Weekly Newsletter 4/22/2025

Greetings Beloved Family,

On Friday night, hundreds filled the Center for Black Power in AfricaTown (Leimert Park) as our own Drs. Tabatha Jones Jolivet and David Turner presented the People’s Budget LA 2025 findings to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The results were consistent - Angelenos want to #DefundThePolice and fund housing, food security, mental and physical health, childcare, parks, and libraries – not more cops on the streets.

Despite the data, Mayor Bass said that she “cannot reduce the police budget.” When challenged she replied, that “no coalition that you can ever build will defund the police.” To which our collective answer is WANNA BET?

The struggle continues! Tuesday night we’re joined on zoom by City Controller Kenneth Mejia, who will walk us through the Mayor’s budget proposal. We’ll engage in collective conversation about how we fight for - and win - a PEOPLE’S BUDGET. Register and join!

QUICK THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW:

  • SIGN UP for texts from Black Lives Matter Grassroots. 

  • FOLLOW @blmgrassroots on all social media.

  • SIGN the Keep Brittany Martin Free petition. 

  • DONATE to support the vital work of Black Lives Matter Grassroots.

BLMLA Actions/Events (04/21/2025 – 04/27/2025):

  •  Tuesday, 4/22/2025 at 9:30AM - Public Comment at Los Angeles Police Commission Meeting at 100 W. 1st Street - Offer public comment before the Los Angeles Police Commission, which is supposed to provide oversight to LAPD. Join the #LAPCFails coalition as we hold accountable the body that is supposed to hold LAPD accountable.

  • Tuesday, 4/22/2025 at 7PM - How To Advocate for a People’s Budget with LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia - Zoom - The mayor submitted her budget proposal to City Council on Monday, which essentially writes a blank check to LAPD at the expense of 1600 City workers and virtually everything else. If we want a People’s Budget that invests in housing, youth and elder programs, libraries, parks, and community-based safety solutions, we’re going to have to fight for it! Let’s talk about why we demand a people’s budget and how we fight for it! Register here: tinyurl.com/peoplesbudgetconvo

  • Wednesday, 4/23/2025 at 4PM - #EndPoliceAssociations Rally at 1312 W 8th St - Join us as we return to the Los Angeles Police Protective League to protest against police associations that bully and bribe elected officials - including Mayor Bass, who recently accepted the LAPPL endorsement.  Stand up against the entire “criminal system of injustice” which converges to brutalize and arrest righteous protestors while letting killer cops walk free. This week’s protest is the first back on 8th Street since District Attorney Nathan Hochman unleashed LAPD on us two weeks ago. We will not be deterred! This is an ALL OUT

  • Sunday, 4/27/2025 at 7PM - Who All Gon’ Be There Black Improv Comedy Show - Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center - 4305 Degnan Blvd #101 - Who All Gon’ Be There is back in AfricaTown/Leimert Park this Sunday! The last one was too fun, the next one is going to be such a wild ride, you better buckle up now! Everything is made up on the spot, never to be seen again. Doors at 7pm, show at 7:30pm. The last ones were standing room only so make sure to get your tickets now here.

Recap:

  • Last Wednesday, BLMLA and BLM Grassroots joined students, faculty, staff, and community to say #HandsOffAngelMarie #HandsOffStudents! 3 busloads along with caravans of folks took the ride up to Cal State Channel Islands where Black student organizer AngelMarie Taylor was being targeted for disciplinary action, possible expulsion, police harassment, and criminalization. It was a powerful coalition brought together by #BlackLivesMatter Grassroots, Students for Quality Education, the California Faculty Association, and Black Student Unions from up and down the state. Hundreds of folks circled up, chanted, built community and marched to the president’s office to say HANDS OFF!

  • Last Friday, hundreds packed BLMLA’s Center for Black Power for the People’s Budget presentation to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. It was POWERFUL. Angelenos spoke resoundingly…We want to #DefundThePolice and invest in the things that actually make communities safe. Drs. Tabatha Jones Jolivet and David Turner walked us through data gathered from more than 1500 Angelenos surveyed, plus community conversations and visioning sessions. We appreciate the mayor for showing up, listening, and engaging with the community. However, we’re not just looking for her attendance. We want action! We know that it’s not that she “cannot reduce the budget to police,” it’s that she won’t…at least not without pressure. Stay plugged in with @blmlosangeles as we continue our fight for a people’s budget in the city!

  • Last Saturday, This Is Not a Drill! aired on KBLA 1580AM ]hosted by our = own Dr. Melina Abdullah, with co-host Pastor Cue JnMarie about why migration matters to Black people. TPastor Kevin Sauls, co-founder of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration and member of Clergy 4 Black Lives rounded out the conversation. Our #MoreThanAHashtag conversation uplifted the spirit of #BrandonKeys. Missed it? Watch here. 

BLMLA in Media and Must-Reads:

People's Budget

Righteous Protestors

Police Brutality

Elections

Tune in:

  • Move the Crowd airs every Monday morning at 7AM on 90.7FM KPFK kpfk.org, hosted by our own Sister Melina and co-produced by Sister Tyler Boudreaux. Listener calls around 7:40 at 818-985-5735.

  • Tune in to BLM’s This Is Not a Drill! every Saturday 8-10AM on KBLA Talk 1580, kbla1580.com, and on facebook.com/blmla.

Black Lives Matter is truly a labor of love, and our work produces real expenses. To support our work, please donate to gofundme.com/BLMLA and donate here to support the work of Black Lives Matter Grassroots.

For the most updated information and more on our work, please visit our website at blmla.organd follow us on social media: @blmlosangeles on IG, @blmla on Twitter, and Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles on Facebook.

Hannibal Tabu