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Commission rules First Baptist Church of Venice will not become a monument
The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission rejected a proposal to name the First Baptist Church of Venice as a historic cultural monument.
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Emily Elena Dugdale/KPCC
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Commission rules First Baptist Church of Venice will not become a monument
The vote by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission to reject the monument was disappointing to the small group of supporters in the audience.
They say the now-closed First Baptist Church of Venice was the heart of the historically Black community in the Oakwood neighborhood. Redlining in the 1900s made this neighborhood one of the few places in the area Black people could live.
Now the area is gentrifying. Multi-millionaire Jay Penske bought the property in 2017 and plans to turn it into a mansion.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
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