L.A. Newspaper April 2023

(L-R) BBA President Sarah Harris (center) poses with honorees Pat Prescott and award winning director Gina Prince-Bythewood at the Black Business Association Salute to Black Women Awards Luncheon; Middle; Michael B. Jordan spreads love to underserved communities and their youth by visiting the Watts Empowerment Center; Right; Councilmember’s Curren Price, Marqueeces Harris-Dawson,and Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer cut the official ribbon celebrating the launch of the Natural History Museum’s “Neighborhood Grill Restaurant” from Post & Beam owners John Cleveland and co-owner Roni Cleveland (also pictureed).

4 From The Editor Until the Lion Learns to Write...

On the Money

Pharrell Williams’ Black Ambition to Award $3 Million in Prize Money

19 From The Pulpit

Bible Enrichment Fellowship

Hollywood Buzz Commentary

A Collective Sense of Community Loss With MRT

UpFront

14

With Ridley-Thomas Conviction, L.A. City Council Must Decide How to Fill Vacant CD10 Seat; Report Finds That Black Women Make up One-Third of All Female Murder Victims in Los Angeles; Bullying Surges to Near Epidemic Proporations, Found to Be Key Factor in School Age Suicides Cover

Creed III Actor Fights Domestic Violence Charges; Megan Thee Stallion Returns to the Spotlight; Actress/Model Walks Away from Four-Year Marriage

Footnotes

Forest Whitaker

Red Carpet Style

Oscars 2023

Eye On Gospel

The U.S.A. Vs. Donald Trump

The U.S.A vs Mark Ridley-Thomas Political Takedown Or Miscarriage of Justice

Money Matters

California College Corps

Three Black Moguls in

16 17

Hitting the Road; A Nod to the late Rance Allen; It’s Summertime and How Sweet the Sound I Back

Church News

Center of Hope Church Looks to Entertainment as a Means to Spread the Gospel; Pastor Lafayette Dorsey St. Mourned

First Lady Files

Tiffany Allison

Pastor Profile

J. Rannie Williams Jr.

Saint Paul Church Rev. Xavier L. Thompson

Central Bible Church Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer

Moriah Baptist Church Pastor Emeritus Melvin Wade

Minister’s Conference Pastor K.W. Tulloss Inglewood Minister’s Assoc. Bishop Robert T. Douglas Sr.

21

Saving Grace

22 In Good Taste

Merle Dandridge

Rest in power: The Hol lywood community is mourning the passing of actor Lance Reddick. The 60-year-old actor–most known for his work on “The Wire” and in the John Wick franchise, passed away at his Studio City home last month of natural causes. Reddick also had recurring roles on “Bosch”, “Oz” and “Lost”. The father of three had more than 100 acting credits.

Chef Keith Corbin - Alta Adams

Bidding War for BET; Magic Johnson Teams with 76ers Owner Josh Harris

“A Collective Sense of Community Loss With MRT Conviction”

While Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas’ (MRT) supporters grapple with the jury’s guilty verdict on seven of 19 corruption-related charges, it is clear his absence on the political stage leaves a huge void, especially in the African American community. No other politician wielded political power across the broad spectrum of issues so effectively. While the built environment in South Los Angeles bears the physical imprint of his advocacy, the pocketbooks of his constituents have benefited as well.

The cultivation of support in and among his African American base explains this sense of loss. Politics is the struggle for power to determine how resources are acquired, developed, allocated and distributed. As a practitioner of politics, Ridley-Thomas used the power of government to benefit the people he represented by using his authority to direct public services, investments, and resources to his constituents.

For example, as an early supporter of the ‘Fight for $15’, he embraced the movement devoted to raising the minimum wage of low wage workers. This Livable Wage movement is the material expression of the value of productive work. Mark Ridley-Thomas led efforts at the County to index the minimum wage to inflation as part of the movement. African American women and men are disproportionately represented in this segment of the workforce. The County’s first Construction Career Policy and Project Labor Agreement was established for the MLK Community Hospital to ensure that neighborhood residents received preference for construction-related jobs that provided health and retirement benefits.

MRT authored Metro’s first Construction Career Policy and Project Labor Agreement which mandates similar preferences for local hires in the impacted transit corridors and applies to all the MTA-funded transit projects.

Ridley-Thomas’30-year tenure as a public servant distinguishes him from most other local elected officials as he acquired the political acumen and experience to use power to creatively shape public policy and allocate resources in ways that benefitted his constituents.

MRT embraced the work of empowerment as a feature of his servant leadership. From the Empowerment Congress to the African American Voter Registration, Education and Participation (AAVREP) Project, MRT was the inspiration behind promulgating and sustaining organizations seeking to concentrate and exercise political power. The think tank he and his son, Sebastian, were working to establish (and the source of controversy over the legal $100,000 contribution to USC) has its origins in AAVREP, a partisan political action committee devoted to voter registration, education, and participation.

AAVREP’s work involved voter registration and getting out the vote. It registered 200,000 mainly Black South LA voters from its founding in 2002 to 2022. The AAVREP model used independent contractors to register voters for a bounty and follow-up with new registrants to encourage their vote.

As voter reforms made registration and voting more accessible (on-line, automatic school-based registration, regional vote center drop boxes, absentee ballot distribution to all registered voters by mail, etc.) and concerns about identity theft make person-to-person registration more difficult, the focus needed to shift to the Education and Participation elements of the AAVREP Project. The non-profit, policy-oriented think tank would permit a focus on opinion polling of African Americans, and the identification of the issues that could motivate them to go to the polls. That research would assist AAVREP in its efforts to promote voter education, participation, and issue advocacy. In a political environment in which Afri-

From the Editor

“Until the Lion Learns to Write...”

There’s a saying, “Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”

Since Mark Ridley-Thomas (MRT to those who know him well) was indicted on 19 counts of federal corruption charges on October 13, 2021, he has been criminalized in the press, in the halls of city government and even by some in our community.

It has been said that when the Feds come for you, you can’t win because they have the goods, which is why 90% of the cases never get to court. Of those that do, most lose. But in a downtown L.A. courtroom last month, the picture painted of the work the Feds did to convict Mark Ridley-Thomas was a shoddy one,–even given a subsequent conviction on seven of 19 counts. The lead FBI agent–and star witness– never interviewed anyone in the Supervisor’s office or sought to understand how the County Board of Supervisors operates. He also could not remember if he read files his office supplied and was tripped up by defense lawyers at every turn.

The prosecution said the MRT case was one of power, privilege and lies. Defense counsel Darralyn Durie agreed. But the power, she insisted, rested with the FBI. Let’s pause for a moment there.

The L.A. Times recently reported that MRT raised over 1.5 million to fight this case and it still isn’t enough to cover the expense the trial will cost him.

They estimated that his legal fees were likely to be anywhere from $3-5 million given his highly experienced team of lawyers. (And that my friends means that if the Feds come after us, we’re most likely guaranteed to lose everything we’ve worked a lifetime to earn and given the odds, could still possibly lose our cases in court).

Is it any wonder why people opt for plea deals?

Justice ain’t cheap. Perhaps that’s why 84year-old former USC Dean Marilyn Flynn, who at

first pleaded not guilty, would later take a guilty plea.

According to a Pew Research Center analysis of data collected by the federal judiciary in 2018, nearly 80,000 people were defendants in federal criminal cases, but just 2% went to trial. The overwhelming majority (90%) pleaded guilty. Translated into numbers, just 320 of 79,704 total federal defendants — fewer than 1% — went to trial and won their cases.

Here’s another harsh fact: over 60% of the people who sit in jail at any given time have not been convicted of crimes. They just can’t afford bail. Never mind the money it takes to go through a pre-trial or plea process and the expense of a trial.

As to privilege? Certainly, with the kind of power the Feds exert comes privilege. They have the privilege of making mistakes with very few repercussions, the privilege of a bottomless pit of resources thanks to our tax dollars. In short, they have nothing to lose and that is privilege at its best.

As to the lies. Well, Durie said she wouldn’t call the prosecution team liars, instead she pointed to the mountain of evidence they left out of their timeline, and growing up in my household, not telling the whole story was tantamount to lying. But who’s arguing semantics.

So, forget power, privilege and lies. What the U.S.A. Vs. Mark Ridley-Thomas really boiled down to was optics. This was a case of nods, winks and emojis, accompanied by interpretation and suspicion.

Funny thing about optics is that you can twist them any way you want. For some, the optics of the case suggested a political hit. After all, the letter from USC initially referring the matter to the U.S. Attorney’s office back in 2018 was signed by Rick Caruso and was followed by the university contacting the L.A. Times to give them the story.

Ironically, it was never any secret that Caruso was going to run for Mayor since he’d been considering it as

can Americans rep resent a declining demographic group, overperformance at the polls relative to others is critical to maintenance of Black political rep resentation.

MRT knew this and South L.A.’s African American community understands it implicitly. Representing while Black means viewing the role government can and should play through the prism of the African American experience. That experience is shaped by exclusion and aspiration, by repression and resistance, and by the legacy of preference and privilege.

The collective sense of loss we feel is the recognition that the one Southland political figure who consistently cultivated his African American base to promote candidates, causes, policies, and the exercise of power tilted in favor of marginalized communities is being ushered out of the political arena on a humbug — the interpretation of a legal $100,000 contribution intended to ultimately benefit Black political empowerment.

This is the exercise of political power that makes progressive African American political leadership dedicated to the perpetuation of Black political power so threatening. Its use by MRT grabbed the attention of those who wondered how he achieved so much.

The visible exercise of power constitutes a threat to those who resist change. For those of African descent, let’s add “representing while Black” to the perils of exercising the privileges of American citizenship.

LISA COLLINS Publisher

early as 2011. Of course, he would have had to beat MRT, who was also weighing a mayoral bid at the time.

That said, Caruso would stand to gain alot from an L.A. Times story meant to disparage the man he might one day run against.

(Course, if you’re like me, you’re wondering how that angle got past the L.A. Times or if they allowed themselves to be part of some kind of political vendetta to bring the city’s most influential Black powerbroker down?) Coincidence? Optics?

There are those–including me–who believe the Time’s coverage of the case has been slanted. Curiously, a Times staff writer freely disclosed in his August 1, 2018 article (“Donation from prominent L.A. politician roils USC, which referred case to federal prosecutors”) that, “The newspaper provided USC a summary of its reporting; the university corrected minor points”.

The consensus in journalism is that your source shouldn’t be the editor and that they shouldn’t be allowed to read a story in advance. Surely not standard practice in highly regarded mainstream newspapers.

Just more optics?

I was recently on a panel addressing why local Black media is so important. Well, folks, it’s moments like these when the Black press can shed light on key parts of a story the mainstream press has decided to omit. (See our feature story starting on page 10 for the other side of the story).

Remember, “until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter”. Keep the faith.

UpFront

With Ridley-Thomas Conviction, L.A. City Council Must Decide How to Fill Vacant CD10 Seat

With the March 30 conviction of Mark Ridley-Thomas of federal corruption charges, Heather Hutt–who has been filling in the seat pending the outcome of the trial– becomes District 10’s official caretaker as members of the City Council must determine what to do with the now vacant seat.

“While the federal legal process is continuing, and Mr. Ridley-Thomas may choose to pursue his right to appeal, his office nonetheless has now become vacant as a matter of law,” L.A. City Council President Paul Krekorian said.

“While charges against Mr. RidleyThomas were pending, the Council appointed Heather Hutt to hold the office of council member for District 10 for so long as the temporary vacancy continues to exist. Because the vacancy of this office is no longer temporary but is now permanent, Ms. Hutt’s temporary appointment is no longer in force, and the Council must decide what action, if any, to take to address this vacancy.”

Set to convene on April 11, the City Council can appoint Hutt to fill out the remainder of Ridley-Thomas’ term–set to expire on December 31, 2024 or they can hold a special election to fill the seat.

Krekorian has indicated that he hopes to appoint Hutt. Some local community leaders and residents are calling for a special election. Among them is Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable, who held a press conference calling on the City Council to allow for residents to have a say in who will speak for them.

“The people need a city councilmember that they elect, not one appointed by the City Council,” Hutchinson said. “We’ve seen too much of that. The Tenth District has been disenfranchised for over two years. They have not had a voice…they have not had a say in who their elected representative is. That is not democracy. The Los Angeles City Council should not be in the position to pick and choose a representative. That is for the people. So, we’re calling on the City Council to have a special election.”

Hutchinson is not alone.

