I have mixed reaction to this proposal to change this LAPD practice (Special Order 40) regarding inquiring about the immigration status of known gang members. I’m all for suppressing criminal activity - even though I question the effectiveness of blanketly deporting undocumented criminals - but I am concerned for how undocumented victims and potential witnesses might be impacted by a change in practice.

NOTE: National Geographic did a program that addresses the impact of gangs and immigration practices - World’s Most Dangerous Gang

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Urban. Young Men. Students. Bonding. Incarnational. Relevant.

Based on a conglomeration of these things, I’ve been ushered into a on-the-fly introduction to hip-hop over the last month or two. In my own opinion, I’m about a decade slow (if not more) in this whole arena, but hey, the turtle beat the hare, so I’ve got a chance.

And since I’m serious about learning, I’ve attached (more…)

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I don’t read as much as I used (since becoming a parent). But I subscribe to the weekend LA Times. So I was bummed today when the newspaper was on my front porch, since I usually like to read the paper while I eat breakfast - all before Isa wakes up.

When I called the LA Times to see what had happened, the customer service rep informed me that my subscription had been canceled. When I asked why - since I hadn’t received anything about it being canceled & was current in my payments, she informed me that it was canceled because we are in a dangerous environment. (more…)

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It used to be that the perception of what distinguished public school education from private school education was the access based on cost. By this think, public school education was accessible to all because the cost was subsidized by the government, whereas private school education was only accessible to those that could subsidize the cost themselves.

This article on the current notion of desegregation, aka (more…)

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The Los Angeles Business Journal reported that Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Enterprises is buying the Sears Building on the south end of Boyle Heights (for an easy $70 million) for a huge redevelopment project.

Redevelopment of the property has been discussed by city leaders and stakeholders for years. The warehouse is run down, but the Sears retail store does brisk business in an area that experts say is underserved. (more…)

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Several weeks ago, at a coalition meeting of urban youth workers in East LA, we were asked to share about ourselves by answering the question - “What keeps you up at night?”

Too be totally honest, my instinctive response was (more…)

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This Saturday at Self-Help Graphics:

HT: Bookworm Brown

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Some folks talk a lot, but don’t have much to say.

Not this guy.

I just saw an interview (on KTLA Morning News) of Dr. Michael Eric Dyson - Professor of Theology, English and African American Studies at Georgetown University - promoting his book “Know what I mean? - Reflections on Hip-Hop” Based on the interview, I’m going to get my hands on his book.

(more…)

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Anthony Bradley has a sharp critique of ‘ghetto life’ as sensationalized and depicted on the increasingly popular website “HotGhettoMess.com” and detailed in the upcoming BET show “We got to do better.”

“The “ghetto” life must cease to be glamorized and normalized in the entertainment industry. Sadly, there is a huge demographic of Americans who are medicating their own personal pain through self-sabotaging, “ghetto” behaviors. The show represents a massive cry for help!”

“…medicating their own personal pain… self-sabotaging, “ghetto” behaviors…” (Unfortunately) Well said, Anthony.

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I’m a little slow on discovering places like this, but we recently have become drawn to the LA River Center & Garden - a little oasis/park and cultural center with gardens and fountains, that is located near where the LA river passes under the 5 & 110 freeways, and is directly behind the big Home Depot there.In the city, or at least in East LA, shady parks and quiet places are at a premium, so this series of parks & quiet places are a welcome discovery.

P.S. This Wednesday, July 25th at 6pm - HOW DO GREAT STREETS GET MADE?
(more…)

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I’m cleaning up the house & cleaning out the garage to get ready for a big garage sale next weekend. So I found the local S.A.F.E. collection center to take old paint to properly dispose of it.

Trying to do my part.

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Whether it is the State Street Locos or other taggers, it happens more in the summertime.

“…they are so fast, Bam! One minute there’s nothing and the next minute you come out and they covered a whole wall.”

For more information about removing unwelcome tagging, call the Graffiti Hotline at (800) 675-4357 - available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Or go online to http://dpw.lacounty.gov/ and click on the “stop graffiti” link under featured items on the right side of the homepage.

