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L.A. FOCUS

DECEMBER

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Church News: Bishop Kenneth Ulmer Addresses Generational Blessings In New Book PAGE

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Hollywood Buzz: Viola Davis To Play Shirley Chisholn PAGE

UPFRONT Waters and Bass Set to Make Major Impact In New Congressional Positions

Both L.A. based Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D- CA 43th) and Karen Bass (D- CA 37th) will be leading in new positions for the upcoming congressional term as they are poised to use their responsibilities to be a check on the president.

Saving Grace: Peabo Bryson

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2018 <<

contents

L.A. Focus Publications

DECEMBER 2018

Left: 36th Annual Caucus For Producers, Writers & Directors honorees Jake Rademacher, Sandra Stern (Pres.,Lionsgate TV), Joseph “Rev Run” & Justine Simmons, Penny Rieger, Caucus Controller and Chas. Floyd Johnson, Exec Producer, CBS’s NCI; Middle: Tony Thurmond, Publisher Lisa Collins, Governor Gavin Newsom and lobbyist Joss Tillard-Gates; Right: LAHSA Exece Director Peter Lynn, Homeless Initiative Director Phil Ansell, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Supervisor Janice Hahn, Mayor Eric Garcetti, Councilman Joe Buscaino with Homeless Count volunteers. Photo by Martin Zamora/Board of Supervisors.

4 5 6 7

12 Eye On Gospel 13 14 Calendar/Around LA Hollywood Buzz 16 Red Carpet Style

From The Editor

The Governor’s Awards

Beyond The Midterms

Commentary ‘Woke’ Black People Who Want Change But Refuse to Vote Are Wearing Me Out

Score A Chance To Sing with Marvin Sapp; H.B. Charles presents Shiloh In Song

UpFront Gavin Newsom Names Prominent Blacks to Transition Project; Waters and Bass Set to Make Major Impact In New Congressional Positions

Head to Head Trump, Racism and A Crackdown on Hate Crimes

Viola Davis Set To Play Shirley Chisholm; Family Matters

Headlines From Africa

One On One

Feature Story

Game Changers

8 Money Matters 10

Herb Wesson Will Run For The District 2 Seat On The L.A. County Board of Supervisors

Statewide Effort to Boost Retirement Savings Programs

Biz News Briefs Court Hands Key Victory to Byron Allen

On The Money Jay-Z, Diddy, Kendrick Lamar Top Forbes List of Hip-Hop Cash Kings

staff

Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Staff Writers Production Photographer Advertising Social Media

Lisa Collins Keith DeLawder, Gerald Bell Kisha Smith Ian Foxx, Rickey Brown Lisa Ely Jazmin Young

L.A. Focus–On the Word, is published monthly. Address all correspondence to: L.A. Focus, 333 W. Florence Ave., Suite C333 Inglewood, CA 90301 • (310) 677-6011 Subscription rates $25.00 per year.

Laurence Fishburne

17 Through The Storm 19 20 Church News

Siebert, Brandford, Shank & Co. Bible Enrichment Fellowship International Church Morgan Stanley Bob Blake & Associates

Bishop Kenneth Ulmer

Vanessa Smith Zoe Christian Center of Whittier

Greater Faith Baptist Church —Pastor Darnell Dyson

Crustees’ Steven Curtis

Peabo Bryson

Angela Reddock-Wright

Bill Duke on Overcoming the Darker Side of the Film Industry

Campaign For Presidency of Baptist Minister’s Conference Shifts Into High Gear; Jamal Bryant Appointed Senior Pastor Of New Birth

While Cory Booker and Kamala Harris take the holidays to decide if they’ll run for president, Joe Biden says he’sknows who’s most qualified to be president—and it’s him.

honorary advisors West Angeles C.O.G.I.C. City of Refuge Greater Zion Church Family Southern Saint Paul Church Faithful Central Bible Church Mt. Moriah Baptist Church Mt. Zion MBC Jacob’s Ladder

Bishop Charles Blake Bishop Noel Jones Pastor Michael Fisher Rev. Xavier L. Thompson Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer Pastor Emeritus Melvin Wade Rev. Edward V. Hill II Bishop Robert T. Douglas, Sr

advisory board

Napoleon Brandford Pastor Beverly Crawford Lem Daniels Bob Blake

22 First Lady Files 23 From The Pulpit 24 In Good Taste 25 Saving Grace 26 Pastor Profile

Cover Design: UpScale Media Group

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@Lafocusnews

@L.A.Focus

From the Editor “Beyond The Midterms” LISA COLLINS Publisher

ell, after all the buildup, the mid-terms have come and gone. For a time, it appeared to the be election that would never end with several high profile races—including Georgia gubernatorial hopeful Stacy Abrams and Florida’s Andrew Gillum— hinging on long drawn out recounts and near legal battles. Mia Love only recently conceded her loss, and a race in North Carolina was —at press—still being decided. So what’s changed? What messages did we send to a president that is unhinged and relentless in his pursuit of division, the destruction of our values and in sullying America’s image on the world stage while turning the White House into one big reality show. The results: Yes, America managed to say a little something to Trump. Not enough to balance power in the Senate, but a blue wave that stretched across the nation was enough for Democrats to retake Congress, leading to some key political moves for those like Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who will be an even bigger thorn in his side. Representative Karen Bass will not only chair the 55-member strong Congressional Black Caucus, but will also become the new chair of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations, while serving on the House Committee on the Judiciary where she will continue her push for criminal justice reform. Perhaps what’s most encouraging are the results of a recent post-election survey sponsored by AAVREP (African American Voter Registration, Education and Participation) finding that African American voters who overwhelmingly supported Democratic candidates in targeted Congressional races, powered California’s “blue wave”. Governor Elect Gavin Newsom took notice, selecting six prominent blacks to his “All In California” transition team, demonstrating his commitment to shape all inclusive policy initiatives. Alas, with the midterms over, the stage is being set for the 2020 battle for the White House. So there’s this—will the Republican party rise up in 2020 and put forth another candidate? Many in the GOP have had their fill of Trump, including Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona who has openly rebuked him and is considering a run along with Ohio Governor John Kasich, Senator Ben Sasse and Senator Ted Cruz, who just might take another stab. Also considering a GOP run is billionaire and Shark Tank co-star Mark Cuban who told Fox News that there was a four in ten chance that he’ll make a go for it. As to who the Democrats will select to go head to head with Trump, there are no shortage of names being bandied about— including Senators Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker, former Attorney General Eric Holder, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Eric Garcetti and even Hillary Clinton. Harris and Booker are reportedly

taking the holiday to make their decisions. In the meantime, though not quite ready to make a candidacy official, Joe Biden has already weighed in stating that he knows who’s the most qualified to be president and it’s him. The one downside to a Biden candidacy seems to be age, but age certainly won’t stop Bernie Sanders from taking another stab and Donald Trump is just a few years behind him. Think of it—who wouldn’t love to see Uncle Joe on a debate stage with “the Donald”. I believe the president will have met his match as I don’t think that once riled up, Biden will have it in him to hold back and with his wit, wealth of experience and knowledge coupled with political savvy, heart and grit, he’s more likely to buck up rather than back down from Trump insidious insults and false claims. Then there’s also a great deal of excitement building around Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke— who was narrowly defeated in his quest to unseat Ted Cruz in the mid-terms, but is being compared to Barack Obama. In fact, when Obama aides were said to have told Obama that O’Rourke reminded them of him, he was said to have agreed with them. With the looks of a Kennedy, the appeal of a Barack Obama and social media following that includes celebrities like Beyonce, O’Rourke is also weighing a run. It will be an uphill battle for whoever goes up against Trump, who has struck a chord with a segment of the voting populace that is just as keen on seeing him reelected. At least this time around, people not only know what they’re dealing with, but they will also know what they are getting if Trump is re-elected. All said, it appears the mid-terms might just have been the warm up for the real show, which is about to get underway with announcements of who will run. One last word, and it comes from conservative columnist Armstrong Williams: “Regardless of what may happen at the ballot box or in Congress or in the governor's mansion, we still have to deal with each other on a basic human level. We face these issues amongst ourselves, unmediated, for the most part, by the political stir that goes on around us.” What’s more, he observed, “just because we may or may not like a certain political figure does not let us off the hook for the world we are co-creating. For it is not in our stars (even our reality stars turned politicians) but in ourselves that we are either valiant knights or duplicitous knaves.” Keep the faith.

Commentary ‘Woke’ Black People Who Want Change But Refuse to Vote Are Wearing Me Out Blue Telusma Guest Columnist

ven though I share my opinions for a living, my philosophy on criticizing other people’s business is usually, “Eh, to each their own.” And for the most part, this approach has served me well. But given the current political climate and all the life altering, damaging foolishness that Donald Trump and his minions have been spoon feeding us the last two years – I’m starting to have a really hard time listening to Black people who constantly complain about wanting change and then wax poetic about how they refuse to vote. Those two truths can no longer peacefully co-exist for me. If you are part of the adamant non-voting crowd, your knee jerk reaction to this confession is to either dismiss me as a hater or start spitting out cookie cutter, pre-baked arguments about how the system, “ain’t built for us anyways.” However, before your blood pressure spikes with righteous indignation, let me stop you right there, and respectfully point out that this specific argument is oversimplified and not even remotely new. In fact, most of the justifications I’ve heard to “sit out” elections are pretty predictable. And in the interest of turning this into a teaching moment, I’m gonna quickly address why the most prevalent of those excuses never seem to

Panther party, “There is no more neutrality in the world. You either have to be part of the solution, or you’re going to be part of the problem.” Every election night, after the results begin coming in, people love to pull out the same tired charts that show how Black and brown women voted for the rights of all marginalized people and “saved” an election, while white women mostly voted with their men. Great, black women are loyal and willing to show up when needed. We knew that, now what? What exactly is the plan to relieve us of that burden? Those of you who willfully sit out elections but then pat us on the back for carrying your dead weight, are bold as hell. Showing up at the very end of election night to post memes and clap “in support” of something you actually didn’t support at all… is some deadbeat dad behavior and I’m not falling for it. People already expect women of color to do their part, to the point where we’re beginning to look like the mules of the Democratic party. What they DON’T expect is to get checked by their cousin Carol at Thanksgiving. You ladies need to get it together and start showing receipts too. Yes, even liberal white women. Because it’s hella suspect that I’m con-

pass the smell test. For many of you, the midterms should have been a wake up call. While the Democrats were able to hit the senate with that “Blue wave” that everyone has been talking about, there is still a very red GOP fortress left to contend with. Even when progressives won, the margins were mostly thin, disproving the “my votes don’t matter” stance all across the country. These days your votes do matter, so much so, even the morning after, some races were still a toss up with campaigns demanding tie breakers and recounts. Andrew Gillum, who went out of his way to give the people of Florida intelligent policies, social integrity, and a chance to make history, lost by a measly .7%. That means if you’re a Florida resident who recognized what Gillum was trying to do, and yet made the decision not to vote, you arguably failed him and are part of the problem. Why? Because you didn’t stand up to be counted for someone you actually believe in. The Gillum defeat highlights what confuses me most about the “I refuse to vote ever” crowd. It’s one thing if you occasionally can’t bring yourself to vote for a corrupt politician who happens to be running for your Party. That’s fair and is your right, but even when there are good, decent, community focused candidates who look like you, think like you, and are vowing to fight for you, you STILL sit at home pursing your lips and talking slick about how the rest of us better not “shame” you about your choice… NOT to choose. In 2018, there’s a self-indulgence in that mindset that I just can’t support. In the words of Eldridge Cleaver, an early leader of the Black

stantly asked to stand in solidarity with my white sisters at women’s marches, but soon as it’s time to cast a vote, the majority of you start getting amnesia about what that sisterhood looks like in action. Of all the people who proudly don’t vote, no group is more smug than the “I already help my community” contingent. You mean to tell me you are civically engaged enough to go to a food drive, hold up signs during protests, and write long intelligent think pieces about the trappings of our patriarchal society, but for some reason draw the line at showing up to a ballot to put a little Black circle next to the name of candidate who will do the most good (or least harm) to that VERY same community you’re so involved in? And why do you get so furious when someone even dares to mention that people died in order to give you the right to even have that choice in the first place. Send me hate mail all you want, but being super engaged in local community activities while refusing to support those attempting to fight for those same communities at a higher level, is like meeting a handsome man in a nice suit, and then realizing he didn’t brush his teeth. From a distance ya’ll may seem “woke” but up close, what’s coming out of your mouth smells off. Do better. Blue Telusma is a freelance writer, independent filmmaker and a frequent contributor to thegrio.com, which is where this opinion piece was originally published. Find more from her at www.thegrio.com

UpFront

News Briefs

Gavin Newsom Names Prominent African American Leaders to Transition Projectt

ANTHONY EPPS Black Voice News

ayors London Breed (San Francisco), Michael Tubbs (Stockton), Willie Brown (Ret. San Francisco), Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, State NAACP President Alice Huffman, and UC Regent Laphonza Butler have been named to the “All In California” transition process for Governor-elect Gavin Newsom. This group of leaders, representing the unique and diverse pockets of the African-American community, is tasked by the All In California Transition Project to recruit leaders from their regions with different experiences and competencies. The second task of the project is to develop policy that is important to the African-American community and the respective areas in which African-Americans live. 2018 polling information from the African-American Voter Registration, Education, & Participation Project and the California Policy & Research Initiative consistently indicates that Black voters in the Golden State want state action on reducing homelessness, expanding affordable housing units, and increasing access to mental health services. Additionally, African-Americans are leading governmental, healthcare, mental health, financial services, technology, law, and service sector organizations that will be asked to consider their participation in State government as volunteer and full-time appointees on a wide range of issues. California is a complex jurisdiction. Forty million residents, 4 million square miles, three-quarters of the Pacific Coast, $2.798 trillion in economic activity, and a public higher education system that is

Governor Elect Gavin Newsom with Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas

the envy of the world. California is also home to more than 130,000 individuals who experience homelessness on an annual basis (not including students in those well-regarded public institutions, 10% of whom experience homelessness on a yearly basis), in need of millions of thousands of additional units of affordable and market rate housing, and managing in an era of scare government revenues for schools and social services. The All In California Transition began its work this week and will continue through Newsom’s inauguration. The Governor-elect himself has kept very busy since the election. He has named his two top staff persons: Chief of Staff Ann O’Leary of Palo Alto and Cabinet Secretary Ana Matosantos of Sacramento. Newsom served as Acting Governor for several days while Jerry Brown was away from the state and

joined Brown as President Trump visited fire-scorched Butte County to expand the federal aid provided for disaster relief. Newsom also is reported to be considering several new policy initiatives for the early days of his administration, including launching an effort to overhaul California’s system of taxation. The Governor-elect appears to be concerned about the shifts in tax revenue that occur during economic downturns. These drops in revenue strain public services when need expands. Recent declines in the stock market and slowdowns in home sales may be forecasting decreased economic activity. The incoming Newsom Administration inherits nearly a decade and a half of volatility and instability that was managed with parsimony and tight-fisted budgeting. The California of the future will be shaped in the next few years.

