C e l e b r a t i n g 2 7 Ye a r s o f Service in Inglewood, Airport area Communities
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July 15-21 2021 VOL. 36, No. 28
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Inglewood’s newest bookshop... See Page 4
Reggie Theus Named Athletic Director/Basketball Coach at Bethune-Cookman University
IT News Wire
Former Inglewood native and NBA All-Star turned coach Reggie Theus has been named to the dual role of Athletic Director and Men’s Basketball Coach for Bethune-Cookman University. During his NBA playing career, Theus scored over 19,000 points and had over 6000 assists. Theus will be overseeing the Wildcats’ vast athletic programs.
“The Wildcats could not be any more excited about Reggie Theus taking the lead,” said Interim President Hiram Powell. “We have a respected and beloved athletic program with a remarkable legacy, and like our peer institutions, our programs have been disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Having Reggie launch our new season and directing the future
of our athletes will take us to the next level.” Theus, 63, has extensive experience both as a player, as well as a coach. Theus, who played for the Orlando Magic, also played for the Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, and New Jersey Nets. Theus later returned as head coach of the Sacramento Kings. During his career,
Theus served as an assistant coach at the University of Louisville under Rick Pitino, where the team went to The Final Four. As head coach of the New Mexico State Aggies, Theus led them to the NCAA tournament in only his second year as head coach. He has also served in coaching roles with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and later was named head coach of California State University, Northridge. In addition to his playing and coaching careers, Theus has worked as a college and NBA sports broadcaster in various markets, including serving as a studio analyst for Turner Sports, The Los Angeles Lakers, and Sirius XM NBA Radio. “I’ve had the great fortune of working in both professional and college sports most of my career, and being presented the opportunity to lead B-CU’s athletic department is another dream being fulfilled,” Theus said. “Becoming part of the family and culture of such a respected HBCU is the chance of a lifetime. I am eager to share my professional sports experiences to take the Wildcats even further. I look forward to every moment of this new role.” Theus will begin officially in July.
A career pivot success story
Olivia Carmella found magic in embracing her true self. Her newlylaunched brand ‘Models of Authenticity’ will help others to find the same By Brea Mitchell, Staff Writer
Olivia Carmella was at a crossroads moment in her life when she founded ‘Models of Authenticity’. Carmella, a lawyer and graduate of The Ohio State University’s highly regarded Moritz College of Law, proudly attests that her time studying law, and her career in law, served great purpose. In fact, it’s where she found herself– her true, authentic self that she had subconsciously suppressed her entire life. With this revelation, she created ‘Models of Authenticity’. This brand is her dedication to helping other young people– and people of all ages– come into their own experience of
self-discovery and daily practice of authenticity. The Models of Authenticity brand that Carmella has built from the ground up is the blueprint for living an authentic life. It’s an online space that serves as an anti-conformity guide, it’s the constant reminder that every person has something unique and important to offer the world. It’s a space that celebrates individuality. The brand’s already-impactful online presence is proof that women are in fact seeking a community where vulnerability and honesty is normalized. Continued on page 8
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July 15-21 2021
The Perfect Getaway Vacation: Cage Diving with Sea Monsters IT News Wire
West Palm Beach, FL— Looking for a safe, unique vacation the entire family will enjoy? How about a virtual trip to a very real remote island where you can visit the most advanced state-of-the-art aquarium complexes ever conceived, holding the most terrifying giant sharks and sea monsters that ever lived?
“The story that runs through every offering at Sea Monster Cove came to me back in December of 2019. I had announced MEG -7: Purgatory would be the last book in the MEG series, so a new prehistoric sea creature story was the last thing I needed, but the beats were so good … and it felt like an episodic TV series, which is something I’ve always wanted to write. The key
to do a little “cage diving.” In each of these heart-pounding, 360-degree experiences, the user controls the viewing angle, attempting to track the attacks as they happen (there are day and night versions available). The action is nonstop, and the creatures look and act so real that it is easy to lose yourself in the experience. Other features at SeaMonsterCove.
