It’s no surprise that we all love actress Sanaa Lathan for her iconic role in the film “Love and Basketball,” but the multifaceted artiste is far from conventional, and has continued to prove that, especially with her latest role in the 10-hour Fox drama series “Shots Fired”.  In an exclusive sit-down interview sponsored by the Pan African Film Festival, Lathan spoke to film reporter Tre’Vell Anderson before an intimate crowd of film artists about the art of acting and her atypical role as a criminal investigator in “Shots Fired”.  

 

Initially, Lathan received criticism from fans that slammed the show’s first episode for depicting a Black police officer killing a white child. Contrary to popular belief, however, Lathan says the series actually explores both sides of the racial divide, capturing the shootings of both a white and black child, and how the cases are handled. “That is not the whole story, so I just ask you guys to just breath, and relax, lean back, get your popcorn, and keep watching,” she said affectionately.

 

To prepare for her role in the series, Lathan says she used a combination of tools, including mixed martial arts, imagination work, writing, and a unique monologue provided by the shows’ creators Gina Prince-Bythewood and her husband, Reggie Rock Bythewood.

 

Lathan also says she shadowed quite a few members of law enforcement, including a Black, female patrol officer who served in that capacity for many years. “She told me about all of the racism and sexism she dealt with; she actually was suicidal at one point because of how polarizing it was for her,” Lathan said.

 

The famed actress also spoke about the varying dynamics in her role as Ashe Akino, one being that she serves as the lead investigator to her much younger male counterpart, Preston Terry, played by actor Stephan James. Lathan says she enjoyed the rarity, citing her excitement to serve in a role where a man and woman work together in solving crimes. “As an artist, every character brings kind of a different set of your tools, I don’t approach any character in the same way,” she noted about the process.

 

In terms of artistry, Lathan says that her longevity stems from sheer perseverance and faith. “The business is hard, it is brutal. It’s like an emotional – it can be so abusive. As an artist, you have to have a steel exterior, you have to be a warrior, and yet you have to still keep that soft heart in order to make your art,” she declared.

 

Aside from her parents who’ve always supported her career, Lathan says she leaned on spiritual guidance and the wisdom from her three-time TV mom Alfre Woodard. “She said to make all of your decisions as if you had all the time in the world and all the money in the world. Now that’s making decisions out of love and not fear,” Lathan said. “That is so hard though, you have to go through the fire in order to do that sometimes, and that takes faith,” she continued.

 

In today’s society, Lathan considers it the responsibility of actors to reflect the times. ”Some of the greatest artists took on that responsibility from Langston Hughes to Lorraine Hansberry to Nina Simone, James Baldwin and so on and so on. It’s a privilege to be in our position and it’s exciting for me to be able to do a piece like this,” Lathan stated.

 

Lathan says that she often encourages young artists to seek objective help, outside of family and friends to help gain a clear perspective on life, their identity and how to balance as an artist. “I tell young artists, you have to have something, whether it’s therapy, or church, or a spiritual mentor like I did, or a life coach,” she said.

 

As far as sharpening one’s craft, Lathan says the key is truly to do the work and consistently train. “You always know when you can do better, just keep doing better and don’t settle. A lot of these studios actually will accept less than good, and I just think that the people who rise and the people who endure, are the people who do the work.”

 

When asked about what’s next on her list of roles to conquer, Lathan said that she believes that some of the most intriguing films that she’s seen in recent years or coning are independent, and that she’s “open to everything”. 

 

“I kind of have a high bar, I’ve been dreaming about projects like “Shots Fired” for years. I want to continue working on that caliber,” she said. “There’s always some reason that I’m doing it, that I’m choosing a role,” Lathan added. While we’d all like to know what Lathan’s ultimate role would be, the actress says her dream is simply to “continue to grow and to continue to be challenged”.

 

“I don’t have that. It’s not any one role, my dream is to be able to step in to different characters, that’s what’s fun for me,” she said.  Be sure to catch the new season of “Shots Fired” on Fox and visit lasentinel.net to see the exclusive interview with Sanaa Lathan.

Category: Cover Stories

Born O’Shea Jackson in Compton, California on June 15, 1969, Renaissance man Ice Cube is an actor, writer, producer, director, rapper, philanthropist and father. N.W.A., the rap group he co-founded with Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren and DJ Yella, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

 

Cube made his feature film debut in 1991 in “Boyz n the Hood,” and proceeded to parlay his critically-acclaimed performance into an enviable career. He has become one of the most bankable names in Hollywood as a writer, star and producer.

