Mobile COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic at South Park Draws Thousands for First, Second Dose
During the week of March 22, Smokey Robinson stopped by the mobile COVID-19 vaccination unit at South Park Recreation Center to receive his vaccine. The legendary singer, songwriter and record producer joins thousands of Angelenos that have been vaccinated against the coronavirus at pop-ups across District 9 parks.
A targeted approach is being led by Councilmember Curren Price as part of ongoing efforts to bring vaccines directly into South LA neighborhoods via pop-ups and vaccination sites like one at USC.
“Reaching out to our faith based organizations, local non profits, community leaders and neighbors, we have made it our mission to hit the pavement, knock on doors, make calls and help get the word out about the many ways that residents of South LA can get their shot,” added Councilmember Price. “But we’re not done yet and we’ll be looking to expand our outreach to include vaccination sites at churches and other local establishments.”
Since February, the Councilmember has helped organize vaccination clinics in his District with Team Price scheduling appointments for eligible individuals and offering transportation for neighbors. As part of a grassroots campaign, Councilmember Price has developed partnerships with senior housing facilities, public housing communities, restaurants, grocery stores, churches and others to get people who live and work in the District vaccinated.
For more information on the local opportunities, and to determine eligibility, please contact Councilman Price’s District Office at (323) 846-2651.
LOOKING AHEAD: MARCH 30-APRIL 3
Going Back in Time with African American Firefighters and Jack's Basket Room
African American Firefighters
During the Jim Crow era, a period of widespread discrimination against African Americans that lasted to the mid-1960s, all-black fire stations in Los Angeles were sources of community pride. Sam Haskins, born enslaved in Virginia, became the city’s first African American firefighter. He was fatally crushed in the line of duty in 1895 when the engine he had boarded hit rough pavement on North Main Street on the way to a fire and he fell into the large wheel next to the boiler.
George Bright, hired in 1897, became the city’s second black fireman. By 1902, he had attained the rank of lieutenant, and the Los Angeles Fire Department had a dilemma on its hands: segregate crews or allow a black man to supervise a white staff. In 1924, the department assigned all of its African American firefighters, under Bright’s supervision, to Fire Station No. 30, built in the Prairie School style in 1913 at the corner of Central Avenue and 14th Street.
Jack’s Basket Room was one of Central Avenue’s most famous after-hours jazz clubs in the 1940s and 1950s. Also known as “Jack’s Chicken Basket,” the “Bird in the Basket,” and “Jack’s Chicken Shack” — for the fried chicken with shoe-string potatoes offered in rattan baskets — the place was a down home joint that nonetheless featured white tablecloths and well-dressed revelers. Ads in the Los Angeles Sentinel pegged Jack’s as “the place where every-one comes to play.”
Almost every night, musicians would show up after their paying gigs and jam with each other to a packed house until dawn. Although it did not serve alcohol, savvy patrons knew to bring their own half-pints. “A chicken ain’t nothin’ but a bird,” Cab Calloway’s lyric, adorned the exterior of the 1923 brick building.
Jack’s Basket Room hit a high note in February 1947, when influential bebop saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker played a packed room after emerging from a six-month stay at Camarillo State Mental Hospital for heroin addiction. Unfortunately, Jack's Basket Room was destroyed in a fire in 2018, but if you look closely at the photo of the building you can still see the outline of "Jack's" and Cab Calloway’s lyrics “A chicken ain’t nothin’ but a bird” painted on the outside.
Councilmember Curren Price, Workers Protest Union-Busting
During an early morning rally on March 22 at Grand Park in front of Los Angeles City Hall, Councilmember Curren Price stood in solidarity alongside thousands of local labor union members, clergy and community members to protest the tactics Amazon is using in its attempt to curb their workers’ rights to organize- as most recently seen in Bessemer, Alabama.
Councilman Price and allies marched from Grand Park to the headquarters of the Law Offices of Morgan Lewis, a firm that is being used by Amazon and other large corporations to discourage workers from forming unions, and take a stand against the entities who profit off of suppressing workers’ voices.
“From Los Angeles to Bessemer and beyond, our essential workers are deserving of respect, dignity and advancement,” added Price. “I hope that powerful companies like Amazon get the message that it’s morally wrong to exploit and bully their employees, and we won’t let them get away with it; not today, tomorrow, and especially during a pandemic!”
Anonymous Gun Buyback Program A Great Success
Providing District 9 Neighbors with COVID-19 Vaccinations and Food
On March 13, Councilmember Curren Price was joined by partners St. John's Well Child and Family Center, Labor Community Services and The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO at Exposition Park for a morning filled with serving District 9 neighbors.
During the drive-thru event, more than 2,000 community members received a 40lb box of food to help them get through the rough patch many are experiencing during the pandemic. An added resource to the event came in the form of vaccinations, administered by the St. John’s Mobile clinic, as they were able to provide 400 individuals shots to fight against the coronavirus.
“These community events are extremely crucial especially in districts such as the one I represent,” said Councilman Price. “I am proud to say that they will continue for as long as necessary.”
Check out the video below from our friends at LA CityView35 featuring highlights from the Saturday event.