African Americans and the Vaccine in San Diego County
By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher, San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper
Welcome to www.SeaMonsterCove. com, one of the most original and ambitious entertainment venues ever imagined. The creative force that recruited an international team of 3D animators, 2D artists, engineers, actors, producers and an ancient shark museum curator is Steve Alten, author of the NY Times bestselling MEG series, the source material for the 2018 summer blockbuster, The MEG, starring Jason Statham.
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was the location — a remote island that somehow I knew was out there … and there it was — Maug. It even sounds like Meg.” Enter www.SeaMonsterCove.com, and you are guided through a quick history of Maug, a remote (and very real) island located in the Northern Marianas. What lies beneath Maug became the basis of Alten’s story — a 380 million-year-old aquifer filled with the most terrifying sea creatures that ever lived. “There are two major complexes on Maug Island,” Alten explains. “The Sea Monster Aquarium Complex holds six marine habitats that date back to different eras in our history, while the O-Quarium is home to our star attraction, Snowflake.” Snowflake may sound meek, but the albino Mako shark is a 63-foot, 25-ton monster best viewed via one of the suites at the Black Demon Inn, a 5-star hotel with suites that back up to the main tank. Snowflake is waiting for you there, circling outside your bedroom window. At SeaMonsterCove.com, the special effects are motion picture-worthy, and the wildlife doesn’t just swim around in benign circles; in fact, they are quite aware that you are watching them, and some of them clearly do not like it, especially when you enter their habitat
com include Alten’s episodic TV series, Where Sea Monsters Roam; an animated TV series, The Adventures of Snowflake & Layla; and two original video games, Run Layla Run and Where Sea Monsters Roam. There’s also an education center and a private library offering enhanced versions of Alten’s novels as well as teacher curriculum materials for distance learning. In August, curriculum materials for in-class and distance learning will combine the enhanced novels and virtual adventures for secondary school teachers looking to engage their students by blending education with entertainment. And Alten isn’t quite done with movies yet. The MEG sequel, MEG2: The TRENCH, goes into production in January, with The LOCH (a thriller about the Loch Ness Monster) to follow, along with the adaptation of a third Alten novel which cannot be announced just yet (but the enhanced version of the novel is available in the website’s private library). Steve Alten is also the founder and director of the nonprofit Adopt-an-Author teen reading program, considered by many educators to be the most effective tool to get reluctant readers to read.
Early in the pandemic, and with the initial release of the vaccines, there was much discussion about disparities and how non people of color were getting doses of the vaccine that should have gone to our communities. There were complaints about how there were not enough African Americans being hired as contact tracers so that we could identify persons among us who had contracted Covid-19 and were causing the disease to spread. Next, an African American scientist discovered the vaccine and efforts were made to make more doses available to Blacks. By contrast, during the Tuskegee Experiments, Black men who had contracted syphilis were allowed to suffer for more than 30 years and many died when treatment was withheld after a cure was found. In the case of Covid-19, the issue is the availability of a vaccine and not the withholding of one as a cure. Today, we have sites available throughout our communities with vaccines and no lines or cost for those who will step up and take it. We also have over 140,000 people who are delinquent on getting their second shot and who are at risk with just having had one shot. With the Delta variant increasing and still more than 10,000 deaths a day in America from the virus and its mutations, like the Delta variant, it’s time for Black people to take responsibility and accept fact over rumours. If we continue the foolishness of not taking the vaccine, it will not be long before the cost of keeping non utilized vaccine sites open will be greater than the limited usage. We do know that there have been some side effects with the vaccines for a limited number of people, but we also know that death is a bit more than certain for those who get the virus without the vaccine. It’s time to stop blaming others and take responsibility for ourselves and loved ones if we want to live.
