L.A. Focus Newspaper October

VOLUME XXVII • ISSUE 7 •October 2022 > > W W W. L A F O C U S N E W S PA P E R . C O M

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BiZ NEWS BRIEFS Diddy Issues Call for Those Who Want to Do Godswork

SEE PAGE 10

HOLLYWOOD BUZZ: Vanessa Williams to Tell Her Side of the Miss America Scandal

Up Front

Bishop T.D. Jakes Passes the Torch to his Daughter, Sarah Jakes-Roberts STORM: Pain to Praise: How Music Overcame Mental Illness for Richard Smallwood

>> SEE PAGE

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contents

October 2022

L.A. Focus Publications

(Left): Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor, State Senator Sydney Kamlager, County Supervisors Chair Holly Mitchell and Lola Smallwood-Cuevas celebrate Black Heritage Night at Dodgers Stadium; Mookie Betts helps delivers a walk-off win to the Dodgers over the Arizona Diamondbacks; Sheryl Lee Ralph relishes the Emmy she scored backstage after her emotional acceptance speech.

4 From The Editor

Eye On Gospel

What A Life!"

CeCe Winans Set to Release Sixth Book •JJ Hairston’s Back At it •Ben Tankard Launches the Smooth Life Network

Commentary

“A Few Thoughts About the Plea Deal in the Mark Ridley-Thomas Case”

6 UpFront

16 Money Matters

Bank of America Offers Zero Down-Payment Mortgages to Black, Latino Borrowers

Weaponized Rhetoric Credited With Increasing the Hate on Social Media; Karen Bass Responds to Misleading Scientology Ad; Newsom Signs Legislation Funding Nation’s First Black Women’s Think Tank; Attorneys for Mark Ridley-Thomas File Sue the City

8 Headlines From Africa People

Big Moves in the L.A. Faith Community

10 Cover Story

Midterm Election Roundup: Black Women Figure Prominently in Key Races

12 Hollywood Buzz

Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Big Moment • Vanessa Williams To Tell Her Side of the Miss America Scandal •Patti LaBelle Joins “The Wonder Years”

Footnotes Janelle James

15 Red Carpet Style Emmy Awards

Photographer Advertising

Diddy Issues Call to Do Godswork •The SBA Partners With Operation Hope

On the Money How Much Does One Have to Make to Afford Rents in L.A.?

Lisa Collins Gerald Bell,,Keith Delawder, Chez’Ney Hadley Ian Foxx Kisha Smith

Carla Hall

Terry Crews

17 In Memoriam

G. Mansfield Collins–Tuskegee Airman, Confidante to MLK, Co-organizer of the West Coast’s Largest Civil Rights Rallies, Dies at 101

18 Through The Storm

Pain to Praise — “How Music Overcame the Mental Illness that Almost Killed Richard Smallwood”

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Church News Suspect Charged In Fire That Destroyed Historic South L.A. Church; Southside Church of Christ Breaks Ground on Serenity

21 First Lady Files

Bishop Charles Blake officially turns over the mantle of leadership to son, Charles Blake II. See our story on page 8.

Sandra Williams

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 Baptist Minister’s Conference Inglewood Minister’s Assoc.

@L.A.Focus

Bishop Charles Blake Bishop Noel Jones Pastor Michael J.T. Fisher Rev. Xavier L. Thompson Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer Pastor Emeritus Melvin Wade Pastor K.W. Tulloss Bishop Robert T. Douglas Sr.

advisory board Napoleon Brandford Apostle Beverly Crawford Lem Daniels Bob Blake

@Lafocusnews

A Place of Grace

Siebert, Brandford, Shank & Co. Bible Enrichment Fellowship Int’l Morgan Stanley Bob Blake & Associates

Cover Design: UpScale Media Group

L.A. Focus/October 2022

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. www.lafocusnewspaper.com

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Geremy Dixon

honorary advisors

staff Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Staff Writers

Biz News Briefs

22 Pastor Profile 23 From The Pulpit of 25 In Good Taste Saving Grace 26

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Commentary

TAVIS SMILEY Guest Columnist

“A Few Thoughts About the Plea Deal in the Mark Ridley-Thomas Case”

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et me start with a few thoughts. I was off the air a few days last week, but that didn't stop folk from blowing up my phone with the news that ex-USC Social Work Dean Marilyn Flynn had struck a deal with government prosecutors agreeing to plead guilty in the Mark Ridley Thomas bribery case. As you may know, Ms. Flynn appeared in LA District court and indeed pled guilty.

For some, this was big news. For me, I was surprised it took this long. You can ask my colleagues here at KBLA when news of this case broke a year ago, I told them then that Ms. Flynn was going to strike a deal.

How did I know? Three reasons. She's 83. She's a white woman. Ridley-Thomas is a Black man.

Can I keep it real? If your 83-year-old black grandmother was facing a ten-year prison sentence and one random white man had to be sacrificed, what would you expect or implore your big mama to do?

We’ve become so accustomed to legalized bribery and normalized corruption in our politics, we just assume that any politician accused of anything is automatically guilty.

It's cynical and I'm not stuck on stupid, I get it. But that said, skepticism is healthy. Cynicism is dangerous.

While many believe this guilty plea by Ms. Flynn is determinative and fatal for Ridley-Thomas, her plea has not moved me one inch from where I was a year ago. As you've heard me say countless times, what matters most for me–and if I can be so bold, ought to matter most to you– are three things: presumption of innocence, fundamental fairness and due process.

Before the truth can even lace up its sneakers and get out the blocks, the truth has already been lapped by the lies. Routinely, we see black men released from prison who have been lied on by the state. Bryan Stevenson and

Barry Scheck are busier than ever trying to win freedom for black men who've been wrongfully accused, but you want me to believe that just because the government got someone to turn state's evidence, that automatically means the accused is guilty. Come on now. The State of New York somehow convinced the central part five to lie on themselves. These forced confessions happen every single day in our unjust legal system.

So, if you're basing your view of this case solely on what the government said, then you and I need to talk.

And it ain't just black folk.

Did you see that the ex-USC water polo coach who was convicted in the sprawling college admissions bribery scandal just got himself a new trial? Ask me why he got new trial. Prosecutorial misconduct by the government.

That's why he got a new trial.

Here now [is] another reason this is so tricky for me. I have to consider always the source. This is the same USC that pursued the case against Ridley-Thomas.

From the Editor

I'm sorry for all the Trojan fans, but can I just say that for me, USC is the most self-righteous institution of higher learning I have ever encountered. The stuff that they have tried to cover up and the lives that they have ruined on a Rick Caruso's watch (I might add) is shameful and disgraceful.

Put simply, I need to hear the whole story and until Ridley Thomas gets to court and tells me his truth, I can't fall for the banana in the tailpipe. What will be will be, but not until due process has run its course.

Finally, I know what it's like to be falsely accused and have folk treat you like you are toxic. To have fake friends abandon you in your darkest hour.

I just don't believe in abandoning my friends, especially those who have spent years loving and serving Black folk.

At this point in my life, I ain't got but a few true friends left and that's fine by me. Don't get it twisted. But the few friends I do have know one thing: I am with them when they're right and I'll get with them when they're wrong, but I will never abandon them.

For me, it's all about one thing–the truth. No lie can live forever. Here’s to the truth.

Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne, yet that scaffold sways the future and behind the dim unknown standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.

Tavis Smiley is an on-air radio commentator and the owner of KBLA radio station in Los Angeles. He has penned multiple New York Times Bestselling books, been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was once dubbed by Time Magazine as one of its “100 Most Influential People In The World.”

LISA COLLINS Publisher

“What A Life!"

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L.A. Focus/October 2022

y father, G. Mansfield Collins closed his eyes for the last time on September 23rd, just four days shy of his 102nd birthday. In going through the belongings he kept close, I found a folded up copy of a column I wrote entitled, “Honoring Our Fathers”. In his memory, I am sharing it again.

My dad rarely speaks of the things he has accomplished, except to reflect in one moment or another on a memory that was triggered by an event, statement or something he saw on television.

In many cases, he has stood on the frontlines of history, whether as a famed Tuskegee Airman or at the side of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., for whom he served as West Coast executive director of what was then known as the Western Christian Leadership Conference and was responsible–along with famed activist Xernona Clayton–for raising millions in the struggle for civil rights.

Because of all he did, we grew up in a home where our phones were tapped and if Dr. King was in Los Angeles, our house was under watch and my Dad and his pastor friends were shadowed by law enforcement officials.

He counted among his close allies–former Ambassador Andrew Young, the late Gilbert Lindsay, a City Hall janitor who worked his way up to becoming the city's first black City Council member and Tom Bradley, L.A. first black mayor, who also just happened to be a high school classmate of his.

My dad let very few of his talents go to waste, including a great singing voice that early on landed him in local choruses and made for beautiful Sunday morning solos as an associate minister, under my

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grandfather. When three years ago, he was asked to be a special guest at a ceremony posthumously honoring the life of Jessie Robinson (the first Black woman songwriter to be admitted to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, ASCAP), he had forgotten that she had dedicated one of her songs to him.

His vocal skills also landed him a stint as extra in the classic film, “Imitation of Life” and on the star-studded 1959 film version of Porgy and Bess, starring Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Diahann Carroll and Sammy Davis Jr, whom he would later work with in the fundraising efforts for the March from Selma to Montgomery.

But one of my biggest delights as a kid was seeing him alongside the great character actor, Joel Fluellen, in one of the opening scenes of the original “Mighty Joe Young” film as they sold the young gorilla to a young white girl.

Fact is, I grew up a Daddy’s girl, and believe that what I got most from him was the fearlessness to spread my wings and make the fullest use of my talents. Now, don’t get me wrong, he was hardly perfect which is why his biggest gift to me was raising me up with a strong foundation in the church.

One of my earliest memories of my Dad, however was also my earliest experience with acrophobia, or the fear of heights. (Seems I’ve always liked being on solid ground).

I must have been about four or five when he took my brothers and I to an amusement park and strapped us into what was to be my first and last turn on a Ferris Wheel.

I grew more and more uncomfortable as the gondola

spun upward to about 60 or so feet and as it reached the top I began to scream.

(Note that this was probably just seconds into the ride).

My brothers – who were enjoying themselves–flashed that ‘Oh-just-ignore-her, we’re-having-fun-look.’ But my Dad–who was standing near the Ferris Wheel operator– nearly choked on his popcorn as he nudged the guy and pointed to me.

Realizing the man was not going to stop the ride, he tossed the popcorn, forcefully took the guys arm and said, “Stop the ride and let her off.” Fearful of what he might do next, the man acquiesced and just like that, my Dad became my hero.

When I started L.A. Focus, my Dad was not only the first one to lend his support, but served as an advisor, set up the distribution and introduced me to key religious leaders like the late Bishop H.H. Brookins, Rev. Dr. E.V. Hill and Dr. Thomas Kilgore, all of whom he enlisted to aid me in my endeavor.

More on my Dad can be found on page 17.

Before I sign off, I want to remind you of an important date–October 11. It’s the date ballots are mailed out and it’s important for any number of reasons that we all vote and where possible, vote early to make our voices known and to eliminate the challenges that come with delayed results.

Remember your voice is your power. Keep the faith.

UpFront Weaponized Rhetoric Credited With Increasing the Hate on Social Media

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ollowing the death of George Floyd, former president Donald Trump attacked protesters by advising police, “When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon…Please don’t be too nice.” Amid his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly targeted Mexicans claiming, “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” Even as COVID19 began to spread in 2020, Trump tweeted out the phrase “Chinese virus”.

And according to the American Journal of Public Health, the use of those two words alone exploded into many poisonous tweets of anti-Asian sentiments. Later, it was reported that numerous hate incidents occurred as hate-mongers took to their social media platforms falsely linking the virus to Asian-Americans.

Such rhetoric, purported by Trump and other ambitious politicians, reveals how deep and widespread extreme hate has made its way into the fabric of America’s new normal. Pundits argue that too many politicians are “crossing ethical lines by employing toxic language to demean and attack their opponents, and it seems that the public approves.”

“The acceptance of politician’s derogatory language is evident by the manner in which these politicians receive deafening applause,” observes University of Texas Rhetoric and Composition researcher, Dr. Jagadish Paudel. “The kind

of culture that this promotes leads to a polarized society where civil discussions can no longer be had. On social media, whenever people express their opinions— especially if that opinion happens to oppose a political party—that party’s activists attack like hornets, bombarding their opponents with the most stinging, toxic verbal attacks.”

U.S. polls show that over 75 percent of Americans believe that heated language makes political violence more likely. One study stated that concerns of hate-filled rhetoric is “particularly pronounced when directed at Black, Latino, and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.”

“The [late] president’s rhetoric has helped to shift discourse norms in our country such that it is more acceptable among more people to denigrate and attack other groups of human beings,” Dr. Paudel notes, referencing Trump’s antiMuslim and anti-Hispanic rhetoric. “I believe that rhetoric is not merely capable of producing violence, but that there are times when rhetoric is violence. We can run, but we cannot hide from the implications that rhetoric has become as violent as our most watched television dramas of violence, mayhem, and murder.”

According to a press statement by Rep. Maxine Waters, “Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, there have

been more than 3,000 reported antiAsian hate crimes across the United States. In Los Angeles County alone, there were 245 incidents of hate against Asian Americans reported to Stop AAPI Hate from March 19 through October 28, 2020. Of these incidents, 76 percent involved verbal harassment, and nearly 8 percent involved physical assaults. These statistics only confirm what we already know to be true, and it is unequivocally unacceptable.”

