Planned Leimert Park run spurs Black-Latino clash
Latino running group said is was ‘taking over’
Leimert Park
By Bo Tefu
Contributing Writer
LEIMERT PARK — Mayor Karen Bass urged Blacks and Latinos to resolve their differences constructively after a dispute over a Latino-led running event planned for Leimert Park Sept. 6 escalated into racial hostility online.
“Los Angeles is strongest when we listen to one another, treat every community with respect and work through our differences constructively,” Bass said in a statement she shared on Facebook.
Barrio Athletics, a grassroots fitness organization founded by South Los Angeles native Henry Gallardo, planned a 5K run with participants scheduled to meet in Leimert Park before running along Crenshaw Boulevard. In a promotional video, an organizer said the group would “take over the streets of Leimert Park.”
The language drew objections from Black residents and community leaders, who said organizers had not adequately consulted local stakeholders. They were also concerned that the gathering, which included plans for a DJ and vendors, would disrupt the Leimert Park Sunday Marketplace and other scheduled activities.
Leimert Park is widely regarded as the cultural heart of Black Los Angeles. Its weekly marketplace, food vendors and drum circle have long provided an economic and cultural gathering place for Black residents on Sundays. That history, compounded with lingering concerns about gentrification and the city’s declining Black population, intensified sensitivity to the event’s promotion.
“This is a historic Black district which we fought for and built up, its arts district, its cultural hub,” KBLA radio host Dominique DiPrima told Fox 11.
“You’re saying that you’re going to ‘take over’ is sort of like the last stand for Black LA,” DiPrima said.
In another widely circulated video, a woman warned organizers, “We don’t want you to come into Africa Town,” adding that they would be “met with resistance from the Black community.”
Community activist Najee Ali took to Facebook to lecture organizers from Barrio Athletics.
“Leimert Park Village has a long history of Black culture,” Ali said. “Leimert Park isn’t just a neighborhood — it’s a legacy. It’s home to generations of dreamers, builders, artists and healers who turned struggle into strength and built something the world now celebrates.
This is our history, our culture, our community,” he added. “Too many times, our neighborhoods get exploited while the people who built them get shut out. That ends with us.
Ali continued: “The fact that Barrio Athletics announced on [its] Instagram page that you’re bringing your own vendors is a slap in the face to Leimert Park Black vendors who have been there for years.
“If you want to operate, host, or build something in Leimert Park, earn the right to do it the right way,” he added. “There’s a process. Introduce yourself to the vendors, business owners and Leimert Park stakeholders.”
A separate Black social media user suggested, “We should call ICE,” drawing condemnation amid federal immigration enforcement concerns affecting Latino communities.
Barrio Athletics said it did not condone “racism, violence or hate.” Black and Latino community organizers later joined the group for what local L.A. radio station KJLH described as a “tough, but necessary conversation.”
Following “careful conversation with community leaders,” Barrio Athletics relocated the run to Elysian Park “to respect Leimert Park and the surrounding community.”
Bass denied claims that she had ordered the move, saying she had not known about the dispute before its resolution.
“Bringing people across racial, cultural and neighborhood lines together has been the foundation of my life’s work,” Bass said, “and it continues to guide how I lead this city today.”
Bo Tefu writes for California Black Media. Wave staff also contributed to this report.
