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Activist ‘Sweet’ Alice Harris honored in Watts
'Sweet' Alice Harris in Watts on December 15, 2022.
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Genaro Molina
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Los Angeles Times for Getty Images
)
Topline:
Alice Harris, a longtime activist and founder of Parents of Watts, was once again honored by the community she’s worked in for decades.
Why now: Part of a street in Watts was named after Harris in a ceremony Monday on Lou Dillon Avenue, near an intersection that was dubbed “Sweet Alice Square” in June.
Why it matters: L.A. City Councilmember Tim McOsker, whose 15th district includes Watts, said at a ceremony Monday that Harris uplifts people, makes sure everyone’s dignity is respected, and that everyone has opportunities.
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“No one gets left behind,” he said. “She makes sure that she’s here in [the] community, for the people.”
The backstory: Harris, who grew up in Alabama and moved to Watts in 1959, has been an advocate in education, social services, civil rights, politics, and more. You can hear her life story in her own words, including how she earned the nickname "sweet" during a trip to Washington, D.C., through the UCLA Library Center for Oral History Research.
Go deeper: Learn more about “Sweet Alice.”
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