SCLC-SC Community/Labor Luncheon Journal 2021

As we come together this af- ternoon we commemorate Dr. King’s Sacrifice 53 years ago. This has been a challenging year for SCLC-SC, like many of you. We have a health crises, police violence against Black men, a pandemic and the con- tinued proliferation of white su- premacy. But we are committed to Build- ing Dr. King’s Beloved Com- munity through Mutual Re- spect, Justice, Service, Sacri- fice & Struggle.” That is what Dr. King dreamed and what we have the capacity to do. We will continue in our foundational work: Youth Development, economic empowerment, educational enrichment, employment enhancement, and voter and political advocacy. Working through our various entities, Hurting and Hungry Charities, SCLC-SC Poor people’s Campaign, the Women of SCLC-SC, and the MLK Young Dreamers for Justice, we will continue to give and fight for the marginalized, disenfranchised and vulnerable to bring about the Beloved Community. Join us as we moved forward in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Pastor William D. Smart Jr. Co-Pastor Christ Liberation Ministries President/ CEO Southern Christian Leadership Conference -Southern California 1

Judge Greg Mathis is the youngest person ever elected to be a judge in the state of Michigan, where he sat as a 36th District Court Judge. His syndicated TV reality courtroom show, Judge Mathis, has been on the air for 22 years, and he is the longest television arbiter, second only to Judge Judy. Judge Mathis played himself in the dramatic stage play, “Been There, Done That.” His autobiography, Inner City Miracle, documents his troubled youth growing up in Detroit, and is the personification of how he survived a difficult adolescence, time spent in gangs and in prison, and his mother’s death to establish himself as a respected and sought-after motivational speaker, social activist, culture mentor and a fair and exceptional courtroom justice. Featured prominently in both the print and electronic media, Mathis has been the recipient of many awards and honors. A chairman of Rainbow/PUSH-Excel board, a lifetime member of the NAACP, and a member the Southern Christian Leadership Conference board, Mathis and his wife and college sweetheart, Linda, have four children. 2

Ella is currently premiering on a new streaming TV Network called UrbanflixTV. The series is called CASTING THE NET. Ella Joyce plays Mabel Singer, a Casting Director in Hollywood. She recently finished shooting two independent films “Last Chance To Dance”, and “Never And Again” released on BET. Past movie credits include: Sarah in Tyler Perry’s “Temptation: Confessions Of A Marriage Counselor“, Sister Watkins in Warner Bros. popular film “Preacher’s Kid”, Detective Waller in the popular action film “Set It Off”, The Nurse in “Bubba Ho-Tep”, the Mother in Disney‘s “Selma, Lord Selma”; “Second Chance Christmas”; and “Our Family Wedding“. Other video-on-demand films include “Lucky Girl”, \"Nina”, “Dead Of Winter”, “Uncle P”, “Resolution Song”, the hilarious underground satire movie “Who Made The Potato Salad?”; and \"Stranger Inside\". She’s also remembered as the distraught Mother in the classic award winning music video – TLC’s “Waterfalls”. Early TV roles include “Eleanor” on the funny family sitcom “Roc”. TV guest star appearances include Jasmine on “My Wife & Kids”, “Being Mary Jane“, “The Jamie Foxx Show”, “Seinfeld”, and she co-starred on “Belle‘s” on TV One. Ella works extensively in legitimate Regional Theatre recently receiving the Los Angeles Ovation Award for August Wilson’s “King Hedley II” for the role of Ruby at the Matrix Theater. She also holds both the JEFFERSON Award and the Black Theatre Alliance Award (BTAA) from the Goodman Theatre in Chicago for Lynne Nottage’s “Crumbs From the Table of Joy”. She recently starred in the role of Faye in “Skeleton Crew” by Dominque Morriseau, at The Detroit Public Theater; and in Emily Mann‘s “Having Our Say“ at the Goodman Theater in Chicago, receiving a Black Theater Alliance Nomination, for the role of Dr. Bessie Delaney. As a talented voiceover artist, Ella’s work includes a recent pod-cast production of “Bronzeville”, produced by Laurence Fishburne & Larenz Tate. Other Books-On-Tape include Ron Milner’s “Ruby McCollum Story”, portraying the voice of Zora Neal Hurston, produced by Susan Lowenberg’s Los Angeles Theater Works. Ella received an NAACP Image Nomination for BET's \"Storyporch\" (the children TV reading series). More Actress info available at www.EllaJoyce.com. Ella spent five years touring her own one-woman play “A Rose Among Thorns: A Tribute to Rosa Parks“, around the country, receiving numerous awards, citations, wonderful press reviews, testimonials, and standing accolades. www.aRoseAmongThorns.com. As a dance enthusiast, Ella has trademarked her own dance/exercise technique, based upon Soul & Funk Music from the 60s & 70s era, called FUNKACIZE™. Ella generously taught those classes on face book LIVE, as a public service, during the pandemic. Visit www.Funkacize.com. 3

