With support from The James Irvine Foundation in 2007 and 2008, the Southern California Library undertook a project to produce a graphic novel exploring the roots of community conflict in South L.A. The graphic novel, produced with well-known artists Gary Phillips and Steven Walters, is targeted to young people ages 13-25 and is intended to serve as an innovative and creative way for youth, their families, teachers, other residents, and local civic leaders to deepen their understanding of the underlying causes and complexity of the violence and conflict they experience in their lives on a daily basis.

The project is based on the premise that while the predominately Black and Latino/a youth living in South L.A. experience disproportionate rates of violence, low levels of education, poverty, homelessness, and incarceration, there exists too few public spaces and tools that allow for discussions of why things are the way they are.

We hope the the novel, as well as the accompanying resource guide and other materials available on this website for educators, students, readers of the graphic novel, and others will contribute towards helping all of us, especially youth, make connections between the history of our communities and conditions we face today, as well as identify proactive strategies and solutions for change.

Please feel free to contact us for more information about this project: 323-759-6063 (phone) or email: web@socallib.org