“Here we go again with the same bureaucratic stuff”, said David Miller who lives in the district and serves as co-publisher of Our Weekly Newspaper. “I think there should be an election simply because that is not our voice. It’s unfair to the people.”

Longtime Leimert Park resident Levi Jacob also agreed.

“Will Heather Hutt feel more loyal to those on the City Council who appointed

D.T. CARSON Staff

her? Given that we didn’t vote her in, she may not feel any allegiance to us, and I believe we’re getting a raw deal,” Jacob stated. “Further, Nury Martinez got a lot of flack for not holding community forums to determine what the residents wanted, why should the City Council get to take action without hearing from us?”

Last month, Hutt announced that she was putting her hat in the race to represent City Council District 10 in the 2024 election, telling constituents that she was committed to making a stronger and better CD10

“I take this responsibility seriously because this is where I life,” Hutt said. “This is the district where my mother raised me and I, in turn, raised my children. I am proud to be a resident and proud of the work I’ve done in the past six months in CD10, but my work is not done.”

To win, Hutt will have to beat Community leader, attorney, and former Los Angeles City Commissioner, Grace Yoo, who has announced her run for Los Angeles City Council, District 10. Yoo was the runner-up in the 2020 election against Ridley-Thomas.

Also running is Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer. The 66-year-old legislator–who terms out of the Assembly in 2024– represents the 57th district which encompasses parts of downtown Los Angeles, including Skid Row, Exposition Park-USC, and portions of South Los Angeles and serves as chair of the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee and a member of the California Reparations Task Force.

KISHA SMITH Staff

ationally, 2,077 Black women and girls were killed in 2021, a 51% increase over 2019 and the largest jump of any racial or gender group during that period, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the same time, the number of unsolved homicides of Black women and girls rose by 89% nationwide.

Here in Los Angeles, Black women made up nearly one-third of all female murder victims in the City of Los Angeles over the past decade despite accounting for less than five percent of the city’s population, according to a new report by the Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department.

The report was commissioned by Councilmembers Curren Price and Marqueece Harris-Dawson following the murder of 16-year old Tioni Theus in 2022.

“Tioni Theus was viciously stolen from her family who are still seeking justice for her murder,” said Councilmember Curren Price. “Tragically, Black and Latina women across our city experience higher rates of violence with little attention to their pain. Today, we say ‘no more.’ This report from the LA Civil Rights department brings needed attention to this crisis and a call for action. Though it cannot bring Tioni back, this report will

Proposed Bradford Bill Would Create “Ebony Alert” to Draw Attention to Missing Black Children and Women

In an effort to address the alarming lack of attention given to missing Black children and young women in California, State Senator Steven Bradford (Gardena) has introduced SB 673 to create an “Ebony Alert” notification.

According to the National Crime Information Center, 268,884 girls and women were reported missing in the United States in 2020. A third of those were Black. But their cases rarely make the headlines.

According to the Black and Missing Foundation, 38% of children reported missing in the U.S. are Black. The U.S. population is 14% Black. Black children are disproportionately classified as “runaways” in comparison to their white counterparts and therefore do not receive the Amber Alert.

Black women and girls are at increased risk of being harmed and trafficked. 40% of sex trafficking victims were identified as Black women.

“The Ebony Alert would ensure that resources and attention are given so we can bring home missing Black women and Black children in the same way we would search for any missing child and missing person,” Bradford said .

“When someone who is missing is incorrectly listed as a runaway, they basically vanish a second time. In many ways, no one even knows they are missing. How can we find someone and bring them home safely when no one is really looking for them.”

help us protect more women and girls across Los Angeles.”

In January 2022, the body of 16-yearold Tioni Theus was found at an on-ramp to the 110 Freeway at Manchester Avenue. The murder of the Black child has still not been solved.

“The alarmingly high numbers in this report underscore the urgent need to address gender-based violence. The statistics -- Black women comprise 4.3% of the population and make up to 33% of the victims of female violence -- call for policy that addresses the systemic factors that maintain this climate of violence against Black women,” said Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson.

Key findings in the 33-page report included the following:

• Black women accounted for 28.2% of all women reported missing in the city over the last two years and 32.85% of the female homicides over the last decade.

• Hispanic women made up approximately 37% of missing women from the last two years and 42.8% of female homicides over the last decade.

• Mainstream media coverage of Black and Hispanic female victims is covered less frequently and characterized differently than non-Black, non-Hispanic female victims.

• Although overall violent crime rates

Reparations: Experts Compute Hundreds of Billions Owed to Black Californians

Economists advising The California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans have developed economic formulas that project the reparations owed to Black Californians who are descendants of people enslaved in the United States are likely to exceed $800 billion.

have decreased in the City of Los Angeles over the last decade, the number of Black and Hispanic women experiencing violence has remained at a steady high, if not increased. The number of Black women murdered in 2022, for example, is the exact same number as in 2011, and increased by more than 38% for Hispanic women over the 2011 number.

• Community-based organizations consistently encounter funding barriers that present significant challenges to continuing long-term holistic services to survivors, and that community programs must be undergirded by policy and legislative action.

Black women continued to page 20

Three of five harms were used in the calculations conducted by a fivemember panel of economic experts: health, disproportionate housing discrimination, Black mass incarceration and over policing are “from a long list of harms” the state “is a least partially responsible for,” said Dr. Thomas Craemer, a professor of public policy at the University of Connecticut and one of the experts involved in the assessment. “These are harms for which we thought that we’d have data, that’s one criterion,” said Craemer. “The other is that they are closely related to the actions of the state of California to make our estimates more defensible in the face of challenges that will undoubtedly arrive once the proposal is made public.

Capri Maddox

Steve

UpFront

Bullying Surges to Near Epidemic Proportions, Found to Be Key Factor in School Age Suicides

Last fall, KABC-7 News reported that a John Adams Middle School special education student suffered broken bones after being attacked on the playground by another student who pushed and punched him and called him the N-word. There was also an El Segundo Middle School student, Eleri Irons who was tormented and verbally assaulted by three fellow students who initiate their bullying with a petition titled “Let’s kill Eleri Irons.” The Los Angeles Times reported Irons suffered “significant physical and psychological trauma” as a result. In 2017, thirteen-year-old Rosalie Avila, a Yucaipa eighth grader took her own life after being bullied by school peers.

Often mistaken for kids being kids or some rite of passage, bullying on school campuses has surged to near epidemic proportions, and according to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) is a major contributor to the rising cases of anxiety, depression, and suicide among school-aged youth in the U.S. No different than being called a racial slur or denied access because of your ethnicity, religious or political affiliation, bullying is an act of hate. And while being bullied often occurs among adults–such as in the workplace–studies show that children and youth endure bullying at much a higher rate.

23% of African American students, 16% of Hispanic students, and 7% of Asian students report being bullied at school, and more than one third of adolescents who admit to being bullied say it was bias-based school bullying, the NCES revealed.

“Young people are often overrepresented among hate crime victims,” said Brian Levin, Director at the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University San Bernardino.

“We know there is massive underreporting of bullying to begin with, and that is certainly true of youth related hate crimes.”

According to Levin, schools are a frequent location for hate incidents.

“Over the past 10 years schools were the fifth most common place for hate crimes behind highways, alleys and streets, homes, and houses of worship,” he said.

“Schools are one of example where we’re seeing a reverberation of anger, stereotyping, and directed aggression.”

These emotional exploits and acts of hate are increasingly carried out in cyberspace. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that cyberbullying perpetrated by youth is at an all-time high, and is the highest among middle school students first, followed by high school students, and then primary grade school students.

Further, the NCES’ report showed that among youth ages 12 — 18 who reported being bullied at school, 15% were bullied online or by text. When students were questioned about the specific types of cyberbullying they had experienced, ‘mean and hurtful comments’ (25%) and ‘rumors spread online’ (23%) were the most commonly-cited.

“80% of youth have cell phones and use them regularly. Apps such as Instagram and Twitter have allowed communication and pain to be instantaneous,” said Dr. Tory Cox, Clinical Associate Professor, at USC’s Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. “Parents need to train their children about the impact of cyberbullying and limit their access early on.”

Victims of cyberbullying are more likely to suffer from depression, that leads to thoughts of suicide, the CDC reports. In addition, the type of cyberbullying tends to differ by gender. Girls were more likely to say someone spread rumors about them online, while boys were more likely to say that someone threatened to hurt them online.

Dr. Stephen Russell at the University of Arizona claims 75% of all incidents that are called “bullying” employ hate speech and bias–namely racial, sexual orientation, gender, body-type, and religious bias.

GERALD BELL Staff

“Bullying, bad as the connotation might be, is something kids do,” argues Russell. “No anti-bullying program can succeed unless it confronts these underlying prejudices. Only when such intolerances are reduced will bullying go down.”

The efforts to prevent or address school bullying can come at very high cost–some of which are hidden. The University of Texas at Austin published in School Psychology Quarterly that when children are afraid to go to school because classmates target them due to biases, schools lose tens of millions of dollars each year linked to this absenteeism. California schools alone lost $276 million in funding when students stayed home out of fear, the article noted.

Even more significant costs are added when school or district authorities neglect incidents of hate. Such is the case with Irons who was awarded $1m in damages after a jury in the Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled the El Segundo Unified School District displayed negligence in how its staff was trained and supervised to manage bullying which resulted in harmful effects on Irons, who was age thirteen at the time.

“A school’s culture can contribute to or cultivate bullying behavior if the school community chooses to ignore ob-

Bullying continued to page 20

The U.S.A. Vs. Former President Donald Trump HeadToHead

Former President Donald Trump, citing "illegal leaks" from the Manhattan district attorney's office, posted the following on social media: "...WITH NO CRIME BEING ABLE TO BE PROVEN, & BASED ON AN OLD & FULLY DEBUNKED (BY NUMEROUS OTHER PROSECUTORS!) FAIRYTALE, THE FAR & AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE & FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE USA, WILL

Arrest That Man -- Crime to Follow!

BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK..."

If true, this represents a 180-degree switch from when Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg entered office. In February 2022, two prosecutors, described as leading the Manhattan DA's criminal investigation of Trump, resigned over Bragg's decision not to proceed with the case. According to The New York Times, the then-new Manhattan D.A. "indicated to them that he had doubts about moving forward with a case against" Trump. CNN reported: "One person familiar with the investigation by the district attorney's office told CNN that Bragg appeared 'disinterested' in his office's investigation into the Trump Organization..."

A former Manhattan assistant D.A., Mark Pomerantz, who resigned over the office's failure to prosecute Trump, wrote a book asserting that Trump committed felonies, including a $130,000 payment to a former porn star. But in an NPR interview, Pomerantz conceded: "I am not suggesting to you that there were no legitimate reasons to stand down. People could conclude that bringing the case and losing the case would promote enormous disrespect for the law."

Bragg, since entering office, has reportedly come down with an acute case of the second thoughts. On Jan. 30, 2023, the New York Times reported: "The Manhattan district attorney's office on Monday began presenting evidence to a grand jury about Donald J. Trump's role

Headlines

in paying hush money ($130,000) to a porn star during his 2016 presidential campaign, laying the groundwork for potential criminal charges..."

Yet even the Times wrote: "A conviction is not a sure thing, in part because a case could hinge on showing that Mr. Trump and his company falsified records to hide the payout from voters days before the 2016 election, a low-level felony charge that would be based on a largely untested legal theory." It also hinges on the testimony and credibility of Michael Cohen, the former Trump lawyer, now disbarred, who pleaded guilty to and served time for criminal tax evasion and campaign finance violations. Some star witness.

Why use an untested legal theory? Falsifying business records is generally a New York state misdemeanor. This poses a problem because the state misdemeanor statute of limitations is two years. So, what to do? Bragg argues that the falsification occurred to further a second crime, in this case a federal campaign finance violation, so, voila, this becomes a felony illegal campaign contribution with a five-year statute of limitations. The argument goes that the payment to silence the porn star was to advance Trump's presidential campaign, as opposed to avoid personal embarrassment and possible damage to his marriage. And the payment came from Trump's personal finances, not from campaign funds.

But even under this untested theory and its five-year statute of limitations, time has still expired. But wait! The New York Times writes: "..New York law

From Africa

Burkina Faso: Over a million children have been impacted by school closures with 6,134 academic institutions shut as of February, an increase of over 40 percent since the end of the last school year. Nearly one of four schools countrywide are out of service due to rampant insecurity and violence.

