Since its founding in 2004, the colorful covers of Our Weekly newspapers have been designed to provoke thought for its readers. Last year’s editions featured an in depth portrait of philanthropist and humanitarian John Hope Bryant, the founder of Operation Hope. We also remembered the late entertainer and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte, as well as a review of how the ban on affirmative action may affect prospective Black college students. As OW celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024, please enjoy this recap of some of our top cover stories of 2023.
Defunding or reform?
LAPD shortage leads to community neglect
Caleb Pugh
Slave narrative occupies special place in literature - Our Weekly
“The slaves we saw on board the ship were chained together by the legs, so close they could not move. They were flogged very cruelly. I saw one of them […]
Merdies Hayes
Karen Bass fuses coalitions to solve city issues
Earlier this year, Mayor Karen Bass visited two homeless tent sites in South L.A. as part of the Inside Safe Initiative, which works to identify high-need homeless encampments that have chronic demands for services.
Lisa Fitch
John Hope Bryant — From Civil Rights to ‘Silver Rights’
Operation Hope Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant will be honored at the March 29 “Power Luncheon 2023,” hosted by
Lisa Fitch
Dr. Melina Abdullah on our collective community fatigue
“…through the propagation of false ideas of racial and national superiority, the artist, the scientist, the writer is challenged…
Gregg Reese
Harry Belafonte: A pivotal voice of Black America
It was 1968, a year fraught with turbulence at home and abroad. Early that year, Johnny Carson took the week off and turned the reins of “The Tonight Show” over to Harry Belafonte.
Merdies Hayes
Public school ‘resegregation’ finds Black students losing more ground
Phenomenon of majority-White school districts One year shy of the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, American schools remain highly segregated by race and class. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) did an analysis last year of the 2020-21 Common Core education data in reporting that more
Merdies Hayes
Surprising factors can affect your daily mental well-being
Mental Health Awareness Month May is not only viewed as the month when the season begins to change but, also as the month of mental awareness. Mental illness has become a concern for the nation as more people continue to suffer from some form of the disorder. In an interview
Caleb Pugh
Jim Brown: Transforming sports, movies, activism
NFL Hall of Famer dies at age 87 “If ever there was someone I tried to imitate it was The Great Jim Brown.” —Former Heavyweight Champion George Foreman “…what he did socially was his true greatness.” —LeBron James Once upon a time, in a forgotten urban neighborhood in the middle
Gregg Reese
Fossil image reveals clues about mankind’s ancient past
Scientists reconstruct face of early human One of the mysteries of the world is figuring out what ancient people looked like and how society functioned. When ancient societies are portrayed, depending on the region and era, they all look different and mimic stories passed down from parent to parent, folk
Caleb Pugh
Dot Todman advocates empowerment through acceptance and self-love
“Singing will force you to love the parts of yourself that you want to hide from the world.” —Dot Todman Like many Los Angeles expatriates, Dorothy “Dot” Todman’s path to success had its own wayward twists and turns. A renowned voice coach and teacher whose students have performed with
Gregg Reese
From the sanctuary to the hip hop soundstage
Ariyan Johnson journey to self discovery June is a month full of celebrations, including Juneteenth, Father’s Day, Pride, and graduation. For the past 44 years June is also recognized as Black Music Month, originally established by President Jimmy Carter and is a celebration of African-American musical contributions. There are
Erin Herriford
Doomsday Clock ticks forward in a time of increasing threats
How close to nuclear armageddon? As the anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki approaches and the recent release of the motion picture “Oppenheimer” hits the big screen, citizens worldwide are reminded of the ever-looming threat of worldwide destruction from nuclear weapons. Several conversations have sparked as a result
Erin Herriford
How ban on affirmative action impacts future college students
An uncertain pathway to higher education With the recent trial between SFFA vs. Harvard and SFFA vs. UNC, the United States Supreme Court decided to end the term of affirmative action( A.A.) in the college admissions process. With the end of this long-standing policy, many college applicants fear being
Caleb Pugh
All roads lead to Africa
Incursions by Russia’s Wagner Group The drama of Russia’s attempt to bring its former republic of Ukraine back into the fold added another chapter when the Wagner Group, a Private Military Company (PMC) largely unknown to much of the West, staged a rebellion (albeit short-lived) against their handlers
Gregg Reese
Racelighting, inauthentic messaging do great harm to Black community
Increasingly forced to question your history A few weeks ago Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a fiery response to new Florida secondary schools guidelines for Black history study. She specifically pointed out a section in the new curriculum that suggested that slaves benefited from the skills they learned and were
Merdies Hayes
Clarence Avant: A life marked by influence far beyond music
’Godfather of Black Music’ dies at age 92 Funeral services are pending this week for Clarence Avant, a prominent figure in the music industry who was known as the “Godfather of Black Music,” who died at his Los Angeles-area home on Aug. 13 at age 92. Avant’s influence spread
Our Weekly Staff
African-Americans and the Manhattan Project
It was more than Dr. Robert Oppenheimer By William Covington | OW Contributor Christopher Nolan is considered one of the leading filmmakers of the 21st century by executives in the movie industry. His films have grossed $5 billion worldwide. Individuals that have seen his recent creation, “Oppenheimer,” have once again accused
Our Weekly LLC
Stigma of ADHD is felt across all racial lines
A commonly misdiagnosed disorder Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a diagnosis that often contributes to a societal stigma for those affected by it as well as family members who must confront the issue on a daily basis. While prevalent among all ethnicities, within the Black community there are several
Erin Herriford
Black women’s hair products can often be harmful to health
Be watchful of how you style your ‘do’ Black hair has been a deeply-rooted and sensitive topic of discussion for many centuries. Dating back as far as slavery, Black hair was expected to be managed with head wraps and or tools that would alter the appearance of the “wooly,” “nappy”
Erin Herriford
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