#LeimertPark

[artdecodude]

A photo I can only post on Tumbler since other Social Medias hate tall photos. Tower closeup of the Vision Theatre in Leimert Park, Los Angeles. Originally opened as the Leimert Theatre by Howard Hughes in 1931. Architects: Morgan, Walls, & Clements.

[freshthoughts2020]

“Casablanca”

9” x 12”

-

—

[bobsliquorstore]

JUNETEENTH IN LEIMERT PARK 2023

[michaelfromla]

Richard Fulton - 5th Street Dick's

[escadaman]

🗣 "We don't wanna hear you [Drake] say N!gg@ no more‼️"

➖️ Fall Back

[peanutbutteroatmilk]

[rashadlives]

Juneteenth 2023

[un-film-de-m]

Leimert Park Juneteenth 2023 (4K)

[tonybconscious]

My hands create gardens on canvas... 🌼🌻⚘️🥀🌹🌺💐💐💐 Every finger is a flower, My palms are the pot My nails are truly like petals While my arms are like tree tops... 🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴 Great Artists do Great things !!! If you like what you see, PLEASE SUPPORT by Purchasing or donating as much as your heart, generosity and spirit can give !!! 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑🌼🌻🌷🕯🕯🕯🕯⚘️🌹🌻🌷🌼🪴 IF YOU'RE FEELING A SPIRIT and ENERGY of ABUNDANCE and generosity this 2022 SEASON... PLEASE assist me !!! My cashapp is $TONYBCONSCIOUS Zelle (323)251-4969 PayPal: www.paypal.me/ tonybconscious And your gifts will be met with appreciation and GRATITUDE...🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 THANK YOU IN ADVANCE... ASHE, NAMASTE... Tony B. Conscious (323)251-4969 #artistexclusive #artisticallyinclined #blacktwitterartist #leimertparklegends  #poetinmotion #soulfullyartistic #oaklandartists #blackartmatters🎨 #soulful_artists #sfartists #bayareaartists #oaklandstreetart #blackartistoninstagram #africatown #leimertpark #theghettovangohcollection  #tonybconscious #tonybconscious1 #tonybconsciousart #tonybconsciouspoetry (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CruQ0RIx6ct/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[johnnicholsontheactor]

I’m a big supporter of fathers taking an active role in their children’s lives. That’s why on Sunday 4/23/2023 my son Phoenix and I were in Leimert Park supporting the group The Dad Gang, which supports and promotes fathers of color who are truly involved in their children’s lives and development.

[ledotson]

Today’s adventure started at 5am with #morningyogapractice, then #breakfast, and a walk to the #lametro #kline station in #leimertpark. All his idea. This kid is an #inspiration… (at Crenshaw) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnHwblrpAKi/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[dynamicsofthecity]

Gentrification of Leimert Park and the Displacement of its Cultural Community

Alexandre Kasparian

“A people without land in their name is a people without power --and, therefore, a people FOREVER economically, culturally and politically poor.” 

-Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc.

There’s Little Armenia, Koreatown, Thai town… So where in LA is Africatown?

Starting with its origins, Leimert Park of South LA was first developed in 1928 by Walter H. Leimert with the intent to commune middle and upper-income families. The Leimert Plaza Park it is known as today was formed after Leimert’s donation of the plaza itself, and the homeowner association that first occupied its surrounding bedroom community was mainly white. Throughout the neighborhood are “Leimert Park Living” infographics which describe how Leimert Park “enforced racial covenants that largely kept people of color from living in the area,” which were eventually dismantled in 1948 by the Supreme Court. During the Watts Rebellion of 1965—a reaction to excessive use of violence by a police officer towards an African American motorist stopped for operating under the influence—white flight ensued and Leimert Park became one of the largest black middle-class neighborhoods in the country. Today, Leimert Park is a cultural haven for African Americans where music performances, art displays, and vendors gather to form a lively and vibrant atmosphere at the center of its neighborhood. Food trucks and restaurants co-exist to feature ethnic cuisines that mainly serve soul, ethiopian, and jamaican food. During my stay, I had a tasty Jamaican sea moss smoothie prepared by one of the vendors in the plaza. I also enjoyed a delectable Oxtail dish from Jamaican cuisine Ackee Bamboo.