 

His production company, Cube Vision, has been making memorable films for over two decades. And his movies have cumulatively grossed over a billion dollars at the box office. Here, he talks about his latest outing in “Fist Fight,” a comedy co-starring Charlie Day.

 

Kam Williams for L.A. Watts Times (LAWT): Hey Cube. How you been, brother?

 

Ice Cube (IC): I’m good, good. How about you, Kam?

 

LAWT: Great, thanks. What interested you in Fist Fight?

 

IC: I thought it was a great concept based on a funny premise. And when they started filling in the pieces with Charlie Day and Tracy Morgan, I just knew we were going to have a great time and hopefully shoot a funny movie.

 

LAWT: In this film, you play a teacher who is sort of like a bully. Did you ever have a teacher like your character, Mr. Strickland? And were you either bullied or a bully when you were a kid?

 

IC: In my neighborhood, you were either one or the other. Going back to my memory bank, there were teachers who were no-nonsense and intimidating. Most of them were coaches or gym teachers. But a few were classroom teachers who just didn't take no mess. I just went over the top with it, because we were having fun with the comedy.

 

LAWT: Growing up, was there a spot where kids would settle their differences after school?

 

IC: There wasn’t just one spot. But it had to be out of sight of teachers, like behind a building, which is where most fights took place. There was never one particular area where we always got down. 

 

LAWT: Who came up with the idea of flipping the script by having the after school fight be between two teachers instead of two students?

 

IC: Well, the script was brought to us by [director] Rich Keen and New Line Cinema. I don’t know exactly who came up with the concept, but that’s what made it funny to me. It’s unusual to have two teachers going at it, instead of two students. That unique premise was one of the things that hooked me. 

 

LAWT: How did you and Charlie Day go about generating the bully-nerd anti-chemistry that the story called for? How did you know how mean to be without going over the line and ending up looking cruel?

 

IC: It’s a dance. We had a mutual respect for each other’s skills. And when you have that mutual respect, you’re more giving actors. You’ll make sure he shines where he’s supposed to shine, and vice versa. The key is to not get in the way of the character, and to be honest and true with it. Still, real personalities creep in every now and then. It’s all about knowing the script, and understanding its ebbs and flows. So, we worked well together. I think we’re going to end up doing a few more movies together.

 

LAWT: Well, you already set up the sequel to “Fist Fight” in the closing scene.

 

IC: Yeah, without a doubt! Without a doubt!

 

LAWT: You guys had a terrific supporting cast: Dennis Haysbert, Dean Norris, Christina Hendricks, Kym Whitley, Jillian Bell and Tracy Morgan. Was this Tracy’s first film since the accident? I don’t remember seeing him in anything.

 

IC: Yeah, this was his first movie back. It was great to have him. I’d worked with him before in a movie called First Sunday. It was cool to see him again, to be able to hang, and to just have him here. That accident he was in was horrible. It was great to have him around again.

 

LAWT: I’ve interviewed him several times, and he’s one of those rare people who’s just naturally funny.

 

IC: Yeah, he doesn’t have to tell a joke. All he has to do is talk. He’s just a funny dude. God blesses some people with a gift.

 

LAWT: Fist Fight was Richard Keen’s first full-length feature film. It’s pretty impressive considering it was a directorial debut.

 

IC: Without a doubt! He did a great job. And he’s the one who really sold me on the movie. He cut together a trailer showing what the movie would look like by cutting Charlie and me into pieces of other movies. That sold me. I said, “Dude, if you make this movie that you’re showing me, then I’m in.” and he definitely went above and beyond expectations.

 

LAWT: He certainly was able to keep it exciting by setting the film in a high school on Senior Prank Day. That way, all sorts of surprises could pop up during lulls in the action. 

 

IC: Yeah, it’s cool, because people think it’s just a fight, but there are a thousand other things going on. [Chuckles] It’s nice to have a lot of surprises in a movie like this.

 

LAWT: What message do you think people will take away from Fist Fight?

 

IC: I think it’s really talking about the school system, and the underlying problems that the society’s facing when it comes to educating kids. Do we just coddle them or do we really try to hold them accountable for what they learn? 

 

LAWT: What do you think of the Academy Awards nominating a half-dozen black actors after none the previous two years?

