MHD Off the Record

On this episode, we speak with Joel McLafferty, licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the founder and Executive Director of the Westmont Counseling Center which provides quality, affordable counseling and other mental health services to the residents of Westmont and surrounding communities in South Los Angeles. These services are designed to help people build resilience, recover from trauma, live in peace, and improve the quality of their lives. Joel previously worked for several community mental health clinics, including Open Paths Counseling Center where he served as Clinical Director and he was also an Adjunct Professor at Antioch University Los Angeles. Resources:

On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Danielle Lafayette, founder and Executive Director of Unite a Nation, Inc, an award-winning nonprofit organization with the vision to close the wealth and achievement gap for Black and low-income communities in South Los Angeles. Unite a Nation’s resources include mentoring, life skills programs, financial literacy programs, employment resources, job readiness, and training. Their mission– to change the world by building a social movement and driving positive community and economic empowerment. Resources:

On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Brittney Frazier, founder and president of N.O.A.H’s Foundation Inc., an organized movement advocating for the social and economic disparities of families and individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness. Their focus is to provide transitional and affordable housing, intensive homelessness services, direct case management and economical resources to society’s most vulnerable. Their vision is to see families with their own, safe home; individuals obtaining good and sustainable careers and healthy children with access to quality education and the ability to pursue their dreams, however big they may be. 

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Tracy Mitchell, President of Mothers In Action, a nonprofit organization founded to improve the quality of life of underserved children and families in South Los Angeles. She took on this role following the passing of her mother, Brenda Marsh-Mitchell, who was a community leader and the Founding President of Mothers In Action. Under Tracy's leadership, Mothers In Action has expanded its programs and services, benefiting thousands of underserved families each year. Today Mothers In Action is an active group of over 5,000 members and volunteers composed of concerned citizens, businesses, and community agencies who execute established Mothers in Action projects such as food distribution, job placement, homeless outreach,  Back to school fairs, and other services that bring much needed valuable resources to families in need. 

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Tanisha Hall, founder of the White Hall Arts Academy, a performing and visual arts education facility here in South Los Angeles. Founded in 2011, the White Hall Arts Academy offers a blend of classical and contemporary arts training to children and adults. Tanisha is a graduate of Berklee College of Music with an instrumental focus on voice. She has been teaching private lessons since 2002 and has enjoyed a 15 year career in the music industry before starting White Hall Arts Academy. She along with her team of highly talented and qualified instructors specialize in teaching voice, various musical instruments, studio engineering, stage performance, acting, videography, songwriting, microphone technique, music production and so much more.

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Gerald Garth, the executive director of the AMAAD Institute. AMAAD, which stands for Arming Minorities Against Addiction and Disease, facilitates personalized individual access to programs and services that foster safe and supportive healthy environments for people to live, learn, and develop to their fullest potential. Gerald has led health equity work for over ten years, previously serving as Chief Operations Officer of AMAAD and Manager of Prevention and Care with the Black AIDS Institute. He most recently served as the first Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Los Angeles LGBT Center. He serves as co-chair of the Black Caucus of the Los Angeles Commission on HIV and is also the President of LA Pride, the first Black man to hold the position.

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor Speaks with Nesly Geffrard, founder and president of Black Star Lacrosse Club an organization that works to improve the quality of life of underrepresented groups and empower youth to overcome barriers to success, happiness, health, economic prosperity, academics, leadership and self-confidence through the game of lacrosse. Nesly, AKA Nes, is a Brookln, NY native who has been playing lacrosse for 15 years and coaching lacrosse for 9. He played lacrosse for The State University New York at Albany where he graduated with his Bachelor’s degree and in 2017 he played professionally on the Men’s Jamaican Lacrosse team before founding Black Star Lacrosse Club in 2020.

On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Franco Vega, founder and CEO of The RightWay Foundation, an organization that helps transition-age foster youth get and keep good jobs and stable housing despite the overwhelming trauma they have endured throughout their lives. They provide the support and tools youth need to build stability and a sustainable future for themselves. Franco has many years of experience in employment services, starting by teaching 'Rites of Passage' to transition age foster youth with the Department of Children & Family Services. He also created an employment center for recovering addicts and the homeless at the Midnight Mission on Skid Row.

