TAKE ACTION: Tell City Officials to Support the Watts Towers Arts Center and its Programs

Preservation News, Take Action! 8 years ago 4 Minute(s) to read

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Dear Friends,

Last week, the 40^th Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival and the 35^th Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival survived a SERIOUS THREAT from the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs. Due to their stated administrative strictures, they were going to withhold resources essential for the Festivals’ presentation this year. At the last minute, after months of sporadic discussions with Watts Towers Arts Center Campus staff and Campus community support groups, the present crisis was averted.

We ask you now to help us avoid such a crisis in the future! We need to show official Los Angeles the depth of support that the Watts Towers and its Arts Center has. Help us impress upon the representatives of Los Angeles city government the importance of open communication with the staff of the Watts Towers Arts Center and the representatives of the Campus community support groups who have worked over the years on site to plan, organize and present these vital community events.

We ask you to put your name to the letter we have prepared below and to send it to everyone on the “Mail to:” list beneath the letter.

Make whatever changes in the letter you feel will better reflect your perspective. Then send the letter to the first address on the list (Danielle Brazell, General Manager, Department of Cultural Affairs) and cc all the following names.

Please join us in continuing to protect the Watts community from the possibility of losing these public festival treasures that have represented our cultural heritage over four decades.

Thank you.

[SAMPLE LETTER below]

Dear Ms. Brazell,

I am grateful that the Department of Cultural Affairs has removed the obstructions threatening the production of the 40^th Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival and the 35^th Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival, scheduled for presentation on September 24 and 25. It is appalling to think that these cultural heritage treasures – the oldest continuously running annual music festivals offered free to the public in the City of Los Angeles – might not have been presented this year.

I stand by the Watts Towers Arts Center Campus staff and community support groups. I urge you to allow them in the spirit of open communication and mutual cooperation to continue to serve the City and our community and to showcase the riches of our cultural heritage under one of the world’s great monuments of architectural sculpture.

I ask as well that you help them seek the support of the City Councilman in whose district the Watts Towers Arts Center Campus has served to bring world-class arts exhibitions and professional arts and music education for over 50 years.

Rodia’s Nuestro Pueblo, the Watts Towers Arts Center and these historic heritage festivals are beacons of freedom, initiative and multi-ethnic harmony. The City of Los Angeles cannot afford to have such powerful symbols of peace and community be lost in these troubled times that we all must face together.

Sincerely yours,

YOUR NAME

In support of

The Watts Towers Community Action Council

The Friends of the Watts Towers Arts Center

The Parents of the Watts Towers Arts Center Campus

The Watts Towers Arts Center Youth Board

Mail to:

danielle.brazell@lacity.org; daniel.tarica@lacity.org; Leslie.a.thomas@lacity.org; eric.garcetti@lacity.org; barbara.romero@lacity.org;

Edgar.garcia@lacity.org; luis.rivera@lacity.org; Joel.jacinto@la.city.org; Mike.davis@lacity.org; controller.galperin@lacity.or g;

joe.buscaino@lacity.org; Councilmember.wesson@lacity.org; david.ryu@lacity.org; councilmember.harris-dawson@lacity.org; councilmember.price@lacity.org; paul.koretz@lacity.org; Markridley-thomas@bos.lacounty.gov; sawoods@parks.ca.gov; leslie.hartzell@parks.ca.gov; Terry.nicholson@mail.house.gov;