Cycling Through South Central

14 Jul Cycling Through South Central

Youth leaders, who are participagting in Community Coalition’s (CoCo) Summer Youth Program, will take a bike tour throughout South Los Angeles. The 15-mile ride will harness the energy of youth organizing in our communities while providing the next generation of community leaders with the history they need to understand how to make their neighborhoods safer and healthier places to live.

This is the second CoCo Bike Tour of the year. The first excursion occurred on May 21st, during “Culture Cures: Community Re-Activation and Healing.” The series was designed to provide a platform for residents to inspire a culture of civic participation through creative arts and cultural-based programming.

During the first tour, participants listened to captivating stories and first-hand experiences of community members concerning the 1992 Uprising. SCYEA alum Kamari Brown also shared her story of attending Crenshaw High School and leading the fight to win more resources for her school. In addition, the tour made stops at contemporary community spaces and landmarks focused on preserving Black history and culture, including Destination CrenshawCrenshaw Dairy Mart, the Marathon Clothing Store, and El Mercado La Paloma.

Youth leaders will kick off the tour at CoCo’s headquarters. The first stop of the day will be at Algin Sutton Park, which recently underwent a revamp and includes an 8,800-square-foot swimming pool 4,200-square-foot mirrored splash pad, and 6,500 square feet of dedicated lounge areas and changing facilities. Once there, tour participants will hear the history behind the mural dedicated to the memory of Latasha Harlins, a local teen whose 1991 murder at the hands of a liquor store owner was a contributing factor to the 1992 LA Uprising. 

Additionally, the tour will visit the Selena mural–a massive, doll-like version of Selena by Latina graffiti artist Sandoner located on 76th and Central. The mural was painted to honor the legendary Selena Quintanilla on the 20th anniversary of her death. From start to finish, participants will learn about the critical contributions of Black and Brown people regarding culture, organizing, and art in South Central.

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