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with jacob adams, founder and executive director of STEM to the Future, a non-profit organization that uses Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math to support youth as they develop solutions to real world problems such as climate change, public safety, and poverty. Their mission is to inspire and motivate elementary and middle school Black and Latinx youth to use their passions to create the world they want and deserve. Prior to founding STTF, jacob was a Teach For America teacher in New York City where he was an elementary educator in Brooklyn and Harlem. jacob has 10+ years of experience in education and is using that experience to help students actualize their true potential as they use their gifts to uplift the community.

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Destination Crenshaw artist Patrick Henry Johnson. Patrick Henry Johnson is an internationally acclaimed visual artist based in Los Angeles. Johnson was born in Valdosta, Georgia Johnson attended The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Florida before moving to LA to further his career as an artist. In 1993, Johnson undertook a five-year apprenticeship with an international mural company where he learned the basics of mural making and began to hone his own unique style. Johnson’s artwork can be seen in various parts of Los Angeles including a 72 x 14-foot mural titled “Penta-Loom Ode to Soldiers” at 51st Street and Central Avenue depicting the cost of war to the human soul. He is also well known for his iconic mural “Elixir: The Rebirth” at Crenshaw Blvd. and Stocker St. and created original illustrations for Maryum Ali’s children’s book “I Shook Up the World: The Incredible Life of Muhammad Ali.”

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Gloria Medina, Executive Director of Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education, also known as SCOPE. SCOPE's mission is to build grassroots power to create social and economic justice for low-income, immigrant, women, femme, Black, and Brown communities in Los Angeles. Their work includes civic education, coalition building, and developing campaigns around community needs. Gloria’s leadership has been instrumental in developing strategies for long-term systemic change to address economic inequities and climate impacts in South LA. SCOPE is also one of our CD8 Community Grant recipients!

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Marcus Savage, founder of Get In The Game Inc., a non-profit organization that mentors individuals in the construction industry. Get In The Game mentors are dedicated to empowering the community with the information needed to understand what it takes to be successful in the construction industry. Their workshops are designed to inform and teach interested community members about the job market, how to choose a career path, and what it takes to qualify for a specific industry or trade within construction.

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MHD and co-host Chavonne Taylor listen and learn as Ayuko Babu, co-founder of the Pan African Film and Arts Festival, shares his journey to becoming an activist and revolutionary force in Los Angeles. 

Ayuko Babu is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Pan African Film Festival and an international cultural, political, and legal consultant specializing in Pan-African affairs. He has been the Executive Director of the Pan African Film & Arts Festival since its establishment in 1992. From 2016-2018, Mr. Babu served on the California Film Commission. In addition to PAFF, Mr. Babu currently serves as a permanent member of the jury of the annual Africa Movie Academy Awards, headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. Africa Movie Academy Awards is the world’s largest Pan-African film awards event, covering the continent of Africa and its worldwide diaspora.

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MHD and Cohost Chavonne Taylor sit down with Akil West to discuss he developed cooperative retail space for young designers, how he organized a community land trust in Leimert Park, and what it means to "buy back the block" in South LA.

Akil West is a Los Angeles native entrepreneur, master gardener, author, and community advocate. After being incarcerated for 15 years, West committed his life’s work to develop opportunities for people of color in his community. West is the founder of Black-owned and operated Community Land Trust, a community-based initiative dedicated to stabilizing predominantly Black and underserved neighborhoods through community leadership and awareness surrounding the issues of housing, transportation, recreation, and economic opportunity. West is also the CEO and founder of Leimert Park Village’s Sole Folks, a nonprofit retail hub dedicated to cultivating Black entrepreneurship and creativity through innovative programming, mentorship, and financial support. Currently, West is the Treasurer of the Leimert Park Village Merchants Association and Principal at New Black Wallstreet.

On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Malik and April Muhammad, owners of Malik Books. Malik Books is a black-owned independent bookstore that specializes in African American books, calendars, and gifts full of cultural diversity. They specialize in acquiring and selling conscious, hard-to-find, and best-selling books of today. Their bookstores also offer a large selection of diverse children’s books. They are located in both the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall and The Culver City Westfield Mall but are also available online at MalikBooks.com

Founder and co-owner, Malik Muhammad, is first and foremost a book activist since 1990. He is originally from Washington DC but attended and graduated from USC here in South LA.

