Going There...Black & Asian: Tough Conversations & True Allyship

Hosted by Faith and Community Empowerment (FACE) and California Asian Pacific American Bar Association

In late July, Faith and Community Empowerment (FACE) and California Asian Pacific American Bar Association (Cal -APABA) co-hosted a virtual conversation on Black and Asian solidarity, titled ‘Going There...Black & Asian: Tough Conversations & True Allyship’. The event’s esteemed panel speakers included Hyepin Im (President and Founder of FACE), Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner (Co-Convener of National African American Clergy Network and former Founding Executive Director of Black Congregational Caucus), Bishop Kenneth Ulmer Ph.D (Presiding Bishop at Faithful Central Bible Church), Rev. Dr. Walter Kim (President of National Association of Evangelicals) and Dr. Mark Whitlock Jr. (Senior Pastor of Reid Temple AME Church). 

Facilitating the discussion was Charles Jung, the executive director of Cal-APABA, who framed the hour-long discussion with the following four questions: 1) What about this topic (having tough conversations and true allyship between black and asian communities) got your attention? 2) Each of us hears stories about the other community; what are those stories you heard in your community about the other, including stereotypes that have been perpetuated by those in the political sphere? 3) What fruits have you seen from fostering allyship and solidarity? and 4) What does the path for solidarity look like, and what can we do to walk in that path to allyship and solidarity too?

Below are some of the highlights and repeated themes that stood out to us. We highly encourage you to see the full discussion here! 

The panel, which consisted of black and asian community leaders, first acknowledged the tension and disconnectedness that existed between the ethnic communities. Tension included the killing of 15-year-old Latasha Harlins by Korean store owner, Soon Ja Du, the murder of 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee by a black teenager, Antoine Watson, and both communities witnessing divisive stereotypes and violence play out against one another -from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) people embracing and perpetuating the model minority myth to a history of interracial crimes (black on asian crimes and asian on black crimes). And more recently, as more AAPI community members showed solidarity with the black community, the lack of reciprocity from the black community when Asian hate crimes became more prevalent than ever in the wake of the pandemic. This was attributed to the model minority myth rendering the breadth and depth of racial discrimination within the AAPI community invisible and the challenge of navigating conversations with the AAPI community in which ethnicity, experience of immigration, longevity in America, language, where one lives in the country make the Asian American experience highly varied. Consequently, the panel acknowledged that the lack of education, communication and trust between the communities dissuaded friendship and united activism. 

Equally powerful was hearing the panel speakers share their individual convictions about their personal biases, and in light of that, their desires to re-examine and live out the challenging yet necessary ministry of reconciliation. Convictions ranged from having a “compartmentalized” or nonexistent relationship -let alone allyship- due to the lack of opportunities -and possibly even disinterest- to share space and conversation; not moving beyond sympathy into effective solidarity and friendship; and recognizing that advocating for justice within one’s racial community can cloud the truth that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. It was striking to see how the hope of the gospel anchored the panelists to admit bitterness and shortcomings, affirm one another’s pain (for instance, several of the AAPI listeners commented how significant it was for them to hear the black panelists call the mass-shooting at Atlanta a “massacre”), and seek reconciliation.

The discussion then concluded with strategies to initiate and build allyship, which included:

• Leaders promoting more interracial discussions and inviting speakers and pastors outside of one’s ethnic community 

• Individuals making the effort to be educated about black and asian culture and each other’s challenges

• Seeking understanding in faith that there is “more in common than what separates us”; having open hearts that give benefit of the doubt to one another when navigating difficult conversations

• Black and Asian activists and community leaders using their knowledge, strategies and resources to support and educate one another 

• Doing the simple act of signing the “Resolution Supporting Black and Asian Community Solidarity” to “help stem the rising tide of Anti-Asian violence and continued systemic injustices against Black Americans”. The resolution was written by Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner and Rev. Hyepin Im and can be viewed here 

• The black community advocating for immigration reform in regards to Asian Americans (and not just the Latinx community) and the AAPI community championing systematic education reform to include and empower black youth and families 

• Demonstrating the good news of Jesus Christ by being serious about the message of reconciliation and “[bridging] gaps that we all yearn to see bridged” 

This courageous conversation was timely and eye-opening. At one point in the conversation, Reverend Dr. Walter Kim pointed out the poignant detail that the phrase “many other people left with them” was recorded in the story of the Israelites’ exodus, which indicated that the “deliverance from slavery included not just the Israelites, but also many other people who had experienced oppression in Egypt and needed deliverance… [T]he story of God’s people right from the very beginning of the Bible is a story of a mixed multitude of ethnicities being redeemed by God.” The hope this conversation produced was well described by Bishop Kenneth Ulmer Ph.D who commented, “It starts with dialogue like this. There is strength and power in Christ that cannot be taken out of the equation. We can start there and infiltrate the rest of culture from the perspective of faith.” The resounding takeaway from this event was that faith in the work of reconciliation must be realized in tandem with initiative-taking friendship and honest conversation. 

‘Going There...Black & Asian: Tough Conversations & True Allyship’ was certainly a bright start to that road.

Urban Summit Review

Early in June, the first annual Urban Marketplace Summit brought together Christian leaders across the United States to learn, connect and network with each other. Johnathon Banks and Roy Patterson facilitated the summit and interviewed the panel speakers to share their expertise and wisdom. Below, you will find highlights from both days:

Day One  

“Hope is the belief and expectation that the best can still happen,” were the opening words of Dr. Naima Lett in her talk about planting hope.

 With full transparency, a brief history lesson, and encouragement from Scripture, Dr. Lett set the stage for our theme, “Living with Purpose.” She shared her journey in entertainment as an actress and how she took a leap of faith to plant a church in Beverly Hills. Dr. Lett exhorted the attendants to persevere and give our best as Christians in the marketplace. “Use the gifts that God has placed within you,” she said, and “reclaim the narrative!” Leaving us filled with renewed courage, she prayed Romans 15:13’s blessing to abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit at the end of her session.

Next, Kevin Olusola, member of the Acapella vocal ensemble Pentatonix, gave a dynamic talk of knowing one’s identity in Christ and “[stepping] into the fullness of joy God called us to walk in”. Through all his success and opportunities, Olusola made it clear that God was at the center of it all. He shared how his success came after forging new paths and often feeling misunderstood and lonely; what motivated him was the generation behind him who needed a pathway forward. He then left us with three points: training is important, prayer is important, and let the Holy Spirit keep you open.

 Day Two

Longtime journalist and NBA analyst, Chris Broussard, opened day two with a talk on using one’s influence for kingdom purposes. His invigorating speech set the tone and pace for the rest of the day’s activities. “Use your gift to impact the world,” he said, and “in order to be effective, stay true to Christian principles.” During his Q & A session with Roy Patterson, Broussard emphasized the seriousness of making sure “your walk matches your talk.” He also shared his journey in journalism, his desire to attend seminary, and how he realized God wanted him to be influential in the marketplace. Broussard most recently launched a national organization called The King Movement for men to reach their God-given potential in every realm of life through the power and grace of Jesus. To close, he ended his talk emphasizing two points—be kind and show compassion.

 Next, the Urban Marketplace Summit held a networking event for their attendees to connect and answer the question of, ‘What is your God-given superpower?’ During this time, participants were also given an opportunity to join the African American Network, which had just launced.

Subsequently, the group listened to Grammy-nominated musician, author and speaker, Saul/Paul, who shared his heartfelt testimony about going from four felonies to a 4.0 GPA in college. He urged the attendees to “run full steam ahead and leave the outcome to God!” His story beautifully illustrated God’s grace that gave him a second chance to make a difference in the world.

 The last two sessions focused on interviewing three exceptional women who were leaders in their respective industries. William Adeji, the Global Managing Director at CBRE, monitored the first session with Dr. Sharoni Denise Little, Head of Global Inclusion Strategy and Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and Latoya Collins-Jones, Chief of Staff of Global Diversity and Inclusion at Dell Technologies. As Christian practitioners in the complex field of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), they both imparted insight on how to integrate faith to DEI matters. “Give truth with grace,” and “seek continual education to sustain yourself in this kind of work,” advised Collins-Jones when asked how she approached her work. Dr. Little counseled the group to, “love humanity!” by covering people and not exposing and shaming them. Both women agreed their work was challenging, but that it was possible to work with integrity and  practice their faith while being in this industry. We left this session wanting more.

The conference concluded with Dr. Naima Lett interviewing Traci Lynn Blackwell, Executive Vice President and Head of Scripted Programming, BET Networks. Blackwell shared how working in entertainment was about compromise and accepting that although people might not get exactly what they want, they could nonetheless uphold their Christian values. She stressed the importance of mentorship and having an intimate community to rely on, sharing how she had three friends who specifically prayed for her in her line of work.

The attendants left the Urban Marketplace Summit inspired and encouraged to live out who God created them to be and to work wherever God called them to be, whether that was in the marketplace or elsewhere. 

Blessing LA By Having A Mental Health Conversation

“As We Dwell” is a multi-purpose collective workspace near the Arts District of Los Angeles. On a recent sunny Saturday afternoon the space played host to a multi-ethnic / multi-generational gathering of men and women who desire to see God bless the city. Events like these are the result of a collaborative relationship between Together LA and Revival LA.  Both of these organizations bear witness that there is a growing gospel-centered movement calling the Church to awaken to the unified impact God intended for it to have. 

The focus of this particular gathering was to have a Mental Health Conversation, honestly and compassionately addressing the issues of anxiety and depression. The topic couldn’t be more timely in light of the emotional wake left by the disruptive uncertainty of a global pandemic.

Those included in the program were as diverse as those who were in attendance.  Worship was led by John and Marina Stratton. John Stratton is a singer-songwriter and founder of Rivers Recording, a Los Angeles based music production studio with the stated goal of “releasing songs of hope and healing for the nations.”  Also performing was MJ aka "2 The Human", a rap artist who hopes his songs will help others move to wherever they need to be and serve as the soundtrack to their journey.

