August 01, 2019
By Lapacazo Sandoval
Contributing Writer
It might be premature to state this but I think OWN’s “Ambitions” will be a very successful and long-running series for the network. One of the reasons I offer this opinion, so boldly, is because the series deals with love, money, ambition, and betrayal, all being played-out by characters that we all know or dare I offer this, characters that we might ourselves become if faced with the same circumstances. Money and power are always alluring and when combined are intoxicating and addictive.
The definition of ambition in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is described as an ardent desire for rank, fame, or power. The Latin word for this effort was ambitio, which came from ambire, a verb meaning “to go around.”
I offer the definition of ambition to help paint the backdrop of the new series, “Ambitions,” produced for OWN by Will Packer Media in association with Lionsgate, along with producer-distributor Debmar-Mercury.
Created by writer Jamey Gidden, the series is a multigenerational family saga centered around one woman who, having recently relocated and intent on revitalizing her marriage, finds herself going head-to-head with some of the most powerful and deceitful players in the city of Atlanta.
Robin Givens stars as Stephanie Carlisle, the wife of Atlanta Mayor Evan Lancaster (Brian White), whose true loyalty is to her own family's prestigious law firm, where she is the latest in a long line of distinguished lawyers. Evan's political ambitions seem to cloud his judgment as he is willing to do anything to get to the next level in his career.
Essence Atkins plays the role of Amara, a lawyer in the U.S. Attorney’s Office who has newly arrived in Atlanta with her husband, Titus (Kendrick Cross). Originally from Texas, she is quickly gaining attention from the U.S. Attorney’s Office as a diligent prosecutor. Titus has been hired as in-house counsel for a big pharma company run by Hunter Purifoy, who is fighting a class-action suit brought by the powerful Carlisle family. Brely Evans plays the role of Rondell, Mayor Lancaster’s sister, who runs a not-quite-profitable restaurant called Thelma’s Place.
Essence Atkins is best known for her sense of comedy and girl-next-door charm, although her name may not be familiar, her face has been in people’s living rooms for more than twenty years. Some of her credits include “Marlon,” “Mr. Box Office,” “Are We There Yet?, “ “Half & Half,” “Malibu Shores,” and “Under One Roof” to name a few.
As Amara Hughes in “Ambitions,” Essence brings her sex appeal and classic comedy timing to a complicated and very juicy role.
Here is an edited phone conversation with actress Essence Atkins on OWN’s “Ambitions.”
L.A. Watts Times: Tell me about your character?
Essence Atkins: One of the things that most appealed to me by playing Amara was how flawed she is. People are used to seeing me playing these very comedic, girl-next-door, put together that has the world in the palm of her hand, type characters. What I love about Amara, although he’s smart and successful and put together to a certain extent, her life is falling apart. And, that’s where we find her at the beginning of the season and of the series. She and her husband, Titus [Kendrick Cross], have just moved to Atlanta in a hope that they recapture where they [first] fell in love.
The new environment gets them away from her affair, the indiscretion; she’s struggling to regain trust, to get a footing, and to convince the man she loves that she’s redeemed. She’s struggling not to lose what they have built in the last 20 years. There is also the ongoing investigation into her former best friend’s husband cabinet, (played by Robin Givens) who is also the ex-girlfriend of her husband. So, it’s sticky and complicated. I think she’s a bit naive thinking she can put Humpty dumpty back together again.
LAWT: Juicy. Love it. That’s ‘Ambitions.’ My first thoughts were, wait, why did she tell her husband, Titus, about Evan [Brian White]? He has very strong feelings about it. Dude is not over it.
EA: (laughing) Hilarious, that was your take? She’s again, complicated, and as the season progresses, you will find out more about her flaws. I hope that the audience sees that they have a real love for reach other, to save their marriage and the 20 years they have been married. But when you face every day with people who have their agendas and people who have their ambitions, you run into trains. I don’t want to say that you run into problems in the show [here], you run into trains.
LAWT: Was it a long affair?
EA: You have to keep watching. It will be revealed.
LAWT: Does her husband have any affairs in his past?
EA: You have to keep watching, As you know, the man she had an affair with, Evan, comes to Atlanta and she’s very suspicious and on edge. At the same time, trying to assure her husband that he’s not a threat. In one episode Titus suggested that she quit her job to stay away from him.
