A Sunday Rally To Save Venice - A Celebration Of Venice History And Diversity

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Venice, and a special one too. A rally was held at the First Baptist Church of Venice at E.L. Holmes Square (7th and Westminster) to celebrate both our town's diversity, and a year and a half of resistance against the sale of the historic church.

There are rallies on the steps of the church every Sunday, and this one was extra great. We were going to film it for our Venice documentary, 90291: VENICE UNZIPPED as part of the history of this beloved place we call home, so organizer Mike Bravo helped us gather the troops to make it a great one.

Venetians of all races, religions, ages, and genders came together to offer our respect, and our solidarity. We stood together all afternoon to show everyone that Venice remains strong and together, not divided like VNC meetings would have you believe. The Sunday rallies are in opposition of the sale of First Baptist  Church to a single family (the Penskes, and seriously, what is wrong with them?! Why would you want to live there after all of this resistance?! Go away.), but it's really about much more than that. It's about the history, the diversity, and the community - and everyone gathered around on this Sunday was determined that those things that make Venice great aren't going anywhere.

Friends, neighbors, and supporters showed up with refreshments to share, chalk, sign making materials to share ... everything, including wisdom and solidarity, was to share. Several Reverends spoke with passion and enthusiasm, getting everyone to shout "Amen!" along with them as they told of the history of the Church. It was about more than religion, as all were welcome as a community center, every day of the week.

Elders like the wonderful Jataun Valentine, Laddie Williams, and Naomi Nightingale spoke to the history and to the struggle of both the Church, and the Oakwood community. Anyone that doesn't know the history of Venice would do well to sit at these ladies' feet and learn something. They spoke about how Venice never used to have tall fences that kept people out ... it was more about longer tables than bigger walls. People knew their neighbors. People stuck up for their neighbors. And that's what we were all doing yesterday.

Mike Bravo sang a song and banged his drum, and told about the Mexican and Indigenous people that have also been here for generations ... always. Sage was burning and you could actually feel the presence of ancestors on this sacred space - you really could.

Children made signs next to adults, passing the respect down to the next generations. People drew with chalk in the streets to let everyone know what was going on, and urged those biking or walking by to stop and join in the fun, and in the history. Caviar from Horny Toad played songs on the steps, as did Peter Demian, playing "Amazing Grace" and "Hallelujah" in his gravelly Tom Waits-y style (mentioning that he may have dropped a little acid prior. Classic.).

While we were interviewing Ms. Valentine for the doc, we had to contend with a zillion small airplanes flying over, and then another noise got our sound man's attention. It sounded like maracas shaking, and when we looked down the street, here came a man in full Aztec regalia, ankles and wrists covered in shells that were making the rattling sounds.

The Aztec dancers had come to show their solidarity, and their respect for the spiritual center we all stood on. It was so cool. The dancers blew shell horns and placed offerings on the steps of the church, and then treated us all to their native dances.

The drumbeats kept time, and the shells rattled along, as passersby in cars slowed and people came out of their houses to see what was going on.

It felt emotional to me all day, but this was chill inducing, as the area's history became tangible in our faces. It was something else.

There were a lot of people getting up to speak for the open mic part of the afternoon, and David Busch had "More Love" to give. That was a powerful aspect to the day, that you could look around and see people that have their own causes, and the people present on this day were the ones that participate in each others' issues - because that's how you create a strong community. The ones that stand up against chains. Against Snapchat. Against illegal sales of churches. That show up for the fun stuff too, but most importantly, the ones that show up for one another, and for VENICE. The ones that know that the People still have the Power.

The afternoon grew chilly, and Bravo had everyone join hands in a circle for the closing ceremony of the day. I got choked up looking around the circle, with all colors, ages, religions (or no religion), income levels ... all holding hands and there for the same thing - to stand up for our Venice. Each person said a little something, and all included thanks and love for everyone there in their message.

It was a powerful day, and a powerful group. That isn't going anywhere. I again offer my thanks and love, to everyone there and to everyone who cares ... because that's where it all starts. With loving and empathetic hearts that care about everyone who shares our community, not just themselves and their ever-higher walls. It was an honor and a relief to be surrounded by love-minded people that continue to make Venice a magical place of inclusion, diversity, color, and spirit.

Thank you all, and see you again soon!

The Black History Of Venice - A Legacy To Fight For

It was a beautiful, sunny day last Saturday in Venice, yet several of us spent the afternoon inside. It was well worth it, because we were treated to stories of the history and legacy of our African-American community in an event at the Venice Library to celebrate Black History Month.

There is a wonderful display set up in the library's meeting room, featuring vintage photographs from early Venice, with all of the wonderful history and massive contributions our African-American residents have given to Venice since its inception.

There needs to be a book dedicated to this important aspect of Venice, and in just one lap around the room I learned so much about our history that I never knew. Very cool stuff, like how early resident, Arthur Reese, created big headed costumes for the early Mardi Gras celebrations in Venice (and don't forget to come and parade with the modern Mardi Gras revelers at noon this Saturday on the Boardwalk!), among many more historical contributions.