Welcome/Introduction Mistress of Ceremonies - Ella Joyce Prayer - Deacon Mike Guynn President National Association of Black Social Workers Los Angeles Greetings - Pastor William D. Smart Young Dreamers for Justice Musical Performance Acknowledgement of Sponsors AWARD HONOREES Outstanding Labor and Community Leader Award CHERYL BUTLER Presented by John Grant, President UFCW 770 MLK Service Award MARTIN MANTECA AND FELIPE CACERES Presented by Pastor Cue Jn Marie Marian Wright Edelman Education & Child Advocacy Award KIMBERLY BOLANILE PAGGETT-WILLIS Presented by Pastor Thembekila Coleman Smart MLK Community Justice Award COUNCILMEMBER CURREN D. PRICE, JR. President's Award REVEREND NORMAN COPELAND Presented by Dr. William D. Smart Keynote Address THE HONORABLE JUDGE GREGORY ELLIS MATHIS Closing Remarks - Pastor William Smart Musical Performance 4

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Reverend Norman Copeland has pastored and presided across the Fifth Episcopal District in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He has been God’s architect in building, refurbishing and renovating churches within his charge. In Southern Califor- nia, Reverend Copeland has pastored Ward AME in Los Angeles, Bethel AME in San Diego, Grant AME in Long Beach and Saint Paul in San Bernardino. As his ministry has evolved, Reverend Copeland has distinguished himself as a minister with a pastor’s heart, a proficient administrator, a charismatic teacher and a down to earth preacher. He retired from the AME Church as Presiding Elder of the Los Angeles conference but his work has not stopped. In addition to his pastoral duties, Reverend Copeland has been an active participant with SCLC and in the struggle for racial and economic justice for workers and laborers. He chaired the Board 0f (CORE) Clergy and Laity United for Economical Justice – taking on the California State University’s “Fight for Five” proposal of a 5% general increase for faculty and staff. His personal commitment for social justice was again demonstrated as he walked the picket lines with MTA workers, Janitorial, Hotel and Grocery workers carrying picket signs and encour- aging them to “hold on.” Because of his dedication and commitment to direct-action protests, mobilizing and mass partic- ipation in boycotts and strikes, Reverend Copeland is not only a mentor to clergy and labor, he is a respected “leader by example” in the community and political arena. His instructive and forth- right manner has led him to fulfill speaking engagements before diverse groups across the na- tion. Those who know him best say “Reverend Norman Copeland has ministered to the spiritual, in- tellectual, physical, emotional and environmental needs of all people.” 6

