14th Annual Black College Expo Returns To LA

Black College Expo

The 14th Annual Black College Expo Returns to LA February 2nd and as someone who was accepted to Hampton University on the spot (Black Collge Expo Oakland 2005) I definitely recommend making the trip to all High School Students.  Younger students can get a feel for what is necessary to get into their ideal schools and older students with all the necessary documents can be accepted on the spot to certain schools.  Helping over 375,000 students get into college and giving away over $500,000 in scholarships The Black College Expo will take place on Saturday, February 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Make sure you have all the requirements necessary for your school, dress professional and you can have your college acceptance on the spot.  I had to go up to Oakland because after attending the LA Expo I didn’t do my personal statement, thinking since I was doing an on the spot interview I didn’t need it, WRONG.  The next week it was in Oakland so along with having a wonderful supportive mother, I prepared my personal statement and was on the road to Oakland the next weekend.  Now I am Hampton University Alum, Thanks Black College Expo!

Black College Expo

Los AngelesBlackCollege Expo

2013 Fruit Tree Giveaway

Fruit TRees

The Social Justice Institute, along with Inglewood Unified School District and Tree People are sponsoring a free Fruit Tree at the 2013 Fruit Tree Giveaway Festival Saturday, January 26th, 2013 from 10:00am – 4:00pm.  The Friut Tree Giveaway Festival will be held at Morningside High School (10500 Yukon Ave. Inglewood, CA 90303) .  Be sure to apply for your free friut tree http://www.sjli-cp.org/FTDP, call 323.952.3466 or email dsteele@sjli-cp.org to reserve your tree TODAY!

Interrogate LA’s Future Mayor For A Hour

EC1

The annual Empowerment Congress Summit this year will feature a mayoral debate jointly hosted by the Empowerment Congress and the Second Supervisorial District.  Residents are encouraged to not only attend but submit questions for candidates.  I have been to couple politcal and community open houses and I’m kind of glad questions have to be submitted in advance, because the things some people ask, you swear they just like to hear themselves on the mic. The candidates forum will take place at 9 am on January 19, 2013, at the University of Southern California’s Bovard Auditorium. All are welcome to and encouraged to attend.  Five of the best questions will be posted on Chairmen Mark Ridley-Thomas website for us to vote, (Chairmen Ridley-Thomas is really exercising our democratic right with all this voting, but I like it!)  and the top vote-getter will be provided to the moderator for possible inclusion in the mayoral debate. If you would like to attend the Summit in person, click here to register or you can stream the debate also from Chairmen Ridley-Thomas’s site. Can someone thro Ridley-Thomas a Gatorade, this man is putting in work! Keep Up The Good Work!

Ice Skating In Downtown

Downtown on ICe

The Holidays may be over but the Ice is still in Downtown at Pershing Square! Its winter in LA and even though our cold consist of 60 degrees we still have ice for some good ole fashion family fun.  Cool fun at LA’s biggest outdoor rink with the smallest admission price, open everyday November 15, 2012 through January 21, 2013.

Message From South LA’s Mayoral Candidate Jan Perry

Mayoral Candidate Perry

I wanted to give you a quick update on our filing deadline at midnight tonight.  I am so grateful to my supporters for their tremendous response so far to my emails asking them to donate before the end of the year.

 We are on track to meet our goal, but we are just $2,500 short.  Can I count on you to click here to contribute an extra $25, $50, $100 or whatever you can afford by midnight tonight?

 I know how passionate you are about the future of our city.  Our next mayor must be tough enough to stand up to special interests and put our city back on track.  I am the only candidate who has stood up for the people over the power brokers time and time again.

 Don’t let this moment pass.  Your contribution will make sure that we have the resources to let voters that they have a candidate who is in their corner.

P.S In 2013, adopt a pet from your local shelter, like my friend Penny.

Holiday Time In SouthLA

SouthLA Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years SouthLA

“Deck Crenshaw with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la, la la la la!” It’s Holiday Time in South Los Angeles, and we’re shaping up pretty well if I may say so myself.  There are a slew of events being putting on around town from Tree Lightings’ to Toy Give Aways’.   Councilmember Parks hosted the 10th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and holiday concert on Monday, November 26 on Crenshaw Blvd.  Organized the first year of Councilmen Parks term, the free family oriented event has become a tradition within the SouthLA community.  Over to Baldwin Hills,  My Mother’s Order of the Eastern Star Group passed out meals and toys at Holiday Festival this past Saturday.   Formally known as Christmas in November, the Holiday Festival is hosted by Children Youth and Family Collaborative at Rancho Cienaga Park next to Dorsey.   Continue reading

Fox Inglewood Theatre Downtown Inglewood

Fox Theatre

Closed since the mid ’80s  The Fox Inglewood Theater still stands iconic in the middle of Downtown Inglewood’s Market Street.  According to CurbedLA’s Inbox The Fox Inglewood Theatre  located on Market Street in Downtown Inglewood  has been/considering being placed on the National Register of Historic Places by California’s State Historic Resources Commission and I can see why.  Even with the Theatre being closed for something around three decades, it is still in fairly good condition.   The Theatre located in the middle of Market Street would make an amazing addition Inglewood Promenade.  Although I am extremely grateful my life, I can’t help but to wish I could seen this Theatre in its hay days.

