500 signatures reached
To: Mark Ridley-Thomas
Protect Leimert Park's African Marketplace & Drum circle & Keep it Black and Community-Led
We are demanding Mark Ridley-Thomas and the Los Angeles City Council to commit to the following requests:
1. To protect and permanently designate the African Marketplace & Drum Circle as a historical monument to preserve African culture, create equitable and sustainable business ventures, and solve the local food desert crisis in our community.
2. To prohibit any farmer’s markets, flea markets, filming, or other special events that would displace the African Marketplace and Drum Circle.
3. To commit and maintain that the African Marketplace and Drum Circle stays under the leadership of African and Black constituents and residents as opposed to our market being city-operated and under the city council's leadership.
4. To provide authorization for all food vendors to operate under community event permits and requirements as opposed to obtaining individual street vendor permits.
5. To provide ongoing funding for extra trash and collection throughout the week within Leimert Park Village.
6. To provide ongoing funding for Community Safe Team Ambassadors who will be responsible for the safety and security during the African Marketplace and Drum Circle.
7. To provide ongoing funding for the leasing of the space 3411 W. 43rd Place Los Angeles, CA 90008 so that it is used as a commercial kitchen and community market for vendors, residents, and community members.
8. To open the park every day so that the community has access to clean bathroom facilities, quality sanitation, and youth and family-friendly environment during the African Marketplace & Drum Circle.
Also, all financial contributions to help sustain our African Marketplace and Drum Circle will be greatly appreciated. Please support us here: https://donorbox.org/save-african-market-place
1. To protect and permanently designate the African Marketplace & Drum Circle as a historical monument to preserve African culture, create equitable and sustainable business ventures, and solve the local food desert crisis in our community.
2. To prohibit any farmer’s markets, flea markets, filming, or other special events that would displace the African Marketplace and Drum Circle.
3. To commit and maintain that the African Marketplace and Drum Circle stays under the leadership of African and Black constituents and residents as opposed to our market being city-operated and under the city council's leadership.
4. To provide authorization for all food vendors to operate under community event permits and requirements as opposed to obtaining individual street vendor permits.
5. To provide ongoing funding for extra trash and collection throughout the week within Leimert Park Village.
6. To provide ongoing funding for Community Safe Team Ambassadors who will be responsible for the safety and security during the African Marketplace and Drum Circle.
7. To provide ongoing funding for the leasing of the space 3411 W. 43rd Place Los Angeles, CA 90008 so that it is used as a commercial kitchen and community market for vendors, residents, and community members.
8. To open the park every day so that the community has access to clean bathroom facilities, quality sanitation, and youth and family-friendly environment during the African Marketplace & Drum Circle.
Also, all financial contributions to help sustain our African Marketplace and Drum Circle will be greatly appreciated. Please support us here: https://donorbox.org/save-african-market-place
Why is this important?
Background
The African Marketplace and Drum Circle within Leimert Park, also known as Africa Town, is a cultural hub that highlights the African Diaspora experience over a two-block area that consists of cafes, restaurants, book stores, beauty & boutique shops, bicycle & skate shops, health & wellness shops, African street vendors, and traditional African art, culture, and dance. The African Marketplace and Drum Circle was created to preserve and present the customs and traditions of African culture and heritage. Many of the merchants within Africa Town are small Black-owned business owners who support the African Marketplace and Drum Circle and help contribute to the cultural experience. They continue to create an atmosphere of empowerment, wellness, and unity amongst the residents through community events and celebrations that are free to the public.
Visitors from around the world stroll the marketplace smelling some of the best vegan cuisines and freshly brewed coffee you will find in Los Angeles. Visitors are immersed in a cultural experience through listening to live west African drumming and rhythms, and watching West African dancers. Our merchants and vendors offer handcrafted items such as jewelry, clothing, art, souvenirs, events, and much more to highlight the African and Black experience.