Waters’ statement goes on to condemn, “While Donald Trump is no longer the president, the effects of his anti-Asian rhetoric, scapegoating, and xenophobia continue to incite harassment, discrimination, and violence against the Asian American community.”

An academic study found that rhetoric has the power to emboldened individuals to express, and act on, pre-existing views they had once hidden. The study reports that Anti-Muslim remarks made by Trump grew on Facebook and other social media sites in 2016. This, in turn, led followers to increase their anti-Muslim. In subsequent days, hate crimes against Muslims increased by some 32 percent.”

Last May, a 17-year-old Bay Area high school student was arrested on suspicion of a hate crime and terroristic threats connected to his social-media posts that threatened of gun violence and used racial epithets against a school employee. A

GERALD BELL Contributor

Facebook page called Chicago Code Blue attracted attention for inflammatory comments–such as “Every Thug Deserves a Slug”–after a white police officer was found guilty in the death of Laquan McDonald.

Facebook claims that defining and identifying what constitutes true hate speech or disinformation can be difficult.

This year, only 38 percent of hate speech on Facebook’s site was flagged by its internal systems. However, they were successful in pinpointing and removing 99.5 percent of terrorist content.

Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have all announced plans to invest heavily in artificial intelligence and other technology aimed at finding and removing unwanted content from their sites. Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s chief executive, recently said that although the company’s longtime principle was free expression, they have been in discussions about how “safety should come first.”

“The problem is that leaders’ remarks do not fade away after they are posted,” Paudel insists. “Rhetoric from political leaders against their political opponents, minority groups, and other targets is often quickly magnified. Leaders with large social media followings will see their remarks retweeted and otherwise shared with millions of followers.”

To expound on Paudel’s point, a 2021 Hate continued to page 24

News Briefs Karen Bass Responds to Misleading Scientology Ad

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s the race for Mayor of Los Angeles enters the final stretch, the war of words between Congresswoman Karen Bass and billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso has heated up and –in his current round of TV ads– is getting ugly.

The latest negative ad, dubbed “Church of Karen”, attempts to link the Congresswoman to the Church of Scientology, taking aim at a speech given by Bass at a Church of Scientology event over a decade ago.

In the speech Bass references "This day and this new Church of Scientology is an exciting moment because I know your goal and your commitment is truly to make a difference.”

Reflecting on the speech, Bass–a lifelong

member of the Baptist church– has said that she was unaware of the inner workings or controversy surrounding the Church of Scientology at the time and had she known, she never would have been part of it.

Speaking for the Bass campaign, Communications Director Sarah Leonard Sheahan stated: "Rick Caruso is a lifelong, anti-choice Republican and this misleading attack ad is straight out of the Republican playbook. Everybody knows Karen Bass condemns Scientology. LA knows Karen Bass shares our Democratic values and has always been on our side."

In a statement the campaign detailed a number of things they say the Caruso campaign has done to mislead voters, including the following: •Just minutes after reporters received an email claiming to be from a whistleblower in the Caruso campaign, without any evidence, Rick Caruso claimed he was hacked by the Bass campaign. He knows this is an outrageous and false smear.

•Rick Caruso knows the truth about Karen Bass’ Master’s degree in social work -- it's part of why he awarded her an

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ANTONIO RAY HARVEY CA Black Media

tional, health, and electoral barriers confronting Black women every day. In California, 23% of Black women live in poverty, according to the Women’s WellBeing Index from the California Budget and Policy Center,” CBWC stated.

According to the Status of Black Women report from the Women’s Policy Research (WPR) and information provided by CBWC, the median income for Black women in California is $43,000 a year- compared to $52,000 for White women and $69,000 for White men. The report by WPR also shared that the average cost of childcare for an infant makes up 28% of a Black woman’s average income in the state.

CBWC’s Think Tank intends to approach its work in a data-driven, strategic, and collaborative manner. Based on current information concerning Black women and girls in the state, the collective specifically aims to provide actionable policy solutions, remove persistent barriers that this group of women faces on a daily basis, and achieve racial and gender equity.

The CBWC Empowerment Institute falls in line with these initiatives to help Black women, Todd Griffin asserts.

“The magnitude of this funding allocation will be transformative as we continue the work to improve the quality of life of Black women and girls throughout California,” Todd Griffin said.

Attorneys for Mark Ridley-Thomas File Lawsuit Against the City of LA On September 21, 2022, lawyers for Councilman Mark RidleyThomas formally served the City of Los Angeles with notice of the lawsuit filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court on July 28, 2022, that seeks to rectify Controller Ron Galperin’s unauthorized, unlawful and politicized decision to terminate the councilman’s salary and benefits following his suspension from the City Council after he was indicted on unrelated federal charges.

The delay in serving Controller Ron Galperin and the City with the lawsuit was in response to two City Council motions that would, if acted upon by the City Council, have allowed City officials to handle the compensation issues outside of costly litigation.

The first was made by City Councilmember Paul Krekorian who introduced a motion requesting the City Attorney look into whether or not the Controller had the legal authority to make a unilateral decision to suspend pay benefits.

Councilmember Curren Price introduced a second motion, that asked City Attorney Mike Feuer to report to the council within 10 days on whether Galperin could legally suspend RidleyThomas’ pay. The motion claims that Ridley-Thomas is suffering an “extreme personal financial burden … especially if ultimately the litigation is resolved with exoneration...”

To date, neither City Attorney Mike Feuer nor Controller Ron Galperin have responded to the lawsuit.

Chancellor Reveals New and Expanded Financial Aid for Community College Students New and updated financial support for the state's community college attendees, including changes to the Cal Grant and expanded aid for new and returning students, has been announced by California Community Colleges Chancellor Dr. Daisy Gonzales.

Gonzales told California Black Media (CBM) that she wants college hopefuls to know that these programs which are described in the “I Can Go to College” campaign can be accessed at icangotocollege.com and that the grants do not need to be paid back.

Aside from grants, the website offers online mentorships for students. The need for these programs, Gonzales said, was developed with students in mind.

“What has been very intentional during this pandemic is that we went straight to the students. We're not guessing here,” she said. “We were very intentional in doing student outreach, interviews and focus groups.”

The average tuition cost for state community college is a little under $2,000 per year while private community colleges average over $21,000 in tuition costs.

The Chancellor's office asserts that there are over 200 programs available to community college students to help with the costs.

L.A. Focus/October 2022

billion state budget that helps address rising costs for Californians, tackles the state’s most pressing needs, builds reserves, and invests in the state’s future.

AB 179, the Budget Act of 2022, implements funding for key priorities established by the California Black Legislative Caucus (CLBC) for this legislative session, including CBWC's Think Tank.

“We are thankful to the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) that included it as a priority-budget ask and CSUDH for partnering with us on it,” Todd Griffin said.

The CBWC’s goal for the Think Tank is for it to be “relevant and accessible” in providing an “independent, academic, research entity that provides a “rigorous analysis approach to policy,” CBWC explained in a written overview.

The state and CLBC are in support of addressing the need to expand work that drives systematic change, brought forth

by CBWC. The Think Tank is an effort to serve as a research institution and resource for lawmakers, elected officials, business leaders, and advocating organizations willing to impact sustainable and scalable change.

“There are approximately 1.1 million Black females in California. However, there are 75% of Black households headed by single Black mothers and 80% of Black households have Black women breadwinners. There are economic, educa-

Staff

honorary doctorate degree and invited her to give the 2019 commencement address at USC. Still, he attacks her social work degree on a daily basis.

•During the primary, Rick Caruso’s campaign darkened the face of Karen Bass in a campaign advertisement.

"The question is, how low will Rick Caruso go?" Bass told ABC7 Eyewitness News. "Will he just continue spending money like this attacking me and hoping that he lowers my poll numbers? Or will he engage in what I believe voters really need to see, which is a dialogue and a debate and a discussion about the issues, and I don't believe he sees that as helpful to his campaign because I don't think he has serious answers for voters in Los Angeles."

Meanwhile, the Karen Bass for Mayor Campaign released an ad called "Varsity Blues" today that details the massive USC college admissions and bribery scandal that took place under Rick Caruso's leadership.

"All you need to do is look at Rick Caruso's record to know he is in this for himself and his wealthy friends," Rep. Bass said. "When LA's wealthy elite bribed school officials, Rick Caruso did nothing to stop it from happening. Then, as Chair of the Board of Trustees at USC, Rick Caruso covered up an historic campus sexual assault scandal to protect himself. Rick Caruso has a lot of questions to answer.

His record shows that Anglenos cannot trust him to be on our side.”

Gov. Newsom Signs Legislation Funding Nation’s First Black Women’s Think Tank ast week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a budget trailer bill approving $5 Million in funding to the California State University at Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) to house the California Black Women’s Think Tank.

The California Black Women’s Collective (CBWC) Empowerment Institute will be a founding partner in the development of the policy research institution.

The legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 179, authored by Assemblymember Phillip Ting (D-San Francisco), paves the way for establishing a policy institute that will focus on improving structures and practices that impact the lives of Black women and girls across the state.

“The California Black Women’s Collective has diligently worked hard over the last year to make the California Black Women's Think Tank, the first of its kind in the nation, happen,” Kellie Todd Griffin, speaking for CBWC, told California Black Media.

CBWC in partnership with Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), is a coalition of more than 1,500 Black Women leaders throughout California.

The coalition utilizes Black women’s expertise and collaboration skills in political, community, and social justice activism to amplify their voices, knowledge, and issues throughout the state.

On June 20, Newsom signed a $308

D.T. CARSON

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PeopleNews

Big Moves in the L.A. Faith Community

alling his daughter to the nual conference founded by his Bishop T.D. podium for the final day of daughter to empower women the Woman Thou Art Jakes Passes to evolve into the best versions Loosed Conference, Bishop T.D. the Torch to his of themselves by breaking up Daughter, Jakes said “Pastor Sarah Jakes with their fears and revRoberts, when you stand and Sarah Jakes- olutionizing their lives. It is walk to this stage, you are walkalso the title of her 2021 book.

Roberts ing into your destiny… This is Jakes was in tears as your moment.” he anointed his daughter’s head with oil With that Jakes announced that after and a crowd of more than 20,000 looked 30 years of ministering “Woman Thou Art on.

Loosed” and 46 years of preaching the “I am so proud of you”, he said, while gospel, the time had come “that I must declaring that the torch he was passing decrease, that you might increase.” was neither inheritance nor family legIn what the 65-year old pastor charac- acy. terized as a transitional moment, he said, “You are bone of my bone and flesh of “Women Thou Art Loosed comes to an my flesh. My DNA runs through your end today, but that does not mean that body, but none of that is the reason you there is not something next.” are standing on this stage… This is a cal“I had the voice for our generation. ling. I respect God too much to throw You are the voice for this time and this somebody up here just because they were generation,” he said to his daughter who kin to me… If I did not know that the serves alongside her husband as the co- hand of the Lord was on you, I would pastor of One never do this.”

Church L.A. “This Calling her husband Touré Roberts to is a divine as- the stage and embracing him as his son, signment that Jakes said, “I can’t anoint her without “Women Thou anointing him”.

Art Loosed” In a show of support, Jakes added that must evolve.” he would host Jakes-Roberts first interSome- national meeting at the Potter’s House in what of a Dallas, Texas, September 20-23, 2023. play on “All of our facilities, our support, our w o r d s , help, our team, our influence is at your “Women disposal. This is a beginning. I want Evolve” every woman in this room to go to is the Woman Evolve…” name With that, he handed her the mike of a and walked offstage with his wife, First move- Lady Serita Jakes. ment “Well”, said Jakes-Roberts after pula n d ling herself together, “I guess it’s just the a n - beginning of a breakthrough then. I guess all things really do work together for the good of those who are called according to his purpose.”

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Headlines From Africa Burundi: President Evariste Ndayishimiye replaced his prime minister and a top aide in a high-level political purge after being warned of a "coup" plot against him. Security minister Gervais Ndirakobuca was subsequently sworn in as the new premier.

Cameroon: Cameroon has become one of a few African nations that have issued a number of IDs to help half a million refugees— who now call the nation home— access basic services Congo: The leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have reached a compromise to reduce tensions between their two countries. They also agreed to act jointly in the fight against terrorism and to ensure the withdrawal of M23 rebels operating in eastern DR Congo Eritrea: Eritrea is mobilizing armed forces due to the re-eruption of the conflict in northern Ethiopia, raising fears that the fighting may intensify in a war that has already displaced millions and triggered a humanitarian disaster across northern Ethiopia.

L.A. Focus/October 2022

Ethiopia: The U.S. has again urged the Ethiopian government and Tigray leaders to negotiate a peace deal, while insisting that Eritrea needs to step away from fueling conflict in the northern Ethiopian region.

Gambia: In its efforts to attract “quality” visitors, Gambia is working to change its reputation as a sex tourism destination and instead focus on the Gambia’s wildlife and cultural attractions. The country has over 300 species of tropical birds and two Unesco World Heritage sites – to boost its ‘quality’ tourism.

Ghana: Over 100 delegates from Ghana gathered in Kansas City to formally apologize for the nation’s role in the transatlantic slave tradeas part of a two-day event aiming to bridge a long-lasting exchange of trade, tourism and culture between Kansas City and Ghana.