Waters and Bass Set to Make Major Impact In New Congressional Positions

L.A. Focus/ December 2018

oth L.A. based Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D- CA 43th) and Karen Bass (D- CA 37th) will be leading in new positions for the upcoming congressional term as they are poised to use their responsibilities to be a check on the president. Waters-- who has been one for Donald Trump’s most vocal opponents- is gearing up to be an even bigger thorn in the side of President Trump, as she’s slated to take on the role of chair of the House Financial Services Rep. Maxine Waters Rep. Karen Bass Committee in January. With the position comes a great deal of clout and the ability to throw a wrench opportunities and strengthening the into Trump’s finance agenda and perhaps housing finance system, while also stateven his company’s financial dealings ing her commitment to “strong oversight “I will be the first African-American, the and following the Trump money trail”. first woman to chair the powerful Wells Fargo was named as a priority Financial Services Committee,” the 80for their history of consumer abuses. year old congresswoman—who curDeutsche Bank was also cited and in a rently serves as a ranking member of nod to Wall Street, Waters has said, the committee— recently told support“Make no mistake, come January, in this ers. “That’s all of Wall Street. That’s committee, the days of this committee all the insurance companies. That’s all weakening regulations and putting our the banks.” economy once again at risk of another In a letter written by Waters to financial crisis will come to an end.” Democratic colleagues that was As for Karen Bass, she has been electacquired by the L.A. Times, Waters’ ed to lead the Congressional Black priorities were protecting consumers Caucus (CBC)-- who is welcoming in nine from abusive financial practices, new members after the November expanding affordable housing midterms, bringing their total member-

KEITH DELAWDER Staff Writer

ship to a milestone of 55. Bass, who currently serves as the caucus’s second vice chair, replaces Louisiana Democratic Rep. Cedric L. Richmond, who took the helm of the caucus in late 2016. “I commend Congresswoman Bass on becoming the new chair of the Congressional Black Caucus,” Richmond said in a statement. “There’s much work to be done next Congress to ensure equality and justice for African Americans and other marginalized communities, and I am confident Congresswoman Bass will continue to provide strong leadership in this regard. “From her days in the California General Assembly where she became the first African-American woman in U.S. history to lead a state legislative body, to her work in Congress to address both domestic and international issues affecting people of African descent, Congresswoman Bass has demonstrated tried and true leadership.” Bass was first elected to her Los Angeles-area seat in 2010. She previously served six years in the California State Assembly, where in 2008 she became the first African-American woman to become speaker of any state legislature. She curWaters, Bass continued to page 25

Bail Industry Submits Signatures for 2020 Ballot Referendum to Block Bail Reform Law A coalition of bail bond industry groups have officially submitted more than enough signatures required for a statewide referendum in an attempt to block California’s historic overhaul of the bail system. If the signatures are verified by election officials, the current law Jerry Brown signed in August will be suspended and bail agents will continue with their business until the people of California decide the industry’s future. SB 10, which is the new bail reform law set to go in effect October 1st of 2019, would eliminate the payment of money as a condition of release from jail and is expected to decimate the earning of bounty hunters, surety companies and about 3,200 registered bail agents in the state. Under the new law, counties will have to establish their own pretrial services agencies, which would use “risk-assessment tools,” or analyses, to evaluate people arrested to determine whether, and under what conditions, they should be released. “We knew this historic step forward for civil rights wouldn’t come easy, because it threatens the business model of a predatory and racially biased bail industry,” said Roxanne Sanchez, president of Service Employees International Union California and SEIU Local 1021. “We won’t stand by while mothers are forced into guilty pleas because there’s no one to care for their children while they wait in a jail cell to prove their innocence.” Unlike a ballot initiative, which gives California voters the chance to write a new law, this referendum asks them whether they want to overturn a statute written by lawmakers. The bail industry would be asking voters to cast a “no” vote on the ultimate ballot measure to ensure the law’s defeat.

Tony Thurmond Vows To Be Superintendent for ‘All CA Students’ iDespite being outspent by a more than 2-to1 margin by his opponent Marshall Tuck--the former head of a charter school network in Los Angeles-- and being down by nearly 86,000 votes late into the night on election day, Assemblyman Tony Thurmond (D-Richmond) pulled off the improbable come from behind victory in the race for California State Superintendent of Public Instruction. While Thurmond-- who was backed by the California Teachers Association (CTA)-- unofficially represented district schools in the contest that was billed by many as race between the future of district vs. charter public education, Thurmond insists that he will lead his new position as a Superintendent for every California public school student. “I want to thank the voters of California for electing me to serve the 6 million students of California, I intend to be a champion of public schools and a Superintendent for all California students,” said Superintendentelect Thurmond. “I ran for Superintendent of Public Instruction to deliver to all Californians the promise that public education delivered to me – that all students, no matter their background and no matter their challenges, can succeed with a great public education.”

HeadToHead On Trump, Racism and A Crackdown on Hate Crimes arlier this month, an FBI Heads Up Trump acting Attorney General Matthew Dems Set to report found that the numWhitaker, FBI Director Chris Make Hate ber of reported hate crimes Wray and Secretary of Homeland Crimes A Top increased substantially under Security Kirstjen Nielsen (who President Donald Trump’s tenure Priority in 2018 apparently still has a job). in office. Now, following the Democrats “We need to work together to study the distaking power back in the House of turbingly increasing number of hate Representatives, the top-ranking crimes, the growing threat of far right and Democrat on the House Judiciary right-wing extremism, and the disparate Committee is warning the Trump adminis- treatment of minority communities in tertration that the rise in hate crimes—and rorism investigations,” the administration’s surveillance of minor- Nadler added. ity activist groups—will be a top investiga“The horrific mastive priority come January. sacre at the Tree of In a letter penned by Rep. Jerrold Life Synagogue, the Nadler (D-NY), Democrats on the murder of an AfricanJudiciary Committee made clear that they American couple in a plan to “examine the causes of racial and Kentucky grocery religious violence, assess the adequacy of store and the package federal hate crimes statutes, and scruti- bombs sent to Trump Anne nize targeted domestic surveillance of spe- opposition figures are Branigin cific groups.” only the most recent “As you are no doubt aware, Members of reminders of the ever-present threat of the House Judiciary Committee have writ- extremism in our country,” said Nadler, ten repeatedly to the Trump referring to incidents that all happened Administration and [Current House within the last month. Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte] on The letter follows up with specific asks matters related to domestic terrorism, of Whitaker, Wray and Nielsen, including countering violent extremism, domestic a list of “any groups that have been desigsurveillance, and the unfair profiling of nated as “BIE,” as well as any documents racial, religious, and ethnic minority supporting such designation.” Here, BIE groups. To date, we have received little or refers to “Black Identity Extremists,” a no substantive response to any of these term the FBI made up in a 2017 report communications,” Nadler wrote, before identifying blacks angry with policereferring to the FBI’s most recent data and involved killings as a rising domestic noting the role Trump has played in esca- threat—despite an apparent lack of evilating racial tensions across the country. dence to support its claim. The same report also found that blacks Despite the FBI report, then-Attorney bear a disproportionate brunt as the target General Jeff Sessions (oh dearest of hate crimes. Out of more than 5,000 Beauregard) had trouble giving an examhate crime victims in 2017, 48.6 percent ple of one such black extremist group when were targeted because they were black— grilled by Democratic Rep. Karen Bass on far greater than any other racial group ( the topic last year. white people were 17.1 percent). Of course, the Democrats on the House “These concerning trends in law Judiciary Committee aren’t the only ones enforcement play out against the backdrop telling the Trump administration to gather of President Trump’s rhetoric. He calls itself and gird its collective loins once the himself a nationalist. He falsely claims new legislative session begins in 2019. that ‘foreigners’ are the primary sources of Maxine Waters—beloved auntie and domestic terror. He famously claimed that scalper of Trump’s withered edges—as the there were ‘some very fine people on both ranking Democrat on the House Financial sides’ of the riot in Charlottesville—where Services Committee, says one of her top a neo-Nazi demonstration ended in the priorities for 2019 will be investigating death of one counter-protestor and two offi- Trump’s finances. cers of the Virginia state police,” Nadler Now those are some New Year’s resoluwrote in the letter, which was addressed to tions we can get behind.

Headlines From Africa Angola: Angolan President Joao Lourenco pledged Thursday to continue his fight against “the cancer of corruption” and roll back the African nation’s oil dependency by investing in other sectors of the economy to bolster growth. Botswana:Botswana has compiled a report detailing how climate change has hindered its efforts to eradicate poverty, highlighting its impact on four sectors of its economy, namely agriculture, water, health and forest conservation. Cameroon: Cameroon medical doctors say they are overwhelmed with patients as many of their colleagues seek better pay and working conditions elsewhere. In the nation’s rural areas, the doctorpatient ratio stands at one doctor per 50,000 inhabitants. The shortage of medical doctors, trained nurses and laboratory technicians means not all of them can be attended to. Central Africa Republic: The UN is cautioning that famine will hit the Central African Republic if nothing is done to reverse the humanitarian situation in the country, which is deteriorating at an "alarming rate". Growing unrest in the country of 4.5m people has forced many to flee their homes, causing spiraling food insecurity.

Lesotho: Members of parliament in Lesotho are demanding to double their salary despite already being among the best-paid people in the country. MPs earn 37,000 loti ($2,708.62) a month, which is more than 18 times the average factory worker’s salary of $146. They also get 500,000 loti ($36,604) in interest-free loans . Malawi: The promise of one million jobs that Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima made is currently in tatters as Economists and social commentators have called out Chilima for what they say is unrealistic and unworkable promise for a country of Malawi’s economic outlook. The economists accused Chilima of brandishing before desperate unemployed electorates with unrealistic promises just to win votes.

A look at current news from the continent of Africa Mali: Mali faces unprecedented violence in its central region where extremists, armed groups and the military are committing abuses as fighters linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group move in from the north. Over 75 000 have fled the violence and extremist/military attacks in what has become the West African nation's most dangerous region. Niger: The U.S. government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on a military strategy to counter groups aligned with the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. It now houses 132 former Boko Haram fighters who are referred to as “the repentant ones” and is about to invest millions of dollars into an alternative strategy that is locally born: a de-radicalization program started by a Nigerien governor that promotes defections and prepares ex-combatants for reintegration into society. Rwanda: Rwandan President Paul Kagame has weighed in on the debate around bleaching tasking relevant state authorities to step in and take necessary measures, calling for authorities to put together a campaign against skin bleaching which he said was “getting out of hand.” South Africa: South Africa’s High Court has rejected a legal battle by white farmers to block their land being given to black nationals without any compensation. Sudan: Intense civil warfare has decimated South Sudan’s economy, killing an estimated 380,000, displacing a third of the population with hundreds of thousands are at risk of starving. The result, according to United Nations data, is that even when food is available, many prices are so high — a single meal costs two times the national daily income that people can’t buy them. Swaziland: Some students in Swaziland/Eswatini are selling themselves for sex to raise cash for food because the government has not paid their allowances. Zambia: The churches of Zambia will lead the country’s “National Dialogue” after reaching an agreement with the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (NZID). The dialogue had been planned for a couple of years, but disputes between the parties and the withdrawal of support earlier this year by the Churches led to delays. The NZID was created to resolve disputes between political parties and to strengthen inter-party democracy in the country.

L.A. Focus/ December 2018

Djibouti: As a key step toward building a strong, inclusive digital economy, the Government of Djibouti and the World Bank are co-hosting a high-level event that will explore the potential benefits of digital development and propose a concrete roadmap of action.

If Trump Is braham Lincoln, when don't have that choice and they 'Racist,' He informed that General are assigned to that school, they Needs to Go Ulysses S. Grant was a are stuck there. I am fighting for drunk, famously asked Grant's Back to Racism the parents who don't have School accusers what whiskey he was those choices. We need all pardrinking so Lincoln could send a barrel to ents to have those choices." every general in the army. Keep this in A 2016 poll in "Education Next" found mind when President Donald Trump's crit- that 64 percent of blacks supported "a tax ics accuse him of "racism" against blacks. credit for individual and corporate donaUnder this "racist" President, black unem- tions that pay for scholarships to help lowployment, since the income parents send their children to prigovernment began vate schools." Similarly, A 2015 keeping numbers, hit PDK/Gallup Poll found that 68 percent of an all-time low in blacks wanted the ability to "choose which May. Polls show that public schools in the community the stuinner-city parents dents attend, regardless of where they want choice in educa- live." tion: specifically, they Trump also wants to stop illegal immiwant the means to opt gration. Why should that matter to urban out of sending their blacks? Harvard economist George Borjas, Larry children to an under- in his 2013 research paper "Immigration Elder performing government and the American Worker," wrote: school the child has been mandated to "Classifying workers by education level attend. Think tanks on the left (like the and age and comparing differences across Brookings Institution) and think tanks on groups over time shows that a 10 percent the right (like the Heritage Foundation) increase in the size of an education/age pretty much agree on the formula to group due to the entry of immigrants (both escape poverty: finish high school; get mar- legal and illegal) reduces the wage of ried before having a child; and do not have native-born men in that group by 3.7 perthat child before you are financially capa- cent and the wage of all native-born workble of assuming that responsibility. ers by 2.5 percent." As to illegal immigraBut what about the quality of that high tion, Borjas says: "Although the net beneschool education? A 2004 Fordham fits to natives from illegal immigrants are Institute study found that 44 percent of small, there is a sizable redistribution Philadelphia public-school teachers with effect. Illegal immigration reduces the school-age children of their own placed wage of native workers by an estimated them in private schools. By 2013, the $99 to $118 billion a year, and generates a nationwide average for private-school gain for businesses and other users of attendance was 11 percent of white fami- immigrants of $107 to $128 billion." lies and 5 percent of black families. But what about how the President Clearly, Philadelphia teachers, on teach- "insults black people"? After Trump's ers' salaries, make the sacrifice to send recent testy exchange with a black their own kids where they have a better reporter, CNN's Jeffrey Toobin said: chance of success. "There is a racial dimension to this. The About choice in education, Trump's sec- fact that the President is always — the retary of education, Betsy DeVos, said: idea that this was some random selection "What can be done about (improving pri- of journalists he doesn't like is not the mary education) is empowering parents to case. It's always black people with this make the choices for their kids. Any fami- President." Really? ly that has the economic means and the What race was Robert De Niro when power to make choices is doing so for their Trump called him "a very low IQ individchildren. Families that don't have the ual"? What race was Rosie O'Donnell when power — that can't decide 'I'm gonna move Trump called her "dumb"? What race was from this apartment in downtown whatev- MSNBC's Joe Scarborough when Trump er to the suburb, where I think the school called him "crazy"? What race was former is gonna be better for my child' — if they Elder continued to page 24

LISA COLLINS Editor In Chief ith District 2 Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas terming out in 2020, there has been a great of speculation about who would replace him in representing the Second District’s more than two million residents while helping to oversee an annual budget upwards of roughly $30 billion that addresses critical services to those who live in L.A. County. Among the prominent names being circulated as likely contenders were State Senator Holly Mitchell, former city councilmember and mayoral candidate Jan Perry and 10th district Councilman Herb Wesson. This month, Wesson— who as president of the Los Angeles City Council is one of the most powerful officials in the city— is making it official. He will indeed run for the seat that will be vacated by Ridley-Thomas. “I would hope that I would become the next supervisor for this district, which would give me a bigger territory and more people to work with,” Wesson told L.A. Focus. “I firmly believe it's not the position you hold, it's not where you serve, it's how you serve—and as long as I serve with everything I have, I will be effective.” And effective his efforts have been since being unanimously elected Speaker of the California State Assembly in 2002 and in making history as the first African American to be president of the Los Angeles City Council in 2011. “There were great African Americans who proceeded me on the council, —even Mayor Bradley and yet I was the one that was able to put the votes together to become president,” Wesson states. If, at first, the statement may come off as cocky, one need only ask Wesson how it feels to be one of the most powerful politicians in the nation's second largest city, to glimpse Wesson’s more heartfelt side. To hear him tell it, he’s just an ordinary guy blessed to have a couple of extraordinary jobs. “I don't like to look at it as me being the most powerful or second or third or whatever. I do look at it as being part of a very powerful council. It's all about teamwork,” Wesson says. “The one thing I will take some responsibility for is that I think I have brought the council together and put them in a mindset

