LA Sunset

Murals in Los Angeles: Jesus Christ and the Community

Jesus Christ--Memorial

There is another piece on the south facing wall of the Pico Union strip mall from an earlier post. This piece faces an alley and is dedicated to Jesus Christ and his Love and support for humanity. It has a lot of names strewn across the top of it (I'm assuming it's people that have passed in the community or some of the artists of the mural--maybe both).

BET: Black HIstory Month Programming Inspires Me

I was watching the Black Entertainment Television network (BET) the other day and this show History Makers came on that highlighted how various activists and community leaders approach their life, faith, and their work in the community. The program was really inspiring because it showed how various folk attribute their lives' work, which often includes a desire to change the world and make it more just, is grounded in spiritual experiences they've had at key points in their lives. It made me wonder if there's a Spanish language or even Chicano equivalent of this type of programming. Some of the next programming includes:


FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on BET
THE BET HONORS -- BET celebrates the lives and achievements of African American luminaries, in this 2-hour special hosted by Cedric "The Entertainer." Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Jill Scott, Wyclef Jean, Danny Glover, Kerry Washington, Vivica A. Fox and Hill Harper pay tribute to Alicia Keys (Entertainment Award), Tyra Banks (Media Award), Dr. Cornel West, University Professor in the Center for African American Studies (Award for Education), Richard Parsons (Corporate Citizen Award), The Honorable Maxine Waters (Public Service Award) and CEO Janice Bryant Howroyd (Entrepreneur Award).



SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24 12:00 p.m. ET/PT on BET
HISTORY MAKERS: COURAGE -- Through the revealing personal stories of influential African Americans such as Nikki Giovanni, Vernon Jordan, Angela Davis, Harry Belafonte, and many others, viewers are shown the importance of following your own path and standing up for what you believe in despite the opposition or consequences.




SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on BET
OPERA NOIRE -- Catch the ultimate theatrical performance, Black opera. BET J celebrates African Americans and their significant contributions to the Opera in this informative documentary examining the issue of race in Opera and Classical music. This special focuses on the outstanding careers of such great musicians like Paul Robeson, Marian Anderson, Leontyne Price, Jessye Norman and Robert McFerrin, the first African American to appear at the Met. In addition, it will encompass a red carpet concert gala performance of selections from celebrated composers including Gershwin and noted African American composers.



This information adapted from here.

Ya Basta!: Workers Protest in Los Angeles

"Fuck you! Pay me!"
Do you remember this line from Good Fellas? It kept ringing in my head as a proper heading to this post because the scene it comes from underscores the corruptibility of American Capitalism, and what some might legitimately call "Gangsterism"--the type of business where the importance given to and the transaction of money supersede human beings, business partnerships, and law. But I think the quote can be applied further--shined in another light--because it also serves as a reminder of the power of American Democracy, the "lil guy's right" to shout out when they've been wronged. And though it may seem vulgar, there are some things that are worse than offensive language. Read on.

The other day I catch a protest near Hollywood and Universal City (cinema and democracy, how poetic, huh?). Niemann Properties hired a contractor named Otoniel to assist in the completion of the housing units below. Otoniel turned around and subcontracted the work out, hiring a number of workers to accomplish the job. Fast forward $144,000 and a few months later, and the job is nearly complete. The problem is that a number of workers have yet to be paid for their work.

Beautiful homes just don't appear outta thin air:

What's being said:
Niemann Properties representative, Robert Sandler, stated that he believes there are approximately 20 people who have not received compensation for work completed. He continued by stating that Otoniel did not keep accurate records, and Niemann has no clear idea of how many workers were involved. They are also unsure about who was payed and who was not, how workers were payed, the names of the workers involved, and no record exists of their hourly rates!

A representative for the workers stated that they met with Niemann in September 2007 to discuss timely and accurate compensation, and argue that Niemann was aware of the payment discrepancies since the beginning stages of the project. One of the organizers of the event stated that actions like these are part of an ever-growing national Wage Claim Campaign that denounces the exploitation of workers and seeks to recover accurate and timely payment for for the work that workers complete.

A strength of American Democracy is the ability to stand up for yourself when you've been wronged. It's the ability to fight for what is yours.

You may not always win, but at least you can argue, struggle, and say it loud when someone has wronged you. Maybe you'll make the culprit think twice before they screw someone over again. In the process, you'll even make some headway for change. Enough is Enough!!!

Murals in Los Angeles: Mother Earth

These gigantic murals are located on the corner of Pico Blvd. and Union Ave. in Los Angeles. The building is covered with murals and graffiti on many of its walls. All of these photos below are different parts of the same building.