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Kenya: Myths and misconceptions surrounding contraception are significant barriers to the modern use of contraceptives according to the Ministry of Health, contributing to poor health outcomes for the

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fter 53 years of heading strength to serve our families, Bishop Charles one of the largest conour community, and the world Blake Steps gregations in Los Anat large.”

Down, Charles Prior to being appointed cogeles, Bishop and Lady Blake of West Angeles Church of God in Blake II to Be pastor last year, Blake II Installed as Christ are stepping down as served 13 years as the Director spiritual leaders and will pass Senior Pastor of Community Relations and the mantle to their son, current Assistant Pastor. co-pastor Elder Charles Blake II, and his “Some have said I have some very big wife, Lady DeAndra. shoes to fill, but I’m not supposed to fill Announcing the leadership change on my father’s shoes,” said the Harvard September 18, the Bishop said, “It has Leadership Institute graduate. “God been our deepest honor and greatest joy gave Bishop Blake the shoes that he to serve as Senior Pastor and First Lady needed to walk in his time on his terof West Angeles Church for 53 years. rain, but now we are on different ground After a long fulfilling journey filled with in a different age. God has given me the God’s love, we have made the decision to shoes that I need to walk the path retire from active pastoral ministry.” through the terrain for this time. The The elder Blake stressed that while work is great, but I believe the God will he and Lady Mae were “stepping down continue to guide and strengthen me, as from their positions of leadership,” they I seek to serve Him and His people”. were not stepping away from the church, The official installment ceremony is added that they would remain active set for Sunday, October 23 culminating members of the church and COGIC dethree days of acnomination. tivity dubbed “I am honored and humbled to as the “Honor have my father’s blessing and and Celebracounsel as I step into the role of tion WeekSenior Pastor at West Angeles e n d ” .

Church of God in Christ. I and Continued my wife, Lady DeAndra, to page 24 standing on the strong foundation that was laid by Bishop and Lady Mae, look forward to serving this congregation and our community,” Blake II said. My prayer is that the members of West Angeles will continue to work as partners of the Gospel–a community of people, determined to use our God-given gifts, resources, individual efforts and our united

A look at current news from the continent of Africa mothers and their children.

Malawi: Malawi's police service has welcomed two officers with albinism into its ranks, the first people with the rare genetic pigment disorder in Malawi's state security organization.

Rights groups say the hirings should help efforts to crack down on attacks against albinos and restore confidence in police after some officers were connected to such attacks.

Mozambique: Leaders of Mozambique and Tanzania have signed defense and security deals aimed at fighting terrorism and crime along their shared border.

Nigeria: Floods along Nigeria’s borders with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon have killed hundreds of people and left tens of thousands homeless, according to local authorities.

The most affected areas in Nigeria are agricultural districts that supply the majority of food in the region, particularly rice field creating a a looming health and nutrition crisis.

Senegal: Senegal breaks new ground as West Africa's largest-ever proportion of women legislators (44 percent) take their seats in a newly elected national assembly, stirring hopes of change in a country where patriarchal laws and attitudes are entrenched.

Somalia: In a new report, the UN warns that hundreds of thousands in Somalia are already facing starvation with staggering levels of malnutrition expected among children under five.

South Africa: The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment want to leverage South Africa’s oceans and coastline to develop a maritime economy that could create 1 million jobs and boost the economy.

Zambia: The International Monetary Fund has unveiled a series of conditions attached to a $1.3 billion loan program for Zambia under an Extended Credit Facility. The 38-month bailout followed talks between Zambia and its official creditors to restructure its external debts, which had soared to $17.3 billion.

D.T. CARSON

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t’s down to the wire in the midterm elections slated for Tuesday, November 8, with ballots set to be mailed out to California residents on October 11. In Washington D.C., the biggest battle is over who will get control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. At press, the Democrats were slightly ahead of the GOP due to the GOP’s hardline stance on abortion, but with rising inflation, Republicans are seeing a rebound in their favorability numbers.

That’s hardly an issue in California where as of May 12, 2021, Democrats held a supermajority in the 80-seat California State Assembly and the Democrats have pretty much ruled since the mid-90’s. And with Governor Gavin Newsom leading his GOP challenger, Brian Dahle (who I’m sure many of you have never even heard of) by more than 2 to 1, most of the attention is on local races and Black women have figured prominently in key Southern California races.

Of course, the most watched at the moment, is the highly contentious race for mayor of Los Angeles, pitting Congresswoman Karen Bass against billionaire real estate mogul, Rick Caruso.

The latest polls show Bass with an 11-point lead against Caruso, who outspent her ten-to-one to finish seven percentage points behind the veteran legislator.

The poll, conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies for the Los Angeles Times from Aug. 9 to 15 of 1,746 registered voters in Los Angeles, found that 43% of voters favored Bass compared to 31% of voters for Caruso, consistent with a poll released by a Pro-Bass group that put her 11 points ahead in the race to lead the nation’s second largest city.

As the stakes have raised and the election draws near, the campaign is turning ugly as both unleash a bevy of negative ads. Bass addresses a misleading TV attack ad linking her to the Church of Scientology in a story on page 5.

Contributor In a Politico story titled, “Rick Caruso’s blockbuster bid to be mayor of LA flops with voters”, the writers note “Caruso’s predicament is a reminder of a bitter truth about politics: Money can get you only so far. It reflects the fact that in a deeply Democratic city, many are apparently unwilling to support a former Republican-turned-Democrat who, despite his insistence that he supports the right to abortion, has donated to antiabortion candidates in the past.”

Said seasoned political consultant John Shallman, “You can buy businesses, you can buy yachts, you can buy millions in airtime and glossy brochures, but you can’t buy voters.”

Bass, on the other hand, has stacked up an impressive list of endorsements from such political heavyhitters as President Joe Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, U.S. Senators Cory Booker, Alex Padilla and Elizabeth Warren, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority WHIP James Clyburn, former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, County Supervisors Holly Mitchell, Sheila Kuehl and Hilda Solis, L.A. City Council President Nury Martinez, the Democratic Party and the Los Angeles Times which wrote, “For this race and this moment, no other candidate can match Bass’ experience, track record, sophisticated grasp of the problems plaguing Los Angeles and her vision of how to move forward.”

But Bass’ team is hardly counting Caruso out. Instead, they say they want to concentrate on the issues that are pressing to Angelenos and the solutions they believe can solve them.

“They hope that voters don’t count him out either, stressing that they not assume because she’s leading in the polls, that she’s got the election in the bag. Instead, they are emphasizing that they vote and that they do it early.”

In what is another key Southland race, State Senator Sydney Kamlager faces off against Jan Perry in a bid for the Congressional seat (District 37) Karen Bass

is vacating. With the support of Bass and high power endorsements from the likes of Governor Gavin Newsom, the L.A. Times, County Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Sheila Kuehl, the California Democratic Party, former mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the L.A. County Federation of Labor, Kamlager has consistently topped the field crushing Jan Perry with 41.7 percent of the vote to Perry’s 18.5 percent in her primary win in June.

Kamlager currently serves as State Senator representing district 30, which includes Mid-City Los Angeles, Crenshaw, Baldwin Hills, Ladera Heights, Windsor Hills, Culver City, and parts of West Los Angeles. Previously she was a member of the California State Assembly, representing district 54.

Just last month Governor Newsom having signed eight of her bills into law, including SB679 which sup-

Key Ballot Measures Proposition 1: Putting abortion safeguards in the California constitution After the news leaked in early May that the U.S. Supreme Court was planning to rule that the federal constitution doesn’t guarantee the right to an abortion — and on June 24 — California’s top Democrats proposed adding the protection to the state constitution. The proposed constitutional amendment was introduced in the Legislature in early June and was passed with the overwhelming support of both chambers by the end of the month. If approved by the voters, it would bar the state from denying or interfering with a person’s right to choose an abortion and contraceptives.

Fiscal impact: None

Prop. 26: “Legalize Sports Betting on American Lands Initiative” Supported by some of the state’s tribal governments, this proposition would only legalize sports betting in-person at tribal casinos and designated horse tracks. The measure, which would also allow tribes to offer roulette and other dice games, would potentially raise tens of millions of dollars for the state budget, most of which would be spent at the discretion of the governor and Legislature.

Fiscal impact to voters:

Prop. 27: “Legalize Online Sports Betting” Would allow Californians to bet on sports and other competitions online, but only through certified gaming tribes and large, well-established online betting companies. The measure, funded by industry giants FanDuel and DraftKings, would potentially direct hundreds of millions of dollars in fee revenue to housing and services for homeless Californians.

Fiscal impact to voters:

Proposition 28: Set aside school funding for arts and music Sponsored by former Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent Austin Beutner, this measure would require the state to set aside a share of its revenue — likely between $800 million to $1 billion per year — for arts and education classes. The new money would be disproportionately reserved for schools with many low-income students to hire new arts staff.

Fiscal impact to voters:

Proposition 29: Kidney Dialysis Rule Reforms This measure slaps dialysis clinics with a host of new restrictions, including a requirement that a doctor, nurse practitioner or a physician assistant be on site during all treatment hours. Centers would also be required to get state approval before shuttering or reducing services and to publicly list any doctors who have at least a 5% ownership stake in a clinic. Sound familiar? That’s because the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, the union supporting this measure, has tried and failed to persuade voters to support new dialysis center regulations twice before, in 2018 and 2020, over vehement and very costly industry opposition.

Fiscal impact to voters:

Proposition 30: Millionaires paying for electric cars: This measure would impose a new 1.75% tax on any individual’s income of more than $2 million per year to raise between $3 billion to $4.5 billion each year to fund a collection of greenhouse gas reducing initiatives. Most of the money would go toward new incentives for Californians to buy zero-emission vehicles and to build new electric charging or hydrogen fueling stations. (Lyft, which is required to move toward ZEVs, is a major funder). A quarter of the new money would go toward wildfire fighting and prevention efforts.

Fiscal impact to voters:

Proposition 31: Reconsidering a flavored tobacco ban: In 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill banning the sale of all flavored tobacco products, whether smoked, chewed or vaped. The tobacco industry gathered enough signatures to ask voters to overturn the law with this referendum. (A reminder: Voting “yes” is to keep the law and allow the sale of flavored tobacco; voting “no” is to get rid of it.)

Fiscal impact to voters:

Inglewood Measure HC This controversial measure would set a new $25/hr minimum wage standard for certain workers at private hospitals, hospital-based facilities and dialysis clinics, but completely excludes workers who do the exact same job at public hospitals, clinics, and health care facilities, including all University of California and county hospitals and clinics.The wage increase would only apply to private healthcare providers.

Fiscal impact to voters:

Also in Inglewood: Residents will get to decide whether or not Mayor James Butts gets the opportunity to continue the work he’s already begun in transforming the City of Inglewood. in what would mark his fourth term in office.

He is running for re-election against four challengers, Miya Walker, Chika Ogoke, Angelique Johnson and Raina Carrillo. He is not the only city official whose office is up for grabs. Four candidates have signed up to run against District 1 Councilman George Dotson. They are Kevin Taylor, Gloria Gray, Alena Cindy Giardina and Yolanda Davidson. Also up for re-election is District 2 Councilman Alex Padilla, who is running against just one challenger, Robert Brown.

L.A. Focus/October 2022

ports and finances housing development; SB1085 which prohibit a child from being found to be within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court due to indigence or other conditions of financial difficulty; and SB 1139, requiring the CA Department of Corrections to make emergency in-person contact visits and video calls available whenever an incarcerated person is hospitalized due to a serious or critical medical condition.

Her opponent, Jan Perry served three terms on the Los Angeles City Council from 2001 to 2013. Following her time on the city council she served as general manager of the Economic & Workforce Development Department from 2013 to 2019.

Perry, who currently serves as the executive director for two non-profits that address future infrastructure, economic development, and environmental challenges and support agencies that serve Los Angeles’ unhoused population, has said that she would be “a fierce advocate for working families, ensure they receive a fair return on their hard-earned tax dollars, and to swiftly and humanely get unhoused people off of the street and into housing with services.”

Lola Smallwood-Cuevas and Cheryl Turner are both Democrats running to represent the newly redistricted District 28 in the California State Senate. The district covers much of West Los Angeles, north as far as Miracle Mile, south as far as Gramercy Park, west to Mar Vista, and east to Downtown Los Angeles.

Smallwood-Cuevas is the founder of the UCLA Center for the Advancement of Racial Equity at Work– which focuses on exploring the role of unions, empowering African American workers in Los Angeles, and strengthening the position of the black working class. She has not previously held any elected positions, but she has extremely strong ties to labor which insiders say will give her the edge over Turner in November. She led the field of candidates in the June primary with 44.8% of the vote.

Turner, who secured 30.3% of the vote in the June primary also has not held any publicly elected positions. With a background as a civil rights and consumer trial attorney, she was selected by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to serve on the Los Angeles Convention and Exhibition Center Authority as a Commissioner where she eventually rose to the rank of Vice-President. She currently serves as president of the 21-member board of directors of the Apartment Owner’s Association of Los Angeles County.

Statewide, Malia Cohen is hoping to make history in her bid for California State Controller as the first Black woman to hold the post.

Her credentials are more than impressive. She is the first African American woman to serve on the board of the California State Board of Equalization, representing 10 million people. Prior to that served as President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors representing the city’s 10th district and she presently serves as President of the San Francisco Police Commission.

In fact, Malia Cohen, 43, has spent her career working to create a more equitable community for all with an eye toward communities of color, women, and working families and now she has her sights set on a higher office: California State Controller.