L.A. Focus/ December 2018

where they believe just about anything is possible. We've raised the minimum wage. We've done things that people didn't think could be done, and I'm proud to be the quarterback of that team.” It is a team he has quarterbacked through some phenomenal victories, including the fight to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour in the city of Los Angeles and changing the election cycle to maximize voter turnout. Both despite a great deal of resistance, Not that Wesson can’t stand a good challenge. In fact, he embraces them. “I've always been the kind of person when times are bad, when things are going to crap, that's when I want to be behind the wheel. I will always bet on me.” As it turns out Herb Wesson has a lot to thank the late Congressman Ron Dellums for. It was the famed Bay Area congressman’s words and dynamic appeal that forever altered the course of Wesson’s life. Fact is, Wesson relishes in the fact that unlike most of us, he can remember the very moment his life changed and he knew exactly what he was meant to do. “I attended a small black college in Pennsylvania and during one of our Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity-sponsored weekends we were responsible for setting up activities for the entire school and we invited Ron Dellums to be our guest speaker,” Wesson recalls. “He was handsome, tall, eloquent and he was even theatrical in a very positive way. There was five of us that had to go and pick him up, show him around the campus and to the chapel where he would speak. “Now, I was not a speech-listening kind of a guy,” Wesson confesses. “Instead I would always sit in the back, and once they started I'd ease out the door. But because I was an escort, I was like in the second row. “I'll never forget, it was back in the day where you would wear the jackets that would cut off around the belt. And he twirled around and unbuttoned that sucker and started talking about human rights, civil rights, equal rights, and how black people needed to be smart and learn how to identify things that were important to other minorities [or people being challenged]— to build alliances. And that we had to believe and could never give

up. “Ten minutes into his speech and I turned to my fraternity brothers and I said, ‘That's what I'm going to be.’” The first from his family to go to college, Wesson hadn’t a clue what he wanted to do until that very moment. Years later, when he was selected to be the second African American to be speaker of the California state assembly, Ron Dellums was there. “In my speech, I told him, ‘I want to thank you for giving me my dream,’ and as I was being sworn in, he cried because he knew he was the reason my life changed.” Looking back however, the Cleveland, Ohio native believes that all of his life experiences have brought him to this moment. “Ever since I was a kid I've always been the one on the block that organized the other kids— the one that would make peace. “We lived in an area where they were like five different, not gangs like today, but factions. My mom and dad had bought a house but I really didn't know anybody, so my first day going to junior high school I look up and there's three guys chasing me. Then as I would go to and from school I'd look up and I'd see another brother running and four, five guys chasing him.” It was a scene repeated throughout his neighborhood, so one Saturday he called those having similar experiences together for a meeting in his garage over comic books. “’If we walk to school together’, I said, ‘nobody is going to mess with us.’ From that point on there’d be 13 or 14 of us walking to school and none of us ever got chased or run home again.” It would be the 67-year old politician’s first true lesson in the art of resolution. An art he has mastered in over four decades of public service. “I hate to lose and I love to win, but I'm a gracious winner and loser. At the end of the day, history will judge us based on how we dealt with adversity,” said Wesson, who abides by the motto—"Don't let your wins go to your head and don't let your defeats go to your heart." Despite his positivity, two issues keep him up at night — L.A.’s alarming homeless crisis and affordability.

“Housing is the biggest problem in the city of LA. And if you break that down by priority, without a doubt you need homeless housing,” he adds. “I've always believed that we are our brothers' keeper so I think we have a responsibility to do something about this. I met with the mayor and we decided that we were going to put $100 million just to deal with this issue.” “I appointed the first standing committee that deals with homelessness and poverty—the first in the country, chaired by Marqueece Harris-Dawson. We did that and worked in conjunction with the county of Los Angeles because we understood, yes, we need the brick and mortar, but we’ve got to have the supportive services as well. So, I think we're moving in the right direction, but it is what keeps me up. “Just last Thursday, the mayor and I went to what's called a safe parking area. One of the biggest populations of homelessness—or growing populations —is people sleeping in their cars, and believe it or not, almost a 30% increase people over the age of 62.” He recounts meeting a family of seven sleeping in a car that touched his heart. “The dad got hurt on the job and can't lift anything more than five pounds. He's got four teenage daughters and a young son about nine or 10. Tragic! But at least for them they can go and sleep safely even though it's all crunched up. Then, I had a mother tell me that she sleeps with one eye open to protect her children. She doesn’t want to be robbed, raped, or worse.” Just as critical for Wesson is the mission he’s on for more affordable housing. “I mean really affordable,” he adds emphatically. “If you drive up to Crenshaw Boulevard today, you'll see two big housing complexes. My office was involved in putting those there. “I view that as critical along with addressing mental health and it's going to be trying to get people off the street and into places to stay. And so, I think that fits right into what I've been preparing for my whole life to deal with—and it maybe the biggest or the greatest crisis of the modern era.” Despite his positivity, such power in the political world doesn’t come without its share of detractors, critics and enemies. There have been rumored high profile riffs with former city council members Jan Perry and Bernard Parks, neither of whom cast a vote in the historical election that made him president of the city council, though both were active members at the time. “There have been some articles that have described me as a dictator, a mini-Amin. I’m not that guy,” Wesson was quoted as saying in a 2013 interview, “but I do want to be efficient.” What Wesson is can be best described as a glass half full vs. half empty kind of guy.

Herb Wesson with wife Fabian

“

I don't like to look at it as me being the most powerful or second or third or whatever. I do look at it as being part of a very powerful council. It's all about teamwork. The one thing I will take some responsibility for is that I think I have brought the council together and put them in a mindset where they believe just about anything is possible. We've raised the minimum wage. We've done things that people didn't think could be done, and I'm proud to be the quarterback of that team.

”

“I'm going to always find what's positive and if I don't even know how I could live if I wasn't that kind of positive. I think that I'm one of the guys that's a perfect example of a good guy that can finish first.” The council member who was unanimously re-elected by his peers to lead the City Council in 2013 also believes that one of his most important responsibilities is creating opportunities. “One of the biggest projects we're working on now with the city of Los Angeles is a program called ‘Embrace LA’, which is about bringing people together from all generations, races, religions, sexual preferences, putting them in small groups of 10 or 12 with trained facilitators over dinner. I mean, some of the greatest ideas that have ever occurred in the world started at somebody's kitchen table! “What we're trying to do is to bring the people together when there are so many other people trying to separate us. That's a program that I take a lot of personal credit for because I have been promoting that. Also, the refurbishing of the recreation and park facilities in this district. We just broke ground at Rancho Cienega. We're going to make that park a state-of-the-art facility and we're going to officially rename Rodeo road, Obama Boulevard. “We try to create pathways for people to get in business for themselves,” Wesson continues. “This brings me to cannabis where we have a social equity program, the first of a major city, where individuals or communities that have been adversely affected by the failed war on drugs, at least they have a pathway to be in this business from top to bottom. “I was the first one to say it, ‘Guys, we need to make sure that our people are in place.’” From speaking to Wesson, it’s easy to see that he is a man who doesn’t just like his job. He loves it. “I cannot wait to wake up in the morning and try to help people,” Wesson notes. “The thing that tears my stomach apart is when I cannot help people. This is who I am and I want to continue that. Wesson rejects the notion that L.A.’s shrinking black electorate could pose a challenge. “It is time for us as a people to break out of this stereotype that we can only be elected leaders in areas that are predominantly African American,” Wesson states. “Mervyn Dymally was elected lieutenant governor with like 8 percent of the vote being black. Tom Bradley was the mayor for 20 years. They have already proven to us that if you know how to get a job done, if you can really connect with people, they will vote for you. “And so, I think that now where it relates to African Americans in politics...(‘Yeah, I'm black and damn proud to be black’), but I represent everybody in this district. And as the President of the council, I represent everybody in this city, regardless of what you look like."

MoneyMatters

On the Money

Statewide Effort to Boost Retirement Savings Programs t a launch event last month in front of small busi- Security benefit paying less than $17,000 annually, ness leaders, community partners, and Social Security alone is not enough to retire with digniCalifornians ready to take control of their retire- ty. In fact, nearly half of California workers are on a ment security, California State Treasurer John Chiang and San Francisco Treasurer José Cisneros kicked off trajectory to retire into economic hardship, defined as CalSavers — a new statewide retirement savings pro- below twice the federal poverty rate. And with gram destined to empower 7.5 million California work- researchers now estimating that California’s senior ers, currently without access to a workplace retirement population is projected to increase by 64 percent by 2025, that means up to 12 million Californians may be program, to start saving for their golden years. “Our businesses and workers have grown at risk of retiring without the resources to live a digniCalifornia’s economy to the fifth largest in the world, so fied retirement. But access to workplace it is with great fulfillment that we, retirement programs makes individas one state, are today declaring uals 15 times more likely to save for we are leaving no worker behind and even modest savto languish in poverty through No one who works every day retirement, ings faithfully maintained over a said years,” golden their to provide for themselves career can make a difference. Treasurer Chiang. “Small business employees and our state’s and their loved ones should Analyses have shown a typical 25year-old California worker who parmillions of self-employed and gig be forced to retire into ticipates in CalSavers could amass economy workers now have a clear poverty. That’s why we $350,000 by the time they retired at path to saving for a secure retirement. CalSavers will help facili- fought Wall Street to create age 65 — two-thirds of which would tate the most ambitious and CalSavers, which will pro- come from earnings on the original sweeping expansion of retirement vide millions of Californians investments made by the saver. CalSavers will put more security since the passage of with a way to end their Californians on the path to greater Social Security in 1935.” California is a leader in the working years with dignity. financial independence in retirement without spending a cent of taxgrowing national movement to provide retirement savings programs to workers who payer monies. Additionally, there are no costs to lack access through their places of work. Senator Kevin employers, who are already registering to participate De León, who authored the groundbreaking legislation in the pilot program. “My staff have been eagerly anticipating the launch that created CalSavers, added, “No one who works every day to provide for themselves and their loved of CalSavers,” said Christin Evans, owner of San ones should be forced to retire into poverty. That’s why Francisco-based, The Booksmith. “To have a retirewe fought Wall Street to create CalSavers, which will ment option at a young age is especially meaningful provide millions of Californians with a way to end their when living paycheck to paycheck because it’s hard to make plans for the future, and CalSavers will provide working years with dignity.” California currently has nearly two-hundred thou- the vehicle for them to have peace of mind for the sand small businesses that are unable or unwilling to future.” The law establishing CalSavers requires any offer their employees a retirement savings program, resulting in four million small business employees employer with five or more employees, which does not already offer a workplace retirement savings program, working without any workplace retirement. “The CalSavers program will improve retirement to begin offering a retirement savings program either security for hundreds of thousands of workers in San through the private market or by providing their Francisco and throughout the Bay Area,” said employees access to CalSavers. Beginning July 1, 2019, employers of all sizes can register for CalSavers at Treasurer Cisneros. The launch was one of five that were held statewide www.CalSavers.com. However, employers can currentto launch the CalSavers program; the others being held ly register for the pilot program already underway. in Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno, and Sacramento, Employers with 100 or more employees, who do not already offer a retirement plan, will have until June 30, respectively. Experts agree that the critical mistake many work- 2020 to register. Employers with 50 or more employees ers, of all ages, make year-after-year lies in assuming will be required to register by June 30, 2021, and those Social Security benefits will manage to sustain them in with five or more employees thereby June 30, 2022. their retirement years. But, with the average Social CalSavers continued to page 24

“

Jay-Z, Diddy, Kendrick Lamar Top Forbes List of Hip-Hop Cash Kings There’s a new king in town. Earning a staggering $ 76.5 million, Hip-hop legend and business mogul Shawn Carter aka Jay-Z has taken over the number one spot on Forbes Magazine’s list of 2018’s highest earning hip-hop artists from fellow business savvy artist Sean “Diddy” Combs, who had secured the top spot the previous three years. Along with releasing two albums this year and a massive tour with wife, Beyonce, Jay-Z was bolstered by is his investments in Armand de Brignac champagne and D’Ussé cognac, along with multimillion dollar ownerships in Tidal streaming service and his record label Roc Nation, among others. Compton native Kendrick Lamar came in third on the list making $58 million by selling out arenas from London to L.A. on his "TDE: The Championship Tour" along with endorsement deals from American Express and Nike. Fellow Compton legend Dr. Dre slid from third to sixth this year bringing in $35 million, although the rapper/producer’s signature brand, Beats By Dre, recently partnered as the official sound gear company of the NBA-- a landmark deal that didn’t make the reporting period for the 2018 list but will likely see him rise in the coming year. Also earning $35 million and finding his place on the list for the first time at age 44 is hop-hop royalty Nas, who along with releasing an album with supporting tour, got busy this year investing in doorbell startup Ring which sold to Amazon for $1.1 billion, Lyft, Coinbase, and online media companies Genius and Mass Appeal-- as well as collecting from his endorsement deals with Hennessy and Sprite. “There wasn’t a time when [rappers] didn’t think about investing,” Nas told Forbes. “It just so happens the world is opening up.” The Forbes Hip-Hop Cash Kings list tracks pretax annual income from touring, record sales, streaming, publishing, merchandise sales, endorsements and other business ventures. Management, agent and attorney fees are not deducted. Earnings are calculated from June 2017 to June 2018 and are based on data from N i e l s e n SoundScan, Pollstar, Songkick, Bandsintown, the RIAA and interviews with managers, lawyers, executives and many of the artists themselves.

Biz News Briefs The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has rejected Comcast and Charter's attempts to dismiss two multi-billion dollar lawsuits brought by Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios and the National Association of African-American Owned Media (NAAAOM) the cases before trial. Allen and NAAAOM maintain that the cable TV carriers violated the Civil Rights Act of 1866, practicing racial discrimination in contracting. For years, Entertainment Studios has requested that Comcast and Charter carry its networks, currently distributed by its competitors, including Verizon, DirecTV, AT&T, DISH to millions of people around the country. Comcast and Charter rebuffed Allen's requests for network carriage leading Allen to take legal action. "The lack of true economic inclusion for African

December 2018

Court Hands Key Victory to Byron Allen

Americans will end with me, and these rulings show that I am unwavering in my commitment to achieving this long overdue goal," Allen said. "These decisions are hugely important in terms of opening the courts to African American-owned media. The Court paved the way to our eventual success at trial by ensuring that the proper 'mixed motive' standard for our claims – a lower standard of proof than the 'but for' standard argued by Comcast and Charter – applies," said Entertainment Studios' attorney, Skip Miller.

Ice Cube and LL Cool J Team Up To Bid On 22 Regional Sports TV Networks

It looks like legendary hip- hop artist Ice Cube and LL Cool J are planning to partner up-- but as business partners rather than as musicians. According to a TMZ report, the duo is part of a dynamic group of investors attempting to place a bid on 22 regional sports television networks that include multiple Fox Sports outlets and New York’s prized YES Network-which broadcasts Yankee and Brooklyn Nets games The networks were originally acquired by Disney as a part of their $71 billion-dollar acquisition of 21st Century Fox-- but as Disney is already the majority owner of ESPN-- the media giant is being forced to sell the networks due to our country's monopoly laws.

The deal for all 22 stations is expected to be anywhere from $15 to $25 billion. Other potential bidders include private equity titans like Apollo Global Management, the Blackstone Group, and Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Ava DuVernay Lands $100 Million Deal

Emmy winning and Oscar-nominated director Ava DuVernay has signed a $100 million dollar multi-year and multi-genre contract with the Peter Roth- run studio at Warner Bros. Television. The massive production and development deal includes drama and comedy series, documentaries, digital content, event projects and longerform projects for broadcast and cable, premium cable, streaming services and other platforms-- which will be a bread step for the young filmmaker. “I’ve had nothing but beautiful experiences working with Peter Roth, Susan Rovner and Brett Paul,” DuVernay, told Deadline Hollywood in an interview. “They love and support artists in wonderful and nourishing ways. They work within a traditional studio headed by Kevin Tsujihara that is stirring with untraditional energy and fresh protocols for intentional, inclusive imagemaking. Warner Bros is a terrific partner about matters of visibility and belonging for all kinds and cultures of people, which is our mission at Forward Movement.” The deal is set to go into effect in January.

