Weekly Email 10/10-10/17/2022

As the extreme anti-Black racism that pervades the City of Los Angeles comes to light, we are making demands that address both the hurt and the harm. The leaked audio that includes horrific slurs about a 2-year-old Black child by still-Councilmember Nury Martinez breaks our hearts and calls on us to encircle Jacob, Mike Bonin’s baby boy, with love and protection. The context of that conversation is just as troubling and points to a much more nefarious plot to undermine and erode Black power in the City. Still-Councilmember Kevin de Leon attempted to minimize Black organizing, calling it “25 Black people yelling.” Still-Councilmember Gil Cedillo and former County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera are just as guilty of spewing anti-Black, anti-LGBTQ, anti-Indigenous racist rhetoric, while also plotting to marginalize the City’s renters and progressive voices during the redistricting process. It is outrageous and reprehensible. Even more disgusting is that the three members of the City Council are vying to hold on to their seats even after literally everyone has called for their resignations. So let us say it louder…Councilmembers Nury Martinez, Kevin de Leon and Gil Cedillo MUST RESIGN IMMEDIATELY!


And WE DEMAND MORE! On Monday night, 68 of the most impactful Black leaders in Los Angeles engaged in a marathon meeting to develop a unified set of initial demands. We must do what we can to remedy the substantive harms brought by the anti-Black racism of some of the City’s most powerful “leaders.”


Demands of City Council:

  1. Immediate resignation of Councilmembers Gil Cedillo, Kevin de Leon, and Nury Martinez.

  2. City Council to elect Councilmember Mike Bonin President of the City Council for the remainder of the current term (which runs through December 2022).

Demands of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor (County Fed):

  1. Complete overhaul and fundamental culture shift at the County Fed to empower Black workers and labor leadership.

  2. Deep financial and member investment in programs and pipelines to benefit Black workers and develop Black labor leadership.

  3. Open up Board seats and leadership positions to Black delegates, with a process to quickly transition the presidency to a Black leader.

  4. Removal and barring of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, and all police associations from the County Fed. (Part of our demand to #EndPoliceAssociations.)

Additional Demands to Address the Harm Brought to Black Los Angeles:

  1. Full investigation as to how the unethical, and perhaps illegal, consorting of elected officials around weakening Black Council Districts may have negatively impacted Black community.



Los Angeles demands immediate action, not tired, disingenuous apologies. We encourage everyone who is outraged at this scandal to not only make your voice heard, but to further engage with the political process and hold our elected officials accountable to make #BlackLivesMatter.


Read the full Black Lives Matter-LA statement on the alarming Anti-Blackness by key Los Angeles Latinx leaders here.


We also know that the story of anti-Black racism a few is countered by the solidarity of the masses. This movement brings us together. It is more important now than ever to meet us in these streets to witness and demonstrate what solidarity looks like.

STAND WITH “THE BLACKS”!!!!

JOIN US THIS WEDNESDAY (AND EVERY WEDNESDAY) TO RAISE A FIST TO THE VIOLENTLY ANTI-BLACK POLICE ASSOCIATIONS THAT USE CROOKED POLITICIANS TO GOBBLE UP MORE THAN HALF OF OUR CITY BUDGET. WEDNESDAYS AT 4PM, 1313 W. 8TH ST., LOS ANGELES.


60 Seconds for Justice (quick things youcan do right now):

  1. FOLLOW @blmgrassroots on Twitter and Instagram.

  2. EMAIL your Congressional Representative and tell them to co-sponsor the Ending Qualified Immunity Act.

  3. POST a picture of yourself in a Black Lives Matter shirt. Tag @blmgrassroots, and hashtag #BlackLivesMatter.

  4. DOWNLOAD the KBLA app and listen to “Unapologetically Progressive” programming on the only Black-owned talk radio station in the West.


This Week’s BLMLA Actions/Events (10/11/2022-10/17/2022):

  • MONDAY, 10/10/2022 at 4:30PM – Demand Justice for #AnthonyMcClain at the Pasadena City Council Meeting on Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/161482446 – Call in to the City Council meeting and demand justice for #KendrecMcDade and demand the City Council fire the police officers who murdered #AnthonyMcClain. Please submit speaker cards prior to the public comment period at the link here. To participate by phone, call 1-669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 161 482 446.