Burundi: Health authorities in Burundi have declared an outbreak of Polio after con firming eight polioviruses, the first such detection in more than three decades.

Congo: The United Nation reports that a surge in attacks in three eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed more than 700 lives at the hands of militia fighters since December.

Djibouti: The nation signed the first-ever multi-year, multi-peril agreement in Africa with the African Risk Capacity Group to protect the lives and livelihoods of its most climatevulnerable communities. The ground-breaking agreement means the country will have access to five years of disaster risk management capacity building and insurance to cover drought and excess precipitation.

Ethiopia: Government officials have accused the United States of taking a “partisan” approach by alleging that its forces, and Eritrean troops, had committed war crimes during the two-year conflict in Tigray.

Gabon: As part of a new branding campaign, the tiny African nation that is home to two million people, 95,000 elephants and thousands of lowland gorillas and chimpanzees is being dubbed as “The Last Eden”— an alternative safari destination in 2023.

Ghana: VP Kamala Harris pledged a new era of partnership with Africa when she spoke at a ceremony com memorating Ghana's independence from colonialism. Harris' remarks focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and an effort to spotlight Africa as a place for American private-sector investment.

Kenya: Thousands took to the streets in the capitol city, Nairobi—against declarations that the protests were

Donald Trump will finally face the music for some of his alleged crimes after a grand jury in New York issued an indictment against the former President for making hush-money payments to a porn star.

New York Grand Jury Votes to Indict Donald Trump

The bombastic election denier was indicted by a grand jury in New York on Thursday, March 30, on criminal charges stemming from his alleged encounter with porn star Stormy Daniels. Though prosecutors haven’t said what charges the grand jury issued the indictments on, it’s alleged that Trump made a $130,000 payment to Daniels through his former attorney Michael Cohen.

It’s believed that the payment was issued to buy Daniels’ silence.

Further, it’s alleged that Trump illegally falsified records and violated campaign finance laws.

The twice impeached former president now faces the ignominy of becoming the first U.S. president indicted criminally.

Trump also faces potential conspiracy and racketeering charges in Georgia, where Atlanta prosecutor Fani Willis has been working to secure an indictment against the MAGA leader there. Further, Democratic Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson, who chaired the Congressional Committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, told the Black Press that a special federal prosecutor had received a mountain of evidence suggesting Trump’s guilt.

Five police officers died because of the Trump-inspired riot at the U.S. Capitol.

“It would be a travesty of justice,” Thompson said if Trump isn’t prosecuted by federal authorities for his role in the insurrection.

“Nobody is above the law, not even the President of the United States.

“What we saw after interviewing more than 1,000 people — the majority of whom identify with the Republican Party — we are convinced that whatever happened, happened because of one person. So, we are clear in our recommendation.”

Trump has called for demonstrations in response to his arrest. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other supporters lashed out at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, claiming his investigation amounted to a witch hunt.

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), and House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.); sent Bragg a letter demanding he appears before Congress.

“This indictment comes after years of your office searching for a basis – any basis – on which to bring charges, ultimately settling on a novel legal theory untested anywhere in the country and one that federal authorities declined to pursue,” the lawmakers wrote.

“If these reports are accurate, your actions will erode confidence in the evenhanded application of justice and unalterably interfere in the course of the 2024 presidential election.”

They said that Cohen, who used to work for Trump and seems to be the main witness against the former President, has a “serious credibility problem.”

They demanded Bragg provide them with documentation of any communications he’d had with the U.S. Department of Justice over the past six years.

Already on the defensive in multiple jurisdictions, Trump’s current attorneys have asked for a judge to toss the final report and evidence from a special grand jury in Georgia.

The attorneys seek to remove Willis, a

Brown continued to page 20

A look at current news from the continent of Africa

illegal—to call for electoral justice and reduced food prices.

Malawi: Over 490,000 people have been displaced and are sheltering in over 500 sites across flood-affected areas of Malawi, as communities begin to reckon with the damage wrought by the Tropical Cyclone Freddy weather system. The storm system caused flooding and mudslides resulting in the deaths of at least 476 people.

Nigeria: Opposition Labor Party candidate Peter Obi has filed a petition seeking to cancel results from the recent disputed presidential election, kicking off what could be a long legal campaign.

Rwanda: The Kigali government commuted the government's 25-year sentence on terrorism charges against Rwanda Hotel hero Paul Rusesabagina, who was released from prison after more than 900 days behind bars and is now in the United States.

Senegal: Government officials are moving to preserve public order after protests over the trial of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko. Violence has flared in several cities since Sonko's defamation trial began— the latest expression of growing tensions in the run-up to a 2024 election during which President Macky Sall may seek a controversial third term, viewed as unconstitutional by many. The election would pit him against an opposition led by

: South Africa's consumer confidence plunged in the first quarter, according to a recently released survey as the country continues to be plagued by severe power shortage and a cost-ofliving crisis.

Uganda: Uganda has passed a bill making it illegal to identify as LGBTQ and have instituted new charges that may make it punishable by death.

Larry Elder

Stacy Brown

Elder continued to page 20

On Thursday, March 30, a federal court jury found suspended City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas guilty of seven of the 19 felony counts filed against him by the United States Attorney’s Office, including one count of bribery, one count of conspiracy, one count of honest services mail fraud and four counts of honest services wire fraud.

Ridley-Thomas was stoic as the verdict was read by U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom packed by press and Ridley-Thomas supporters.

“Sad to say, as with most Black men, Mark RidleyThomas was guilty in the minds of some before he ever stepped into a downtown courtroom thanks to rampant bias and newspapers like the L.A. Times, who have been slanted in their coverage from day one,” said Pastor William Smart, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and who was among supporters in the courtroom. “Most disappointing is that an African American male of his stature can be taken down with a paucity of information in this judicial system. It’s hurtful.”

“Public officials are elected to be a voice and a vote for the people they're paid to represent, not for their own personal gain,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “Allegations of public malfeasance must and will be addressed by the FBI before further corrupt actions erode confidence in our public institutions.”

Word of the verdict led to an outpouring of emotions throughout Los Angeles for Ridley-Thomas–a powerhouse in L.A. political circles–whose decades in public service have transformed the south Los Angeles landscape from the re-opening of the Martin Luther King Jr. hospital to the Empowerment Congress and Neighborhood Council movement.

Said Mayor Karen Bass, “I believe that this is a sad day for Los Angeles,” she said. “And I feel that sad-

LISA

ness personally. “Mark Ridley-Thomas has been a champion for our city, a civil rights activist, a thought leader and a policy maker who made real impact on this city. I worked with Mark for more than 40 years to build a more just and equitable Los Angeles.

“A dark day for south Los Angeles,” declared CNN legal commentator and KBLA Talk Radio Host Areva Martin.

“It’s devastating not just for his family but for the community,” stated City Councilmember Curren Price. “We don’t know what next steps are, but our prayers are with his family and for someone who has been a real community champion and a warrior.”

“Justice was not served today. Praying that he wins on appeal. Tragic!!!!,” noted one community resident.

“Hunting season for Black officials is always open,” said Tavis Smiley.

In a case where the lead attorney for the prosecution, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Dotson, acknowledged that there was no single document that laid out the conspiracy, and the testimony of the prosecution’s key witness was riddled with holes by defense attorneys, the decision appears to have boiled down to emails left to the interpretation of a 12-member jury with two black male jurors. Two Black women had been previously dismissed from the jury panel during the selection process.

While long deliberations usually benefit defendants, in this case the timing seemed to have been attributed to confusion over what the jury was to decide. The jury sent 11 notes to the judge over the four days of deliberations in an attempt to understand 23 pages of jury instructions.

When asked by a reporter, if jury foreperson Kirsi Kilpelainen, 35, of San Luis Obispo, believed that RidleyThomas sold his vote, she replied:

“I honestly don’t know what that means. From the very time they mentioned it, I thought you should have used that as an argument, because I don’t understand that. If you mean did he sell his vote –as in change his vote on any of the three issues–no, I don’t think so.”

COLLINS Staff

When asked by a reporter if jury foreperson Kirsi Kilpelainen believed Mark RidleyThomas sold his vote, she replied:

“

To be sure, the government’s case was flawed.

“The evidence is a joke,” said Professor, author and scholar Cornel West, who spent several days as an observer in the courtroom during the trial.

The government’s case against the veteran lawmaker is based on votes and initiatives he supported that would have had USC receiving county contracts in exchange for a $100,000 donation being funneled through the university to a United Way initiative his son was running in tandem with his work at USC, along with a full-tuition scholarship and part-time job as a professor at USC’s social work for his son. All while serving as a member of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

Ridley-Thomas’ defense team highlighted the absence of evidence suggesting that the initiatives at the heart of the case–a Probation University, the Vermont Avenue Re-entry Center and a Telehealth Contract extension–lacked overwhelming support or were inconsistent with prior advocacy. Instead, the government’s key witness conceded that the initiatives in question had been supported by Ridley-Thomas in previous years and were at some points in collaboration with other members of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, all of whom voted unanimously to advance them.

To that end both former Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and current County of Supervisors Chair Janice Hahn, testified that they were never pressured by RidleyThomas and were in support of the initiatives.

Defense attorneys ripped holes in the testimony of the prosecution’s key witness, FBI agent Brian Adkins. During a rapid-fire question and answer session between Defense Counsel Daralyn Durie and Adkins, the FBI agent was forced to admit multiple times that there was “nothing controversial” regarding the three policy initiatives. He’d uncovered no documentary evidence that anyone acted contrary to the normal processes for advancing these initiatives – neither Ridley-Thomas, his Second District staff, other County Supervisors, County department officials nor USC officials and advocates involved in establishing the county initiatives in question.

Adkins also testified that he was not aware of the process for bringing items to the board of supervisors, nor did he make any inquiries as to the process, and that he had never reached out to anyone in the Second District–including Ridley-Thomas. His rationale was that he didn’t want to alert them to an ongoing FBI investigation. This despite the fact that the investigation had already been widely publicized in the L.A. Times, who in fact allowed USC to look over the story and “make minor edits” prior to its publication.

Adkins also conceded that there was no evidence that Sebastian Ridley-Thomas was unqualified for admission to graduate school or to be appointed to a nontenure track post as practitioner professor. Nor was there evidence of any campaign finance law being violated in the $100,000 contribution. Adkins also conceded that USC may have had their own motives in bringing the investigation against Ridley-Thomas, the initial letter for which was signed by Rick Caruso. Interestingly, Caruso–mulling over a run for mayor since 2011–would have potentially faced Ridley-Thomas, who was at the time considering a candidacy for the next mayoral contest.

The defense also managed to introduce into evidence the fact that the same MRT committee that made the $100,000 contribution, previously made a $250,000 contribution in 2016 without issue.

Ann Ravel, the former chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission and a former appointee to the Federal Election Commission, testified that both Ridley-Thomas’ $100,000 donation to USC and USC’s subsequent $100,000 donation to the United Way for PRPI, the initiative run by Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, were legal.

Ravel’s testimony was, in fact, asked to be reread by the jury during its deliberations.

Dean Marilyn Flynn, named as a co-conspirator in the case, took a plea deal last year and was not called, leading many to speculate as to what kind of witness she might have made and whether or not her testimony would have worked for or against the prosecution under cross-examination.

Statements of Jury Foreperson Kirsi Kilpelainen

“Many of the jurors believed that there was no connection between Mark and the USC things, so it came down to the $100,000. They were asking us basically to say that he was getting benefits for his son as far as admission to USC—a scholarship, a professorship— and we couldn’t agree beyond a reasonable doubt that Mark was involved in that so anything that was pertaining to emails written about that, that’s why they [those counts] were not guilty…

“What it came down to was that we were trying to find evidence for the bribery charge, but bribery was concerning programs receiving federal funds and it came down to a definition that the judge had

included which was corruptly and for something to be done corruptly, there needed to be something unlawful as a means or an act and we didn’t have anything unlawful until we got to what we agreed to was the honest services wire fraud regarding the $100,000, because we had to agree on which act…and that was the one we could all agree on, so that once that became unlawful, we could take that back and fit it into the corruptly definition she had given us.“We actually, as a jury, agreed that the donation was lawful, but the problem was it fitting the criteria for him to be guilty of honest services wire fraud.

“We went for actually a long time deliberating think-

“There could be several reasons why a defendant who pled guilty in a co-conspiracy case would not be called to testify against the remaining defendant. The most important reason would be lack of credibility,” said Mansfield Collins, an L.A. -based attorney who handles federal and state criminal defense matters.

