March 23, 2023
LAWT News Service
In a salute to Women’s History Month, the Black Stuntmen and Women’s Association (BSA), presented an honorary membership to Capri Maddox, executive director of the Los Angeles Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department (LA Civil Rights). The presentation was hosted by Community Build, Inc.
“Ms. Maddox may not be in danger of breaking a limb on the job like we were, but she is always on the front lines, fighting for the rights of all the people in Los Angeles,” said BSA President Alex Brown, a stuntman for over 30 years, who presented Maddox with a certificate.
“We’re making her an honorary member of the Black Stuntmen and Woman’s Association for her ability to defend the underserved and still land on her feet.”
Former Mayor Eric Garcetti appointed Maddox to the newly created department in February 2020 as its first executive director to address systemic racism and bias in the areas of commerce, education, employment, and housing. Under Maddox’s leadership, LA Civil Rights works to level the playing field through partnerships with the Commission on Civil Rights, Commission on the Status of Women, Reparations Commission and the Human Relations Commission, including the Transgender Advisory Council.
Los Angeles’ first participatory budget pilot program, L.A. Repair, which is operated by the Office of Racial Equity, is one of the many programs in Maddox’s LA Civil Rights Department. Other programs include Equity and Empowerment, LA FOR ALL: Stop Hate Resource Hub and Discrimination Enforcement.
In accepting the honorary BSA membership, Maddox called out the Hollywood movie industry for its treatment of Black stuntmen and women.
“We consume their product. I think it’s about time that they show respect for our community and definitely show respect for our stunt members that have been hurt over the years, that have been underpaid, that have been disrespected with [White stuntmen performing in] blackface. And It’s still happening,” Maddox said.
The Black Stuntmen and Women’s Association made history in the 1960s as early pioneers in the film industry. Following years of being denied jobs as stunt doubles for Black actors, BSA sued the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). The lawsuit was settled out of court and provided a path for Black stunt workers to obtain membership in the SAG, paving the way for jobs for Black stuntmen and women in front of and behind the camera, literally ‘changing the face of Hollywood.’
Four original BSA members attended the event with BSA President Alex Brown - Joe Tilque, William J. Upton, Jadie David and Phyllis Linda Ellis. David and Ellis were two of the early female stunt pioneers.
Because of discrimination, Ellis was never able to obtain her Screen Actors Guild (SAG) card, which would have allowed her to get screen credit for her work. Despite this, during her 30-year career, Ellis performed hundreds of independent uncredited stunts and worked behind the scenes in hair, make-up and wardrobe.
In the early 1970s, David was spotted riding one of her horses in Griffith Park and was recruited by a scout looking for a stunt double for actress Denise Nicholas. David’s career spanned over three decades. She was a stunt double for Pam Grier, Theresa Graves, Cicely Tyson, Whoopi Goldberg and others.
As a part of the ceremony, Councilwoman Heather Hutt (Council District 10) presented BSA members with a certificate of appreciation for 55 years of service in the entertainment industry.
“For 55 years, BSA has broken barriers and opened doors and created opportunities and probably hurt themselves along the way,’ said Hutt. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate women’s history month, than to talk about the women that participated as stuntwomen in this business. It really embodies what it takes to move the needle forward in these kinds of industries.”
The BSA also bestowed Community Build President Robert Sausedo with an honorary membership for his fight for equity and inclusion.
“Robert Sausedo has been taking the lead in the battle to make our community a better place,” said Brown. “He may not be jumping out of burning buildings, but he and his team have been putting out fires in the community and we want to recognize him for that.”
The Black Stuntmen and Women’s Association was a featured element in the 2019 city hall exhibit, “Blacks in Cinema” and is a component of the African American Heritage Month Legacy Project curated and produced by Albert Lord, vice president of Government Relations and Arts Programs for Community Build, Inc. The “Blacks in Cinema” exhibit is currently on display as a walking window exhibit in Leimert Park at the offices of Community Build, Inc.
March 23, 2023
March 23, 2023
By Edward Henderson
California Black Media
Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state’s #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program which has so far provided $10,000 grants to some 6,500 low-income college students as a stipend in exchange for their community service work.