LAWT: Did you just saw that you watch the episodes in real-time?
EA: Yes, we are watching as the audience is watching and we engage in social media.
LAWT: What’s it like working on OWN
EA: Just being under the umbrella of Oprah Winfrey, she had a hand in deciding on who was playing how, and that she’s a fan of my work. And thought that I was the person she wanted to play the character and the fact that Lady O has entrusted me with a very complicated, complex woman. And not just because she’s Oprah, the indemnity, but also her as an actress. I think her work is quite fordable; it’s very good. She’s very talented in her own right, as a producer, and as an actress. I was incredibly flattered that she saw me as this character and wanted me to play the character. Also being on a network [OWN] where you feel supported. Where you don’t feel like you’re on an island by yourself. They are accustomed to supporting and telling Black stories and stories of people of color and doing caliber work where we can shine and tell a myriad of different kinds of stories. We’re not relegated to [playing] the strong partner or the sassy friend. We get to be the sexy leading ladies, and the villains and the heroes and that’s a great place to be for an actress such as myself.
LAWT: I love that you said the ‘sassy, best friend.’
EA: (laughing) I’ve played my share and I am grateful. I’m grateful to have been able to sustain my career in a bunch of different ways, in a bunch of different roles and all of that. No shade, but it’s not to be relegated [In “Ambitions”] to the sidelines and not feel like the baby is in the corner anymore.
“Ambitions” airs on Tuesdays on OWN.
August 01, 2019
By Brian W. Carter
Contributing Writer
On Thursday, July 25, the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture announced that it’s received up to $5.5 million in funding for the arts in 2019. The grants will be distributed in two ways, one being a two -year funding of $4,518,000 for 213 nonprofit arts organizations through the county-funded Organizational Grant Program (OGP) and $922,300 will go towards 47 Los Angeles County school districts, which is funded by the Arts Education Collective Advancement Grant Program.
“Arts, culture, and creativity are central to a thriving Los Angeles County,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “Besides inspiring individuals and invigorating communities, the county's creative economy generated $207 billion in economic output last year.”
It has been stated that these grants are a record for the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture along with the Community Impact Arts Grant Program garnered $750,000 and Arts Internship Program receiving $1,160,850. Altogether, the department has received $7,351,150 in grants.
The announcement was presented to L.A. county officials, nonprofit partners and other grantees at Inner-City Arts, located in Downtown L.A., by Kristin Sakoda, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture. She shared what this announcement means for youth throughout the county.
“We’re providing $4.5 million in grants to arts non-profits that provide a whole array of cultural programs and services,” said Sakoda. “Many of them are for youth and for families.”
She continued, “Everything from performances, to exhibits, workshops, etc. We’re also providing nearly a million dollars in grants through a public/private initiative with the arts ed collective—that’s to ensure that there is arts education in all of the school districts.
“And that’s really important because the arts are not only something that’s enjoyable to do but students who have arts in their schools have higher educational attainment, they stay in school longer, they have great social and emotional learning and all kinds of other outcomes that are really important for all of our communities.”
Founded in 1947, Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, formerly the Arts Commission, has funded arts and culture programming throughout the county. The OGP supports local, small and mid-size arts organizations providing cultural services to L.A. County. Grantees range from larger organizations like KCETLink and the Museum of Contemporary Art, to longstanding nonprofits such as Lula Washington Dance Company and Social Public Art Resource Center.
This year’s grantees also include the Young Musicians Foundation, which supports free music classes, performances, workshops, and festivals to foster community engagement at its new Cypress Park facility and with communities across Los Angeles. Another grantee, About Productions, will develop and premiere Adobe Punk, a theater work of historical fiction set in the early 1980s in working-class Bell Gardens.
“These grants are making art more accessible across the county,” said County Board of Supervisors Chair, Janice Hahn. “The Organizational Grant Program helps make possible concerts, theater, exhibitions, and school education programs every day in communities that wouldn’t have them otherwise.
“The Advancement Grants are building pathways to careers in the arts by preparing youth for jobs in the creative economy and helping give our kids a well-rounded education. We want every person in this county to have access to the breadth, depth, and diversity of the arts, now and into the future.”
“I look forward to the new Department of Arts and Culture increasing access to the arts, building inclusive career pathways, and reinforcing the County as a creative hub for the world,” said Ridley-Thomas.