For holidays, the merchants and community members go all out with African and Black music from all over the diaspora, dancing and celebrating for days including Martin Luther King Jr. Day, African Liberation Day, Juneteenth, Black August, and many more. The African Marketplace and Drum Circle is a major tourist stop attracting visitors and celebrities from all over the world.
How can you help?
For the past few years, Black vendors in Leimert Park Village have expressed their concerns about the city's effort to push Black people and vendors out of the village. When addressing this concern during neighborhood and city council meetings, many city council officials have stated this concern is not true and that they want our vendors here, but actions speak louder than words.
First, vendors were told to get street vendor permits. We did.
Then, officials said to get a farmer’s market permit to close the streets and to make Sundays safer for the community. We did.
Then, they loaded us with fees that the city usually waives for farmer’s markets, thinking we couldn’t get the money. But we did.
Recently, we were told that our farmer’s market permit was being revoked by the city because we didn’t meet certain LAPD & LAFD safety requirements. But we came with receipts from LAPD & LAFD showing we did meet safety requirements.
Now we’re being told that the permit is still revoked, just because Mark Ridley-Thomas’ office can.
With this space being integral to the Black community, our culture, and our wellness we cannot let this happen. However, we cannot do it alone. Please stand with the African Market Place & Drum Circle and help us hold this space.
By signing this petition, you are affirming that you stand with the African Marketplace and Drum Circle and our demands requested of the Los Angeles City Council and Council District 10.
The African Marketplace and Drum Circle within Leimert Park, also known as Africa Town, is a cultural hub that highlights the African Diaspora experience over a two-block area that consists of cafes, restaurants, book stores, beauty & boutique shops, bicycle & skate shops, health & wellness shops, African street vendors, and traditional African art, culture, and dance. The African Marketplace and Drum Circle was created to preserve and present the customs and traditions of African culture and heritage. Many of the merchants within Africa Town are small Black-owned business owners who support the African Marketplace and Drum Circle and help contribute to the cultural experience. They continue to create an atmosphere of empowerment, wellness, and unity amongst the residents through community events and celebrations that are free to the public.
Visitors from around the world stroll the marketplace smelling some of the best vegan cuisines and freshly brewed coffee you will find in Los Angeles. Visitors are immersed in a cultural experience through listening to live west African drumming and rhythms, and watching West African dancers. Our merchants and vendors offer handcrafted items such as jewelry, clothing, art, souvenirs, events, and much more to highlight the African and Black experience.
For holidays, the merchants and community members go all out with African and Black music from all over the diaspora, dancing and celebrating for days including Martin Luther King Jr. Day, African Liberation Day, Juneteenth, Black August, and many more. The African Marketplace and Drum Circle is a major tourist stop attracting visitors and celebrities from all over the world.
How can you help?
For the past few years, Black vendors in Leimert Park Village have expressed their concerns about the city's effort to push Black people and vendors out of the village. When addressing this concern during neighborhood and city council meetings, many city council officials have stated this concern is not true and that they want our vendors here, but actions speak louder than words.
First, vendors were told to get street vendor permits. We did.
Then, officials said to get a farmer’s market permit to close the streets and to make Sundays safer for the community. We did.
Then, they loaded us with fees that the city usually waives for farmer’s markets, thinking we couldn’t get the money. But we did.
Recently, we were told that our farmer’s market permit was being revoked by the city because we didn’t meet certain LAPD & LAFD safety requirements. But we came with receipts from LAPD & LAFD showing we did meet safety requirements.
Now we’re being told that the permit is still revoked, just because Mark Ridley-Thomas’ office can.
With this space being integral to the Black community, our culture, and our wellness we cannot let this happen. However, we cannot do it alone. Please stand with the African Market Place & Drum Circle and help us hold this space.
By signing this petition, you are affirming that you stand with the African Marketplace and Drum Circle and our demands requested of the Los Angeles City Council and Council District 10.