Sahra Sulaiman
Sahra is Communities Editor for Streetsblog L.A., covering the intersection of mobility with race, class, history, representation, policing, housing, health, culture, community, and access to the public space in Boyle Heights and South Los Angeles.
Recent Posts
Proposed Ordinance Treats Street Vendors as Streetscape Amenities Rather than Community Assets
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The gentleman who sets up on the residential corner two blocks from my apartment is a neighborhood fixture. Under the proposed sidewalk vending ordinance making its way through city council, his fruit stand would be illegal.
Rallygoers Demanding Justice for Hit-and-Run Victim Frederick “Woon” Frazier Crash Community Meeting on Safe Streets
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Staff from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) had already packed up their Vision Zero maps and materials and headed out the back of the Mark Ridley-Thomas Constituent Service Center by the time the “Justice for Woon” rally attendees arrived last Thursday evening. The rallygoers – members of the Chief Lunes crew and friends […]
You Can’t Plan Mexican Hot Chocolate: How Monique López Deploys a Justice Lens in Her Engagement of Street Vendors
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Monique felt it was imperative to begin, as she always did, with the basics: How does this ecosystem work and what does it need to thrive?
Civil Rights Giant John Mack Leaves L.A. So Much Better than He Found It
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Today, as Los Angeles mourns the passing of life-long civil rights advocate John Mack, we take a moment to reflect on what Mack’s loss means for the city and for the communities he fought so hard to uplift. He forced the city to be so much better than it ever aspired to be and we […]
LAPD Announces Arrests in Hit-and-Runs that Killed Frederick Frazier and Injured Quatrell Stallings
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"There is no human language to describe the pain."
Long-Awaited Watts Skate and BMX Park Takes Significant Step Forward
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At the Watts Gang Task Force meeting Monday morning in Watts, Councilmember Joe Buscaino announced that he had finally secured the necessary $925,000 in funds and a location for a combination skate and BMX bike park that the community has been waiting for for at least a decade. [If you can’t see the video, click here.] […]
When an Accidental Planner Brings Intentionality to Her Work: A Conversation with Monique López of Pueblo Planning
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“Once you change the city planning process," says Monique López, founder of the participatory planning and design firm Pueblo Planning, "you're going to change the city in a manner that's more equitable, that's more sustainable, that's more human, and that's more just."
Ground Breaks on Improvements for Streets Around Breed, Sheridan Schools
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Given that approximately 80 percent of all students live within a quarter-mile of both schools and two-thirds of all students walk or bike to class, the improvements are welcome.
Hit-and-Run Driver that Killed Frederick “Woon” Frazier Turns Herself in; Details Still Emerging
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Last week, reports emerged on social media that suspects in the hit-and-run that killed 22-year-old Frederick “Woon” Frazier on April 10 had been identified. Multiple calls to the LAPD to confirm that those named were actually suspects were not returned. But the saga continued to unfold on social media. South Central is a much smaller […]
Los Ryderz Celebrate Six Years of Community-Building in Watts
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It's tough love, to be sure. But the love couldn't be more genuine, and the members of the club have always known it.
“I Can’t Go Everywhere that I Thought I Could Go”: When Black and Brown Cyclists Need Safety from More than Traffic
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"I knew where I was," muses Slimm, the 25-year-old road captain from the Los Ryderz Bike Club regarding his fateful decision to roll past 65th on Broadway - the heart of East Coast Crips territory, "but I was just riding by..."
County Wins Control of Vermont/Manchester Lots in Superior Court Ruling
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Thursday's ruling approving the County's bid to acquire the lots from developer Eli Sasson via eminent domain effectively closes the book on the 26 years the community has been held hostage to blight.