DONNA SHANNON BRINGS DOWN THE HOUSE AT THE 143RD JUNETEENTH NATIONAL FREEDOM DAY CELEBRATION

LOS ANGELES - Freedom was the word which rang out at the 143rd Juneteenth National Freedom Day Celebration held in Leimert Park, California.  Food, fun, and live entertainment were the exhilarating factors that rekindled the feeling of how the slaves must have felt on June 19th, 1865, when they were notified that they were free.  Because June 19th fell on a Thursday, many in attendance took the day off, some stating that because Black people have fought in all of the wars that America has fought to gain freedom for the nation, they have joined Freedom's Journal and numerous churches and civic organizations in our quest to make June 19th a paid national holiday like the 4th of July.  This is why we hold our celebration on the 19th, regardless of which day of the week that may fall on.  Let it be known that we want Juneteenth to become a federally recognized and paid legal holiday!
 
Remembering the spirit in which James Weldon Johnson wrote the Black National Anthem, but incorporating today's spirit as we truly have much to celebrate for having come so far from the old slavery days, Donna Shannon sang Freedom's Journal's rendition of the anthem, which Freedom's Journal calls "Lift Every Voice and Say Freedom!", incorporating the pain of our past, the joy (if dampened by all too well-known harsh modern-day realities) of our present, and positive determination about our future, and the crowd responded. 
 
In Galveston, TX, the last outpost where slavery continued beyond the Emancipation Proclamation, the slaves could not have imagined that their long days of bondage were finally over.  Says publisher of the Freedom's Journal newspaper, Dr. Alphonso E. Hamilton, who was one of the cosponsors of this historic event, "One of the objectives of this event was to make sure that African-Americans will never lose sight of their heritage which has played a great part in maintaining the legacy of Freedom.  Blacks were the backbones that built this America, and it's only fair that we remember the toil and strife and the many days of suffering at the hands of others.  If it did, in fact, take a Civil War to free the people, today how much more does it take for our people to free our minds and throw down the institution of factors ravaging our communities today?"
 
Special guest speaker Councilman Bernard C. Parks, 8th District, who presented numerous awards, expounded on the effects of drugs, Black-on-Black crime, teen pregnancies, and our social and economical status, which are major issues affecting our neighborhoods throughout America.  He dwelt on slavery then and now, and what we can do to better our situation.  The audience feedback was educational.  As Parks expounded on the many varied contributions that African-Americans have made to this country that have made it the great nation that it is today, many of the youth in the audience applauded with praise.  CORE-California's Educational Director, Teri King, said "We wish we could hold a program like this every day because this affair no doubt left people thinking about the future and what part they could play in our destiny to enrich mankind."
 
CORE-CA Chairman, Adrian Dove, said "We will never forget where we came from, and strengthening the bond between our neighborhoods and the motherland is a must.  Programs which we have set up to send students to countries in Africa have been rewarding.  But still, it's not enough.  The days of pencil and paper are over.  Our youth must be computer literate.  Don't be surprised when in the next 100 years our youngsters are saying to their parents, 'Mom, I got a 10 a.m. appointment on the moon, a 3:00 appointment on Jupiter, and I'll be back here on earth around 8 p.m.'"  How do we get our youngsters to begin thinking this way now?  Says Hamilton, "Computer science is one of the ways.  The many forms of science - biological, technological, etc - are some of the major courses that we must push our youth to enroll in now.  It is a great thing to be a sports hero but that is not enough.  Training our minds to create that which benefits humanity as a whole is one of the greatest accomplishments a person can achieve."
 
The food - barbecue, red beans and rice, and watermelon - which was served at this affair was another reminder of the food the slaves prepared after being notified they were free.  Jonathan Leonard, who cosponsored the food, is the grandson of one of the slaves born in Galveston who told him stories of why this food is part of the celebration today.  Back "in the day," you had one neighbor bring the greens, another would bring the potato pies, someone killed a hog and brought the chitlins, and before you knew it, it turned into a date that would never be forgotten.
 
We look forward to seeing many more of you at next year's Juneteenth celebration!  Until then,

Say Freedom!

