Many thanks to the following:
The James Irvine Foundation
We are deeply grateful to The James Irvine Foundation, which provided support
for this project. The James Irvine Foundation is a private, nonprofit grantmaking foundation
dedicated to expanding opportunity for the people of California to
participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society. For more information, see the
Irvine Foundation website.
Gary Phillips
South Central Rhapsody was written by Gary Phillips. Gary grew up in South Central Los Angeles. His political baptism was on the issue of
police abuse and he went on to work in the anti-apartheid movement, for the Peace Dividend and in solidarity efforts with
Cuba and Central America among other struggles. He has written op-eds and commentaries on race, politics and pop culture for
publications such as American Prospect, Colorlines, and the Los Angeles Times magazine, and has published various crime and
mystery novels and numerous short stories. Gary is also the editor of the recent Politics Noir anthology, and co-editor
of the well-received Darker Mask: Heroes from the Shadows and Cocaine Chronicles anthologies. His comics writing includes the
gangster mini-series, High Rollers. Please visit his website at:
www.gdphillips.com.
Steven Walters
The illustrations for South Central Rhapsody were created by Steven Walters. Steven was born in the Bronx, New York,
and began drawing at the age of five. He is the creator of the critically acclaimed graphic novel Never made to last, stories of:
Suburban Folklore, which chronicles a year in the life of five friends as they enter adulthood and face love, death,
betrayal, and self-discovery. Walters has also served as the writer/artist for Convention Confessional; and as the graphic
designer/artist for Long Island Mapzzles. Steven was trained at the School of Visual Arts in New York and also studied under
Comic Book Hall of Fame artist/writer Carmine Infantino. Further information is available at
www.ourobor.com.
We are also grateful to:
Gary De La Rosa, for his insightful introduction to the novel
Peter Harris, for preparing the resource guide for the novel
Johnny Lowe, for his creative rendering of the novel's lettering
Eliza Chavez-Fraga, for her skillful translation of the novel into Spanish, and to
Jonathan Paquette, for use of the title font for the novel
(323) 759-6063