Reginald Jones-Sawyer Legislators Save $9.5 Million For Local Gang Prevention Programs Giancarlo Esposito Plays Company (See page A-12) Man in Netflix’ Okja (See page D-2) SEPTEMBER 17, 2015 VOL.VOL. LXXVV, LXXXI NO. NO49 • 27 $1.00 $1.00 + CA. +CA Sales. Sales Tax Tax“For Over “For Eighty Over Eighty Years YearsThe Voice The Voice of Our of CommunityOur Community Speaking Speaking for for Itself Itself” THURSDAY THURSDAY,, DECEMBER JULY 12 6, - 201718, 2013 BY LAPACAZO SANDOVAL Contributor Writer Legends are born and grown slowly and careful- ly. It might seem like the stuff of Hollywood lore but the truth about Tabay Atkins is exactly that— the truth—and the truth is PHOTO BY PETE SOUZA /WHITE HOUSE FILE PHOTO much more fanciful than President Barack Obama City Council President fiction. Herb Wesson The youngest certified yoga teacher in America, CITY NEWS SERVICE with the only dissenters Tabay Atkins has been wanting a larger or more practicing yoga since he The City Council unani- significant street to re- was just six years old. mously voted on June 28 to ceive the Obama name. When he was just 10, he rename a 3 1/2-mile stretch “What I have said asked to get his certifica- of Rodeo Road through to the people is it’s not tion to become a yoga southwest Los Angeles as about the length of the instructor. Now at 11, he Obama Boulevard in honor street, it’s about the sig- teaches three classes a of the 44th president. nificance of the street. It week at Care4Yoga studio The motion to rename is about what happened in San Clemente, Califor- Rodeo Road between Jef- on that street,” Wesson nia. ferson Boulevard and Ar- said before the vote. Tabay was inspired lington Avenue was intro- The motion also Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas by his mother, Sahel An- duced by Council President notes that the area, varinejad, who was recov- Herb Wesson, who recalled which is in Wesson’s ering from stage 3 Non- meeting Obama for the first 10th Council District, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and time during an early cam- is home to “president’s started practicing yoga as a paign stop at Rancho Ciene- row,” a series of streets part of her recovery. While ga Park on Rodeo Road in named after former pres- still in active recovery, she 2007. idents which includes became certified as a yoga The council president Washington Boulevard, instructor. said he had received over- Adams Boulevard and In 2012, she opened COURTESY PHOTO whelmingly positive feed- Jefferson Boulevard. Care4Yoga, a yoga studio Tabay, 11, the youngest certified yoga instructor in the U.S., has practiced yoga since back on the name change, {See OBAMA A-8} {See YOGA A-8} age 6 VALERIE GOODLOE PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO Senator Steven Brad- ford (D- Gardena) held a roundtable discussion on diversity of transporta- COURTESY PHOTO tion infrastructure con- (Left-to-Right): Senator Steven Bradford, Governor Jerry Brown & Small Business tracts and employment Commissioner, Angela Gibson. COURTESY PHOTO at California State Uni- versity- Dominguez Hills. infrastructure contracts tion Agency and Malcom when there may be op- BY TYLER MITCHELL girls are viewed as less in- and employment at Cali- Dougherty, the Director of portunities to compete for Sentinel Intern nocent than White girls. The SENTINEL NEWS SERVICE fornia State University- the Department of Trans- state and federally funded research found that adults Dominguez Hills. portation, led a discussion transportation infrastruc- A recent study con- view Black girls as less in- Senator Steven Brad- Following the roundta- and question-and-answer ture contracts. ducted by Georgetown Law nocent and more adult-like ford (D- Gardena) held a ble discussion with Gover- session for interested indi- In April 2017 Gover- Center shows that Black {See BLACK GIRLS A-8} roundtable discussion on nor Brown, Secretary Brian viduals and enterprises to diversity of transportation Kelly from the Transporta- learn more about how and {See BRADFORD A-8} From the House to the Senate, Republicans plow forward with their BY LAUREN A. JONES Healthcare plans to “repeal and replace” while over 80% of the nation and Contributing Writer Democrat leaders prefer to “repair and modify”. NBA point guard in town halls to rally the Chris Paul announced nation to preserve a right Wednesday, June 28, that was mandated under that he would be joining the Obama administration the Houston Rockets in - healthcare. Under the a trade after playing the Obama administration, last six seasons with the healthcare would no lon- Los Angeles Clippers. ger be a privilege for some His commitment to the but a right for all. Los Angeles community As healthcare in Amer- continued