  • TUESDAY, 10/11/2022 at 10AM – City Council Meeting at 200 N. Spring St. – Demand the immediate resignation of councilmembers Nury Martinez, Kevin de Leon and Gil Cedillo. Apologies are not enough! All three councilmembers must resign immediately and Mike Bonin must be the new president of the council until his term is over. Uplift your support during public comment! Proof of COVID vaccine may be required for entry.

  • TUESDAY, 10/11/2022 at 6:30PM – Torrance City Council Meeting for #ChristopherDeAndreMitchell at TorranceCA.gov and facebook.com/TorranceCA/Torrance – Stand with the family of #ChristopherDeAndreMitchell in demanding the council deliver justice in his name by meeting these demands: 1) Fire Torrance police officers Matthew Concannon, Anthony Chavez, and Brian Kawamoto killing Christopher 2) Establish a civilian oversight commission. To make a public comment during the meeting, call 310-618-2404 or you can email your comment in by 3pm to CouncilMeetingPublicComment@TorranceCA.gov.

  • WEDNESDAY, 10/12/2022 at 10AM – City Council Meeting at 200 N. Spring St. – Continue the call for the resignations of Councilmembers Nury Martinez, Kevin de Leon and Gil Cedillo! Stand with the people and voice your outrage during public comment. Proof of COVID vaccine may be required for entry.

  • WEDNESDAY, 10/12/2022 at 4PM – #EndPoliceAssociations Rally, 1313 W. 8th St., Los Angeles – Join Black Lives Matter and the Check The Sheriff coalition to stand with the families of those killed by police. This week we’re uplifting the need for us to demand Sheriff Accountability with Measure A- which will be on our November ballots! Wear masks and bring your bodies, spirits, energy, drums, signs, flags and dedication. Streamed live on Instagram at @blmlosangeles.

  • FRIDAY, 10/14/2022 at 10AM – City Council Meeting at 200 N. Spring St. – Continue the call for the resignations of Councilmembers Nury Martinez, Kevin de Leon and Gil Cedillo! Stand with the people and voice your outrage during public comment. Proof of COVID vaccine may be required for entry. (If necessary.)

  • SATURDAY, 10/15/2022 8-10AM – This Is Not a Drill! on KBLA Talk 1580AM or facebook.com/BLMLA – Anti-Black racism is both hurtful and harmful. Let’s talk about what’s happening in the City of Los Angeles and what demands Black organizers are making of the City, of organized labor, and to benefit Black Angelenos. Hosted by our own Melina Abdullah, with Baba Akili in the co-host chair. ASL interpretation by ProBonoASL on facebook.com/BLMLA. Taking your calls at 800-920-1580.

  • SATURDAY, 10/15/2022 ALL DAY LONG ON CRENSHAW! – Taste of Soul – Meet us in these streets for one of the best community block parties on the planet! We’ll throw a little Black power in the mix lifting up Yes on Measure A!, #BlackXmas and the power of Black organizing. 


Upcoming:

  • WEDNESDAY 10/19-SUNDAY 10/23/2022 – Fist for LA! – Jordan Jamal Park, the artist who constructed the massive “George Floyd Fist” in Minneapolis, is building one for Black Lives Matter - Los Angeles! There will be a community component to the construction and installation in AfricaTown/Leimert Park. Stay tuned.

  • OCTOBER 2022 – Baba Sekou Odinga in Los Angeles – Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles will co-host a gathering with former political prisoner and veteran freedom fighter Sekou Odinga in partnership with Islah-LA. More details to come.

  • FRIDAY, 11/25/2022-1/1/2023 – #BlackXmas – It’s our annual campaign to divest from white-supremacist capitalism and #BuildBlack, #BuyBlack, and #BankBlack. We need everyone to pitch in as we make this the best #BlackXmas ever…including providing a comprehensive list of Black-led revolutionary organizations, identifying Black businesses that benefit the community, and moving our money out of white corporate banks that finance our oppression. Of course, there will be a big protest to close out the season! You in? For more visit blackxmas.org.

Megan Castillo