March 16, 2017
By Brandon I. Brooks
Managing Editor
Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey is in a powerful and controversial position to say the least. As the first woman and the first African American person to hold the position, Lacey is faced with daily challenges and tough decision making that can be polarizing to the masses she serves.
A constitutionally created office, the district attorney is responsible for prosecuting cases involving violations of state law. The L.A. County District Attorney’s office is the largest in the nation, there is no larger office. Lacey leads a team of about 1,000 lawyers and about 300 sworn investigators. Being that L.A. is one of the most populated counties in the nation with an estimated population of 10 million, Lacey’s team of prosecutors has difficult challenges dealing with crime.
“For instance, people know that we deal with human trafficking, a lot of cybercrime, fraud but also, we have more than our share of homicides, rapes, child molestations, home and auto burglaries,” said Lacey. “We probably lead the nation in some of those statistics. So, it is the busiest office in the nation and the most innovative, a lot of people look to us to kind of set the trend for the nation.”
Lacey was elected to lead the DA’s office in 2012 and was more than ready to serve having grown up in the office. “I came here to the office 30 years ago and I have done everything from low level drug cases to homicide cases,” said Lacey. “So, I felt like I really knew the business and what we do and I knew the mission. I felt I was ready mentally, I was ready knowledge wise. You know from the minute you come in although as the first woman and the first African American, I want to be the best.”
Her in-house agenda was creating an environment that inspires and frees her staff but then gives them guidance. In terms of serving the community, there were a lot of criminal justice reform efforts that were happening and Lacey wanted to make sure citizens remain safe. “I wanted to do something about alternative sentencing, mental health turned out to be a big issue here,” said Lacey. “We were incarcerating way too many people because they were mentally ill and I thought we needed to change. It is no secret that I wanted to address fraud and fraudulent schemes that are perpetuated on our elderly, I wanted to warn them about them and I wanted to protect our environment. I wanted environmental justice to occur, I think that no matter where you live, you ought to be entitled to clean water, clean air and free from any pollutants and anything of that sort.”
As Lacey headed into her second term, though she wanted to still focus on mental health, fraud and cybercrime, this time around she really wanted to focus on children. “The abuse of children, you know most child homicides occur with children who are five years or less,” said Lacey. “So, we got to do something for those little ones, right? We got to figure out how to protect them better.”
In the national discussion about prosecutors and police, there is a perception in communities of color that the prosecutor’s office does not work in their favor as much as it does for other communities and there is a discussion about unconscious bias. Lacey wants to be the first DA’s office in the nation to require all of her lawyers to go through training to eliminate that bias. She wants to ensure that the DA’s policies are fair and not slanted against people because of their economic status or their physical characteristics. She also wants to ensure that when her prosecutors are prosecuting a case, that defendants are getting a fair trial and that they are not putting anyone away for the wrong reasons and that they treat victims from all communities with respect.
“We are the most diverse prosecutor’s office in the nation,” said Lacey. “People may not realize, although we have 1,000 lawyers, about 53 percent of them are women, nine percent of our prosecutors are African American, 12 percent are Latino and a little bit more of that 14 percent are Asian. So, we pride ourselves in reflecting the community and reflecting jurors and I think that is important when we are discussing in our policymaking room certain issues, we need that diverse opinion.
“One big thing that we have done and I am so proud of is create the conviction of review unit. Only about 11 offices that I know of have had the conviction review unit and that’s to provide relief for those who have been wrongfully convicted…It is my position that you should never as a person or prosecutor say I’m done, I sought justice in a case. If there is one person in prison who has been wrongfully convicted and new evidence comes that shakes your confidence in the evidence that was used to convict that person, you have an absolute duty to look at that.
“I think as a prosecutor, the best service that you can do to ensure that every community is safe is to question, ‘what’s this assumption that we are making and why’ and make sure that we maintain our independence. Some of the decisions are tough. In pretty much every decision that I make, someone is going to be upset, someone is going to disagree with it but we are bound by the law and the constitution and so we really do make an effort to be fair and just and challenge each other on decisions.”
Lacey leans on the loving support of her husband David and their two children, Kareem and April to get through the vigorous days as DA. She also shared how vital her parents were for providing a solid upbringing. Her parents Addie and Louis came from the South: her dad is from Henderson, Texas and her mom is from a small town called Evans, Georgia which is just outside of Augusta. Her parents grew up very poor in the ‘50s where there was a lot of segregation and discrimination. “The word back then was come to L.A. where you can get a job and where there are opportunities,” said Lacey. “I grew up in a home where my father was very strict. I couldn’t just go out anywhere. There were two things we had to do, we had to go to church and we had to go to school.”
