Alejandra Molina
Laddie Williams is photographed on Sunday, July 11, 2021, outside First Baptist Church of Venice in Los Angeles. Williams, a lifelong Oakwood resident, began sitting outside the church in 2017, in protest of the sale of the church. Others became involved in the churchâs preservation efforts after seeing her sitting outside the church. (Alejandra Molina/RNS via AP) July 27, 2021 - 12:01 PM
LOS ANGELES (RNS) â On a recent Sunday, about 10 people sat outside the steps of the boarded-up First Baptist Church of Venice, a century-old congregation that, to many, remains a symbol of the thriving Black population that once existed in the seaside town of Los Angeles.
By ALEJANDRA MOLINA
Religion News Service
LOS ANGELES (RNS) â On a recent Sunday, about 10 people sat outside the steps of the boarded-up First Baptist Church of Venice, a century-old congregation that, to many, remains a symbol of the thriving Black population that once existed in the seaside town of Los Angeles.
They discussed potential uses for the church that would benefit the community. It could reopen as a library to highlight the Black history of the Oakwood neighborhood, some suggested. Maybe it could host coding classes for kids or serve as a space for interfaith gatherings. They also shared childhood memories of the church and lamented the forces transforming Venice from a working-class and bohemian artist enclave to a wealthy neighborhood. They bemoaned the new geometric boxed houses lining the streets â houses they said feel out of character with the area.
LOS ANGELES (RNS) On a recent Sunday, about 10 people sat outside the steps of the boarded-up First Baptist Church of Venice, a century-old congregation that, to many, remains a symbol of the thriving Black population that once existed in the seaside town of Los Angeles.
They discussed potential uses for the church that would benefit the community. It could reopen as a library to highlight the Black history of the Oakwood neighborhood, some suggested. Maybe it could host coding classes for kids or serve as a space for interfaith gatherings. They also shared childhood memories of the church and lamented the forces transforming Venice from a working-class and bohemian artist enclave to a wealthy neighborhood. They bemoaned the new geometric boxed houses lining the streets houses they said feel out of character with the area.
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