April Muhammad is Malik’s wife and co-owner of Malik Books. She is an LA native and registered nurse who actively promotes fitness and health as a coach.

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor sits down with Jana Johnson, co-founder and co-owner of The Tree Yoga cooperative, A yoga school & wellness hub in South Central LA. As a worker-owned cooperative, that is Women, Veteran, Black, Chicana & and immigrant-owned. Tree Yoga finds it important that Black and Brown folks know that they are in a safe space to practice, teach, and enjoy wellness services. Jana Johnson is a bilingual yoga instructor who also leads the programming and training programs at the studio. Jana was raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma and also spent years living in New York City and Paraguay before moving to Los Angeles over 6 years ago. Jana has been practicing yoga since 2011 and is excited to continue to grow as a student of yoga and a student of life.

The Tree Yoga cooperative's mission is to be a hub of holistic wellness and community support. Their focus is to educate and empower through the transformative practice of yoga as an accessible, effective tool that allows for living in liberation.

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MHD and Co-host Chavonne Taylor speak with former mayor of Stockton, California Michael Tubbs about his rise in politics, the importance of addressing basic human needs to decrease violent crime, and how his pilot Guaranteed Basic Income program inspired other cities (including Los Angeles) to do the same.

Michael Tubbs is the Founder of the Non-profit organization, End Poverty in California (EPIC), the Founder of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI), and the Special Advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom for Economic Mobility and Opportunity. In 2016, he was elected Mayor of Stockton at 26-years-old. He was the city’s first African-American Mayor, and the youngest Mayor of any major city in American history. As Mayor, Tubbs was lauded for his leadership and innovation. He raised over $20 million dollars to create the Stockton Scholars, a universal scholarship and mentorship program for Stockton students. Additionally, he piloted the first mayor-led guaranteed income pilot in the country. His book, The Deeper the Roots: A Memoir of Hope and Home, where he details the experiences of his life is available now wherever books are sold.

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Los Angeles artist Lilia Ramirez, Also Known as Liliflor. Liliflor is a painter, muralist, and cultural art educator. She fiercely champions youth in the arts as well as using art as a tool for education, cultural awareness, civic engagement, healing, and transformation.  Liliflor hones her artistic ability to create vital images on canvas and walls that are representative of Angelenos. She is dedicated to teaching art in our community. This past summer, she taught art workshops to youth in all of our parks here in Council District 8 for our Summer Night Lights program.  You can find her art all over Los Angeles and nearby cities on walls, light boxes, in schools, and more.

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Janette Robinson Flint, executive director of Black Women for Wellness a woman-centered community-based organization working on reproductive justice issues as they impact Black women & girls. Black Women for Wellness aims to expand healthcare access, reduce toxic hair care chemicals that are prevalent in our community and build political advocacy in California and beyond.  Ms. Robinson Flint is also part of the Los Angeles Coalition for Reproductive Justice, California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom and In Our Own Voice.

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Marie-Alise Recasner de Marco of Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA) which is an organization whose mission is to build sustainable food systems and promote social and cultural activities that benefit both low-to-moderate income residents of Los Angeles. In addition to many great programs, SEE-LA operates 6 Farmers’ Markets throughout the Los Angeles Area, half of which are in South LA, including Crenshaw Farmers' Market, Central Ave Farmers' Market, and MLK Campus Farmers' Market.

Marie-Alise Recasner de Marco is the Manager of Urban Agriculture & Farmers’ Market Projects.

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MHD and Co-Host Chavonne Taylor speak with Rudy Espinoza about his journey and work integrating his background in business and urban planning to take an economical approach to activism along with his colleagues and friends who formed the organization, Inclusive Action for the City.

Rudy Espinoza is the Executive Director of Inclusive Action for the City, a non-profit, Community Development Financial Institution based in Los Angeles whose mission is to bring people together to build strong, local economies that uplift low-income urban communities. Under his leadership, Inclusive Action helped legalize street vending in LA, has deployed over $2.5 million in low-interest micro-loans to under-served entrepreneurs, and co-created a unique commercial real estate initiative that preserves small businesses in gentrifying neighborhoods.