Providing insight and practical wisdom regarding anxiety and depression was Jaslyn Dixon, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, the Gospel Care Director at Reality LA, and an Adjunct Professor for Talbot Seminary's Marriage and Family Therapist Program.  Through skillful and compassionate instruction, Ms. Dixon identified the core components of anxiety and depression, as well as providing practical suggestions for moving forward. She emphasized the hope filled truth that God is with us in the messiness and crazy storms of our lives, and that we are not alone.

“Community is the common denominator for any healing and health,” Dixon shared, “therefore sleep well, eat well, and connect well.”  She also gave three practical suggestions as we walk the journey of mental and emotional health.  1) Confession – be honest with yourself and others with the whole truth about areas of struggle.  2) Lament – give yourself the freedom to grieve losses, hurts and heartaches.  And 3) Community – ask yourself, “What haven’t I acknowledged or spoken out loud with others." 

Together LA and Revival LA share the desired goal of blessing Los Angeles by nurturing collaboration and unified partnerships that result in creating vital gospel-centered culture and communities. If the joyful spirit of collaboration on display at the “Mental Health Conversation” event is an indicator of future success, then Los Angeles has a hope filled future.

To see the full recording of A Mental Health Conversation, view it here.

Neighborhood Spotlight Paramount’s Marketplace Leader Todd Bousema

In the book of Matthew, we are encouraged and confronted by a command to not be anxious about our life. The passage, Matthew 6:25-34, is as poetic and beautiful as it is clear that we are to “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to [us]” (Matt. 6:33). But what about work? What about the business world? It is easy to enter what is often a secular environment and become anxious, upset, annoyed, or angry when we are barraged by impatient demanding managers, dealing with tech problems, struggling with work life balance, overcompensating for fear of job security, or forced to pick up a colleague’s slack. The list could go on and on. So how do we enter the business sector as a Christian and shine our light well?

Todd Bousema, owner of several businesses, has been a part of the community of Paramount City for 36 years. He has worked the service side and works the wholesale supply side of the pool industry. We connected with him to ask what it’s like being a Christian and a business owner and what wisdom he could share for Christians in the marketplace. 

Could you share your perspective as a Christian working in business? What is your motto or M.O. for how you do life as a Christian in the business secular world?

Todd: I had a customer that was a lawyer. He became a Christian when he was a lawyer and he was dealing with a hard time of, uh, you know, being a lawyer and a Christian. And I said, look, the Lord needs Christian lawyers, needs Christian pool guys and God works through all those different avenues and works. And this lawyer and we talk every so often. He said I have never forgotten that, that God needs people in every field and that he can make a difference as a lawyer, as a Christian lawyer in that field. So, I feel like it’s interacting with people. And really the reality is, what a better place than at work where you’re coming in contact with multiple people, and you can have multiple conversations about faith. And you know what? It's finding out, developing relationships, and finding out when there's need. Or you can pray for them. You can care for them. I think those opportunities come up because the Lord brings people to himself.  It’s about being there for when that time comes, that opportunity is there in developing those relationships. 

So, you create a work atmosphere that brings Christ into the center of it?

Todd: Right and its hard. You don’t always feel like it.  You know you get frustrated and angry and upset and part of me goes, okay, how do you do this as a believer?  Who are you relying on that you need to be upset? You know when you get upset, who are you really relying on, you’re relying on your own self. Sometimes it’s okay to be upset depending on the situation but you got to almost ask who’s in charge? You got to check yourself by the Spirit. 

So, would you say that checking yourself on your emotions and relying on the Lord – is that the greatest challenge or what would be the greatest challenge of being a Christian in the marketplace based on your experience? 

Todd: It’s trusting that the Lord is in charge of where I'm going and what's going to happen and that I need to seek him. That's probably the hardest challenge – putting him first and realizing he will provide. And that means employees, that means work. I mean, it still doesn't negate me from working hard. He doesn't say okay, you can sit back, but the hard part is trusting and relying on him that he will provide. And he's calling me to be smart and to work hard. But he will provide, he will take care, but you need to seek him first. And that's the hard part. In the midst of the busyness, can you seek him and rely on him? 

Sounds like you’re referencing the verse Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Todd: That’s my life verse. What are you seeking? You're seeking him. All these things are added, it might not be riches, but he's going to give that peace, the grace, the mercy, the love to get through to do whatever. He's going to give me everything I need and he's going to fill me for more than I can imagine. He wants to take that all into my work and my business and I can't lose sight of that. 

What do you believe your purpose is in the workplace?

Todd: God works together for good all those who are called according to his purpose. Part of me goes am I called to his purpose and what is his purpose? Is his purpose for me to make lots of money every year? Or is his purpose for me to be a light in the darkness from where I’m at? And that’s the perspective I need to keep. 

When it comes to working in the Paramount Community is there something that stands out about the people of Paramount or in working in the community there?

Todd: We’ve been doing business for about 30 years here and we’ve hired people from the neighborhoods and sometimes somebody will come up and go “hey!” And I’ll look at him like I know you. And they’ll say, “Remember I used to work for you.” And then you start to realize how you need to be gracious when you let people go or people move on from working for you. The people still come up to me even though they’ve moved on for whatever reason. But we ended relationships well because you come across people in Paramount, and they remember. They remember who you were, and that makes a difference. You see them later and they know how you treated them compared to how their new boss treats them. And if it’s different because of your beliefs than that makes a difference. And they can see the difference. 

Todd Bousema points out how being a Christian in business is a growing process. It’s easy to be quick to complain but it’s harder to trust the Lord that he knows what he’s doing. If an employee decides to join a competitor, you want to be frustrated but that’s not what we’re called to do. We’re called to love our neighbor and trust God that he works all things for good. There’s pressure to pull God out of business, especially in the name of not offending anyone, but God is there inviting us to join him in the mission of being a light in the darkness. Be light, but also be present if a moment of ministry finds you. Each weak Bousema shares Bible verses in a text loop with some of his workers, with an open invite to others, and they read it and share throughout the week what it means to them and what they got out of it. One of the guys in the text loop doesn’t respond, but he makes the effort to tell Bousema when he sees him that he looks forward to the scripture Bousema sends every day. You never know when a scripture you share could be the only Bible a person ever reads, or how deep a moment of sharing God’s life-giving words could go. Your work is a mission field, and if it feels hard figuring out how to be the light in business, start with first seeking the Lord and the rest will follow. 

Paramount’s Pastor Ken Korver at Emmanuel Church

Pastor Ken Korver has lived most of his life in Paramount, not out of familiarity or convenience, but out of a great depth of commitment and calling felt in his heart since he was 11 years old. Emmanuel Church has a rich history intertwined with the city of Paramount. In an earlier blog, “Neighborhood Spotlight: Paramount Profile,” we explored how the nationally recognized city earned its commendations for turning itself around from a “disaster” area into an “All-America City.” By God’s incredible design, Emmanuel Church was a vital partner in accomplishing this massive feat. But before this partnership was established, a calling had to be answered. 

Pastor Ken’s father was leading a church camp in Chicago when he received a mystical call to come to Paramount, CA to a dying Dutch Reformed Church in a transitioning community. He declined, but was challenged to pray about it by the ministry team reaching out to him. Neither historically spiritually charismatic nor interested to confirm the call’s validity with prayer, he nevertheless found himself having a divine encounter in the prayer room. Every time he faced North, South, or East, a sense of vertigo overtook him, but when he faced West, he regained his balance. Pastor Ken’s father had never experienced this before, so when it kept happening, he believed it was God’s leading to move to California. 

However, God was not done speaking just yet. On the way to California, they were visiting family in Iowa when 11-year-old Ken was called out by his Uncle, “Kenley, when you get to California you tell them about Jesus.” The words sank deep in Pastor Ken’s heart and from that moment, he, too, accepted the invitation to spread the gospel in California with his father. He has been operating on that call ever since, and following his father, he is now the lead Pastor at Emmanuel Church. 

We connected with Pastor Ken and asked him about growing up in Paramount, his journey to respond to his call, and what Paramount is like today. 

Hearing your story, it seems you were destined to come to the community that you’re in, to the people you serve.

Pastor Ken: The answer to this sounds corny, but that's what I feel. That's how I feel.

Wow. Since you’ve been in Paramount since you were 11, I would guess that you have a really good knowledge of the heartbeat of your community. What did the community look like and what has been Emmanuel Church’s impact on the community?

Pastor Ken: It’s a beautiful community. When we came here in 1970, the Rand Corporation called our community an urban suburban disaster site and said we were the fourth worst city in the United States of America in terms of crimes going up, gangs increasing, businesses fleeing, white flight and schools not doing well. However, when our family moved here, we found that we loved the people. It’s a blue-collar Latino community. The city was kind of beaten down, but we loved it, and my brothers and I went to public high school and played sports. In the ‘70s, there was kind of a revival at the high school so in the ‘80s, my older brother and my father were praying, “God in the ‘70s you let us be your ministers in Paramount High School, but we feel like the demographics are changing. We’re not sure we’re being as helpful as we’d like to be.” My father and brother were literally praying to God to give us an opportunity again to serve in a unique way when right then, the city manager knocked on our door and said, “Crazy idea, but we want to paint our city. We want to go to the roughest areas and paint houses with your church. We have seven or eight professionals and staff -could your church be the grunt laborers?” And my Dad and brother immediately said, “Yes! Put us in.” Over a three-year period, from 1988 to 1991, the church painted somewhere around 400 houses. Although we painted 400 houses, it led to 3,000 houses getting painted. When people observed their neighborhood’s roughest houses get painted and learned that the city supplied the paint, they felt incentivized to paint and upgrade their own homes, too. And in 1991, George Bush the first, declared our city an All-American City and declared that Emmanuel church was one of a Thousand Points of Light. When Bush was running for office, he said he wanted “1,000 points of light” and Emmanuel was 1 of 50 religious organizations to receive the award. 