Nearly a year after the paid-service program was first announced, the Governor’s office is hailing its impact on communities and the lives of the students who participate in it.
“The program has proven to be a transformative experience for both students and the organizations where they work,” said Sandy Close, director of Ethnic Media Services, who recently moderated a press briefing to inform the public about the program’s contribution and some of the challenges it has faced.
The event, co-hosted by California Black Media, featured stakeholders representing all aspects of the program talking about their experiences.
“I feel like I’ve gone from being a student who once desperately needed a safe space to learn to being the trusted adult who can provide students with a natural learning environment where they each have a deep sense of belonging, knowing they are seen, heard, supported and valued,” said Emilio Ruiz, a 24-year-old student pursuing his teaching certification.
Ruiz shared his experiences as a College Corps fellow, mentioning how his upbringing as a child of divorced parents -- constantly moving, experiencing financial distress, and witnessing domestic abuse – spurred his desire for a safe space to learn and grow.
College Corps, Ruiz says, gave him an opportunity to receive his education without the added stress of taking on financial aid debt. Moreover, he gained practical experience while doing service-oriented work in his community.
College Corps is a state initiative that addresses “societal challenges” by creating a generation of civic-minded leaders from low-income families. Its programs focus on challenges facing California like climate resilience and economic inequality.
According to the Governor’s office, Black and Latino students have the highest rates of student loan default and owe an estimated $147 billion in college loan debt.
In Long Beach, Project Optimism, currently hosts two College Corps fellows from CSU Long Beach (CSULB). Both are first generation college students. One is undocumented.
According to Ishmael Pruitt, CEO and cofounder, Project Optimism is a non-profit that supports equitable access to nature and environmental justice education to elementary aged children within the Long Beach Unified School District. It focuses on mentorship, empowerment, and uniting community engagement (including food insecurity), and personal development.
“We are big on mentoring the mentor,” said Pruitt. “Every intern and employee gets mentored by myself, one of the other directors, or someone from our board. So, they get direct coaching and support beyond their role working with us.”
Beth Manke is a program lead at CSULB. She matches College Corps students with the non-profit organizations they are assigned to for the program. Manke currently supervises 50 undergraduate students, completing 450 hours of work for 27 different organizations.
“We envision the service they are completing as internships. These are experiences that have proven to be quite transformative for our students,” said Manke. “We honor and draw on the students’ cultural backgrounds by acknowledging their life experiences and how they shape their academic success and well-being.”
The briefing also focused on the challenges students are facing on college campuses post-pandemic and how College Corps can help alleviate some of those issues.
Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith, a clinical psychologist and Diversity Lead of Student Life at the University of Washington spoke about some of the mental health challenges students are facing and avenues for healing.
“Anxiety is a leading factor for folks on college campuses,” said Dr. Briscoe-Smith. “There was an escalation for students with mental health challenges pre-pandemic. We are finding we are anticipating beating levels of worsening mental health on campus. Many clinicians are hearing challenges of hopelessness, purposelessness, and isolation. Finding purpose through service is something that can be very helpful. The skills that you’re learning and to be able to see yourself in the folks that you serve is an amazing opportunity for transformation and connection.”
Josh Fryday, California’s Chief Service Officer, introduced the College Corps program a year ago and closed the event with remarks about the hope service can provide.
“When it comes to creating and fostering hope, what we know is that it’s so much more than creating a belief. It’s about action. It’s about a plan. It’s about having a real path for change. That’s what people are looking for. We are seeing the impact in the first 9 months.
It gives me hope, the governor hope, and we know it’s going to bring hope to our entire state for many years to come.”
Eighty percent of students in the Corps are self-identified students of color and 70% are Pell grant recipients. Five hundred undocumented dreamers throughout the state of California participate in the program.
For more information on College Corps and applying to be a fellow, visit California Volunteers.
March 23, 2023
By McKenzie Jackson
California Black Media
Last summer, the White House offered Southern California small business owner Kerman Maddox a unique opportunity to serve on a national committee set up to advise President Joe Biden’s administration on educational matters.
The Los Angeles resident declined.
Maddox, who is also a communications specialist -- most recently a member of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’s transition team -- felt he did not have enough expertise in the educational space.