“I am running to make California’s money work for all Californians. I am running to protect the fiscal viability of our state and I am running to uplift equity and opportunity in the California economy,” Cohen has said.

That she is the only candidate to have earned current State Controller Betty Yee’s endorsement is a huge advantage. Cohen is one of two women – and the only African American – serving on the BOE, the state agency responsible for representing taxpayer interests and making county-by-county tax assessments and adjustments across the state.

Her opponent, Lanhee Chen, is running for elected office for the first time. Previously he was appointed

by President Obama and confirmed in 2012 to serve on the Social Security Advisory Board.

He bested Cohen by 14 points in the June primary, but that was out of a field of six. Given that Chen is a Republican in what is a very blue state, Cohen is expected to overtake him in November.

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HO L LY W OOD SPOT LIGHT Chez Hadley “Reasonable Doubt” Shawn Holley first came to light as a member of the “Dream Team” Johnnie Cochran put together to defend O.J Simpson in what was then dubbed as the “trial of the century”.

Holley–who went on to represent the likes of Kim Kardashian, Tupac Shakur, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie and Snoop Dogg–is reported to be the inspiration behind Hulu’s new legal drama, “Reasonable Doubt”.

The series–whose cast includes Emayatzy Corinealdi, Michael Ealy, Sean Patrick Thomas and Pauletta Washington– follows Jacqueline “Jax” Stewart, a high-powered criminal defense attorney from Los Angeles, as she fiercely bucks the justice

system through wild interpretations of the law and sometimes questionable ethics, all while trying to deal with a failing marriage and the pitfalls of motherhood.

“I keep thinking about this quote

by Nelson Mandela: ‘I don’t lose. I

OUT THIS MONTH

L.A. Focus/October 2022

HOLLYWOOD BUZZ

Tilll October 14

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Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Big Moment Few will forget the fervor with which veteran actress Sheryl Lee Ralph accepted an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series last month for her role as Barbara Howard in “Abbott Elementary,” becoming just the second Black woman to score in the category after Jackée Harry won 35 years ago for “227”.

Overcome with emotion as she approached the microphone, Ralph belted out lyrics from Diane Reeves’ “Endangered Species”: “I am an endangered species, but I sing no victim song. I am a woman, I am an artist, and I know where my voice belongs.”

After a rousing standing ovation, she had the following inspiring words t o

Amsterdam October 7

Black Adam October 21

offer: “To anyone who has ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn’t, wouldn’t, or couldn’t come true I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like,” Ralph said. “This is what striving looks like, and don’t you ever, ever give up on you.”

The 65-year-old actress is currently at work on season two of “Abbott Elementary”, with three other projects in the works.

Vanessa Williams To Tell Her Side of the Miss America Scandal In 1984 Vanessa Williams was stripped of her Miss America crown after nude photos of her surface in a Penthouse Magazine spread. The full story behind the scandal is now set to be told in an upcoming limited TV series.

“This project is incredibly personal to me,” Williams told Deadline. “There are so many inaccurate and untrue accounts of the events surrounding this period in my life, and as a mother, and as a Black woman, it is important to me that my truth be told.

“This is not just a story about racy photos, said the Grammy nominated singer and three-time Emmy nominee who made history in 1983 as the first Black woman to be crowned Miss America. It is about misogyny and racism and I want to shine a light on that for future generations.”

Williams who was subject to death threats after the incident has previously recalled that some of her harshest critics were “my own people.”

Patti LaBelle Joins “The Wonder Years” Patti LaBelle is set to step into the role of mother to Dulé Hill’s character

either win or I learn.’ But what if your learning comes at the expense of someone having to spend the rest of their life behind bars?”

To that end, Jax Stewart (played

by Emayatzy Corinealdi) is willing to pull out all the stops and is judged for for her questionable ethics and wild interpretations of the law… until you’re the one in trouble. Then you’ll see her for what she is: the most brilliant and fearless defense attorney in Los Angeles who bucks the justice system at every chance she gets.

Holley and Kerry Washington – who directs the first episode–are among the executive producers. Reasonable Doubt premieres September 27 on Hulu.

Paul’s Promise October 21 Bill when season 2 of ABC’s “The Wonder Years” debuts later this year.

The Grammy-award winning singer has been cast as Shirley, a church choir director who is “sweet as she can be but has another side to her when choir members don’t quite hit the right notes.” We’ll just have to wait and see how much singing she’s going to do.

In other casting news, Kelvin Harrison Jr. will star as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Aaron Pierre as Malcolm X in “Genius: MLK/X”, the fourth installment in the Disney+/National Geographic anthology series, which will focus on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X and explore their formative years, pioneering accomplishments, dueling philosophies and key personal relationships.

Life Imitates Art for Chicago Med Star Chicago Med star Marlyne Barrett whose character on the show, Nurse Maggie Lockwood, inspired fans as she battled breast cancer on the show last season, has revealed that she was diagnosed with uterine and ovarian cancer in July.

Since making the announcement, she has been overwhelmed with support, prompting her to post her gratitude on social media.

“I can’t do this without so many people getting involved to support me,” Barrett wrote. “To those who facilitate day in and day out, in order for me to come to work to do what I do, thank you! It’s beyond words how grateful my husband and I are. To this extended family around the world, I pray we as people remember how big life is and how much love can do in a person’s life.”

Footnotes Janelle James Hometown: St. Thomas, Virgin Islands Breakout Role: “Abbott Elementary” Latest project: “The Final Straw” The success of Abbott Elementary has made Janelle James a breakout star, but ironically James was no aspiring actress. Instead, standup comedy is her first love. She has opened for the likes of Chris Rock and Amy Schumer and performed on Netflix’s The Comedy Lineup. In 2017, she released her debut comedy album, Black and Mild. She has written and appeared on Showtime’s Black Monday and is both a writer and voice actor for Central Park. In 2020, she made Variety’s list of “10 Comics to Watch” and in 2021, Abbott Elementary creator/star Quinta Brunson was so impressed by her audition that she went to bat for James given the network’s reluctance to cast an unknown actor.

On Abbott Elementary becoming a big hit?

This show is something nobody could have predicted would’ve hit like this.I wanted to be involved so much because it was so funny – one of the best pilots I have, maybe, ever read. I'm grateful that ABC also saw it and they seem to be behind us all the way because that's really what makes a show.

On her character Ava? She is a narcissist, and self-absorbed– and she's really dedicated to Ava. And so I'm the villain, but every show needs that or it'd be boring. Hopefully, as we go along – because no one is all good or all bad – you hopefully find out there's more to her.

On being camera shy: I don’t like being on camera. When I’m doing Ava, I remember that she is the reason the cameras are there. She wants to be seen in a light that she has written for herself in her head. That’s what excited me about playing Ava, because she is such a flamboyant narcissist. She’s so different than who I am, so she’s a lot of fun to put on every day.”

On the doors Abbott Elementary has opened up: This has allowed me to tour in a way, stand-up wise, that I hadn’t before, as more people are coming to see me. That’s my ultimate goal–to be able to tour as a stand-up and have people know that I am not Ava Coleman. I’d like to act more. But I’m very picky about the things I involve myself in. “Abbott” has really spoiled me for working anywhere else, so it better be good.

On the reason she agreed to do “The Final Straw”: When they asked me to host it, was they assured me they would allow me to put as much of myself into the show as possible. That's a gift for a comedian. I’m looking forward to this opportunity to grow my relationship with ABC with my second comedy project on the network.

On knowing her worth: I started in my late twenties, so I already knew who I was. I didn’t have to search for my voice. I always feel like the reason the entertainment industry likes younger people is not only for their tight skin, but because you don’t know who you are, so you’re more willing to do things you might not be comfortable with. I didn’t have to go through that part.

RedCarpet Style

ZENDAYA displayed classic elegance in this bow-tied black Valentino ballgown

ANGELA BASSETT is spot on is this yellow sequin & satin gown by Dolce Gabbana

All these looks were winners at the 2022 Emmy Awards held last month at the Microsoft Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.

KERRY WASHINGTON turned heads in this white flowered mini with a train from Elie Saab Couture

QUINTA BRUNSON sparkled in a brown Dolce & Gabbana gown

SHERYL LEE RALPH sported this black velvet stunner with a train lined in orange

Eye On Gospel CeCe Winans Set to Release Sixth Book

Winans is currently in the midst of a national tour in support of her latest album, sponsored by Compassion International. Ticket holders who sponsor a child will receive an advanced paper back copy of Winans’ new book. A tour stop in L.A. is scheduled for October 23rd.

JJ Hairston’s Back At it Grammy-nominated and multiple Stellar Award winner, JJ Hairston. Hairston has returned to the top of Billboard's Gospel charts after being named a Top Gospel Artist of the Decade, with his current single, "Thankful." Hairston is on a mission to remind people of how awesome God is with his new album Believe Again, which released on September 30th.

Believe Again is the first project Hairston has completed since being installed as the Senior Pastor of the All Nations Worship Assembly DC. "Previously, my creative process evolved from the worship perspective. Although I am still a worshiper, as a Pastor, I teach more. Now, each musical project starts with a thought or a scripture. I spend a great deal of time thinking about what I want people to get from each song," shares Hairston.

The project features standout collaborations with Nicole Micey, Benita Jones, David Wilford, Kymberli Joye, Travis Greene, Tamela Hairston, Mav City Gospel Choir, Donishisa Ballard, Marc Britt, Juanita Contee and Vincent McNatt.

"Bigger," the brand-new instant track, features Travis Greene and Donishisa Ballard and starts with the lyric, "I believe every word you said." “Bigger” is an anthem reminding listeners that God's vision for our lives is bigger than anything the human mind can conceive. Upbeat

with powerful lyrics and driving instruments, the song is sure to be a fan favorite.

Currently, JJ Hairston is continuing his devotion to a greater purpose alongside his wife, Trina Hairston, serving as Campus Pastors for All Nations Worship Assembly (ANWA) Washington, DC campus.

Ben Tankard Launches the Smooth Life Network Grammy-nominated gospel instrumentalist and reality TV personality Ben Tankard and his wife Jewel are launching Smooth Life Network, a TV channel they say will be “a visual and audible backdrop for a peaceful and fulfilling lifestyle” featuring everything from relaxing music and magnificent mansions to movies and motivational programming.

"With our success in music and reality TV with our family show, Jewel and I feel obligated to make our world more accessible to our core audience," says Tankard of the channel set to launch on October 1.

Tankard is presently on the search for content for his Smooth Life Network. "We are casting a wide net for quality content submissions to air on our 24-hour TV channel," he explains. "We are looking for content to air live and on-demand worldwide via Apple / ROKU / Amazon Firestick in addition to iPhone/Android apps and more." Briefly: Angel Taylor, formerly of Trin-i-tee 5:7 is stepping into the spotlight solo with the release of her single, “Speak”,–a rendition of Donnie McClurkin’s “Speak to My Heart”. “With his blessing, I recorded ‘Speak’ and had my producers revamp it,” says Taylor. “I hope my audience loves it and is blessed by it as much as I am.” When asked about being a solo artist, she says, “I’m looking forward to the experience as a solo artist for the first time. This project has been years in the making and the music is so heartfelt and beautiful. I’m looking forward to this journey with all of our Trin-I-tee 5:7 fans and introducing my music to new audiences.”

L.A. Focus/October 2022

To know CeCe, is to love her, and no one knows that better than her devoted supporters who have watched her career sky-rocket over the years. It is CeCe’s consistent display of living that is proclaimed in such classic songs as: “Alabaster Box, “More Than What I Wanted” and current classic, “Believe For It.” Winans is opening up about her childhood and early memories of being surrounded by a community of faith in her sixth book, Believe For It: Passing On Faith To The Next Generation. The 223 page book details a series of events and experiences in the singer’s life that clearly explain why she is so firmly anchored in her spiritual beliefs. The common thread throughout the narrative is that everyone has responsibility in passing on their faith and promoting healthy intergenerational relationships within family and close circles of friends.

On September 20th the pre-order campaign for the book kicked off, offering a free audiobook for all advanced purchases before the November 15th release date. Those who pre-order the book and redeem their order will be able to hear the voice of Winans narrating her journey of faith and later receive the printed copy of the book for their reading pleasure. CeCe’s latest literary offering is available everywhere books are sold, but those looking to pre-order can do so at: www.cecewinans.com.

“We all have been influenced by those who came before us,” says Winans.

“You don’t have to be related by blood to have a spiritual influence on someone’s life.”

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Money Matters Bank of America Offers Zero Down-Payment Mortgages to Black, Latino Borrowers

B

ank of America announced a new zero down payment, zero closing cost mortgage solution for first-time homebuyers, which will be available in designated markets, including certain African American and Hispanic neighborhoods in Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Miami.

According to a news release, the Community Affordable Loan Solution aims to help eligible individuals and families obtain an affordable loan to purchase a home.

“The Community Affordable Loan Solution is a Special Purpose Credit Program which uses credit guidelines based on factors such as timely rent, utility bill, phone and auto insurance payments,” officials stated in the release.

“It requires no mortgage insurance or minimum credit score. Individual eligibility is based on income and home location.”

Prospective buyers must complete a homebuyer certification course provided by select Bank of America and HUD-approved housing counseling partners prior to application.

Officials said the new program is in addition to and complements Bank of America’s existing $15 billion Community Homeownership Commitment to offer affordable mortgages, industry leading grants and educational opportunities to help 60,000 individuals and families purchase affordable homes by 2025.