And what does Paramount look like now?

Pastor Ken: Our streets are well paved, our parks are totally clean, everything is green there’s no trash, and the crime level is low. The City Manager, Pat West, was asked what changed the city, and these were his words: “The catalyst of the change of our city was that church, Emmanuel Church.” You know, when people say that to us, we say, “No, God changed this city.” We think the city staff and the city’s unity also played a vital part of God’s plan, but we’re humbled to hear that even non-Christians believe that the church was the catalyst. Catalyst doesn’t mean you did it all; it means you helped light a match. 

How has Emmanuel Church grown through the seasons?

Pastor Ken: Our Church in the early ‘90s was still predominantly white. We had become a church of 1000 people when it had started out as 200 Dutch people. For 20 years, we had reached the community, but the congregation of Dutch and other European Americans did not reflect the diversity and changing demographic of the city. And so, in the mid-90s, we began a noon service. For the noon service, we made 25,000 phone calls to neighboring cities around our community. We called Compton, Southgate, and North Long Beach and said we were starting a new church. We kept our 9 and 10:30 AM services the same, but for the noon service, we wanted to do something different by reaching out to the wider community. We had 400-500 people coming in, and it was no longer a white service; it was predominantly brown and Latino, and the choir sounded like a black soul choir -it was all these different backgrounds. Well, that led to the church becoming multi-ethnic because over time, the noon-service people began attending the 9 and 10:30 services. 

In the ‘70s we became a missionary church, the ‘80s we became a church that helped the city transform, the ‘90s we became a multiethnic church, and in the 2000s we focused our efforts to serve Compton. We live right next door, but we ignored Compton for 80 years. We repented, and we said, we are to love our neighbor. The whole world has heard of Compton and we never cared. Since we learned how to paint, we thought, let’s go serve in Compton. So we started the Compton Initiative: Just do Good, which has 2000 volunteers paint schools, churches, and 20 grandma houses four times a year, all because we learned how to do that in Paramount. To date, we have painted 1600 homes, schools and churches in Compton. That was the 2000s. And now in the 2010s, we’ve become a church planting church. We’re trying to plant into the city. We tell people to remain in the city they reside in, but ask if they can let their eyes look towards Los Angeles. Can they join us in planting churches that way,  painting that way, and caring that way? So instead of a suburban mindset, the Church is taking on an urban mindset. 

Wow. I love what I’m hearing. There are a lot of Churches with a long history that have grown stronger and stronger in their ways and gotten more involved in their own structure. Whereas what I hear from you is that your Church transitioned as the people transitioned, and as the community grew, you have grown in response and as a leader. It’s amazing  how your church has been active in growth and led by the Spirit. What would you say is the greatest need of your community? 

Pastor Ken: I think the greatest need in our community is to know the love, and Salvation, and Holiness of God. That people would meet Christ and know Jesus’s way into the kingdom. He came smiling and preaching the good news of the kingdom of God, while also saying to the people, “Repent and believe.” So we do ministries in painting, cleaning, feeding, sports and afterschool programs. Behind all of that - and the heart of all of that- is the hope for people to encounter Christ. We think He’s the actual Savior, the actual answer -but you don’t start with preaching at people. Jesus went around feeding people, clothing them, and healing them. When you do that, your message has a better chance of being heard. 

Absolutely! It sounds like Emmanuel is really a unique church: unique in its history, unique in its actions, unique in its perception by the community. I would love to get your perspective on the word hope and what that brings to mind.

Pastor Ken: On Sunday I preached on 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 where Paul says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received.” And what I shared with our congregation is, to be a Christian is to be comforted by God. And you’re comforted by God through the complete forgiveness of our sins, the promise of everlasting life, the Romans 8 promises that [God is] going to work for the good of those who love [Him]. And if God loved us so much that He did not spare His only son, will He not also give us all things? Could anything separate us from the love of God? Nothing in all creation. So, we’re the people who walk in hope. We walk in hope of Jesus Christ’s salvation, and His promised return. We walk in the hope that one day all things will be restored. And so, our job is to hope in the Lord, live that way and then see each person with the lens of Christ. Who could they be in Jesus Christ, who would they become and as a result, what would their families be like? So, when I think of hope, I think of Christ and the Spirit and the hope we have in the Lord both now and forever. And we’re to bring that to the people in the midst of the difficulties and hardships of life. 

At Emmanuel Church you’ll find a community of people that looks like the neighborhood of Paramount; warm, friendly, beautiful people passionate for Jesus, loving their neighbors, and ready to follow the Spirit wherever He calls. If you’re interested in visiting Emmanuel Church online or in person, check out their website or email their team at info@erc.la for more information.  

Neighborhood Spotlight: Paramount City Non-Profit: Paramount Care Foundation – Project Hope

In a community hit hard by COVID-19 is a beacon of hope. Every Friday eager volunteers don their masks, with smiles beaming from their eyes, and prep to serve hundreds. What began as a small community foodbank and pop-up shop has met the pandemic head on, expanding 5 times its usual service of 70 people to a client base of more than 350 people. In Paramount City, the Paramount Care Foundation hosts Project Hope on their campus (an extension of the Nonprofit as an authorized agency of the Los Angeles County Food Bank) and serves 35Ibs of food to each household along with access to household items such as clothes and books. 

Although other features of their Foundation such as the After School Program, Summer Day Camp, ESL Class, and more were shut down due to the pandemic, Project Hope has been able to run undeterred and even increase in capacity to serve the growing need of the community admits the crisis. We connected with Mike Mckown, Director of Project Hope, and asked him a few questions about the program.

With your experience working with Project Hope and the community, would you say Paramount City is in a place of hope or not hopeful in this pandemic season?

Mike: I would say it’s a mix. Paramount is a covid hotspot: the highest infection rate in the area and sadly higher death rate per capita and if you look at a map, you’ll see its hit very hard. One main reason is there is a lot of overcrowding in the area making it easy for families to get each other sick. Some clients it’s their first time using a foodbank. And initially during the lockdown people were afraid to get food from the store, then it became an economic issue. For a lot of people, it’s their first experience. 

How many people do you serve?

Mike: Prior to Covid we served 70-80 people. When covid began we were serving more and more people. In November we saw 300-350 people weekly. Now at the beginning of the year we have been serving around 200 people and we have 5-7 new clients every week.

How did COVID-19 impact Project Hope? 

Mike: We learned how to do things more efficiently. We can feed a lot more people now. 

What does the food service look like on a Friday morning?

Mike: Because of the COVID-19 regulations we have to have everything boxed or bagged. Right now, we’re handing out the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank’s emergency kit box which we get from our main donor. And we supplement that with 1-2 bags of additional groceries provided by our other agencies we partner with. All in all, it’s about 35lbs of food per household. We’re also planning to give out some special food items for Easter on Good Friday April 2nd, that will be about 40-50lbs of food per household on Good Friday.  

Do you need more donations?

Mike: We have been given a lot of resources and grants. We can actually serve a lot more people. 

And you said you have a Pop-Up shop?

Mike: Yes, we’ve actually had to pause donations for that because we are overflowing with items. We didn’t originally open the Pop-Up shop back up in the pandemic but then we had clients coming in and saying they need clothes for their kids. So, we opened that back up and we’ve had a lot of great feedback on it, especially things for the kids like children’s books. We’ve had to change a lot of things because of Covid regulations. We used to have it set up with clothes on a rack and things laid out on a table or blanket and people would have fun going through it. But now we have everything individually wrapped. And our rule is ‘You touch it, you take it.’ Everything’s free.

It’s apparent you have had a lot of growth in need and serving that need. Do you have enough volunteers?

Mike: We have a lot, some from the community and a lot from the Emmanuel Church. I asked if the volunteers wanted to do a rotation schedule and they said No we want to be there every Friday. But we always welcome more volunteers.

Sounds like the volunteers are receiving just as much as the clients by getting an opportunity to do something in their week that is purposeful and fulfilling.

Mike: Oh yes, we have been able to work undeterred by masks. We get no complaints from clients or volunteers about masks. We have a very high compliancy rate in Paramount and the people are very happy when they come, and our volunteers love their work.

Whether you’re in need of food or desire to make a difference, or even just get out of the house, Project Hope is an excellent resource. Standing apart from the food service, at separate booths, there is a table for the clients if they wish to seek additional resources as well as a table for those who would like prayer. If any of these service opportunities interest you, please contact Mike McKown at mike.mckown@erc.la and if you’re in need of support please visit Project Hope every Friday 8-10am at 8206 Alondra Bl. Paramount, CA. 

Women’s History Month Featuring Radio Host: Katie Manor

Katie Manor, Mom, Radio Host, Speaker for God’s Kingdom. Isn’t it amazing how the Lord’s timing works? We are called to Wait on the Lord and so often we can try to make things happen in our own strength or we give up on the dream just before it reaches its fruition. For Manor, she waited 25 years to see her dream of speaking on radio for God’s Kingdom realized, and in that time of waiting she was in full mom mode raising 3 amazing kids as a single mom. For Women’s History Month I connected with Manor, a powerhouse woman for the Lord, and asked about her journey with God and what wisdom she could share about God’s redeeming love, faithfulness, and the power of a voice. 

Hi Katie! I am so excited to share your words with women (and men)! As a speaker can you share your thoughts on Proverbs 18:20-21?

