Local 323 leads new state-of-the-art facility
The Los Angeles Sentinel staff recently visited their Taste of Soul festival’s labor partner, Western States Carpenters, at their Local 323 Training Center in Carson, CA. The South L.A. carpenters are the backbone of the festival. Each year, the organization volunteers, taking on the massive task as builders and disassemblers of the annual event with over 350,000 attendees on Crenshaw Blvd.
Leading the labor partnership is Kyle Patterson, regional manager of Western States Carpenters; Wesley Crunk, president of Local 323 and Coordinator for Training Center; and Corey Crockerham, special representative for Western States Carpenters.
Among eight training centers throughout California, the South L.A. facility is in Carson, but borders Compton and South Central areas as well.
The center’s management team is a passionate group of leaders who share their craft and help others, particularly in Black and Brown communities, to become carpenters through training and mentorship.
The apprenticeship programs offer earn-as-you-learn opportunities for in-demand construction skills, while earning competitive wages. The goal of the organization is to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing technology in their industry and provide members with broadly marketable skills.
Local 323 President and Coordinator for Training Center, Wesley Crunk introduced Brandi Bakewell, executive vice president of The Bakewell Company and L.A. Sentinel. She greeted the large crowd of carpenters, thanking them for their commitment and return to the upcoming festival.
“My father [Danny Bakewell, Sr.] bought the newspaper about 25 years ago, and he decided, ‘you know what, I think I should do something a little more than just a newspaper,’ and he came up with the Taste of Soul Family Festival. It’s a free festival. This is going to be our 19th year, and we couldn’t do it without the participation of people like the carpenters. So, we are so grateful to you. And thank you to Nicholas Vasquez who first introduced us,” said Bakewell.
The Bakewell Company and the Los Angeles Sentinel team of coordinators, Nicole Williams, vice president of The Bakewell Company and Los Angeles Sentinel; Amira Elswify, project manager for the Los Angeles Sentinel; and Jelani Minix, project coordinator; witnessed a carpenters’ new-membership ceremony and were given a tour of the state-of-the-art center by instructor Darryn Everage.
The facility is filled with new machinery and tools. There are carpentry simulation stations throughout, along with classrooms that focus more on the academic aspect of carpentry certification.
Everage, who is on the outreach team and the Brothers Keeper pre-apprentice program as well, says the team wants to reach out to as many as possible.
“I go to different events and I give out business cards, meet people, and just network to inspire other youth to come in and want to become carpenters,” he said.
Everage says that on top of just teaching the trade, the center teaches professionalism. “We don’t want them just knowing to do the work, but how to conduct ourselves in the right environment. I think this is an awesome facility and it’s a great place to execute that.”
Apprentice, Vasquez, highlighted the benefits of mentorship and community in the training program.
“You gain so much besides the skill. You gain mentorship, you gain camaraderie through the brotherhood. Just good people, like-minded people out here striving and just trying to better our lives and support our families,” he said.