"We Don't Have Generations"
This particular piece is on the west facing Wall of a plaza (the piece faces Lucille's and the corner of Pico and Union). The following is written across the top of the mural:

"We don't have generations.
We only have gas stations and corporations,
landfills and oil spills."

Earth Crew, 4/22/90

Good Brother, 4/20/05

Honor System and WeHo Skater

A friend and I are trying to start early morning hikes in Runyon Canyon. We both liked this addition to the environment up there.



Also saw this guy on the corner of San Vicente and Melrose. I'm told the guy rollerskates around the neighborhood and can be regularly seen throughout the day.

Murals in Los Angeles: A New Way to think about Graffiti in LA?

I'd like to be clear that I'm a big proponent of art and only in some cases graffiti--I hear it's used as a deterrent to other forms of gang-affiliated graffiti. And since it exists as an outlet for many of LA's youths, and there's not much I can do about it in the interim, I figure I'll document it. Maybe one day, the government will increase funding for arts programs in impoverished cities and maybe--just maybe--the simple act of documenting a lot of the work found around Los Angeles will increase support for those that think, express, and act through art.

I found the following piece in the West Adams area of Los Angeles:




These pieces are located off the 10 freeway near the Los Angeles St. exit:





This piece is located on Normandie near Hollywood Blvd.

Red Rose around Town

Got this rose for my Valentine and through a blunder of mine, it stayed with me. So I decided to give it a good time. It's still going strong too! =P

Valentine Rose and UCLA Football cup


Valentine Rose and Friends: Lokahi and Eva

Response to Los Angeles ICE Raids: Day of Love and Friendship

Valentine's Day Vigil
Heard there was a Vigil and Rally in Los Angeles on Valentine's Day to protest the Raids against immigrants (Immigration and Customs Enforcement Raids). I was surprised and inspired by how many people came out--it was 5pm and it was Valentine's Day! It's just one more sign that people are tired of the ICE Raids that dehumanize thousands of people nationally.


There were a number of organizations, clergy members, families, students, and community folks present. An air of solidarity pervaded the atmosphere. Perhaps the Spanish translation for the day is more appropriate, "Dia de Amistad Y Amor", Day of Friendship and Love, because it was an event marked by both.


Here's a list of some of the organizations that were present:
UNITE HERE!
CHIRLA
NILC
National Lawyers Guild
ACLU/SC
NDLON
Frente Contra Las Redadas

2/8/08, Local Press Conference: Clergy Denounce ICE Raids!
On Thursday (February 7, 2008) more than 100 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided a printer supply manufacturer in Van Nuys (nearly 20 miles Northeast of Downtown LA), and ICE detained 120 employees accused of being in the country illegally. Various organizations held a press conference in front of the Los Angeles Federal Building the very next day.

During the conference, a number of clergy denounced the raids, calling them a form of terror in Los Angeles communities. Living in the Mid-Wilshire area of Los Angeles, Reverend Howard Dotson, a Presbyterian Pastor and key figure that works on family reunification issues in LA, said that ICE raids occur often in the local community. He continued by stating that anyone that supports family values must also be in support of reforming this nation's broken immigration policy and against the ICE raids taking place.

Reverend Dotson continued by stating that Jesus Christ and his family were also immigrants that fled persecution and sought material and physical safety. If Jesus were alive in today's times, he continued, then he is exactly the type of person that would be deemed illegal and would find himself in a similar situation as the immigrants that ICE detains, dehumanizes, and hauls off.


Will the road be repaved with a more humane immigration policy?

Black History Month: A Salute to my Brothers and Sisters

I was a little disappointed in myself for not writing a birthday post on MLK back in January. But then I realized that it's Black History Month and a bigger tribute to King is to discuss how numerous African and African-Americans (Blacks for brevity) have continually impacted my life throughout.

Spirituality

Hands down the spiritual history of Black culture influences my outlook and approach to life the most. The power of Black spirituality is that it constantly emerges from the shadows of despair found in Black culture and history and serves as a timeless beacon of light.


It's profound how Black spirituality combines with rhythmic, soulful song and lyric, often accompanying a joyous fellowship (making the joy of fellowship all the more fierce in the purest way as it erupts from an internal and communal pain that soothes and heals old and current wounds). The foundation of Black spirituality includes a strong connection to community and an interpersonal forte, the ability and desire to share and contribute to center stage or behind the scenes, and--perhaps most importantly--the recognition and appreciation that faith, hope, and Love for a higher being outside ourselves is necessary for both our survival and our sanity. I believe spirituality is a bedrock of Black culture and history because it's that side of our human nature that cannot be easily ripped away from us by those that oppress us, and Black peoples know very well (and sense and feel) what I would call a powerfully creative humility and solidarity necessary for survival.

