The Latest
Today, we lift the beautiful Spirit of #WakieshaWilson, whose life was stolen 8 years ago by guards inside LAPD Metro Detention Center. Wakiesha was a loving mother, daughter, niece and community member. Authorities never bothered to inform the family of Wakiesha’s death, leaving her mother searching for her for four days before she learned that she was dead.
Since 2016, BLMLA has been working alongside the family to demand justice in Wakiesha’s name. This afternoon, join the demonstration in her honor and plug in to the work to pass “Wakiesha’s Law,” a federal family notification policy, being introduced to Congress.
All month long, be inspired by Divine Black Women honored daily on IG @blmgrassroots, and plug in to do the righteous work of Black liberation.
The life of beautiful Black healer, daughter, niece, loved one, and ray of sunshine - #BreonnaTaylor - was stolen by police in Louisville, Kentucky on March 13, 2020. As word slowly spread around the world, Black women, especially, felt a collective piercing wound. We were reminded of the words of honored Ancestor Zora Neale Hurston who stated that “Black women are the mules of the world.” But Divine Spirit and Breonna Taylor reminds us that…the world may try to make us into mules, but BLACK WOMEN ARE DIVINE.
Since 2020, Black Lives Matter Grassroots has called for a reclamation of Black women’s divinity. This has taken shape in the form of community honors, celebrations, and acts of love. Black Lives Matter - Los Angeles will host our annual arts, healing and love festival on Sunday, March 17th at Norman O. Houston Park…with performances by Aloe Blacc, Aja Monet, our own Yazmin Monet Watkins, and Kayo, and more, healing services, including: reiki, massage, acupuncture, and spiritual counseling, healthy delicious lunch, gifts, and outpourings of love…all free for Black women, girls, and femmes. People who are not Black women are invited to show their love by bringing gifts, volunteering, and spending the month loving up on the Black women in your own lives.
All month long, be inspired by Divine Black Women honored daily on IG @blmgrassroots, and plug in to do the righteous work of Black liberation.
For some of us, Tuesday’s election results were not so super…
While Black Lives Matter doesn’t endorse candidates and we know that no oppressed people have ever won their freedom solely through the ballot box, we also know that electing leaders who are in line with our values is important.
While our beloved Baba Akili didn’t win his Assembly race, he won a formidable 10% of the vote while holding true to a people-powered, vision-based campaign facing opponents who had much deeper pockets and political machines behind them. And while racist, violent, disgraced City Councilman Kevin De Leon was the top vote-getter in Council District 14, 73% of district residents voted against him. DEEP THANKS to Michael Williams and the #KDLMustGo crew for holding it down for years - educating the community about the harm that Kevin brings.
As we move towards a general election in November, let’s continue to #VoteAndOrganize!
All month long, be inspired by Divine Black Women honored daily on IG @blmgrassroots, and plug in to do the righteous work of Black liberation.
We make Black history by fighting for Black lives. That means using every tool in our toolbox to upend systems of violence and harm and building systems of care. This looks like standing in these streets on Wednesdays, to #EndPolice Associations, pounding the pavement to say #KDLMustGo, and continuing to make it known that we want to #DefundThePolice by completing the People’s Budget survey. This sounds like continuing to say #BlackLivesMatter, even when it’s no longer popular. This feels like wrapping our arms around our children, our elders, our community, and offering spaces of love and care, even as we heal our own selves. Let’s use our voices, our bodies, and our resources to make Black Lives Matter. Do something tangible for our people every single day.
This February, be inspired by following our #BlackHistoryMatters daily political education installments on Instagram @blmgrassroots, and plug in to do the righteous work of Black liberation.
On Wednesday February 7, a new interim LAPD Chief was named. As we celebrate the people’s victory in our #NoMoreMoore effort, we also know that Interim CVhief Dominic Choi represents more of the same. This is why BLMLA has refused to play the game of naming a new chief preference. It is indisputable that policing descends from slave-catching and paddy rollers. Just as it doesn’t bring freedom to change the roller in charge, neither does it bring peace to change the name behind the police chief title. What we need, in the words of our own, “Mama” Paula Minor, is a “fundamental change” in the way we do public safety. We must be abolitionists! Let’s divest from violent policing and invest in the resources that actually build safe communities.
This February, be inspired by following our #BlackHistoryMatters daily political education installments on Instagram @blmgrassroots, and plug in to do the righteous work of Black liberation.
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RT @blmgrassroots: We look forward to seeing you in Baltimore April 19-23 for the #StateOfTheBlackWorld! @IBW21st @DrRonDaniels1… https://t.co/hycaBneBx2
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.@LACountyBOS has failed to implement the #CloseMCJ report, OR fully fund #CareFirst. Lives were stolen because of… https://t.co/OAgKlGDx2A
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In the past 3 months, 7 community members' lives were stolen in Men's Central Jail (MCJ). @LACountyBOS We cannot wa… https://t.co/yeEvNbOQJI
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RT @WP4BL: Join the #LAPCFails coalition, made up of folks from @BLMLA, @stoplapdspying, @LACANetwork, @WP4BL and more at the… https://t.co/0OzlhQrfT6
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RT @reimagine_la: 🔥NOW IS THE TIME! 🔥 Join our Twitter Storm demanding that @LACountyBOS #CloseMCJ and fund #CareFirst and invest in… https://t.co/z4OSoMxwXg
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RT @reimagine_la: 2 weeks ago, @LACountyCEO stated that the county would be allocating only $88M toward Care First Community Investme… https://t.co/eK9CGyiv7i
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RT @reimagine_la: 🗣️ We're raising our voices to let @LACountyBOS know we need a #CareFirst Community Investment plan funded in full!… https://t.co/hqmVoDbo0G
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RT @reimagine_la: 🗣️ We're raising our voices to let @LACountyBOS know we need a #CareFirst Community Investment plan funded in full!… https://t.co/3fTmU1Rxmz
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RT @reimagine_la: Use our email template below to submit a letter to @LACountyBOS! We are advocating for a fully-funded #CareFirst Co… https://t.co/jOu8WrH0HS
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RT @reimagine_la: While LA County's most vulnerable populations struggle to access their basic needs, @LACountyBOS keeps throwing mon… https://t.co/RbT5I30Rda
New Black City
Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and the Museum of Social Justice have partnered to curate an outdoor art exhibition. Black artists were invited to imagine a world without police. The exhibition documents the Black Lives Matter movement and illustrates what Los Angeles could be without policing and other carceral systems. The exhibition seeks to amplify the movement’s policy demand: to reclaim the billions of dollars that systems of law enforcement drain from Black communities and invest those resources in community-driven, life-affirming systems of care and services that truly keep us safe.
Visitors are invited to contribute to the community altar, a sacred space for Black men, women, and children who have been killed while in police custody. Bring a photo, candle, flower, or other item of personal significance to add to the altar.