Lacey’s parents believed that the way to a better life was getting a college education. They lived for that and they worked hard to instill that in Jackie and her sister. “I never knew I had a choice,” said Lacey. “I was going to college. What I didn’t know was that I was going to become a lawyer. I became a lawyer because I met an African American lawyer and she inspired me to pursue this profession. I am proud of what I do, I feel and I am not just talking about the elected part of it, you know one day this will be over with and I want to look back at this and say these positive changes happened because I was a part of it, or I inspired it or I participated in it. There’s nothing like the feeling of making a difference in history.”
Growing up in the Lacey household, Jackie recalls there was a photograph of Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. Her dad loved talking about history and she is sad that he didn’t live long enough to see her being sworn-in but knows he was there in spirit.
“We never talked about this, we never talked about could I be the district attorney,” said Lacey. “I loved to read but he would always say, I want you to read this book, ‘Tough Times Don’t Last Always, Tough People Do.’ He had leadership books from Martin Luther King to Abraham Lincoln and I wasn’t having any of it at 13 and 14-years-old. Recently this year, I went to spend some time with my mom and she is cleaning out some of his things and she says, ‘you know I have a box of books here that your dad had, would you like to have them?’ I almost cried because I got these books and I am going to read them this year. He has book marks and notes in the margins. It is like he was preparing me and I want to do the same thing for my children. I want to prepare them for the tough times and prepare them to do well and I want them to care about this country and the community and I want them to get involved and be engaged.”
The Sentinel asked Lacey about her legacy and how she hopes to be remembered. She shared that she wants people to know she may be quiet but she is competitive. “I want them to look at the wall of District Attorneys, I’m number 42, Jackie Robinson’s number,” Lacey said.
“I want them to say, ‘she was the best district attorney we had. We may have not realized it at the time, but she made changes. She went after human traffickers, made seniors safer, protected our kids, made the justice system fairer in terms of people who had mental illnesses, inspired prosecutors to be the best that they could be and to recognize that she was good for the L.A. county.’”
As for up-and-coming attorneys and potential prosecutors who want to follow in her path… “go for it,” she said.
“If you are willing to work hard, make sacrifices, I think your dreams of becoming a lawyer, prosecutor, defense attorney is absolutely attainable. I came from a family where we didn’t have very much. Our house was modestly priced. I went to schools on scholarships, grants and loans. I’m just a kid from Dorsey High School, I still feel that way some days and if I can make it and our parents can make it and we can have an African American President, what excuse do we have, what are we waiting for?
“When we are insecure, we are our own worst enemies because we have that little voice in our head saying we can’t, we won’t, we’re not smart enough. I know a lot of people in this world, I don’t know how they made it but they did. We just have to get that message out there. I’m thinking of going to community colleges, start reaching out at that level, asking have they thought of being a lawyer? In this country, 80 % of the lawyers are White. The law profession is even less diverse than the medical profession. Think about what lawyers do. They go on to be presidents, legislators and CEOs. That’s a darn influential job, you don’t have to be a prosecutor per say, but you should because if you want to make a difference in a criminal justice system, come in this office and do that and create polices and make decisions that will make a difference. So, I do encourage people to pursue, this is a wonderful profession, it’s very satisfying.”
HBCU alumni respond as the Trump Administration does it again and Black folks walk away felling used, tricked and uncertain about Trump's motives
By Niele Anderson
Contributing Writer
In the month of February White House Correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks April D. Ryan continually pressed the White House about their agenda for HBCUs. Through a series of push backs the opportunity presented itself with the support of controversial, HBCU alumni and Whitehouse Director of Communications for the Office of Public Liaison, Omarosa Manigault.
Mixed emotions were felt after the meeting with Morgan State University President David Wilson tweeting:
Tashni-Ann Dubroy President at Shaw University
Posted on Facebook:
“Regardless of the outcome of our meeting, what mattered is that over 80 presidents went to the White House to meet with President Trump and advocate for HBCUs, for our students, our alumni, our faculty and our staff. Shout out to my fellow HBCU prezzies who were called to serve. I have mad love for the presidents who could not make it today, or who chose not to attend. Regardless of your decision or your circumstances, we are in the good fight together.”
Morehouse College President John Wilson Jr., called the meeting “troubling.” Grambling State University President Rick Gallot shared, more than 90 percent of the students at Grambling are eligible for the federal Pell grant, and added he would like to see the program strengthened and made into a year-round opportunity.