Katie: The tongue is such a blessing, but it is also a curse when the enemy gets ahold of that. And you can do much harm, you’re quick, and like a Ginsu knight, you can chop people up. So many have been destroyed by a careless word I have spoken. When I became a believer and I realized that I was making fun of everyone from the local governor to the president and everyone else because I did a morning show and you're supposed to be funny. A lot of humor is based on, you know, tearing people down. I was uncomfortable because the Holy Spirit was leading me out of that radio. I had the dream; I knew that the Lord wanted me to use those gifts. But I did not want to use them to sell Budweiser or this latest movie that is horrible for families. I talked to the Lord and said, Lord I don’t want to use my voice for anything other than what you have planned. And I waited a long time. 

So, you started out in radio, got saved, and then left to be a stay-at-home mom. How did the Lord answer your prayer to use your voice for his Kingdom?

Katie: Well about 2 and a half years ago I was really desperate, and I said, “Lord just take this away, take this desire away from me if it’s an idol of some sort.” And it never went away, it never, never went way. I wanted to share Psalm 27:14 “wait on the Lord Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say on the Lord.” There is a lot of waiting in walking with the Lord. So, what did I do? I took things into my own hands and thought, well hey I could just start my own podcast. I’d been out of it for a long time and I even had a friend that said, “Kate, I’ve been watching you for 10 years. Do you think you’re too old to be doing this?” But I really felt like I needed to do it, and I did, and it was almost like the Lord said, “Kate how bad do you want it? Lay it down, don’t let it be an idol but let me shape you and mold you and go on my timeline.” The Lord speaks to me through his Word and sometimes through songs. Lauren Daigle’s song You Say came on the radio and it was like God saying to me “don’t listen to that enemy when he’s on your shoulder saying you’re no good you’re not going to make it. Listen to the voice that says you are enough.” I researched Lauren Daigle and found out she had an autoimmune disease and had her own struggles being able to use her voice for the Lord and look where the Lord has brought her now. So, I prayed this prayer, Lord, you are no respecter of persons. You love me just as much as you do Lauren Daigle, and her prayer was ‘Lord the gift you have given me I want to honor and glorify you to as many people as possible,’ and that’s what I prayed. And soon after that I finished my podcast and got my confidence back, a radio station I applied to a year ago, KWAVE L.A., reached out to me for an interview! I’ve been there for two years and now I also soundtrack for a Christian radio in Vegas and do a midnight to 6am at a Christian station in San Diego. 

 Wow. How did that feel to finally see your dream realized? 

Katie:  I come alive. You feel the Lord’s pleasure when you’re doing what he created you to do. 

How have you used the gifts the Lord has given you to give back to the people of L.A. and give him the Glory?

Katie: I would say that I am transparent on the air. There’re other announcers that are very slick and very professional, but I’m not. I make mistakes. I giggle and laugh. I let them know that I’ve had broken marriages. I let them know that I’ve been in Celebrate Recovery 15 years ago and I’ve done the 12 steps. The secret weapon is prayer. I’m prayed up, I pray over the studio, I pray with the fellow announcer leaving the station and over the audience. I’ll be thinking of something in my mind that’s really funny or culturally relevant and the Lord will say, “I don’t want you to talk about that.” And 30 seconds before I’m going to talk the Lord’s like “Kate why don’t you tell them about that time you had an unplanned pregnancy,” because we happen to be doing a fundraiser for preborn that month. And I’m going, I’m not going to share that story it’s going to make me look bad. But I obey and I say, “you know this month we’re raising money so young girls can see ultrasounds of their child and not abort them. But I was 35 years old, not married and pregnant and I was a greeter at church. How’s that? I chose to keep that baby and one of my girlfriends says you’re the only one of my friends that kept that baby. Everyone else would have aborted.” And I share stories like that so somebody can say, “did you hear what that Christian lady on KWAVE said? Yeah, I can relate. She’s not perfect.” Life is Messy but God is so good. So, I’m transparent with my life and it leeks out as the Lord leads me to do it.  

Wow. So, now that you have these platforms to speak on, you do so in obedience to what the Lord puts on your heart to say. I love it. And you may or may not get to know the power of your words or who was impacted by your story. What’s something you’ve learned in this new season as a Christian Radio Host?

Katie: I’m thinking right now of a woman named Maureen. I open the request line for people to call and tell me what’s on their mind or if they want prayer, and she calls in every weekend. She’s got brain tumor cancer, inoperable, and we pray together over the phone every time I’m on air. And not only do I pray for her— she prays for me, and this is what I feel like. I feel like, “Wow Lord, who am I? I feel like I’m here because I’m supposed to be a blessing to these people, but they’re blessing me.” I feel like I’m in the right place and I never take it for granted and it really is, if I have 40 seconds to talk on air, I can just come on and say, “Jesus loves you with an everlasting love.” And know someone needed to hear that today. 

Manor’s journey of using her voice for the Kingdom is an amazing example of staying full of faith and hope and continuing to trust in the Lord when it comes to our dreams. She decided she wanted to use her words for life, and she wouldn’t let a friends words asking if she was too old to continue to pursue her dream take away her hope, instead Manor let Lauren Daigle’s words of life water her spirit and she leaned even more so into the Lord. Not long after that she was given multiple Christian platforms in radio. If we keep in the Word and pursue the Lord, putting our dreams up on the altar, God will answer. 

Katie Manor is a radio host on the Christian L.A .Station KWAVE.com on 107.9 FM, the Sand Diego Station KSDWradio.com on 88.9 FM, as well as a voice track for KWAVE Las Vegas 98.1. She also has a PODCAST called ‘He Speaks with Kate’

IMPACT on L.A.

Black History Month: Bishop Donnie Williams

Among the many communities of Los Angeles is a thriving body of Christ, led by Bishop Donnie Williams, serving in the Valley, Pasadena, Riverside and four other church plants from Vegas to Africa. The church, called The Family Church International, began in Donnie’s home in 1984 with an attendance of 8. Almost forty years later the church has grown in count, spirit, and especially through the pandemic season, a people with abundant hope who no longer ‘know faith’ but practice it. 

Bishop Donnie Williams is a passionate leader whose impact on Los Angeles began in his career as a black karate martial artist, to World Champion, to actor, to Bishop. Williams not only paved the path for other young African Americans to learn Karate by co-founding the Black Karate Foundation(BKF) in 1969, giving lessons to those who couldn’t afford it and a voice for African American fighters on the tournament circuit, but also, broke into the film industry as a martial arts actor alongside big names such as Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris.  

But Williams greatest achievement for creating lasting impact comes from his own personal testimony of breaking down barriers. Starting out, karate was an outlet for his hatred for the white man, but God changedhis heart. In a life altering karate match Donnie finally let the Lord all the way in and committed himself to serving the Lord and years later he made good on that promise and became a Bishop, marrying his passion for karate to his passion for the Lord.

We asked Bishop Donnie Williams about his journey bringing change to his community through karate and his church.

Q. As a World Champion, Grandmaster, co-founder of Black Karate Foundation, actor in martial arts films, do you have any distinct memories of noticing ‘hey I’m making a difference, doors are opening for other African Americans in the world of Karate because of the road I’ve paved?’

A. Last year, I directed my first film called ‘Brothers by Choice’ dealing with racism and Christianity. Because of my past I was able to do this film, I produced and directed it, and I feel that opened the door for other black martial artists to know that they can also accomplish something. I don’t want to do anything that is not pleasing to God, I don’t have a desire to just go out and just do something. All my projects have to be God centered, and I want to reach black kids specifically. That’s why we still have the BKF the Black Karate Federation so we can help black kids because they didn’t have any foundation in the art or organization to lean on. 

Q. What would be your greatest passion, in general, and in the sport of karate?

A. I think my biggest passion is hopefully, I’m not sure if I’ve accomplished it yet, but my desire, my strong desire is to be a person of integrity and also my passion is to not only teach martial arts but to incorporate the Bible in the art. To not be a Bible thumper but to identify David was a warrior in the Bible, that the Bible tells us to fight the good fight and things like that. 

Q. When you were starting out in karate you were really paving a path and you had to break down a lot of racial barriers. What would you say to people today who are trying to go after something and they’re the minority or breaking down some racial barrier? How would you encourage them?

A. Well I think racism is— we’ll have an issue the rest of our lives. People will be prejudice about something it’s the color of your skin, it’s the size of your lips or the size of your nose or your height or this or that. So, we’re going to have that. But my issue was that I was a racist when I started off in martial arts, I wasn’t a person that was serving the Lord or doing the right thing. I was a racist. I hated white people, I fought to show white people they couldn’t beat me. I said bad things to people about their momma and daddy, I was a bad person. And I think my greatest contribution was that the Lord changed my life and now I’m out to help people that was like me. I don’t find fault with them as much as I’ll find a way to encourage them to make a change in their life because they already know they’re doing the wrong thing; they just need someone to encourage them to do the right thing. I think my contribution now, helping modern day 2021, is to help people see that they can make a change in their life. But they have to want to do it. And that’s my ultimate goal right now to help people who are racist, who are prejudice, who are evil and doing bad.

Q. And you are also a Bishop serving in the Valley at The Family Church International, for almost 40 years, right? Would you say during the pandemic there was something that was unique or different that happened that brought an unforeseen blessing from it? 

A. Yes. I have not been sick one day and God has blessed me at the age of 74. The blessing is that god kept us through this. You know we, no member of our church died, it’s just been a blessing. So that’s one. The other thing is it changed the faith of the people. The faith of the people had to be proven.  They proved their faith. They practiced their faith. One of the problems is this; if you were in medicine, you’d never become a doctor, in reality you keep practicing medicine. You practice it. That’s why it’s called, why most people who claim the title of doctor, they practice it. They don’t know medicine. They practice it. A lawyer, he don’t really know law, he practice law. Christians need to practice their faith. A lot of Christians they just know their faith, but this pandemic made them practice their faith. We all have faith that we can make it, until the trial comes, and we have to be tested. 

Q. So would you say that there is a certain richness in your body of people, in the body of Christ now that wasn’t there before?

A. Absolutely. A unity, a love, and a togetherness that we didn’t have in the same manor that we have now. The world got the saying “We’re all in this Together.” Well guess what? The church now has that saying, “We’re all in this Together.”  