Upcoming Entrepreneurial Training Programs Level I: Intro To Entrepreneurship 3 Weeks Saturdays: December 1, January 5, February 2 9:30am - 12:30pm Workshop@ 6109 S. Western Ave.,LA,CA 90047 Ph 323-789-4515 Business Plan Courses 7 Weeks Tuesdays, begins January 8 6:30pm - 9:00pm Saturdays, begins January 19 9:30am - 12:30pm Workshop@6109 S. Western Ave., LA, CA 90047 Ph 323 789-4515 Events: The Importance of the Cybersecurity Lifecycle: Tues., Dec. 4 6:00pm - 8:30pm Crowdfunding, Setting Up A Successful Campaign & Funding 101: Thurs., Dec 6 6:00pm - 8:30pm Certification & Procurement 101: Mon, Dec 10 6pm - 8:30pm Workshop Above @ 1130 W. Slauson Ave, LA, CA Ph. 323-753-2335

Are You Tired Of Californiaâ€™s High Cost of Living? Thinking of Relocating to Dallas, Texas? Call Loretta R. Theus A Realtor Who Can Make Things Happen 1845 Precinct Line Road #206 Hurst, TX 76054 (469) 744-6836 (Cell) (817) 577-9004 (Fax) lorettatheus54@gmail.com

www.lafocusnewspaper.com

L.A. Focus/ December 2018

Re d Carpet Style

CICELY TYSON showed that at 93 she can still rock a red carpet in silver.

LUPITA NYONG’O wowed in a fringe adorned white gown from Tom Ford

The Governors Awards —a precursor to the Oscars— was the ticket and the stars, as always, turned up the heat. Here are some of our favorite red carpet looks.

KIKI LAYNE was fabulous in red from Ralph & Russo couture

AVA DUVERNAY DANAI GURIRA sparkled in this gold pattern rocked Prada with this bright green classy number. by Vivienne Westwood

Eye On Gospel Score A Chance To Sing With Marvin Sapp Just as the second single— the dazzling ballad, “Listen” — off of his latest Dove and Stellar Award winning release “Close”, rises to the top of Gospel Radio Airplay, Marvin Sapp celebrated a milestone anniversary, marked 30 years since accepting his call to preach and 15 years as pastor of Lighthouse Full Life Center. All of which served to top off what has been a very good year for the 51-year old Grand Rapids native who won the Traditional Gospel Album of the Year category at the recent Dove Awards, was honored at the 2018 Gospel Music Honors, and is set to receive the Inspirational Impact Award at the inaugural Urban One Honors being held in Washington, D.C. later this month. As Marvin Sapp looks ahead to 2019, he has launched a talent contest to find a vocalist who will record a digital single with the Grammy-nominated singer. The contest will take place March 27 – 29th in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Registration is open now at https://www.marvinsapppopupshop.com/record . H.B.

Charles presents Shiloh In Song The power and praise of Shiloh

Metropolitan Baptist Church magnifies the glory of God in a mighty way as its label – Shiloh Worship – releases Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs from H.B. Charles, Jr. Produced by Joe Pace, Worship Pastor at Shiloh and Grammy nominated choirmaster, Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs expresses the musical passion that flows from Pastor H.B. Charles—who has served as pastor for the last ten years— every week, as well as the traditional sound of Gospel music that he grew up listening to. Charles, the son of H.B. Charles Sr, (who pastored 40 years at Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church until his death in 1989) has been pastoring since he was 17 years old, and had a love for worship music even before that. The album title is derived from Colossions 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Pastor Charles says: “Half of the project consists of songs I wrote, and we recorded several hymns that I learned as a boy. Of the eight original tunes, I only wrote one of them on purpose. The others arose from my devotional time as I meditated on verses of scripture. For this reason, the songs are very personal. They have also proven to be simple, sing-able songs my church has picked up quickly.” Sherri Jones-Moffett lends her soaring vocals to “Brand New”, which harmoniously declares and reminds believers “if any man be in Christ, He is a new creation.” Pastor Charles says that this song came to him while he was driving his daughter to school, and stayed with him until he mentioned it to Pace and added that for “some reason” he could hear Sherri Jones Moffett singing the song. Pace pulled Moffett onto the project, and the connection was so strong that she is the newly appointed Director of Worship and Arts at Shiloh. “This album has been steeping within Pastor Charles for a while,” says Pace. “He has lived with many of these songs, and often sings them during service. The album is a phenomenal testimony to who this man is as a pastor and preacher, as well as an artist. It represents the core of who Pastor Charles is as a man of God.”

Holiday Cheer Grammy nominated artist, Deitrick Haddon is teaming up with Grammy® award-winning producer, Zaytoven to spread their own brand of holiday cheer with their EP collaboration titled “Zaytoven & Deitrick Haddon Greatest Gift.” The eight track EP featuring the lead single, "Christmas Prayer," and the viral hit, "Make Love" will be available on December 7. "As Christians, we're told to shy away from love-making, but as long as your married, its actually a beautiful thing, especially during the holidays! I actually proposed to my wife on Christmas, so in addition to it being a time to celebrate Christ, its a time to celebrate my marriage and family as well," says Deitrick Haddon in response to the overwhelming buzz around the EP lifted track "Make Love."…Chart topper Koryn Hawthorne has some holiday cheer to share of her own with the release of a newlyrecorded single, “This Christmas (Live).” Delivering a soaring festive remake of the Christmas classic, Hawthorne recorded the track live in Nashville. The single comes on the heels of her record-breaking #1 smash hit “Won’t He Do It” (which spent 35 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart, making history for the longest reign at #1 by a female artist on that chart) – Koryn Hawthorne’s latest single “Unstoppable,” is also out at Gospel radio now. The Dove Award winner has continued to garner accolades for her fresh voice and powerful encouragement to fans in her chart-topping album Unstoppable and via live performances. Briefly: Chart-topper Travis Greene is set to hit the road this winter with the See The Light Tour – playing over 20 dates in February and March 2019 across the United States. The three-time GRAMMY® nominee, Billboard Music Award winner, and eleven-time Stellar Awardwinning artist, songwriter, and producer also recorded the new single “See The Light” ft. Jekalyn Carr. Greene also recently won a Dove Award for his chart topping hit “You Waited,” from his #1 album Crossover: Live from Music City. The See The Light Tour will kick off on Valentine’s Day in Chattanooga, TN. The 25-city tour will stop in Los Angeles on March 22 at the Belasco Theatre.

Calendar of events

Ongoing Exhibits: Los Angeles Freedom Rally, 1963 Coined the “Los Angeles Freedom Rally,” it was one of the nation’s largest civil rights rallies featuring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Through March 3, 2019) Also: California Bound: Slavery on the New Frontier, 1848 - 1865 (Through Jan 21, 2019) Free (Parking = $12) California African American Museum 600 State Drive Contact: (213) 744-7432 http://caamuseum.org Free BFit Yoga Class 10 -11:00AM Saturdays Baldwin/Crenshaw Plaza 3650 West King Blvd Info: (323) 290-6636 Los Angeles Auto Show (Through December 9) 9am -10pm • $5-15 L.A. Convention Center 1201 S. Figueroa Street Laautoshow.com

Thursday, December 6 On Stage: Debbie Allen Presents "Hot Chocolate Nutcracker" (Through Sunday, Dec. 9)

Starring Debbie Allen, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Tichina Arnold and more $40–$110 • Check times Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center 1935 Manhattan Beach Bl www.thehotchocolatenutcracker.com Keeping It 100 Holiday Party 7PM – 1AM • $40 - $55 Killer Shrimp 4211 Admiralty Way Contact: (424) 527-5088 http://keepingit100la.org Dreamgirls: The Hit R&B Musical 8PM • $29.50 - $74.50 Saban Theater 8440 Wilshire Blvd Contact: (888) 645-5006 www.goldstar.com/shows

Friday, December 7 The Brotherhood Crusade Awards Gala Honoring Mellody Hobson and featuring performance by Charlie Wilson 7pm- 8pm • $1000 Beverly Hilton Hotel 9876 Wilshire Blvd. Info: (323) 846-1649 brotherhoodcrusade.org Free Notary Public Course

10:30AM – 5PM • Free Inglewood WorkSource Services 110 S. La Brea Ave., Ste. 503 Register: innovationscourses.com

Saturday, December 8 Book Signing: Trinitee Stokes (Bold and Blessed) Barnes & Noble 189 The Grove Drive Info: (323) 525-0270 www.barnesandnoble.com Why Can’t We Be Friends Holiday Jam Featuring War, Barbara Mason, Brenton Wood, the Chi-Lites, Manhattans and more $35 – $155 • 7:30pm The Microsoft Theater 777 Chick Hearn Court Contact: (213) 7636020 www.microsofttheater.com Marina Del Rey Holiday Boat Parade 5:55pm – 6pm: Fireworks 6pm – 8pm: Boat Parade • Burton Chace

Park 13650 Mindanao Way mdrboatparade.org The Power To Dance Your Prayers Training Seminar With Drs. Naima Lett, Najuma Smith Pollard, Thema Bryant 11AM – 3PM • $35 Salvation Army Long Beach Community Center 3060 Long Beach Blvd Long Beach Contact: (562) 293-1700 www.spiritofpraiseinternational.com The Comedy Get Down Featuring Cedric The Entertainer,

George Lopez, D.L. Hughley and Eddie Griffin 8PM • $39 - $135 Citizens Business Arena 4000 E Ontario Center Parkway • Ontario Cbbankarena.com

Sunday, December 9 Wendy Raquel Robinson’s Amazing Grace Conservatory Presents “A Motown Christmas” Featured alumni includes Issa Rae and Aldis Hodge 2:30PM/7PM • $25 Nate Holden Arts Center 4719 W. Washington Blvd Info: (323) 732-4283 Amazinggraceconservator y.org

eVeNT SPoTlIGHT Sunday, December 9 Sheryl Lee Ralph Presents 28th Annual Divas Simply Singing Lineup includes Jenifer Lewis, Our Lady J, Rene Lawless and Terrell Carter 5PM • $75 - $500 Taglyan Cultural Center 1201 Vine Street thedivafoundation.com

L.A. Focus/December 2018

Susan Kelechi-Watson is stunning in this flaterring floral sheath dress at the Ebony Power 100 Gala in Los Angeles

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Yolanda Adams on the red carpet at the Ebony Power 100 Gala in Los Angeles, Ca

Ne-Yo performs at the Ebony Power 100 Gala at the Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles ,Ca (Photo Credit: Koi Sojer

Workshop: High Blood Pressure: Causes, treatments and risk factors UCLA Medical Center 1250 – 16th Street Santa Monica Contact: (424) 259-8390 connect.uclahealth.org CAAM Makers Fest Learn to create garlands, festive ornaments and decoupage keepsake boxes. Free (Parking = $12) California African American Museum 600 State Drive Contact: (213) 744-7432 http://caamuseum.org Stevie Wonder’s House Full of Toys 22nd Annual Benefit Concert 8PM • $35 - $179.50 Staples Center 1111 S. Figueroa Street www.staplescenter.com “A Joyful Celebration” Featuring the St. Brigd Gospel Choir and other guest artists 3PM • Free will offering 5214 S. Western Ave

Contact: (323) 292-0781

www.cerritoscenter.com

Friday, December 14

Puff Puff Pass Tour 3: Snoop Dogg & Friends Featuring DJ Quik, Too $hort, Warren G, Kurupt and more $50 – $155 • 8pm The Microsoft Theater 777 Chick Hearn Court Contact: (213) 763-6020 www.microsofttheater.com

Class: Custody & Child Support-Where You Begin 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM • $10 Registration Fee LA Law Library 301 West 1st Street Contact: (213) 785-2529 www.lalawlibrary.org

Saturday, December 15 “A Winter Wonderland Holiday Event” at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Snow sledding, food, live performances, giveaways and more Noon – 4pm • Free 3650 W. King Blvd Info: (323) 290-6636 www.baldwinhillscrenshawplaza.com In Concert: Colors of Christmas With Peabo Bryson, Deniece Williams, Taylor Dayne and more 8pm • $55–$100 Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts 12700 Center Court Drive Contact: (562) 916-8500

Homebuyer Workshop (Up to $60,000 down payment assistance available to qualified buyers) 10AM – Noon • Free Westchester Loyola Library 7114 W. Manchester Ave Contact: (888) 895-2NHS Nhslacounty.org

Sunday, December 16 In Concert: Childish Gambino (Through December 17) $49 - $129 • 7:30pm The Forum 3900 W. Manchester Blvd Info: (310) 330-7300 Fabulousforum.com

Free legal services and referrals 10AM – 12:30PM • Free (First Come, First Serve) FAME Renaissance Center 1968 W. Adams Blvd Contact: (323) 735-1251 famechurch.org

Wednesday, December 19 In Concert: Travis Scott (Through December 20) $300 - 355 • 7:30pm The Forum 3900 W. Manchester Blvd Info: (310) 330-7300 Fabulousforum.com

Saturday, December 22 In Concert: Dave Koz With Jonathan Butler and Keiko Matsui (Through December 23) $52 - $97.50 Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts 12700 Center Court Drive Contact: (562) 916-8500 www.cerritoscenter.com

777 Chick Hearn Court Contact: (213) 763-6020 www.microsofttheater.com

Monday, December 24 59th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration Features music ensembles, choirs & dance companies from around the city 3pm–6pm • Free (first come, first seated) Dorothy Chandler Pavilion 135 N. Grand Avenue Contact: (213) 972-3099 www.musiccenter.org

Thursday, December 27 In Concert: Erykah Badu $75- $125 • 8pm The Novo 800 W Olympic Blvd Contact: (213) 765-7015 www.thenovodtla.com

Saturday, December 29 In Concert: Smokey Robinson 8pm • $100–$150 Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts 12700 Center Court Drive Contact: (562) 916-8500 www.cerritoscenter.com

around los angeles First AME Legal Clinic

Dr. Dre speaks at the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony for Snoop Dogg

In Concert: John Legend $49.50 – $250.50 • 8pm The Microsoft Theater

d Toni Braxton Michael jai White an of Lifetime ing en op P attend a VI Christmas movies

Monday, December 31 Brenton Wood’s Sweet Ole School Review Featuring Brenda Holloway & King James Browne 8pm • $50 - $120 The Rose 245 E. Green Street Pasadena Contact: (888) 645-5006 sabantheatre.com

Tuesday, January 1 Annual Prayer Bowl Featuring Pastors Marvin Sapp, George Hurtt and Dr. Donald Parson Host Pastor: Rev. Johnteris Tate Free • 9am Mt. Moriah MBC 4269 S. Figueroa Street Information: (323) 8461950

Corinne Foxx daughte r of Jamie Foxx attends the opening nig ht of the AFI Fest 2018

L.A. Focus/ December 2018

star on the Snoop Dogg gets his Fame of lk Wa od Hollywo

Sunday, December 23

In Concert: George Lopez – The Wall World Tour $39.50 – $69.50 • 8pm The Microsoft Theater 777 Chick Hearn Court Contact: (213) 763-6020 www.microsofttheater.com

INSIDe Ho l lY W ooD with Neily Dickerson I get excited about Holiday movie releases. I actually plan which films I will see, but every once in a while the release dates change and I miss them completely. So, to make sure we’re on top of our movie seeing here’s a list of films for you to keep on your radar, if you decide to take a break from shopping out in these Holiday streets. I’ll start with - The Green Book. I have seen it and I loved everything about it, I see it Oscar in this films future. If you are a music fan, check out the reboot of A Star Is Born or Bohemian Rhapsody, the story of Freddie Mercury and the group Queen both are superb. Widows – is so underrated - and Creed II will definitely hold your attention. I haven’t seen these, but out for the babies are Ralph Breaks

The Internet and Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch and the teenage babies will be able to check out Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindlewald. Don’t let films like Robin Hood and Instant Family get lost in the shuffle. There are a couple of films that might be exclusive to my taste, but I’m really interested in seeing, Welcome To

DUe IN THeATerS THIS moNTH

HollYWooD BUZZ

Tyrel December 5

If Beale Street Could Talk December 14

Viola Davis Set To Play Shirley Chisholm

Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis is set to portray legendary politician Shirley Chisholm in a feature film for Amazon Studios, “The Fighting Shirley Chisholm.” Chisholm—who died in 2005 at 80 years old— was the first African American woman in U.S. history be elected to Congress and the first African American to mount a major party run for President. Davis will produce and star as the U.S. Representative” following a bidding war for the rights to the movie, which marks the first project from the first look feature production deal struck by Amazon with Davis’ JuVee Productions. “JuVee Productions is beyond excited about our new relationship with Amazon Studios. We share the same vision of creating a vast and rich array of narratives that are inclusive and reflective of our world,” co-Presidents Viola Davis and Julius Tennon said in a statement. “We started this company with a fierce commitment to integrity and the encouragement of emerging and/or established artists who have the courage and

Marwen and I will prolly see, Mary Queen Of Scots two times. Mid-month will mark the release of the highly anticipated “If Beale Street Could Talk.” Based on the book by celebrated writer James Baldwin, this love story taking place in Harlem in the early 70’s, is Barry Jenkins’ followup to his critically acclaimed 2016 film, Moonlight. And at the end of the month there are the Holiday blockbusters, Aquaman - I’m going just to see Jason Momoa, Mary Poppins Returns, Vice, On The Basis Of Sex, Second Act and Bumblebee. There is enough to keep us in the theaters during the month of Hometown: Brooklyn, New York December so as you plan your Holiday Big Break: “Apocalypse Now” outings include a lil’ movie time. Current Projects: “Black-ish” Upcoming Films: “The Mule”

Q&A

Laurence Fishburne

The Mule December 14

talent to be disruptors. We are thrilled that we can continue to share our vision on a global scale alongside Amazon Studios. It is our legacy.”