“It is highly unusual in a co-conspiracy case that one co-conspirator doesn’t testify against the other. Clearly, the prosecution was concerned that on cross-examination by the defense that her testimony against Mark Ridley-Thomas might be impeached and fall apart. If impeached on cross-examination, this would have been viewed as substantial evidence of Ridley-Thomas’ innocence that I believe would have led to a not guilty verdict. As a result of the prosecution not calling her, Ridley Thomas’ defense attorneys could not cross examine her, and the jury was denied the opportunity to determine her credibility under questioning or whether she believed that Ridley-Thomas had a corrupt purpose or unlawful intent.

“She might have even testified to a different meaning for the emojis, winks and nods in the emails that were left for the jury to decipher and the prosecution to interpret.”

Many courtroom observers felt that due to the questions posed by the jury, the testimony that was re-read and the absence of any conclusive evidence, the jury would more than likely be deadlocked on the charges rather than return a seven-count conviction.

“I was beyond shocked. Mere words cannot express the gravity of the moment,” said Pastor Xavier Thompson. “I was in the courtroom every single day and was expecting exoneration at best and at the very least, a hung jury. The legal defense team went beyond the call of duty to establish reasonable doubt, which in my mind had been established and exceeded. I just don’t understand how I heard what I heard, and the jury heard what I heard, and yet came to that conclusion”.

In fact, the conviction for many, brought more questions than answers. Many–like Cornel West–questioned the coverage of the L.A. Times.

Feature story continued to page 12

ing that maybe there was a scheme; that there was dishonesty; that there was lack of transparency; but none of that could be proven to be against the law until we got to the honest services wire fraud. Once we were able to say that he was guilty of honest services wire fraud on counts 15,16, 19 and 20 considering the $100K donation to the United Way, we were using that as something unlawful to satisfy the judge’s instructions…

“And so, we agreed on basically everything for bribery except we couldn’t find anything unlawful, but once we moved on to the wire fraud and that was against the law because we found him guilty of one count of that, we went back to bribery and agreed that was unlawful means.

Left: Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas; (Middle); (Left to Right) Professor Cornell West, Reverend M. Lawson Jr. and Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas;(Right) Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas

“The way they cast the story. They’d already criminalized my brother,” West remarked.

“Because I was in there every single day, I felt something different than what was being reported”, said Dion Raymond, who covered the story for KBLA 1580. “The defense said from the very beginning that they were going to show that the government was not telling the whole story.

There was evidence that the government never brought forth and in my opinion, it more than gave rise to reasonable doubt and the credibility of the government itself.

“The mainstream media did not portray that. They did not discuss those things. They did not give it to the community and their readership so that they could make those assessments themselves, which those of us in the courtroom were able to do.”

Some made note of the letter that began the initial investigation being signed by Rick Caruso and wondering why the L.A. Times hadn’t questioned his motives. There were also questions about the relations between the USC Board of Trustees and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and why questioned Tavis Smiley would USC walk this case into the U.S. Attorney’s office.

“Something somethin’ just ain’t right,” West observed.

What’s next?

Flynn–who pled guilty in September 2022 to one count of bribery– is scheduled for sentencing on June 26. She faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Prosecutors have agreed, however, to recommend she satisfy her custodial term by way of home confinement and will seek a fine against her of no more than $150,000.

Ridley-Thomas is set to be sentenced on August 14. He will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison on the conspiracy count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the bribery count, and up to 20 years in federal prison for each honest services fraud count.

In the meantime, his attorneys–from the highly regarded law firm of Morrison Foerster–are hard at work on an appeal. A “Night of Compassion for Mark Ridley-Thomas” is being set for later this month.

Said his close friend Cornel West, “It’s not just about Mark Ridley-Thomas. It’s about the services he rendered and the suffering he tried to speak to. We know what’s coming at him and are not deceived by this moment. That’s why we continue to struggle.

“But this is a bump in the road. We serve a mighty God. We have faith and continually bear witness,” West continued. “We know, of course, that folk are coming at us, trying to obstruct and trying to impede, but nothing will break our souls. We’ve got a joy that the world didn’t give us, and the world can’t take away. The brother is on the battlefield with his integrity, his love, his service and can’t nothing stop him but the God who created him.”

Cover story continued from page 11

Money Matters

Apply Now: California College Corps Is Offering Students Much More Than $10,000 Stipends

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state’s #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program which has so far provided $10,000 grants to some 6,500 low-income college students as a stipend in exchange for their community service work.

Nearly a year after the paidservice program was first announced, the Governor’s office is hailing its impact on communities and the lives of the students who participate in it.

“The program has proven to be a transformative experience for both students and the organizations where they work,” said Sandy Close, director of Ethnic Media Services, who recently moderated a press briefing to inform the public about the program’s contribution and some of the challenges it has faced.

The event, co-hosted by California Black Media, featured stakeholders representing all aspects of the program talking about their experiences.

“I feel like I’ve gone from being a student who once desperately needed a safe space to learn to being the trusted adult who can provide students with a natural learning environment where they each have a deep sense of belonging, knowing they are seen, heard, supported and valued,” said Emilio Ruiz, a 24-year-old student pursuing his teaching certification.

Ruiz shared his experiences as a College Corps fellow, mentioning how his upbringing as a child of divorced parents -- constantly moving, experiencing financial distress, and witnessing domestic abuse — spurred his desire for a safe space to learn and grow.

College Corps, Ruiz says, gave him an opportunity to receive his education without the added stress of taking on financial aid debt. Moreover, he gained practical experience while doing service-oriented work in his community.

College Corps is a state initiative that addresses “societal challenges” by creating a generation of civicminded leaders from low-income families. Its programs focus on challenges facing California like climate resilience and economic inequality.

According to the Governor’s office, Black and Latino

Biz News Briefs

Three

On the Money

EDWARD HENDERSON CA Black Media

students have the highest rates of student loan default and owe an estimated $147 billion in college loan debt.

In Long Beach, Project Optimism, currently hosts two College Corps fellows from CSU Long Beach (CSULB). Both are first generation college students. One is undocumented.

According to Ishmael Pruitt, CEO and cofounder, Project Optimism is a non-profit that supports equitable access to nature and environmental justice education to elementary aged children within the Long Beach Unified School District. It focuses on mentorship, empowerment, and uniting community engagement (including food insecurity), and personal development.

“We are big on mentoring the mentor,” said Pruitt. “Every intern and employee gets mentored by myself, one of the other directors, or someone from our board. So, they get direct coaching and support beyond their role working with us.”

Beth Manke is a program lead at CSULB. She matches College Corps students with the non-profit organizations they are assigned to for the program. Manke currently supervises 50 undergraduate students, completing 450 hours of work for 27 different organizations.

“We envision the service they are completing as internships. These are experiences that have proven to be quite transformative for our students,” said Manke. “We honor and draw on the students’ cultural backgrounds by acknowledging their life experiences and how they shape their academic success and well-being.”

The briefing also focused on the challenges students are facing on college campuses post-pandemic and how College Corps can help alleviate some of those issues.

Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith, a clinical psychologist and Diversity Lead of Student Life at the University of Washington spoke about some of the mental health challenges students are facing and avenues for healing.

“Anxiety is a leading factor for folks on college campuses,” said Dr. Briscoe-Smith. “There was an escalation for students with mental health challenges

Pharrell Williams’ Black Ambition to Award $3 Million in Prize Money

In his mission to close the oppor tunity and wealth gap, Pharrell Williams is offering $3 million in prize awards to empower Black & His panic entrepreneurs through his non-profit initiative, Black Am bition. Its annual Black Ambition Prize Competi tion–which opened for applications March 1 through May 8– provides mentorship, resources, connections, and up to $3 million dollars in Prize awards to founders innovating in consumer products and services, media and entertainment, healthcare, technology, and Web 3.0 industries.

"We've accomplished so much in such a short time, and it's been amazing to see our impact so far. Every year just gets better," said Founder Pharrell Williams of the three-year-old competition. "It's not just about creating space for our Black, Hispanic and HBCU entrepreneurs, it's about equity, it's about giving them the tools, resources and hands-on mentorship to excel uninterrupted."

The grand prize winner will receive a $1 million prize along with mentorship, resources, and connections to additional investors and funding. Winning recipients will also attend town hall meetings with Pharrell and receive life coaching and therapeutic workshops, both in groups and 1-on-1, encouraging a holistic career approach.

The competition says it is seeking those who think big and are building the world-changing companies of tomorrow. Businesses must be committed to transforming the landscape in their communities, in their hiring practices and their contribution to giving back.

In addition to the grand prize, at least fifteen additional teams will receive prize awards from $15k$250k. All awardees receive bi-weekly office hours with leaders in marketing, PR, and brand building with global brands such as Netflix.

To be eligible, applicants must have, or aspire to achieve, a national or global business reach for their product and or service and have at least one founder or cofounder that identifies as Black/African/African American and/or Hispanic/Latino/a/Latinx.

For more information, visit BlackAmbitionPrize.com.

“The Time is now”, said Sean “Diddy” Combs of his interest in securing a majority ownership stake in BET.

“Media is the most powerful industry in the world but it’s the industry where we have the least amount of ownership, influence and control!

“It’s time for @BET to be Black-owned again so we have the power to tell our own stories, control our own narrative!

This is not about me it’s

Maybe so, but Diddy might be a little late to the party.

Tyler Perry, who already has a minority ownership stake in the network has reportedly already in talks with the network about a acquiring a larger ownership

role after Paramount Global (the company that owns the network) expressed that it might be open to selling a majority stake of the company valued at $2.7 billion when it was acquired in 2001.

Tyler Perry currently partners with BET in BET Plus with both being the exclusive home to many of his shows including “The Oval”, “Sistas”, “Assisted Living”, “Zatima”, and “All the Queen’s Men”.

Also interested in acquiring the network is Bryon Allen, whose growing media empire already includes the Weather Channel, TheGrio, the Black News Channel and Entertainment Studios.

“BET is a great American brand and if it becomes available, we’re very interested and we will pursue it vigorously,” Allen told theGrio. “It’s a big opportunity.

“I’m on a mission to build the world’s biggest media company. That puts us in a position to effectuate change for the greater good and to amplify the excellence that’s in our community.”

Diddy, who launched Revolt TV ten years ago, said he was building a team of leaders in the culture to pursue ownership in BET, though that team is not likely to include Perry and Allen. A fourth potential bid is also being reported from a Black-owned, Miami-based media

company.

Magic Johnson Teams With 76ers Owner Josh Harris in $6 Billion Bid to Acquire the Washington Commanders

Philadelphia 76ers owner Josh Harris has partnered with defense contracting tycoon Mitchell Rales and NBA legend Magic Johnson to submit a $6 billion bid to purchase the Washington Commanders. The bid–if accepted–would top the record $4.65 billion Walmart heir Rob Walton paid for the Denver Broncos with an investment group that included financial mogul Mellody Hobson.

The group is one of several who have submitted a bid to buy the team from owner Dan Snyder who is being investigated for financial impropriety, sexual harrassment and a hostile work environment by state attorneys, the NFL and Congress; and was under threat of being forced out by other NFL franchise owners.

Other bidders include Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, while Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is also said to be interested. Insiders expect that a deal could be finalized this month.

Black Moguls In Bidding War for BET

Money Matters continued to page 20

LIGHT SPOT HO L LY W OOD

“Big George Foreman”

Get ready for a cinematic journey through the life of one of boxing's most iconic figures. "Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World" is set to be released April 28. Directed by George Tillman Jr., this biopic chronicles the life of George Foreman, from his humble beginnings in Houston's Fifth Ward, to his stunning victory over Joe Frazier, his transition from boxing to preaching, and finally, his record-breaking return to the ring.

Khris Davis–who flawlessly embodies Foreman's legendary persona–spoke candidly about the challenges he faced in portraying the iconic figure, and the joy he experi-

OUT THIS MONTH

Creed III Actor Fights Domestic Violence Charges: Movie star Jonathan Majors was arrested after an altercation with a lady friend on Saturday (Mar. 25). According to reports, the 33-year-old was charged in New York with strangulation, assault and harassment. In response to the allegations, Majors' lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, said there is evidence that clears Majors. His attorney also released alleged text messages from the victim who seemingly blamed herself for the fight. A minor career casualty was the Army's decision to pull an advertisement featuring Majors. Despite the incident, it’s been an exceptional year for him. The Cali fornia native appeared in Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantu mania, and will star in Marvel’s upcoming Avengers’ movie. Currently out on bail, Ma jors will return to court in May.