Through this commitment, Bank of America has already helped more than 36,000 people and families become homeowners, having provided more than $9.5 billion in low down payment loans and over $350 million in non-repayable down payment and/or closing cost grants.

To date, two-thirds of the loans and grants made through the Community Homeownership Commitment has helped multicultural clients to achieve homeownership.

Bank of America also has a 26-year relationship with

STACY M. BROWN NNPA Newswire

the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA), through which the Bank has committed to providing an additional $15 billion in mortgages to low-tomoderate income homebuyers through May 2027.

According to the National Association of Realtors, today there is a nearly 30-percentage-point gap in homeownership between White and Black Americans; for Hispanic buyers, the gap is nearly 20% And the competitive housing market has made it even more difficult for potential homebuyers, especially people of color, to buy homes.

“Homeownership strengthens our communities and can help individuals and families to build wealth over time,” said AJ Barkley, head of neighborhood and community lending for Bank of America.

“Our Community Affordable Loan Solution will help make the dream of sustained homeownership attainable for more Black and Hispanic families, and it is part of our broader commitment to the communities that we serve.”

In addition to expanding access to credit and down payment assistance, Bank of America said it provides educational resources to help homebuyers navigate the homebuying process, including: • First-Time Homebuyer Online Edu-Series, a fivepart, easy-to-understand video roadmap for buying and financing a home, available in English and Spanish.

• comfree financial education content, including videos about managing finances and how to prepare for buying a new home.

• Bank of America Down Payment Center— site to help homebuyers find state and local down payment and closing cost assistance programs in their area. Bank of America participates in more than 1,300 state and local down payment and closing cost assistance programs.

• Bank of America Real Estate Center— site to help homebuyers find properties with flags to identify properties that may qualify for Bank of America grant programs and Community Affordable Loan Solution™.

On the Money How Much Does One Have to Make to Afford Rents in L.A.?

A

s rent prices continue to spiral upwards, many are left to wonder how much one would have to earn to live in the nation’s most expensive U.S. cities. Ironically enough, Los Angeles ranks fifth on the list with an average rent of $3,952.

New York is ranked at the top of the most expensive cities list with rents averaging upwards of $6,000. Boston is second at $4700, followed by Oakland ($4,430) and San Francisco ($4,336). Other California cities making the top ten list included San Diego ($3,913) and Santa Ana ($2,888).

According to a recent study from the rental search website, Apartment Guide, one would have to make $158K to comfortable afford rent in Los Angeles. In New York, renters would have to make $254,000 which is four times the annual median income for most households. In the Bay area, that number is somewhere in the neighborhood of $174,000.

For the lowest rents, one would have to move to the Midwest. Topping that list would be Wichita, Kansas, where rents average $719. Rounding out the top five are Ames, Iowa ($744), Kokomo, Indiana ($773), Port Arthur, Texas ($811) and Stillwater, Oklahoma ($813).

Other cities making the top ten include Tuscaloosa, Alabama at $889.

Bakersfield tops the list of the cheapest places to live in California, followed by Stockton, Fresno and Clovis, California. Also on the list are Fontana, Chico and Eureka, California.

While those in larger, more expensive cities tend to earn more, a Moneywise report found that–for the first time ever–the median cost to rent a home or apartment in the U.S. topped $2000.

Biz News Briefs

L.A. Focus/October 2022

Diddy Issues Call for Those Who Want to Do Godswork

Diddy has had a vision from God and says he is now one “trillion percent clear on God’s Purpose” for him and to that end he is reaching out for those who can help him.

“I need help #real bad,” Diddy posted. “I need executives with winning experience. I need leaders I can learn from. I need people that are on the same frequency about changing this world right now. #Godswork is another level. So remember, come with receipts and have winning experience!”

The 52-year old entertainment mogul went on to list some of the job titles they were starting with “for now” They include CMO, COO, VP of marketing, revenue technologists, Social Media Managers, creative directors, graphic designers, copywriters, editors, fashion designers, middle and high school teachers, videographers, photographers and

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content creators.

“I’m looking for executers who get s**t done,” Diddy added. “Make no excuses. By any means necessary within the confines of God’s will.”

Those interested were urged to contact him at Godswork@combsglobal.com.

Delta CEO Challenges Business Leaders to Cultivate Economic Opportunities for Black Talent Delta CEO Ed Bastian issued a challenge to business leaders to join One Ten, a national coalition aimed at closing the opportunity gap for Black talent by taking a skills-first approach to hiring and promotions.

“Millions of new jobs being added to the U.S. economy remain out of reach for people without traditional fouryear college degrees,” Bastian wrote. “Specifically, 76% of Black talent age 25 and above in the workforce are without a four-year degree, further perpetuating a wealth gap that has existed for far too long.”

Delta was a founding member of OneTen–a coalition of over 70 corporations committed to meaningful progress toward racial equity and cultivating economic opportunities for Black talent in America with the goal of hiring, training and advancing 1 million Black Americans into sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement by 2030.

The SBA Partners With Operation Hope to Empower Black Businesses The Small Business Administration has partnered with Operation Hope for a Strategic Alliance Memorandum (SAM) geared toward the development of entrepreneurial potential within the Black community.

“Our work together will help advance President Biden’s vision for an economy that works for all Americans and is built from the bottom up and the middle out”, said SBA Administrator Casillas Guzman. “ “Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart.

It takes grit, determination, a clear understanding of how money works, and most importantly how to access critical resources,” said Bryant. “Through this groundbreaking partnership with the SBA, we are on a mission to teach diverse communities how to succeed in business and build sustainable wealth for their families and their communities.”

The alliance will help introduce small business owners from historically underserved, under-resourced communities to counseling and learnings aimed at lowering barriers to accessing critical capital, developing relationships up and down the supply chain, and generating new revenue streams to scale for success.

Targeted cities include Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, New York City and Philadelphia.

InMemoriam G. Mansfield Collins—Tuskegee Airman, Confidante to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Co-organizer of the West Coast’s Largest Civil Rights Rallies, Dies at 101 Rev. G. Mansfield Collins, a Tuskegee Airman, confidante of Martin Luther King, Jr. and one of the founding members of the Western Christian Leadership Conference (WCLC)–the west coast arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference– has died. He was 101.

Collins was a key figure in the civil rights movement on the west coast. Under his leadership as executive director, the WCLC raised more than $6 million in the struggle for civil rights, mostly through fundraisers at the homes of Burt Lancaster, Charlton Heston, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dr. Irving Lichtenstein and Beverly Hills businessmen philanthropists John Factor, Victor Carter and Mark Boyar, as well as events held at the Sports Arena and Santa Monica Civic Auditorium that attracted the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Dick Van Dyke and Mahalia Jackson.

“It was because of him that I came up with this idea of going to Hollywood and get some of their money,” recalls Xernona Clayton, who is regarded as a civil rights legend. “We ended up going to Burt Lancaster’s home and four or five of those celebrities who let us use their

houses for fundraisers and we sent the money to Atlanta for the SCLC because Martin was his friend and because he was fighting the dragons of bigotry.”

In 1963, Collins played a key role in organizing and coordinating the “Los Angeles Freedom Rally,” one of the largest civil rights rallies in the country, which drew nearly 40,000 people– including Dorothy Dandridge, Rita Moreno, Paul Newman, Sammy Davis Jr., Dick Gregory and Marlon Brando– to Wrigley Field in South Los Angeles to hear Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speak.

In 1965, Collins personally chartered four airliners to the Selma to Montgomery marches.

Of his relationship with King, Clayton said, “They were like brothers. When they saw each other on sight they would both start laughing like ‘Boy, am I glad to see you’. It didn’t matter if they’d just been together the week before, and I had the privilege of being in those intimate circles. So, when we had private dinners for Dr. King, I was included. There was Martin Luther King, the famous man, sitting right there with his friend, Mansfield.

“In fact, I felt a kinship to Martin Luther King long

before he asked me to come work for him in Atlanta because I’d already had a strong relationship with him because of Mansfield.”

On one occasion, when Dr. King asked Collins to organize a singing tour for his wife, Coretta Scott King, he sent along Clayton as her traveling companion.

In August of 1965 during the Watts Riots, Collins was credited with saving the life of a white man who was targeted by a group of rioters in an L.A. Times newspaper account.

Born in Pueblo, Colorado on September 27, 1920, Gamaliel Mansfield Collins was the elder son of Rev. H. Mansfield Collins, a pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Mrs. Amelia Davis Collins, a former schoolteacher of Kansas City, Missouri.

The family moved to Los Angeles from Chicago in 1935 with the appointment of his father to the pastorate at First AME Church, then known as Eighth & Towne”.

He graduated from Polytechnic High School in 1936– where one of his classmates was Tom Bradley– and attended the University of Southern California.

In 1943, he was drafted into the armed forces and assigned to the 2044th Quartermaster Unit and sent to Tonopah, Nevada. The unit was transferred to Hamilton Field where he initiated plans to take the test for flight school at Tuskegee, Alabama.

With recommendations from a Congressman and army general, he was cleared to take the test for the segregated Air Force Flight School at Tuskegee. He was the first member of his class to fly solo and graduated in the class of 441 at Tuskegee becoming a flight officer assigned to the Medium Bombardment Group at Godmen Field, Kentucky under then Colonel Benjamin O. Davis.

Collins’ first experience in activism came during his time in Tuskegee. In 1945–in what was dubbed as the “Freeman Field Mutiny”– members of the Tuskegee Airmen’s 477th Bombardment Group attempted to integrate an all-white officers' club, demanding equal privileges for Black officers. The mutiny resulted in 162 separate arrests of black officers.

Collins–who would proudly declare, “I was an agitator”–was one of them. It was the beginning of a focus on civil rights that would shape his lifelong service.

Upon his return he continued in his service as assistant pastor and musical director at the Neighborhood Community Church, which was organized by his father in 1940, while also singing in and around Los Angeles with the chorale formed by famed actor/negro spiritual composer, Jester Hairston. Through his work with Hairston, he had bit parts in several films including Collins continued to page 24

ThroughThe Storm Pain to Praise – “How Music Overcame the Mental Illness that Almost Killed Richard Smallwood”

L.A. Focus/October 2022

H

e’s written such classic hymns as “Total Praise”, “Center of My Joy”, “Healing” and “I Love the Lord”. Songs that have long become standards in churches, encouraging, uplifting and inspiring thousands of Christians the world over.

Music that has been recorded by artists like Yolanda Adams, Destiny's Child, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin.

Just knowing the impact he’s had is what makes it all worthwhile for gospel legend Richard Smallwood who remains thrilled when people approach him with stories of how his music has changed their lives.

“I’m most proud when people tell me that my music kept them through their divorce, through the death of their spouse or parent, or it kept me when I was homeless”, the Grammy award winning composer/performer states. “That kind of thing you cannot put a price tag on. Or when they come to me and say the music kept me from killing myself.

“Now, how ironic is that?”

The irony–recounted in his 2019 autobiography, Total Praise– is that Smallwood has been battling clinical depression and suicidal thoughts from as far back as he can remember.

“I started noticing things, though I didn’t know what it all meant as a kid,” Smallwood recounts. “I would get so sick when it was time to go to school that my mother would keep me home though nothing physically was wrong. I came from a physically abusive relationship with my stepfather. He would beat me for no reason whatever and I think it started there.

“Some of it was DNA because other members of my family suffered with depression and anxiety as well,” Smallwood continues. “My grandfather–my mother’s father committed suicide before I was born. But as I got older what I came to understand about depression is that if you don’t get help, it doesn’t get any better.”

At the height of Smallwood’s depression, he wouldn’t get out of bed or leave his Washington D.C. home.

“It was hard for me to do my daily tasks whatever it was that I was supposed to do,” Smallwood reveals.

“Performing was never a problem. It’s always been as natural to me as breathing but coming off the stage it was just anxiety of life. Fear of crowds, fear of answering the phone.”

Surprisingly, it was those dark times that have fueled some of his biggest hits, including his favorite song, Total Praise.

“People think a praise song like that would come out of a happy, rejoicing kind of place, but when I wrote Total Praise, my mother was ill and one of my foster brothers had a complete mental breakdown. was going from the hospital where he was staying trying to find a caregiver and I sat down at the piano and started feeling hopeless as to what I could do to help my loved ones. I was trying to write a pity party song and God just kept leading it into a song of praise and the power of praise,” the 71-year old artist states.

“I remember when I wrote it how it ministered to me and I’ve written songs where at the time I wrote it, I was writing it for other people, but the lyrics were what I was going through.”

Smallwood’s worst bout with depression came just four years ago. Feeling fine, he stopped taking his medication, thinking he didn’t need it anymore. He hadn’t consulted his doctors and now reasons that at least for a time, his body was still running off the residuals of medication he’d already taken. Then came the all too familiar triggers– from supposed big breaks that petered out into equally big disappointments to the loss of beloved family and cherished

18

“

On this one particular day, it was really bad and I’d googled ‘how can I commit suicide painlessly’ when this big message came up on my computer screen. It read ‘call the suicide hotline immediately’. That kind of jolted me out of it. mentors like Walter Hawkins and Aundrae Crouch.

“Little by little, the depression started coming back,” Smallwood recalls. “It was so gradual I didn’t notice at first. Then I started not going out of the house, not answering the phone and I got fascinated with watching videos of suicide.