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July 15-21 2021
EYE ON THE CITY GEORGE DOTSON
ALEX PADILLA
JAMES BUTTS
ELOY MORALES
RALPH FRANKLIN
AROUND THE CITY
City Council’s Special Meeting
By Francis Taylor, Sr. Writer
In lieu of a regular weekly city council meeting on Tuesday, the Inglewood City Council met in a special meeting on Wednesday and handled the following: The council authorized the payment
of invoices from the County of Los Angeles for Supplemental Law Enforcement Services provided to the City of Inglewood with funds derived from the General Fund. The council approved an agreement with the City of Hawthorne, with an
option to extend two (2) additional years in one-year increments) authorizing the Chief of Police (or designee) to request supplemental law enforcement services for special events, with funds derived from the General Fund. Similarly, the council approved
agreements with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) authorizing the Chief of Police to request supplemental law enforcement services from the CHP for professional sporting and entertainment events.
California Budget Includes $10 Million for Ethnic Media Inglewood Today News
Here’s some good news for our sector. In the state budget for 2021-22 that Gov. Newsom signed last night, there is $10 million in new funding dedicated to helping state agencies reach underserved and monolingual Californians through our ethnic media outlets. The funding is part of the Asian Pacific Islander Equity Budget created to respond to the surge in hate crimes against Asian American Pacific Islanders. This funding is historic because it earmarks funds specifically aimed at expanding communications with ethnic and racial populations through
ethnic media with underserved communities. an eye to creating For all those reasons, we more racial equity applaud the governor and in the state. It legislature for making this recognizes the funding possible. indispensable role So far, the details about ethnic media play how the money will be spent to inform, educate or how the program will be and engage our implemented have not yet communities about been fleshed out. But we critical issues that assure you that we will be impact their lives. working with the legislature Finally, it provides and community advocacy a template that groups to make sure can later be scaled distribution of this funding for requiring is inclusive, equitable and state agencies to fair and benefits all our traditionally excluded in media buys include the full spectrum of ethnic by advertising agencies -- in their ethnic media. media -- including hyper-local outlets public awareness campaigns to our
4th of July Fireworks Led to Elevated PM2.5 Levels
The air quality index reached Hazardous levels in parts of the South Coast Air Basin IT News Wire
DIAMOND BAR – South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) monitors recorded high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the South Coast Air Basin on July 4th and July 5th. While PM2.5 levels were lower than the historically high levels seen after last year’s Independence Day celebrations PM2.5 levels were still higher than 4th of July celebrations in the past. The use of personal “backyard” fireworks and commercial fireworks displays were the main contributors to
the poor air quality. Fireworks are known to emit high levels of PM2.5 and PM10 as well as metal air pollutants, all of which can contribute to negative health effects. Breathing high levels of fine particulate matter can lead to a wide variety of cardiovascular and respiratory health effects such as heart attacks, asthma aggravation, decreased lung function, coughing and
difficulty breathing. This year, air pollution levels due to fireworks, were the highest since the Bobcat Fire in September 2020. The average PM2.5 levels in the South Coast Air Basin were the second highest for Independence Day in the past decade, but still 14% lower than last year. Monitors in the valleys and inland areas detected air quality at Unhealthy to Hazardous levels, with the highest concentration recorded in Ontario.
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Area Communities S e r v i n g L a d e r a , H a w t h o r n e , W e s t c h e s t e r, L a w n d a l e , G a r d e n a , C a r s o n
Inglewood’s newest bookshop ‘The Salt Eaters’ aims for mid-August opening
By Brea Mitchell, Staff Writer
A new, swanky addition is in store for Downtown Inglewood, as ‘The Salt Eaters’ bookshop is currently in preparation for a late-summer opening. Near the corner of South Market Street and East Queen Street, founder and owner Asha Grant has secured a prime
location right in the middle of the promising downtown area. In the upcoming months and years, the revitalization of downtown Inglewood will be a primary focus for the city,
especially as SoFi Stadium brings a new wave of attention and demand to the area, along with the future 2028 Summer Olympics also making an Inglewood visit.
Asha Grant, a Spelman College alumna, is an Inglewood native but relocated during her childhood years. Now, things have come full circle as she has returned to her birth city, and is tackling her life-long dream of opening a book store. And she’s no stranger to the beloved Market Street. “It feels really nice. I remember walking around here when I was a kid. I took violin lessons around the corner, so it’s all really cool,” says Grant. It was during the 2020 pandemic that Grant embarked on her mission to bring The Salt Eaters Bookshop to downtown Inglewood. After an extremely successful GoFundMe page campaign helped her to gather the funding for securing the location, Asha Grant was off to the races. The word had spread on social media like wildfire, and people wanted to help. Support and donations came flooding in from all over the country. In the near future, Grant looks forward to hosting “mini-events” at The Salt Eaters Bookshop, which she says may or may not lead to something bigger. So, stay tuned.