Megan Thee Stallion Re turns to the Spotlight: The “Hot Girl Coach” had been missing in action for months following her ac cused shooter, Tory Lanez, convic tion in De cember.

Megan, 28, dis -

enced in bringing Foreman's story to life. Of course, that included getting into fighting shape to relive Foreman's historic fights and recreating some of the most famous moments in boxing.

But "Big George Foreman" is more than just a boxing movie. It's a

powerful story of redemption, of a man who fought his way through poverty and adversity to become one of the greatest champions of all time. This film is about finding oneself and the power of a second chance, a message that will resonate with audiences around the world.

Davis's commitment to the role and Tillman Jr.'s directing skills make for a promising film that boxing and movie fans alike will be eager to see. Forest Whitaker is brilliant as Foreman’s coach and Sonja Sohn (“The Wire”) turns in a standout performance as Foreman’s mom. So, mark your calendars, grab your popcorn, and get ready for a night out at the movies.. You won’t be disappointed.

ForestWhitaker Footnotes

Hometown: Longview, Texas

Age: 61

First Break: Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Breakout Role: The Last King of Scotland

Upcoming: Big George Foreman

Forest Whitaker is an award-winning, multi-hyphenated entertainer with over 100 acting credits on his resume. In addition to starring roles in blockbusters like like Black Panther, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, The Last King of Scotland, Respect, and Waiting to Exhale, Whitaker is a well-known director, narrator, producer, and activist. Currently, he can be seen on EPIX's The Godfather of Harlem as gangster Bumpy Johnson, as well as Apple TV+'s Extrapolations as small-time investor Augustin Bolo.

On stepping into the role of Bumpy Johnson on “Godfather of Harlem”:

appeared from the public eye without a trace. That was until Mar. 14 when she popped up on the red carpet at Vanity Fair's Oscar after-party. The "Savage" rapper stunned fans and turned heads in a strapless mermaid gown and lace corset. That same week, she attended a Women's History Month celebration hosted by Vice-President Kamala Harris and Glamour. Recently, a curly-haired Megan threw out the first pitch for the Houston Astros. What’s next? Megan will co-headline L.A. Pride in the Park alongside music icon Mariah Carey in June. She is also rumored to star in an upcoming Adam Sandler movie.

Actress/Model Walks Away from FourYear Marriage: Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Eva Marcille, 38, has filed for divorce from Atlanta attorney Michael Sterling, 38. According to court documents, the America's Top Model winner's marriage is “irretrievably broken” and “there are no prospects for reconciliation”. She also requested child support and primary custody of their two sons: Michael "Mikey" Jr., 4, and Maverick, 3. While Eva's ready to move forward separately, Sterling isn't giving up so easily. He told theJasmineBRAND, “I am not going to lose my wife. I am going to fight for her with every fiber in my being.”

Neither Eva nor her representatives have

publicly responded to the statement.

Beyoncé Splits with Adidas and Cuffs Deal with Balmain: Grammy-winning entertainer Beyoncé, 41, has proven that some designer brands are replaceable. Beyoncé and Adidas reportedly ended their partnership after years of low sales for her Ivy Park collection. This didn’t break her soul, however. As her relationship with Adidas soured, the Dreamgirls star was already working with Olivier Rousteing, the creative behind Balmain, the French luxury fashion house. Together, they created Renaissance couture, a high-end collection based off the “Cuff It” singer’s number one album. Each of Renaissance's 16 songs has its own piece. This collaboration made Beyoncé "the first black woman to oversee a couture offering from the historic Parisian fashion house".

Teyana Taylor Cast as Legendary Singer: A dynamic voice. Immense talent. A striking resemblance. What better person to portray Dionne Warwick's biopic than singer/actress Teyana Taylor, 32? The “A Thousand and One” star announced that she snagged the role during an appearance on the Tamron Hall Show. This could be an iconic role for Taylor as Ray was for Jamie Foxx and Selena was Jennifer Lopez. Afterall, Warwick enjoyed a very distinguished career as the first crossover artist to have a dozen consecutive Top 100 hits between 1963 and 1966. In preparation for the role, Taylor said she and the 81-year-old "talk almost every day”.

I just try to make sure I commit to this code that he follows, and the principle of the code is the code of the gangsters of the Five Families. But as we move along, we start to see how that code expands and how it works with his family. I see it as what he’s trying to get from each group. I look at how his relationship will change with each person inside this group and how he’s growing and learning. And that’s what I’m working on when trying to figure him out.

On winning an Oscar for The Last King of Scotland in 2007:

It is possible for a kid from East Texas, raised in South Central L.A. and Carson who believes in his dreams, commits himself to them with his heart, to touch them and to have them happen.”

On what drives his humanitarian efforts:

I have witnessed change in the most unlikely places and have seen communities healing and transforming together. Change for the better is possible even in the most difficult times and in the face of the greatest obstacles. I am hopeful and optimistic for the future and will continue to promote education, peace and reconciliation.

On directing Waiting to Exhale and opening the door to Black female bonding movies:

I was really fortunate to get those ladies to do it. I had to convince the studio to give me $13.5 million to make the movie and had to go in and get some extra funds, and they did it. It really moved on word of mouth, and at the time, $67 million was a lot to make for a movie–and particularly films of color, since there weren’t many. It really opened the door for Black female bonding movies and this life that these Black women were living, with the romances and the loves and the hates and the losses. Afterwards came Soul Food and all the other films.

On Godfather of Harlem mirroring society today

We’re just getting to see how threats are shown from the government, how choices are being made to affect the community, and how we can find ways to fight back with the protests. The effects [of the time] are so strongly linked to some of the things today, including police brutality, the opiate crisis –- all these things

RedCarpet Style

The Oscars are the granddaddy of red carpets, so everyone pulls out the stops and it was no different last month in Los Angeles at the prestigious award show. Here are just some of our favorite looks.

HALLE BAILEY was a stunner in this turquoise tule Dolce & Gabbana ball gown with a sheer corset top

RHIANNA wowed in this semi-sheer Alaia ensemble showing off her baby bump

Eye On Gospel

Hitting the Road

This month Grammy®, Stellar Award and DOVE Award winner, Jonathan McReynolds, is set to embark on an 11-city tour in support of his new album, My Truth. The 12-track album marks the first album release from McReynolds, which he says was inspired by the concept of life and seeds.

Some seeds make their way and grow without much opposition. Others are thrown on the ground and trampled or thrown amongst thorns and weeds. McReynolds relates the seed to challenges and life struggles which can create anxiety and make people feel like they are being choked. In a truly transparent moment, McReynolds acknowledges that there have been times in which the anxieties of life have been overwhelming. Through My Truth, Reynolds reminds that “life is filled with opportunities to select paths that allow us to experience it in the best way.”

The lead single from the project, "Your World", spent five weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Gospel singles chart.

"This song reflects my evolution and growth. I am not the same person I was when I wrote my first

JANELLE MONAE was a winner in this orange and black custom Vera Wang gown

ANGELA BASSETT

chanelled old style glamour in this flowy purple Moschino gown complete with train

album. Now, I am secure enough to take more risks and remove any limits to my creativity. It's God's World, and we are just living in it!"

McReynolds, who is currently an adjunct member of the Columbia College faculty, is also the founder of Elihu Nation, a nonprofit organization that promotes wisdom and recently awarded $30k in scholarships. He is also a member of Mensa, an international high IQ society. McReynolds starred in his first movie “Favorite Son” a BET+ original film. As an author, McReynolds’ first book, “Make Room: Finding Where Faith Fits,” draws on testimonies in scripture and from personal experiences to invite readers to make room for God in every area of life.

A Nod to the Late Rance Allen Gospel music legend John P. Kee has created the ultimate tribute project to celebrate the musical legacy of the iconic Rance Allen who with his brothers (Tom and Steve) were groundbreaking cutting-edge Gospel artists from the late 1960s up to his sudden death in 2020. They recorded for STAX/Gospel Truth, Capitol Records, Bellmark, and finally Tyscot Records, over the course of their career that gave the world spiritual classics such as “Ain’t No Need in Crying” and “Miracle Worker.” Kee embraced and looked up to Allen as a second father and musical mentor after his own dad died in the 1980s. The forthcoming album of new interpretations of some of the Rance Allen Group’s best-loved songs is nothing short of masterful. The first single is a remake of Allen’s signature cut, “Something About the Name Jesus,” that initially appeared on Kirk Franklin’s 1998 release, The Nu Nation Project.

Kee lends his own voice, samples Allen, and adds in vocals by young gospel star Melvin Crispell, R & B crooner Lewis Sky, and church-wrecker Zacardi Cortez

HALLE BERRY was a showstopper in this white Tamara Ralph gown with floral highlights

whose crusty baritone is closest to Allen’s in style.

It’s Summertime and How Sweet the Sound is Back

This summer, aspiring and emerging artists can vie for cash prizes and the title of best gospel choir, soloist, dance performance, and spoken word artist, thanks to the gospel music competition How Sweet The Sound. The event set for June 3, 2023 in Atlanta will showcase some of the new talent hoping to breakthrough in gospel music in the coming years. Judges include Grammy Award winner and pastor, Hezekiah Walker; Grammy Award winner, actress, author, and entrepreneur Tamela Mann; Dove Award winner and Grammy nominated artist, actress, and author Jekalyn Carr; renowned gospel choir director and Stellar Award winner Ricky Dillard; and national Billboard chart-topping choir director, syndicated radio host, and pastor J.J. Hairston. The judges, along with How Sweet the Sound's host, Grammy Award-winning song writer and record producer Donald Lawrence, will perform live at the event.

"I am so happy to see that How Sweet The Sound can continue to provide a platform for the performing arts to flourish within the faith-based community," said Nathanael Brown, an award-winning choral director, saxophonist, and CEO of Gentle Giant Music Ministries, which owns the How Sweet The Sound brand. For more information, visit www.howsweetthesound.com.

Briefly: Stellar Award Winner, James Fortune has released a new single in collaboration with R&B songstress Monica, titled, "Trusting God." The song is a new inspirational and motivational record to keep God's people focused on his promise. The collaboration comes over a decade after their Grammy-nominated song “Hold On” alongside Fred Hammond.

Center of Hope Church Looks to Entertainment as a Means to Spread the Gospel, Pastor Lafayette Dorsey Sr. Mourned

and Live Again Ministries.

Dorsey, 54, helped power Pepperdine University’s basketball team to a winning season in the late 80’s, enjoyed success with commercial TV work, and in 2002 established Love and Live Again Ministries, dubbed “A place to sow, a place to grow.”

Agape Church of Los Angeles

Worship Center: Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center 4305 Degnan Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008

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

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

OVID taught Center of Hope Pastor Geremy Dixon a very important lesson. First, that the gospel would not stop being taught because people were not coming into the sanctuary. What’s more, that if churches were not actively engaged in utilizing the world’s advancing technologies that they were missing an audience they were called to serve.

“While we had the passion to create content that would advance the kingdom and also produce short form and long form content that would raise the quality of life for people and because we’ve always had a lot of artists in our congregation, we felt like we have a pretty specific calling to aggregate people who are in the artistic space,” said Dixon. “But it really took COVID to push us over the edge and go ahead and make it happen by opening up the studio and launch the production company.”

The production company is Hope Entertainment and the studio built on the church’s four-acre Inglewood property is a state-of-the-art facility, equipped with high-end production equipment. Already it has been utilized by several difference organizations and companies, including the makers of a music video and their own ongoing “The Misfit Manifesto Podcast”

“The Misfit platform is something that I created, and the overarching concept is that I feel like there is a population of innovative thinkers and catalytic leaders who maybe don’t fit within the mainstream or some of the more institutional spaces and they’re thinking outside the box and doing some really creative stuff,” Dixon explains. “I felt it important to identify that population, affirm that population, and give them intel on how to lean further into their uniqueness to build synergy around the various folk who are thinking outside the box. To do that, I started a conference that I do once a year that focuses on bringing some of the greatest minds who are building platforms.

“This year (May 18-20) we’ve got speakers like Tabitha Brown, Nate Parker and Tim Ross who are going to talk about establishing your own platform, finding ways to monetize your uniqueness, to get equity and ownership in your own destiny.”