All 213 grantees—located in 44 of the county’s 88 municipalities—nearly 8 percent, are receiving this funding for the first time and a complete list of OGP grantees can be found at www.lacountyarts.org
August 01, 2019
Aries
MAR 21 - APR 19
You'll want to buckle up, because instability and excitement are sure to rule your world this week -- as well as your heart. Both the Sun and Venus in your true love sector will square off with Uranus. You might have a sudden breakup or make a snap decision that there is a certain type of behavior from your lover that you're no longer willing to tolerate. There are certain things you will do for love but compromising yourself isn't one of them. Mercury also turns direct in your romance sector, bringing a burst of clarity about matters of the heart. Single? A New Moon on Wednesday can bring true love.
Taurus
APR 20 - MAY 20
You're not interested in keeping calm and carrying on this week, Taurus. Uranus is in your sign, so your reality is that nothing in your life is meant to remain stable for very long. Growth begins at the end of your comfort zone and, by now, you have made peace (hopefully) with letting go of that comfort zone. If you haven't, then it might get rattled this week when it comes to your domestic and romantic security. If you live with your mate, there could be a sudden change to your relationship where one of you decides you need more space. Let it happen.
Gemini
MAY 21 - JUN 20
Hidden information about you or your lover is about to come to the surface. One of you might be involved in a secret affair and, if that is the case, it will come out this week in the most unexpected way. You might inadvertently find out when your sweetheart casually leaves his or her cell phone out and the other person starts calling or texting. If you're the one sneaking around, then you might be caught red-handed. It doesn't have to be this salacious, but there will be a sudden change to your love life as you know it. Buckle up!
Cancer
JUN 21 - JUL 22
You may have felt like you couldn't make a decision about your love life (or anything else) lately. Mercury has been retrograde, and on July 19 backpedaled into your sign -- completely upending you mentally. You might have come across to your mate in a very confusing way, sending mixed messages or not speaking clearly about how you feel. In your defense, this has been so difficult because you have been truly questioning your feelings about everything. Fortunately, this week Mercury turns direct and your clarity will slowly return. This will help you smooth over any recent rough patches in your relationship.
Leo
JUL 23 - AUG 22
This might be a tricky week where you're more distracted with professional earthquakes than romance. Now, if you are dating someone in your industry that is a VIP or ranks higher than you, there might be an unexpected event between the two of you that threatens to shatter your romance as well as your career. Yes, Leo, it might be that dramatic, but fortunately it's also short-lived. Happily, a New Moon in your sign on Wednesday will help you consider a personal fresh start. You'll regroup quickly and will focus on the future.
Virgo
AUG 23 - SEP 22
If you've been caught up in a scandalous romantic situation, you might realize that it's not worth compromising your integrity over. Perhaps you have been trying to justify the circumstances because you truly did fall for this person. While the love might be real, this week you'll also decide that love is not enough. You are tired of compromising who you are at your core in order to be with this person and you're going to put a stop to it once and for all. An abrupt change in your love life will realign you to your moral compass.
Libra
SEP 23 - OCT 22
An intimate encounter you prefer to keep private might come out in the most public (and humiliating) way. Perhaps you have confided in one of your close friends about a liaison you had with someone. This might have been recent or way in the past, but the point is that you wanted to keep this information close to your chest. You have your reasons. Sharing it with your friend was only to help you get some closure around it and you never expected the news to travel. But it might. You won't be pleased.
Scorpio
OCT 23 - NOV 21
You're done trying to get your partner to be onboard as you pursue the amazing professional opportunities you have in front of you. This week, you'll realize that you have the potential to reach amazing heights in your career and be in the spotlight for your talents in a way you have always dreamed of. The trouble, however, is that this continues to be a sore spot for your partner. He or she either feels threatened by your inevitable success or just doesn't believe in you. This week, you might reach a breaking point.
Sagittarius
NOV 22 - DEC 21
If you're single and wondering when your romantic ship will finally come in, this might be a turning-point week. Eventful happenings are possible as you go about your daily routine and you could meet someone who takes you completely out of your comfort zone, in a good way. Initially, you might think that this person isn't really your type for the long haul and you might entertain simply having some fun with him or her. Go ahead and have fun. But don't be surprised if you find yourself wanting even more.