Movie nights return to Inglewood’s Edward Vincent Park
By Brea Mitchell, Staff Writer
The popular community event Movies in the Park at Edward Vincent Park was on hiatus during the pandemic, but is now set to return with a twist: a drive-in movie experience. The cost will be $15 per vehicle, and movie-goers will park in the Champions Field parking lot. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and the movie will begin at dusk.
Due to limited space, tickets must be purchased in advance on the City of Inglewood website, and are encouraged to do so as soon as possible, as tickets for the Saturday, July 17 showing of ‘Trolls World Tour’ are already nearly sold out. But the family-friendly movies in the park will continue from here. Saturday, July 31, Edward Vincent Park will be showing ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’.
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Sports & Entertainment Los Angeles Super Bowl host committee releases first legacy videos highlighting ‘champion’ organizations ahead of SUPER BOWL LVI
Super Bowl LVI “Champions Live Here” Showcases Local Nonprofits Focused on Uplifting Communities Across the Region Homeboy Industries, LA Conservation Corps, Playa Vista Job Opportunities and Business Services (PVJOBS), Pukuu Cultural Community Services and Village for Vets will be featured later this year. The next selection of videos will feature organizations selected from the Social Justice Pillar slated for release in July, followed by the Youth Development Pillar in September. To view all the content, please visit the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission YouTube Channel. The Super Bowl LVI Legacy Program is a partnership between the Los Angeles Super Bowl Host Committee and the LA84 Foundation, the Play Equity Fund and the National Football League (NFL) Foundation and was launched to use the spotlight of Super Bowl LVI
IT News Wire
The Los Angeles Super Bowl Host Committee (LASBHC) will begin releasing videos featuring 56 community organizations selected as part of the official Super Bowl LVI Legacy Program – Champions Live Here. Announced June 10th at SoFi Stadium , the “Champion” organizations previously received grant awards and are now receiving videos showcasing their work in the community. Their efforts represent a diverse range of focus areas across the Los Angeles region, including Youth Development, Jobs & Economic Opportunity and Social Justice. The Host Committee will distribute three videos per week, now through November, starting with the organizations selected from the Jobs & Economic Opportunity Pillar. These organizations include Black Cooperative Investment Fund,
Continued on page 7
MLB commits up to $150M to Players Alliance MLB.COM
strive in directions that we all know that it can be,” said Curtis Granderson, a former All-Star and the president of the Players Alliance. “This is a big step moving forward. This is going to allow us to continue to keep doing all the things that we said we’re going to do, that we’ve already been doing. And we are hopefully going to continue to do more things as we build from this moment on.” All-Stars Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette, Tim Anderson, Taijuan
Walker, Josh Hader, Zack Wheeler, Corbin Burnes, Mark Melancon, Al Reyes, Eduardo Escobar and Nelson Cruz were all in attendance for the announcement. The Players Alliance and MLB had developed a relationship since the nonprofit organization was formed last year. The Alliance reached out to some of the league’s owners to further the relationship, sparking the process that led to Monday’s announcement. Dodgers owner Mark Walter and
DENVER -- Major League Baseball announced a historic financial commitment of up to $150 million to The Players Alliance. The announcement was made by Commissioner Rob Manfred at Coors Field shortly before Monday night’s Home Run Derby. “From our perspective, [having] players alongside and involved makes everything we do better and more effective,” Manfred said. “In terms of the attention it draws to the game and to the issues, it’s really important to us. We see this as a supplement to what we’re doing already, and a way to amplify what we’re doing, not a substitute for it.” The funding, which will be delivered over a 10-year period, will go toward a variety of programs built around participation in baseball, mentorship and professional baseball employee development. In addition, the funding will include initiatives that celebrate Black baseball history and culture, educational grants and service opportunities to communities. “All of this is possible because of the players in this game that want to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred kicks off the first round of the 2021 MLB baseball draft, Sunday, July 11, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) see the game continue to get better and