Union Members Attend Mass Vaccination Event in CD 9
Councilmember Curren Price joined community partner Kedren Community Health Center in District 9 on March 13 to welcome union members for a Labor Vaccination Program.
Union workers with Service Employees International Union (SEIU), UNITE HERE! and AFSCME employed in various industries including hospitality, healthcare, childcare and janitorial were able to take advantage of the event targeted to individuals who live and work in CD 9. By the end of the day, more than 1,000 workers received their first COVID-19 vaccine.
Within CD 9, eligible residents, including those with underlying medical conditions, can contact Councilmember Price's District Office at (323) 846-2651 to make an appointment or request a ride to one of our mobile vaccination clinics. Individuals can also check their eligibility and make an appointment at VaccinateLACounty.com.
Supporting Local Middle School Students and Entrepreneurs
Meet Hailey and Lauren: two Girl Scouts in middle school who joined Team Price at a mobile vaccination clinic at Vermont Square Park in March.
The two young ladies developed a business plan to sell cookies in their community and presented it to Councilman Curren Price’s team. Needless to say, the teenagers were a hit at a recent pop-up selling Samoas, Thin Mints and Do-si-Dos, among other cookies.
“My Office first learned about Hailey and Lauren from an email they wrote asking for ways to get involved in District 9,” added Councilman Price. “Amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic, they wanted help in identifying locations from which to sell their cookies in a safe and responsible manner.
“Team Price is proud to play a small role in their overall success. I was especially impressed by their drive, work ethic and go-getter attitude. They are two prime examples of what our future holds when we support our children’s goals, enthusiasm and initiative.”
Angels Walk LA: Going Back in Time at Second Baptist Church and Liberty Savings and Loan
Central Avenue was the cultural, social and entrepreneurial epicenter of the Black community in Los Angeles from the 1920s through the 1940s.
Over the next several weeks, we will be introducing you to the newly installed Central Avenue Angels Walk. We will preview some of the highlights from this self-guided historic walking trail and hope that you are inspired one day soon to take advantage of a beautiful sunny LA day to enjoy what the full 1.6 mile trail has to offer.
Visit the website: https://www.angelswalkla.org/walks/central-avenue/. Printed guidebooks are available for this walk at Councilmember Curren Price’s District Office, call (323) 846-2651 for more information.
Second Baptist Church
A block west of Central Avenue, radiating from the corner of 24th Street and Griffith Avenue, stands Second Baptist Church, among the most influential of the city’s African American faith institutions. The church has had a remarkable history steeped in both spirituality and activism, particularly with regard to civil rights and community development.
Paul Revere Williams, an African American architect, and Norman Foote Marsh designed the building, Second Baptist’s third home. The gold-toned brick, Romanesque Revival structure, which opened in January 1926, featured seating for more than 2,000 congregants. It was Williams’ first major public commission and one of the few from the black community.
Liberty Savings and Loan
Organized in 1924, Liberty Building-Loan Association, later renamed Liberty Savings and Loan Association, was the first African American-owned business of its type west of the Rocky Mountains. The institution offered economical home mortgages at a time when white lenders refused to finance housing for African Americans and other marginalized groups in most parts of Los Angeles. Liberty’s founders established offices at 2504-2512 S. Central Ave. to encourage African Americans to save money and to invest in Liberty and other sound African American-owned businesses.
Newton Division Officer Dies After Being Struck by Car While Directing Traffic
Our hearts are heavy with the loss of Officer Jose Luis Anzora who perished in the line of duty in early March, after being struck by a car while conducting traffic control in South LA. Officer Anzora was a 10-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and spent the majority of his career in CD 9’s Newton Division. The 31 year old will be remembered for his courage, bravery and dedication to the District 9 community and to the uniform he so proudly wore.
To our Newton PD family, we lost a member of our own team. Our condolences to his wife, family, colleagues and loved ones. May he rest in eternal peace.
COVID-19 Vaccines Now Available to Teachers, First Responders, Grocery and Restaurant Workers
Courtesy of County of Los Angeles Public Health
A record number of shots were administered as part of Councilmember Curren Price’s COVID-19 mobile vaccination clinics at South Park Recreation Center during the week of March 1.
Since February, the CD 9 grassroots campaign has been responsible for vaccinating thousands of eligible local neighbors from South Los Angeles. Earlier this week, the opportunity expanded to individuals working in education, childcare, emergency services, food and agriculture, as well as seniors aged 65 and older and healthcare workers who were already allowed to sign up.
“We are beginning to see the light of what was once a very dark tunnel. People are beginning to get vaccinated in record numbers and all of the efforts the community has put forward to stay safe is starting to pay off,” added Councilmember Price. “Getting the vaccination will put us closer to the finish line with the pandemic.”
The District 9 COVID-19 mobile vaccination program, in partnership with CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) and the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), continues tomorrow, Saturday, March 6 at South Park Recreation Center from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Walk ups will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis from 12-3 p.m.
Another pop up is scheduled from March 9 to March 13 at Green Meadows Recreation Center. Details below. You can schedule an appointment or request a ride (must reside in District 9) for the coming week by contacting Councilmember Price’s District Office at (323) 846-2651.
Click on the image below for a video highlighting this week’s event at South Park from our friends at LA Cityview 35.
