“A protest or march has never solved a problem in the black community. But it puts the iss

“A protest or march has never solved a problem in the black community. But it puts the issue out there and it keeps the conversation going on the issue until we can figure out how we can solve the problem.”– Najee Ali, Los Angeles activistOver two decades of activism, 53-year-old Najee Ali has been a familiar face not only in Los Angeles’ black community, but on TV after events such as a controversial police shooting and gang violence. His outspokenness over the years toward police, politicians and others — including calling the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People and other groups “outdated” — have amassed him a collection of friends and foes.To some people, Najee Ali was best at promoting Najee Ali. But to supporters, Ali was effective at keeping the spotlight on certain issues even after media interest began to fade.He’s a throwback to another era of activism in L.A., an “old-school, in-your-face activist,” as one of his longtime friends, Kerman Maddox, put it. However now, after years in the spotlight, he’ll be taking a step back. He has stage 3 lymphoma – cancer. "The wear and tear with chemotherapy is taking its toll,“ he said.As he has tried to recover from the chemo treatments designed to keep him alive, he realizes he doesn’t always have to be on the ground to fight for social justice. So, he has turned to social media. "My whole life has been one of evolving,” Ali said. “So it dawned on me, let this be an opportunity to rest and heal, but evolve and do something different.”You can read more of Angel Jennings’ story here about this fixture in the social justice landscape of Los Angeles. Photos by Los Angeles Times  -- source link

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