In this episode, MHD and cohost Chavonne Taylor speak with chef and entrepreneur Keith Corbin about his journey growing up in Watts, navigating gang and drug culture to becoming a celebrated executive chef and co-owner of Alta Adams in South LA. His modern soul food restaurant was named one of the best new restaurants in the country by both Esquire and Thrillist, and has consistently been on the LA Times best restaurant list. Corbin was formerly Director of Operations for Roy Choi and Daniel Patterson’s Locol restaurant group, and also worked for Patterson at his Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant, Coi in San Francisco. He recently released his autobiography, California Soul: An American Epic of Cooking and Survival, which is available online and in stores now.

www.altaadams.com

On this episode, MHD and co-host Chavonne Taylor speak with real estate investor, Martin Muoto, about his holistic approach to investing in South LA. Martin Muoto is the CEO and Founder of SoLa Impact, a family of real-estate funds with a double bottom line strategy focused on developing high-quality affordable and workforce housing exclusively in Black and Brown communities. SoLa’s proven track record combines providing access to housing, access to education, access to opportunity, and access to ownership to positively impact both community and investor returns. In 2022, SoLa raised its fourth fund, the Black Impact Fund, which will deploy over $1 billion in Los Angeles and across Southern California.

This is an episode of MHD Off the Record South L.A. Community Resources, where Chavonne Taylor shares what services, programs, and events we have available in our city and community. Here you can check for information and resources regarding housing, wellness, and employment but also art programs, music festivals and so much more. 

Resources discussed in episode:

WELLNESS

1. Aquasize Class

Walk-in rates:

Adults (18-49) $5.00

Adults (50+) $4.00

Series (10 classes)

Adults (18-49) $45.00

Adults (50+) $35.00

When: Tuesdays & Thursdays 6:00pm-6:45pm

Where: Van Ness Pool 5720 2nd Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90043

On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Paco Retana, Vice President of Programs at Wellnest, a nationally acclaimed, and leading provider of emotional health and wellness services to children, young adults, families, and their communities. As Vice President of Programs at Wellnest, he is responsible for all clinical services, including program evaluation and training. He also oversees the areas of outpatient, early intervention, intensive services and life learning/transition age youth services. He is a licensed Clinical Social Worker who earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Masters in Social Welfare from UCLA.

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On this episode, Chavonne Taylor speaks with Karen Mack, founder and executive director of LA Commons, a community art organization that engages communities in the creation of public art that tells their unique stories and serves as the basis for dialogue, interaction, and a shared understanding of Los Angeles. Through community-based arts programs, centered on youth leadership development, they help diverse, generally low-income neighborhoods create dynamic works of public art that build community connection and empowerment.

This is an MHD Off the Record South LA Highlight where co-host, Chavonne Taylor, sits down with a local organization, business, or individual doing great work in South LA. On this episode, she sits down with John Jones Jr. and John Jones III, founders of Eastside Riders Bike Club. a volunteer organization with a mission to improve Watts through community service, charity work, and bike programs aimed at keeping local youth out of gang activity. 

MHD and co-host, Chavonne Taylor, speak with turntablist and founder of the World Famous Beat Junkies, J. Rocc, about his career and the development of HipHop DJ Culture in Los Angeles.

This is another MHD Off the Record South LA Highlight where Co-Host, Chavonne Taylor, sits down with a local organization, small business, or individual doing great work in South LA. On this episode, she speaks with Tafarai Bayne, Chief Strategist for CicLAvia, a non-profit that catalyzes vibrant public spaces, active transportation, and good health through car-free streets. CicLAvia engages with people to transform our relationship with our communities and with each other. Inspired by Bogotá’s weekly ciclovía, CicLAvia temporarily closes streets to car traffic and opens them to Angelenos to use as a public park. Free for all, CicLAvia connects communities to each other across an expansive city, creating a safe place to bike, walk, skate, roll, and dance through Los Angeles County.

African Americans have a long and rich history in the development of Los Angeles and yet, it is only sparsely recognized. MHD and co-host, Chavonne Taylor, sit down with Dr. Alison Rose Jefferson, a historian who has not only researched and documented Black History in Los Angeles but has contributed to its official recognition in communities and cities throughout the county. She talks with MHD about the ways African Americans have contributed to the development of Los Angeles, why Black LA history documentation has been limited, and even her own family history as a third-generation African American Californian.

