The Los Angeles Standard Newspaper

05/07/2025

Fireworks show in South Los Angeles in early July, 15 days after Juneteenth.

Shop Black Los Angeles

29/06/2025

Today in Leimert Park Village, LA Commons Festival of Masks and Los Angeles Carnival and Festival Arts on the Shaw.

Festival of Masks- Libations at 12 pm, procession at 1 pm, and performances from 2-5:30 pm. In Leimert Park Village in front of the Vision Theater and along Degnan Blvd.

LA Carnival on the Shaw- 4 pm to 10 pm. Dance, celebrate, and vibe with them on Crenshaw Blvd! Gathering begins on Obama Blvd. The parade begins there at 6 pm, marches down Crenshaw Blvd., and ends in Leimert Park Village where there will be a festival.

06/06/2025

Events this weekend:

Join LA Commons this Saturday (and every Saturday in June!) to dance, create and connect! 🎉

FREE Festival of Masks Saturday Workshops are HERE! 🤩
💃 African & Diaspora Dance with Daunté Fyall () (11AM - 12PM)
🎭 Mask-Making Magic with Ronieka Pinkney, Tasha Grimes (), and Maria Elena Cruz ( ) (12PM - 2PM)
🥁 Traditional African Diaspora Drumming with Rene Fisher-Mims () (2PM - 3PM)
Saturdays in June: 7, 14, & 21
📍People’s Street, Leimert Park

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Join the Black Surfers Collective for Nick Gabaldon Day 🌊 Honoring Nick’s fearless passion for surfing. They're coming together for a day of stories, surf, and community at The Inkwell in Santa Monica.
🗓 Saturday, June 7, 2025
⏰ 9 AM – 1 PM
📍 NEW LOCATION: (Tower 24), 2400 Ocean Front Walk, Santa Monica, CA
🏄‍♂️ Surf lessons from 9–12 (click the link to register! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScReAcj3atJiDVmbiHj4YsY3yrDhWPBGo0uYp4tjCJkMG0QUw/viewform)

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Join Kedren Health's FREE Community Care Fair — happening Saturday, June 7!
🩺 Free health screenings
🍔 Delicious food
🎶 Live music
🎨 Activities for kids
🏗️ Construction employment opportunities
…and so much more!
📍 Kedren Health – 4211 S. Avalon Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
🕘 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM

This is your chance to take care of your health, enjoy a day of fun, and explore new job opportunities — all in one place and completely free!

Tell a friend, bring the family, and come through!

21/05/2025

The partnership between Metro Los Angeles and Leimert Park Village will promote cultural tourism and transit.

“There’s a certain pulse when you arrive at Leimert Park—you hear the drummers, visit the shops, and maybe stop for ice cream,” Paige said. “In a city where so much feels transient, Leimert Park has a homey, familiar feel where everyone is friendly. It’s crucial to maintain that core energy and neighborhood spirit.” -Tess Paige, Metro Transit-Oriented Communities Manager

“Leimert Park is a hub of cultural identity, with businesses specializing in ethnic arts, crafts, and foods. By capitalizing on these cultural assets, we can draw people into the community—not only to learn more about it but also to support the local economy by spending their dollars here.” -Michelle Banks-Ordone, Metro Senior Director of Transit-Oriented Communities

“This is a multi-pronged approach to increase transit ridership for both visitors and residents while strengthening the local economy through cultural tourism. I’m thrilled to have several community thought leaders on board to implement various aspects of this initiative.” -Sherri Franklin, Leimert Park Village, Inc. board member

Metro partners with Leimert Park Village, Inc promote cultural tourism and transit.

02/05/2025

South La Cafe Founder and Owner Joe Ward-Wallace announces a civil rights lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department for excessive force. Ward-Wallace was arrested, causing him to spend five days in jail. Ward-Wallacewas subjected to force after attempting to report the misconduct of another officer.

24/04/2025

Los Angeles County and the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles announced an unprecedented partnership on a $1 million foster youth initiative.

Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, Assemblymember Sade Elhawary, and YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles leaders spoke at the Weingart YMCA Wellness & Aquatic Center about the partnership with the LA County Dept. of Children and Family Services to implement a $1 million/year comprehensive, data-driven initiative to transform outcomes for foster youth ages 12-26 across LA County. Through a countywide network of programs and strategic partnerships, You Belong provides wraparound services designed to help youth build stability, skills, and confidence to transition successfully into adulthood.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Stability & Support Serves
-Free YMCA membership for all foster youth ages 12-26, providing safe spaces and a sense of community
-Dedicated drop-in centers for transitional age youth offering safe spaces with resources, support, and community
-All YMCA centers serving as family visitation sites, creating warm, welcoming environments for family connections
-Evidence-based resilience programs designed specifically to help youth process trauma and build coping skills
-Wraparound case management from Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs)
-Housing referrals, transportation support, and basic needs assistance through strategic community partnerships
-Digital literacy and technology access to bridge the digital divide

Economic Stability & Workforce Development
-“Pathways to Belonging” - An 8-week intensive curriculum meeting three times weekly for youth ages 18-26
-Focuses on healthy living, civic engagement, character development, economic stability, and education equity
-Individualized support through case management and mentorship
-Hands-on activities in physical fitness, mental health awareness, financial literacy, and leadership
-Paid job training, internships, and placement opportunities with employer partners
-Financial literacy workshops and career exploration activities

Civic Engagement & Leadership Development
-Youth Advisory Boards to elevate foster youth voices in program decision-making
-Voter education and advocacy training to strengthen civic participation
-Community volunteerism opportunities that develop service mindsets while building valuable skills
-Leadership development through Model UN, Model
-Legislature, and community service projects

Family Support & Long-Term Stability
-Pilot Resource Parent Inclusion Program extending free YMCA memberships to resource parents in high-need areas: Weingart Wellness YMCA and Aquatic Center (South LA), Antelope Valley Family YMCA
-Comprehensive tracking of household engagement patterns
-Comparative analysis between household-wide access versus youth-only access
-Peer support groups for both youth and resource parents to build community and share experiences
-Evidence-based parenting classes to strengthen family relationships and develop effective parenting skills
-Family respite camps focused on healing, bonding, and community building
-Long-term engagement through monthly check-ins, quarterly workshops, and an annual summit@

30/03/2025

We have Worldwide Tacos at the Black Los Angeles Photography Exhibit. No wait time! Come through. We’re here until 9 pm. 2415 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd in Leimert Park. Near 3rd Ave.

29/03/2025

Night one of the Black Los Angeles Photography Exhibit was amazing! Night two is tonight! 4-9 pm. Free! 2415 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Just east of 3rd Ave. in Leimert Park. Thank you Leroy Hamilton for taking photos!

28/03/2025

The Los Angeles Standard Newspaper and the Los Angeles Standard Newspaper Foundation are launching the Black Los Angeles Photography Exhibit in Leimert Park! 2415 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Next door to Worldwide Tacos on 3rd Ave. Stop by for the opening on Friday, March 28 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday, March 29 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is FREE!

For more information click the link below.
https://lastandardnewspaper.com/index.php/art/1143-black-los-angeles-photography-exhibit.html

Check out the work of:

•Zay Monae- portrait and event photographer
https://www.instagram.com/zaymonae/
https://www.instagram.com/the85mil/
https://www.facebook.com/ZayMonae.co

•Jeff Lewis- sports photographer
https://www.instagram.com/jjlewis06/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063644197461

•Bexx Francois- campaign photographer for Kamala Harris
https://www.instagram.com/bexxfrancois/
https://www.facebook.com/Francois.Rebecca

•David Mesfin- Black surfers filmmaker/photographer
https://www.instagram.com/davidmesfinart/
https://www.facebook.com/davidmesfinart

•Destination Crenshaw- Faces of Black L.A.
https://www.instagram.com/destinationcrenshaw/
https://www.facebook.com/DestinationCrenshaw

23/03/2025

The LA Standard Newspaper is launching the Black Los Angeles Photography Exhibit in Leimert Park! 2415 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Next door to World Wide Tacos. Stop by for the opening on Friday, March 28 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday, March 29 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is FREE!