Capricorn
DEC 22 - JAN 19
You might find yourself tempted into a one-night stand this week. Or, if you have recently started to date someone, it's possible that you will jump into bed with this person quickly without thinking it through. Although you may not regret the sex (and it does look like amazing sexual energy!), you might regret what happens next. Nothing. This person might view you as a one-hit wonder or start to think of you as a good time and nothing more. You won't be pleased.
Aquarius
JAN 20 - FEB 18
A New Moon in your partnership sector suggests a major fresh start for you and your mate, but this also seems to come along with a fair share of disruptive energy. Both the Sun and Venus (also in your relationship sector) will be at odds with Uranus, now in your home and family sector. It looks like a sudden decision to move in with your partner or to no longer live together is what's on the table between the two of you. You might also decide that you love each other very much but require separate bedrooms or more space between you. Honor it.
Pisces
FEB 19 - MAR 20
You've been terribly confused about your love life. In fact, this mental muddiness set in near July 19 when Mercury retrograded into your true love sector. Since then you might have been hit up by an ex who wants a second chance. Or, you might be seriously rethinking the viability of your current romantic relationship. Are you getting the emotional fulfillment you need from this person? Or have you been fooling yourself all along? Mercury turns direct on Friday. You'll finally have answers.
August 01, 2019
By Shannen Hill
Contributing Writer
Hundreds of friends, family, and reality television stars came out to celebrate the launch of VH1’s new show “Love & Listings” on Monday, July 29.
The show features a diverse cast of young real estate agents trying to make their way here in Los Angeles. These aren’t your typical real estate agents. They show homes worth millions to their celebrity clientele including Jermain Dupri, Jordin Sparks, Amber Rose, Ray Jay, Bandy Norwood, Laz Alonzo, and more. Along with their celebrity clientele comes some drama as the castmates battle through their love lives, business lives, and personal competition with one another.
“Love & Listings” features Suge Knight’s son, Jacob Knight, as one of the castmates. In Monday’s episode, he showed a house to Rev Run’s daughter, Vanessa Simmons, and the two connected on having hip hop royalty parents. Knight, however, is still trying to pass his real estate license test so he can’t make official sales without splitting the commission with a licensed agent. To help him pass his test, he introduces his friend, Taylor Schwartz, to the show. Schwartz is the fire cracker of the show. She has her real estate license and passed the test on her first try, but she is also only 19 years old on the show. Schwartz’s castmate, Ajani Scott, brings up her age as an insult almost causing a fight on the first episode.
Scott is new to the city and the other castmates are still trying to get a feel for her. On Monday’s episode, she shows a condo to Sean Kingston and he takes a liking to her outside of real estate. Scott turns to her friend Andrew Clinkscale to get advice on whether she should take the full commission on the Sean Kingston deal or split it with her mentor, Erik Miles. The other cast-members include former NFL player Zac Diles, his love interest Samantha Barretto who works with one of the most prestigious real estate agencies in Beverly Hills, celebrity broker Tai Savet, and real estate tycoons Sarah Scheper and Alexandre Anu.
“We’re all diverse, African American and other, real estate agents closing multi-million dollar deals every day and there’s nothing else on television that looks like or sounds like that. A lot of people tell me that they don’t even think about a diverse image when they think of multi-million-dollar real estate and they should because that’s what we do,” said Andrew Clinkscale. “With this show, there’s intrigue, there’s drama, there’s big money being made and lost, there’s betrayal, there’s a whole bunch of things that make life amazing and television even more amazing. ”
The launch party was full of drinks and laughter. Some rea1ity stars came out to show support. Mister Ray and Masika Kalysha of VH1’s “Love & Hip Hop Hollywood” were at the party, along with Tonya Reneé Banks of “Little Women L.A.,” model Slick Woods, was also in attendance. The party was catered by Chef Ryan Rondeno of Rodeno Culinary Designs. He cooked macaroni and cheese, short ribs, mashed potatoes, chicken croquette with soy red curry sauce, and grilled shrimp with lemon herb aioli.
As with all reality shows, we are promised drama for the rest of the season. The party, however, went very smoothly and the castmates seemed to get along. This is a young, diverse group with a lot of potential. Even though things can get a little crazy in their personal lives, they keep it professional in their business lives. “Love & Listings” airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. on VH1. For more information on the show ad cast, visit www.vh1.com.