Unfortunately, the Afro-centric community and culture is at risk as Leimert Park is rapidly gentrifying. Due to the LA Metro K line expanding into Crenshaw, opportunistic investors and corporate developers are hopping on to raise commercial structures and high-density housing around the area. Posters and campaigns by the black community are visible within Leimert Park Plaza as they mobilize to take initiative against disruptive gentrification such as a “7-story market rate residential unit complex” which would be unaffordable by the community. Not only are black businesses at risk, but residents of the community are actively being priced out—rather “pushed” out according to community members I interviewed in the town square. “They came here, took everything from the firepit we have out here to keep the community warm, taking personal property, everything, the tents. They post a notice saying they will take it a day after they took everything.” The interviewee, who chose to remain anonymous, described how her auntie has been going to court since 2018 while fighting with the DRE to hold onto her property which only had her listed on the deed. “…they’re doing a lot and they know that people don’t have money for layers, and they’re not educated about this type of stuff. So they’re more than just pricing us out. They’re doing crooked stuff to push us out.”

The black community is attempting to mobilize and resist gentrification by boycotting the city’s invasive developments in several ways. Right beside the stop in Leimert Park I spotted posters that read “STOP GENTRIFICATION! PROTECT CRENSHAW,” linking “crenshawsubway.org” which is an online website published by the Crenshaw Subway Coalition. Upon my visit I discovered they formed to highlight issues and empower the stakeholders impacted by the Crenshaw-LAX rail line. Murals empowering black art also decorate walls surrounding the space.

One of the main issues with LA is a general refusal of recognition towards the significant contributions of various ethnic groups found within its city. Its policy makers lack equal representation of its population which is very much diversified with minorities. Every weekend, a community initiative named “We Are Africa Town” gathers in the town square and demonstrates a movement to title Leimert Park as Africa Town. I’ve visited Leimert Park twice attempting to attend and interview them. A community member informed me about their presence the first time, but unfortunately they canceled on my second visit due to rain the day before. I did, however find their Instagram which linked to their online petition at Change.org which describes how “Officially changing this district's name from Leimert Park to Africa Town (which we've been fighting for since the late 90's) is essential in directly reflecting & representing this predominantly black district and it's black residents and constituents that have resided in it and or owned/operated businesses there for generations.” While the accessibility to public transportation in the area has been increased, the city’s investment unsurprisingly failed to account for any protections towards local residents to stabilize rent or avoid speculation-fueled investments. Damien Goodman, founder of the Crenshaw Subway Coalition mentioned earlier, describes how the Crenshaw/LAX line already created a “hyper-commodified housing market where investment is poised to displace many in the very community that fought for it” (LA times). The least the city can do now is allow the affected community to rightfully name their land of culture and accept them into the city’s multibillion dollar tourism industry.

To address the physical aspects of the neighborhood documented in my proposal, I found that the perimeter of Leimert Park itself is outlined by tall palisade fences and is gated off from sunset to sunrise. A comforting water fountain runs in the middle of the park. The area is engulfed by wide streets that connect to the freeways of LA. I also noticed many of the houses within Leimert Park had window security bars at ground level. As I walked outwards to the new Crenshaw mall that drove up surrounding home prices, I noticed that those bars abruptly faded and fancy landscaping gradually became a more prominent feature instead. My short walk revealed a wealth gap in a manner I haven’t quite experienced so suddenly before. This was a clear visual example of how corporate development (in this case the Crenshaw commercial mall) drives up home prices and displaces the poor.

[freshthoughts2020]

“Casablanca” 9” x 12” - —

by

Jaevonn Harris

[atashaelizabeth]

Congo circle on a Sunday afternoon in Leimert Park. Armani lives in us forever.

[dailytomlinson]

ladreamcenter: Before his Hollywood Bowl concert, @louist91 is helping us serve over 120 families with free food today AND is covering the cost of 475 beds in our residential housing tonight!🙌 We want to say a huge THANK YOU for his generous donation, which is helping us serve individuals and families in need! Today we are here at #LeimertPark serving individuals and families in need with FREE groceries! With 1 in 5 in Los Angeles struggling with food insecurity, donations like these are more important than ever!🥦🥫🙏 Thank you @greatergoodmusiccharity for partnering us with Louis and helping us make a difference!

[escadaman]

Jum'maha Mubaraka‼️

'Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said: "O you who are patient! Bear a little more, just a little more remains."

[al-Fawā’id]

Cry on that day when you realize that life has passed you by and you have not done any good deeds.

- Sāyyidunã Ābu Bakr āl-Siddiq رضي الله عنه

➖️ The Favorite of Heaven ♥️🕋♥️ 🐫 🐫 🐫