For more information click the link below.
https://lastandardnewspaper.com/index.php/art/1143-black-los-angeles-photography-exhibit.html

Check out the work of:
•Bexx Francois- campaign photographer for Kamala Harris https://www.instagram.com/bexxfrancois/

•Jeff Lewis- sports photographer
https://www.instagram.com/jjlewis06/
Jeff Lewis Photography

•Zay Monae- portrait and event photographer
https://www.instagram.com/zaymonae/
https://www.instagram.com/the85mil/
Zay Monae

•David Mesfin- Black surfers filmmaker/photographer
https://www.instagram.com/davidmesfinart/
David Mesfin Art

•Destination Crenshaw- Faces of Black L.A.
https://www.instagram.com/destinationcrenshaw/
Destination Crenshaw

20/03/2025

Check out the Los Angeles Standard Newspaper!
www.LAStandardNewspaper.com

Read about:
• Metro Los Angeles partners with Leimert Park Village, Inc. The partnership will promote cultural tourism and transit. (Community)
https://lastandardnewspaper.com/index.php/community/1151-metro-partners-with-leimert-park-village-inc.html

• Bringing tourism to Leimert Park. Black culture has spread worldwide, but Black communities in Los Angeles which created portions of that culture have been historically overlooked for tourism. (Community)
https://lastandardnewspaper.com/index.php/community/1149-bringing-tourism-to-leimert-park.html

• Leimert Park’s Sankofa City Shuttles. A partnership with Metro Los Angeles to promote cultural tourism and transit (Community)
https://lastandardnewspaper.com/index.php/community/1150-leimert-park-s-sankofa-city-shuttles.html

• Ora Cafe’s mobile coffee carts will create entrepreneurial opportunities. The coffee carts will set up at the local Metro stations, and give the formerly incarcerated and underserved youth employment and business opportunities. (Community)
https://lastandardnewspaper.com/index.php/community/1148-ora-cafe-s-mobile-coffee-carts-will-create-entrepreneurial-opportunities.html

• Fired LAFD chief allegedly understaffed department before fires. L.A. Stentorians president Robert Hawkins expressed serious concerns before the devastating fires about the leadership of the Los Angeles Fire Department.(News)
https://lastandardnewspaper.com/index.php/news/1145-fired-lafd-chief-allegedly-understaffed-department-before-fires.html

• CA Assemblymember Isaac Bryan discusses Trump’s administration. Bryan talks about the Department of Education, FEMA, the economy, climate, how California elected officials are protecting the state, and the difference between Trump and Biden’s presidential administrations. (Politics)
https://lastandardnewspaper.com/index.php/politics/1147-ca-assemblymember-isaac-bryan-discusses-trump-s-administration.html

• Anti-woke, CRT, and DEI are Lee Atwater’s coded ways of saying “nigger.” “It’s all designed to be masked. It’s designed to be euphemisms for what is your end goal. It’s all subtext instead of being on the nose by saying, ‘I hate niggers.’” -Author Lawrence Ross
https://lastandardnewspaper.com/index.php/politics/1146-anti-woke-crt-and-dei-are-lee-atwater-s-coded-ways-of-saying-n-er.html

• Find out how you can support the LA Standard! (click the link below)
https://lastandardnewspaper.com/index.php/donate.html

• Purchase Black Los Angeles merchandise! Shop Black Los Angeles
https://lastandardnewspaper.com/index.php/shop-black-los-angeles.html

16/03/2025

Stocker Street Creative hosted a Community Connection event. Listen in as they shared their vision of this film studio project in Baldwin Hills. They spoke about sound stages, production offices, creative industry office spaces, business & technology incubators, industry-specific job training programs, fast casual dining and a rooftop restaurant. Also hear about how Stocker Street Creative will empower local talent, drive economic growth and become a focal point for the creative community in Los Angeles.

Hear from 4S Bay Partners, LLC founder and managing partner Jessica P. Sarowitz, Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove, and the Stocker Street Creative team.