 

IC: I don’t really know what they’re going through, but I’m pretty sure the nominees deserved it, and that’s all that matters, that our work is recognized. We don’t want any quotas. Just recognize good work. 

 

LAWT: Last year, it was unfortunate that your biopic, Straight Outta Compton, was only nominated for Best Original Screenplay. And your scriptwriters were all white. 

 

IC: It ain’t no thing. At least I don’t make movies for no Oscars. I make movies for the people.

 

LAWT: Finally, what’s in your wallet?

 

IC: What’s in my wallet? [LOL] Not too much. An I.D. card. That’s it. [Laughs some more]

 

LAWT: Thanks again for the time, Cube, and best of luck with the film.

 

IC: Take it easy, Kam. Catch you later.

Category: Cover Stories

For decades, Crenshaw Christian Center (CCC) was synonymous with Apostle Frederick K.C. Price, the legendary founder and pastor of the world-renowned ministry.

 

 

 

Now, as CCC approaches its 44th year, another Price is the head shepherd– Frederick Kenneth, Jr. – who aims to build on the legacy of his father to take the church to the next level.

 

 

 

“My father is a trailblazer for many black ministers and Christian centers, what we’ve come to know as mega-churches. So for me to do the same thing, I don’t see that happening or being the case,” said Price Jr.

 

 

 

“I believe I’m going to do something different and all I have to do is stand on his shoulders and if I stand on his shoulders, I can see much further than he did.  He laid the foundation, so I don’t need to lay a new foundation.  I just need to build on his.”

 

 

 

His dream for CCC, said Price Jr., is a facility fully-involved with the surrounding community.  Located in South Los Angeles, the church sits on 32 acres in the city’s Vermont Knolls district. Its beautifully landscaped grounds contain several buildings, the Frederick K.C. Price III schools, a basketball court and the massive Faithdome sanctuary.

 

 

 

In addition to ministry-related activities, the sprawling campus is often the site of community events such as town halls, health fairs, senior citizen fellowships and LAPD/LAFD recruitment drives.  Also, on Feb. 12, Price, Jr. and a group of members hit the streets for a Valentine’s Day Outreach where they delivered valentine-grams and prayer to people living near CCC. However, Price Jr. want to increase the contact with his neighbors even more.

 

 

 

“I see this ministry as a hub and epicenter for the surrounding community which I’d like to engage more than Crenshaw Christian Center ever engaged.  I want our community efforts to be 24/7. Ministering to the poor, the poor saints specifically, also what the Bible calls the strangers, bring them into the fold, tending to the orphans and widows – those are the kinds of things I’d like this church to be known for,” explained Price Jr. 

 

 

 

“It’s already known as a teaching ministry.  That will never change.  But I believe, during my time, these added elements will be the next legacy of Crenshaw Christian Center.”

 

 

 

Displaying confidence and humility, Price Jr. has been working towards realizing his vision of CCC since being appointed pastor in March 2009.  Previously, he served six years on the ministerial staff after being licensed and ordained in 2002 and 2003, respectively.    

 

 

 

It was during his on-the-job training that he discovered his great affinity for helping people.  He described visiting the sick, counseling the troubled, and teaching the word of God as “probably the most fulfilling aspects of what I do.”

 

 

 

But life as a pastor is not without trials and in Price Jr.’s case, attracting his own generation is one of his bigger tests.  As a millennial, he wants more of his peers to accept Christ, yet he doesn’t want to alienate the baby boomers that comprise a large part of his congregation.

 

 

 

Acknowledging the solution is not easy, he noted,  “Bringing them all in – Gen X, millennials, iGens that follow the millennials, boomers - that’s been tough. I want a bridge between [baby boomers] and my generation so that we can work together. [Building] that bridge has probably been the biggest challenge.”

 

 

 

Price Jr., who also wants to reach out to Latinos in the area, added, “Our congregation is predominately black. Our community has a Hispanic presence, but they are not so present in the ministry. I think those barriers can be removed so that they are a part of this ministry.  I believe us engaging them is how we would win them into Crenshaw Christian Center.”

 

 

 

While pursuing his vision for CCC consumes a lot of his time, it is not Price Jr.’s top priority.  As a man of faith, he counts God, his wife, Angel, and his three children as coming before the ministry.  He learned the “family first” attitude from his parents, Apostle Frederick and Dr. Betty Price, who raised four children as they built an international church.  The Price siblings are also actively involved in the CCC ministry.