Q. How would you encourage the hearts of the people in the Los Angeles community? What would you say to them to encourage their hearts?

A. L.A. is a beautiful city, California is a wonderful state, I would say this to them, to the citizens of L.A.: that hope, the acronym of hope is heavenly opportunity processed eternally. Hope is God’s way of stripping us when there is nothing else to lean on. It’s a heavenly opportunity processed eternally. It’s God doing it, that’s why we have hope. So, L.A. hang on in there. Don’t give up hope. 

Has COVID-19 ‘Run Amok’ in Los Angeles?

An article came to my attention explaining why COVID-19 has run amok in Los Angeles, asking readers to consider “why Los Angeles – and more specifically working-class Los Angeles – has among the highest rates of coronavirus infections in the nation.” It goes on to propose the densely populated areas of the low-income essential workers in Los Angeles, mostly Latinos, pose a serious threat to the spread of disease in the midst of a pandemic, citing high housing costs as the problem and proposing higher taxes on the rich to fund public housing and public subsidies as the solution, therefore decreasing population density. 

In reading this article, I wanted to know, has COVID-19 truly ‘run amok’ in Los Angeles and how can we best support those most directly impacted by COVID-19? It’s not surprising that the highest count of COVID-19 cases are held by the states with the highest populations, California leading the charge with a population of 39.5 million and just over 3 million COVID-19 cases. But what is surprising is that none of the top five COVID-19 case states (California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois) rank anywhere near the top states whose COVID-19 case numbers account for more than 10% of their state population (North Dakota 12.7% and South Dakota 12.13%.) California, along with the other leading COVID-19 case states, actually fall in the middle of the 51 states with a case count reflecting 7-8% of their total population. (These percentages were pulled from data sourced from the CDC COVID Data Tracker, USAFacts.org, and U.S. Census Bureau  reflective of data as of January 27th, 2021)  

 How about on the county level? L.A. County has the highest county population in the U.S. at about 10 million followed by Cook County, IL at 5 million, Data Sourced from CDC COVID Data Tracker, USAFacts.org, and U.S. Census Bureau and Harris County, TX at 4.7 million. But out of 3143 Counties, L.A. County comes in at 517th with COVID-19 cases accounting for 10.51% of the county population, that’s relatively low compared to Crowley County, CO ranked 1st at 29.14%. L.A. County is ranked even lower on COVID-19 death count as a percent of the county population at 1194thwith a percent of .15%. (These percentages were pulled from data sourced from the CDC COVID Data Tracker, USAFacts.org, and U.S. Census Bureau  reflective of data as of January 27th, 2021).

Comparing data across the U.S., L.A. County is not a leading coronavirus impact zone when proportioned to the total population. This is a positive reflection on California’s efforts to curb the impact of Covid-19 and a bit of hope for the community. But if L.A. County is a lower impact zone, does that mean its most affected COVID-19 areas are the closer living accommodations of working-class families? One NBC report released a video interviewing a clinic in a predominantly Hispanic community, one of the areas in L.A. hit hardest by COVID-19. They identified Latinos were hospitalized 3x more than other communities, and death rates were twice as high as the rest of the population. Part of the high numbers can be attributed to multigenerational households, which increases the spread, and jobs that are deemed essential and are not able to be moved to remote working like grocery store clerks. According to California’s Department of Health, Latinos comprise about 40% of the state’s population but account for 55% of all COVID-19 cases and 46% of COVID-19 deaths (24% of cases are missing ethnic data and 2% of deaths are missing ethic data.)   

High housing costs, causing multiple families to live together, can create a more potent spread environment. But one could argue that a slim job market with essential jobs being the easiest to access, and also the frontline to the COVID-19 spread, makes for a more threatening problem when there are no other options available to a working-class family. It’s either work the essential job, or not be able to make rent. It’s no secret California is one of the worst places in the U.S. for housing costs and making homes more affordable to the working class would be extremely beneficial to all. But traditionally, the Latino community is a deeply family orientated people who often share their households with extended families, and according to the Pew Research Center, multigenerational households is on the rise across the ethnic groups and is trending in growth.

So, if household size remains larger, what can be done to help the Latino community in L.A. that has been most impacted by COVID-19? The Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC, values essential workers akin to active duty military personnel who are being asked to put their life on the line every day in industries that must continue work, unable to be socially distanced, in order that the rest of the nation can function, and propose their pay and benefits package should reflect their heightened duties and risks. 

This figure from 2019 data shows the L.A. metropolitan area is comprised of 30-35% essential industry. This is prior to 2020’s new definition of ‘Essential Workers’ in which the Department of Homeland Security designated a list of essential infrastructure workers who “protect their communities, while ensuring continuity of functions critical to public health and safety, as well as economic and national security.” This definition is equivalent to the National Research Council's findings that “the nation’s military, particularly the Army, has a long tradition of providing assistance to local, state, and federal agencies in mitigating the effects of manmade and natural disasters; providing for the public safety; and restoring essential services” in their role of supporting Homeland Security. 

With Essential Workers filling such a prestigious and prominent role in the response efforts to Covid-19, it is ever more important to treat them equally to our military response team and provide medical benefits and increased pay to reflect their public service during a time of Critical Response to a Global Pandemic.  

IMPACT on L.A. Black History Month: Celebrating Kobe Bryant and L.A.

Last week marked the year anniversary of the passing of Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven other precious lives. Over the past year more than 200 murals commemorating Bryant have appeared throughout Los Angeles. This week is the start of Black History Month and who better to begin our recognition of African Americans who have had deep impact on L.A. than the beloved Kobe Bryant. 

As an athlete, Kobe Bryant accomplished Legendary status. In the 20 years he spent with the Lakers, Bryant won five NBA Championships, two NBA Finals MVP Awards, named 2008 NBA MVP and won the 1997 Slam Dunk Champion award. Additionally, he was an 18-time NBA All-Star, and 15-time All-NBA Team and 12-time NBA All-Defensive Team Selection. He also won 2 Olympic Gold Medals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. These are just a few highlights of an extensive list of achievements Bryant earned throughout his basketball career. 

But as a person, Bryant’s Legacy lives vibrantly in the lives of Angelinos. His athlete journey took root in L.A., fans tuned in each week to witness the highs and lows of his career and watched Bryant grow. He became a part of the heartbeat of Los Angeles. His extraordinary work ethic garnered the attention of reporters, players, coaches and fans in which Bryant self-named ‘Mamba Mentality.’ When asked what this meant he explained, “Mamba mentality is all about focusing on the process and trusting in the hard work when it matters most." 

Maybe the most valuable quality of Bryant was his desire to share his knowledge with others, his first book, Kobe Bryant: The Mamba Mentality was intentioned so the next generation could learn what it really means to go after something and be inspired to achieve future greatness. His passion for others growth extended beyond his career goals and into the community of Los Angeles. Post NBA found Bryant coaching his daughter’s basketball team at Mamba Sports Academy (Now ‘The Sports Academy’), a training facility he partnered with to further others in sports. He helped bring more awareness to women’s basketball, formed a film company called Granity Studios to impact the imagination of young athletes by creating new ways to tell stories around sports, co-founded the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation (now ‘Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation’) to improve the lives of young people, their families and end youth homelessness in L.A., launched a podcast for Kids called The Punies to inspire listeners to reach their full potential – and the list goes on. 

The impact Bryant brought to L.A. transcends his accomplishments. It’s evident in the love the community carries for him in the wake of his passing. Thank you, Kobe Bryant. Thank you for your Leadership and not only setting an example to younger generations on what it looks like to go after your dreams and achieve your goals, but also for actively making it possible for youth to grow through your many programs and endeavors. Thank you, Kobe Bryant, for your IMPACT on L.A. 

The California Exodus = New Opportunity

The California Exodus is not new… but it has accelerated. You may have noticed for sale signs popping up in the neighborhoods around you, or you know someone whose announced they’re moving to a new county or out of state. Why are people moving and where are they going?

The current climate of California has become shadowed despite its sunny weather. The pandemic, lockdowns, rolling blackouts, fires, high taxes, unaffordable housing, high cost of living, poor education, political atmosphere, and the shrinking job market are among the few reasons Californians are packing their bags and moving elsewhere.  

But California has witnessed a constant stream of people moving out for almost two decades. A study conducted by the state ofCalifornia’s Legislative Analyst’s Officein 2018 found, from 2007 to 2016, about 5 million people moved into California while 6 million people moved out. That’s a net loss of 1 million California residents.

California net out-migration to other states (Photo courtesy of the Legislative Analyst's Office)

A more recent study by the U.S. Census Bureau revealed California had net loss in population of around 138,000 in 2016, 190,122 in 2018, and 173,000 in 2019 according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. 

Businesses are also following the trend. Joseph Vranich, owner of Spectrum Location Solutions, has helped companies relocate for the last 12 years, often out of state. In 2019 he released a report identifying 660 California companies had moved 765 facilities out of state since 2018, including his own company move to Pennsylvania from California. This report follows his 7-year study from 2008 to 2016 identifying 13,000 business relocations out of state (1,800 in 2016 alone) which includes headquarter relocations and opening new operations outside the state of California.  

So, if this departure from California is not new, why is there so much attention on it now? With offices shutting down and employees moving to remote working, the need to stay in a certain geographical area has staggeringly dropped. Those who are still employed have newfound freedom to move to cheaper living, bigger houses, open economies, and in some cases friendlier communities while working remotely for their California based job. Others have had the hardship of losing their job during the pandemic and have struggled to find a new one, especially with the strict pandemic shutdowns impacting businesses. A move to an open economy state has become a necessity for basic living needs. Online groups have also emerged promoting living in other states and encouraging others to follow in their footsteps. FB groups such as ‘Life after California’ and ‘California Exodus’ show pictures of families, their new homes, and their testimonies of a better life. 