Rockies owner Dick Monfort were at Coors Field for the announcement, while Manfred also mentioned Stuart Sternberg of the Rays, Mark Attanasio of the Brewers and John Angelos of the Orioles as being crucial to the process. “The relationship grew because we were united behind two really fundamental goals,” Manfred said. “First of all, we all wanted to see more young people of color playing our game. We want young people period playing the game, but particularly young people of color. Secondly, we all know that we need more diversity in our game. Not just on the field, but everywhere -- front offices, Commissioners Office, everywhere. Those two goals continue to bring these two groups together.” Beginning in 2023, MLB will provide $10 million annually, plus an additional $5 million in matching contributions from external Players Alliance fundraising. This represents the largest financial commitment in MLB history toward the specific goal of improving Black diversity in the sport on the field, in managerial and coaching positions and front office leadership. Continued on page 7
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July 15-21 2021
BUPPIE | BUSINESS
North American Meat Institute on Prop 12 Proposed Rules: Burdensome, Unworkable, and Complex IT News Wire
WASHINGTON, DC – In comments submitted to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), The North American Meat Institute (the Meat Institute) today said the State of California’s proposed rules for Proposition 12 (Prop 12 or the law) are burdensome, complex and unworkable providing no food safety or animal welfare benefit. “The proposed rule by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) admits there are no benefits to Californians as a result of Prop 12 and admits the deaths of breeding sows will increase,” said Mark Dopp, Meat Institute Senior Vice President Regulatory & Scientific Affairs and General Counsel. “Multiple sections of the rule should be withdrawn or significantly revised.” The Meat Institute submitted 12 pages of comments, found here that
said the rules, if finalized, would create a bureaucratic labyrinth of regulatory provisions: requiring an almost unworkable annual certification of veal and breeding pig (sow) facilities; creating an overly complex accreditation process for entities allowed to certify those facilities; imposing detailed recordkeeping requirements on producers and throughout the supply chain; imposing problematic labeling provisions; and granting legally questionable enforcement authority. The text of the notice and proposed rule can be found here. The following are key findings in the notice published along with the proposed rule: Estimated costs for businesses to comply regarding pork: “Estimated ongoing cost is greater than the initial cost of conversion at $100,000 per year
for a typical breeding pig farm due to smaller inventory of breeding pigs, lower piglet output per animal and increased breeding pig mortality.” CDFA acknowledges that animal confinement space allowances prescribed in the Act (cage-free for egg-laying hens, 43 square feet for veal calves and 24 square feet for breeding pigs) “are not based in specific peerreviewed published scientific literature or accepted as standards within the scientific community to reduce human food-borne illness, promote worker safety, the environment, or other human or safety concerns.” “This proposal does not directly impact human health and welfare of California residents, worker safety, or the State’s environment…” CDFA also identified higher costs for schools, universities, prisons, and county jails. And discussing “Benefits to human health, worker safety, or
the State’s environment” CDFA said “The Department has made an initial determination that the proposed regulatory action will have significant, statewide adverse economic impact directly affecting California businesses including the ability of California businesses to compete with businesses in other states.” Finally, the agency identified an impact Prop 12 is likely to have – forcing low income consumers to pay more for food. “Covered pork, and especially covered egg products will become more expensive to consumers starting in January 2022 because of the animal confinement standards mandated in statutes. … Therefore, the Act will disproportionately reduce food purchasing power of low-income consumers. … Food consumers most affected will be those low-income consumers that are not enrolled in assistance programs.”
