Life or Something Like It In South Central
Our USC-based web publication, Neon Tommy, is out with a ten story package on the largest community revitalization program in Los Angeles, and one of the largest in the city. But in spite of all the hype around it, the three year old program has a very mixed record.
I would urge you to read the whole package which can be found through this central link. It took a team of more than a half-dozen reporters more than 4 months to put the package together — in part because of less than stellar cooperation from the local Urban League, which is running the program.
The real issue here, speaking personally, is not whether the program itself is very good or very bad. I am more concerned that one of L.A.’s worst-off schools (along with all the others) isn’t targeted by a domestic Marshall Plan, or something similar. Instead, public school budgets and staffs are being slashed and distressed communities like South Los Angeles find themselves under even greater pressure in the current economic circumstances.
I urge you to read this report in particular. It’s a sad and inspirational story of what a day in the life at a school like Crenshaw High is really like. No abstractions. Just life as it is really lived in America’s urban core.
It’s written by the rather brilliant Olga Khazan.
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:05 pm
Marc, please pass my compliments to the author, that was a very well done article.
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Criticizing the Urban League for “less than stellar cooperation” strikes me as typical of the hyperbole rampant on the web these days. I read the series over at Trojan Tommy or whatever and saw long interviews with the head guy at Urban League and the cooperation with him and countless others seemed really high. What were you referring to?
June 3rd, 2010 at 4:03 pm
When someone claims that public school budgets are being “slashed” without offering specific figures, I usually figure I’m being played and move on.
June 3rd, 2010 at 4:17 pm
This is really sad Marc and I agree that we need an ‘Urban Marshall Plan’ or ‘Great Society 2.0′. The fact that children have to live with the stress of violence while trying to learn in unacceptable.
Also, I can see the issue Buck Lewis — the Urban League is using the old school corporatist model of thinking that real estate magnate like Pam Bakewell is qualified to lead an urban renewal venture. Just because you’re worth lots of money doesn’t mean you know how to run non-profits.
June 3rd, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Great writing.
I worked at the Ford dealer just around the corner from Crenshaw HS for about eight years (including 1991, with the National Guard stationed at various places), and after just a short time i no longer saw the area in it’s bleakness, but rather a funky sort of place with a pulse all it’s own (think Treme). A good friend I used to play in a band with is named The Mama’s Boys, after the grande dame at Babe and Ricky’s Blues Club.
So I always appreciated the area, thinking I knew it pretty well, but then, I went home every night to Westchester, so I guess what’s really true is I didn’t know much at all.
June 3rd, 2010 at 5:06 pm
I meant to say my friend’s current band is named the Mama’s Boys, and any Buddy Guy fans out there (hint, hint) might want to check them out. Their gigs are listed in the LA Weekly, which means there is still a modicum of usefulness for that rag
June 3rd, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Cappadonna, you’re putting words in my mouth and missed my point entirely.
June 5th, 2010 at 12:29 am
You want a Marshall Plan for schools? How about a Marshall Plan for jobs too? We know where the money is, we just need the guts to go get it.
Time to tax the shit out of the hyper wealthy corporations, families, and individuals.