It was out of that conference that the podcast was born for Dixon who believes that churches shouldn’t ignore the power of media

“We’ve been so antagonistic toward Hollywood and not realizing that it’s a tool to be leveraged especially since pastors, historically, are just really anointed storytellers. That’s what we do. We look at this historic document [the Bible] and we find ways to make it relevant. Storytelling is what pastors do every single day. And so now that we recognize that from the dawn of radio into television to now–everyone having access to the internet on their cellphone–it’s really important for pastors to think deeply about how they can tell stories through these platforms. And for me, this is one way of doing it.”

L.A. Faith Community Mourns the Passing of Pastor Lafayette Dorsey

Members of the L.A. faith community are mourning the passing of Lafayette Dorsey, Sr, pastor of Love

The Memphis, Tennessee native accepted his call to the ministry in 1991and said that the Lord honored his request and took his drive for basketball and replaced it with a passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Initially serving as youth pastor at West Angeles Church of God in Christ, Dorsey credited Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. for much of his tutelage on how to properly administer a church.

“It’s because of Bishop Blake’s leadership and the people who he placed in leadership positions helped me to experience what I need to allow Love and Live Ministries to be success as it is today,” Dorsey told L.A. Focus in 2012.

“God spoke to my heart and said you will build an administrative team to withstand the weight of the blessings that I have promised you.’

That blessing being Love and Live Again Ministries, where Dorsey hoped his legacy will be, while fondly repeating the words from the Mahalia Jackson song, “If I could help somebody as I travel along, if I could cheer somebody with a word of song, if I could show someone that they’re traveling wrong than my living would not be in vain.”

Dorsey lost his son, Lafayette Dorsey, Jr., a promising basketball player, to suicide in 2020. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Chelesa and daughter, Adoriah.

United Methodist Church Sued by Congregations Wanting to Disaffiliate

There is an exodus happening in the United Methodist Church as a growing number of congregations are opting to leave the denomination and disaffiliate. Last month, nearly 200 churches in Georgia filed a lawsuit asking a judge to rule against the denomination and allow them to leave.

Over the past year, upwards of 2,000 churches have voted to the United Methodist Church, in part due to their opposition to the ordination of gay clergy and their changing stance on same sex marriage.

The lawsuits have come as a result of the process of disaffiliation and more specifically, the right of those churches to keep their property and not be required to pay a huge ransom for it, given that in most cases, it is the congregations that have paid for and maintained the properties.

In past cases of disaffiliation, churches have been allowed to keep their property.

Brookins-Kirkland Community AME Church 3719 West Slauson Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 296-5610 • www.bkcamechurchla.org

Rev. Mary S. Minor, DMin,Pastor

Sunday Church School: 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM

Sunday Morning Worship: 9:00 AM (in-person and virtual)

Thursday Bible Study with Pastor Minor (via Zoom): 6:00 PM

Please call the church office for virtual information.

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: (323) 298-4867 • 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!

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

Dr. Frederick K. Price

LiveWorship Service:Sun 10:30am,Tues 11:00am and 7:30pm at faithdome.org, Facebook, Roku, YouTube and the EIFM app (Download in Apple Store and Google Play)Website: faithdome.org

Giving Options: Text to 28950, type EIFMO and amount you wish to give (ex.,EIFMO 50) or mail to: P.O. Box 90000, Los Angeles, CA 90009

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#

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 Dr.Ruby I. Cottle, Ph.D., Pastor/Teacher Services every Friday: 7:00pm We meeet at: St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church

Love and Unity Christian Fellowship Pastor Ron Hill was joined by Presiding COGIC Bishop J. Drew Sheard at the church’s “Glorious Gala Honoring the Elevation to Prelate Argentina, 2nd Jurisdiction.

Grant AME Church

10435 S. Central Avenue • Los Angeles, CA 90002 (323) 564-1151 • F: (323) 564-5027

Rev. Dr. Timothy o. Coston, Jr.

Sunday School: 8am

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

Grace Temple Baptist Churchh

7017 South Bramercy Place, Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 971-8192 • gracetemplebaptist7017@gmail.com

Rev. Rodney Howard

Sunday Worship Service: 9:00am

Sunday Life Group: 11:30am

Wed. Night Intercessory Prayer: 6:30pm Wed. Night Bible Study: 7:00pm

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 Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am

Sunday Radio: KJLH 102.3FM at 11am

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

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

Bible Study: Tues @12:30pm/Wed @6pm

Zoom Call: (605) 472-5454 Access:188857

Online Stream Live: Sundays@10:45am to www.mccartychurch.org

Give: Text 77977

Instagram@mccartyconnect

Mount Moriah Baptist Church of Los Angeles, Inc.

4269 South Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90037

(323) 846-1950 •Fax: (323) 846-1964

Rev. Johnteris Tate-Pastor

Sunday Church School: 8:00am

Worship Service: 10:00am

Baptist Training Union: 7:00am

Tuesday Refueling : Noon

Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church

3669 W. 54th St. Los Angeles, CA 90043

Phone (323) 291-1121•F: (323) 291-1133

office@sinai.church • www.sinai.church

George E. Hurtt, Pastor-Teacher

Sunday Worship: 8am,10am

Tuesday Night( as scheduled): 7:15pm

All services stream live on our website, Facebook page and YouTube channel. Call for any pandemic-related questions.

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church

1300 E. 50th Street Los Angeles, CA 90011

•

(323) 235-2103

ONE LA Potter’s House Church 614 N. La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036 (818) 763-4521 • hello@one.online

Pastor Touré and Sarah Roberts

The ONE Experience Online: Sundays: 7A |9A |11A |1P |6P Thursdays: 5P |8P (PST) @toureroberts

FIRST LADY FILES

Tiffany Allison

KAREN A. BROWN

Contributor

Greater New Unity Baptist Church

An expert in the TV and media field, Mrs. Tiffany Allison, the First Lady of Greater New Unity Baptist Church, has been making her mark behind the scenes for over a decade now. “We have been in ministry over 16 years,” said Tiffany.

Naturally a shy person, Tiffany prefers not to be in front of the camera. She enjoys coaching and directing young people. She has been recruiting youth from her church, her family and beyond. During the tenure of she and her husband’s pastoral ministry they have been mentoring youth. It began with working with the family members and guiding them into the media field. “I have tons of nieces and nephews. I have given them some leadership opportunities.”

Lady Tiffany met her husband Rev. Randy Allison through a mutual friend. “I asked him if he wanted to go out.” That was the beginning of their courtship. Not really looking for a husband–especially one that is a pastor, she met Rev. Allison when he was “on the road” ministering.

“He was a youth pastor when we met,” said Lady Tiffany. The two have now been married 16 years. “I call him a triple threat because he’s not only a pastor but a musician who does many other things.”

As for the role of the First Lady, Tiffany admits that it took her awhile to settle into the role of being the leading lady. “That transition was kinda hard trying to figure out the role because I was young,” said Lady Tiffany.

She has definitely found her niche as a partner in ministry with her husband having served as a Sunday School teacher, Youth Choir Director, Director of the Women’s Choir, Pastor’s Aide min- istry and of course the Media Ministry. “My greatest blessing is just being able to serve,” said Lady Tiffany.

New Antioch Church of God in Christ 7826 So. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323) 778-7965 • www.newantiochcogic.org

Superintendent Jeffrey M. Lewis

Sunday Early Worship: 8am

Sunday Morning Worship: 11am

Sunday School: 9:30am

Tuesday Bible Study: 11am

St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church 5017 S. Compton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90011 (323) 231-1040 • stmarkmbcofla.org

Reverend Dr. Lovely Haynes, Pastor

Sun. Worship: 8:30am

Sun. Classes follow morning service

Tues Eve Family Prayer Line: 6:30pm

Wed. Noon: Hour of Power Prayer line

Wed. Bible Study: 6:00pm (Zoom & Facebook)

Trinity Baptist Church

2040 W. Jefferson Blvd., L.A., CA 90018 • (323) 735-0044

F: (323) 735-0219• trinitybaptistchurchofla.org

Rev. Alvin Tunstill, Jr

Sunday Worship Services: 10:30am

YouTube: tv.trinitybaptist.cloud

Sunday Radio Broadcast KJLH-FM: 9am Wed. Night Virtual Bible Study: 7pm (Meeting ID: 480-271-5449. Or call 1-699-900-6833; give zoom ID Sign-in at 6:55pmrchofla.org

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

West Angeles Church of God In Christ 3600 W. Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016 (323) 733-8300 • www.westa.org

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:30pm Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr., Senior Pastor Charles E. Blake II

Co-Pastor Sunday Service: 10:00am Sunday Radio Broadcast: KJLH 102.3 FM: 10:00am In Compton

Citizens of Zion Missionary Baptist Church 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: 9:00am

Online Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00pm FB: GreaterZionChurchFamily IG: GZCFamily www.gzcfamily.com

Holy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church 1016 E. Rosecrans Avenue, Compton, CA 90220 (310) 537-3149 • www.holychapelbc.com

Rev. Dr. George L. Thomas

Morning Worship: 8:00am

Sunday School: 10:30am

Wed. Mid-Week Bible Study: 7:00pm Sun. New Members’ Class: 10:45am

Communion/1st Sunday: 8:00am

Rev. Joshua Daniels, Pastor

Morning Worship: 10am (In Service and Online Live Stream Worship)

Sunday School: 8:45am

Wed. Bible Study: 7:00pm www.mtzionla.org

Wednesday In The Word: 7pm

All services streamed: Facebook and YouTube

@New Antioch Church of God In Christ

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

Wednesday Virtual Bible Study : Noon & 7:00p

Communion: 1st Sunday at 8:00am & 11:00am

Broadcast KALI 900AM - Sun:2-3:00pm

Love and Unity Christian Fellowship

1840 S. Wilmington Ave, Compton 90220

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5449, Compton, CA 90224

Bishop Ronald C. Hill Sr., Founder/Pastor Sunday Worship:10am/6:30pm

Wed. Bible Studies: 7:30pm Prayer w /Bishop Hill: Fri: 9am

Food For Your Soul TV Ministry

Impact TV Network: Mon-Fri PST 6:30am

The Word Network Fridays @ 12:30pm

PastorProfile: J. Rannie Williams

Church: Salem Missionary Baptist Church

How Long at church: 25 years

Hometown: Shreveport, Louisiana

Family: Wife Lasonya and two adult children

When did God call you?

It started as a member of Great Shepherd Missionary Baptist Church where my mother brought my sister and I when we came to Los Angeles. They had an organization called the Brotherhood and they actually made me the president of the brotherhood. I was pretty young then, but it gave me an opportunity to speak. I ended up leaving and then going over to South Los Angeles Baptist Church with Curtis Morris. He had a pulpit full of preachers. That was back in 1988. I went there 1985 and started to feel this pull on me. I didn't think this would ever happen to me. I was selling life insurance with Golden State Mutual. So, I spoke with the pastor and he said, “Well, you're going to have to study one of the elder pastors for nine months as a child is in a womb for nine months.” At the end of that nine months, I preached my first sermon.

Did preaching come naturally?

No, it was really stressful. Instead, it was a journey in terms of me coming into my own. I stayed there probably from 1985 to 1990-1991. I’d gotten married, bought a house in Rialto, had my first child and ended up joining a small church in Colton–Inland Bible Fellowship. That is where I learned more about the hermeneutical side of preaching. The pastor–who’d been a graduate of Biola University–would tape us and then he would sit and grade you. It hurt, but it also helped. From there, I went to Ecclesia Christian Fellowship with Josh Beckley which was a much larger church. I did not get an opportunity to preach there more than a couple of times but he really stressed making your points in a sermon. I ended up coming back to Los Angeles and worshiping in a Church of God in Christ on the east side. They were speaking in tongues, laying hands and being slain… The spirit of God just seemed so thick there. You could cut it with a knife. So, it was in that small group of maybe ten people where God really got my attention. The pastor was in his eighties and he'd say, ‘Get up and say something.’ That really helped me get comfortable with speaking.

Were you raised church?

Yes, church was mandatory, especially growing up in Texas. That's the Bible Belt. You didn't get a choice. I would sometimes say, “Mama, I don't feel like going.” And she’d say, ‘Don't let me tell you twice.’ So, there was Sunday School, Vacation Bible School in the summer and what we called homecomings, where all the family would come from around the country to our big days– a full Sunday in August. There were three other neighboring churches in the area and we had to attend their revivals– five nights and then Sunday would be their big day.

Did you enjoy church?