The speaking panel opened with a prayer from Reverend Dennis Moore, who is pictured in one of the old photos as a little boy in the church choir at First Baptist Church of Venice. That church was the main focus of the panel, whose members took turns getting up to speak on the legacy of that church in the Oakwood neighborhood. The church was sold out from under its members last year, prompting a fistfight that required the police to come in the sanctuary when the former minister, Horace Allen, told the congregation about his sneaky sale of the 109 year old building that was their house of worship for generations. A historical building across the street from historical Oakwood Park sold to a wealthy couple (Jay Penske, a media mogul who owns Variety, among other publications, and his wife, model Elaine Irwin) to be another massive, single-family home designed by Venice-based DU Architects, who should be ashamed of themselves. As if there aren't plenty of other places they could have built their BUB, they chose a church that is over a century old?! The members don't know who got the money (6.3 million!), where it is, nothing. If they'd been given the chance, they would have all rallied to buy it back themselves, but it was done all stealthy, without debate or vote. You can't blame the congregants for being righteously outraged. It's an actual crime against their history, and they're going to fight it every step of the way. As we all should. While these things always have many sides to many stories, the fact remains that a house of worship was sold without due diligence from the people to whom it matters most. Tht's not right.

Naomi Nightingale led the panel of Venice elders, saying "It's a LEGACY that we're fighting for." She told us that there used to be four Baptist churches in Venice ... we're now down to just one (Friendship Baptist). The Oakwood area is deeply historic, and as Nightingale explained, "We lived in a community that we helped to prosper." She spoke to the fact that Oakwood has always served the black and brown communities of Venice, and we're seeing in real time the destruction and dissolution of the contributions that African-Americans made to this community. She remembered having to sit in the back of the Fox Theater on Lincoln, and it feels like things like the sale of this great, old church are making that entire community take a back seat all over again. She said that when the "monstrosity" of a house that went up on Sunset Avenue, she felt violated. All of the changes in demographics, houses, zoning laws, parking (she can no longer park on her own street that she shares with Gjusta), must be adapted to, but sometimes "Racism and discrimination is subtle. Sometimes it looks like economics, or just "change", but if you look deep enough, you're thought of as less-than, or not as entitled. Let there be SOME consideration to our contributions, and our sites like our churches." They have been offered a plaque in the place of their sacred worship site. That their own community paid for. PLEASE.

Each Sunday afternoon, the displaced church members - and the Venetians who support also support their cause - stand in front of their boarded-up church, waving at passersby with their "Save Our Church!" signs, all in an effort to SAVE. THEIR. CULTURE. It's that basic, and that serious. Nightingale urged everyone to "Know your history, because that will be your future", and adding that "When I was a kid, Venice was open to EVERYONE" - as it should still be, and closed by saying, "Remember that love will send us a long way."

Laddie Williams took the microphone next (she being the "Malcolm X" to Nightingale's "MLK"), and spoke for all of us when she said, "We don't want no $40 martinis. We want the artists. The musicians. The locals. Our architecture that is being torn down for BUBs. The people that helped to make Venice famous." She spoke truth to power, and effectively rallied us all for the cause, even though, "Our job will never be finished." As supporter Beth Allyn writes on the sidewalk in front of the church every Sunday, "Do not destroy what God has built."

Direct descendant of Irving Tabor and Arthur Reese, Jataun Valentine also spoke to the importance of preserving the deep history of Black - and all of - Venice history. She carries on the Reese tradition of making Rose Parade floats at her house on Vernon, and is full of stories of her founding families' lives and legacies. These elders are our living history, and certainly don't deserve to have it swept away in the name of ever more greed and white-washing of a vibrant and historical community.

"Venice is US. WE'RE Venice, not these people coming in for monetary reasons ... it's OUR heritage. Venice is Venice because of the people and its DIVERSITY," said Laddie Williams, echoing what several of us have been saying until we're blue in our faces ... not the diversity we're speaking of. She introduced her "indigenous brother", and organizer Mike Bravo took over to close out this incredibly great and informative event. He is a fifth generation Venetian, whose father was killed right near where he now stands with his First Baptist Church of Venice friends in protest every Sunday. "I believe in sacred sites. We still have our house, thank God, but it's my duty to stand up for what is right. The people who are out there on Sundays .. THAT is who Venice is. We've given Venice life, we made it beautiful, and we're trying to take it back in a righteous way." Amen! Awomen! Bravo sang a prayer song in conclusion that was beautiful, touching, and also a rallying cry.

This isn't right. It's terribly sad, and you'd have to be a greedy interloper yourself to think otherwise. You can hear more from everyone involved again at the Venice Library on February 17th to learn more for yourselves. You may also join in their protest in front of their church at 600 Westminster, every Sunday from 1-4 ... because their fight is our fight. We're a community, and we're all in this together.

Thank you to everyone involved for an informative and inspiring afternoon. See you Sunday!