"When Willie "Prophet" Stiggers founded the Black Music Action Coalition at the height of racial justice protests in 2020, the world's attention was on righting historical wrongs. Five years later, it's a very different environment for that work - from the federal government on down to an exhausted and angry citizenry."
"On top of that, with Altadena - one of L.A.'s most cherished neighborhood for Black musicians - destroyed by January's Eaton fire, the need for support is both immediate and existential. The Times spoke to Stiggers about the group's gala raising money for Altadena relief tonight at the Beverly Hilton (with Irving Azoff, John Legend and Kai Cenat being honored), how Altadena can keep its soul and if freedom of speech will ever truly extend to Black artists in court."
"When the news cycle shifted, the nation's attention and energy went as well. This fund is targeting people who lost homes and were not insured. Right after the fires, we immediately deployed $400,000 for a round of income support and connected people with the resources they needed to help them. But there's a tremendous amount of bureaucracy. People have had to submit so much paperwork just to get a few dollars."
Willie "Prophet" Stiggers founded the Black Music Action Coalition in 2020 amid racial justice protests to address historical inequities in the music industry. Five years later, political and corporate hostility, including executive orders and investigations, has complicated diversity, equity and inclusion work. Altadena, a cherished Los Angeles neighborhood for Black musicians, was destroyed by the Eaton fire, creating urgent housing and income needs. The coalition dedicated a gala to Altadena relief, deployed $400,000 in immediate income support and connects residents to resources. Bureaucratic obstacles have slowed aid distribution, making direct cash support and streamlined assistance priorities.
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]