 

 

 

Price Jr. holds other interests as well. He loves history – African American and other cultures, too – and admits to being a “geek.”

 

 

 

“There’s a difference between a nerd and a geek,” he said with a smile.  “I’m a comic guy – Marvel and DC.  I love science fiction and fantasy.  I am a writer and an avid reader.  Also, I like Jordan’s (shoes), I still watch cartoons with my kids and I love sports.  I am an L.A. boy, so I support my L.A. teams.”

 

 

 

Still, his dream for CCC is never far away and Price Jr. gives every indication of making it come true.

 

“The vision of CCC is to teach the word of God to the saints but in the process of doing that, part of our mission is engaging the culture, creating disciples of Christ, utilizing and maximizing technology to its fullest and I want to breed and create individuals in the vein of my father,” he said. 

 

 

 

“I believe he drew and attracted men who wanted to be somewhat like him or saw something in him that they wanted to replicate and I want to continue that replication process.”

 

 

 

Crenshaw Christian Center is located at 7901 S. Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles. To learn more, visit crenshawchristiancenter.net

Category: Cover Stories

Councilman Curren D. Price Jr. is the city councilman for the 9th District and on March 7, he will go against his opponents for City Council elections. 

 

Pleasing to the 9th District, the community has relied upon him to be an advocate for the underrepresented. For four years he said, he has done just that.

 

“We got elected in 2013 and I think it is a testament to how well we have done to help improve the quality of life in 9th District,” Price said.

 

Within the 20 years of his political career, he built up an extensive resume of public service across the board, serving the community at large.  In 2006, he served in the State Legislature as an assemblymember and as the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Elections and Redistricting and Committee on Governmental Organization. In 2009, as a State Senator, he chaired the Business and Professions Committee and was chosen by his colleagues to lead the California Legislative Black Caucus, as Chair, in 2010. Currently, Price is devoted to improving the socioeconomic status of low-income families and children.

 

In 2014, he passed the historic legislation that increased the living wage for hotel workers citywide and will increase the minimum wage to $12 this coming July, and $15 by 2020 for all of Los Angeles. Residents are privy to 48 hours of paid sick leave with benefits.

 

He is the Chair of the Council’s Economic Development Committee, and serves on the committees on Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM); Homelessness and Poverty; Housing; Public Works and Gang Reduction; Arts, Parks, and River; as well as the Ad-Hoc Committees on Immigrant Affairs, Comprehensive Job Creation and the 2024 Summer Olympics. 

 

“I’ve done my part to bring jobs, jobs and more jobs to a community that is starved for employment,” he said.

 

Price crusades for job literacy, promotes healthier communities, aides the homeless, provides resources to the less desirable and so much more. 

 

“We got the streets and allies cleaned up and for the past three in a half years,” Price said.

 

According to Price, almost 15,000 tons of trash have been removed from neighborhood streets and alleys. He worked with the city to ensure trash, debris and bulky items were picked up.

 

“We are making [Public Works] do their job,” he said.

 

“Cleaning the 9th District enhances the environment, so that people who want live and work in their community, can do so. Its improving with picking up trash, we’re making the community cleaner and green.”

 

Price not only cares about keeping the city clean, green and welcoming, he said, he cares about restoration. He helps locals get back to work. He has provided employment opportunities for younger citizens.

 

“I’m also proud that we created jobs, it is over 6,000 jobs for people and we have been responsible for cleaning up over the past four years,” he said.

 

“Cleaning and restoring jobs are significant projects in our district. For example, the Reef Project has a lot of interest. The project is used to create new housing. It will also produce 1,100 parking spots into a vibrant place to live, work, and play.

 

There are folks who are opposed to it, however, there are more folks that are happy about it.  The Reef Project has a 30 percent local hire.

 

“There is a quarter of a million dollars set aside to help small businesses and it is going to provide the blue transit line we never had before. We are talking about 1200 jobs, construction jobs and another 600 permanent jobs, on this one project.”

 

Price is using the USC Village Project to help produce work for Los Angeles citizens in his district. 

 

“We have a 30 percent local hire and we are stressing the importance of hiring from the community,” Price told the L.A. Watts Times.

 

“This project has been successful. A $350 million, state-of-the-art Banc of California soccer stadium for the Los Football Stadium Project is under construction and has a 40 percent local hire.

