Written for a course examining the Black Lives Matter movement, this paper examines the historical and systemic racial profiling and oppression of blacks in the greater Los Angeles County through the use of California’s passing of AB 953, past redlining practices that led to the decline of neighborhoods filled with minorities, and the stereotypes in which that allowed people to express bias towards different racial and ethnic groups. It further examines how Kendrick Lamar, a Compton native, has influenced the protestors and activists working towards change alongside the Black Lives Matter movement.

Coming to the Forefront of America: The Racial Disparity of Los Angeles County

Introduction

Los Angeles County is a large landscape that frames 88 Southern California cities and is one of the United States’ most ethnically diverse counties. It’s usually known for its appeal to tourists and sport enthusiasts with its iconic Hollywood, the Lakers, the Angels, and palm trees and sandy beaches. However, this large landscape is also home to racial disparities brought on by house redlining, and poor police practices. Its ethnic diversity is parallel to its economic diversity in which its residents are “very rich and very poor.” It is a place in which there have been 677 people killed by the police in L.A. County since Jan 1, 2000 (as of March 17, 2016). Of these deaths, several have outraged the community and met with protests against the actions of a biased police. Outside of Governor Jerry Brown’s office, Black Lives Matter organizers and members of the community joined together in protest of these actions and to help push the passing of AB 953.

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