The President of Dillard University Walter M. Kimbrough stated he was “still processing that entire experience”. He was scheduled to speak to an audience which included Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and VP Mike Pence. He was allotted 7 to 15 minute to speak. He wanted to use his time to talk about Pell grants. But that was quickly squashed when an announcement was made that they were being summoned to the White House to meet with Trump. Which turned into nothing more than a photo opportunity and chance for Kellyann Conway to slightly spread eagle on the president’s couch in front of the HBCU presidents.
The next day they were called back for an additional photo-op with Trump signing an executive order calling for $25 billion for infrastructure, college readiness, financial aid and other priorities. With no real funding allocation. It also moved the HBCU White House Initiative from the Department of Education to the White House which more than likely Omarosa will oversee.
President Ronald Reagan created the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities by executive order in 1981. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush established a Presidential Advisory Board on HBCUs, and in 2002, President George W. Bush transferred the initiative from the White House to the Department of Education. Under the Obama administration the Initiative attempted to build bridges for the HBCU colleges and businesses which would lead to experience and more job opportunities.
Although Omarosa is not a favorite in the African American community having her oversee the program will hopefully be better than the Education Department. Department head Betsy DeVos’ who obliviously, praised HBCUs as “pioneers” in school choice that gave black students more options to pursue higher education.
Majority of HBCU’s are in red, or Republican-controlled states, and the colleges are heavily reliant on federal and state funding to survive. During the time HBCU’s were created they were not created for a better choice but rather the only option to segregation and racism.
Wilson, president of Howard went on to say, “HBCUs were not created because the 4 million newly freed blacks were unhappy with the choices they had,” he said. “They were created because they had no choices at all. That is not just a very important distinction, it is profoundly important.”
While the debate continues we decided to catch up with some HBCU alumni’s here and Los Angeles to see what they thought of the White House visit:
Jacquelyn M. Horton- Hampton University
I’d prefer my school stay as far away from this administration as possible. Hampton has been unbought and un-bossed since 1868. We’ve been doing a great job of expanding on our own. I don't trust the current administration and don't won't their fingerprints anywhere near Hampton and our great institution. I don’t have a problem with HBCU presidents meeting with the current president because it’s good to know what's going on. But I do think they should stay as far away from partnerships as they can. This is really a time for us to up our giving campaigns. We have to give more so the schools won't need the Feds help.
Ronald R-Tistic Turner - Florida A&M University
“I’m not mad that the Presidents of any HBCU’s accepting the meeting with Trump, but I still see it as a photo op that will not lead to any true progress or change. I don’t believe this current administration has our best interests in mind.”
Marion Kendrick- Alcorn State University
I don’t feel much was accomplished during the summit. I believe the statements made by Betsy DeVos showed a lack of education about the history of HBCU’s and the plight of minorities to be admitted into institutions of higher learning. I feel bad for students who rely on Federal Aid, because they may someday be forced to withdraw from school due to more budget cuts. I’m moreover fearful because Betsy Devos lacks the insight about struggles of minorities in this country which lead to the founding of HBCU’s from the start. In addition, Mrs. Devos nor her children received a public education, which further bolsters her ignorance regarding the needs of students needing assistance such as financial aid and other funding.
I don’t feel like my school alone can do much to change this. I think it will take a collective effort made by all schools and alumni members. We, as HBCU alumni members, must start giving back and helping more to raise funds for our institutions instead of only showing up for Homecoming and Classics.
Zoltan Sharif- Grambling State University
As the president of the University, I understand why Gallot took the meeting at the WH. And since Grambling is in need of money and in search of it at both the state and federal level, as a steward, he's not likely to be in a place where he can be opinionated and speak freely. I would much rather he reach out to Alumni and present us with a plan that we can get behind and support.
Sherri McGee McCovey- Spellman University
As a proud graduate of Spelman College, I was pleased that President Mary Schmidt Campbell informed the student body and Alumna of her plan to attend the White House visit along with other HBCU Presidents. While I do not agree with the current administration on many issues, I think it was important for the Presidents of HBCU's to have a seat at the table to voice the concerns of our Historically Black institutions of higher learning and what is needed to ensure they obtain the funding needed to keep these hallowed doors open. I was disappointed after the visit, however, to get a follow-up email that the visit did not seem to be productive in addressing concrete ways to address the concerns. It is my personal opinion that the visit was nothing more than a Black History Month photo-op. Only time will tell. But I don't expect much.
Alex Martin Johnson- Morehouse College
As an alumnus of Morehouse College, while I am appreciative of the initial meeting and believe that HBCU presidents have an enormous responsibility to position their institutions to draw down both federal and private dollars, it was my hope that the meeting would have been more than a photo-op. The President and his Secretary of Education would benefit from actually engaging in substantive conversations around the challenges that HBCU's face and the significant contributions they make to this nation. Morehouse College should forcefully hold this administration accountable across the board and refuse to participate in any additional meaningless photo-ops that attempt to normalize this President and his administration.