Family Matters Bobby Brown is claiming that a 2017 documentary about his late wife, Whitney Houston entitled “Whitney: Can I Be Me”, used more than a halfhour’s worth of footage of him and his children without his consent. To that end, the R&B star has brought a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Showtime and BBC over the film. According to the lawsuit filed last month in New York District Court, Brown and [his late daughter] appear in the film for a substantial period of time, in excess of thirty minutes and that no release was ever signed by Brown for the airing of the material.” The filing also maintains “The film contains images of [Brown’s] other children, Landon Brown, Robert ‘Bobby’ Brown Jr. and LaPrincia Brown as minor children. Brown never consented to have his children appear in the film Can I Be Me and his children never consented.” Whitney: Can I Be Me aired on Showtime.

Coming Soon n between movies, Idris Elba is returning to his iconic role as the titular detective in BBC crime drama Luther. In season five, John Luther is once more called to immerse himself in the deepest depths of human depravity. Seemingly indis-

Aquaman December 21

criminate killings become ever more audacious and public, Luther is confounded by a complex tangle of leads and misdirection that seems designed to protect an untouchable corruption…. A TV series remake of the hit film, First Wives Club starring Ryan Michelle Bathe, Jill Scott and Michelle Buteau is heading to BET this January. The series, like the movie that starred Diane Keaton, Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn, follows Bathe, Buteau and Scott, who band together after their marriages fall apart and find strength in their sisterhood…and revenge… The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) has announced the start of production of the new multi-generational family saga "Ambitions," produced by Will Packer and starring Robin Givens, Essence Atkins, Brian White, Kendrick Cross and Brely Evans. The drama centers around Robin Givens’ character, who having recently relocated and intent on revitalizing her marriage, finds herself going head to head with some of the most powerful and deceitful players in the city. Finally: Whoopi Goldberg is reportedly set to adapt the Romanian game show Win Your Country! in the U.S. The series is a studio-based game show where contestants win big if they can prove they really know their country, battling it out state by state, region by region, or city by city. Each contestant must “conquer” neighboring regions by answering a series of questions about that specific territory. Only then will they be able to make it to the next level where a cat-and-mouse game ensues and the remaining opponents try to reach each other’s territory first, leaving just one to battle for the prize money in the final round.

One of Hollywood's most talented and versatile performers-- and the recipient of a truckload of awards-Laurence Fishburne III won a recurring role on the daytime soap “One Life To Live” for three seasons at the age of 12 in 1968, but his big break came two years later when he was cast in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now”. As an adult he now boasts credits as and producer, writer and director, as well as actor with 30+ credits to his name including memorable performances in “The Color Purple”, “School Daze”, “Boyz N the Hood”, “The Matrix”, “What’s Love Got To Do With It” (where he was nominated for a “Best Actor” Academy Award), “Searching For Bobby Fischer”, “Deep Cover”, three seasons on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and so much more. Was there a moment when you realized you were an actor? When I was ten I did a play at the Henry Street Settlement Playhouse, it was Charles Fuller’s first play. He went on to write A Soldier’s Story, among other things. I realized ‘Oh, I can be anything doing this.’ What is your preparation method for roles like? Do you do a lot of research or rely primarily on intuition? It depends on the part, but mostly it’s intuition, script, and really what’s going on in the moment. It’s the present moment that’s important for me. If you’re playing a real person, then you want to do a certain amount of research, but that’s only going to be so useful to you. Each role requires a different kind of approach to get ready. What’s the process like for you selecting roles? Projects don't need to be special for me to sign up, but I do need them to have something that speaks to me in some way. When I was a younger actor, I always thought if I did serious television it would be in my 50s. I was 47 when I landed CSI and although it wasn't artistically challenging, I learned a lot and now I'm really grateful for that experience. Do you have any pet projects you’re trying to make happen? Paulo Coelho's book “The Alchemist” means a lot to me. I've been trying to develop it as a movie for 12 years. Why does it mean so much? Because it's a tale of discovering who you are and what you're doing – and that's the story of us all. Do you ever consider doing theater again? I've always got the theatre bug. If I haven't done it for a while I start thinking I need to get back on stage. Working on a TV show is not the same, but you are working every day and it's intense, so I suppose it keeps the instrument sharp. Where do you see room for improvement as far as opportunities for people of color in the industry? Things have become considerably better for men of color since I was born. But I'd say that we'll be really getting somewhere when things get better for women of color.

Game Changers:

KEITH DELAWDER Staff Writer

Angela Reddock-Wright

o you have an ongoing dispute that you need settled but want to avoid the expensive and emotionally draining costs of court? Well, let us introduce you to Angela Reddock-Wright. Named the “Most Influential Minority and Women Attorney” by the Los Angeles Business Journal, Angela Reddock-Wright has spent over 20 years as an employment and labor law attorney and established herself as political figure, published author and TV legal commentator in Los Angeles. She has now devoted her career to being a professional peace-maker-focusing her professional efforts on investigating and settling claims of harassment and discrimination in the workplace through the technique of meditation rather than traditional litigation (a lawsuit). Reddock-Wright, who has built herself into a local ambassador of the mediation process, is stepping into a new position as President of the Southern California Mediation Association (SCMA) which is a local professional organization devoted to promoting mediation as a tool to resolve conflict “I really believe in mediation as an alternative to litigation,” Reddock-Wright tells L.A. Focus. “It’s a way to work out disputes so that you can move forward in a positive way.” Mediation, or “assisted communications for agreement” is where two disputing parties voluntarily agree to bring in an impartial third party-- the mediator-- to work out their issue in a confidential and collaborative way. This process cuts out judges, juries, and the expensive and time

consuming court process. In mediation, no decision is handed down and no party can impose anything on anyone else, which creates an environment where everyone is motivated to work together in solving issues to best reach agreements. The SCMA is proud to serve as a primary resource for the community to find a mediator that can work to help solve their issues. “We have a roster of professionally trained and certified mediators that can be available to resolve your dispute-- which can include neighbor to neighbor, family, community, business, or employment disputes--any kind really,” says ReddockWright whose goal it is in becoming President of SCMA is to spread awareness and and insight to the public on the mediation process. “My first goal is to educate through public service campaigns about mediation and what it means, how to use it in terms of resolving everyday conflicts, and how to find mediators that can help you resolve the dispute,” says Reddock-Wright. Along with their public information campaigns, the hardworking professionals at SCMA donate their time every year at Los Angeles’ “Days of Dialogue”. “We support the ‘Days of Dialogue’ founded by Supervisor Mark RidleyThomas, where volunteer mediators go and help to facilitate dialogues around community issues, policing issues, and so forth. We participate in that to make ourselves available for community service opportunities as well as exposure for what we do as a profession,” Reddock-Wright

says. For Angela, who grew up in Compton after her family moved out of Alabama in an attempt to seek a better life-- helping people and impacting change was the factor that led her on her career path. “I grew up in church, and in church I learned how to be a public speaker doing announcements and speaking at different events. Because I was a good speaker people always said to me, ‘you should be a lawyer,’ which planted the idea in my head very early on,” says Reddock-Wright. She would then go on to study at Amherst College where she found mentorship from a local attorney. “In shadowing him I realized that I really did want to be a lawyer and that it would not only give me the opportunity to advocate through speaking but to make a difference and build a career to really impact change.” After graduating from UCLA Law, Reddock-Wright spent 23 years as an employment attorney, investigating and representing plaintiffs in cases that included wrongful termination, harassment, and discrimination—starting her own law firm, The Reddock Law Group, along the way. Over the course of her career, Reddock-Wright has built somewhat of a specialty defending students at Universities against sexual assault and discrimination in Title IX violations, and working two relatively high profile cases defending students against hazing and bullying in fraternities and sororities. In the wake of the #metoo movement,

Angela’s work ensuring safe and healthy workplace environments is more important than ever, and according to Reddock-Wright, she has seen a steady increase in the number of people speaking out. She is proud to work on her latest project with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in overhauling their sexual harassment reporting protocols for their employees and members. “Thinking about things that stand out in my career, this is definitely something that, to me, represents the culmination of the years I’ve been practicing in the work that I do,” says Angela on her partnership with SAG. “Because my career now is focused on doing things that make a difference and change of impact, this fits within that and I’m proud to be part of it. “I still have many, many years to go in practicing. But I'm at a stage in my career now where I really get to use my background and experience to try to impact workplaces in a positive way.”

Through the Storm

KEITH DELAWDER Staff Writer

Bill Duke On Overcoming The Darker Side of the Film Industry

tanding at six-foot-four and a half, with dark piercing eyes that form a menacing stare when in character, along with his distinct features-- a tightly shaved head and midnight-brown complexion-- Bill Duke’s appearance can be an intimidating force. The sheer weight of his presence is something that the veteran character actor and director has utilized in the early days of his career which dates back to the 70’s-- with his roles in many action thrillers such as his work alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and “Comando”, his role as a pimp in “American Gigolo”, as the young black muslim in “Car Wash”, and his often quoted role as a detective in “Menace II Society”. But what many don’t know about Duke is that his message, both in front of camera and beyond the screen, has always been that of a humanitarian and poet who uses his art to share the truths of our humanity with one another. Duke shares the enlightening stories of his long and multifaceted career in his new memoir, “Bill Duke: My 40 Year Career On Screen And Behind The Camera”, which chronicalized Duke’s long path in overcoming the obstacles faced by a black man in the entertainment industry, and adhering to his higher nature in opening doors for other artists for generations to come. “I’m a tall, dark-skinned black man, and many times that’s seen as an intimidating force-- so there’s always been a struggle to move outside of that,” Duke tells L.A. Focus. “I’ve been given opportunities that I’m grateful for to show my humanity also, and that’s the important part. It’s not just working-- but it’s how you begin to really show yourself, not just as an actor, but as an image that is positive in terms of our communities.” For Duke, shaking the preconceived notions of racial identity has been a complicated journey that began with his upbringing in the small town of Poughkeepsie,New York during the pre-civil rights era-- where racial tensions hadn’t changed much since reconstruction. “Racism was very prevalent,” says Duke of his hometown. “We’re talking before integration. We’re talking overt, suppression, and segregation. “I was coming out of church one Sunday with my sister, I was about seven, and these bikers were across the street said to us, ‘Hey niggas stop,’ and we started running. They ran after us and beat us to the ground. They beat us until we were bloody. “And the biker said to me, ‘Little nigga next time we tell you to stop, you stop. Do you understand?’ We got up and ran home. When my father was told what happened, he grabbed his gun and told us to get in the car. For an hour my father drove up and down main street looking for the bikers, but if we told my father who they were he would have shot them and gone to jail. So we said we didn’t see anybody.” Incidents like this happened all too often around Bill in his early years which fostered a contempt inside him towards white people. “I have to admit my challenge with racism-- I was racist because I hated white people based upon how I was treated as a child,” Duke shares. He held onto these sentiments long into his teenage and

young adult years, and it was only through random acts of kindness from adults in his life that allowed his perception to change. “In high school I had an English teacher named Jean Walker, a white woman. I used to be kind of an introverted person and I would be writing in my journal during her English class, and she told me twice to stop doing it. On the third time she took my journal from me and asked me to leave. I was so upset-- I just hated her. “And so at the end of the year I’m leaving her class and she tells me to stop and sit down. She goes to her desk and brings out my journal and a book. She said, ‘here’s your journal back’ and she told me to turn to a page in the book. She had entered poems from my journal into a national poetry competition and I got recognition. I just looked at her.. I was so confused! I’m supposed to hate this woman because she’s white, right?”, recounts Duke. Another important moment for Bill happened at the end of his freshman year of college. He had gotten into Boston University on a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. scholarship which covered his tuition, but was left without any funds for books or room and board. After struggling through his first year, Duke had decided it best to go home to work and attend community college to save up instead of returning to Boston-- before the school’s president, Dr. James Hall, caught wind of his plans and called him into his office. “Dr. Hall was just out of the Navy, he was not well liked because he was so strict, but the was a great leader,” says Duke. “So at the end of the term he says, ‘Duke, come in my office.’ I go in and he says, ‘I hear you may be dropping out,’ and I explain that I’m going home to work at KFC for a year and come back. And he says, ‘No you’re not, I’m not arguing with you.’ He pulls an envelope out of his jacket pocket, and says, ‘open it.’ It was a check for room and board money for the rest of the three years at Boston University. “I’m looking into his white face-- I’m speechless! He says, ‘No need to say anything. You can go now.’ It was difficult to justify my previous beliefs about white people after that,” says Duke. Much to the dismay of his parents, Bill fell in love with acting after doing a play as a requirement for a speech and voice class in college. He ended up transferring to the Drama department after not finding passion for Pre-Med or English. After going on to study drama at New York University's Tisch School of Art and the AFI Conservatory he caught a break appearing on Broadway in Melvin Van Peeble’s musical Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death in 1971. Duke came out to Hollywood in the mid-70’s with high hopes, only to be greeted by the darker side of the acting profession. “People look at this business and they think it's glamorous, but it's really a business of rejection,” says Duke. “People tell you to get over it, but if in a period of a month you go out for, let's say, 10 or 12 parts, and everybody says, ‘No, no, no,’ you

understand it's not personal from an intellectual level, but from an emotional level you now start to question your talent, your worthiness, and sometimes that leads to pain. The question is how do you deal with that pain? “Some people do it through religion or a belief system. Others, like myself for a time, did it through drugs-because just for a minute, they took the pain away.” Duke credits adopting a practice of meditation into his life which gave him the mental balance he needed to push on. “Thank God I found transcendental meditation,” says Duke. “It saved my life because when I started meditating, I no longer needed the drugs because it relieved the stress and emotional pain I was going through.” Duke finally caught his on-screen break in 1976’s Car Wash. “Working with Richard Pryor, The Pointer Sisters, Ivan Dixon, Danny Devito, and so many other people that I admired in that movie gave me the feeling that I belonged. I’m grateful for it and I felt ok because I got hired with these guys, so maybe I do have talent,” recounts Duke. Now whether he’s acting-- like in his ongoing role in the CW’s series Black Lighting, about a black superhero- or directing-- such as the two part documentary series he did for OWN Network, Dark Girls and Light Girls, about colorism within the community-- it is Bill Duke’s utmost concern to represent the black community in a way that is honest and diverse. “There has been some improvements in terms of showing us at a greater perspective on the screen. I would like to see more of us seen in terms of our humanity, and the similarities that we have with every other culture throughout the world-- I just want to see more of it.”