“People who’d shot themselves, jumped off bridges, out of windows–people who would harm themselves.

That’s all I would watch. I just wanted to end it all and wondered how it could be done without out messing up and getting maimed, but not dying.

“On this one particular day, it was really bad and I’d googled ‘how can I commit suicide painlessly’ when this big message came up on my computer screen. It read ‘call the suicide hotline immediately’. That kind of jolted me out of it. If that notice had not come up on the screen, I really don’t know that I would be here today”.

Like many, Smallwood didn’t talk about his depression or seek help out of shame.

“I was diagnosed with clinical depression in 2000 and as I looked around me, I saw how pervasive it was all over but I was focusing on the black community, black males and the Christian community as well and how so many people were suffering and there was a stigma on it. Nobody wanted to talk about it. I felt that I was judged.

“At first, I was going to write a book about the industry, the songs but my manager suggested that I write about it and the more I prayed about it, he was right. God had given me this platform to speak to people at churches, concerts, conferences… I could speak to it from the things I’d gone through that helped me to be stronger.

For Smallwood, a lot of answers came with therapy.

“When I was two, I climbed up on my stepfathers lap and he pushed me off of his lap and said ‘get away from me, you’re not my child’,” said Smallwood. “What that does is to set up all kinds of insecurities that I wasn’t good enough. It didn’t matter how many other people say you’re talented…”

“That was what kept me sane. When I was five, I asked my mother to make me a robe because I wanted to be a gospel singer. I wrote my first song when I was about five. It made absolutely no

sense. It was called “Shout for The Weary Alone”. My mother sat me down and said, okay baby, I know you want to write but you have to write lyrics and words that mean something and make sense.

Success came early for the Atlanta native who formed his first gospel group when he was 11 made up of kids from the Washington D.C. neighborhood he was reared in. He wrote one of his biggest hits, “I Love The Lord”, while studying at Howard University and his first album, The Richard Smallwood Singers spent more than 80 weeks on Billboard’s gospel charts upon its release in 1982.

In the more than three decades since, Smallwood has recorded more than a dozen albums, earning eight Grammy nominations, four Dove Awards and six Stellar awards. His songs have been translated into Korean, German, and Hebrew and he has performed for three presidents.

Music was not only an outlet, but a calming factor.

With therapy, Smallwood–who was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2006– was able to address the foundation of his fears.

“Medication and therapy are really what helped me to understand how to get through life and gave me a platform to speak to mental illness as well as to talk to others who are going through the same thing.”

Today, he is grateful for the platform he has to talk to people dealing with the same thing he’s gone through.

“To let them know that there is hope,” says Smallwood. “So many people have come to me with their stories. It hasn’t been an easy experience for me, but it has been a teaching experience. I always say that we go through difficult things not only so that we can grow, but for others because that’s the bottom line… helping others.”

“Look around at what we’re dealing with now in this country…it’s crazy. So, to write songs people can hold onto when they’re going through challenges, to create something that has that kind of power, that’s the blessing of doing what I do. Even long after I’m gone that the music would continue to bring joy, peace and encouragement to people, that– to me– means more than any award I have ever received.”

ChurchNews Suspect Charged In Fire That Destroyed Historic South L.A. Church; Southside Church of Christ Breaks Ground on Serenity

I

Investigators from the Los Angeles City Fire Department Arson/Counter-Terrorism division announced an arrest in connection with an arson fire that destroyed Victory Baptist Church and injured three firefighters.

Carlos Diaz, a 23-year-old unhoused male, is initially being charged with Penal Code 451C - arson of a structure - with additional charges pending as a result of the fire which caused significant damage to Victory Baptist Church–one of the historic Baptist strongholds in South Los Angeles–was smoldering ashes after a major fire destroyed the church early Sunday morning, injuring two L.A. firefighters.

The blaze which broke out at around 2:22am was declared a “knockdown” after an hour and forty minutes of firefighters working to contain the flames which had engulfed the massive sanctuary located at the corner of McKinley Avenue and East 48th Street.

Crews remained on scene for most of Sunday to ensure hot spots and smoldering debris within the collapsed building were eliminated as church members gathered at the scene.

“The building may be in ruins, but we will rebuild,” said Rev. Edward Jenkins, who has served as the church’s pastor since 1995. “Victory has been instrumental in this community and will continue to be.”

Victory–whose motto is “To Serve the Present Age”–was organized and founded by Arthur Atlas Peters on Easter Sunday, April 2, 1943 in a storefront on 42nd street and Wadsworth Avenue with 14 members.

In 1950, Victory Baptist Church made national news and inspired thousands when its Sunday night services were aired on KTTV during prime time. It also broke new ground as the state’s first Black-owned day and nursery school.

During its glory days in the sixties, the church grew to more than 2,000 members and was best known for its 75-voice choir, “The Voices of Victory”, and its ac-

Agape Church of Los Angeles Worship Center: Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center 4305 Degnan Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008 Corprate Office: 4602 Crenshaw Blvd, Suite 2A, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 295-5571 www.agapela.org Bishop Craig A. Worsham, Founder & Senior Pastor Sunday School: 10:00am Morning Worship: 11:00am Loving, Lifting & Liberating Humanity Through The Word

tivism. Dr. Martin Luther King spoke there on two occasions and Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy officiated Peters’ funeral there in 1975.

Bethesda Temple Apostolic Faith While the fire was deemed a total loss, what stood 4909 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90043 untouched by the flames were records and pictures (323) 299-2591 • thevoice4904@att.net documenting the church’s rich 79-year history and the Pastor Kyron S. Shorter podium Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rev. Ralph D. Sunday Morning Prayer: 9:00am Abernathy preached from.

Sunday School: 9:30am Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Congresswoman Karen Morning Worship: 11:00am Bass and Councilman Curren Price were among the Children’s Church: 11:00am elected officials offering their support to Jenkins on Sunday Evening Service: 6:00pm Sunday while members in the Baptist community are also rallying behind the church. Many churches including Mount Zion Baptist Church, Macedonia Bap- Brookins-Kirkland Community AME Church tist Church and Weller Street Baptist Church took up 3719 West Slauson Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 296-5610 • www.bkcamechurchla.org offerings.

Rev. Mary S. Minor, DMin,Pastor A larger benefit service is in the works.

Worship virtually: Facebook Live at “This is a huge blow to the faith community,” said Brookins-KirklandCommunity AME Church Pastor K.W. Tulloss, president of the Baptist MinisFor prayer: Call or email to be added to the prayer list ter’s Fellowship. “Victory is a huge part of our Baptist Bible Study Thursdays: 6pm Via Zoom tradition here in Los Angeles, so the faith community call or email office:bkcamechurchla@gmail.com is coming together to raise monies to help support the church through this tragedy and ensure that Victory’s rich legacy continues.”

Southside Church of God Breaks Ground on Serenity Last month, Southside Church of Christ broke ground in Council District 8 on a mixed-use, 50-unit affordable rental housing development called Serenity on land that once served as the church’s parking lot.

The five-story housing development–located on Manchester, one block east of Western–will not only include units for seniors and the homeless, but will also feature retail.

"We hope, trust and pray that it'll be a blessing to the community. Our young people have looked forward to this, and we're going to serve them in this community," said Dr. Carl C. Baccus, pastor of Southside Church of Christ.

The apartments are specifically reserved for residents aged 55 years and older, with annual incomes at or below 60 percent of the Los Angeles County area median income.

“It’s so important to the community”, said L.A. City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson. “The only solution to homelessness is housing. The Southside Church of Christ is leading the way.”

The City of Los Angeles Housing Department and the Housing Authority of Los Angeles joined up with Southside Church of Christ, the development firm, John Stanley Inc. and Innovative Housing Opportunities to take on the project. The project was partially funded by a Proposition HHH-supported housing loan of $9.22 million and $19.91 million in tax-exempt and taxable bonds.

Bryant Temple AME Church 2525 W. Vernon Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90008 (323) 293-6201 • F: (323) 293-0082 Pastor Dwaine Jackson

Sunday School: 8:15am Morning Worship: 9:15 am Bible Study (Tues): Noon Pastor’s Bible Study( Tues): 6:00pm

Calvary Baptist Church 4911 W. 59th Street,Los Angeles, CA,90056 (323)298-1605•F: (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!

Crenshaw Christian Center 7901 South Vermont, Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323) 758-3777 • F: (323)565-4231 • www.faithdome.org Pastor Frederick K. Price, Jr. Sunday Service: 9:45am Bible Study (Tue): 11:00am & 7:30pm Tue. Night Children’s Ministry: 7:30pm Tue. Night Bible Study (Teens): 7:30pm Alcohol & Drug Abuse Program (Wed): 7:30pm

L.A. Focus/October 2022

Congregational Church of Christian Fellowship 2085 S. Hobart Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 Phone: (323) 731-8869 • F: (323) 731-0851 www.christianfellowshipla.org Pastor James K. McKnight Sunday LiveStream: 10:00am (facebook.com/christianfellowshipla) Sunday Conference Call: 10:00am (310-372-7549 / code: 342408) Tue/Thurs Morning Word & Prayer: 7:00am Wed. Bible Study w/ Elder Stephen Brown (701-802-5001 / code: 825252#

20 Southside Church of Christ Pastor Carl Baccus (center) surrounded by family and members for groundbreaking of “Serenity”

God’s Faithful Disciple of Jesus Christ/ Prayer Clinic & Deliverance Ministry P.O. Box 561368, Los Angeles, CA 90056 (323) 293-7566 • www.gfdjc.org •gfdjc@att.net Dr.Ruby I. Cottle, Ph.D., Pastor/Teacher Services every Friday: 7:00pm We meeet at: St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church 3901 W. Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, Ca 90018 Watch Dr. Cottle on HBN TV Wed’s 7:30am Channel 886 Dish,Smart TV Local Channel 35.2 Listen to Dr. Cottle Sundays on KJLH at 5:00am

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

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

Rev. Dr. J. Arthur Rumph, Pastor

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

Reappointed to Grant AME Church Los Angeles Rev. Dr. James A. Rumph

Sunday School: 8am Worship: 9:30am Wed. Bible Study: 11:30am •6pm

Greater Ebenezer Baptist Church 5300 S. Denker Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90062 (323) 759-4996 Rev. DeNon Porter Early Worship: 8am Sunday School: 9:30am Mid-Morning Worship: 11am Radio-KALI 900AM: Sun. 11-Noon, 7-8pm KTYM 1460AM Sundays: 5:30pm Bible Study (Tues, Wed & Thurs): 7pm Holman United Methodist Church 3320 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 703-5868 • www.holmanumc.com Email: holman@holmanumc.com Rev. Dr. Ken Walden, Senior Pastor Sunday Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Sunday Radio: KJLH 102.3FM at 11am Sunday School: 9:30am (Children/Youth) & 9:45am (Adults) Bible Study: Every Thursday @ Noon We Gather,Grow,Go and Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ McCarty Memorial Christian Church 4103 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018 (323) 731-4131 • www.mccartychurch.org Senior Pastor Edward Anderson Sunday Worship: 10:45am Bible Study: Tues @12:30pm/Wed @6pm Zoom Call: (605) 472-5454 Access:188857 Online Stream Live: Sundays@10:45am to www.mccartychurch.org Give: Text 77977 Instagram@mccartyconnect Mount Moriah Baptist Church of Los Angeles, Inc. 4269 South Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90037 (323) 846-1950 •Fax: (323) 846-1964 Rev. Johnteris Tate-Pastor Sunday Church School: 8:00am Worship Service: 9:15am Baptist Training Union: 7:00am Tues. Bible Study/Prayer: Noon & 7:00pm

Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church 3669 W. 54th St. Los Angeles, CA 90043 • (323) 291-1121 F: (323) 291-1133 • office@sinai.church • www.sinai.church George E. Hurtt, Pastor-Teacher Sunday Worship: 8am,10am,Noon Tuesday Night in the Truth: 7:15pm Radio: KKLA 99.5 FM (Sun): 6:00pm All services stream live on our website, Facebook page and YouTube channel.

During the pandemic, pre-registration is requested to attend in-person services.

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church 1300 E. 50th Street Los Angeles, CA 90011 (323) 235-2103 • Rev. Joshua Daniels, Pastor Morning Worship: 10am (In Service and Online Live Stream Worship) Sunday School: 8:45am Wed. Bible Study: 7:00pm www.mtzionla.org New Antioch Church of God in Christ 7826 So. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90044 (323) 778-7965 • www.newantiochcogic.org Superintendent Jeffrey M. Lewis Sunday Early Worship: 8am Sunday Morning Worship: 11am Sunday School: 9:30am Tuesday Bible Study: 11am Wednesday In The Word: 7pm All services streamed: Facebook and YouTube @New Antioch Church of God In Christ

FIRST LADY FILES

KAREN A. BROWN Contributor

Sandra Williams

A

Evening Star MBC

true servant of God, Lady Sandra Williams, has been walking with the Lord since she was a little girl. She is the first lady of the Evening Star Missionary Baptist Church where her husband Rev. Keith Williams is the pastor.

The baby of nine children, Sandra, has always had a love for music and led her first solo at the age of four with her mom singing backup. “My mother introduced us to all kinds of gospel music and taught us how to play the piano as well,” she recalls.

Lady Sandra met her husband through a mutual friend while they were students in college. Her husband was leading the youth ministry at the time and they would soon become fast friends.

“Keith actually helped me see the real God we serve,” Sandra recalls.