Reclaim Your Life After Trauma Using 3-Stage Approach to Authentic Healing IT News Wire
Shock. Depression. Anger. All of these emotions are not only normal, but they are also necessary in the journey toward authentic recovery, explains Dr. Randall Bell, widely considered the world’s top authority in the field of post-traumatic thriving. “People shouldn’t feel shame about the natural process of healing,” he said. In his latest book, Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience, Dr. Bell draws upon his decades of experience and scientific research to deliver a three-stage framework — Dive, Survive and Thrive — that can help readers process their trauma, make the conscientious decision to accept help and move forward, and eventually, tap into the energy generated by that trauma to achieve more than they ever thought possible. In Post-Traumatic Thriving, he shares stories of real people (many of them, like Leo Fender, are familiar) who were able to move beyond trauma and thrive in the aftermath, including: •A deaf man with a glass eye invented the electric guitar and became a household name, remarkably wealthy and most importantly, happy. •A convicted murderer took responsibility for the damage he caused, graduated with honors from college, became a minister and turned around the hearts of the most hardened criminals. • A girl born with cerebral palsy landed the world’s first starring role on national television and spoke at the
White House three times. • A woman hid in a basement for years and lost her entire family in the Holocaust. She eventually found true love and paints stunning artwork. • The sister of a murder victim helped millions of women in toxic domestic relationships. • A woman’s car crash resulted in an addiction to prescription drugs, a divorce, a loss of her children and a cot in a homeless shelter. She has rebuilt it all back and more. • A man set to go to the Olympics had
his hopes dashed by Jimmy Carter and went on to build a worldwide business empire. Dr. Bell juxtaposes outcomes of scientific studies with these stories to reveal common denominators among “thrivers,” revealing to readers a healthy path toward healing and a life where post-traumatic thriving is possible. As a socio-economist, Dr. Randall Bell has consulted on more disasters on earth than anyone in history. His clients include the Federal Government, State Governments, International Tribunals,
major corporations and homeowners. Dr. Bell believes that “the problem is not the problem — the problem is how we react to the problem.” Often called the “Master of Disaster,” Dr. Bell is squarely focused on authentic recovery and resilience. His research has been profiled on major television shows and featured in numerous magazines and the international media. More information can be found at www.posttraumaticthriving.com.
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July 15-21 2021
PUBLIC NOTICE
Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2021139689 The Following Person Is Doing Business As:
Activate Telehealth 578 Washington Blvd., Suite 396 Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
Registered Owner: MSJ Comprehensive Insurance Solutions, LLC, 578 Washington Blvd., Suite 396, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 This business is conducted by a company. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on June 22, 2021 I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) MSJ Comprehensive Insurance Solutions, Inc., Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on June 22, 2021 NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.) Original July 1, 8, 15, 22, 2021 IT0042230120020163 Inglewood Today
Continued from page 5:MLB commits...
“There’s not an agenda here,” Monfort said. “In life sometimes, everybody’s got an agenda; this is about getting kids that maybe wouldn’t be able to play baseball the opportunity to play baseball. That’s really what we’re all about. … We are all in. As 30 owners, we know this is a game-changer for all of us. We wanted to be a part of it.” Earlier Monday, the Alliance held a camp for 150 children in the Denver area which was attended by both Manfred and Monfort. Both came away very impressed by the effort, which saw more than 20 former players teaching the game to youngsters. “If you have my job, that is the best thing you could possibly see,” Manfred said. “It’s just a picture that is all good when you think about the future of our game.” MLB’s contribution will help fund programs including: • Programs aimed at increasing the participation of Black youth and young adults in baseball, including funding leagues, equipment, tournaments, clinics, playground activities and other similar efforts. • Programs designed to attempt
to increase the number of Black employees and contractors in all positions and at all levels associated with professional baseball, such as funding for education and training, counselling, internship programs, recruitment programs, and other programs designed to transition players from the field to accounting, managerial, coaching, front office positions and the general business of baseball. • Programs to promote and support Jackie Robinson Day, appreciation days for the Negro Leagues, and other activities which celebrate and encourage Black participation in baseball and in the business of baseball. • Player-led mentorship program determined and developed by the Players Alliance. • Black cultural awareness, camps and other programs designed to increase participation in the sport and eliminate barriers to such participation. • Programs to support baseball in public schools and city schools. • Educational grants, scholarships and additional community services to the Black community.