 

“These are good paying jobs as well as union jobs for benefits, that provides significant training opportunities for youngsters and others who are trying to retrain to regroup themselves.

 

In addition to that, we are going to renovate the Sports Arena, where there is a commitment again for local hire.”

 

Well-informed on what needs to be done for the 9th District, Price stated, “my job is to make sure we are able to negotiate these agreements and then make sure we take advantage of these agreements, and remember these arrangements are unprecedented.”

 

Residents living in the 9th District are overlooked and underrepresented, “going back to the Reef Project for example, they are committed to a $15,000 million dollar agreement for affordable housing, that is unprecedented in South L.A. or any place else.

 

“People who are in affordable housing have a covenant that could expire. This allows the landlords to go to the regular marketplace consequently, hurting disadvantaged locals in his district.”

 

Price also continues to be resourceful by helping to implement new ways of building community wealth for the 9th District.  New property in the community can create income and jobs. Aware of this, he states, “we are providing resources in the community in ways we haven’t before.

 

“There are four hotels being planned in our district from Adams Boulevard down to King Boulevard. The hotels are providing local jobs, they are going to have a project labor agreement, we’re going make sure they carry out good labor jobs during construction.”

 

These are examples of some of the things Councilman Price has been pushing for. He has put in place job training programs to better the livelihood of the 9th District.

 

District 9’s parks and centers are often neglected and infested with bad activity, Price is remedying that issue by cleaning up and rejuvenating.

 

“We are making our resources available for youngsters and our seniors and having allocated almost 30 million dollars to complete this task,” he explained.

 

New playgrounds, soccer fields, football fields, pools and skate parks were replaced and improved so that locals can engage and utilize their parks and recreational centers.   

 

“We have transformed the district where to make it a livable place where people can live, work and play. There is a clean-up campaign enacted and in addition we are working closely with sanitation, public works and street services, we have invested an extra million dollars into the pot to have extra clean-ups in our area. This is discretionary funding that I thought was important to focus on.”

 

Price said he will also continue to tackle homelessness in the 9th.

 

 “The issue of homeless is a terrible problem in our city and in the district,” he said.

 

“The 9th District has the second largest encampment. While I am proud to be on the homelessness and poverty committee, I’m further proud to have been instrumental in sponsoring Proposition HHH. We have to do more…”

 

For that reason, he has created resources that support and aid homeless individuals. “We are having days where resources are provided for individuals, we bring the health services, social security, job training and housing. All these services are made available to inviduals who want to take advantage.” 

 

“We are trying to show leadership in our council office, you cannot sit back and wait for things to happen you have to make things happen. I’m proud of the progress that we have made but we still have more to do.”

 

Councilman Price continues to improve his neighborhood and views it as a reflection on his public service. As the community moves forward, he rebrands his leadership, coining the term the New 9th.

 

“We want to continue to build on the success of the New 9th and we want to continue keeping our streets clean and green.”

 

He also said he will be working with schools and other community based organizations to provide resources that did not exist before.

 

With all the great tasks he carries out for the district, it can be a battle at times getting necessary resources to underserved communities. When he took office, there were a lot of issues in 9th District in South L.A. When the area wasn’t initially considered for “Promise Zone” money to aid poverty stricken areas in Los Angeles, the district was able to win the battle.

 

“We did it a couple of ways,” Price recalled.

 

“We applied twice in the central office and were not successful, but I said we cannot give up. I was responsible for reconvening. We were able to do redo the application based on the input that we got and it was because we came together in such a powerful way. We were accepted after two failed attempts. Working with people in economic rights, immigrant rights, job training, health and education showed how impactful we were.”

 

Price is the everyday man, a down-to-earth-guy who is accessible and friendly to his constituents. 

 

“My staff is always on me, because I give everybody my phone number,” Price joked.

 

When he is not being an advocate for his district, he prefers to fly under the radar.

 

“I like to be unassuming, blend in and to not take my positon to seriously at least from an ego perspective until I remember that I am a public servant and I think that means to be approachable, accessible and being able to relate to the citizens,” Price said.

 

 “We are encouraging neighbors that the Price is right.” I think if they’re serious about a progressive and positive leader with a track record and the ability to bring people together, then I am their candidate,” he said.

 

Price’s ability to improve the face of half of South L.A. and create jobs show his loyalty and commitment to change.

 

Nothing is off limits for him.

Category: Cover Stories

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