Curbed’s Inbox

Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation

 

Round Ups: Inglewood TOD & Slauson Holiday Stroll

Downtown Inglewood TOD Map

SLAUSON: I just cannot commend Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and the Communities of Ladera Heights, View Park, Baldwin Hills and Windsor Hills enough as they strive to create the ultimate shopping dining experience for their neighborhood.  Provided Slauson, between LaBrea and Angeles Vista has served the area but seems just to be  a little dated, explains why not floored that area doesn’t have its own Larchmont Village (commercial village area for Hancock Park).  However this past weekend I attended the ‘Slauson Holiday Stroll‘ and had a great time and can’t wait for the transformation that is to come to the area. Just standing in front of ‘ Wings N Greens’ and looking east down Slauson watching people duck in out of stores, made me  imagine Slauson its-soon-to-be-form, Windsor-Ladera Towne Center.  The event was well put together, offering a    seated area  under a canopy on the side walk in front of Wings N Greens, information on the Windsor-Ladera Towne Center also had posted information on the transformation this is to come as well as allowed citizens and guest cast their vote for the ‘offiical’ name of  shopping strip by writing it on a paper ornament and attaching it to Christmas tree, I think mine is fine  the, Windsor-Ladera Towne Center but that wasn’t one of the options so I think I either went with ‘Winview Crest’ or ‘Overhill Crest’.  Would like to commend all the particpating business and the Office of the Supervisor.

INGLEWOOD: Inglewood hosted their second Transit Oriented Development (TOD) meeting this past weekend and I am so happy I went.  Besides it being awesome, it was nice to see other ideas on how the are the area should be developed.  I got chance to present my group incorporated my Inglewood Promenade idea, suggested we create somewhat of an Exposition Park of Inglewood by creating a “Museum Park,”  and a Metro adjacent Inglewood Visitor Center and Inglewood Landmark park offering sculptures, public art, or Giant Inglewood letters, similar to those of Compton at the Downtown Compton stop on the Blue line.  I was even was asked to be group spokesperson  so I was super excited, even tho I hate public speaking, LOL yea I know.  I was very pleased with the amount of community input being asked as well as the community input and all the great ideas that were presented.  If a lot of what was talked about during the meeting finds its way to being constructed, Downtown Inglewood can easily become the next hot neighborhood of LA.  Sending out a  huge thank you for the City Inglewood in their efforts to seek community involvement in the planning of Downtown Inglewood’s TOD, now if I can start to my peers to understand the importance for the younger generation to not only show up but ask question, I will have truly accomplished something.

Helping The Homeless Or Is Gentrification Afoot?

Skid Row Apts

Skid Row is taking center stage as the Skid Row Housing Trust has been putting in work for the neighborhood, creating and redeveloping to provide housing opportunities for the homeless.  But with Echo Park, Highland Park, and Lincoln Park being the latest areas to undergo gentrification and Mid City (Yes, World on Wheels Mid City) being the current gem in the eye of the developer, is Skid Row next?  Well now that Downtown LA is showing signs as a prominent contender as live, play, work neighborhood Skid Row could be looked at as the working class’s option, offering a cheap alternative to living in DTLA.  Well with that in mind, the $20.5 million Star Apartments is rising atop a one-story existing structure at Sixth and Maple streets. But unlike other construction sites in Downtown, no hammer-wielding, workers erecting, or wood frames necessary. Instead, a crane is lowering prefabricated residences one-by-one onto a concrete superstructure that was poured over the existing edifice.  The prefabricated apartments measure about 350 square feet and were manufactured in Idaho by Guerdon

2012.12_star1

 Enterprises. The units were trucked to Los Angeles.  Star will feature about 15,000square feet of community space, including offices for on-site social services.

Star in Skid Row

Skid Row Housing Trust

 

SouthLA’s Jan Perry 4 Mayor!

JanPerry4MayorLA2013

I am elated to support and endorse SouthLA’s very own Councilwomen Jan Perry of the ninth district  as she strives become the next Mayor of Los Angeles.  I have personally watch the complete transformation of Downtown LA, and seeing projects under Councilwomen Jan Perry flourish, I have the utmost respect and support for her and look forward to seeing what she can do for the nations 2nd largest market.   Do your remember when Downtown LA didn’t exist after 7pm? Now look at it, its an actual NEIGHBORHGOOD! Who does that, Jan Perry does that. Over the past decade, Perry has supported the development of major redevelopment projects in Downtown Los Angeles that represents over $15 billion in investment, over $40 million in City tax revenue, and the creation of over 90,000 full-time jobs. From catalytic developments like LA Live to iconic developments like Our Lady of Angeles Cathedral to major public buildings like the new Police Administrative Building—Perry has been  at the forefront of ensuring that downtown moves forward to meet its potential as the economic engine for the entire region. 

#JanPerry4Mayor2013 

But What Has She Done For Me Lately? HA! Let Me Tell You!

Los Angeles Mayoral 2013 Debate