The 'hood as a tourist attraction

The 'hood as a tourist attraction

Let’s say an individual, employer, or group is interested in doing something that will positively influence another individual or the community, is the input of the party being effected not vital in order to have their best interest in mind? The issue then becomes, how much control will the ones being utilized or effected actually have of the project, plan, or even outcomes?

Alfred Lomas, a former Florencia 13 gang member, is now the front man of tours that will take people around South Los Angeles and give them a first hand look on what the inner city lifestyle and gang life is like, the first of which took place in January. The plan is to reinvest the revenues from these tours into the South Central community in order to foster economic growth, job training, and other opportunities for those living in the community.

If the driving force of this project is to create profit for the community to increase their opportunities to succeed, why is the first sentence of the projects mission “…to provide an unforgettable historical experience for our customers with a customized high-end specialty tour” ? Yes, in the following paragraph they explain the objective, which is to reinvest the money into the community, but what I am stuck on is why cater to your “tourist” audience in your first sentence and mention the community after?

The ceasefire agreement that is said to have been made between rival gangs so that the tour buses are allowed to go through the community at a certain time safely also paints an extremely dramatic picture of the gangs in South Los Angeles. When I hear such thing, I picture British Grenadier Guards standing at the each side of the street just waiting to draw their rifles or I think of the ceasefire agreement that was drawn between North and South Korea after the Korean War, and both of these examples are completely different from the life of gangs in South Central.

As I read more and this topic I find myself becoming more confused and frustrated. I keep trying to remain objective and write this blog from that space in our head we are lead to believe that exist; that place where one can be neutral and detach ourselves from our history and experiences and look at the larger picture, but the more I try the more I miserably fail. I guess I wanted this blog to be one which simply talked about the tours and remained impartial but the voice of an old professor at UCLA keeps playing in me head telling me “The personal is political.” For people who are invested in improving our system and creating a better reality for those around us it is impossible to not think about the things that have brought us to where we are at. Coming from a low-income neighborhood where many of my classmates and childhood friends are either part of a gang, in prison, or even dead, it is extremely trying to not get frustrated when our people are in a sense becoming a commodity for entertainment and their lives are being popularized in the name of “good.”

I am really trying to see how these tours will benefit the South Central community but I keep coming across red flags which make me question the efficacy of their project. Not only are the community and gang members being treated like sideshow freaks but a mockery of our culture is also being created. The fact that the people behind this project considered having kids from the community shoot the tourist with water guns and later have t-shirts that read “I Got Shot in South-Central” is absurd! I mean if they really want to make some people angry then, yes, that is a great idea but if they want to be conscious of the stereotypes they will be perpetuating with such actions then they should definitely lay off the water guns.

If I could talk to Alfred Lomas I would ask him how much input did he and his team actually get from the community before they drafted this project, did they try and use the communities input for potential money making ideas that did not involve tours, and once they decided that the tours were going to be the game plan did they create a space for the community to go in and voice what their thoughts and concerns?

The trick is to not just sit 50 tourists a month down, give them a tour of South Central and a brief history of racist housing laws and practices that created such communities and lead to gangs, it is to truly spread the word and educate the masses. What is a tourist from Australia really going to do to help change the situation of our communities? NOTHING! We need to invest our energy in the people who are not only the most effected by it but who can truly create the change needed. Also, if one of the objectives of the tours is to educate people on the history of racially discriminating laws that created a lot of the injustices our communities face today then why not increase awareness of literature or documentaries that do just that? There is plenty of information out there that can enlighten people on the governmental and societal practices that lead to our current situations; people just need better access and awareness on how to reach those resources.

My thoughts are so convoluted and in some ways I feel that I said so much but at the same time said nothing in this blog but I guess that directly reflects how I feel about these “Hood Tours.”

Seeing Green in South L.A.

Seeing Green in South L.A.

The importance of investing in a more green economy and sustainable living environment is vital for our communities. In many ways, the issues that plague our communities seem to be the polar opposites of any “green” issues but they are definitely related. Providing people with the opportunity to become involved in their communities enhancement is a sure way to help people become conscious of the importance of such issues. Along with that, activities such as tree planting can allow young people to be a part of the greening process and it creates a space for them to know that they too can effect their community in a positive way. There are plenty of people like Toni Ann Johnson who see the importance in making our communities more eco friendly. Other than providing an aesthetically pleasing view for us, the trees in front of Ralph’s Super Market remind us that there is still a lot of work to be done to help our communities grow. As Toni mentions in her interview, the director of Ralph’s did not make the process easy but her persistence and dedication were vital in the struggle and only with qualities such as those will our communities begin to grow into their full potential. Obviously, the push for a more green sustainable economy and environment goes beyond tree planting, but events such as these are definitely a push in the right direction and I hope to hear that the tree planting initiative around Los Angeles along with other green initiatives will involve our young people who really are the ones who will keep all of these movements going.

Agueda

Tony's Blog: How a white man goes into the hood

Recently, a corporate executive asked me how a white man goes into the hood. My answer was that most of the time he drives east and then south.

No, seriously he said: How do you learn to speak their language?

I try to meet them at a place that is beyond language. Connect to their hearts.
If I try to talk like them I’m being inauthentic and they pick that up and that becomes what is communicated.

If I try to talk like an adult to a child, they turn off. So, we have to discover a common language together: A language of the heart, or perhaps the soul. The language they are used to from adults is the language of judgment. “This is what is wrong with the way you are living your life. Let me tell you the right way”.

"Out beyond the ideas of wrongdoing

and rightdoing, there is a field

I'll meet you there."

Rumi

The other thing they get is the eight words: “If you do this, you will get that.” Trust me, these kids know about accountability. They are hammered over the head with it every day. They just don’t see the point. What young people want is to be seen, to be valued. It is more important to the human spirit than the knowledge of reward and punishment. This is especially true during the years that they are trying to form their identity in the world. Youth in the city get messages everyday that they translate to mean, “you have no place in this world…you don’t belong here.”

So, I try to bring them a different language. One that is more imaginative, thoughtful and resourceful. One that is not based on “put downs” which is the most common language of youth today, but one that is based on connection and recognition. That is the spirit of “sawubona” (Zulu for “I see you”).

Finally, I try to see them as bearers of great gifts, not as receptacles for my wisdom. This is perhaps the key to their respect and to my humility which makes us both approachable.

This is my approach to ‘inner city youth’, but come to think of it:

Isn’t this what we should all be doing for each other?

respectfully,

Tony

New program encourages low-income L.A. residents to open bank accounts

The initiative aims to help 10,000 people end their dependence on check-cashing outlets before the end of the year by reducing the cost and simplifying the process of banking.

New charter school

A major expansion of the Charter School Program was given a boost today when a new $2.1 million contract to get 2000 College Grads from South LA by 2020. The question as always with Charter Schools is as well as increasing the proportion of local young people graduating from College will it also help the percentages completing high school, or improve the literacy rate?

Political outcomes

One of the many problems that we face in the light of the last few days is to figure out what the implications of the many props are. The LA Times looks at what the implications of one of the Props was on transport and some of the new challenges it provides for the people of South LA.