GM Prodigy Charles Muse Re- Television icon and director counts his Rise to the Top of Auto Chip Hurd talks to the Sentinel Industry (See page A-21) (See page B-1) VOL. LXXXVI NO. 8, $1.00 +CA. Sales Tax “For Over Eighty Years, The Voice of Our Community Speaking for Itself.” THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020 VOL. LXXVV, NO. 49 • $1.00 + CA. Sales Tax “For Over Eighty Years The Voice of Our Community Speaking for Itself THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12 - 18, 2013 After 40+ years of service he seeks to now serve the 10th District and the people he loves PHOTO BY ARNOLD TURNER/INVISION/AP Actress and singer, Ja’Net DuBois played Thelma on “Good Times.” ASSOCIATED PRESS she learned of her death Tuesday from the actress’ Ja’Net DuBois, who daughter. played the vivacious “She used to keep us neighbor Willona Woods laughing all the time,” on “Good Times” and Stanis said, warmly re- composed and sang the calling her friend. “She theme song for “The Jef- was very, very talented. If E. MESIYAH MCGINNIS/SENTINEL fersons,” has died. she wasn’t singing ... she Mark Ridley-Thomas DuBois’ song “Movin’ was creating a character to on Up” provided a joyous make us laugh.” BY CORA JACKSON-FOSSETT state levels. The only thing his quest. more impressive. intro to “The Jeffersons” Police in Glendale, Staff Writer left is national office. His endorsements in- As a L.A. councilmem- during the show’s 10-sea- California, said they re- But until that time clude this newspaper, the ber from 1991 to 2002, son run. ceived a report about Du- When it comes to pub- comes, he’s returning to the L.A. Times and several he created the 8th District BernNadette Stanis, Bois’ death late Monday. lic service, Mark Ridley- local level. Ridley-Thomas leading union groups and Empowerment Congress, who played Thelma Ev- She appeared to have died Thomas has done it all. wants to be the 10th district community organizations. an organized civic engage- ans Anderson on “Good of natural causes and no He’s served on the non- council member and all in- And the track record of his ment effort that laid the Times” and remained investigation is ongo- profit, city, county and dications appear to favor accomplishments is even {See DNA A-8} close to DuBois, said {See DUBOIS A-8} SENTINEL NEWS SERVICE While Black History Month marks a time for reflection and celebration of the past, it also provides an opportunity to envi- sion the future. The month of February is filled with events and exhibits that uplift Black culture- from Lauren Halsey’s exhibit at David Kordansky Gal- lery, which explores her reckonings with gentrifica- LEROY HAMILTON COURTESY PHOTO tion and the economic dis- Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson speaks to the community about Des- California Polling Places are becoming Voting Centers. placement of Black-owned tination Crenshaw. businesses, to California NIELE ANDERSON now have 11 consecu- African American Museum emerged as a cultural epi- Many civic leaders and tor and due in large part Digital Editor tive days to vote in-person hosting Debbie Allen’s center, its prominence has community advocates be- to infrastructure, develop- at ANY Vote Center in the Dance Academy for a per- also been jeopardized by lieve the City of Los An- ment and workforce devel- Polling Places are out County, for the March 3 formance inspired by Cross the threat of gentrifica- geles has a unique once- opment in the Greater Los and the new term is “Vote Presidential Primary Elec- Colours: Black Fashion in tion. Fueled by the crisis in in-a-lifetime opportunity to Angeles area. Centers.” The concept tion. Vote Center voting be- the 20th Century. This is a housing and homelessness, rebuild the Black middle The Metropolitan of polling places has been gins February 22 and will be time to honor our commu- residents of the historically class and push back against Transportation Author- dramatically reduced from available through 8 p.m. on nity’s monumental impact Black community have displacement and cultural ity and Los Angeles World more than 4,500 to about election day. throughout history to pres- started migrating not only erasure — with over $200 Airports alone are invest- 960. With the change, vot- ent day. to the suburbs but also the billion in investment, main- ing over $120 billion in Voters in L.A. County {See VOTE A-8} While South L.A. has exurbs. ly driven by the public sec- {See JOBS A-10} BLACK HISTORY The Black Wall Street Massacre Revisited BY DAVID D JOHNSON Contributing Writer In 1921, Tulsa Okla- BY SAYBIN ROBERSON homa, Greenwood District Contributing Writer had Black American self- owned, self-constructed Presidential candidate Tom Steyer revealed his plans for criminal justice if voted as president in this upcoming election. The plan, which focuses on issues that have plagued Black and Brown citizens COURTESY PHOTO was announced January Businessmen of Black Wall Street before the massacre. 