For LACBC’s August Sunday Funday, we explored the historic sights of South LA and learned about the ever-changing community. Jay Aldridge, co-founder of the Crenshaw Bike Coalition, shared his insight on the neighborhood in which he grew up. First, we rolled by Fremont High School, Jay’s alma mater and one of LA’s oldest high schools, and checked out the campus.
We continued on to the original location of Pepperdine University on Vermont Blvd., which now serves as a congregation and is a time capsule of Streamline Moderne architecture. Down the street, we stopped at the local Constituent Service Center where LACBC Deputy ED of Advocacy, Cesar Hernandez, shared an update about our work on Active Streets LA.
Then, we stopped by the community-oriented Watts Coffee house, but due to our time constraints, we could not enjoy a sit-down meal before we hit the road. I highly encourage anyone in the area to check this place out: they hold open mics and other community events regularly.
We ended our South LA Sunday Funday at the Watts Towers Art center where we took a free tour of the perimeter of the Watts Towers. The towers are currently under renovation, which are expected to be completed in the year 2020. This was the first visit to this iconic place for many Angelenos on the ride!
The Watts Towers docent explained how the artist/creator Simon Rodia used the railroad tracks located behind his home to build the towers, and hand-bent each piece of rebar. This led to a group conversation about the shuttered Red Car system, transportation issues, and housing prices of then and now.
Once again, the ride was an enjoyable, well attended Sunday stroll. I am thrilled to create opportunities for people to visit, learn about and from different communities. LACBC has been incorporating local history into our rides of late. As the Rides and Events Coordinator, I have been organizing rides that highlight the often untold stories in the communities that make up LA county. The goal is to increase understanding of history, growth patterns, migration patterns, investment, disinvestment, and how we can move forward to create a more bike and pedestrian-friendly LA of tomorrow.
Please join us on one of our upcoming rides! Our next Sunday Funday (September 2) will be led by Walk Bike Long Beach and will highlight the diverse immigrant communities that makeup Long Beach. Then on September 16, we will be leading Metro BEST: Forgotten History of Venice, which will focus on the Oakwood community of color history and its fight to preserve it. Roll with us soon! – Areli Morales