As a writer for the Wave Newspaper, a publication that covers South L.A., East L.A. and Compton, I had the opportunity to report community events as well as national stories on a local level.
These first two articles appeared in a special edition of the Wave commemorating the 25th anniversary of the L.A. Uprising: six days of rioting, looting and arson. The civil unrest that began on April 9, 1992 was a result of the acquittal of the four LAPD officers involved in the beating of taxi driver Rodney King.
‘A WAR ERUPTED’: Residents reflect on ’92 riots and lack of change
An art installation at the Community Coalition nonprofit re-creates a grocery store looted in the 1992 L.A. Uprising. (Photograph by Anne Artley)
At the time the Rodney King verdict was announced, 13-year-old Katynja McCory was settling into her after-school routine: relaxing in front of the TV with a snack. But when she turned on the set, she saw, “the coverage of a war, essentially, erupting all around me,” she said. In this piece, McCory and other South L.A. residents recount their memories of that week, and reflect on cultural changes since.
Relations have improved between blacks and Koreans
Although they were not involved in the Rodney King incident, the Korean-American community sustained heavy losses during the riots, as more than 2,000 Korean-owned businesses were destroyed. The anger and tension that reached a boiling point during the uprising was in part due to another ruling handed down a week before the King verdict. A state appeals court upheld the mild sentence for Soon Ja Du, a South Korean-born convenience store owner, in the shooting death of Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old African-American girl. Though black and Korean community leaders say relations have improved since 1992, Asian business owners in black communities still report facing misconceptions as “predators” and “outsiders.”
Photograph by Anne Artley
Air quality officials discuss Compton pollution issues
After a few months of testing, the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued five notices of violation to businesses in Compton emitting hexavalent chromium, a cancer-causing compound. An investigation into whether the substance is present in the air in Compton was prompted by its discovery in Paramount in the fall of 2016. The agency chose to turn its attention to Compton since the city is home to a concentration of metal-processing facilities, which are known to emit the substance. In May 2017, Nanette Barragán, the city’s representative in Congress, called on the Environmental Protection Agency to provide the necessary resources for a speedy investigation. Since then, they have provided about half of a million dollars for lab equipment.
Compton residents split on marijuana sales
Even though recreational marijuana use became legal in California with the passage of Prop. 64 in November 2016, it is still illegal to sell the drug and grow it for commercial purposes in Compton. A debate continues as to whether legitimizing the city’s dispensaries will provide security and increase revenue, or make Compton a hotbed for crime and addiction.
Kree Filer is sworn-in as a member of the California State Bar by her father, L.A. Superior Court Judge Kelvin Filer. Kree is the first female lawyer in her family. (Photograph by Anne Artley)
Filer family produces first female attorney
The name ‘Filer’ is well-known in Compton. Five of its members are attorneys, and the first to pursue a legal career, Maxcy Filer, is known for his persistence in accomplishing his goal. He sat for his first California State Bar exam in 1967 and finally passed 25 years and 48 attempts later. His granddaughter Kree plans to continue his legacy and work in her cousin’s law firm, Filer Palmer.
Economic Development Corporation honors its founder
Marva Smith Battle-Bey, a longtime community organizer, died in April 2016, but the organization she founded is ensuring that her legacy is not forgotten. The Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation honored Battle-Bey by naming its headquarters after her in a ceremony that took place a year after her death. This nonprofit provides programs and services to revitalize the economic and social life of the South L.A. community.
Montebello school employees facing layoffs
On March 15, 2017, new teachers and employees of the Montebello Unified School District went to work not knowing if they would have a job the next day. The night before, the school board voted to eliminate more than 300 positions. Amidst allegations of mismanagement of funds by the district, the L.A. County Office of Education ordered the district to slash $17 million from its budget for the following school year.