Milestones Wright who had been ordered to complete 1,500 hours of community service and three years probation, stated that he’d been wrongly convicted, but two years later an appellate court upheld the conviction finding that the Election code provisions had not been misapplied. The 66-year old legislator steadfastly contended that he had not intended to deceive voters or act unlawfully. Ironically, in September, Brown signed a bill allowing that the addresses listed on a candidate’s voter registration be accepted as their residence for eligibility purposes, as long as they actually lived at that location for a period of time. The pardon opens the door for Wright— whose sentence included a lifetime ban from holding office— to seek public office again should he so choose.

The Los Angeles faith community said goodbye to one of its most prolific gospel music icons, Barbara A. Allen, who succumbed to illness earlier this month at the age of 72. Her funeral on November 20th brought thousands to Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood were she had served as music director for decades, before beginning her most recent tenure at New Philadelphia AME Church. Eulogizing the loss of his longtime friend, Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer-- senior pastor at Faithful Central, said of Allen, “For over 30 years I was honored to share in ministry with this master musician. Barbara Allen set the bar high for music

ministry.” Bishop Ulmer continued in a statement, “Her gifts crossed all boundaries of creativity, versatility, innovation and excellence all grounded by a passion for the Master, which fueled her passion for music. One of the highlights of my 36 years at Faithful Central was the honor of being allowed to serve with her for over 30 years in a rare mutual commitment to kingdom service that connected pulpit and podium.” Allen’s career highlights included working as an artistic director for Chaka Khan and a Music Director for Brenda Holloway and Motown Records in the mid-sixties and touring throughout North America performing with the Motown Revue, The Beatles, The Milestones continued to page 25

L.A. Focus/ December 2018

Former State Senator Roderick Wright (DInglewood) had a great deal to be thankful for Thanksgiving. this Just one day earlier, Governor Jerry Brown announced that he had granted 38 pardons. Wright was among those granted executive clemency. Those granted pardons all completed their prison sentences years ago and the majority were convicted of drug-related or other nonviolent crimes. Wright served little more than an hour in jail following his 2014 conviction for felony perjury and voting fraud after a raid of his Baldwin Hills home led to the charge that he lived at a different address than the one listed on his voter registration and candidacy papers.

ChurchNews Campaign For Presidency of Baptist Minister’s Conference Shifts Into High Gear The resignation of Pastor Xavier Thompson from the presidency of the storied Baptist Minister’s Conference of Los Angeles and Southern California this past May after five years as the group’s youngest ever leader, opened wide the door for new leadership in January and a race for who will lead the group that has shifted into high gear. Among the candidates to lead the more than 100year old group—whose membership includes over 200 L.A. county area pastors—are K.W. Tulloss (The Historical Weller Street Baptist Church) and Marvis Davis (New Bethel Baptist Church in Venice), a former president of the conference. “I’m running for the position of president because I want to re-establish our Baptist clergy as the force it is,” said Tulloss. “Historically, Los Angeles has been a Baptist stronghold. I have an agenda centered around reestablishing the commitment of our Baptist clergy around many of the key issues our community is facing such as homelessness, affordable housing, jobs and political representation. My desire is bring more cohesion to the church community and to coalesce our combined power to impact meaningful change for our parishioners and residents. “Many of the city’s top clergy leaders are members of this conference. It is a power to be reckoned with.” Pastor Marvis Davis can sum up what he will strive for in leadership into one word: “Unity.” “I’m honored to be considered,” Davis said. “I have the experience. I have the capability and I’m available. My prayer is to continue the legacy of our 100-plus year old organization. I joined in 1975 and have been consistent in my membership since, continuing to serve in any capacity that I am asked. The main thing is that I want to give back to this organization that has invested in me for 43 years.” The election is set to take place on January 7 at Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church with interim president, Pastor L.A. Kessee, presiding.

L.A. Focus/ December 2018

Jamal Bryant Appointed Senior Pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church Baltimore mega-pastor Jamal H. Bryant has announced that he will leave the church he founded—Empowerment Temple AME Church—to take the helm as senior pastor of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia. The church located just outside of Atlanta, grew to over 20,000 members under the leadership of the late Bishop Eddie Long, who died of cancer in 2017—six years after a sex scandal drew national headlines. Bryant, who informed members of his Baltimore church that December 2 would be the date of his final sermon, was selected to take over after of vote of church board members and a plan to reduce the church’s debt load of $31 million. “Honored to be selected unanimously to be the new pastor of @newbirthmbc ...grateful to have served @etnation4life for 18 years and have confidence God will bless both ministries,” Bryant shared on social media. “Pray for me in this new chapter of life”. “We’ve got to rebuild trust and bring the church collective through the greiving process that I don’t believe they have really gone through,” Bryant told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. It’s just been shock after shock. They don’t need a speaker, but a shepherd to help lead and guide.” The 47-year old pastor/activist is the son of retired AME Bishop John Bryant, the sister of Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis, the former husband of Real Housewives of the Potomac’s Gizelle Bryant and the father of five. He will preach his first sermon at New Birth on December 9.

Agape Church of Los Angeles Worship Center Consolidated Plaza: 3725 Don Felipe Drive, 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 Bethany Baptist Church of West LA 4115 W. Martin L. King Jr. Bl • LA 90008 (323) 296-7223 Dr. L.A. Kessee, Senior Pastor Sunday Worship: 8am •11:00am Sunday School: 9:45am Communion, First Sundays 6:00pm Prayer Service: 10:00am www.bethanywla.com

Bethel Missionary Baptist Church of South L.A. 10905 S. Compton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90059 (323) 566.5286 Pastor Reginald A. Pope Sunday School: 9:30am Morning Worship: 8am • 11am Children’s Church: 11am (2nd/4th Sundays) Evangelism Training/Bible Study/Independent Prayer: (Mon): 7:29pm Mobile Prayer/Bible Study: (Wed) 11am Book by Book Bible Study (Wed.): 6:30pm 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

Grant AME Church 10435 S. Central Avenue • Los Angeles, CA 90002 (323) 564-1151 • F: (323) 564-5027 Rev. Dr. J. Arthur Rumph, Senior Pastor Reappointed to Grant AME Church Los Angeles Rev. Dr. James A. Rumph

Sunday School: 8am Worship: 9:30am Wed. Bible Study: 11:30am •6pm Grace Temple Baptist Church 7017 South Gramercy Place, Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 971-8192 Sunday L.I.F.E Group: 8:30am Sunday Worship Service: 9:30am Wednesday Intercessory Prayer: 6:30pm Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00pm E-Mail: gtbcla@gmail.com

Grace United Methodist Church 4112 West Slauson Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 294-6653 • F: (323) 294-8753 • graceumc1@earthlink.net Rev. Dr. Cedrick Bridgeforth, Pastor • www.graceumcla.com Early Morning Worship: 7:45am Sunday School (all ages) : 9:45am Morning Worship: 10:45am Tues. Mobile Prayer: 6:15am Wed. Bible Study: Noon Follow us on Facebook 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

Christ The Good Shepherd Episcopal Church 3303 W. Vernon Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90008 (323) 295-4139 • F: (323) 295-4681 Rev. Joseph Oloimooja Sunday School: 10:00am Early Worship: 8:00am Morning Worship: 10:00am Mon. Centering Prayer/Meditation: 6:30pm Mon. Overeaters Anonymous: 7:00pm Wed. Bible Study & Eucharist: 7:00pm Wed. Alcoholic Anonymous: 7:00pm E: cgshepherd4041@sbcglobal.net

Holman United Methodist Church 3320 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 703-5868 • www.holmanumc.com Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr., Senior Pastor

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 Sun. Early Worship: 8:00am Prayer Meeting: 10:30am Morning Worship: 11:00am Wed. Afternoon Bible Study: 1:00pm Wed. Prayer Meeting: 6:00pm Wed. Evening Bible Study: 7:00pm View Pastor McKnight’s Sermons on YouTube

Liberty Baptist Church 1500 West 51st Place, Los Angeles, CA 90062 (323) 295-3866 • F: (323) 295-0366 • E: LBCwim@aol.com Rev. Terry Lovell Brown Sr.

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

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

Sunday School: 9:30am(Youth) & 9:45(Adult) Sunday Worship: 8am and 11am Morning Worship: 11:00am Bible Study (Thurs.): Noon Sun. Radio: KJLH 102.3FM: 11:00am Gather, Grow,Go and Live The Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Sunday Church School: 9:00am Morning Worship: 10:30am & 12:30pm Wed. Bible Study: noon & 6:30pm Prayer Meeting: 6:00pm Follow us on Twitter @dacrossculture www.thecrossculture.org

Sunday Service: 9:45am Bible Study (Tue): 11:00am & 7:00pm Tue. Night Children’s Ministry: 7:00pm Tue. Night Bible Study (Teens): 7:00pm Alcohol & Drug Abuse Program (Wed): 7:00pm

Sunday Church School: 8:00am Worship Service: 9:15am Baptist Training Union: 7:00am Tues. Bible Study/Prayer:Noon & 7:00pm

First AME Church (FAME) 2270 South Harvard Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 735-1251 • F: (323) 735-3353 • www.famechurch.org Pastor J. Edgar Boyd, Senior Pastor/CEO

Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church of Los Angeles 3669 W. 54th St. Los Angeles, CA 90043 • (323) 291-1121

Sunday School: 10:00am Worship: 8:00am, 10:00am, Noon Teen Church (2nd Sundays):Noon,Allen House Wed. Prayer Service: Noon Wed. Bible Study: 7:00pm Radio: 10:30am on KJLH-102.3FM First AME is the oldest Black Church in the City

F: (323) 291-1133 • office@sinai.church • www.sinai.church Pastor George E. Hurtt, Pastor-Teacher Sunday Worship: 8:00am, 11:00am Discipleship Hour (Sun): 9:37am Noonday Prayer (Mon): Noon Noonday Bible Study (Tue): 12:00pm Tuesday Night in the Truth: Email: office@sinai.church •www.sinai.church Our Goal: To win more Christians & develop better Christians to the glory of God. (Matt. 28:18-20)

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church 1300 E. 50th Street Los Angeles, CA 90011 (323) 235-2103 • F: (323) 235-3177 • www.mtzionla.org Dr. Edward V. Hill, II, Pastor Sunday Intercessory Prayer: 9:15am Morning Worship: 9:30am Children’s Church: 9:30am Sunday School: 11:30am Baptism: 2nd Sun. & Lord’s Supper: 1st. Sun. Tues. Pastor’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Wed. Noon-day Prayer: Noon

Park Windsor Baptist Church 1842 W. 108th St. Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 756-3966 • RevTerrellTaylor@sbcglobal.net Rev. Terrell Taylor

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

People’s Independent Church of Christ 5856 West Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90043 • (323) 296-5776

Sunday Early Morning Worship: 8:00am Sunday School: 9:30 am Morning Worship: 11:00am Tuesday Prayer and Bible Band: 11:00am Wednesday Bible Study: 7:30pm Wednesday in the Word: 7:30pm

Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Bible Study Wednesday: Noon & 7:00pm Communion: 1st Sunday at 8:00am & 11:00am

Sundays: Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Wednesday Bible Study & Mid Week Worship: Noon & 7:00pm Prayer Meeting: 6:30pm

St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church 5017 S. Compton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90011 (323) 231-1040 • stmarkmbcofla.org Rev. Dr. Lovely Haynes Sunday Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Sunday School: 9:30am Mon-Wed: Prayer Bible Study: 6:00 - 6:55 pm Mon. Night Bible Study: 7:00pm Tue Choir Rehersal Wednesday Prayer: Noon Wed. Exposition of Sunday School Lesson: 7pm Wed. Prayer Meeting: 7:00pm Thurs. Evangelism: 7:00pm (enrollment required) St. Matthew Tabernacle of Praise “The S.T.O.P.” 1740 West 59th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90047 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 56608, Los Angeles, CA 90056 (323) 291-1115 • F: (323) 293-0471 Rev. C.Barry Greene, Pastor Sunday Worship Service: 8:00am PrayerLine: (Tuesday & Wednesday): 6:00am WordLine (Tuesday): 7:00pm ( (712) 775-7031 Access Code: 814352108) E: thechurchstop@yahoo.com pastorcbgreene@aol.com

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For information, call 310.677.6011 New Mt. Calvary Baptist Church 402 E. El Segundo Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90061 (310)324-0644 • F: (310) 769-1287 Rev. Sonja Dawson, Senior Pastor • Rev. Lonnie Dawson, Sr., Founder (1962 - 2010) Morning Worship: 7:30am & 10:45am Sunday School: 9:45am Wed. Prayer/Bible Study: Noon Pastor’s Bible Study: 7:00pm

One Church International 614 N. La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036 (818) 763-4521 • www.onechurchla.org Sr. Pastor Toure’ Roberts Sunday Worship: 9:00am, 11:00am & 1:00pm Wednesday Midweek Service: 8pm www.Channel1Live.tv—View live streaming

Pastor’s Bible Class & Sunday School: 8am Morning Worship: 9:30am Tues. Prayer: 7:00pm Tues. Bible Study: 8:00pm

www.pleasanthillbaptistchurch.org Praises of Zion Baptist Church (“Praise City”) 8222 So. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90003 (323) 750-1033 • F: (323) 750-6458 Dr. J. Benjamin Hardwick, Sr. Pastor Early Morning Worship: 6:45am Educational Hour: 9:15am Mid-Morning Worship: 10:45am Wed. Bible Study: Noon & 7:00pm Sunday Morning Broadcast: 5:30am Live Streaming Sundays: 12:00pm http://www.pozlive.com Price Chapel AME Church 4000 W. Slauson Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 296-2406 • pricechapel@sbcglobal.net Rev. Benjamin Hollins Sunday Worship Service: 10:00am Sunday School: 8:30am Power Lunch Bible Study (Wed): 11:00am Praise & Worship Bible Study (Wed): 6:30pm

Southern Saint Paul Church 4678 West Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90016 (323) 731-2703 • smbc@smbcla.org Rev. Xavier L. Thompson, Senior Pastor/Teacher Corporate Prayer: 8:30am L.I.F.E. Groups: 9:45am Morning Worship Service: 11:15am Baptism & Communion (First Sunday): 4:00pm Pastoral Bible Study (PBS)Wednesdays:7:00pm North Campus: Worship Service: 8:00am 11137 Herrick Av • Pacoima 91331 (818) 899-8031 st.paul@smbcla.org •“Loving People Making Disciples” Trinity Baptist Church 2040 West Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 735-0044 • F: (323) 735-0219 Rev. Alvin Tunstill, Jr Sunday Worship: 7:30 & 10:30am Sunday Church School: 9:00am Radio Broadcast KJLH FM: 9:00am Wed. Prayer & Bible Study: Noon-7:00pm www.trinitybaptistchurchofla.org Walking In The Spirit Ministries Double Tree (Sonoma Grill) 13111 Sycamore Drive, Norwalk CA 90650 (213) 248-6343 P.O Box 1597 Norwalk CA,90651 Tim & Leshia Brooks Morning Worship: 11:00am Services Held Every 2nd & 4th Sunday and Free Breakfast Is Served Bible Study: 8:30am (Every 5th Friday)

L.A. Focus/ December 2018

Paradise Baptist Church 5100 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90037 (323) 231-4366 Dr. Aaron Iverson

Pleasant Hill Baptist Church 2009 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90062 (323) 293-6448 • F: (323) 293-6605 Dr. Sylvester Washington Sunday School: 8:00am Morning Worship: 10:00am Tues. Bible Study: 11:00am Wed. Evangelism Class: 6:30pm First Sun. Holy Communion Service: 4:00pm

Victory Baptist Church 4802 South McKinley Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90056 (323) 231-2424• Pastor Dr. W. Edward Jenkins Sunday School: 10:45 am Morning Worship: 9:00am Bible Study Wednesday:Noon Radio Sundays: KPRO 1570AM: 9:00pm