The den, with the sandy brown carpet and leather seating for an audience viewing was my first dance floor. “You danced before you walked” were the words my mother told me, to “Earth, Wind and Fire.” Funny, years later I found myself marching in the band to that same band’s song, “September.” The den dance floor soon turned into the hardwood of the church three thousand miles away from home. It was around the month of September that my years of dancing before I walked turned into high stepping in celebration of God’s blessings. “Do you remember,” the first lines to the song “September,” ring in my head as the theme song to my life’s journey, dancing my prayers to God. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, now living on the West Coast, Kimberly Bolanile Paggett carries with her the rich Southern roots instilled from an early age by her parents, Larry and Bernice Paggett, who are now held within the heavenly light with the Lord. The trips to her maternal ancestral home of Madison, Georgia and to Birmingham, Alabama, where her father was raised, is the backdrop to the cultural and familial fabric of her ancestry and is what fuels her very existence. Her parents cultivated a foundation of faith and the gift of music within her as a child, presenting Kimberly with a baby grand piano at just the age of nine, encouraging her participation in concert band and orchestra, wind ensemble and marching band from third grade through college. Applying her skill to the principle instruments of trumpet, French horn and mellophone, the musical foundation laid inspired Kimberly to delve deeply into her love for music, becoming the drum major of her high school marching band at North Atlanta High School, which opened the door for a music and academic scholarship to attend the renown Historically Black College, Clark Atlanta University, where she served as drum major from 1995 to 1998, under the band leadership of Dr. Ivory Brock and Sidney Sessoms. From these musical experiences, Kimberly learned firsthand how arts impacts education, which is apparent in her approach to teaching and her role as the Minister of Praise at Christ Liberation Minis- tries, under the leadership of Co-Pastors William and Thembekila Smart. Kimberly continues sharing the arts with students through school and commu- nity arts programs she develops, receiving support from Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation to bring drum line instruments to students who need access. Daily dawning the campus of Clark Atlanta University, where the likes of great African American minds including W.E.B DuBois, James Weldon Johnson, Ralph Abernathy fostered a spirit of research to produce studies dedicated to in-depth observation and examination of Black people and culture. Desir- ing to be immersed into this same intensity of study, Kimberly received her Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in English and History, as well as a Master of Arts in African American Studies and Comparative Literature, where her Master Thesis, entitled the Right of Our Mothers, examined ancient African rites of passage rituals transferred by Black women from pre-colonial Africa and through slavery, celebrating the spiritual resilience of women through- out the African Diaspora. The wealth of the educational experience gained at Clark Atlanta University included her being a part of the Nation of Nzingha and Ndugu, founded and led by her Master’s Thesis Chair, and Baba, Dr. Daniel Jojomani Omotosho Black. Contributing to her empirical obser- vation and investigation of the African Diaspora, Kimberly studied at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzbug in Durban South Africa, with full immer- sion into the lives and customs of the Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele people, learning deeply from their beautiful expressions of art, dance and culture. There in South Africa, Kimberly co-wrote and was featured in a stage play at the well-known Grahamastown Festival in South Africa. Kimberly was also ac- cepted as a Fellow and worked at Howard University Cobb Laboratory on the African Burial Ground project under lead director Dr. Michael Blakey and geneticist Dr. Rick Kittles (founder of African Ancestry). Transferring the stories of our Ancestors through written scholarship and creative content is at the core of Kimberly’s life mission. Having a love of both scholarship and spirituality, Kimberly, was ordained Minister of Praise by Pastors William and Thembekila Smart, Co-Pastors of Christ Liberation Ministries. The power of praise, prayer and the prophetic in this sacred space dedicated to Christ, culture and consciousness made room for Kimberly’s gifts. Known by her church family as Minister Bo or Ms Bo, Kimberly welcomes every opportunity to share in the arts, especially through praise dance and African drumming as well as through the 17 prophetic plays, written by Pastor Thembekila Smart, creatively curated and artistic directed by Kimberly. Kimberly Bolanile Paggett is presently changing the narrative centered around educating African American and Latino students, bridging the intersec- tion between arts and academics, focusing on the impact arts has on achievement. Instructing adult learners in higher education as well as secondary level students in middle and high school as an English Professor, Mentor Teacher and Lead Faculty, Kimberly understands well the needs of learners for college and career readiness. Working in higher education, Kimberly has insight as to the preparation necessary for Black and Brown students to be successful. A method she implements to assist students is reflective journaling, wherein students develop their writing skills using topics of personal interest, enhancing confidence transferable for academic writing purposes. In this process, she encourages students to shift the narrative of traumatic journeys into triumph. Further, the work Kimberly does in the classroom propels students and schools forward. The authenticity of her work in education continues to break barriers and receive acknowledgment for its effectiveness. The Irvine Foundation funded the pilot curriculum program in collaboration with University of Southern California (USC) Kimberly implemented for cultivating college level writing skills in ninth graders, tracking the success of her students through college. She conducts professional development workshops to train teachers in implementing the Writing Across the Curriculum Kimberly created. With the Cristo Ray Network, she trained hundreds of teaching at Loyola Mary- mount, Chicago who incorporate her strategies in school systems and districts across the nation. She is proud of the work she is doing currently with Wilder’s Preparatory Academy Charter School, which was recently published in a study in conjunction with USC Rossier School of Education on closing the achievement gap among African American and Latino students. In the final stages of her doctoral study, Kimberly will soon make her debut on the world as Dr. Kimberly Bolanile Paggett, advocating, curating and innovating dynamic shifts within arts education. Through her company, Nile Publishing House, she is Chief Editor and Creative Officer, bringing inspiring stories to life through books, film, theater and music. Grateful for family, her siblings, and being the mother of two phenomenal children, Mizan and Zaki, within whom Kimberly is able to see the artistic inspiration and academic success flourishing in their lives. 7

