The CalArts Community Arts Partnership (CAP), the Los Angeles
County Human Relations Commission and William S. Hart High
School cordially invite you to a reception & reading celebrate
the presentation of FOOD FOR THOUGHT, a book authored by
youth participants in the CAP/William S. Hart High School Creative
Writing Program.
When: Wednesday May 7, 2008 - 5:00pm
Where: William S. Hart High School Cafeteria
24825 Newhall Avenue
Newhall, CA 91321
Unity theme at
the diverse Pomona High
By Monica Rodriguez,
Staff Writer of Daily Bulletin
POMONA - With "The Pink Panther Theme" in the background,
a girl and a boy played the roles of detectives in long
raincoats armed with huge magnifying glasses searching
the Pomona High School gym Thursday for unity.
The search before about 800 members of the student
body was a central piece of Unity Week, designed to
improve relations on the diverse campus...more
World AIDS Day 2007
On November 30, students from Gardena High’s Peer Health
mentoring class and the Women’s Leadership Project gave
presentations to Health and Life Skills classes for
World AIDS Day, which is commemorated on December 1.
Students distributed posters and pamphlets that they
prepared with bullet points debunking myths and misconceptions
about HIV/AIDS contraction and facilitated discussion
with students on relationship communication, the “down
low” phenomenon in black/brown communities, and the
culturally specific challenges that black and Latina
women face around safe sex practices. Students were
joined by doctors from UCLA/Harbor Medical Center for
an in depth presentation on quality of life issues HIV/AIDS
patients encounter after their diagnoses.
On December 13th GHS Life Skills classes participated
in a day of dialogue on campus conditions. The sessions
were lead by seven student facilitators. The facilitators
lead students through an icebreaker, survey and discussion
on such topics as intergroup relations between young
people of different racial and cultural groups, youth-adult
relations, discipline, campus safety and cleanliness
and sexual harassment. Approximately two-hundred 9-11th
grade students participated in the activity. Survey
results will be used to develop an agenda for Healthy
Start’s new youth commission in January.
The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations
has been in existence for over 60 years working to improve
the way different groups of people get along in L.A.
County . We believe young people possess the keys to
unlock a future free from hate and discrimination and
we want YOU to get involved! Whether you’re a young
person, teacher, parent, guardian or community member,
sign up today and make social change in L.A. County
a part of your reality. It’s zerohour: the time to act
is now!
Martin Luther King, Jr. was honored by the Pomona High School students with a mural
that was presented to the student body during an assembly honoring the late civil rights leader.
The project is a collaborative effort between the school, the Pomona Unified School District,
the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission and "Hands on Inland Empire", a program of
the Inland Empire United Way.
Each of the five 4 by 7 foot panels has silhouettes of students engaged in diverse activities
such as studying, playing sports and spending time together. Each panel contains an inspirational
quote from King.
Sophomore Lori Phambui, one of the creators of the mural and shown on one of the silhouettes,
comments that the final product "promotes what he was all about, that everyone is equal."
***Note: Credit must be given to Monica Rodriguez, Daily Bulletin reporter.
Freedom Writers
Two of the more than 200 county-sponsored zerohour students pose for a photo as they enjoy
their all-day excursion to Paramount Studios, where they saw the movie "Freedom Writers" and met
with writers on the importance of journaling their life experiences. The students were thrilled
to meet with three of the young actors who were in the film. The event was sponsored by both
the L.A. County Human Relations Commission and its support group for fair media depictions,
The Media Image Coalition.
On October 24, 2007, Queen Rania of Jordan visited zerohour
school Taft High to hear from a diverse group of student
leaders about their work to reduce prejudice on their
campus and to talk about how these students’ efforts
embodies Her Majesty’s own commitment to promoting cross
cultural understanding. Taft High is one of six zerohour
schools committed to sustainable human relations programs
that work to reduce prejudice, discrimination and intergroup
violence on campus.
Queen Rania Visits Taft
High School Nov. 27,
2007, 6:23 p.m. PT
CBS feature on Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of
Jordan’s visit to zerohour school, William Howard Taft
High in Woodland Hills.
On Saturday October 13th, students from Gardena High
School's Women's Leadership Project participated in
the Mother's Day Radio (MDR) media literacy forum with
students from King-Drew High School and Peary Middle
School. The forum followed up on a presentation MDR
gave at the HRC's June women's leadership conference
and featured documentary filmmaker Byron Hurt (Beyond
Beats and Rhymes), KPFK's Some Us Are Brave radio show
and youth organizers from Take Back the Mic, a socially
responsible hip hop collective. Over 50 students from
both campuses participated in breakout sessions examining
imagery in hip hop music and video and the global role
of corporate America in the promotion and distribution
of mainstream rap and hip hop. ...More
The "Power and Privilege"
Workshop conducted by Taft High School
Student participants point to others who hold more
assets and privilege during the "Power and Privilege"
Workshop conducted by the Taft Campus Action Team...More
Teens Make A Difference
Day 2007: Crenshaw High School Eco Club Continued Their
Volunteer Work
1. A Crenshaw High School Eco Club member sports a
"Teens Make A Difference Day" tee-shirt. 2. Dale Hall,
a Parks and Recreation employee speaks to the Crenshaw
High School Eco Club members. The youth spent the night
under the stars and continued their volunteer work,
picking up litter, in the morning. 3. Richard Verches,
the Chief Deputy Director of the L.A. County Commission
on Human Relations, spoke to the volunteers about the
importance of volunteerism. 4. Teens plant vegetation
in the new area. 5. An Eco Club student volunteer picks
up trash as a volunteer. 6. Crenshaw High School teens
do their volunteer work in the outdoors.