Weller Street Baptist Church 129 S. Gless St, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (323) 261-0949 • F: (323)264-6601 • www.wellerstreetlive.com Pastor K.W. Tulloss Sunday School: 8:00am Sunday Morning Worship: 9:00am Tues. Bible Study: 6:45pm www.wellerstreetlive.com “We have not walked this way before” Joshua 3:1-6 West Angeles Church of God In Christ 3045 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90016 (323) 733-8300 Bishop Charles E. Blake Sunday School: 8:00am & 10:30am Early Worship: 8:00am Morning Worship: 11:00am Evening Worship (North Campus): 7:00pm Wed. Mid-Week Worship: 7:00pm Sun. Radio Broadcast KJLH 102.3FM: 10am www.westa.tv

Lifeline Fellowship Christian Center In Altadena 2556 N. Lake Ave., Altadena, CA 91001 (626) 797-3585 • F: (626) 797-3233 • www.lifelinefcc.org Pastor Charles D. Dorsey Sunday School: 9:00am Early Worship (Glory Prayer): 8:00am Morning Worship: 10:30am Evening Worship (1st & 2nd Sun.): 5:00pm Wed. Bible Study: 7:00pm

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

In Carson

Citizens of Zion Missionary Baptist Church In Compton 12930 No. Lime Ave., Compton, CA 90221 (310) 638-0536 • F: (323) 636-2080 • www.citizensofzion.org Rev. Bobby Newman, Jr., Senior Pastor; Rev. B.T. Newman, Pastor (Pastor Emeritus) Sunday School: 9:00am Morning Service: 10:45am Wed. Mid-Week Bible Study: 7:00pm

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 School: 10:00am Morning Worship: 11:45am Evening Worship: 6:30pm Wed. Noon Day Bible Class: 12:30pm Wed. Bible Class: 7:30pm

Divine Fellowship Community Baptist Church In Compton 1110 N. Dwight Avenue,Compton, CA 90222 P:(800) 715-1240 • F: (800) 878-6882 Rev. Raphael Irving MDiv, Senior Pastor Sunday Worship: 8:30am 3rd Annual Financial Literacy Summit Saturday, October 27, 2018 Breakfast & Registration @ 9:00am Financial Workshops 10:00 - 1:00pm Email: Pastor@DivineFellowship-inc.com

Sunday Worship: 8:00am|10:45am| 5:00pm Wednesday Bible Study: 12pm|7:00pm FB: GreaterZion IG: GZCFamily www.gzcf.us

Love and Unity Christian Fellowship 1840 S. Wilmington Ave, P.O. Box 5449, Compton 90220 (310) 604-5900 Fax: (310) 604-5915 Dr. Ron C Hill Sunday Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:30am Sunday Evening Worship: 6:30pm Bible Studies: Wed. 7:30pm & Sat. 9am Food for Your Soul Radio & Television Ministry: beblessedwebradio: Mon - Fri. 6:30am Church Channel: Tues. 5:30pm & Fri. 2:30pm

Pastor Profile: Bishop Kenneth Ulmer Church: Faithful Central Bible Church Years at Church: 36 Hometown: St. Louis Family: Wife Togetta, three children, five grandchildren Previous Books: A New Thing; In His Image: An Intimate Reflection of God; Making your Money Count: Why We Have it – How To Manage It; The Champion in You; The Power of Money; Knowing God’s Voice; Passionate God Let's talk about your latest book, “Passing Generational Blessings”? Why this book? Why now? Ulmer: The inspiration of this book came when I went to a Shabbat dinner at the home of a rabbi friend of mine. There's a part in this dinner where he blesses his children. He literally blesses each of his kids and he blesses his wife. The father is in charge of it and every Friday night he is passing this blessing on to his next generation. Just think of it every week, he blesses his house, his wife, his kids. Our culture doesn't do that. The strategy of slavery included the destruction of the family, so that our traditions did not include an intentional passing of blessings. That was the germ of the book. Later on, that same friend, said the most important passage of scripture in the Bible is in Deuteronomy Six where it says, "And you shall tell of these things." In other words, that the commandments of God, you shall tell of them to your children and your children's children.

L.A. Focus/ December 2018

What has been the response to the book? So, you preached a series of sermons and what was the response to this series that you preached? Ulmer: Amazing. Our church is kind of interesting. I've been here 36 years and the church is still growing. I'll be 71 years old in a couple of weeks and to be at this stage of my life and this stage of ministry and the church is still growing. It's kind of a small fraternity—those friends o have who would honestly say they're in a growth mode. I emphasize that not so much to be a commentary on them, but as a commentary on the changing church demographic. To what do you attribute that? Ulmer: I don't really know. We did a survey about two months ago now, and it was two questions, why do you come and why do you stay? 13% said because of the fellowship. 87% said it's because of the Word.

You are a great teacher/preacher... Ulmer: But when I came along that was not popular.

The first revival I ever preached was at Charity Mission Church and they laughed at the pastor who invited me. They said, ‘He's a pretty good Sunday school teacher, but he ain't a preacher.’ In that time you had to be a whooper and that's not what I do. So I ran from preaching a long time because I didn't want to accept my gift and my gift is teaching. What I feared was who's going to come and hear that. Years later, I accepted that God was doing something with me by taking me from one season to the next. I've been preaching now 40 years. I'm probably on my fifth preaching style. The message never changes, but the method must change, because we’re preaching to a changing culture. It's a different crowd nowadays. I struggled with that. This whole thing about passing generation blessing, it is how do you, in this case, bring back a generation? How do you attract this generation to a God who is never changing, and yet our world is always changing. So, was this generational blessings series and book an aha moment for people? Ulmer: I'm hearing that. I'm hearing that. You want them to know where you came from. Yeah. There's a chapter where I talk about what kind of atmosphere that you create in your relationships. How do you let people talk in your house? How do you talk to your kids in your house? How do you let your kids talk to you and your house? How do you let people who visit your house talk in your house? And we blow it sometimes, but we're just trying to set a certain standard and we do it intentionally. Talk a little bit about your work with The Ulmer Institute. Ulmer: The idea for this, again, began in Tel Aviv when a bomb went off. A bomb was sent from Palestine, aimed at the city of Tel Aviv. The bomb went off and people came out of the restaurants, left cars in the middle of the street. And in a matter of minutes, the place was like a ghost town. I'm from America with my group and we didn't know what to do. Then about 10 minutes later, the siren stopped, people go back to their Martinis, they go back to their lunch, they go back to the beach, they go back to their cars and I'm just standing there. What I learned is that this is a people who live in a context of trauma/tragedy—even in the context of danger, but there's something resilient about them. They've learned how to cope. From that came the relationship I have with my partner who was a guy named Dr. Eyal Fruchter. He was the former Chief Medical Officer of the Israeli Army, a psychologist, and he developed a technique of training soldiers to anticipate the trauma of being in a foxhole. Everybody does post-PTSD, but we translated his mili-

tary model to do pre-PTSD where we teach people how to anticipate, how to process, how to come through trauma, and when possible, to help others through the realities of trauma. We have a team of psychologists, of social workers, of educators etc. and we're coming up now on about 300 plus kids we've trained. We’re in Inglewood High School, in one of the high schools in Compton and several churches. Is this program available as well to your parishioners and other community members? Ulmer: Yes. Champion Counseling Center is a ministry and as a matter of fact, it is the most professionally staffed African-American counseling center in this city. It’s not only walk in, but pastors send their own members here. You recently launched a second church location on Skid Row—how is that working out? Ulmer: Amazing. We just baptized five people last Sunday. What many churches do—and it's good…(we used to do it)—you do Christmas, Thanksgiving, and that's good. There are some ministries who go out on the street down there every week. That's good. We went down and we stayed. We have a fulltime staff and Pastor continued to page 24

The City of Refuge 14527 S. San Pedro Street, Gardena, CA 90248 (310) 516-1433 Bishop Noel Jones

In Gardena

Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Evening Worship: 6:00pm Bible Study (Wed): Noon & 7:00pm BET/Fresh Oil (Wed): 7:00am

The Liberty Church 14725 S. Gramercy Place, Gardena, CA 90249 (310) 715-8400 Pastor David W. Cross Early Worship: 8:30am Morning Worship: 9am & 11am Children’s Church: Both Services Word Power Wed.: 7-8pm www.thelibertychurch.com

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

In Hawthorne

Sunday Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00 am Sunday Bible Enrichment Class: 9:45am Mon.-Thurs. Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday Bible Study: 12:30pm & 7:00pm

Victory Institutional Baptist Church 4712 West El Segundo Blvd., Hawthorne, CA 90250 (310) 263-7073 • www.vibconline.com Pastor Richard Williams, III Sunday Morning Worship: 9:00am Sunday Evening Worship: 6:00pm Wed. Mid-Week Worship: 7:00pm Bible Study Tuesday: Noon & 7:00pm

In Inglewood 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 • blessedfamilycovenant.org Rev. Wendy Howlett Sunday School: 8:30am Morning Worship: 9:30am Wed. Prayer & Bible Study: 7:00pm

Crusade Christian Faith Center 801 S. La Brea Avenue, Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 330-8535 Bishop Virgil D. Patterson Sr. Wed. Mid-Week Service: 7:00pm Sunday School: 9:00am Sunday Worship: 10:30am

Faithful Central Bible Church 321 N. Eucalyptus Ave. Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 330-8000 • F: (310) 330-8035 Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer, Ph.D. Senior Pastor/Teacher Services at The Tabernacle: Sunday Services: 7:00am, 9:30am & 11:45am Wed. Mid-Week Service: 7:00pm The Tabernacle is located at 321 N. Eucalyptus Ave., Inglewood www.faithfulcentral.com

First Church of God Center of Hope 9550 Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90305 (323) 757-1804 www.go2Hope.com Pastor Geremy L. Dixon

First Lady Files

Vanessa Smith

Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Wed. Mid-Week Service: Noon Wed. Teaching Ministry: 7:00pm 1st Sunday Communion 5th Sunday Baptism

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 Leap of Faith Community Baptist Church 3502 W. Imperial Hwy, Inglewood, CA 90303 (310) 695-9925 Rev. Artis Glass Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 11:00am Bible Study: Wednesdays Noon and 6PM

New Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church 434 S. Grevillea, Inglewood CA 90301 (310) 673-6250 Office • (310) 673-2153 Rev. Dr. Phillip A. Lewis, D. D., D. Th., Senior Pastor Early Worship: 8:00am Sunday School: 9:30am Morning Worship: 11:00am Mid-Week Bible Study (Wednesday): 7:00pm Afternoon Bible Study (Thursday): 1:00pm

Sunday School: 9:30am Early Worship: 8am Morning Worship: 10:45am Bible Adventure Hour (Tues): 6pm Bible Study (Tues): 7pm Bible Study (Thurs): Noon Christ Our Redeemer AME Church In Irvine 45 Tesla, Irvine, CA 92618 (949) 955-0014 • F:(949) 955-0021 • www.corchurch.org Pastor Mark E. Whitlock, II Sunday Worship: 8:00am, 10:30am New Generation Praise Service: 10:30am Sun. Bible Univ.: 9:30am Tues. Interactive Bible Study: 7:00pm Wed. Pastor's Bible Study: Noon, 7:00pm Thurs. Bible Study: 7:00pm Fri. Singles Bible Study (1st Fri): 7:00pm

In La Puente

Sunday School: 9:30 AM Early Worship: 8:00 AM Morning Worship: 11:00 AM Spanish Service: 9:30AM Bible Study: Every Wednesday 7:00 PM www.stsbc.org Antioch Church of Long Beach 1535 Gundry Ave. Long Beach, CA 90813 (562) 591-8778 • F: (562) 599-6048 Pastor Wayne Chaney Jr.

For Vanessa Smith, First Lady of Zoe Christian Fellowship of Whittier, being a first lady is about modeling the love of Christ. “I like for everyone to know that they are loved and that they are valuable, because a lot of people who come to us don’t feel good about themselves so I like to let people know how important they are and that they should feel good about themselves.” She knows exactly where they are coming from. “As a child, I didn’t feel that good about myself, but”, she adds, “hearing more of God’s word changed that.” “I went to UCLA and met a lady who mentored me and taught me more about the word of God. I got filled with the Holy Spirit and began to grow in the things of God.” For all her faith, becoming a first lady when her husband founded the church back in 1989 didn’t come naturally for the longtime homemaker who eventually came on board the church staff where she counsels, outreaches to members and serves on the praise team. “I’m not a person who likes to be out front,” says the mother of four adult children and grandmother. “A lot of pastor’s wives are more in leadership. I felt kind of fearful about that at first, but you have to learn to be yourself and as you grow, God helps you. “’Now it’s about getting to experience the love of people, their appreciation for you and their willingness to work alongside you, and that’s beautiful.” Christ Second Baptist Church 1471 Martin Luther King, Jr., Ave. Long Beach, CA 90813 (562) 599-3421 • Fax: (562) 599-6175 • www.csbclb.org Rev. Welton Pleasant II, Senior Pastor Sunday School: 8:30am Sunday Worship Service: 9:40am Wed. Bible Study: 7:00pm Wed Youth & Young Adult Ministry: 7:00pm

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

True Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 7901 South Van Ness Ave. Inglewood, CA 90305 (323) 750-7304 Rev. James A. Perkins

St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church 1720 N. Walnut Avenue, La Puente, CA 91744 (626) 918-3225 • F: (626) 918-3265 Pastor Tony Dockery

Zoe Christian Fellowship of Whittier

In Long Beach

Worship Services: 8am, 9:30am, 11:30am Tuesday Youth Bible Study: 7:00pm WednesdayBible Study: Noon

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

Gospel Memorial Church of God In Christ 1480 Atlantic Ave. Long Beach, CA 90813 (562) 599-7389 • F: 562-599-5779 • gospelmemorial@aol.com Bishop Joe L. Ealy Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 11:00am Evening Worship: 6:30pm Wed. Intercessory Prayer: 7:00pm Wed. Pastoral teaching adults: 7:30pm Wed. Youth Ministry Boot-Camp; Youth Bible Study: 7:00pm & Choir Rehearsal: 7:30pm

Grant AME Church of Long Beach 1129 Alamitos Ave. Long Beach, CA 90813 • (562) 437-1567 grantamelb@aol.com • www.grantamelb.org Rev. Michael W. Eagle, Sr. Sun. Worship Experience: 10:45am 3rd Sun. Healing & Annointing: 10:45am Wed. Bible Study: Noon & 6pm Mothers of Murdered Youth & Children Were all receive a little attention, affection and love. New Philadelphia A.M.E. Church 6380 S. Orange Avenue, Long Beach, Ca 90805 (562)422-9300•F: (562) 422-9400 Pastor Darryl E. Walker, Senior Pastor Worship: 9:00am —1st & 5th Sunday Sunday School/New Member Classes: 8:00am 2nd thru 4th Sunday Worship:7:30 am &10:00am•Sunday School New Member Classes: 9:00am Sunday worship services streamed live on the web Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday Eve 7:00pm Mid-Week Bible Study: Thursday 12:00 noon www.nuphilly.org

From the Pulpit of: Greater Faith Baptist Church

Faith To Move Forward: Numbers 14: 6-9

As children many of us received a lot of different information as to what was good for our bodies. Popeye taught us that if we ate spinach, it would make us strong and healthy. Our parents told us that things like broccoli, peas and carrots would make us grow big and strong. Then there was the TV commercial that proclaimed Wheaties as The Breakfast Of Champions. While all of these may have their benefits to our physical being, the truth is that we have another side that these things can do nothing for—our spiritual side. Our spirit man requires a vastly different diet. I would argue that if we really desire for our spirit man to grow healthy and become mature we need to incorporate some key elements that will enable us to be all we can be. Things like worship, patience, God’s word and fellowship are key elements in our spiritual growth. But at the root of all of this is the key element of faith. Today, I would like to show you how the things which defeat you can be turned into blessings and victories in your life. In the book of Numbers, we find that God told Moses He had already given the title deed of Canaan to the people of Israel. It was their land, all they had to do was march in and take it. The same is true for you and me. God has given us the keys to life in his word. The question that constantly plagues my mind is that if God has given us these keys why are so many of us living beneath the life that He promises that we can have? The answer to this question is simple in my view. So many of us live beneath what God has planned for us because we lack the faith to apply the principles He gives us in his word. When we learn to use our faith it will revolutionize our lives. Could it be that many of us don’t really have faith in God because we don’t have a grasp on the very thing that faith is supposed to be rooted in. In Numbers 13:2 we see it was God's perfect will that they march into Canaan and claim what He had already provided for them. I would argue that our faith stands on good ground when it is not only rooted in His Word, but also when we set our faith in and on God’s will. This means we have to move to a place where we trust that God has our best interests in mind when he allows certain things to happen in our lives. Are there times when our lives will be uncomfortable? Most definitely! Will there be times where we want God to do something and it will seem as though he is doing nothing? Absolutely! These are the moments when faith has to be more than just a word we use in church. It is very important for us to gain an understanding of how God works. Contextually, there was a great lesson here for the children of God! And here it is: God did not save them so that they could walk around in a desert. He brought them out so that they might enjoy a victorious and blessed life in Him. The same is true of you and I today. God saved us in order that he might give us a new life. Sadly, m a n y

