Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Anti-Racism Protest Against Donald Sterling To Take Place In Downtown

An anti-racism protest in response to Clippers owner Donald Sterling's alleged racist rant will take place on Tuesday in downtown—and it also coincides with the 22nd anniversary of the L.A. riots.Civil rights groups and activists including the NAACP, Nation of Islam and National Hispanic Media Coalition will be in attendance for the "Los Angeles is Better Than Donald Sterling Anti-Racism Protest and Rally." The rally is for "Angelenos of all races and ethnicities offended by the racist comments of L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling," according to a press release from the organizers. The gathering is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. at Figueroa Street and Pico Boulevard in front of the Staples Center with the rally launching at 6 p.m., just before the Clippers game that day at 7:30 p.m.
A media firestorm ensued after TMZ got ahold of an audio recording on April 25 of Sterling allegedly telling his former girlfriend, V. Stiviano that she shouldn't bring black people to his Clippers games, and not to post Instagram photos of black people as well. Clippers team members wore their shirts inside out as a silent protest at a game over the weekend. Clippers' sponsors like State Farm and CarMax are pulling out their ads from the team in the wake of the Sterling tape recording.
There will also be speakers in attendance at the rally, including representatives from the NAACP, Najee Ali and Rev. KW Tullos of the National Action Network, Marqueese Harris-Dawson of Community Coalition, Dr. Melina Abdullah, Professor and Chair of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles and Minister Tony Muhammad of the Nation of Islam.
According to the organizers' press statement:
“Donald Sterling’s comments do NOT represent Los Angeles and the millions of collective voices of minorities who call Los Angeles home,” commented co-organizer Jasmyne Cannick. “Los Angeles is better than and bigger than Donald Sterling and his racism. If Donald Sterling doesn’t want blacks and other minorities at his game, as Angelenos we are only happy to oblige him. But we want to make it clear, there is no place in Los Angeles 22 years after the 1992 Civil Unrest for racists like Donald Sterling. L.A. is better than that and together, black, white, Latino, Asian, and every other minority represented in Los Angeles will stand together and lift our collective voices in support of the players, the team, and our city.”
More information about the protest can be found here.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.