Los Angeles

Brittney M. Walker  |   OW Staff Writer
Mar 12 2009

Founder and President, Legacy Ladies Inc.

 Los Angeles, CA -- Jaqueline Castillo, philanthropist, founder and president of Legacy Ladies Inc., was born in Stockton Calif. The sparsely populated town was too small for her big dreams, so upon graduating from high school, the young visionary moved to San Francisco where she would begin her career. Though she received many accolades in the corporate world working with NBC, CBS, and FOX, Castillo was not satisfied.

Mar 12 2009

Announces new staff, teams, outreach, proposal for re-opening Martin Luther King Hospital

 Los Angeles, CA -- Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, marking his 100th day in office, met on Monday with local media to answer questions regarding health care, business, jobs, foreclosures, community outreach and more during an informal roundtable at the California Science Center in Exposition Park.

Ridley-Thomas stated that the Second District includes nine cities with over 2.5 million residents.
 

Mar 12 2009

Voters headed to the polls March 24

 Los Angeles, CA -- With days left before voters go to the polls to determine who will finish out the unexpired 26th district state senate term of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, competition in the race is settling down between two main contenders with several others likely to make a strong showing and possibly even force a run-off in the heavily Democratic district.

Mar 6 2009

One of the first films to have serious black female/male relationship implications, mirroring treatment of women

Remember when Terry McMillan’s book, ‘Waiting To Exhale’ was No. 1 on the fiction bestseller book list, longer than any other book at that time? The next thing you knew, there was a flood of relationship books. Then, the film came out. That was a momentary exciting time for black folks who like to go to the movie theater. Seeing a quality black film was not always possible, especially about black male/female relationships.

Mar 6 2009

Wants clear instruction for DTS voters

The African American Voter Registration, Education and Participation (AAVREP) Legal Counsel is seeking swift and transparent public review of new designs for L.A. County’s problem-plagued Decline-to-State (DTS) ballots before the next election. The group says that flawed “double-bubble” ballot and faulty instructions by county polling place workers denied 20,000 DTS voters of their right to vote for President.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
San Diego college students and volunteers will carry out their sixth home restoration project on Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. as part of the “Healing our Heroes’ Homes” (H3) program created by the nonprofit Embrace. The five-day effort will take place at the home of medically retired Marine Corps Capt. Sarah Bettencourt. Bettencourt served with many different units across the country during the Global War on Terrorism and developed a rare neurological disorder in 2008. With a focus to restore the homes of disabled veteran homeowners, H3 falls in line with Embrace’s mission to mobilize college-student volunteers and community members to serve less fortunate members of civilian and veteran communities. The project for the Bettencourts’ home includes kitchen and bathroom remodeling, building ADA-compliant disability ramps, widening their driveway to ADA standards, widening doorways and landscaping.
 
District of Columbia
The 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will showcase its five-year community research project on African American identity with the program “The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity.” This multicity collaboration examines the history and culture of the aesthetics of African Americans. The festival will be held June 26-30 and July 3-7, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. “Whether we realize it or not, we are all dress artists. The way we compose our look is a creative expression of our ideas about who we are and who we aspire to be,” said Diana N’Diaye, program curator. “This program explores the diversity of African American traditions of style, but also teaches young people the importance of documenting their own culture and saving that information for themselves and future generations.”