The Players Alliance will also coordinate and collaborate with MLB and its clubs on events, joint initiatives and programs, including MLB-led youth events and competitions, such as the Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI), the MLB Draft Combine and MLB Youth Academies. The two organizations will also work together on outreach to amateur and Minor League players and field staff about diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice training, education and awareness through a variety of events, including the “Ahead In The Count” first-year player program as well as the “Prospects and Expectations” program at the Arizona Fall League. MLB’s financial commitment follows the initial joint contribution of $10 million from the league and the MLB Players Association in September 2020. MLB also donated $1 million worth of youth baseball equipment and personal protection equipment for the “Pull Up Neighbor” tour by The Players Alliance. Mark Feinsand, an executive reporter, originally joined MLB.com as a reporter in 2001. Follow him on Twitter @feinsand.
Continued from page 5: Los Angeles...
to showcase the achievements of local community organizations that often go unrecognized. The Legacy Program awarded each “Champion” with a $10,000 grant, a professionally produced vignette-style video spotlighting their organization, and public recognition of their work in the lead-up to the Super Bowl. Additionally, six of these 56 organizations will be selected to each receive a total grant award of $50,000, to make an even bigger impact in their community. The additional grant award will be announced later this year. “Through the Super Bowl Legacy Program, it is inspiring to see this wide range of ‘Unsung Hero’ organizations share their stories about the tremendous work they are providing to communities across Los Angeles,” said Renata Simril, President & CEO of the LA84 Foundation, and President of the Play Equity Fund. “With the platforms of the Super Bowl and the NFL, this program aims to amplify the missions of these organizations with videos that help bring their work to life for all to see, in addition to the grant funding that helps supports that work.” “As the nation’s biggest sporting event, the Super Bowl provides a powerful engine to uplift our communities,” said Kathryn Schloessman, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission. “Our Legacy Program,
Champions Live Here, gives us the means to harness that spotlight to showcase the achievements of local community organizations that often go unrecognized. The people featured in these videos represent the best of what our city has to offer.’ The Super Bowl LVI Legacy Program set out to identify 56 “Champions” from communities across the entire 4,753 square miles of Los Angeles County. The public nomination process asked Angelenos to nominate local “unsung hero” organizations – the changemakers, inspirational leaders and those who embody the diversity of our region. The 56 “Champion” organizations cover a broad spectrum of needs with nearly 50% of the selected organizations working specifically with young people and on youth development, and more than 25% working on health, mental health and overall wellness. Some of the 56 are focused on specific neighborhoods and communities within the region, including but not limited to: South Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, Crenshaw, Marina Del Rey, Hollywood, Inglewood, Long Beach, Burbank, Venice, Watts, and Compton. To learn more about the Super Bowl LVI Legacy Program and for all updates related to Los Angeles hosting Super Bowl LVI, please visit LASuperBowlHC.com.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT
to take paid time off work for COVID-19 related reasons. COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave is now available for workplaces with 26 or more employees and is just one of many leave rights for workers in California. If you or a family member are sick or have been exposed to COVID-19, supplemental paid sick leave can cover: •
Up to 80 hours of leave in addition to permanent paid sick leave
•
Care for yourself or a family member with COVID-19
•
Getting tested, vaccinated or recovering from vaccine side effects
Ask your employer what rights are available to you.
Learn more at saferatwork.ca.gov
Inglewood Today - Vertical - LWDA21 Sup Paid Sick Leave 5.0625x7.875 BW-ENG.indd 1
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Page 8 Continued from page 1: A career...
