to present itself and you'll never know how long that window of opportunity will be there. So, when it does present itself, you can't waste time getting ready.

You have to be ready.”

GLOW in Glory!

Rev. Norma Fisher

“Blessed are those who die in the Lord...for they rest from their labor.”

(Revelation 14:13) The Blessed Hope of the believer is that a day will come when the Lord will usher His children from time into eternity and from labor to reward.

So, with a heavy heart, the Fisher Family and the Greater Zion Church Family announce the eternal transition of Rev. Norma Fisher.

We are certain that her impact and influence spans generations and exceeds our immediate church family. We are certain that her wisdom as our First Lady Emeritus, Mother of the Church, Women’s Ministry Overseer, and Preacher will not be soon forgotten.

We take comfort in the fact that she knew God and anticipated that He is a God that cares for His children. In her own words, “I truly believe that the Lord is going to come back and get me and I will live with Him forever and ever in eternity.”

So, we bow in humble submission to His will and respectfully ask for your prayers and that you respect the Fisher family’s wish for privacy at this time. #GreaterZion #GZcpt #GlowInGlory #FisherFamily #BlessedAmongWomen #RestFromYourLabor Dr. Michael J. Fisher Senior Pastor Greater Zion Church Family CEO/Founder JT Foundation