Yes. Growing up in the rural south until I was 14, those people could really put to shame what we do in church today. Most were not educated. There were some teachers, of course, but some just really worked hard picking cotton and as we call it cutting pup wood–knuckles all busted and dirty, but they would clean up and come to those revivals. We called it prayer meeting back then. Now, it’s Bible study.

Did you think some day you’d be a preacher?

No, but I have a cousin in Fort Worth who's a pastor also. In those hot Texas summers, we’d wear these hats and people would say, “You two boys are going to be preachers.”

To be honest, I admired pastors. Our pastor would sometimes bring in preachers who were called “heavyweights” from other cities and they would do the revivals.

They were always so well dressed and that was impressive and I always enjoyed the orators.

How did you come to be at Salem Baptist Church?

They initially called me to help an elderly pastor.

Pastor Charles H. Davis had been there since like 1957 and I went there in December of 1998. I sat there about three weeks before he put me up to preach and they loved it. But it was tough. We have a lot of educated people in the congregation and they picked me apart. The pastor died in 2002. By then, I was actually preaching probably 99% of the time and teaching Bible studies during the week.

Was it just expected that you would take over?

No, ma'am. The pastor told me that he knew I was the one, but he didn't tell anybody else. So, he passed away and I just kept preaching every Sunday. The head deacon finally said to one of the other deacons, ‘Has anybody talked about what we’re going to do about the pastor?’ And they said, ‘Well, we're going to call Reverend Williams to be pastor.’ But no one in that church was aware of how to do it. So, they organized, and I want to tell you the day they voted, I just preached, gave the benediction, went out to my truck and sat while they voted. 114 people voted yes. 11 said no. How is it going since the church moved from its old location near McArthur Park back into the community?

That's has been a huge blessing. Some of our long term members had just been walking away because they were tired of coming downtown and the [L.A.] marathons. The new location was close to where the people that attended our church lived. And my choir director wanted a church that was built as a church because the former building wasn’t, so we now get a fuller sound in terms of instrumentation, microphones and all that. What do you hope the church brings to the community?

We've been able to give away food, but I'm only there like twice a week for office hours and then on Sunday. But the goal is to be open every day to serve the community and be able to connect.

Is there a go-to theme for you on Sunday mornings? It would have to be evangelism. I’m always telling people to invite somebody to the body of Christ–to your church. They’ll tell me that they don’t know what to say, and I just simply say ‘tell your story of how God has brought you through’.

How has God brought you through?

The biggest challenge for me was the transition of my mother in 2007. We were extremely close. I was living in San Bernardino at the time and some of the older members would call me and say, “All right, now you got to get over that.” That really helped me as did God through Jesus Christ. That probably matured me even more in the ministry because I had buried a lot of other individuals’ moms and dads, and I look back and believe the Lord was preparing me for my day.

How would you describe yourself as a pastor in terms of style?

My style is more relaxed…laid back.

How would you describe the personality of your church?

Warm, friendly, hospitable and tightknit, which is the one I'm grateful for. Of course, tightknit is both good and bad because there just seems to be some reluctance with inviting people. They've done it, but I'm talking all the time, especially since the people who come to our church say they feel so comfortable and really enjoy the service.

The City of Refuge

14527 S. San Pedro St, Gardena, CA 90248 (310) 516-1433

Bishop Noel Jones

Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am

Evening Worship: 6:00pm

Bible Study (Wed): Noon & 7:00pm BET/Fresh Oil (Wed): 7:00am

The Liberty Church 4725 S. Gramercy Place, Gardena, CA 90249 (310) 715-8400

Pastor David W. Cross

Morning Worship/Livestream:10:00 am Hispanic Ministry Worship/Livestream:12Noon

Word Power Wednesday/Livestream: 7:00pm

The CROSSWORD with Pastor Cross: YouTube

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

Sunday Morning Worship: 8:00 & 11:00 am

Sunday Bible Enrichment Class: 9:45am

Mon.-Thurs. Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday Bible Study: 12:30pm & 7:00pm

Bible Enrichment Fellowship International 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

Blessed Family Covenant Church 325 North Hillcrest Blvd, Inglewood, CA, 90301 (310)-674-0303 • F: (310)-674-0303

Pastor Wendy Howlett Sunday Morning Worship & Word: 9:30am

Wednesday Prayer & Bible Study: 7:00pm View Sunday Worship: www.youtube.com (Under Blessed Family Covenant Church) www.blessedfamilycovenant.org

Center of Hope LA 9550 Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90305 #centerofhope•#cohla•Info@GO2HOPE.com Give: Text COHLA to (833) 246-7144

Pastor Geremy L. Dixon Service Times: 8:00am & 10:00am Watch Via: Facebook|YouTube|Live Stream Closer To People...Closer To God! www.GO2Hope.com

Faithful Central Bible Church 333 W. Florence Ave. Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 330-8000 • F: (310) 330-8035

Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer, Ph.D. Senior Pastor/Teacher

Sunday Services: 7:00 am & 9:30am

Wed. Mid-Week Service: 7:00pm

The Tabernacle is located at 321 N. Eucalyptus Ave., Inglewood www.faithfulcentral.com

Jacob’s Ladder Community Fellowship, inc. 1152 E. Hyde Park Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90302 (866) 330-1702 • F: (310) 674-0760

Watchman/Shepherd Dr. Robert T. Douglas Sr.

Sunday Fresh Start & Prayer 9:00am

Sunday School: 10:00am

Morning Services: 11:45am

Evening Service: 7:00pm

Wed. Lock & Load Prayer: 7:00pm

Wed. Bible Study: 7:30pm

3rd Friday Youth Night: 7:30pm www.jacobladderschurch.com

From the Pulpit: “Women in Ministry”

Bible Enrichment Fellowship International

Recently I was listening to a Pastor who has a huge following speak on women pastors. I could not believe what I was hearing because it was so venomous and cruel. He was demeaning women; accusing us of being rebellious, defiant, Marxists, feminists, disgraceful with a simple desire to dominate–dishonoring God like lesbians and prostitutes.

Now, even if we do not believe the same way, we are still your sisters in Christ and we all should endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. But often, we are dealing with scholars with hermeneutical arrogance, faulty exegesis, lack of discipline of text criticism, personal biases, tradition and make it fit their own narrative.

Keep in mind that you can make the Bible say anything you want. We have to be very careful and mindful of the standard of exegesis. You have to know the dispensation and what the author intended because everything is not universal in application.

I want to examine some texts that show that Christ’s church is not patriarchal. The Bible says that by one Spirit have we all been baptized into one body. (I Cor. 12:13).

Christ gave his life as a ransom for all of us–male and female. I have found people who hold very rigid views about women in leadership really do not understand redemption. These religious views minimize both the blood and the cross. It implies that what Jesus did wasn’t enough. If women, for some reason, can’t lead because we are in a fallen nature then so are men. Jesus brought us into a new covenant with better promises. We are no longer under the Law but Grace. Gifts and callings are no longer gender specific.

The Bible says who the son sets free is free indeed. So, for a lot of women just regaining value and self-confidence is important. I believe that it is my responsibility as an elder in the church to use my voice and experience to secure women who are in Christ to live out their call. In the book of Genesis (1:27-28), men and women are made in the image and likeness of God, and both are given dominion.

The woman was always expected to function on an authoritative level with her husband. Not ahead of him. Not behind him. But with him. They were to serve together as co-equals.

But let us look at the curse against women they so often want to cite (Genesis 3:16). The curse was sorrow in childbearing and that your husband will rule over you. This was not God’s original intent and plan. Sin caused this. Redemption removes all curses.

Why is it so important? God gives order. The Apostle Paul tells the wives to be in subjection to your OWN

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husband, not all men. This subjection is a voluntary submission. He also says that husbands and wives are to submit to one another. Husbands, love your wives even as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25) is a high order. We all must walk in the power and love of God with a mutuality of understanding in the husband and wife relationship.

A question that is often asked is “Show me a scripture in the Bible where a woman can teach a man?” You are not going to find a scripture in the Bible for everything, but if you will go to 2 Kings 22:14-19, you’ll find Josiah, King of Judah, who is known as a Reformer, seeking someone who could teach and interpret the “Book of the Law”. They were sent to Huldah, a prophetess and a wife. She tells them what the book says and breaks down the law to the king while giving him a personal prophecy.

The prophet Isaiah was married to a prophetess, and he didn’t seem to be complaining about it. They had two sons: both with prophetic names. Deborah was a judge over Israel, a prophetess, an intercessor, a psalmist, a worshipper, and a wife; but the greatest title is the one she gave herself–a mother in Israel (Judges 4:4).

Deborah was the only female judge. She was an exceptional military leader. Nobody was over Deborah but God. It is important that we note that the Word of God mentions her husband out of respect. These are women with substance and depth.

Of course, some will say God only used a woman because he couldn’t find a man. So (poor) God– who is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, all knowing–but could not find a man to fulfill his plan or particular office?

People buy into this stuff, but you have to know that the Bible is a prophetic and progressive book. God’s providence is designed with a purpose. There are women who let fear and unbelief get into their spirit.

Why do I say that? Because at one time I was afraid to step out and do what I’m doing right now. Fear had gripped me not just because of the threats on my life, but for a whole lot of reasons.

Now I agree that the Old Testament seems very patriarchal, but God always used women. This cannot be ignored in the church, the kingdom or the household.

The Levitical priesthood was tribe specific (Levi), gender specific (males) and age specific (50). However, according to Hebrews 7:12-24, Jesus changed the priesthood. The old priesthood was merely a shadow. According to 19:4-6, it was always God’s plan to have a royal priesthood. Jesus’ present-day ministry is as our High Priest, whoever lives to make intercession for all of us.

According to Revelation 1:5-6, his blood makes us all

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kings and priests unto God. His word declares his will. We just have to accept it. If women are not equal according to New Testament standards, we would not have the right to inheritance, we could not come boldly to the throne, and we would not have been made righteous. This truth I believe our scholars are overlooking.

When baby Jesus was brought to the temple by Joseph and Mary fulfilling Jewish law, there was a prophetess there; a widow named Anna. She departed not from the temple but served God with fasting and prayer, night and day (Luke 2:36-39). These were not rebellious, evil, defiant, Marxists or anything like that. They knew God and the value of a relationship with God through servant leadership.

On the Day of Pentecost, at the inauguration of the church, Peter preached and said “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy” (Acts 2:16-18).

That does not necessarily mean that women automatically hold the office of a prophet, but prophecy can mean to speak forth. It can mean preach. It can mean declare or that they may have an unction inspired by the Holy Ghost to speak the word of God.

So, where are God’s daughters supposed to prophecy? Who said that a woman can only teach women and children? Women have always prophesied and prayed so women were not silent (silence implies order). They were not mute or muzzled. Look at Mary and the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) or Han nah’s prayer (I Sam. 2:1-10).

There were women in the first Century that were teaching heresy that

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Black women continued from page 6

“This report confirms what many of us have known for a long time: Black women and Latinas in Los Angeles suffer from a crisis of violence,” said L.A. Civil Rights Executive Director Capri Maddox. “We will not let them suffer in silence. This data provides unequivocal proof of this crisis, and strategies for serving our women and girls. You cannot unsee these numbers.”

Councilmember Heather Hutt called the report disheartening.

“It is a crisis that must be met with urgency and conviction. These acts of egregious violence, underscores how each and every day we should uplift and support the women in our communities. I look forward to working with my colleagues to deploy more direct, mutuallyaccountable and transparent solutions to further scale up our response to protect the women in this city,” Hutt said.

The report– made with input from community-based organizations like the Jenesse Center–included recommendations to the City Council, one of which was to invest in prevention programming to mitigate risk of violence and decrease incidents of violence against women of color.

The report is set to receive a second hearing in the coming weeks before being heard and voted on by the full City Council.

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extends those limits to cover periods when a defendant was continuously out of state, as Mr. Trump was while living in the White House or at his home in Florida. In addition, during the pandemic, New York's statute of limitations

was extended by more than a year."

Keep in mind that the Federal Elections Commission voted 4-1 in 2021 to close its investigation, failing to find that Trump "knowingly and willfully" broke the federal campaign finance law Bragg claims Trump violated. As to the Department of Justice, in July 2019, the Associated Press wrote: "...(DOJ) prosecutors revealed in a court filing this week that they had closed their investigation (of alleged Trump campaign finance violations.)"

George Washington Law Professor Jonathan Turley, a Democrat, called Bragg's case against Trump "legally pathetic" and accused the George Soros funded D.A. of "struggling to twist state laws to effectively prosecute a federal case long ago rejected by the Justice Department against Trump."

