The Compton Cowboys

By Cameron Davis:

Photo Credits: Compton Cowboys

Riding their horses through the streets of South Central Los Angeles, the Compton Cowboys are a group of childhood friends who were brought together through equestrian culture. Through horseback riding, this group is able to combat harmful stereotypes that dominate the Black community, and especially its youth. 

The Compton Cowboys wouldn’t have been established without the Compton Jr Posse coming to rally these boys together and making them become close friends over 20 years ago. The Compton Jr Posse is a non-profit organization founded by Mayisha Akbar based in a semi-rural area within Compton called Richland Farms. This area has been home to African American horse riders for over 50 years. 

After the Civil War, African Americans liberated from slavery first appeared in the South West region to seek out job opportunities as cow herders and ranchers. African Americans as cowboys were a significant part of American history. Migratory patterns from the South to the West Coast brought Southern cultural practices and horseback riding. However, they were erased from historical narratives and portrayals of cowboys in the entertainment industry.  

However, equestrian is not an economical sport or activity and the Compton Cowboys heavily rely on donations and grants in order to maintain their farm and horses. Support from the local community is also another way they collect funding. 

Unfortunately, the city of Compton is notorious for being mentioned in dozens of rap songs and films that bring up gangs, drugs, and violence and overall has a poor reputation, with the murder rate being doubled compared to the national average. For the youth of Compton who don’t want to start a lifestyle of gang violence, the Compton Cowboys have provided a positive alternative. When riding your horse down the street, gangs won’t bother you since they know you’re from Richland Farms and not another gang. Their motto, “The streets raised us, the horses saved us,” strives to attract more youth from Compton. 

Today, the Compton Cowboys participate in competitions and have been trying to get involved in rodeo circuits to add a Black presence in this predominantly white space. Throughout Los Angeles, they perform in parades for their local communities. 

Additionally, in the music industry, Grammy Award-winning artist Beyonce has paid homage to Black rodeo stars with her newest country album, “Cowboy Carter.” Born in Texas, known to be the hot spot for rodeos and horseback riding, Beyonce highlights the influence of Black cowboys in the South, which is integral to American history and often overlooked. 

The Compton Cowboys continue to combat harmful stereotypes through their online presence and show outside communities previous Black cowboys and how there is a growing number of African Americans involved in the rodeo and cowboy world. 

If you’re a SoCal native or from elsewhere in the world and want to see the continuation of the Compton Cowboys, please donate here: https://comptonjrequestrians.org/donate/

Green Shirt Metro Ambassador Program

By Cameron Davis:

Photo Credit: LA Metro

Every day, 900,000 people ride the Metro in Los Angeles. The Metro transit system has implemented a system to help improve the transportation experience to be safer and more enjoyable for riders. The Green Shirt Ambassadors program has been in effect for the past year and is trying to turn around its decline in ridership. At most train stations, you can find these ambassadors in their bright, lime green shirts and black pants. 

Metro first commenced the pilot version of the program in September 2022, with 350 ambassadors working for a year. The Green Shirt Ambassadors were initially created as an alternative to using law enforcement for fare jumpers, vandalists, and other crimes after the murder of George Floyd. These ambassadors' duties entail helping riders onto train platforms, helping people navigate around significant disruptions, and assisting elderly people when escalators are broken. From 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends, these ambassadors are working to improve the Metro experience. 

These Green Shirt Ambassadors help prevent instances such as when a 23-year-old man was stabbed to death on a Metro train back in September, according to a K-Television Los Angeles article. The suspect, Randy Nash, stabbed the victim without any provocation and fled the station on foot right after. Although the Los Angeles Fire Department was able to take the victim to the hospital, unfortunately, he died later due to his severe injuries. 

Because of these dangerous events, there has been a decline in the number of people using public transportation. According to a Los Angeles Times Article, prior to the pandemic, 53 percent of riders were female, but this declined to 49 percent in 2022. However, after the Metros Ambassador Program was implemented, the percentage increased by 10 percent, making a steady return to the number of riders pre-pandemic. 

While the ambassador program has been in action for only six months, their staff report stated that they prevented 52 opioid overdoses, helped 20 people with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and prevented several suicide attempts. Survey results from Metro noted that 63 percent of riders said they feel safer and more at ease when they see an ambassador riding with them or at the station. 

In an interview with Sarah Skelley, the Upper School Latin teacher, she shared her experience as someone who has been riding the Metro since 2019 and the challenges she has faced. 

“I had an incident right across from an ex-couple fighting that became physical, and led to assault,” Skelley said.“If [the Metro Ambassadors] had been there for many of these incidents, it might have helped…having people there would at least stop things from escalating, people could step in.”

Since August, Metro has spent $23.5 million on the program, and for the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year, they were allotted a $20 million budget. 

Los Angeles is known to be an unwalkable city, so owning a car or taking public transit are the two options when traveling to work or running errands. However, not everyone has the luxury of owning a car or taking an Uber everywhere, so they take the Metro, which also helps offset traffic. Making sure that riders arrive at their destination safely, whether it’s work or grocery shopping, is a priority of the Green Shirt Ambassadors. After its first year in action, the ambassador program has made significant changes in the Metro experience and will continue to do so. 

Simply Wholesome

By Cameron Davis:

In 1984 Percell Keeling had a vision to create a space that offered healthy food and also to serve as a gathering spot for the community.

Simply Wholesome was originally a small health food store, providing organic produce, nutritional supplements and fresh fruit smoothies. It soon expanded to include a restaurant, becoming the go-to spot for those seeking delicious and nutritious meals with a Caribbean flair.

The restaurant became quite popular and offered a diverse menu, with a wide range of options. Their menu offers everything from vegetarian dishes to soul food classics all with a healthy twist. Customer favorites include the Jamaican Spinach Pattie if you’re in a rush and need a quick bite on the go. If you have a little bit more time to spare the Blackened Salmon and steamed veggies are another popular healthy favorite.

Located on Slauson Blvd in the Windsor Hills / View Park neighborhood Simply Wholesome is a cultural hub in the Los Angeles community. On any given day you can find customers studying at a table, debating current events on their patio or strolling the aisles of the health food section where knowledgeable employees are happy to help you choose everything from the best immune boosting teas to healing crystals.

For almost 40 years Simply Wholesome has served the community. It has survived the Rodney King riots and Covid lockdowns. Much like the tree of life logo prominently displayed in the store, it is a symbol of strength and stability with it’s roots planted firmly in the ground. Both are a symbol of unity and show that we are all connected while outstretched arms welcome and embrace all who enter - providing healing and renewal through their healthy meals.