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L.A. Councilman Bernard C. Parks, Eight District

Bernard C. Parks is serving his second term as Los Angeles City Councilmember for the Eighth Council District. One of the most densely populated areas in South Los Angeles. Parks represents over 250,000 people.  During his first year in office he was appointed Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee and to the Coliseum Commission where he has led the charge to return a National Football League team to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Currently, Councilmember Parks sits on the Public Safety Committee, where he is committed to improving community safety for the constituents in South Los Angeles. It is Parks’ belief that public safety involves preventing, reducing or containing the social and environmental factors that negatively impact people’s right to live without fear of crime.

In addition, Parks sits on the Claims Board, Ad-Hoc Stadium Committee, Board of Referred Power and the Transportation Committee where he serves as Vice Chair. Following the 2005 Mayoral election, he was appointed to the Metropolitan Transportation Board of Commissioners by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

As Councilmember, Parks has implemented many programs to enrich the South Los Angeles area including the Prevention Intervention and Education (PIE) program at Crenshaw High School. The PIE program works to bridge the gap between black and brown students through various school assemblies and noteworthy speakers. Parks has created an annual Youth Jobs and Career Fair where at least 20 youths were interviewed for jobs during the first year.

On the Council Floor, Parks has been extremely successful in delivering legislation that benefits his constituents in the 8th district, including the temporary closure of the cul-de-sac at 84th Place and Flower Street. The cul-de-sac was a breeding ground for illegal activity and was located in a residential area specifically impacting families with small children. In addition, Councilmember Parks spearheaded the effort that ensured that a portion of the gasoline sales tax revenues owed to the city were explicitly used to improve the quality of life for motorists by directing $800,000 to pave five miles of dirt alleys and $200,000 to construct 90 to 100 additional approved, but unfunded speed humps, Parks also created a city-wide ordinance that imposed regulations on the issuance of permits that included the following businesses: automobile sales, auto repair shops, junk yards, and recycling materials and processing facilities.

Following Southern Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2006, Parks led the effort in helping evacuees find long-term housing. As the FEMA voucher deadline drew near, Parks worked with the City’s Housing Department and local landlords to construct a Rent Stabilization Ordinance. This Ordinance allowed L.A. landlords to temporarily charge reduced rent or offer other rent concessions to eligible persons displaced by the hurricanes.

Before being elected to the Los Angeles City Council, Parks spent 38 years as a police officer. Beginning his career with the police department at a time when patrol cars were just recently integrated, he rose through the ranks of one of the nation’s largest municipal law enforcement agencies to become Chief of Police in 1997.

As Police Chief, Parks implemented some of the most rigorous police reforms ever proposed in the history of the police department, including the institution of an Officer Accountability Policy. Parks also made it easier for the community to file complaints against problem officers by streamlining the Citizen Complaint System. Under Chief Parks, the City of Los Angeles saw homicides fall by 45%, rape assault drop by nearly 20% and robbery decline by over 45%.

In his more than 40 years as a public servant, Parks has remained closely tied to his community. Aside from patrolling L.A.’s street as a young officer, Parks dedicated many volunteer years to youth activities in the district. He coached Baldwin Hills Youth Football for 10 years and mentored the likes of National Football League Hall-of-Famer Warren Moon and many other kids who grew to become successful community and business leaders. During his Hall-of-Fame induction speech, Moon described Parks as “a guy who installed values in me at a very young age, showed me discipline and taught me hard work and dedication”. Parks and his wife, Bobbie, are involved in numerous community groups, such as: the Challengers Boys & Girls Club, the Los Angeles Urban League and the Brotherhood Crusade. He is also a life-time member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Recognized as a longtime voice for minority communities, in 2006 Parks’ footprints were added to the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame in Atlanta, Ga.

Bernard C. Parks received his Bachelor of Science degree from Pepperdine University and his Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Southern California (USC). He and Bobbie have been married for 40 years and are the proud parents of four children: Felicia, Michelle, Trudy and Bernard, Jr. The 8th Council District includes the communities of Baldwin Hills, Crenshaw, Leimert Park, West Adams, Jefferson Park, Chesterfield Square and other areas of Southern Los Angeles.

This Is Donna Shannon