What’s the bright side? The California Exodus presents a new opportunity for current residents and future Californians. With less population, California’s overcrowded freeways will become more manageable, cutting down on the traffic headache. The surplus availability of housing should instigate a buyer’s market, driving housing costs down. The absence of companies that contributed to 46% of California’s high income state tax revenue gives California leaders the opportunity to re-evaluate their tax increase trend and instead drive income taxes down along with business costs to help boost the economy with a business friendly market – which will be even more attractive with the decreased competition. California still has people moving into the state, that means new ideas, different perspectives, and the potential for new growth that could only be achieved by a change of neighbors. 

Change can be hard. We are all witness to that after 2020. But change, also, is where the Lord tends to do His best work. He never leaves us where we are, but constantly loves and disciplines us to a new place. “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

People may be on the way out, but opportunity is on the way in. 

Inauguration Day Prayer

O, Lord our God,

You alone are King of kings and Lord of lords. Search us, O God, for you know our desires and our thoughts better than we do. Teach us to seek your wisdom, for in your wisdom and in your timing, you have demonstrated your great love, grace and mercy to us, through Jesus Christ.

Today, Jan. 20, 2021, we pray for Joseph R. Biden, the 46th president of the United States of America, as your Word instructs.

O, Lord, you are the God of reconciliation. Our nation needs healing. We pray that President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and the new cabinet and administration, would be agents of peace in a nation of great diversity and division. We pray that our differences would be seen, appreciated and used as a means of establishing a more robust and emotionally healthy country. We pray that our divisions would be known, understood and used to engage civil and productive conversations so that we might further know the meaning of political cooperation for the betterment of the people. We ask you, Father, to give to this president the leadership skills to promote such peace in every sphere of our American life.

We ask, O Lord, that you would provide him wise counsel from men and women who seek not higher office, but the betterment of the citizens and residents of this nation. As president, Joe Biden will face enormous responsibilities as he directs the affairs of our nation, both nationally and globally. Help him discern through your Holy Word what is true, what is honorable, what is just and what is pure. Let him be slow to anger, and quick to hear the council and wisdom of others. Give him an insatiable hunger for truth and justice in every sphere of life and work. Surround him with people of integrity and moral fortitude who seek the good and welfare of our land.

Our Father in Heaven, we pray for the president’s family. We pray for his marriage to Dr. Jill Biden; encourage them as they lean on each other through difficult times and trials. Bless and protect his children as their lives in the public eye will be scrutinized and judged by those who know little about them. By the great work of the Holy Spirit, renew his family’s desire to seek You before and above anything else. Enhance their love for each other as their love for You grows.   

May this presidency and administration bring you praise, honor, and glory.

In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray,

Amen.

Selected Scriptures References: 
1 Tim. 6:15, Rev 17:14, Ps 139, James 1:5, 1 Tim. 2:1-2, Prov. 21:1, Prov. 3,13,14,17, Prov. 31:8-9, Phil 4:8.

Neighborhood Spotlight: Southeast LA

Image: https://laist.com/2020/09/04/mis_angeles_hood_renovationz_southeast_la_huntington_park.php

The heart behind TogetherLA is self-evident in our name: we want to promote and help foster people in Los Angeles coming together to better our communities. Today, we want to highlight some of the incredibly inspiring collaborations and organizations in Southeast LA, which encompasses the cities around 5-10 miles southeast of Downtown. Historically, Southeast LA primarily housed manufacturing warehouses and its workers. As these warehouses began to close down, wealthier residents fled to nicer areas while Southeast LA became increasingly impoverished. 

Today, the area is predominantly lower socio-economic, and is affected by major pollution and climbing housing costs. While many in the area have disadvantaged circumstances, their residents are coming together to do incredible things to improve their community. 

SELA Collaborative 

SELA Collaborative is exactly of the kind of collaboration that we need to see in the world. It’s actually a network of organizations that work together to increase civic engagement and strengthen nonprofit work in Southeast LA. They provide direct support to nonprofits in the form of incubation, assessment, and leadership development. Beyond that, they also help foster civic engagement by creating public spaces for the community to learn and interact with key issues and policies. They are a key example of how this community is coming together and uniting their efforts.

Hood Renovationz

Earlier this year, three friends came together and decided to start making a tangible difference in their community using the skills and resources they had. Working off of community donations, they give away home renovations to marginalized residents, which can drastically improve one’s day-to-day standard of living. In the short time since they’ve begun this work, Hood Renovationz has completed a kitchen remodel, bedroom renovations, various essential home repairs, and recently began building desks for students having to adjust to distance learning. There are many large scale organizations and efforts that slowly create positive change, but Hood Renovationz makes immediate and dramatic impact one household at a time.

Southeast Community Foundation 

Education is one of the foundational ways to transform a community, which is exactly what inspired the Southeast Community Foundation to be founded in 2015. Many students in the area don’t complete high school, so this organization takes on a personal approach to foster students’ education. Their sponsorship program works with the students to establish goals and offers direct support to help them work toward their aspirations. 

Chicas Rockeras South East Los Angeles 

Underprivileged areas often don’t have the resources to foster creativity and the arts, so Chicas Rockeras was formed to be a safe, transformative space for girls to explore music. It’s a collective of women from the community, including educators and musicians, to learn about and create a wide range of musical genres. Their programs promote “healing, growth, and confidence…through music education while building self-esteem and encouraging group collaboration.” 

https://www.chicasrockerassela.org/

Boyle Heights Spotlight

As we continue through this pandemic, TogetherLA wants to continue highlighting and encouraging neighbors to come together to better their communities. Real change can happen when churches, businesses, organizations and individuals band together for the good of the neighborhood.

Boyle Heights is a neighborhood in Los Angeles that has experienced a lot of obstacles and demonstrated incredible generosity and resilience. In the early 20th century, it was one of the few areas that did not have discriminatory housing policy against people of color, particularly Japanese-Americans. It became an epicenter of Japanese churches, temples and schools, but eventually became an extremely racially and ethnically diverse neighborhood by the 1960s. After housing in the area slowly recovered from major discrimination due to redlining practices and the construction of several freeways, residents have more recently had to face the effects of gentrification in the community. Through all of these struggles, there have been powerful examples of people coming together to serve the greater good. Here are just a few of the most inspiring collaborations going on in Boyle Heights.

Promesa

In 2009, over 20 incredible community organizations decided to come together to create one unified organization. This group has continued to impact the community since. Promesa has become a hub for community organizing, restorative justice, tutoring, leadership development and school event organizing. Their goals are shaped by the community itself, through their core practice of surveying resident, ally organizations, schools and supporters. They are committed to investing in the community and students, starting with family support and progressing all the way up to career development. Promesa’s work is a testament to the power of collaboration, unity and passion.

Legacy LA

Gang violence has been a long-standing issue in many LA neighborhoods, with Boyle Heights being no exception. In 2007, Lou Calanche founded Legacy LA with the hopes of offering interventions and alternatives to gangs and violence. Everyone involved with Legacy LA believes that investing in the development of youth is the key to community transformation. 

Their approach focuses on four pillars: academics, leadership, mentoring, and the arts. Legacy LA is truly a community effort; 80% of their staff grew up in the area, and they value community-informed service. They have a leadership program for high schoolers, as well as after-school mentoring and academic support. To-date, 60 youth who have participated in Legacy LA have gone on to college. 

Union de Vecinos

Gentrification is an ongoing plight of many LA communities. Union de Vecinos was founded in the 90s, initially to fight against the closing of some important housing projects. Over the past two decades, they have grown into a strong network that promotes “economic and environmental justice, civic engagement, affordable housing, and building healthy and stable communities.” 

It can feel overwhelming and almost impossible to fight the effects of gentrification, but Union de Vecinos is proof that people can come together to make a difference. So far, they have succeeded in stopping the privatization of public housing, helped prevent illegal rent increases, and organized various task forces. Their work has directly impacted over 190,000 LA residents to-date.

No Us Without You

So much hardship has surfaced in 2020, but the pandemic has also revealed reasons to keep faith in humanity. No Us Without You is a leading example. When business partners Damian Diaz and Othón Nolasco quickly realized how much the shutdown would impact undocumented workers, the backbone of the hospitality industry, they rallied help to provide food for their families. By mid-March they had formed this non-profit, hoping to feed around 30 families per week. Now, so many people have come together to help that they are providing food for over 1,000 families each week. Loving acts like this collaboration are what can pave the way for a great LA community coming out of these messy times.

Community Spotlight: Watts

TogetherLA is encouraged to see communities, businesses and churches come together for the good of their city. The community of Watts is an example of a community of people that have faced a lot of struggle, yet has so many people who have come together to make an impact.

Watts got its name from the first railroad station built in the area in the early 20th century, Watts Station. The surrounding neighborhoods were largely filled with Caucasian and Hispanic railroad workers, but by the 1940’s the area became predominantly black, after many migrated from segregated states. Watts has experienced racial unrest, the notable Watts riots, gang violence, and other ripple effects of discrimination, yet continues to grow as an example of resilience.

Watt’s Towers Arts Center

This beloved Arts Center began in 1961, when a woman named Lucile Krasne first taught art classes nearby, on the foundations of what used to be the house of Sabato Rodia, the Italian immigrant who was the mastermind behind the Watts Towers structure. As years went by, this developed into a full-on arts center and hub for cultural enrichment in the area.

The center has offered an impressive range of classes, including painting, sculpture, photography, music, dance, gardening, tiling, and more. They also provide tours, lectures, and exhibitions featuring incredible local and international artists across all creative disciplines. The center is a beacon for the community, affecting social change through their exceptional arts education.

Watts/Century Latino Organization

In the late 1990’s, five community members came together to form this organization  as a response to the rapidly increasing Latinx population, yet lack of Latinx participation in civic life. The goal was to lift up the voice of Latinx people and contribute to economic development.