Curren D. Price, Jr. was born and raised in the Los Angeles City Council District that he was elected to represent in 2013 and overwhelmingly re-elected in 2017. His first job as an adolescent shining shoes gave him a perspective on the struggles of working-class families and ce- mented a lifelong commitment to serve his community. In his role, Price is focused on building a more thriving future for local families, which includes economic growth and opportunity, increasing affordable housing, working to reduce homelessness and defending the rights of immigrants. His agenda is guided by his deep-rooted desire to make South LA a vibrant place where people want to live, work and play. During Price’s tenure on the City Council, the NEW 9th has experienced a renaissance that is bringing unprecedented prosperity. Since taking office, he helped usher in $4 billion in private investment with historic projects like the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) soccer stadium, Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and renovation of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Price has insisted that all major projects have strong commitments to local hire. To address homelessness, Price has implemented portable toilets, hand washing stations, and mobile hygiene trailers. He established three \"Safe Parking\" programs in the District; and he continues to work with property owners, City and County staff, and local community stakeholders to identify permanent and temporary housing solutions, as well as emergency shelter sites. Bringing Hope to Hope Street, the first “A Bridge Home” (ABH) facility in District 9 opened in March of 2020. The structure provides tem- porary shelter to 100 homeless men and women from the community and helps them transition into permanent supportive housing. The Councilman is also exploring utilizing two empty lots for the use of pallet shelters to house the homeless. Price has persistently fought to improve the lives of working people. In 2014, he introduced a policy to raise the wage for hotel workers to $15.37 per hour. One year later, he led the fight to raise the mini- mum wage to $15 by 2020. Price also championed the adoption of paid sick leave for Los Angeles work- ers. The Councilmember has a personal commitment to expand access and opportunities so that cur- rent and future generations can achieve the American Dream. He introduced and carried the Fair Chance Initiative across the finish line, which allows formerly incarcerated individuals to have a shot when applying for a job. The Councilmember remains resolute in his objective to raise the living standards of all District 9 resi- dents. Since 2013, he has successfully secured nearly $50 million to improve parks and recreation cen- ters all over the District. He remains committed to improving access to City services and under his watch, hundreds of tons of trash have been removed from streets, alleys and sidewalks. In addition, hundreds of new trash cans have been installed and more than 1,000 trees planted along major corri- dors as part of his “Clean & Green” campaign. The councilmember and his wife, Del Richardson Price have 2 children and 3 grandchildren. 8

Lavanza Kercheryl Butler, who prefers to be called Cheryl Butler considers it one of her greatest honors to be recognized by Southern Christian Leadership Council- So Cal. Cheryl was born in New Orleans to parents that did not finish high school, yet her father worked hard and owned his own trucking company and her mother was a tailor. Civil and human rights have been in Cheryl’s blood since childhood, and at 13, she walked 21 miles to protest unfair working conditions and civil rights in Louisiana. Cheryl was a math major at Texas Southern University, when she was recruited by former con- gressman Mickey Leland to change her major to pharmacy, and receive a full scholarship. Cheryl returned to New Orleans to complete her studies at Xavier University. After graduation she worked as a pharmacist in retail drug stores and hospitals. Cheryl moved to Los Angeles and begin working as a Union 770 member - pharmacist for Thrifty Drug Stores in 1980. For over 40 years, Cheryl has dedicated her life and career to being a voice for workers. Her com- passion, knowledge and engagement with the community, her peers and her customers did not go unnoticed. She was hired by the Local to join its staff in 2002. Currently she is the Local Recorder for over 31,000 members of Union UFCW 770, representing and advocating for workers in healthcare, retail health, grocery, packing and cannabis across Southern California. Cheryl serves as a member of the California State Board of Pharmacy, where she was appointed by Governor Jer- ry Brown in 2013 and reappointed in 2017. As a member of the Professional Pharmacist Division Executive Board, the UFCW Minority Coalition and Women’s Network, Cheryl fights hard on matters pertaining to inclusiveness and equality for workers of all races, genders and religion. She is a life member of the NAACP. Cheryl, along with pharmacist members spoke at a Senate sub-committee on Profession and Licensure and met with members of the house and the senate to get the passage of SB1442-No Pharmacist Left Alone with regulations that protect workers and the public, and assures that pharmacists have support in the work place to better serve everyone. When the union is working for its members on bargaining, negotiations, better benefits and safer work environments, Cheryl Butler has been on the front lines fighting for dignity and democracy for all its members. 9