Apart from that...

Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host. To find out more about Larry Elder, visit www.LarryElder.com. Follow Larry on Twitter @larryelder.

Bullying continued from page 7

vious signs or is truly naive about what can happen in unsupervised hallways and playgrounds,” the California Department of Education posts on their website. “School bullying can have a devastating impact on a student’s emotional well-being, unfortunately driving many to injure themselves.”

“Kids and young people model off of what they see adults doing,” Levin said. “So, at a time when we’re seeing much polarization and conflict, we really have to have a whole community approach

that doesn’t just surface after a hate crime is committed, but before…Parents and schools alike have come out in force to decry the incidents; however, it’s also necessary for schools to be more proactive.”

To report bullying or to get help, the 24/7 hotline to call is: 866-232-4376. Or visit 866BeAHero.com to find resources to deal with bullying.

This story is one of a twelve part series from the “Stop The Hate Campaign”-- a joint venture of the California State Library and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs (CCAPIAA) and administered by the California Department of Social Services in response to the significant increase of hate-related activity that has been recorded over the last few years.

Black woman, as prosecutor.

“President Donald J. Trump hereby moves to quash the SPGJ’s [special purpose grand jury’s] report and preclude the use of any evidence derived therefrom, as it was conducted under an unconstitutional statute, through an illegal and unconstitutional process, and by a disqualified District Attorney’s Office who violated prosecutorial standards and acted with disregard for the gravity of the circumstances and the constitutional rights of those involved,” Trump’s attorneys wrote in a court filing.

Stacy is a veteran journalist and author of the new book, "Celebrity Trials: Legacies Lost, Lives Shattered, So What's the Real.

pre-pandemic. We are finding we are anticipating beating levels of worsening mental health on campus. Many clinicians are hearing challenges of hopelessness, purposelessness, and isolation. Finding purpose through service is something that can be very helpful. The skills that you’re learning and to be able to see yourself in the folks that you serve is an amazing opportunity for transformation and connection.”

Josh Fryday, California’s Chief Service Officer, introduced the College Corps program a year ago and closed the event with remarks about the hope service can provide.

“When it comes to creating and fostering hope, what we know is that it’s so much more than creating a belief. It’s about action. It’s about a plan. It’s about having a real path for change. That’s what people are looking for. We are seeing the impact in the first 9 months. It gives me hope, the governor hope, and

we know it’s going to bring hope to our entire state for many years to come.”

Eighty percent of students in the Corps are self-identified students of color and 70% are Pell grant recipients. Five hundred undocumented dreamers throughout the state of California participate in the program.

For more information on College Corps and applying to be a fellow, visit California Volunteers.

usurped the wife over the husband in creation. This was Paul’s reference in 1 Tim. 2:11-15.

Phillip, a powerful deacon and evangelist, had four daughters who were virgins. All who prophesied. He was full of wisdom and the Holy Ghost. These girls were obviously raised with a prophetic understanding. If Philipp’s family was out of order, why didn’t Paul address this while staying in their house? (Acts 21:8-10).

The New Testament informs us about women who co-labored with the apostles. In fact, Romans 16 makes a clear statement about Phebe and as Paul endorses and acknowledges his other co-laborers, 10 out of 29 are women. Priscilla and Aquila, husband and wife, both taught Apollos and had a church in their house. Junia was an Apostle. Tryphosa and Tryphena served Paul and many women were house pastors. Mary Magdalene was an apostolic type. The woman at the well who left here water pot and went into the city and told the men all about Jesus.

So, do women in ministry do away with male leadership? Absolutely not. Does redemption upset divine creation order? Absolutely not.

Was the seed of the woman not sufficient? Absolutely. Did Apostle Paul hate women. Absolutely not. Was he a hypocrite? Absolutely not.

Did the blood of Jesus consecrate for all of us a new and living way? Paul admonishes us in Philippians 4:3, ‘I entreat thee also, help those women which labored with me in the gospel.’ These women and wives were heavily involved in kingdom building. Let the scriptures open your eyes so that the topic of women in ministry can stop being a divisive tool in Christian households.

I pray that husbands and wives can labor together and love one another even with gifts differing so we can all walk and serve in the fullness of God.

Pulpit continued from page 19

Money Matters continued from page 19

Brown continued from page 8

Elder

InGoodTaste

Black Eyed Pea Fritters with Spicy Herb Sauce

Ingredients:

•1 quart dried black eyed peas or 4 cups

canned black eyed peas, rinsed ,drained

•3 cloves garlic

•2 bunches cilantro, leaves and stems

Born on the home turf of the notorious Grape Street Crips in 1980s Watts, Los Angeles, Chef Keith Corbin got his start cooking crack at age thirteen, becoming so skilled that he was flown across the country to cook for drug operations in other cities. After his criminal enterprises caught up with him, Corbin spent years in California’s most notorious maximum security prisons–witnessing the resourcefulness of other inmates who made kimchi out of leftover vegetables and tamales from ground-up Fritos. He developed his own culinary palate and ingenuity, creating “spreads” out of the unbearable commissary ingredients and experimenting during his shifts in the prison kitchen.

nents for a recipe,” Corbin writes. “Some prison cooks might have just given up on it, but not me. I’d start substituting, and inventing, and trying new things. I saw what was around me and created from it.”

After his release, Corbin got a job managing the kitchen at LocoL in Watts, where he met celebrity chef Daniel Patterson. It was with Patterson that he introducing his distinct interpretation of soul food that draws the connection between traditional West African food and California cuisine with the opening of Alta Adams located in the West Adams section of Los Angeles.

“When I started cooking professionally, I could count on the ingenuity I learned in prison to help when I didn’t have all the compo-

Favorites include the crunchy fried chicken served with homemade hot sauce, vanilla-coated candied yams, smoked tofu gumbo and Jerk-spiced grilled plantain tacos. For more on Corbin, visit www.altaadams.com.

•1 ¼ piece ginger,peeled and minced

•2 quarts water

•2/3 cup yellow onion,minced

•½ teaspoon red chili flake

•Kosher salt, to taste

•2 bunches flat leaf parsley,leaves and tender stems

•1 teaspoon ground cumin

•1 teaspoon ground coriander

•¾ cup olive oil

•5 tablespoons lemon juice

•Water, as needed

•1 quart canola or vegetable oil,for frying

Spicy Herb Sauce

•2 serrano peppers,sliced

•Kosher salt, to taste

•1 ½ cups mayonnaise

Directions:

Combine dried black eyed peas and water and let soak for 24 hours. Drain and rinse black eyed peas. Add the peas, ginger, onion, red chili flake, and salt to a blender and puree on high until smooth. Add water as needed to create a smooth puree. Heat frying oil in a deep pot to 350°F. Working in batches, drop large spoonfuls of the mixture into oil and deep fry for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Transfer to a platter and serve with Spicy Herb Sauce. Spicy Herb Sauce:Add serrano peppers, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, coriander, olive oil, and lemon juice to a blender and puree on high until smooth. Remove to a bowl. Season with salt, and fold in mayonnaise.

SavingGrace

Merle Dandridge

The road to stardom can be long and winding. It therefore takes a strong belief system for any actor to reach their desired destination. Actress Merle Dandridge is a prime example of faith in action. Through talent and faith, she has made the transition from stage to small screen slowly and steadily, but in essence, she’s arrived!

The Nebraska native has amassed an impressive, diverse resume spanning Broadway, television, and voice-over work. It may surprise many to learn that Dandridge's original foray into acting was motivated by an interest in it, but convenience.

She shared the story behind the start of her career with Risen Magazine: “Drama found me. I took it as an easy elective in high school and ended up finding a tribe. I was a pretty singular person before that. What the theatre did was open me up because I was very quiet, and it gave me a group of like-minded people who were fearless.

Dandridge also explained how theater helped her build a closer relationship with God, “That gave me the courage to really be myself and walk my path. That was right in line with the time that I found God. I found God and I found that [theatre tribe] the same year.”

Guided by her newfound passion and the “voice of God”, the then-military brat im mersed herself into the discipline. After high school, Dandridge went on to study at Roosevelt University's Theatre Conser vatory at Chicago College of Performing Arts. The training she received equipped her with technical skills that helped her land parts on the ater's biggest stage: Broadway. In 2000, she made her debut as an un derstudy as Soul Girl and Mary Magdalene in the iconic musical Jesus Christ Superstar. That op portunity would be the first of many live performances and cur tain calls. Dandridge later starred in critically-acclaimed productions like Rent, Aida, and Once On This Island.

While she shined under the bright lights as a thespian, Dan dridge was soon led by a higher power in new directions. She thrived as a voice actress in the video game industry. It also turned out that the BAFTAwinning actress was destined for success in television.

Already an established professional in her own right, she was still relatively unknown on the small screen. The better part of Dandridge’s early TV career consisted of minor roles on shows like NCIS, CSI: Miami, Criminal Minds, Sons of Anarchy, and Rosewood. That would soon change, however, with God as her guide. Dandridge cemented herself as a leading lady on the hit drama series Greenleaf in 2016. Taking on the role of Pastor Grace Greenleaf would once again allow her to combine the arts with her spiritual beliefs.

Dandridge spoke about this to Black Film and TV, “I have always been guided by the voice of God. He has always spoken clearly and loudly to me. I’ve never felt as though, even if I perceived I was hanging off a cliff I never felt like I was not held. I can walk confidently forward. Greenleaf was a big walk of faith for me because I never would’ve thought I’d lead a show like that. That ended up being something that served the character of Grace as well because she was tentative in the beginning.”

She also explained how Grace Greenleaf’s ministry reaffirmed faith, “As she grew, Merle grew in confidence and the gifts that Greenleaf has given me have solidified what I’ve always known, but it solidified a confidence in my own voice, a surety in my writing, and a surety in the purpose of my gifting in this world. As I take all of those gifts away from Greenleaf, I am equipped girded and galvanized to be impactful in a way that I don’t think I had the confidence before. Now, especially in a time when it’s important for us to love ourselves so that we can enrich the whole of our culture and to value ourselves, I feel as though God’s timing is perfect. We must speak up. We must be confident in our words and our steps and there’s so much work to do right now that [with]the intersection of that timing and the absolute necessity of our activism in the world at large, … we’re heading towards such an important moment in the history of our country… Everything we do and say has to be meaningful and impactful. I just feel that God has prepared me for such a time as this. I feel so ready for so

much and I cannot wait to see what he wants to do.”

The popular OWN series ended in 2020 after five seasons. Dandridge's TV career continued to take off from there. With “faith as her encourager every step of the way”, she’s progressed immensely. Her visibility has increased across multiple networks. As a matter of fact, she currently stars in three different series at the moment: Apple TV+'s Truth Be Told, HBO Max's Last of Us, and NBC's Station 19. As with Greenleaf, Dandridge embodies the character's heart and delivers powerful performances.

Her character in Truth Be Told is a nurturing mother, Zarina Killebrew, who finds herself caught up in a sex trafficking scandal that temporarily claims her daughter. On NBC, Dandridge flexes her power as Natasha Ross, a no-nonsense, by the book fire chief on Station 19.

The 47-year-old actress discussed Station 19 and Truth Be Told with Shondaland: “I love being on a show that puts women in positions like the first fire chief of Seattle and highlights not just the female experience, but the Black female experience and what the stresses of that are and also what the triumphs of that are. To be able to explore that with a studio so thoughtful and caring about women and the dynamic, wonderful, delicious, powerful goddess energy that we have in particular is what makes working on a Shondaland show so incredible.”

In the live action adaptation of the Last of Us, she portrays Marlene, the leader of a militia fighting to heal the world from a deadly outbreak. For the actress who was cast as the voice of Marlene in the 2013 video game version, this would be a full circle moment. Dandridge was the only original game actor to reprise her role in the series.

She said, “There was a little discomfort at first of actually putting on the clothes and it was quite emotional to do that for the first time to see her elucidated in the physical rather than a rendering by these amazing Naughty Dog artists. So, at first it was a little bit of a touch and go on the clutch, making sure I was in the right gear and then it was off to the races.”

Offscreen, Dandridge supports others looking to drive their careers in the right direction. According to her website, the “Block Party” actress is on the Board of Directors of the Geffen Playhouse. As part of its commitment to community and education engagement, the playhouse also partners with inner city schools, veteran programs, and numerous other organizations. Additionally, she supports Harvest Home, which empowers homeless pregnant women to transform their lives by providing housing, support, and programs.