Over the years, this grassroots effort was met with a lot of opposition and difficulty, but it has persevered and kept its focus on their mission. Today, it has blossomed into solid non-profit organization, cultivated effective partnerships, and offers great programs for community members around leadership, immigration, school safety, homeownership, ESL, and earning high school diplomas. The impact of all of their work is continuing to ripple into the lives of Latinx families and the community as a whole.  

Women of Watts

In the early 2000s, Lydia Friend, long-term resident and community activist in Watts, dreamed of organizing the community into serving meals, mentoring, hosting gatherings, and working toward positive change in Watts. The Women of Watts organization was born,  and was built around supporting the family structure, and ultimately ending violence.

WOW does an annual “Stop the Violence March” to raise awareness in the streets of the community, and other events throughout the year like holiday gatherings and children’s performances. They also have ongoing services they provide, including housing assistance, as well as providing meals and school supplies to students. Families of the community owe a lot to the volunteers and supporters that make WOW what it is today. 

Interview with Kris Brossett, North Hollywood

The heart of TogetherLA is to create a movement of people of faith who intimately know the depth of LA and long to step into what God is doing to transform communities across this city. With more than 80 neighborhoods in Los Angeles, our hope is to spotlight areas throughout the city, understand the culture and lean into God’s work.

Kris Brossett - writer, pastor, speaker, entrepreneur - has been embedded in North Hollywood for years. His life has been unconventional to some, but it has allowed him the opportunity to know personally many of the myriad facets that make up life in NoHo. We had the privilege of catching up with him to learn more about his journey and the iconic neighborhood he calls home.

TogetherLA: You describe yourself as a speaker, writer, ambassador, entrepreneur, and church planter, among other things. What do you fill your time with these days?

Kris Brossett: Currently, I’m praying about the next move. I just finished a project in North Hollywood where I developed the concept for a specialty coffee shop inside of Amp Rehearsal Studios and project-managed its development and launch. You can see a video detailing a lot of what we did here (https://www.facebook.com/corban.lundborg/posts/10158566556417436).

I also fill my time with writing. As a starter, I don’t usually lack the motivation to get my hands dirty and do something new. However, I haven’t felt the green light to run in any particular direction this season. Although, I’m sensing that may change soon. At the moment, I took a regular job in order to let that process take its course.

TogetherLA: Tell us a little about the history of North Hollywood?

Kris Brossett: This question is hard to answer. It really depends on “which” North Hollywood you’re talking about. Like many neighborhoods in Los Angeles, the demographics, history, and culture of the neighborhood can change from block to block. For instance, North Hollywood has been saturated with gangs and poverty for many years. However, it has also been a major hub for the music industry. If you drive down Sherman Way, the sheer amount of Thai restaurants will cause you to think you’re in Thai Town. Similarly, the Armenian community recognizes North Hollywood as a major hub in Los Angeles. In the past, Valley Village, Valley Glen, and NoHo Arts District were all considered North Hollywood. But as the neighborhoods changed, the residents desired to distinguish themselves from the reputation of North Hollywood. By creating a new community, they could benefit economically from the separation. This is the LA way. Unfortunately, churches haven’t always acknowledged this reality.

TogetherLA: What is your personal history with North Hollywood?

Kris Brossett: I’ve been in and out of North Hollywood since my teenage years. I was a member of one of the gangs in North Hollywood and hung out there as a youth. In recent years, I was a pastor in North Hollywood for around 6 years until our church closed its doors. Unfortunately, when we planted the church we weren’t prepared for the transience, the young population of our community, and the amount of resources that would be required to maintain a church in this community for the long haul.

TogetherLA: What keeps you involved in North Hollywood?

Kris Brossett: Actually, North Hollywood is hard for me in this season. It’s changing so fast and many of the people we set out to reach are getting priced out. Some of those dynamics hurt my soul. I initially went back to North Hollywood to start a church because I felt I owed it to my community. I wreaked havoc on the city and didn’t want to walk away from the hood. More recently, I’ve felt released from North Hollywood. I don’t know what that means, but I’ve been exploring the idea. Perhaps my feeling is rooted in pain? That’s why I’ve been taking some time to pray, listen, and explore what the Lord has next. 

TogetherLA: What has the spiritual pulse of the neighborhood been in the past?

Kris Brossett: There’s a lot of darkness in North Hollywood. It’s an extremely influential community and the spiritual warfare can be felt. That can be said of the entire region surrounding North Hollywood. I’ve never felt the resistance that we've felt in North Hollywood at any time in my life. At the same time, a lot of people are open to spirituality. People aren’t usually angry at God. Instead, they’re confused about who God is. Unfortunately, that can become even more confusing when the Church fails to address these misconceptions or exists for its own propagation. For many good reasons, the Church has come alongside the people of North Hollywood. There are good churches that truly love people. However, I think the Church in North Hollywood needs to press in deeper. Just because an individual has an experience doesn’t mean the individual knows his or her part in bringing about the Kingdom in the world. Ultimately, that’s the goal and it requires digging deep and confronting idolatry and individualism. Again, that doesn’t make up the totality of the Church in North Hollywood. Yet, it’s very prevalent.

TogetherLA: What is the state of the Church in North Hollywood?

Kris Brossett: Honestly, I don’t know what God is up to specifically. I see some really good things happening and I see a lot that isn’t happening as well. I think there's a major disconnect between the churches in the city. The churches are just as segregated as the community, and often, even perpetuate or play into that segregation. Most people are happy to know that things are happening in the lives of people. Yet, they fail to see how these people are part of people groups, communities, and cultures. Many people in North Hollywood are uninformed about North Hollywood altogether. Because of the entertainment industry, many people don’t plan on establishing roots and don’t find it important to participate in the life of the community – working towards its transformation. At the same time, I know that God is always working, even if I can’t see where or how. I do know of some new churches that are doing a lot to serve the people of North Hollywood and I’m encouraged by them.

TogetherLA: Let’s talk about COVID. You wrote an article back in May on your website encouraging people to not resist the changes God has brought during this pandemic. What changes and opportunities do you see in this season?

Kris Brossett: Ha. I have a sneaky suspicion that God is prying our hands off of some things. I think some people are starting to realize that this thing isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, I’m confident of it. Still, some people are itching to get back to what they consider normal and see this whole thing as a roadblock instead of a bridge. Maybe God wants to take us down another path? I also think the Church is being purged and exposed. People see through professionals putting on a show, others are confronted with how they want a show, and all of our hopes are being revealed for what they truly are. Do we really believe what we say we believe? Can we offer that peace to the world? Are we living in such a way? It’s also interesting how the community group model has taken off over the last twenty years. It’s almost like we’re prepared. With that, I’m seeing some Christians, Churches, Pastors, and Ministry Leaders respond extremely well. I’m interested to see how the next twenty years play out.

TogetherLA: How would you encourage the Church to embrace this uncomfortable season?

Kris Brossett: I would encourage the Church to pay attention to what is uncomfortable. What does it teach you? Where does it lead you? What is the Spirit speaking in this season? I would also encourage the Church to resist the temptation to fight the changes, to force that which was to be what currently is, and to explore the possibilities of what can be. This will take courage. It will also require some things to die. We can’t try to resuscitate that which God is actively killing.

TogetherLA: Some have said God seems to be bringing a reckoning in regards to racial injustices, systemic racism, etc. How is the NoHo community reacting to all that is going on?

Kris Brossett: This issue is complex. If we’re honest, we’re all going to bring our lived experience into how we understand what is going on. Personally, I’m encouraged, discouraged, hopeful, and watchful. I have family who have experienced racial injustices, my uncle was killed by the police, and I have family in law enforcement. Many times, I’m just trying to pay attention to whom I’m listening to and attempting to discern what my responsibility is as a Kingdom citizen in the world. Mainly, I wonder what people expected would happen.

As for America, I don’t really know how hopeful I am or what will make things better. I think we’re reaping what was sowed – perhaps a reckoning. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t work towards Kingdom ideals – we should. There are things we must say and must do. As Christians, we don’t get to be silent in the face of injustice. Yet, we also aren’t required to speak when everyone says that we should.

If I consider what God is doing, I believe he’s saying, “I see you!” Those are healing words to those who are victims of injustice. However, there are other forces at work vying for our allegiance and saying other things. As always, God and evil are working simultaneously. It takes prayer and discernment to ensure we’re batting for the right team. In this way, I can celebrate the good that is taking place and resist the pressure to do what all the cool kids are doing. With that, plenty of people are showing up ready to play. Unfortunately, I’m often surprised when I see the team emblem on the front of their jersey.

TogetherLA: You can find more from Kris, including his thoughts on current events facing the Church, at krisbrossett.com.

Revival LA - New TogetherLA Partner

Together LA is a movement of local churches, ministries and organizations working together to love our great city, which is why we are thrilled to introduce our newest partner, Revival LA. Born from a vision God gave Dustin Lang in 2016, Revival LA is a movement to build gospel-centered culture in Los Angeles particularly among the younger generations.

We recently sat down (virtually) with Revival LA’s founder and vision caster to learn more about this movement and how they are engaging with Los Angeles.

TogetherLA: How did Revival LA come about? 

Dustin Lang: Revival LA came together in 2016 as a culmination of two strong convictions God placed on my heart. The first was the belief that the church needed a spiritual revival especially amongst younger church members. The second pertained to the pivotal global role that LA played. Populations were moving into cities. And LA was one of the most influential cities in our world. If revival broke out in the church of Los Angeles, this would have a global impact.

TogetherLA: What is your vision through this movement?

Dustin Lang: We want to unify believers, especially Gen Z and Millenials, to make an impact on our city. We believe that our call is to bring alignment to the body of Christ so that we can begin moving as one. To accomplish this, we hold prayer gatherings, conversation nights regarding city-relevant topics, and a vision conference to instill Kingdom mindsets in the LA church.

