Weekly Email 3/13/22-3/21/22

This Week’s BLMLA Actions/Events (3/13/2022-3/20/2022):

  • SUNDAY, 3/13/2022 (TONIGHT!) at 7PM – BLMLA Monthly General Meeting at 3423 W. 43rd Place (in Africa Town/Leimert Park) – March is Black Women Are Divine month, uplifting the power, divinity and righteousness of Black women freedom fighters. As we honor the legacies of our most righteous warrior Ancestors, this month we celebrate the sisters, mamas, grandmas and daughters, who continue to grace the planet. Welcome to new folks, returning folks, all Black people, youth, elders, families, and non-Black allies. Dinner provided. Food and produce boxes to take home with you (because we believe in feeding our folks!). Donations welcome, but not required.

*No cops, media, politicians or haters allowed.

  • MONDAY, 3/14/2022 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 officials 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. Talking points here.

  • TUESDAY, 3/15/2022 at 9:30AM – Los Angeles Police Commission Meeting on Zoom at https://lapd.zoom.us/s/289225944 – We must fight for police accountability and reject the surveillance and criminalization of Black and Brown communities. Make public comment during the LAPC meeting and demand the commissioners take meaningful action to make #BlackLivesMatter! Coalition talking points here. Please use the “raise hand” function to speak. To participate by phone, call (855) 880-1246, Meeting ID: 289 225 944. Press *9 to be put in the cue for public comment.

  • TUESDAY, 3/15/2022 at 6:30PM – Torrance City Council Meeting for #ChristopherDeAndreMitchell at TorranceCA.gov and facebook.com/TorranceCA/ – On Saturday, the mother of #MichelleShirley dropped a bombshell…that one of the cops who killed #ChristopherDeAndreMitchell…Matthew Concannon…was also involved in Michelle’s murder. Make public comment to demand justice: 1) Fire Torrance police officers Matthew Concannon, Anthony Chavez, and Brian Kawamoto killing Christopher…and Michelle, and 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, 3/16/2022 at 4PM (and every Wednesday) – Fund Services, Not Police! #EndPoliceAssociations at 1313 W. 8th St., Los Angeles – Come out in beloved community as we take over the street in front of the Los Angeles Police Protective League office for a protest to #EndPoliceAssociations! Wear masks and bring your bodies, spirits, energy, drums, signs, flags and dedication. Streamed live on Instagram at @blmlosangeles. 

  • SATURDAY, 3/19/2022 8-10AM – This Is Not a Drill! on KBLA Talk 1580AM or facebook.com/BLMLA – Topic and guests to come, hosted by our own Sister Dr. Melina Abdullah with more guests to be announced. Listen live on KBLA Talk 1580 AM, kbla1580.com, download the KBLA app, or watch the livestream with ASL interpretation by ProBonoASL on facebook.com/BLMLA. Taking your calls at 800-920-1580.


Recap

  • Last Wednesday, we held a special #EndPoliceAssociations rally with all Black women speakers in honor of Black Women Are Divine. As always we made space for the families whose loved ones were stolen by police violence and were joined by the families of #PaulRea and #VanessaMarquez.

  • Last Saturday’s This Is Not A Drill on KBLA Talk 1580AM honored the 200th birthday of Mama Harriet Tubman with Dr. Shayla Nunnelly, Chair of the Africana Studies Department at the University of Tennessee. Sister Debra Shirley, the mother of #MichelleShirley, joined for the #MoreThanAHashtag segment, and dropped a BOMBSHELL when she revealed that Torrance cop Matthew Concannon…who murdered #ChristopherDeAndreMitchell…was the supervising officer in the murder of #MichelleShirley. The same cop! Hosted by our Sister Dr. Melina Abdullah. Missed it? Watch here.

  • On Saturday, Black Lives Matter-LA hosted a beautiful and sacred space for Black to share love, healing, and joy…a reclamation of our divinity in the name of #BreonnaTaylor. The gathering of more than 200 Black women in Norman Houston Park was part of Black Lives Matter’s global celebration. There was a delicious healthy lunch lovingly prepared by Watts Coffee House with Filthy Rich banana pudding for dessert. Performances by Rickie Byers, Siedah Garrett, Estella Holeman, Sierra Herrera, Sierra Leone, and Kayo with Pastor Cue on DJ duty. Hosted by the incomparable Dominique Diprima. Mama Paula on libations and a framing by our own Sister Melina. Healing space was provided by Frontline Wellness, including massage, reiki, tarot, acupuncture, with a children’s village for the young ones. The LA County Federation of Labor came out in force, providing more than 300 food boxes, bags of fresh produce, PPE, “bread and roses,” gift cards, and lots of volunteers. KBLA was an amazing media partner. (Be sure to download the KBLA app!) Thank you to the Brothers of BLMLA, White People for Black Lives, and non-Black allies, who gave Black women, girls, and femmes a break from labor on Saturday so that such love could be RECEIVED.


Upcoming and Ongoing:

  • TUESDAY, 3/22/2022 at 5PM PT facebook.com/BLMLA – National People’s Budget Call – Join people’s budget efforts from all around that nation to engage in a collective strategy session on how to hold candidate’s accountable in making no-cop-money, no-new-cops, and participatory budgeting pledges.

  • SATURDAY, 3/26/2022 at 3PM in Africa Town (Leimert Park) – People’s Budget Los Angeles Candidates Forum – Join Black Lives Matter and the People’s Budget LA Coalition as we engage all City of Los Angeles candidates for an in-person forum on the people’s priorities. For more, including candidate sign-ups, go to peoplesbudgetla.com.

Megan Castillo