Dear Friends,
As we begin the month of February, which also happens to be Black History Month, I ask all of you to look around and acknowledge the undeniable imprint African-Americans and minorities have made on this great country. Although one month may not be enough time to celebrate all of the accomplishments, we must recognize the contributions that have shaped the United States into the greatest nation in the world. As Californians, let us show the rest of the country that we know how to celebrate all cultures, so that other states may follow our example of inclusivity and diversity.
In this issue are some of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day community events I attended, celebrating the birthday of one of the world's greatest civic leaders that transformed American society. As always, I appreciate your engagement and I look forward to representing you in our state's capitol.
City of Carson "Tribute to Martin Luther King"
On Thursday, January 12th, I joined Mayor Albert Robles, and many prominent community leaders in Carson at the Juanita Millender McDonald Community Center for a tribute show honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This is traditionally the first big event of the year for the City of Carson, and the first MLK event in the region. This year, I participated in the festivities by sharing what Dr. King's legacy means to me, and how his work continues to motivate me each and every day to advocate for those who have little to no voice and constantly face injustice. As Mayor Robles addressed during his speech, "each year, we celebrate the valuable contributions Dr. King made to civil rights, personal freedom, and justice everywhere." I echo his sentiments and challenge all of us to celebrate his contributions every single day – in our workplace, social settings and family lives.
City of Gardena's 34th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Parade
On Saturday, January 13th, I attended the 34th Annual Gardena Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Parade. I am always proud to share that my hometown of Gardena, was the first city west of the Mississippi to celebrate Dr. King with an official program and parade. Grammy-award winning gospel artist, Brent Jones, was the parade's Grand Marshal while Patricia Worthy served as the community Grand Marshal. I was happy to present both with certificates of recognition for their great work in their respective communities.
As a life-long Gardena resident, nothing is more gratifying than to see our community come together to support one another and recognize how far we have come regarding civil rights. More importantly, events such as these are a reminder of how much further we must go in order to make Dr. King's dream a true reality.
City of Inglewood 35th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Festival
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On January 15th, I attended the 35th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Festival at the Fabulous Forum in Inglewood. This year's MLK birthday celebration consisted of a commemorative service, a symbolic march, and "King Fest." The 2018 theme, "We Are Better Together: Realizing the Dream," focused on galvanizing all communities for the purpose of highlighting our similarities, rather than accentuating our differences. Festival goers were able to hear powerful speeches about Dr. King's vision from young Inglewood residents, and experience a performance from none other than Stevie Wonder, who was vital in helping establish Dr. King's birthday as a national holiday. I also had a great conversation with Los Angeles' 41st Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa on how we can continue to combat hate by spreading love and acceptance. Other groups in attendance included the Buffalo Soldiers, Tuskegee Airmen, and the Montford Point Marines, just to name a few.
The "King Fest" is always a joyful day filled with fellowship, live entertainment, local vendors, interactive games, delicious food and residents of all ages. I would like to thank KJLH, Mayor Butts, and the Fabulous Forum for hosting such a seamless event.
Los Angeles Labor Federation Holds Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast
On Saturday, January 20th, I attended the annual Los Angeles County Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO), Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Labor Breakfast, in the West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center. The breakfast opened up with Grammy award-winning recording artist Faith Evans, who sang our national anthem, then the National Negro Anthem, joined by the West Angeles Church of God in Christ Choir. The performance definitely pumped up the crowd.
Over 1,000 community leaders, labor leaders, union members, and elected officials attended the packed event. Head of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice under the Obama Administration and current president of the Leadership Conference of Civil Rights, Vinita Gupta, focused her keynote address on continuing to advocate for safe housing, economic security, quality education, and strong healthy communities for all Californians. The highlight of the breakfast, to me, was Time magazine's "Person of the Year" from Long Beach, Juana Melara, who gave her inspirational testimony about feeling helpless in her struggle for citizenship, until getting involved with advocacy groups.
It is always invigorating to have conversations with individuals whose fight for justice and equality will never be compromised by the hateful rhetoric and policies of people in power. Keep up the good fight!
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science: 18th Annual Saturday Science Academy Junior White Coat Ceremony
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On Saturday, January 20th, I had the pleasure of giving the keynote address for the 18th Annual Junior White Coat Ceremony, where 159, K-12 students graduated from the Saturday Science Academy at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science. The ceremony took place in the gymnasium at King-Drew Medical Magnet High School located in Willowbrook. The Saturday Science Academy is a year-round program that seeks to foster the development of students of color toward a future in the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields of study, where African-Americans and Latinos are historically underrepresented. The ceremony included musical performances, remarks from CDU President Dr. David Carlisle, and testimony from students about what this special program means to them. Reports have shown that students who participated in this academy saw a 91% overall improvement in their grades, with nearly 80% of students increasing grades from failing to passing.
This celebration also happened to be the final graduation ceremony for Program Director, Lorraine Grey, who has led the program since 2000. The success of the academy has hinged on Mrs. Grey's tireless devotion to provide disadvantaged kids with the highest quality educational resources possible. She will surely be missed, and her successor has huge shoes to feel. Thank you, Saturday Science Academy for allowing me to be a part of your success, and for the opportunity to meet our future doctors, nurses, and researchers.
South Bay Association of Chamber of Commerce 4th Annual Legislative Meet and Greet
The South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce, South Bay Cities Council of Governments and the Los Angeles County Division, League of California cities hosted the 4th Annual South Bay Legislative Meet and Greet on Friday, January 26th. I provided remarks about my policy priorities for the coming year, specific to those which impact local government and businesses in Senate District 35. Present in the audience were members of the City Council and officials from all over the South Bay. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Senator Ben Allen, Assemblymembers Autumn Burke and Al Muratsuchi, and LA County Supervisors Janice Hahn and Mark Ridley-Thomas also provided updates. Community power is often measured by engagement, and this event is a testament to our elected officials and citizens who are making a difference in our region's success.
District Updates
Watts Neighborhood Awarded $35 Million to Transform Community through Infrastructure Projects
The California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) this week unanimously approved $140 million in competitive grants to transform three cities through community-led development and infrastructure projects. Senate District 35 will receive $35 million, which will be directed to the Watts neighborhood and will have a great impact on public health in our community. These investments will fund 45 unique climate projects, reducing an estimated 117,412 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions—the equivalent of taking 25,142 cars off the road for one year.
The projects will leverage over $280 million and touch the lives of close to 750,000 Californians. These awards are part of the first year of the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Program, which invests in projects that achieve major environmental, health and economic benefits in California's most disadvantaged communities. The TCC program is funded by California's Cap-and-Trade Program.
Parents and Students are Invited to the "Cash for College" Fair at Compton College
Compton College will host a "Cash for College" Fair, Sat., Feb. 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Vocational Technology Center at 1111. E. Artesia Boulevard ,Compton, CA 90221 . This event includes hands-on assistance with the application for financial aid and an informational presentation on financial aid and scholarships.
Local high school seniors, foster youth, and college-bound students are encouraged to apply for financial aid today to get cash for college, even if they think they may not be eligible. Research shows that while hundreds of thousands of California's community college students are eligible for Federal Pell Grants, most do not apply. Amounts can change annually. The award for 2017-18 was up to $5,920 each.
Upcoming Black History Month Events:
- 2/24 - City of Gardena's "Afternoon in the Park" Black History Month Celebration
Rowley Park - 13220 S Van Ness Ave., Gardena, CA 90249
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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