pictured above: County Supervisor Yvonne Burke poses next to a picture of herself, part of a downtown exhibit celebrating her many landmark accomplishments in politics.

BY LEILONI DE GRUY (Los Angeles Wave)

A woman of many firsts — first African-American to serve on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, first Black woman elected to Congress from California, and the first member of Congress to give birth while in office — Yvonne Brathwaite Burke is approaching a rare last: her final day as an elected official. Her successor as supervisor will be sworn in to represent the 2nd District on Monday, but the retiring Burke has left an indelible legacy on the office she has held since 1992.

As one of the most accomplished and visible women in the history of American politics, she has not been without controversy: many have blamed Burke for the failure of the former King-Drew Medical Center, and a large group of constituents have been angered by her handling of a controversial oil field in Baldwin Hills. But to her many supporters, the USC Law School graduate’s tireless work with foster children and seniors, concern for those living on public assistance and commitment to providing her district with world-class parks and recreation services are the true test of her character and approach to governance. On the eve of her last meeting as a county supervisor,  Burke gave The Wave an exclusive interview in which the 76-year-old spoke candidly about her political career, overcoming racial and sex discrimination, why she has no regrets and the reason her immediate future political future lies in Washington, D.C.

In my short-lived life, I’ve been blessed with many great friends and family…people from all walks of life and individuals talented in so many regards.

As it relates to the arts, I was first introduced to the theater element at my very own Taylor Tot’s Playhouse (a blog post forthcoming on the significance and legacy). Fast fwd to high school, I was introduced to a young man in my [St. Bernard's High School] graduating class of  ’98 by the name of Aaron White.

Aaron always took the arts very seriously…even impressed me enough to seek out his knowledge and experience in helping CLIMB develop a CLIMB Youth Performing Arts Academy. Nowadays, you can find Mr. Aaron White spearheading a movement of consciousness, with very enlightening one-man performances highlighting the journey and struggle of “our people.”

Upon hearing of the new production, I made a surprise visit in Winter of 2005, and to my knowledge, this same performance has received rave reviews and national recognition. With that said, I’d encourage you to not only embrace the arts, but also lend yourself the experience of opening your mind to other outings and happenings (especially here in LA)…in the meantime, I give you Aaron White’s The Blood They Shed.

contact info: thebloodtheyshed@gmail.com

pictured above: Hiram R. Revels

Since the nation was founded, there have been five Black senators in the United States Senate—there were three Republicans and two Democrats. The Republicans were Hiram R. Revels and Blanche K. Bruce (Mississippi), and Edward W. Brooke (Massachusetts). Carol Moseley Braun and Barack H. Obama (Illinois) were Democrats.

They laid the foundation for the Black men and women who came after and followed their political footsteps. Today, they are known as the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), the Conscience of the Congress, and one of them will be the 44th President of the United States, President-elect Barack Obama.

Continue Reading »

Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Former President Al Gore and Dr. Wangari Muta Maatha to Receive Chairman’s Award

The 40th NAACP Image Awards will broadcast live from Los Angeles’ historic Shrine Auditorium Thursday, Feb. 12 (8:00-10:00 pm ET/PT) on FOX. The star-studded broadcast, which coincides with the NAACP’s 100th anniversary, is executive-produced by Vicangelo Bulluck and will kick off the organization’s year-long centennial celebration.

Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Former Vice President Al Gore and Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai will be awarded the NAACP Chairman’s Award during the special. The Chairman’s Award, chosen by NAACP Board Chairman Julian Bond, is bestowed in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service.

Continue Reading »

Note: I found this to be an interesting read considering my pops is an educator (LAUSD) and works within a magnet program.

The programs have frequently achieved their goal of voluntary integration and high-quality academic programs, a report says. But funding is stagnating, partly due to nation’s budget woes.

By Howard Blume (LA Times)

Support for magnet schools has foundered nationwide even though they continue to shine compared to other types of public schools, including charters, researchers concluded in a report released today.Magnet programs, created to promote voluntary integration, have suffered court setbacks, stagnant federal funding and local budget cuts.

Continue Reading »

pictured above (nphocus photography): Eze Burts, volunteer Youth Basketball Instructor, leads program participants through pushups during routine health exercises for the CLIMB Youth Basketball Camp

Only about a third are in the ‘healthy zone.’ L.A. Unified’s scores also edged up but are below the state average.

By Corina Knoll (LA Times)

When it comes to their physical fitness, students are taking baby steps toward better health, according to results from the 2008 California Physical Fitness Test released Tuesday.

The annual public school test measures six areas, including cardiovascular endurance, body fat percentage and strength and flexibility. Every spring, students in grades five, seven and nine run a mile, among other activities. They are scored on whether their performance falls in the “healthy fitness zone,” a term used to reflect a reasonable level of fitness. 

Continue Reading »

Northern Trust Survey “Wealth in Black America” finds Generational Differences Attitudes about Wealth Preservation and Wealth Transfer Differ

CHICAGO – October 8, 2008 – Young affluent Blacks are more worried about wealth preservation than their older counterparts, according to “Wealth in Black America,” Northern Trust’s first annual survey of affluent Black households in the United States, including African-Americans and Blacks of other origins. Three in four Generations X & Y wealthy respondents (ages 18-42) said they are concerned about preserving their wealth, while less than half of respondents in the Boomer and Silent Generations  (ages 43 and above) shared this concern. 

Continue Reading »

pictured above: Marian Wright Edelman, who heads the Children’s Defense Fund, says the needs of youth are neglected because “children don’t vote, they don’t make campaign contributions.”

‘It’s a threat to the nation, but it is a disaster for the Black community.’

By Andre Herndon (Wave Newspaper)

As a civil rights attorney and advocate, Marian Wright Edelman’s credentials are impeccable. 

Prior to starting one of the most nation’s most effective and influential progressive advocacy organizations, the 69-year-old Yale law School graduate and founder of the Children’s Defense Fund was the first African-American admitted to the Mississippi Bar. She handled legal issues for demonstrators during the 1964 “freedom summer” in that state, and later became a leading voice of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Continue Reading »