Then, this month, the right opportunity came for Maddox to take his expertise, passion and ambition to Washington.
The White House appointed Maddox, along with 14 others, to serve on the United States Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.
“I’m an African American male. I’m a small business owner. There is nothing in my background that ever would have indicated this was even in the realm of possibilities,” he stated. “I am going to do the best to represent other African American small business owners. When you get an opportunity like this, you want to do a good job -- not embarrass folks.”
Maddox, president and majority owner of K&R Hospitality and managing partner of Dakota Communications, told the official he would be interested in serving on any commission that dealt with United States’ commerce, small business, trade, or other related fields if a position became available.
Maddox, who President Barack Obama once appointed to serve on the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee, says he is excited about his new role.
The other new advisory body appointees are Revathi Advaithi, Manish Bapna, Timothy Michael Broas, Thomas M. Conway, Erica R.H. Fuchs, Marlon E. Kimpson, Ryan LeGrand, Sean M. O’Brien, Javier Saade, Shonda Yvette Scott, Elizabeth Shuler, Nina Szlosberg-Landis, and Wendell P. Weeks.
Along with the other appointees, Maddox will provide policy advice to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who spearheads American trade policy across the globe.
The new committee members were recommended by Tai’s office and appointed by Biden. They make up one of several advisory committees established by Congress to ensure U.S. trade policy and trade negotiating objectives adequately reflect American public and private sector interests.
In a March 10 statement announcing the appointees, Tai said she looked forward to working with the new appointees.
“Developing a worker-centered trade agenda means bringing together a range of perspectives and backgrounds to design and implement our policies,” she stated. “The Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations is an important forum to guide USTR’s work and ensure that the benefits of trade are equitably distributed across our economy and to all people. President Biden has nominated a diverse group of men and women that will help us carry out his vision for sustainable, inclusive and durable trade policy in 2023 and beyond.”
Maddox wants to align with the trade agenda set by the Biden administration. He also has his own objectives he aims to rally for.
“Number one, I’m really going to play a space as a small business guy to see if we can get small businesspeople to export products overseas -- whether it is technology or manufacturing or retail or professional services,” he noted. “Number two, figure out a way to rein in climate change. What can we do to get people to understand that it is real and what should we be doing by the way of trade polices to combat the escalation of global warming and climate change?”
Maddox received a call from the White House late last year inquiring whether he would be interested in joining the committee. He jumped at the opportunity. In January, he learned his position on the panel was finalized.
Maddox now has a lot of homework to do on trade policy before the group meets in April. Tai’s office is introducing the new committee members to trade experts.
“I’m trying to quickly study to get up on this,” Maddox noted.
Maddox founded Dakota Communications, the marketing, public relations, and public affairs consulting firm, in 1996. In 2010, he started K&R Hospitality, a food and beverage concession business. He had a role in Obama’s historic 2008 campaign and was part of Biden’s presidential campaign 12 years later. Maddox worked as an aide and advisor to past L.A. mayors Tom Bradley and Antonio Villaraigosa and for Bass when she was in Congress. He was also an adjunct professor of Political Science at USC and a full-time Political Science professor for the L.A. Community College District. Maddox has several honors from community service organizations and radio and television awards under his belt.
Maddox described himself as an “activist entrepreneur.”
“I do a lot of community stuff,” he said. “I’m very active in my church, but I’m also a businessman. I’m interested in making money, but I’m also interested in hiring as many people that look like me as possible. I’m interested in growing my business and bringing people along at the same time.”
Due to his business experience, Maddox brings a breadth of viewpoints to the commission.
“I have a unique perspective to talk about professional service businesses and how that works and discuss retail, food, and beverage concussion-oriented businesses,” he explained. “One is people, food, merchandising, quality standards, and more. The other is professional services — you are brainstorming and creating.”
Maddox will meet with other committee members via video conference, but expects to also assemble with the group in Washington, D.C.
He said being involved with Obama’s initial presidential run was his greatest professional experience. However, having the chance to pitch Biden, who Maddox has met before, trade policy insights is a close second.
“There is nothing in my background that would indicate I would be talking to the president, let alone advising the president,” Maddox declared. “If I can make it, anyone can make it. I’m a pretty regular guy that worked his way up.”