The Models of Authenticity Instagram page consists of people from all different backgrounds, careers, ages, and races sharing testimonies of what it means for them to live their life authentically. The page also consists of Carmella sharing her own genuine life experiences, and even day-to-
day battles and struggles that aren’t the usual common themes of social media, which for most people is used as a personal highlight reel. Carmella sees the power in acknowledging and embracing personal and universal hardships that are sometimes deemed taboo. Models of Authenticity is the representation of a green light actively signaling people into a life of honesty. It was amid Carmella’s own selfawakening experience that the idea of the brand came to life, but it had been a long road before she reached this point. In 2019, she had just finished law school and earned a cushiony job at a reputable law firm, but there was one problem: she had abandoned herself in the name of her career. “I had worked so hard to gain the sense of security and the six figures, I had to keep these people happy and I just couldn’t do it because it was the antithesis of who I was at my core. They were asking me to make myself smaller, to speak up less– they were just asking things of me that I couldn’t do,” says Carmella. It was a steady build-up beginning from her time at the reputable law firm that eventually led to Carmella feeling as though perhaps it was time to reevaluate her life trajectory. And although her personal dilemma became more and more evident during the early years of her law career, it’s actually throughout her childhood years where her inner conflict began. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio to an interracial couple, Carmella recalls her adolescence of not embracing, or even acknowledging, her Blackness. Raised by her single, white mother who did eventually remarry, Carmella wasn’t in Black spaces or even within close proximity of people who looked like her. She attended a Catholic, allgirls high school where she was one of a handful of Black girls, and she even joined a white sorority at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. In retrospect, Carmella recognizes the anti-Black environment that she was raised in. “I internalized a lot of self-hate,” she recalls. It was in her
July 15-21 2021 early twenties, during law school, when her perspective shifted and she began to embrace her full self, Blackness included. “I don’t feel like I started living until 23 or 24. And maybe that time is filled with conformity for a lot of people, but I’d like it to not be,” says Carmella, which is the underlying purpose of Models of Authenticity. “I really spent the first two decades of
my life conforming. That’s where this tiny seed of Models of Authenticity really started– my upbringing. Selfexpression wasn’t really encouraged. It wasn’t discouraged, but it wasn’t talked about, and that was the problem. A lot of things weren’t talked about. And it led to me making decisions that weren’t connected to me,” says Carmella, followed by an explanation of the symbolic significance of her now-shaved haircut. While interning at the law firm that eventually hired her as a full-time employee, she had a lot of hair, and her bosses embraced it. But Carmella eventually shaved it all off. To some, the change of a haircut may seem trivial. But in this scenario, it was far from it. It was the beginning of her coming-of-age era. “I felt really boxed in at the [law] firm. I was conforming. I was code switching. I was told that I wasn’t professional enough.” As Carmella says the word “professional”, her hands lift from the table, emphasizing air quotes. Most Black professionals know that the term is often used as an arbitrary tactic to uphold white supremacy in the workplace. As the months passed in this corporate life that Carmella had settled into, the uneasy, icky feeling in her core had made itself clear that it could not go unaddressed. Strife between Carmella and her career was now impossible to ignore. “I was crying all the time. I realized I just needed to listen to my body.” After eventually leaving the firm, she did decide to give her law career a second chance. Her new job allowed her to relocate from Ohio to Southern California, but ultimately it didn’t work out, and this further validated the feelings that she’d been harboring for years: A career in law was not going to serve her. “After that legal opportunity not working out either, I just wasn’t going to try a third time to be a lawyer,” says Carmella. It was May 2021 when she decided to make the full-time commitment to
Models of Authenticity. Now living in Los Angeles, she’s found community in creative, Black spaces. She’s connected with other like-minded people who are on the same journey, and the inspiration is reflected in her brand. For instance, ‘Sunday Truths’, which has captured a growing audience, is a weekly Instagram Live hosted by Carmella where she speaks with other “models” of authenticity about how they nurture their individuality in their own lives. The weekly show kicks off on the Models of Authenticity Instagram account every Sunday at 12 p.m. PST. In the future, the brand will be releasing their “Authenticity Cards”, which will serve the double purpose of a self-discovery deck, and also a tarot experience. Reflection prompts on the cards will guide readers throughout their daily mental practices and habits. For the merchandise that’s currently being sold on the brand’s website, proceeds will go towards the manufacturing and distribution of the cards, which Carmella hopes to expand into schools and curriculum one day. The Models of Authenticity brand is just beginning, and it was born from a place that, at the time, seemed like rock bottom. But it turns out, “rock bottom” was just preparation for a launch into something better. Olivia Carmella, since ending her law career in May, is evolving into the person she was meant to be all along.
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