Politics
An extension of genuine spirituality is politics--though politics does not naturally extend to genuine spirituality. Just think how often a leader or star of a local Black community rises to the national scene. Having rich foundations in various spiritual and religious thought, many Black leaders or stars often have the ability to share with the masses a morality, ethics, and public policy grounded in a deep spirituality that connects the relevant Black cultural and historical concepts of hope, zeal, passion, struggle, and Love. And I believe this spiritual power can transcend various divides. Think of all the various Chicano or Latino national faces--although most of them are in entertainment primarily--and then think how few of them are also spiritual leaders for a community or even openly embrace religion or spirituality. I say this because I think there are a number of examples of Black political triumph and I think sustained political struggle requires a certain level of personal and communal commitment to spirituality--and I believe Africans and African Americans know this all too well.

The Arts
Finally, Black comedy, music, cinema, and literature have all nurtured my soul and crafted a peculiar and unique desire to share my stories with others. Being on the margins, enduring suffering and trying to be victoriously joyful in the process begins for me in the Black arts because that process is so evident in Black culture--and often shines through in their arts. From musical greats to comedic giants, from powerfully riveting actors and actresses to soulful literature, I am continually cast and re-cast by the creative prowess of Blacks in the arts.
















A Special Note:
So it may seem that I am giving too much control for race--haven't there been a number of White, Asian, Latino, Middle-Eastern greats that have contributed to my growth? The answer is a resounding yes! Though no other group has moved me and connected to that deeper spiritual realm that I might call my soul. To think about the exhausted contributions Black artists and their arts have made to my life puts a smile on my face and ushers in a world and lifetime of memories: Movies like Love Jones, Car Wash, Friday, Jackie Brown, Boyz N the Hood, White Men Can't Jump, House Party, Coming to America; Literature like The Color Purple, The Bluest Eye, A Raisin in the Sun; Artists and Actors like Robert Townsend, The Wayans family, Denzel Washington, Whoopi Goldberg, James Brown, Beyonce, Morgan Freeman, Aretha Franklin, Tupac Shakur, Lauryn Hill, Jamie Foxx, Sam Jackson, Queen Latifah, Marvin Gaye, Lou Rawls, Sade, Will Smith, James Earl Jones, Nia Long, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Alicia Keyes, Billie Holiday, Stevie Wonder, Bill Cosby, Angela Bassett, Dave Chappelle, Duke Ellington, Jimi Hendrix, Jill Scott, and the list goes and on and on AND ON ...

So in the Spirit of MLK, I salute all of humanity and am thankful to the Lord for all of the beauty that my Black brothers and sisters have provided the world.

ICE that Burns: Raids in Los Angeles

"Only ten minutes left ... and I'm off the clock."

There is a terror in Los Angeles and a version of it goes like this: A woman is working and all of a sudden armed men and women bust through the doors and tell her and her co-workers to remain still. Her heart pounds a million miles per minute but her legs stay put.

The authorities yell at her to line up and begin prodding her and the others with verbal questions and comments. She and her co-workers are as scared and humiliated as cattle being herded to slaughter. Before she knows it, she's in a detention cell. Hours later, she emerges and her life will never be the same.

This is the story of one of the persons involved in a Los Angeles area Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Raid on Thursday where up to 100 people were moved from the San Fernando valley to an LA detention center for processing. Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, states that ICE raids are are an example of a failing immigration policy because they terrorize families and workers. She continued by stating that until Congress passes policy that appropriately responds to the complex nature of immigration processes, ICE should stop terrorizing these families.


Brief points of Note:

1) The ACLU and others state that only 2 counsel windows were provided for the 100+/- people that were detained -- If ICE is going to continue with these types of mass round ups, then it should abide by this country's legal concept of due process and provide adequate resources for all people to receive mass counsel in a timely fashion. It is unlawful to hold someone without counsel. All detainees must have quick and reliable access to counsel regardless of assumed legal status. If not, they must be let go.

2) In this particular case, families of the detainees came to post bond but were told to wait until Monday the 11th. ICE must also provide adequate resources for quick and accurate processing.


One woman's story ... The story of Thousands:
These workers were sent to a Federal detention center, not for murder or even the embezzlement of millions, but because they may or may not have crossed a line by crossing a line. And although they are tax-payers in this land, they do not reap all of its legal protections. They purchase thousands of items per year and pay millions in rent annually to landowners, which in turn contributes to the US economy and various social programs they often do not have access to. They are tax-paying, hard-working men and women that contribute to and sustain the US workforce and economy and they should be treated with dignity.