Queen promotes tolerance,
acceptance at Los Angeles high school
AMMAN (JT) - Her Majesty Queen Rania on Wednesday visited
the William Howard Taft High School in Los Angeles to
support its integration programmes and promote her message
of tolerance and acceptance.
Five years ago, Taft High piloted an innovative and
bold programme to eradicate prejudice and intolerance
among its students. Since its inception, the Zerohour
campaign has successfully fought to tackle those problems
and promote multicultural inclusion. ..More
Teens Make A Difference
Day 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Informational Meeting: August 24 8-10am
Friendship Hall 3201 Riverside Drive L.A. 90027
RSVP: Jhuezo@hrc.lacounty.gov or (213) 974-6499
Teens Make a Difference Day - a way that the
L.A. County Commission on Human Relations Can Connect
with LA youth!
The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations
was recently approached by Connect L.A., a non-profit
organization committed to bring diverse groups together
through sharing resources and expertise on worthwhile
projects...more
Artesia High School Students Complete Intensive
Human Relations Summer Camp
In July, ten Artesia High School students completed
a two-week intensive human relations summer camp as
part of the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relation's
zerohour program in collaboration with the ABC Unified
Safe Schools Health Students grant. The camp was co-facilitated
by Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations
staff, Daniel Cacho and riKu Matsuda....more
Women's Leadership Conference
Service Learning and Social Justice Opportunities in
South L.A. West L.A. College, June 7, 2007
Approximately 120 students from Crenshaw, Dorsey, Gardena
and King-Drew High Schools and Audubon and Peary Middle
Schools attended the conference, which was held at West
L.A. College from 8:30-2:45. Students received registration
packets with material from sexual assault awareness advocate
Peace Over Violence, New Moon journal (elementary-middle
school), and zerohour, in addition to an evaluation form.
The conference commenced with original poetry and presentations
from Gardena High School zerohour students on the contributions
of unsung African American and Latina activists...more
L.A. COUNTY COMMISSION ON HUMAN RELATIONS, L.A. CITY AND COUNTY DEPARTMENTS OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND PARTNERS
RECEIVE A NATIONAL AWARD FOR TEENS MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY
For it leadership coordinating Teens Make A Difference Day 2007, a countywide day of volunteer and community service,
the Human Relations Commission and eight other agencies and non-profit partners were selected as one of ten National
Award recipients by USA Weekend Magazine and Points of Light Foundation.
At its April 22, 2008 meeting, the Board of Supervisors presented scrolls
to Robin Toma, Executive Director of the Human
Relations Commission, Russ Guiney, Executive Director
of L.A. Dept. of Parks and Recreations and representatives
of Connect LA, L.A. City Department of Recreation
and Parks - Class Parks Program, LAUSD Health
Education Programs, LAUSD Beyond the Bell branch,
L.A. Junior Chamber of Commerce and L.A. Conservation
Corps Clean n Green program...More
Hate Acts Decline at Hart High
By Sharon Cotal Signal Staff Writer of newmedia.the-signal.com
Acts motivated by prejudice against another student because of race, religion or sexual
orientation have decreased more than 50 percent in the Hart district compared to this time
last year, according to a report presented by Hart District Diversity Coordinator Greg Lee.
There were 24 bias-motivated acts, which include fighting, name calling and threats made
against someone because they are different, during the fall 2007 semester, compared to 52 reported
during the fall 2006 semester in the William S. Hart Union High School District...
more
Zerohour Writers Diary
Dear Diary,
Today was a marvelous day; my classmates and I had a chance to go to Paramount Studios on Melrose
in Hollywood and watched "Freedom Writers". This movie is a breathtaking movie that touches the heart.
Some students had already watched it so this gave them a chance to really analyze it...
more
Training Assists Social Justice Students
By: Jairo Sotelo, 12th grade
There's a new class on campus called social justice and diversity. The name says
it all, this class is about understanding our differences and by doing so
improving our way of interacting with each other on campus. Students have noticed
Pomona High has improved throughout the course of time. Pomona High continues to
improve in many aspects. The students here tend to get along better than in past
years. There are also less racial tensions among students and for the most part
everyone gets along...more
GSA Announcement
By: Mesha Carr
G is for Gay, S is for straight, and A is for Alliance. The GSA, (Gay Straight
Alliance) is a safe space for all LGBTQ students and their friends/allies to come
share their experiences. Whether you have questions that need to be answered, I
think that you might be interested in the same sex, or just need to make new
friends who share similar views; the GSA is the place to be! Despite the rumors,
this Is Not the " Gay Club"...more