The Williams’ served the Second Baptist Church of Martinez, CA, for 21 years prior to moving back home to Evening Star–a church where her husband had a long family legacy.

“Evening Star,” she says, “was a new beginning for me.”

With a burden for teaching, Lady Sandra, led a Sunday school group of young girls that are now all grown up and has made such an impact on these young women that now they have their own strong relationships with the Lord. “It is my greatest joy to see them grow in the Lord,” Williams adds.

A 21st century visionary, she has a plan to bring mental health and wellness to the inner city church and for her it begins with communication.

“Can we just have the real conversations? That’s how we are going to reach the young folk,” states Lady Sandra who is the mother four adult children and a grandmother to six.

Park Windsor Baptist Church 1842 W. 108th St. Los Angeles, CA 90047 (323) 756-3966 • RevTerrellTaylor@sbcglobal.net Rev. Terrell Taylor Morning Worship: 8:00am & 11:00am Bible Study Wednesday: Noon & 7:00pm Communion: 1st Sunday at 8:00am & 11:00am

Phillips Temple CME Church 973 East 43rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90011 (323) 233-4783 Rev. Dr. Darrell Wesley, Pastor Sunday Worship: 10am Bible Study: Wednesdays at Noon Online: Facebook.com/ PhillipsTempleCME.LosAngeles

St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church 5017 S. Compton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90011 (323) 231-1040 • stmarkmbcofla.org Reverend Dr. Lovely Haynes, Pastor Sunday Worship: 8:30am Sunday classes follow morning service Tues Eve Family Prayer Line: 6:30pm Wednesday Noon: Hour of Power Prayer line Wednesday Bible Study: 6:00pm (Zoom & Facebook) Sunday Exposition of Sunday School Lesson:10am Trinity Baptist Church 2040 W. Jefferson Blvd., L.A., CA 90018 • (323) 735-0044 F: (323) 735-0219• trinitybaptistchurchofla.org Rev. Alvin Tunstill, Jr Sunday Worship Services: 10:30am YouTube: tv.trinitybaptist.cloud Sunday Radio Broadcast KJLH-FM: 9am Wed. Night Virtual Bible Study: 7pm (Meeting ID: 480-271-5449.

Or call 1-699-900-6833; give zoom ID Sign-in at 6:55pmrchofla.org

Weller Street Baptist Church 129 S. Gless St, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (323) 261-0949 • F: (323)264-6601 • www.wellerstreetlive.com Pastor K.W. Tulloss Sunday School: 8:00am Sunday Morning Worship: 9:00am Tues. Bible Study: 6:45pm www.wellerstreetlive.com

West Angeles Church of God In Christ 3600 W. Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016 (323) 733-8300 • www.westa.org Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:30pm Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr., Senior Pastor Charles E. Blake II Co-Pastor Sunday Service: 10:00am Sunday Radio Broadcast: KJLH 102.3 FM: 10:00am

In Compton Citizens of Zion Missionary Baptist Church 12930 No. Lime Ave., Compton, CA 90221 (310) 638-0536 • F: (323) 636-2080 • www.citizensofzion.org Rev. Bobby Newman, Jr., Senior Pastor; Rev. B.T. Newman, Pastor (Pastor Emeritus) Service Time: 10:45 Virtual Worship: Youtube Greater Zion Church Family 2408 North Wilmington Avenue, Compton, CA 90222 (310) 639-5535 • (Tues - Thurs 10am -4pm) Dr. Michael J. Fisher, Senior Pastor Sunday Worship: 9:00am Online Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00pm FB: GreaterZionChurchFamily IG: GZCFamily www.gzcfamily.com

Holy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church 1016 E. Rosecrans Avenue, Compton, CA 90220 (310) 537-3149 • F: (310) 537-3149 Rev. Dr. George L. Thomas Sunday School: 9:45am & 10:15am Early Morning Worship: 7:30am Mid-Morning Worship: 11:15am New Members’ Class: 9:45am Communion/1st Sunday: 7:30am/11:15am Mid-Week Prayer/Bible Study (Wed)- 7pm Broadcast (KALI 900AM - Sun:2-3:00pm Love and Unity Christian Fellowship 1840 S. Wilmington Ave, Compton 90220 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5449, Compton, CA 90224 Apostle Ronald C. Hill Sr., Founder/Pastor Live Stream Sunday Worship:10am/6:30pm Live Stream Bible Studies: Wed 7:30am & 9:00am Live Stream Prayer w /Apostle Hill: Fri: 9am Food For Your Soul TV Ministry Impact TV Network: Mon-Fri PST 6:30am The Word Network Fridays @ 12:30pm

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

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

The Liberty Church 4725 S. Gramercy Place, Gardena, CA 90249 (310) 715-8400 Pastor David W. Cross Morning Worship/Livestream:10:00 am Hispanic Ministry Worship/Livestream:12Noon Word Power Wednesday/Livestream: 7:00pm The CROSSWORD with Pastor Cross: YouTube

Atherton Baptist Church 2627 W. 116th Street Hawthorne,CA 90250 (323) 757-3113 • www.athertonbc.org F: 323-757-8772 • athertonbaptist@sbcglobal.net Pastor Larry Weaver

Bible Enrichment Fellowship International In Inglewood 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

In Hawthorne

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

Pastor Wendy Howlett Sunday Morning Worship & Word: 9:30am Wednesday Prayer & Bible Study: 7:00pm View Sunday Worship: www.youtube.com (Under Blessed Family Covenant Church) www.blessedfamilycovenant.org

Center of Hope LA 9550 Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90305 #centerofhope•#cohla•Info@GO2HOPE.com Give: Text COHLA to (833) 246-7144 Pastor Geremy L. Dixon Service Times: 8:00am & 10:00am Watch Via: Facebook|YouTube|Live Stream Closer To People...Closer To God! www.GO2Hope.com

Faithful Central Bible Church 333 W. Florence Ave. Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 330-8000 • F: (310) 330-8035 Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer, Ph.D. Senior Pastor/Teacher Sunday Services: 7:00 am & 9:30am Wed. Mid-Week Service: 7:00pm The Tabernacle is located at 321 N. Eucalyptus Ave., Inglewood www.faithfulcentral.com

Jacob’s Ladder Community Fellowship, inc.

1152 E. Hyde Park Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90302 (866) 330-1702 • F: (310) 674-0760 Watchman/Shepherd Dr. Robert T. Douglas Sr. Sunday Fresh Start & Prayer 9:00am Sunday School: 10:00am Morning Services: 11:45am Evening Service: 7:00pm Wed. Lock & Load Prayer: 7:00pm Wed. Bible Study: 7:30pm 3rd Friday Youth Night: 7:30pm www.jacobladderschurch.com

True Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 7901 South Van Ness Ave. Inglewood, CA 90305 (323) 750-7304 Rev. James A. Perkins Sunday School: 9:30am Early Worship: 8am Morning Worship: 10:45am Bible Adventure Hour (Tues): 6pm Bible Study (Tues): 7pm Bible Study (Thurs): Noon

Pastor Profile: Geremy Dixon Church: Center of Hope How Long at church: 10 years Hometown: Los Angeles Family: Wife, Adrianne; five children This month you celebrate ten years at Center of Hope, how has the church evolved under your leadership, and what are you most proud of?

Some of the obvious evolutions have been the demographic. We've always been a church that I think cater to families, but we've seen an increased number of families with small kids, younger single individuals. I think another evolution aside from that is we've seen our church get hyper focused on things like child welfare, human trafficking–attempting to broaden our reach into other parts of the world serving a number of different nations other than the US. And so just seeing our people embrace that on a number of levels in some unique ways.

I also think the style of worship evolved quite a bit. We came out of a style that certainly prioritized choirs and maybe had some other structural kind of specificity. Now, we've changed the sanctuary and taken down some of what we saw a s

maybe architectural boundaries, both inside of our sanctuary and around our campus.

Taking over after your father's death, what were the biggest challenges you've had to face?

One was really not only finding but refining my own voice and being comfortable in that space and even what's unique in trying to find your voice, is you have to be really careful not to denigrate other voices or previous voices, but to find your voice while honoring the voices that have been in that house. At the time I was 32 with a young family, so really like coming into my own and doing so responsibly.

Then navigating church culture and how to engage with other pastors. I’m an introvert in a lot of ways.

People don't know that about me. So, you're dealing with civic engagement, media, and even like a lot of the new media that's out. You're dealing with just so many different things.

You've been pretty creative in your leadership role. What inspires your creativity?

Deliberate exposure. I'm a naturally curious person. I love new things and re-imagining– and then me having maybe a different ideology about what the church is here for relative to the relevance the church ought to have in culture.

I’ve always said the identity of our church really is that God sends here. I know there's an element in which God does give leadership divine vision, but having said that, there's a reason that the makeup of our church is what it is, and I think it's a combination of the frequency in which we operate on from the prophetic space, but it's also an amalgamation of the population that is there.

So, we utilize the gifts and the strengths and the interests of our gathered people to kind of chart our path forward.

What do you think most appeals to people about you and your church?

I think we're a pretty an unpretentious place. We don't have a lot of hurdles or barriers relative to ministry engagement. We're pretty

relaxed when it comes to just wanting to create an authentic space of worship, fellowship and development and discipleship.

You branched out into two locations. What was behind those moves?

The short answer is I had no heart for church planting until the Lord took me to Atlanta to plant a church and that was divine. I did not want to go, but that experience created for me this deep sense of calling to replicate churches all around the world. With that being kind of my big idea that I said, ‘Well, we’ve got to start somewhere.’ And so, I had some folk that were coming down from the San Fernando Valley and that 405 drive is a nightmare. So, we just said let's just plant something there first. Then during 2020, another church on the east side–the congregation had aged and so, we were gifted that property– and we're opening our third location there.

When I talk about these locations, they're more like serve centers where we are gathering people, but the primary impact is how we're able to reach in full measure those who live in and around those neighborhoods where these places are located. We do a lot with human trafficking. We do a lot with food insecurity. We do a lot with child welfare, recovery, –you name it. My thought is we're planting places in these various areas to serve as a hub for the purposes of serving that area.

What does the next 10 years look like?

We need to have a voice and I'm talking about I believe in voting. I believe in protesting. I believe that lobbying also is an effective mechanism for moving government, so we have a voice at that table. That's where I want to give my time and economic development. There are neighborhoods all around this country and the world with people who look like me who are marginalized. I'm proud of the work many groups have done to do what I'm talking about already in a number of different ways, but I just want to lend my voice and get in the flow of the incredible work already being done to advocate on every level. Protest, yes. Try to impact, create content…all those things. But ultimately to build this network of individuals who are going in and nation building in various neighborhoods around the US so that we can advance–particularly in the Black experi ence–the quality of life that is promised in the ConstiPastor continued to page 23

From the Pulpit: A Place of Grace “Strength to Deliver”

I

f it were up to men to bring forth children, there'd be one child per family. Women seem to have a greater capacity and strength to bring forth like that and any woman who has brought forth a child knows that there is discomfort in the time you are carrying the child, but the most uncomfortable period is at birth– actually bringing forth.

You've seen movies where women want to kill their husbands at these times because of the intensity of the pain.

There are things that are right now being birthed in the spirit. There is a birthing that is happening and in times of birthing we must understand that our God is a God who brings forth and births.

God is not a God who brings to the point of birth and doesn't deliver. He is not a God who brings to the point or the precipice of manifesting, then aborts the process.

He is a God who not only impregnates and inseminates, but who also brings forth that which he has purposed.

In Isaiah 66:9, God says, "Shall I bring to the time of birth and not cause delivery”. Remember, there are no rhetorical questions in the word of God. Every question has an answer from the Word.

Therefore, anything that is impeding or trying to obstruct the bringing forth of that which you've been carrying, I have come to you as a prophet of God to tell you that devil; that obstacle; that impediment; that circumstantial situation; is lying to you. God is surely going to manifest what He has inseminated. He is certainly going to bring to pass what He’s purposed.

I don't have time for the historical context, but this is a time (in Isaiah 36), Hezekiah, the King, is surrounded by an enemy led by a man (Rabshakeh) who has come to challenge the children of Israel. Hezekiah has sent word to the prophet Isaiah.

The King is sending word to the prophet because he is saying, "I am facing a situation for which I need a word from a man of God in order to overcome and deal with this.”

Sometimes, you've got to get a word. And they said to him, thus says Hezekiah, "This day is a day of trouble and rebuke and blasphemy for the children have come to birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth."

In other words, they are saying that this is out of order. That this is not the will of God. That this is not

Pastor Profile continued from page 22 tution.

Did you always know you would be a pastor?

Growing up a pastor’s kid, everyone says you’re gonna be a pastor and you fight it at first. I was 16 when I decided I was going to preach. Ironically, in 1997, about a year after my father had taken over as senior pastor of this church, Bishop [Benjamin] Reed called me in his office. He reached across the desk, put his hand on my hand, and said, ‘Geremy you’re going to be the next pastor of this congregation after your father’.

I was 17 or 18 and that is when I finally accepted this would be my job at some point. From then on I did every role you could think of before leaving to plant the church in Atlanta.

What are you best at?

Encouraging and speaking strength into people. I believe I have a unique ability to connect people to the word and to each other. I look at my job as one who creates an environment for an interaction between you and God.

Antioch Church of Long Beach 350 Pine Ave. ,Long Beach, CA 90802 (562) 591-8778 •www.antiochlb.com Senior Pastor Wayne Chaney, Jr.

