Breakup Pitched to South L.A.

With visions of a smaller, more responsive and sensitive local government, proponents of breaking up Los Angeles on Saturday targeted African Americans in South Los Angeles as part of their campaign to increase support for dividing the nation’s second-largest city into three parts.

Should the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood form independent cities, residents in a downsized Los Angeles would benefit from improved public services, eased access to City Council members and increased political power in their ethnic communities, secession advocates told the two dozen African Americans attending a breakfast forum at Farmer’s Restaurant in Inglewood.

“This city has turned an arrogant ear to all of us,” said Jeff Brain, president of the pro-secession group Valley Vote. Those in the audience were divided over that appeal: Some said they were persuaded, but others expressed skepticism that breaking the Valley off from L.A. would have benefits for the city it left behind.

Los Angeles voters will decide Nov. 5 whether the Valley and Hollywood--which together account for about 40% of the city’s population--should secede.

The polite, two-hour discussion was hosted by Earl Ofari Hutchinson, a secession opponent, South-Central author and president of the nonprofit National Alliance for Positive Action.

He said more forums are needed to educate ethnic minorities about the breakup movement.

“A lot of people don’t know much about the issue,” Hutchinson said. “It’s not like O.J. Simpson, where every day there’s a story in the media.”

Despite pitches for separate cities, skepticism dominated talk at the family diner on La Brea Avenue, where waitresses served strong coffee and grits and knew customers by name.

“Our instinct is to be suspicious,” said Karen Bass, a South-Central community activist and a City Council candidate in the 8th District. “But I’m just not convinced there is anything good about secession.”

Other participants complained that racism is a driving force behind the Valley secession movement.

“Sometimes, I think people want to see black people powerless,” said Pearl Jr., a Van Nuys homeowner and author whose comments Saturday received applause. “ ... Many white people seem to want to maintain their wealth and power.”

However, secessionists argued that the Valley, once a white bedroom community of stucco homes with pools, is ethnically diverse, if somewhat less so than the rest of Los Angeles.

The new city’s population would be 43% Latino, 41% white, 9% Asian/Pacific Islander and 4% black.

“I don’t think race has anything to do with secession,” Brain said.

Adrian Dove, an African American management consultant who lives in southwest Los Angeles, said he supports the municipal division.

“I believe in self-determination,” he said. “If the Valley and Hollywood want to go, then that’s good.”

He said African Americans and Latinos remaining in Los Angeles would increase their political clout and representation on the City Council. “I think ethnic groups could benefit,” said Dove, president of the California Congress for Racial Equality.

But Lucille Saunders told the diners she feared the consequences of a smaller Los Angeles. “It would further divide and disintegrate the city,” said Saunders, who lives within the proposed boundaries for an independent Hollywood. “ ... I’m here because I’m scared.”

Secessionists said Saturday that they plan to continue reaching out to ethnic minorities in an effort to build alliances with the African American and Latino communities across the rest of the city of Los Angeles.

“Today,” Brain said, “we planted a seed.”