23, 2020, with efforts to AP PHOTO address systematic racism Presidential candidate Tom Steyer and self-administered movie times of Jim Crow, KKK, within the court of law. theaters, pharmacies, hair sa- and even Northern Im- “For too long, our na- built on racism and preys on break the corporate stran- lons, bookstores, law offices, migrant European Mafia tion’s criminal justice sys- the poor and the socioeco- glehold on our govern- politicians offices and law White racisms. To top that tem has perpetuated a cy- nomically disadvantaged.” ment that exacerbates the enforcement. The successful off, there was overt staunch cle of mass incarceration, “It is time to finally prison-industrial com- segment of the city was fa- Federal and State level punishment and profiteer- move towards a system that plex, and return power to mously known as Black Wall governmental institution- ing,” said Steyer in a state- reflects our best values, and the American people.” www.lasentinel.net Street. It was an anomaly in {See MASSACRE A-18} ment. “The system was in order to do that, we must {See STEYER A-10} E. MESIYAH MCGINNIS/L.A. SENTINEL A-2 LASENTINEL.NET NEWS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020 From the desk of MIKE BLOOMBERG Dear Reader, Thank you for taking the time to learn about The Greenwood Initiative. As someone who has been very lucky in life, I often say my story would only have been possible in America — and that’s true. But I also know that because of the artificial barriers of discrimination, my story likely would have turned out very differently if I had been Black, and that more Black Americans of my generation would have ended up with far more wealth, had they been white. Building Generational Wealth for Black Families is Critical. That’s why I launched The Greenwood Initiative in Tulsa last month. I visited the site of the Black Wall Street Massacre, where a white mob decimated the prosperous community of Greenwood. It is to the memory of the lost lives and promise of Greenwood that we’ve dedicated The Greenwood Initiative: a plan to address the systematic bias that has kept Black Americans from building wealth. THE GREENWOOD PLAN WILL: • Create 1 million new Black homeowners • Double the number of new Black-owned businesses • Invest $70 billion in the country’s 100 most disadvantaged neighborhoods Fixing the System for Black Families. When I was mayor of New York, I was proud to take on the systematic inequality that held back too many New Yorkers. We increased education funding, built 650 new schools and raised Black graduation rates to record highs. We led an ambitious effort to reduce poverty and managed the largest amount of affordable housing in the nation. And as President, I will work even more aggressively to combat inequality nationwide. I understand that undoing generations of systematic discrimination won’t happen overnight, but we can make progress with a clear vision and a comprehensive plan. I’ve included a pamphlet along with this letter that lays out my plan. When I’m President, implementing The Greenwood Initiative will be a top priority. Join me in ending the systemic inequality that has held Black Americans back for too long! Sincerely, Mike Bloomberg For more information visit PAID FOR BY MIKE BLOOMBERG 2020 MikeForBlackAmerica.com Los Angeles Sentinel_10.0 X 21.indd 1 2/14/20 3:46 AM State Publication City N/A Color 4/c Pub Day THURS Size 10.0”(6C) X 21” California Los Angeles Sentinel A-8 LASENTINEL.NET NEWS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020 THURSDAY,THURSDAY, DECEMBERFEBRUARY 20,26, 20202013 OPINION NEWS LOS ANGELES LASENTINEL.NET SENTINEL A-3A-9 2020 African American Heritage Month LADWP celebrates our African American leaders and executives who help us continue to bring reliable, cost-effective and sustainable water and power to our customers, and support the more than 11,000 employees in the largest municipal utility in the United States. LADWP values their leadership! CYNTHIA McCLAIN-HILL Vice President Board of Water and Power Commissioners RENETTE ANDERSON LATANYA BOGIN LOUIS CARR WINIFRED YANCY Director of President of the Chief Information Director of Legislative Equal Employment Water and Power Technology Officer and Intergovernmental Opportunity Employees’ Retirement Plan Affairs BREONIA LINDSEY DEITRA FERNANDES TYRONE JEFFERY MICHELLE MOORE Director of Director of Director of Assistant Director of Water Distribution Labor Relations Power Supply Operations Field Operations LATANYA CARSON ANSELMO COLLINS GREGORY REED SIMON ZEWDU Assistant Director of Director of Assistant Director of Director of Revenue and Water Operations Water Engineering and Power Regulatory Credit Management Technical Services Compliance and Specifications ladwp.com A-4 LASENTINEL.NET NEWS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020 DEAR BIG TOBACCO, WE ARE DYING.