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I’m talking about the East LA Coalition meeting at El Gallo Cafe. As John Lewis has discovered, it is a great place to meet, work, rest, whatever. And the East Los Angeles / Boyle Heights Coalition that is starting to meet up is very promising. I’m eager to have other ministries from the area join us in collaborating, encouraging, networking and partnering together to serve East LA, Boyle Heights, Lincoln Height, El Sereno, City Terrace, etc.

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The 10th annual Urban Youth Workers’ Institute (UYWI) starts tomorrow. I’m excited about it, especially seeing some old faces & making some new connections. I’ve been working with John Lewis a little bit to organize church & ministry leaders in East LA/Boyle Heights to form a cohort to broaden the kingdom impact of our ministries in the city. We’re hoping this will be a launching pad for meeting other leaders from East LA & Boyle Heights & casting some vision for this network/cohort.

I’m also teaching a seminar on Friday morning on the faith challenges/opportunities that high school grads face in college. Should be fun, though I’ve been trudging through to finishing prepping. Not sure why this has been so difficult to prep, since its about as up my alley as topics go. Maybe that’s why I’m having a hard time focusing in. But I’ll be ready.

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I’m talking about Jeremy Del Rio’s A Campus Ministry Primer for Cities. Check it out this excerpt:

“There’s this teenage boy I know. He appears ordinary enough, with nothing much to distinguish himself except that he’s studious and works with his step dad in construction. Like many teens he’s struggling to find his place and feels like a curiosity.

Living in the ghetto is hard, especially since he just immigrated to the neighborhood in the last few years. Try as he might, he hasn’t mastered the accent and local customs. And forget the slang; that’s like learning a third language. Worse, the old-timers all seem to know something about him that he hasn’t figured out yet. He gets the distinct impression they’re always talking about his family, reinforced by the overheard name-calling. A few of his schoolmates have teased him to his face, and one punched him in the nose after school. The soldiers occupying the streets find the bullying funny.

Sometimes the mocking gets to him. He wants desperately to fight back, but mom forbids it, promising that someday the rejection will all make sense. He tries to take comfort in her words, but for now his heart just hurts, and the injustice makes him angry.

So he sneaks off to the outskirts of town and hides behind an old sycamore tree. There he remembers what it was like in the refugee camp, and recollects vague memories of a midnight flight from the small town where he spent his childhood. The details are sketchy, but he remembers stories of bloodshed and murder that he barely escaped. Not fitting in has been a recurring theme for him.
(more…)

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Thus says The Economist about Boyle Heights in this article - “Escape from LA: Los Angeles is losing its illegal immigrants. That’s bad news.” The article goes on to talk about the negative impact of the declining number of immigrants coming to Los Angeles. Read it.

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Not that I’m all that “green” or environmentally-conscious, but every Tuesday I’ve been taking the bus to campus for lunch with one of my guys and then our men’s Bible study. Other than my 1-week - public - transportation - for - jury - duty experiment, I’ve never riden the bus for any regular commute before. (Apparently, I’m not alone) So far, this is what I’ve seen:
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I’m meeting John Lewis from the Urban Youth Worker’s Institute (UYWI) tomorrow at El Gallo Cafe in East LA.  It is part of the LA County Community Services.  A beautiful location, I tried going there last week to do some work in the morning - and it was closed!! A coffee shop that was closed in the morning - I was shocked.  Turns out they are open from 11am-9pm, so its more suited for my afternoon & evening habits.  There is also a bakery there, among other businesses, and with lots of tables & chairs, its the ideal location.  I’m looking forward to getting together with John, whom I met last year when I did a seminar at the UYWI conference at Azusa.

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I went yesterday afternoon to take some photos from the observatory. I remember going there as a kid, but its only a foggy memory. But yesterday was beautiful. Great for taking photos.

(more…)

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When the police helicopter wakes up my daughter at 1am, will they come back to put her back to sleep? I’m guessing no, since its almost 3am and I’ve heard no knocks on the door. We heard what sounded like gunshots at just around midnight. Isabel didn’t wake up for that, probably since it sounded like it was a block or two away. So we called 911, and then went to sleep. Then around 1:15, the ghettobird started circling - again, probably a block or two away - but that did cause her to wake up. Not frightened or anything. Just awake. It was gone by about 1:45, but she still wasn’t.

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