Pastor Darnell Dyson

In Bethlehem Church 1550 North Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103 (626) 794-5211 • F: (626) 794-6592 Pastor Christopher A. Bourne

Pasadena

Sunday School: 9:00am Sunday Worship: 10:00am Tuesday Bible Study: 7:00pm Mid-day Worship Thursday: Noon www.bethelemchurchpasadena.org

Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church 980 Rio Grande Street, Pasadena, CA 91104 *Mailing Address: 1416 N. Mentor Ave. Pasadena, 91104 (626) 794-4875 • F: (626) 794-7815 Pastor W. Harrison Trotter Sunday School: 8:30am Sunday Worship: 10:00am Bible Study Wednesday: 7:00pm Intercessory Prayer (Fourth Wed.): 7:00pm Christians Uniting To Make A Difference -Eph. 4:13 Arise Christian Center In Westchester 6949 La Tijera Blvd. Suite C,Westchester, CA,90045 (310)568-8445•F: (310) 568-8430 • Arisechristiancenter.com Pastor Ron Taylor Morning Worship: 9:00am & 11:15am Bible Study Wednesday: 7:00pm Intercessory Prayer Tuesday : 7:00pm Intercessory Prayer Sunday: 8am - 8:45am Thursday:11:30am-12:30pm

Christians never reach the place where they experience the totality of what it means to be a child of God. There are so many of us who spend our time spinning their wheels worrying about every little thing in life. This has never been God's plan for us! Whatever it is that keeps you out of Canaan, you need to realize that God, according to His Word, wants you to have a victorious Christian experience. It is God's will that His children be more than conquerors in this world in which we live and walk. That is the foresight we must have as we face the battles of life. God has already promised that every situation in life is for our good and His glory. As you face the giants of life, there are two things you can be assured that the Lord will stand by—His word and His people. Take Noah, it took great faith in the power and presence of God to spend 120 years building that ark in the face of ridicule and sinful opposition. It took faith to put your family in there and trust that hunk of wood to guarantee your safety while the world perished in the flood. However, Noah's faith was rewarded! It took faith for Elijah to climb Mt. Carmel and challenge 850 priests and false prophets of Baal to a showdown. It took faith to watch them try for half a day to get a response from their God and then step forth and build and altar, dig a trench around it, place the wood upon it, place the sacrifice upon it, have water poured upon it three times until the trench around the altar was running over with water, and then pray. It took faith, but Elijah's faith was rewarded! Fire fell and consumed everything pertaining to that altar. Faith in God is never misplaced. Besides, faith is essential to our walk with the Lord. It is the only way to please Him - Rom. 14:23; Heb. 11:6) Many Christians are afflicted with "The Grasshopper Complex." That is, they look at their problems and their giants and decide that they are too small to do anything about them, so they allow themselves to become defeated before they ever go to battle. We fail to stop and look at God! He is greater than anything we will ever face in this world or the next. He can cure "The Grasshopper Complex" if we will let Him. We are under the Sovereign protection of Almighty God. If we are in His will and walking according to His commands, we have absolutely nothing at all to fear from the world, the devil or from any of the giants we face. Notice where the Bible says we are - John 10:28-29; Col. 3:3. If I am hidden in the Lord, then anything that comes against me must go through Him first! Instead of allowing every bump in the road to cause defeat and discouragement, learn to face them and feed on them, for they will help you to grow up in the Lord. After you have faced them, you will be stronger than ever. I do not know what kind of giants you face, but I do know that whatever it is, it is not larger than God! Bring your giants to Jesus and get ready to enter your Canaan. The choice is yours! You can either walk in victory or you can walk in defeat. It all depends on you.

Second Baptist Church In Monrovia 925 S. Shamrock Avenue • P.O. Box 479, Monrovia, CA 91017 •(626) 358-2136 •F: (626) 303-2477 Bishop W.M. Larue Dillard, Phd. Sunday Worship: 7:45am, 10:45am, 4:45pm Ministry Worship to Children/Youth Sunday: 9:45am - 10:45am Prayer/Academy of Biblical Studies (Wed): 10:45am - 6:45pm www.second-baptistchurch.com

First AME Church Santa Monica In Santa Monica 1823 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404 • (310) 450-0331 F: (310) 450-4680 Rev. Reuben W. Ford, Pastor Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 11:00am Bible Study/Prayer Meditation: Thursday 6pm “The Church In The Heart Of The Community with The Community at Heart” Email:famecsm@verizon.net Facebook: First AME Church Santa Monica Calvary Baptist Church 4911 W. 59th Street,Los Angeles, CA,90056 (323)298-1605•F: (310) 568-8430 • calvarybaptistla.org Rev. Dr. Virgil V. Jones Sunday Prayer: 8:30am Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 11:00am Wednesday Bible Study: 12:00pm & 7:00pm We are the Church on the Hill where the Light Shines Bright!

Pastor continued from page 22 site pastor down there. We meet in the chapel of the Union Rescue Mission. It is the only mission downtown that receives women with children. And so, we come alongside them. We have services for women. We have Bible Studies for women. We have babysitting for children, etc. We have children's church down there. Everything we do here, we moved it down there. We started in July and it's been humbling to see what God is doing down there. They laughed at me on that too. Are you satisfied with where you are at this point? Ulmer: I'm amazed at where I am at this point. I've been doing this now for 40 years. I've been here 36 years and just the dynamic of what God is doing after 36 years is humbling, —a time for rejoicing. The point of the book is, whatever God is doing how do we pass it on. I use the motif of a track runner who passes the baton. You have this limited space to pass that baton and take it to the next level. At 71 are you thinking about passing the baton? Ulmer: You know what…trend is not retiring anymore. The trend is repositioning. So, I'm not looking to retire. I'm looking to reposition what I do here. I believe God is going to help us reach this next generation. Inglewood is projected to become 51% white in the next 10-12 years. So what do we do when we're [among] the largest private land owners in the city of Inglewood? I don't want to go the way of my friends who said we're not going to change, so we are trying to gear up for this next season and it's a new life for me— an exciting time. It's tough because sometimes the people that came with you can't go to that next season with or can't speak to that next generation with you. I'm just waiting to see what God's going to do next. Elder continued from page 7 Texas Gov. Rick Perry when, during a campaign speech, Trump mocked him for his eyewear? "He put on glasses so people think he's smart. ..." said Trump. "People can see through the glasses." What race was MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski when Trump called her "dumb as a rock"? How many white politicians does Trump slam when he criticizes "stupid" trade deals? If Trump set out to hurt blacks by pushing economic policies that helped reduce black unemployment to an all-time low; by attempting to stop unskilled illegal alien workers from competing with unskilled blacks for jobs and wages; and by empowering inner-city black parents, rather than the government, to pick the school for their children, then Trump needs to go back to racism school. Larry Elder is a best-selling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host. To find out more about Larry Elder, visit www.LarryElder.com. Cal Savers continued from page 7 Employers of any size can register at any time, even before their registration deadline. Once enrolled, employees can choose their own contribution amount, up to the federal maximum of $6,000 — the same as any Individual Retirement Account (IRA) — with deductions made automatically from their paychecks. For more about CalSavers visit www.CalSavers.com.

InGoodTaste

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Milestones continued from page 19 Rolling Stones, Murray K. Show, The Dick Clark Tour and at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. She successfully organized her own contemporary gospel group, “Visions”, performing with such notables as Bishop Walter Hawkins, Al Green, The Clark Sisters, Andrae Crouch and many others. In addition to working on TV and in films like Eddie Murphy’s The Nutty Professor II, Allen served at First A.M.E Church Los Angeles as Director of Unity Choir for 17 years and Cathedral Choir for five years and most recently, she served as the Minister of Music of New Philadelphia A.M.E. Church under the leadership of Rev. Darryl E. Walker.

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Waters/Bass continued from page 7 rently serves on the House Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over criminal justice legislation and voting rights proposals. Since its formation in 1971 the CBC has focused on serving African-Americans and other marginalized populations and in recent years has pursued legislative priorities including a criminal justice overhaul, education opportunities, affordable health care and addressing racial disparities in health outcomes. Other Congressional Black Caucus members landing plum posts are Rep Bobby Scott (Chairman of Education and the Workforce Committee); Rep. Bennie Thompson (Chair, Homeland Security); Rep. Eddie Bernice

Thompson (Chair, Science, Space & Technology); and Rep. Elijah Cummings, who will chair the Government Oversight Committee. In his position, Cummings will have the power to investigate Trump and subpoena Trump Administration officials. Not only will he seek to review Trump’s tax returns, but has also set his sights on determining whether the president is improperly profiting from his office. “President Trump has not been held accountable,” Cummings told the Washington Post. “We want to figure out if the president is acting in the interests of the American people or in his own financial interest. I would consider it legislative malpractice not to do it.”

LET’S CONNECT

L.A. Focus/ December 2018

www.lafocusnewspaper.com

SavingGrace

L.A. Focus/ December 2018

ew people in the history of music have the ability to make an audience swoon quite like the Peabo Bryson’s seductive serenade. For over forty years the sophisticated balladeer has warmed the hearts of his audiences the nation over with hit like “Tonight I Celebrate My Love”, “If You’re Ever In My Arms Again”, “Can You Stop The Rain” and winning Grammys for his for his duets from Disney’s Aladdin with “A Whole New World” featuring Regina Belle and Beauty and the Beast with Celine Dion. Now the crooner has brought his silky-smooth infectious voice back for his prolific twenty-first album, “Stand For Love”-- and is sounding fresh as ever thanks to his first ever collaboration with producing legends Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. His latest single, “Love Like Yours And Mine” reached #3 on the Billboard top Adult R&B Songs chart with its smooth modern beat and classic Peabo soul. As it has always been his focus to make memorable and lasting moments for his fans, Bryson has embarked on a 2018-19 tour where he will bring his sounds of passion and romance to the people of L.A. County with an evening at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on December 8th. And his new album, “Stand For Love” is not just a title but a running theme that has been behind all of Bryson’s work. “It’s the same central theme that runs throughout every piece of music that I’ve ever done-- and that is to stand for something that you truly believe in,” Bryson tells L.A. Focus. “[Believe] in something that is truly important, and also something that is truly bigger than you are-- and always, that will be love. “You don’t realize how big love is until you try to control it and you realize, you don’t-- and you can never see it coming,” says the 67- year old Bryson who is the father of a newborn-- his second daughter, who is fifty years younger than her older sister-- born earlier this year from his wife Tanya. “Standing for love means you stand for all the aspects and components of what love is. That means you stand for humanity, for self-respect, for your own integrity, and for your rights. You stand for the love of family and the pursuit of happiness. And you stand for honesty and monogamy in your relationships-- and actually doing it right to cherish somebody,” insists Bryson. “Not casting any dispersions on the whole cherishing part.” Bryson has always seen his music as a reaffirmation of timeless traditional values that make for strong, loving, truly fulfilling relationships-- the kind that go beyond the superficial and create sustainable happiness. “People don’t want to cherish anything because they don’t want to open up that far,” says Bryson on the state of modern romance. “In relationships today, the hand that you see in front of the object of affection is open, and everything in it is available to you-- but the other hand is behind their back and everything that's important to them is in that hand, and it's closed. Nowadays, a guy just has to appear to be neutral in and non-abusive and he considers himself a really good man and wonders why you should have a problem with him at all. “In addressing what a relationship really is, every relationship should be built on friendship. If you base it on friendship [your partner] will ask you if you're actually getting a true love, as opposed to having a relationship

Peabo Bryson

“

Living by grace is how you make it through adversity and

it’s also how you make it through

something that’s far more difficult to make it through, and that would be success.

that's in audition stage and somebody is putting on their best self-- which is not who they really are. Otherwise, you could end up married to somebody that’s totally opposite of the person you dated.” “If we don’t start to do this now, it may become a lost concept,” Bryson cautions. “Especially in the black culture. Our history is already disposed of! If we allow our history to be even more disposed of, it will only result in us disappearing even further into the fabric of society. We don’t hold people accountable, we don’t hold people up. We are all about the new, greatest, hottest, latest. “It's imperious that somebody brings this up,” asserts Bryson. “It's not like [healthy relationships] don't exist anymore, and it's not like they’re not wanted or accepted, it's just nobody is doing it because it's not ‘in vogue’. Who gives a damn about ‘in vogue’ if you're not going to be had and fulfilled? What does that get you?” Helping him craft this message in a modern take of his trademark sound on “Stand For Love” is legendary producing duo and founding members of Prince’s infamous touring partners Morris Day and The Times, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Over the years Jam and Lewis have worked with nearly every influential R&B artist including Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, George Michael, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Usher, and notably producing nine number one singles for Janet Jackson. This is the first album in Peabo’s long career partnering with the duo, of whom Bryson referred to as: “two of the greatest producers ever on this planet”, which helped breathe fresh life into his music. “We first pledged to work together about ten years ago,” says Peabo, “I feel like our musical fellowship was already written down in the book of fate and faith already.” “The first thing that I found astounding about Terry and Jimmy was the absence of ego and the healthy mutual respect that they had for me, and their willingness to invite me their process as if I were a part of Jam and Lewis,” says Peabo of the musical magic that occured in the long and focused studio sessions where Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Peabo Bryson put their collective minds together in writing and arranging their musical experience. Bryson challenged Jam and Lewise to help him to be more current from not just their perspective or his perspective-- but from a collective perspective, without destroying what has taken him a lifetime to build. “I don't need anyone to make music, I chose those two because they're probably two of maybe four people on

this planet that I would trust with such a task. When you follow your instincts-- with not just a blind sort of faith, but paying attention and listening the natural process of God's secondhand grace, it will lead you to the place you need to be and the people you need to be with-- and that’s what took place with this album.” At his core, it is his principals that fuel Peabo Bryson’s creative spirit and ignite the passion that has continued his career, long after most of his peers have fallen off-- or have felt the trappings of their own success. “Self importance is a plague at a particular point,” tells Bryson. “In other words, the trappings of success have superseded the principles of success. “My folks drilled ideals to my head in ways that stay with me-- like general politeness. I'm a southern gent, that's who I am and I don’t apologize for that. Being thoughtful and considerate of others is considered to be untoward in my business. “I have two principles I live by: treat every single person like I want to be treated, and never ever stop buying your own toilet paper,” Bryson says with a smile. “Once you get to that point, you’re no longer in reality.” He knows this because Peabo understands, in the end, it’s God’s grace that rules all. “If I'm honest, all God really wants is that you just don't forget Him-- ‘don’t forget what I stand for’. Look at how important it is, that's all. “There’s so much to be grateful for and there’s so many blessings, too many to count,” says Bryson. “I couldn’t be more grateful if I tried. I’ve learned to appreciate the concept of [God’s] secondhand grace. Secondhand grace has become my saving grace. It’s about patience, perseverance and the veracity of your faith. Living by grace is how you make it through adversity and it’s also how you make it through something that’s far more difficult to make it through, and that would be success.”