March 09, 2017
Staff Report
Measure H passed with 67% of the vote according to poll results.
Measure H sought to implement a quarter-cent county wide sales tax to pay for services that benefit homeless individuals. The average consumer will pay a little more than a dollar a month to provide life altering programs to those in need.
Services included mental health, job training, substance abuse treatment, emergency and affordable housing, prevention and support services for homeless children, families, foster youth, veterans, and many more.
Measure H in conjunction with Proposition HHH, which builds housing for chronically homeless people was passed by Los Angeles City voters in November 2016. Measure H will provide services that help people stay in their homes, invests in street outreach and crisis housing, and bridge housing which is so important to getting people on the track to securing a home—especially our veterans and formerly incarcerated people.
It’s stated that Measure H will end homelessness for up to 45,000 families and individuals across the county and prevent homelessness for around 30,000 within five years.
No on Measure S was victorious with 69% of the vote according to poll results.
According to ballotpedia.org, Measure S is an initiative to change the city's laws governing changes to the general plan and development projects.
A “yes” vote was a vote in support of imposing a moratorium on construction that increases development density for up to two years, prohibiting project-specific amendments to the city’s general plan, requiring a public review of the city’s general plan every five years, requiring city staff—not developers or project applicants—to perform environmental impact reports, and establishing other changes to the city’s general plan laws.
A “no” vote was a vote to reject the initiative, leaving the city’s zoning and development laws unchanged.
Measure M defeated Measure N with 79% of the vote according poll results. Both Measures M and N dealt with marijuana regulation and tax initiative. Measure N and Measure M were competing measures stating that both receive majority approval.
The law states that the measure that receives the most “yes” votes supersedes the other. The official proponents of Measure N abandoned support of their initiative and urged voters to reject it and vote “yes” on Measure M instead.
Measure M will allow the city to repeal the current ban on medical marijuana dispensaries under Prop D and replace it with new rules for different types of marijuana businesses. It allows for enforcement of regulations, such as authorizing fines, criminal penalties or loss of power and water service for businesses operating without a license or ignoring city rules. The measure also allows gross-receipt taxes on marijuana businesses, including the sale of general-use and medical cannabis, delivery services and manufacturing.
March 09, 2017
By Jennifer Bihm
Assistant Editor
Incumbent Mayor Eric Garcetti will avoid a May runoff in his bid for reelection, having garnered more than 80 percent of the vote on March 7. Garcetti eclipsed his ten challengers in fundraising during his campaign with over $3 million. That, along with support from a large number of Los Angeles voters and a relatively low voter turnout “virtually guaranteed a majority win,” according to Brianne Gilbert, associate director at the Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles, which conducted a poll during the campaign.
During his first term, Garcetti has supported a minimum wage hike, lowered business tax and helped to pass a $1.2 billion measure to combat homelessness. Garcetti was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2001 and reelected in 2005 and 2009. He succeeded Alex Padilla as president of the City Council on January 1, 2006 and was re-elected as president at the beginning of the Council's subsequent terms in 2007 and 2009.
“While other people are talking about doing big things, Los Angeles, we are doing big things right now,” Garcetti told his constituents on election night.
“My friends, big things don’t happen by accident. They require leadership. The job of the mayor is to get things done, and that's what I'm going to keep on doing for each and every one of you here in this city.
“We’re breaking records at our port and our airport. We’re breaking records for tourism and filming. We've housed more homeless veterans than any city in America. We've paved more roads than ever before. We've confronted climate change head on, by cleaning our air, conserving our water and expanding our green spaces. We enacted the largest tax cut in our city's history and we've seen more small businesses start in the last four years than we've seen in decades…”
Garcetti supported recent expansions of the Los Angeles Police Department and the re-implementation of the Senior Lead Officer Program. Crime has fallen in his district by more than forty percent since 2001, according to reports.
“We know that standing up for equality and for liberty and for justice for each and every one of us are the values that directly lead to our collective success,” he said.
“We are all Angelenos. And we are all Americans. And we will rise together. At a moment when politics is being used to divide us, here in L.A., we stand for something bigger. We stand for the ideal that when we come together we propel our city and our nation forward.”
Garcetti was raised in the San Fernando Valley and earned his B.A. and M.A. from Columbia University. He studied as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and the London School of Economics and taught at Occidental College and USC. A fourth generation Angeleno, he and his wife, Amy Elaine Wakeland, have a young daughter. He is a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy reserve and is an avid jazz pianist and photographer.