Ep #34: Community Spotlight: Leimert Park | Diane Robertson, Esq., Community Advocate; Akil West, CEO, Sole Folks; and Roland Wiley, Principal, RAW International

Established in 1927 by Walter H. Leimert, Leimert Park was one of the first planned communities in Los Angeles. Consisting of roughly 1.20 square miles within LA's Crenshaw District, this historic community has the largest Black population in the Greater LA region, with more than 79% of residents identifying as such. Indeed, "nurtured by three generations of African Americans with a shared vision of economic self-empowerment, the patronage of black businesses, the cultivation of black arts, and the maintenance of a public commons for political discourse, Leimert Park is not just the crown jewel of black Los Angeles, it is its center." (https://www.kcet.org/shows/departures/the-center-can-hold-leimert-park-and-black-los-angeles)

With the expansion of LA Metro's new rail line running down Crenshaw Boulevard to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX); the advancement of the signature "Destination Crenshaw" project; and new entrepreneurs setting their sights on the district, CivitasLA is joined by distinguished community leaders offering their unique perspectives on the issues, challenges and opportunities faced by the community. Join us in conversation with Diane Robertson, Community Advocate and Founder, Leimert Park Jazz Festival (https://www.leimertparkjazzfestival.com); Akil West, Founder and CEO of Sole Folks (https://solefolks.com/); and longtime resident, Roland Wiley, Founder of RAW International (https://www.rawinternational.com/).

To learn more about this unique community, please visit: (https://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/neighborhood/leimert-park/); (http://www.leimertparkmovie.com/PressReleases/LeimertParkHistory.pdf)

For more information, please visit www.CivitasLA.com. And we hope you'll rate and review our show; and connect with us on Facebook (@CivitasLA), Instagram (@Civitas_LA) and Twitter (@Civitas_LA).