April 19, 2013    |  By Brad Elliot Stone

The recently elected Pope Francis brings a breath of fresh air into the Christian world. Catholics and Protestants will be inspired by his message of making the church “become poor” in order to serve the poor and downtrodden in our world. This is, after all, the true Christian message: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). By shunning the fancier aspects of the papacy, Pope Francis sends a powerful message: it is time for the church to become more like Christ and less like Caesar.

Who are the orphans? Naturally, those without parents are orphans, but there are also those who are “orphaned” in society, those who are left unprotected. As federal and state budget cuts and hard-heartedness in- crease, who will look out for those who are left behind? Pope Francis might be the religious leader to get Christians seriously involved in caring for others, especially those who have no one looking out for them.

Who are the widows? Naturally, those who have lost their spouse are widows, but there are also those who are “widowed” in society, those who once had what they needed but lost it. As people face foreclosure, loss of employment, food insecurity, and the loss of compassion from friends and neighbors, who will look out for those who now find themselves destitute? Pope Francis might be the religious leader to get Christians seriously involved in caring for others, especially those who once thought that they would be fine and not need help from anyone.

Pope Francis exemplifies what could be right about religion. The bringing to fruition of his message will make this world a better place.

April 01, 2013    |  By Teka-Lark Fleming

The Brickbat Revue’s AfroFuturism Film Festival— curated by Gary Dauphin— is coming to a finis this Saturday, March 30.
It’s been nearly four weeks of filmic themes, each of which have cinematically peeled away the layers of white-wash that have been overlaid in Hollywood’s versions of the future.

Throughout the weekends of March, movie-goers watched adventures in sonic fiction with legendary Sun Ra, took in an alternative black history with Ivan Dixon and explored black biopolitics in Ganga and Hess.

Ganga and Hess, the penultimate filmic offering, is a Dracula that explored the trappings of being black and not part of the unwashed masses.

The aesthetic of Ganga and Hess invokes Oscar Micheaux. What appeared to be stagey acting became cleverly claustrophobic as the story wore on, lending the film a pre-post-modern feel.

Ganja... perceives black people through the lens of socioeconomic class.
Upper-class black vampires sucking on the blood of working class black people in order to get into some random party by some random white guy.

Of course, not one of them made it to the party, and we never learn that random white guy’s identity. I mean—do we really need to learn it?

The last installment of the AfroFuturism Film Festival will show the documentary The Last Angel of History (1996) by John Akomfrah and Pumzi (2000) by Kenyan director Wanuri Kahiu.
We hope to see you there!

AfroFuturism’s final March film will air this Saturday, March 30 at 10:45 a.m. at the Gladys Waddingham Lecture Hall, Inglewood Public Library, 101 W Manchester Blvd. Ingle- wood, 90301 . For more info, please e-mail

Gladys Waddingham Lecture Hall 1972 by sculptors Tom van Sant and Tony Sheets (M.J. Locke Archive www.you-are-here.com)

April 01, 2013    |  By Anne Cheek La Rose

For the first time in several years, the newly reactivated Friends of Inglewood Public Library will hold a Humongous Book Sale. The place to be is the Friends Room on the parking lot level of the Main Library at 101 W. Manchester Blvd. in Inglewood on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Look for the balloons and come early for best selection.

There will be hundreds of hardcover books on a wide variety of subjects to choose from: fiction, non-fiction, travel, religious, sewing, crafts and cook books, just to name a few. In addition there will be self-help, exercise, and new mother books.

Movie fans will have tons of choices as well. There will be DVDs and VHS of classics, action, adventure, drama, comedy and workout. There will also be books and plays on tape.

If music is your thing, there will be lots to choose from in a variety styles. The sale will also feature a large children’s section replete with a similar variety of formats: books, DVDs and VHS. The children’s film selection in particular will offer classics, cartoons and sing-a- longs. For students there will be study DVDs and books.

Proceeds from the sale benefit the Inglewood Library through book purchases for the collection and sponsorship of children’s and adult programs. Sales are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

April 01, 2013    |  By Teka-Lark Fleming

On a recent Saturday I stepped into a room filled with rhythm and sisterhood in Inglewood. I was at the first annual Women’s African Drum & Wellness Conference put on by the All Women’s Drumming Alliance, S.H.I.N.E. Mawausi, at Motherland Music.

“You look like the aunt I was named after,” said a woman named Beverly as I walked into the conference. She then requested that I take a photo with her, so that she could remember me.

“You look like my niece too.” It was truly a sisterhood event.
The middle room was filled with drums and women. There was a demonstration by Shin Kanarazu Daiko, a Taiko drumming group out of Loyola Marymount University. There was a bounty of healthful food by vendors.

It was a bohemian “blk grrrl” dream. (Blk grrrl = Alternative black woman.)
I met the organizer of the event, Rene Fisher-Mims aka Moma Nay Nay. She was a shy woman with a youthful face and apple cheeks.

Catch S.H.I.N.E. Mawausi’s at the Leimert Park Artwalk, the last Sunday of every month.

April 01, 2013    |  By Teka-Lark Fleming

In their studio in Inglewood’s Fairview Heights community, the architects at (fer) Studio have been breaking virtual ground on urban planning.

They have created a model of a re-imagined people centric and sustainable downtown Inglewood with their Inglewood Living City project. The project will be part of the Never Built: Los Angeles exhibit at the Architecture + Design Museum on 6032 Wilshire Blvd. It is slated to open on July 12.

This livable city model demands an answer: Why isn’t this kind of development more popular and why is it often never built? In particular, why is the big retail style of development—which is more car- and corporate- friendly and equally pedestrian-resistant—often the first choice in modernizing a community?

“From a developer’s point of view, it takes the risk out. It’s not about [bettering an area] in a very big way; it’s about security [of investment],” said Chris Mercier, partner and design principal at (fer) Studio. His partner is Douglas Pierson.

They have studied in Italy and designed buildings in Hereford, Germany.

Of all the cities available, one wonders why these two architects have taken such a keen interest in our little city.

“Inglewood doesn’t have a downtown, but it does, but no one uses it like they do in other cities. In one way it’s a default, but in another sense it’s a huge opportunity,” Mercier said.

Inglewood is the City of Possibilities. We have so many opportunities. The chance to take these opportunities and make trailblazing artful decisions is now.

“We get fearful that the development that is going to occur in this area is going to get looked at as a ‘We’ll just solve the problem, they need a store,’ and they stick it in— that’s not rethinking Inglewood,” Mercier continued.

“You can put in all the best stores, but Inglewood won’t change if you don’t change Inglewood’s perception of what it is.”

These are insightful words from an architectural firm with an eye on Inglewood’s fertile future.