Stephanie Wiggins Positively Impacts Community as Metro CEO
Stephanie Wiggins was named CEO of the L.A. Country Metropolitan Transportation Authority in December of 2018- she is the first Black woman to lead the department. She oversaw the opening of the K-Line on Oct. 7. This line provides transportation from the Crenshaw District to Hyde Park, Leimert Park, Fairview Heights, Inglewood, and Westchester, designed to provide a faster, reliable, and more convenient way for natives to travel to work, school, and surrounding neighborhoods.
Black History in LAUSD
Irvin Davis, educator and assistant football coach at Dorsey High School, announced the new AP (Advanced Placement) African American Studies course at Dorsey. This class complements LAUSD’s Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP), which was approved in the 2020-2021 school year. BSAP aims to address the lack of relevant cultural lessons and social/ emotional support that correlate to Black students. When Davis teaches, he covers the Transatlantic slave trade, institutionalized racism, the origin of mankind, and a vast array of other interrelated topics.
Ridley-Thomas Found Guilty and Appeals the Conviction
Prominent Los Angeles County politician Mark Ridley-Thomas was sentenced on August 28, to three years and six months in prison for voting in support of county contracts that would favor USC while accepting benefits for his son from the university. He has appealed the conviction.
The 68-year-old Ridley-Thomas was convicted March 30, while he was a suspended member of the L.A. City Council, on single counts of conspiracy, bribery, honest services mail fraud and four counts of honest services wire fraud, stemming from his time serving on the county Board of Supervisors.
Ridley-Thomas is a giant figure in local politics, previously serving con the Los Angeles City Council from 1991-2002, then serving in the state Assembly and state Senate before he was elected to the powerful county Board of Supervisors in 2008, serving until 2020, when he returned to the City Council.
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Registration Opened for Little Miss African American Scholarship Pageant
Little Miss African American Scholarship Pageant accepted applications for their 29th annual pageant. Award-winning choreographer, multi-talented performer, and LMAA founder Lisa Ruffin explains:
“The Little Miss African American Scholarship Pageant is an educational program in pageant format dedicated to the intellectual advancement of African American youth.”
LMAA crowned their 29th Queen on August 6th of this year, 2023, at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood.
Taste of Soul Attracts 500,000
The 18th Annual Taste of Soul Family Festival recorded 500,000 in attendance at the free daylong event on Oct. 21, on Crenshaw Blvd., between Stocker St. and Obama Blvd. Presented by Bakewell Media and the L.A. Sentinel, the Taste of Soul offered the best of food, entertainment, and shopping in the Southland.
U.S. Bank Program Focuses on Black Homeownership
In May of 2022, U.S. Bank launched a program called “Access Home.” The purpose of this program is to increase Black homeownership. Lenny McNeill, recognized by U.S. Bank as ‘One of the Most Influential Black Executives,’ led the team that brought this program to fruition. McNeill expressed that a bad day at work led to the stirrings of this program, “It was the day Black homeownership rates had gone down.” Around that time, Black homeownership was 30% lower than white Americans.
More information on U.S. Bank Access Home Loan can be found at https://www.usbank.com/home-loans/mortgage/access-home-loan.html.
I Like My Coffee Black-Owned: SIP AND SONDER
Located in Inglewood, California, Sip & Sonder provides a welcoming space that celebrates Black culture while promoting entrepreneurship and creativity. The founders, Shanita Nicholas and Amanda-Jane Thomas, share their vision of creating a hub for diverse individuals to connect, collaborate, and share ideas. The coffee shop is praised for its cozy atmosphere, artisanal coffee offerings, and its cultural touchstone for the local community. Sip & Sonder represents a positive example of Black entrepreneurship and community-building through a shared love for coffee.
Sip & Sonder is located on 108 S Market St., Inglewood, California.