MHD and Co-Host, Chavonne Taylor, speak with Denise Carlos and Hector Flores from Las Cafeteras, a powerful band from East LA that crosses and blends various styles and genres from Afro-Mexican to Rock to HipHop to Soul to Punk to Cumbia and many more. They’ve performed with legendary artists such as Common, Lila Downs, Ozomatli, and Los Lobos (just to name a few). Denise Carlos is lead vocalist and lyricist for the band and holds her Master's degree in Clinical social work. Hector Flores is an Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Las Cafeteras. He was also an organizer for over 10 years in East and South LA before transitioning to his career as a musician.

This is an MHD Off the Record South LA Highlight where Co-Host, Chavonne Taylor, sits down with a local organization doing great work in South LA. On this episode, we speak with Hiram Sims, a poet, essayist, and creative writing professor from South LA. He is the founder of the Sims Library of Poetry, which has the mission to serve, educate, and find love for poetry, especially for marginalized people of color in the community of South Los Angeles. He is a graduate of USC with a BA in Creative Writing and a Masters of Professional Writing in Poetry. In addition to teaching, he has published three collections of poetry and a creative writing textbook titled THESE PAGES SPEAK. 

The Sims Library of Poetry is located at 2702 W Florence Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90043.

African American entrepreneurship has a long and fascinating history in Los Angeles. The period from the 1920s to the 1960s was the era of “race enterprises,” in which black entrepreneurs specifically catered to black consumers. Collectively these enterprises supported a growing middle class and one of the highest rates of African American homeownership in the country. As rich as this history is, so little is discussed in regards to Black business in Los Angeles. So MHD and co-host Chavonne bring it to the surface in an enriching conversation with independent public historian, writer, and researcher Yolanda Hester!

This is an MHD Off the Record South LA Highlight where Co-Host, Chavonne Taylor, sits down with a local organization doing great work in South LA. On this episode she speaks with Josh Hamm, founder and CEO of The Healing Circle LA, a dialogue space for Black men and women to come together to establish community, support each other and build in a holistic way. 

MHD and Co-Host Chavonne chop it up with multi-instrumentalist and producer Terrace Martin about his experiences growing up in South LA and how the culture influences his music.

Terrace Martin is a 4-time GRAMMY-nominated artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist from the Crenshaw District. Terrace Martin is renowned for being one of the top jazz musicians in the world and has become a creative engine at the epicenter of LA's progressive hip-hop scene. His noteworthy production has included major collaborations with Kendrick Lamar (good kid, M.A.A.D. city & the GRAMMY-winning To Pimp a Butterfly), Travis Scott, Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, Herbie Hancock, and many other influential artists. Terrace Martin has created his own label, Sounds of Crenshaw Records, and his latest album, Drones, is out now.

We speak with community organizer and community organization strategist, Sylvia Castillo, about her work as an organizer in South LA and uniting Black and Latinx communities to action. Sylvia Castillo is the Principal Consultant for Castillo Consulting LLC specializing in nonprofit strategic planning, executive leadership development, and public policy advocacy. Sylvia’s projects cover a diverse mix of social justice initiatives and women of color organizing efforts. In 1990 she co-founded the community coalition for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment with now Congresswoman Karen Bass. Sylvia worked from 2005-2012 as District Director for Congress Member Karen Bass and Regional Director for State Assembly Speaker Bass. Currently, Sylvia is the senior policy advisor to Jenesse, Inc., a premier domestic violence program in South Los Angeles.

MHD and Co-Host Chavonne Taylor speak with Naima Keith, Vice President of Education and Public Programs at LACMA, about the important role of Black Art in LA History.

Naima J. Keith is the Vice President of Education and Public Programs at LACMA. Within her role, she oversees all aspects of and sets the vision for LACMA’s innovative and exhibition-driven educational programming that serves more than 650,000 community members annually.

Prior to her position at LACMA, Keith was the Deputy Director and Chief Curator at the California African American Museum where she guided the curatorial and education departments as well as marketing and communications.

MHD and new co-host Chavonne Taylor discuss the importance of viewing psychology and mental wellness from a community perspective with Dr. Cheryl Grills. Dr. Cheryl Grills is a Clinical Psychologist with a current emphasis in Community Psychology. She is also a full-time Professor and director of the Psychology Applied Research Center at Loyola Marymount University as well as a Governor appointee on the California Reparations Task Force and Chair of LA County Sybil Brand Commission.