In Long Beach

Online Services Stream live: Sun 10:00am at antiochlb.com Give: text antiochib to 77977 Social Media: facebook.com/antiochlb instagram.com/antiochlb youtube.com/antiochlongbeach 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: 7pm

Grant AME Church of Long Beach 1129 Alamitos Av. Long Beach, CA 90813 • (562) 437-1567 grantamelb@aol.com Rev. Dr. Michael W. Eagle, Sr. Sunday Worship: 10:45am Wednesday Food Bank: 9:00am-Noon Mothers of Murdered Youth/Children: Thurs by Appt.; (B.U.S) Blankets, Underwear, Shoes: Thursdays Facebook Live•YouTube•Free Conf Call

located. It is located in the Lord's joy. So if the enemy can steal your joy, then the enemy has got your strength.

You've got to understand. In this matter Satan is a covert operator. He doesn't come after your strength, he comes after your joy. If he can steal your joy, you can come to church all you want but he’s got you. You can go to counseling all you want to, but he’s got you.

Joy is not happiness. Happiness is a product of environmental circumstance. Joy is a product of the Spirit of God on the inside of you.

In John 15:11, Jesus says, "These things I have spoken to you that My joy may remain IN you and that your joy might be full.”

This is spiritual technology. This is a technique in the spirit of getting strong again. This is what the Bible meant when it said, "David encouraged himself in the Lord."

There was nobody around to encourage David. There was nobody telling him he was going to make it. Everybody was trying to kill him. The Bible says, "He went and encouraged himself." (1 Samuel 30:6) As a believer, how do we encourage ourselves? How do we release the Lord’s joy in us so that we gain the strength to deliver what God has purposed us to birth?

How do you do it? You begin to lift your hand and your voice and say, "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall n o t want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. God, You are with me. Your rod and staff, they comfort me. Even in the presence of all my adversaries, you are anointing my head with oil, and I declare in the greatest challenge of my life, I receive the greatest anointing on my life!” (Psalm 23)

Walking In The Spirit Ministries In Double Tree (Sonoma Grill) 12623 Norwalk Blvd, Norwalk CA 90650 (213) 248-6343 P.O Box 1597 Norwalk CA,90651 Tim & Leshia Brooks

Norwalk

Morning Worship: 11:00am Services Held Every 2nd & 4th Sunday and Free Breakfast Is Served Bible Study: 8:30am (Every 5th Friday)

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

Call 310.677.6011 Ask for Kisha

L.A. Focus/October 2022

What was the biggest lesson you learned from your Dad? His ability to be measured in his responses. He wasn’t impetuous or reactive. He had the gift of temperance– the strength of restraint. I’m still digesting that and oddly enough as certain provocations present themselves it shows me how much more I have to learn from that…where I have to be more measured like he was.

the plan of God. Why are they saying this?

Because what they were seeing is that the children have come to a time of birth but there was no strength to deliver. However, God just said, “Would I do that?”

The answer is no.

If you and I come to a time of birthing and are lacking strength to deliver, then it's not God who’s obstructing the manifestation. It’s something else.

So if you come to a time of birthing, and many times we do this, and it seems like birthing is not happening, the key here is revealed, that there is no strength to bring for us. So what the need is then is for strength.

Here is the error of religious preaching and teaching.

Religious preaching and teaching has taught that we need to go to God and get strength, but the Bible teaches that God has already put His strength in you. (Nehemiah 8:10 | 1 John 15:11) So you're going to have to learn how to do what Clark Kent did when he needed to become Superman. You're going to have to learn how to go into a booth like a mildmannered reporter and come out with an S on your chest.

I came to announce to you that you don't need 20 days of fasting or prayer or three days of undisturbed rest to be strengthened. You need to learn where your strength is and how to draw it out.

Nehemiah 8:10 gives us some insight. "Then he said to them, go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared for this day is Holy separate, sanctified–separate to the Lord your God. Do not sorrow."

Now, that's a command just like when God says, “Do not fear.”

See, God will never tell you to do something you cannot do. When God says, "Do not fear," it's because He has given you the spiritual technology to stop fear.

This is one of the things people don't understand.

They think Christianity is magic. Christianity is not magic. There is a spiritual technology to overcoming adversity.

Now watch this, continuing in verse 10, God says, “do not sorrow for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”

There it is. This is where our strength is

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Hate continued from page 6 study by researchers from M.I.T. found that falsehoods on Twitter were 70 percent more likely to be retweeted than accurate news.

“It is vital for social media companies to be vigilant in stopping violent rhetoric and for law enforcement to anticipate, and quickly suppress violence before it spreads,” argues one reporter with the Washington Post. “Such measures are short-term, and do not solve the deeper problem.”

At the core of weaponized rhetoric is the argument for one’s freedom speech — which has many hate groups calling for an end to censorship by social media companies.

Next month, California voters will be more concerned with being heard on issues of homelessness, gas prices, abortion, and the economy. But before that happens, they will be inundated with TV ads, mail flyers, texts and robocalls from candidates and advocates making their cases. It’s anticipated that some campaigners will be borrowing a page from Trump’s book of weaponized rhetoric to communicate their radical opposition to their political opponents.

“Domestic extremists pose an evolving threat of violence to America and our minority communities,” Los Angeles mayoral candidate, Karen Bass weighs in. “We must call out and fight against any ideologies, rhetoric, policies, and actions that dehumanize and justify violence in the United States and abroad.”

This article is the second in a twelve-part series to examine what is contributing to the rising trend of hate crimes and appropriate solutions to “stop the hate.”

“The “Stop the Hate” campaign is made possible with funding from the California State Library in partnership with the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs (CAPIAA). The views expressed in this series produced by LA Focus do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the CSL, CAPIAA or the California government. Learn more at capiaa.ca.go/stop-the-hate.”

Blake continued from page 8 Activities include the “Bishop Charles E. Blake Tribute Concert” on Friday, a breakfast program on Saturday morning paying tribute to the life and legacy of Bishop Blake while welcoming Pastoral Designee Blake II; and a worship service with Lady Mae and Lady DeAndra followed by afternoon tea.

All events will be held at the West Angeles Cathedral and are free and open to the public. Those looking to attend must register. For more information, visit westa.org.

Collins continued from page 17 “Mighty Joe Young” (1949), “Imitation of Life” and “Porgy & Bess” (1959) starring Sidney Poitier, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dorothy Dandridge.

In 1961, he joined together with Rev. Maurice Dawkins, Rev. Larry Odom, Bishop H. Hartford Brookins, Rev. John Doggett, Rev. E.V. Hill, Rev. James Hargett (all now deceased) to form the Western Christian Leadership Conference.

In 1962, Collins organized the All Saints Community Church in Los Angeles. The ministry thrived as a gospel choir became one of the top-flight choirs in the city under the leadership of the late Albert Goodson.

Some years later, Collins elected to become an itinerant minister in the AME church and in an agreement made with Bishop Harrison J. Bryant–then serving as the presiding prelate of the 5th Episcopal District, the church was renamed Bryant Temple AME Church.

Collins served out his years as an AME pastor with churches in Tacoma, Washington, Perris, California, St. Louis, Missouri and Oakland.

In 1995, he served as a founding board member and advisor to his daughter, Lisa Collins in the establishment of L.A. Focus Newspaper, which has become one of the city’s pre-eminent African-American community publications.

The father of five passed peacefully in his sleep on September 23, 2022, three days shy of his 102nd birthday.

Real Pastors of L.A. pose with Congresswoman Karen Bass after a prayer breakfast in Baldwin Hills: Members of the faith community showed their support for Congresswoman Karen Bass in her bid for Mayor at a recent prayer breakfast where she shared her hopes and aspirations for the City of the Los Angeles.L-R: Roshod Hall, Darrell Wesley, Craig Worsham, J. Edgar Boyd, Ken Walden, Philip Lewis, Norman Johnson, Anthony Williams, K.W. Tulloss, Gregory Sanders, E. Wayne Gaddis, Eddie Anderson, Steve Dyson, Sylvester Washington, Wayne Chaney, Virgil Jones and William Smart.

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L.A. Focus/October 2022

25

SavingGrace Terry Crews

T

L.A. Focus/October 2022

erry Crews spent decades cultivating his bodybuilder physique and bravado. On the outside, he seemed invincible: he escaped his abusive father, went pro in the NFL, and broke into the glamorous world of Hollywood. But his fixation with appearing outwardly tough eventually turned into an exhausting performance in which repressing his emotions let them get the better of him–leading him into addiction and threatening the most important relationships in his life.

In April, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star and America’s Got Talent host shared the story of his quest to find the true meaning of toughness in his second memoir Tough: My Journey to True Power. In it, he examines arenas of life where he desperately sought control–masculinity, shame, sex, experiences with racism, and relationships–and recounts the setbacks and victories he faced while uprooting deeply ingrained toxic masculinity and finally confronting his insecurities, painful memories, and limiting beliefs. The result is not only the gripping story of a man’s struggle against himself and how after looking for strength in all the wrong places, he finally found it.

“What was so cathartic and wonderful about writing this book is that I found that in telling the story and actually revealing a lot of these things, they lose power over your life”, says the 54-year old actor whose breakout role in 2002 with the release of Ice Cube’s Friday After Next.

Despite his impressive list of nearly 100 credits including “Everybody Loves Chris”, “The Expendables”, “Deadpool 2”, “Are We There Yet?”, “Bridesmaids”, and “Get Smart”, the happily married father of five had determined his worth through the eyes of other people.

“So, it was like, if everyone loved me then I was great. But if I wasn’t working, I was horrible. I was a failure,” he told the Hollywood Reporter.

“When you determine your self-worth off of everyone else’s opinions and ideas of you, it’s a horrible place to be. I was never satisfied. I was always looking for the next pat on the back or the next laugh, and it had to be continuous. This drives a lot of entertainers [and] it drives a lot of people in the entertainment business, and sometimes it can lead to your downfall. It feeds addictions. It feeds all kinds of things. Because you got to feed the beast or you’re going to be nothing and that’s a really, really lonely, hard-core place to be” It was that place the fueled an addiction to pornography, which led to an infidelity that nearly cost him his marriage.

To help him overcome the addiction that had

26

begun at nine years old and was tearing his marriage apart, the actor went on a 90-sex fast.

“What was so beautiful about that, was it took me to a time when I was 12 years old and I liked a girl and I didn’t know anything about sex,” he continued.

“But all I did was give her a flower and say, ‘I like you for who you are.’ And it wasn’t about sex. It took us back to those moments.”

In 2018, Crews spoke before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill following a 2016 incident where he was sexually assaulted by a successful Hollywood agent. Honored to use his platform and story to help create additional civil rights protections for survivors, Crews said “What happened to me has happened to many, many other men in Hollywood,” he said. “And since I came forward with my story, I have had thousands and thousands of men come to me and say, ‘Me too; this is my story. But I did not have the confidence, or I did not feel safe enough, to come out. Because what happens is, you get blacklisted, your career is in danger–after that, no one wants to work with you.”

Crews said after he came forward, he was also told that what happened to him was “not abuse” but, rather, “a joke” and “horseplay.”

“But I can say that one man’s horseplay is another man’s humiliation,” he said. “I’m not a small, insecure man, but in that moment, and in the time following, I never felt more emasculated.”

In the hardest of times, Crews has also found his faith to be his anchor. In fact, he is first to say that all of his good fortune–from his successful film and TV career, time in the NFL, kids and even the wedding to his wife–has been orchestrated by God. And he has spent a lifetime in church dating back to his childhood in Flint, Michigan in a strict Christian household. Church is, in fact, where he met his wife.

“When I went to Western Michigan University, I went to Christian Life Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This was in 1988 and I had a hi-top fade," he recalls of the first time he met his wife.

"It was a Wednesday service. That’s for the real faithful people," he laughs. "I had visited this new church and my wife was the music minister. She played and wrote songs and did everything. She was also Miss Gary, Indiana and I see her on this piano and I’m like ‘wow, who is that?”

Two years later, they were married and today, they are enjoying the fruits of 33 years together–a big beautiful home, money and the status that comes with the kind of success that has followed Crews from six seasons in the NFL–including stints with the Rams, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles and Wash-

ington Redskins– to Hollywood.

Those early years in Hollywood, however, tested his faith.

“My wife and I lost children and homes following this dream,” he pauses for a moment, reflecting on their early financial struggles and the stress that may have contributed to a miscarriage the couple suffered. “I’m telling you, the stuff I put my wife through as far as jumping around with the NFL and then going into entertainment and being unemployed after each job, that’s a lot of stress.

“There was a time I didn’t work for a year after “Friday After Next,” Crews recalls. "You literally wait a year for it to come out and all the while the money is drying up fast. We would have pizza night where I would buy a bag of yeast for 25 cents, take the dough find some leftover spaghetti sauce and buy a block of cheese because I didn’t have $9.99 to go to Little Caesar’s.

“The phone never stopped ringing from the debtors, and we lost our home. We just had to give it up and during the process of our looking for another home, this guy gave us a house that was way above what our credit was because he just believed in us.

This is not stuff that we can figure out. This is God. “God is faithful,” says Crews. “My faith is totally the saving grace in my life. There are a lot of Christians in the industry, and I’m inspired by them and it keeps me grounded to know that it’s just acting.”

But even with that, he adds, “I do my job as unto the Lord. If I’m going to be a villain, I’m going to be the best villain you ever seen.

You're going to be like, 'is he still saved?'

“I’m that dude.”