up until the ica has it’s challenges and eve of his announcement. pitfalls that need some The Chris Paul Family COURTESY PHOTO repairs and modifications, Foundation in partnership Senator Kamala Harris republicans prefer to de- with Kaiser Permanente speaks with press pool after molish it and continue to PHOTO BY LAUREN JONES/L.A. SENTINEL awarded two Compton rally. hide behind closed doors (L-R) LAUSD Local District South Superintendent Chris- area elementary schools with no debates, hearings topher Downing, Houston Rockets Chris Paul, principal with a $100,000 grant to BY NIELE ANDERSON or opinions from the med- Lashon Sanford (Compton Avenue Elementary School), refurbish and equip Love- Contributing Writer ical industry. One thing principal Chrystal Battey-Brown (Lovelia Flournoy lia P. Flournoy Elementary that the republicans have Elementary School) and president of Kaiser Permanente School and Compton Av- Messaging is everything been able to get across Southern California Julie Miller-Phipps unveil a comput- as democrat leaders zigzag er lab at Compton Avenue Elementary School on June www.lasentinel.net across the country talking {See HARRIS A-8} 27, 2017 in Compton, CA. {See WATTS A-13} A-2A-6 LASENTINEL.NETLOS ANGELES SENTINEL NEWSNEWS THURSDAY,JANUARYTHURSDAY, JULY 6, 9, 2017 2014 Robertson A curated dance experience created just for you (courtesy photo) BRANDON BROOKS/ L.A. SENTINEL BRIAN W. CARTER/ L.A. SENTINEL Pat Lang Pat Lang showing the DanceLove App on his phone BY KIMBERLEE BUCK very helpful; I couldn’t do and technique they teach he decided to make a Staff Writer this without them. Every- in. While students will change for himself and his one has kind of stepped up have access to weekly cal- family. Get ready to dance to the plate and owned their endar events and reviews “I was hugely over- your way to fitness with domain. It is really great to of the dance instructors, weight, when I started the DanceLove app. The work with a group of pro- the app personalizes each having kids; it made me fitness app was created fessionals who are taking student’s dance experience want to change my life. and developed by 15-year it seriously,” he said. “I am by remembering the genre I would go to sleep at technology veteran and Pat also proud to say that our of music and format the night and I would have Lang, co-founder Jennifer team is not only culturally participant prefers. The app sleep apnea and literally De Dios, and their team. diverse but gender diverse then suggest classes that stop breathing which was Together, they are fo- as well.” are available near the indi- freaking my wife out,” cusing on executing one The fitness app is the vidual’s location. said Lang. mission, “spreading love first of its kind allowing for The idea of the Dance- As a former DJ, Lang and uniting hearts through dance instructors to con- Love app came about af- enjoyed the party scene dance fitness within the nect with their students, ter Lang was laid off from and dancing but knew it dance fitness community,” gyms, and studio owners his job. He began juggling wasn’t reasonable to have says Lang. worldwide. Instructors will stress and soon became a family, a nine-to-five “The team has been be able to post their weekly overweight. After he got job, and go out all night. amazing and they have been schedule and the format married and had children, The next best option for him was Zumba. “Zumba was starting to gain some momentum in northern San Diego where I was,” he said. “The 24 Hour Fitness near me was having a Zumba class so I decided to go check it out,” said Lang. “I walked into the gym and opened the doors. There was mu- sic, it was loud, and people BRIAN W. CARTER/ L.A. SENTINEL were getting their groove The fitness app is the first of its kind allowing for MINORITY AND DISADVANTAGED on and I turned to the guy dance instructors to connect with their students and said, ‘I’m in.’” BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (MBE/DBE) Lang signed up for a membership and began Today he is a certified Zum- by Android in the app store. MATCHMAKING EVENT taking classes. He went ba and Bokwa instructor. Stay up-to-date with the from being in the back of Currently, the Dance- dance fitness community the room to being in front Love app is in development by visiting www.dance- WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017 row clapping and “getting and will launch in the Sum- loveapp.com. Be sure to 9am to 11am the party started.” This mer of 2017. The app will follow DanceLove app on year makes six years since be available to download Instagram and Facebook @ Faithful Central Bible Church, Tabernacle West Wing North Lang’s Zumba journey. for iOS at launch followed danceloveapp.