TogetherLA: Tell us about your partnerships?

Dustin Lang: We act as a gathering place for believers in Los Angeles. So we STRONGLY believe in partnership. We are always looking for churches, parachurch ministries, or Christian-led businesses to partner with. A win for us is believers linking arms together to influence culture in Los Angeles.

TogetherLA: What do you hope the spiritual state of LA looks like in the future?

Dustin Lang: 5 years down the road, I hope that the church is more united in its pursuit of discipling younger generations to influence our communities.

TogetherLA: How is Revival LA working to renew the city?

Dustin Lang: We are gathering and connecting believers to make an impact on their city. In all of our events, we are intentional about creating space for attendees to build relationships. If you look at many of the fastest growing organizations in the world, they don't necessarily do that much. But they provide a platform for people to do what they're passionate about. Think YouTube, Instagram, and Amazon. We aim to do something similar. We provide space, focus the conversation, and allow attendees to do the rest.

TogetherLA: What does success look like for you?

Dustin Lang: Success is inspiring one of our attendees to begin praying for the city and bringing the gospel into their workplace. We also love seeing collaborations form amongst our attendees!

TogetherLA: Have you encountered struggles as you have gotten Revival LA off the ground? 

Dustin Lang: Too many to name! But that comes with the territory. We wanted to build church unity in a city where this had not traditionally been done. Anytime someone starts anything, there's going to be struggle. But I must say the biggest struggle was fighting against discouragement. Whenever things didn't go according to our plans, we had to learn that God was doing something better. The more we remembered this, the more we were able to persevere and see God open more and more doors.

TogetherLA: How is God transforming lives, and LA, through this movement?

Dustin Lang: Testimonies are always the most enjoyable part of ministry. It shows you that God is at work in the present day. We have heard of individuals who have mentioned the impact that Revival LA has had on their prayer and praise life. One attendee of last year's Vision Conference even said, "I've been to church for so many years and never praised like this." We also have many mention that they've never prayed so hard before - at Revival LA, we like to pray loud and proud. We've also heard stories of physical healing and broken addictions. 

And while we are so grateful for stories of God moving in people's personal lives, the stories that really capture our attention are of people who experience a shift from inward faith to outward faith. When we see believers take ownership of our city, we know that we have accomplished our goal. We have been told by some that Revival LA has been the reason they now have a burden to pray for LA. We have even heard one story of a high school attendee who committed to staying in LA because she felt God had called her to make an impact on this city. We’ve also had stories of individuals who have felt convicted to help others better engage with Scripture, one through the medium of art and the other through music. 

TogetherLA: What is LA’s greatest need and how do you see God using COVID-19 to make His name known?

Dustin Lang: The greatest need in LA is for the church to raise up the next generation of gospel-believing, culture-shaping believers and we are seeing God's fingerprints behind COVID-19. He is bringing the world's attention to Himself. He is bringing the church back to its original form. And He is bringing the gospel to the ends of the earth. Here is a video where we address this very topic.

TogetherLA: In your ministry goals, you focus on gathering together and partnering. Given the drastic changes COVID-19 has brought about, how has moving online affected your events?

Dustin Lang: The online gatherings are working well. We are definitely aware of the Zoom fatigue our world is experiencing. However, when we hold events that are relevant to our city, people will show up. We held a Mental Health Conversation Night in May where we only advertised it a week and had to close up registrations in a few days because of Zoom capacity limits. If there is an event worth attending, people will make time for it.

TogetherLA: How are you getting the word out about Revival LA? 

Dustin Lang: Word of mouth and social media. People can fill out their information here and we will send them email updates! We're always looking to add to our team and the movement!

TogetherLA: What excites you about partnering with TogetherLA? 

Dustin Lang: It's funny. When I first heard about Together LA, I immediately thought: "That's what I feel called to do... but for younger people." We love TogetherLA's vision to bring churches, ministries, and organizations together to love our city. We want to do exactly that for the Millenial and Gen Z populations!

Koreatown Spotlight

The city of Los Angeles is a patchwork of diverse and vibrant neighborhoods. TogetherLA is an avid supporter of people of diverse backgrounds and contexts coming together around common passions that help the Los Angeles area to be restored and flourish. Powerful things happen when cities, businesses, faith institutions, non-profits, and the community work together. We hope to continue seeing collaborations grow, thrive and transform LA for the common good. Below are some inspiring organizations and collaborations that are making an impact in Koreatown.

Koreatown is primarily a Korean commercial district, and is home to many immigrants bringing culture, business, and positive impact to the city. The district was officially designated in 1980, starting as a small stretch on Olympic Boulevard and spreading into Wilshire Center and other neighboring districts, thanks to its booming businesses, population, and cultural impact. 

Fusion Leaders (30 minute conversation)

In 2016, Bill Tom, a SoCal business leader, woke up in the middle of the night with a clear and compelling vision to create space for Christians in the marketplace to come together. He gathered a group of leaders from diverse business backgrounds to make this vision a reality, which became the advisory board for a full-fledged non-profit, Fusion Leaders. 

Each month, the local corporate host for each branch holds gatherings (currently online) for local Christian business leaders with three intentions: to build relationships that cross denominational, industry, age and gender divides; to foster encouragement between members in navigating the marketplace from a Christian perspective; and to leverage relationships to find quality services for their clients outside of their scope. 

Fusion Leaders now has four branches: Koreatown (hosted by Ethos Society, a communal workspace), Glendale, Irvine and Anaheim. They’re also in the early stages of expanding to San Diego and the Bay Area. 

Ktown For All

Homelessness is plainly one of the biggest issues in the Los Angeles area. Many are working to address it, often in ways that are disconnected from people who are experiencing homeles. Ktown For All was actually founded in opposition to an anti-shelter movement in Koreatown. Their objective was to involve and lift up the voice of those who are homeless. Their work prioritizes building relationships with those they serve, as well as political advocacy and allying with other resources focused on homelessness. Ktown For All sets an incredible example for the importance of not just working in response to an issue, but alongside those that the issue affects. 

Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance 

Kiwa.org

KIWA came to life in the early 90s, just weeks before civil unrest washed over Los Angeles. It began as a response to the exploitation of Korean and Latinx workers in the neighborhood, as well as the poverty and inequality throughout Los Angeles. Their campaigns have helped expose modern-day slave labor sweatshops, win restitutions for workers, and helped organize works in the restaurant and supermarket industries, which makes up about half of local employment. KIWA has also done work on housing, development policies, and community planning

Today, KIWA continues to work toward social change, and are involved in organizing, advocacy and service to improve the lives of low-wage immigrant workers. Their efforts continue to make an integral impact in Koreatown and beyond.

Advice for Christian Creatives

Recently, Revival LA, a movement of Christians committed to building gospel-centered culture in Los Angeles, hosted a Creative Night. It was a space for Christian creatives to worship, dialogue, and hear from two incredible creative professionals, Brian Ivie and Matt Sallee. Brian is a filmmaker, director and screenwriter most known for his documentary films, Emanual and The Drop Box. Matt is the bass lead and backing vocalist of the a cappella group Pentatonix and praise leader for Expression58 Worship. 

As host and Revival LA founder, Dustin Lang, emphasized during the event, the first thing we learn about God in the Bible is that God is a creator. Not only did God create a world for us to enjoy, one of our first callings as humanity is to join in the act of creation. Creative professionals, you are living out one of the first biblical commands in your weekly work. As you continue on this journey of good work, here is some wisdom from Brian and Matt that they have learned along the way.

Define Your Success

The entertainment industry is full of dreams, both realized and unrealized. As you reflect on your work and your level of success, make sure you’ve defined what success actually is. There are characteristics that the world defines success by, revolving mostly around money and fame. Discern if lack of earthly wealth or notoriety is really how you want to define failure for yourself.   

What drives the work that Matt and Brian do is less about immediate results, and more about wanting to present good work with eternal impact when they meet God face to face. You might not be where you want to be, you might even be struggling to get work, and it’s hard not to feel discouraged at times. This is a similar journey for most creatives, filled with seasons of doubt, comparison, struggle, and waiting. You are in good company. In the valleys, let that eternal perspective be your lingering hope, and on the mountains, let it remain your driving motivation. 

Make God’s Voice the Loudest

If your work is to be centered around eternal goals, God’s voice has to be at the center of your life. Listen for God’s voice past your own self-doubt, knowing that God often dreams bigger and differently than we do. Seek out God’s voice above outside criticism, while still having the humility and wisdom to learn from it when possible. Be led by the Spirit amidst stress and difficult interactions, remembering that ends don’t always justify means.

There will be an ebb and flow of doubt, disappointment, critique (even from fellow Christians), stress, and much more. Through it all, return to God’s voice. Brian heavily emphasized how key it is for him to make space for quiet and spiritual practices in order to hear God, and encourages creatives to prioritize the same in their weekly routines. This is how he’s able to better navigate decision making, criticism, and loving people well along the way. 

Don’t Over Spiritualize Everything

This might sound like surprising advice for Christians. While our faith is what sets us apart and defines our approach to life, there is wisdom in acknowledging the realities of the world. For example, even though we may feel strongly called by God to do our work, we still have to work hard and will face obstacles like everyone else. Sometimes a closed door is from God, but a lot of times it just means we have room to grow and improve in our work. 

Another big tension creatives feel is defining your message. Many feel the pressure to always directly point to the Gospel in their work. It’s a reality that the audience shrinks when we do overtly Christian work, but it’s also true that good art done by Christians does not have to be overtly Christian. It’s not an impossible choice between being faithful or excellent. If you are doing your work well under the guidance of God’s voice, your work is both. So keep going. Keep listening, keep dreaming, and keep creating. 

Watch the full event here.

West Angeles Church of God in Christ - Interview with Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington Recalls "Holy Ghost" Moment at West Angeles