Martin Manteca has over 28 years of experience in community, political, and labor organizing, spearheading a number of ground breaking progressive efforts across the country. Most notably, Mr. Manteca has led successful campaigns to raise the minimum wage in Arizona, defeat anti-immigration bills in Illinois and Arizona, register tens of thousands of Latinos to vote by mail in California, Illinois, Florida, Colorado, Texas and Arizona, and executed strategic comprehensive union organizing campaigns aimed at building worker power in key economic sectors. In 2012, Mr. Manteca assumed the role of Organizing Director for SEIU Local 721 in Los Angeles. Under his leadership, SEIU Local 721’s organizing department has led the way in organizing new industries, including dynamic cutting-edge campaigns in higher education, community-based care, the Fight for 15, and several other strategic initiatives in California and across the nation. This work, which has been highly successful in driving issues of economic justice and inequality to the forefront of the public debate, has been bolstered by the unique community-labor coalitions forged by SEIU Local 721. This model of community-labor organizing was instrumental in winning a $15 minimum wage in Los Angeles city, county and the State of California, and has been looked to as a model for new organizing efforts across the country. Felipe Caceres is considered a “legal eagle,” but at heart he is a community, union and political organizer at SEIU, fighting for a future that uplifts and empowers the working class across the nation. A graduate of California State Los Angeles, Felipe was a teacher’s assistant and a law clerk, with strong and persuasive oratory and writing skills. These skills proved to be an asset in mobilizing workers and leading SEIU in landmark organizing successes, among them, Mobile Workers Alliance and Fight for 15. Felipe credits the tireless efforts of low wage workers and organizing to the growth of labor unions like SEIU Local 721. As Felipe works to keep unions strong, robust and dynamic, he reminisces about SCLC and the Poor People’s Campaign. “We need to drive the agenda of the Poor Peoples Campaign with poor people at the forefront, speaking for themselves, because they are empowered. The world needs to see who’s affected by public policy.” Felipe Caceres and Martin Manteca have led SEIU Local 721, with strong and courageous leadership, and are actively engaged in the Hate Must Stop Campaign on the racist’s attacks on the AAPI Community, The American Rescue Plan, and Humanitarian aid and a PPE Drive for asylum seekers arriving at the boarder. Every worker deserves dignity, respect and fair wages. We would be remiss not to mention that union members have been on the frontlines of pandemic response since day one, keeping vital services running during one of the most challenging times in our history. 10

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Celebrating 52 Weeks of Prayer April 9, 2021



THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

NATIONAL SCLC PRESIDENTS 1957 – 1968 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1968 – 1977 Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy 1977 – 1997 Rev. Joseph E. Lowery 1997 – 2004 Martin Luther King III 2004 Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth 2004 – 2009 Dr. Charles Steele, Jr. 2009 – 2011 Howard W. Creecy, Jr. 2011 – Present Dr. Charles Steele, Jr. EXECUTIVE BOARD SCLC - SO CAL PRESIDENT & CEO Pastor William D. Smart, Jr. Co-Pastor Christ Liberation Ministries Executive Director, Hurting & Hungry Association VICE CHAIRPERSON Rev. William Monroe Campbell Sr. Pastor, Mt. Gilead Missionary Baptist Church TREASURER & CO-CHAIR LABOR COMMITTEE Anton Farmby Vice President, SEIU USWW SECRETARY Jamie E. Wright, Esq. CHAIRPERSON FINANCE COMMITTEE John Ek CHAPLAIN Pastor James Baylark sclc-sc.org 22

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 5th Annual Community/Labor Luncheon Pastor William D. Smart, Jr. SCLC-SC, President & CEO Executive Producer Pastor Thembekila Crystal Coleman- Smart Director of Women of SCLC-SC Program and Awards Coordinator Script Writer and Organizer Director of Creative Content Kimberly Bolanile Paggett Script writer, editor Arnetta Mack/Mack Enterprises Unlimited Marketing, Graphic Design, Production Support Chris Tucker Technical Support Martin Manteca, Felipe Caceres, Jesus Garcia And Members of SEIU Local 721 Lunch Delivery Coordination Lunch provided by Dulan’s Restaurant Entertainment provided by The Inner-City Youth Orchestra led by Charles Dickerson Video Production Credits Ross Jordan - Edityourvideo.com Technical Director Video editor, visual effects Post production Al Richardson- Sound Recording Rich Sound Studios Production Studio GOASTAFA Productions Live Streaming by Onda Spot Live Ron Brewington Narrator/Voice of God Tina Louise Stephens Production Coordinator, writer Produced and directed by Ian Foxx - Foxx Media Group, LLC A Foxx Media Group LLC Production Digital Journal Designed by Copyright 2021 Mack Enterprises Unlimited www.mackenterprises.net

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