Like every year, the story is repeated of thousands of Latino and African American families who depend on the solidarity of non-profit entities to have a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.
At the Algin Sutton Recreation Center, south of Hoover Street, the distribution of 750 turkeys was insufficient to meet family demand.
“I am only following the legacy of my ancestors,” said Cherisse Weaver, president and CEO of Brotherhood Crusade. “I do everything for the people who inspired me and helped me understand that those who can must serve.”
In collaboration with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, the Mookie Betts 50/50 Foundation, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the Kathryn Kurka Children’s Health Fund, McDonald’s and Los Angeles Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, hundreds of volunteers handed out baskets containing a whole turkey and all the fixings needed to cook it.
“I honestly think I have the best job in the world,” Chesisse Weaver added. “I work for the community. I work for young people.” Her father, Walter Bremond founded the community organization in 1968. She assumed leadership of Brotherhood Crusade in 2005, following the retirement of Danny Bakewell.
Although the mission of Brotherhood Crusade was focused on improving the quality of life and addressing the unmet needs of low-income, marginalized, underrepresented and excluded people from society, the Afro-descendant community has been joined by the Latino community.
Data revealed in 2023 during the Summit to Eradicate Poverty highlights that the south of the city of Los Angeles is where health inequalities, social exclusion and public health problems related to poverty are most prevalent. In Los Angeles there are 700,000 individuals living in poverty and 43,699 are homeless.
They appreciate the generosity
Adding to the statistics are Enrique Ruiz, his wife Stephanie and their 16-month-old daughter Valerie, new residents of south central Los Angeles, who were fortunate to receive a turkey for the Thanksgiving feast and some basic necessities for their daughter.
“What these people do for humanity for the community is very laudable,” said Enrique, a 34-year-old Venezuelan-Cuban, who on December 31 will celebrate two years of having emigrated to the United States.
Enrique told La Opinión that, because he does not have a permanent job, there was no way he could have money to go to the market and buy a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.
In the same line for the free delivery of groceries was Salvadoran Delmi Rivas. She arrived at 4:00 am and was among the first to be served by Anthony Epherian, a Brotherhood Crusade volunteer.
“I wasn’t going to come, but I have four children and we have to make them some dinner,” he said. “I hope the turkey comes out juicy.”
“I will put it in the oven or I can also make it in mole or pozole, Mexican style,” María Alvarado added. “If I prepare it, my husband will eat it!”
“They have sunk the economy”
Marqueece Harris-Dawson, president of the Los Angeles Council, stated that when he sees families in need, “we see a triumph, because the community is finding a way to help each other when corporations exploit us and do not offer jobs so that people can pay and buy food with the basics.”
“When the government doesn’t provide enough housing so people can buy food, we come together and achieve [ayudarles]”, said.
The representative of District 8 of the city also emphasized that the event was not only for people of African descent but also for Latinos.
“This community works together. The neighbor works with whoever lives next to them. It doesn’t matter if people are African-American or Latino. For each neighbor, it doesn’t matter. They live on the same street, they have the same conditions, and if their family is hungry, that affects me too,” he said.
In addition to acknowledging the plight of the communities’ economic conditions, Harris-Dawson also criticized President Donald Trump’s administration, which was supposed to fix the country’s economy and the cost of living is too high for poor families,
“They have completely tanked the economy, especially here in Los Angeles. They have cut hundreds of thousands of jobs, tens of millions of dollars in services, and at the same time they have skyrocketed the cost of living,” he failed. “They are depressing the ways people make money and increasing the cost of living. It’s a total disaster, and I can’t wait for it to be over.” [el gobierno de Trump]”.
However, he emphasized that in the near future people will realize the truth and will not believe the hoax.
“The game will be over, and the people will make them pay for their crimes against them. I think that is what is going to happen to the Republican Party,” stressed the Los Angeles councilman.
“Give back to the community”
Nicole Whiteman, executive director of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF), emphasized that the two-time champions of the Baseball World Series, it is very important to give back to the community each year.
“Our community is our fans. They are very loyal and very committed to the Dodgers organization,” he said. “And many members of our community, whether they go to Dodger Stadium or not, support the franchise and the team in an incredible way.”
Whiteman reported that it is the Dodger Foundation’s responsibility to make sure people have what they need.
“We believe that Los Angeles has very urgent problems, and that is why we focus on addressing education, homelessness, health care and social justice,” he said.
The outfielder, shortstop and second baseman of the two-time champion Los Angeles Dodgers, Markus Lynn “Mookie” Betts returned to the Algin Sutton Recreation Center to distribute bags of turkeys, along with his wife, Brianna Hammonds, and spoke of his connection to the Los Angeles city.
“It’s a little strange. It seems like it hasn’t been that long, but since I’ve been here, little by little I’ve been able to integrate into the city,” the player said.
Since 2020, LADF and “Mookie” Betts’ 50-50 Foundation have contributed more than $717,000 to support the work of the Brotherhood Crusade and advance its community initiatives.
With this latest contribution, Betts continued his work in the Los Angeles community after recently being awarded the 2025 Roberto Clemente Award, the highest individual recognition for a player in Major League Baseball.
Nostalgia invades a Venezuelan
A year and a half ago, Mariela Hernández arrived in the United States from the state of Farinas, Venezuela, and, given that the economic situation is pressing during this time of year-end holidays, she attended an event to distribute turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner.
“The cold in New Jersey forced me to come to California,” said the 50-year-old woman, who stood in line for four hours – starting at 6:00 am – to receive a food item.
Mariela is not only concerned about her economic situation and lack of work, but also about the absence of her daughter Omarling, 28, and her parents, Miguel Hernández and Graciela Leal, who remained in their country.
“Since we got here, it hasn’t been easy,” says the professional nurse who fled Venezuela due to threats to her life and who suffered political persecution, between sobs.
Mariela was part of the nursing union at the hospital in Farinas. I worked in the neonatology area where numerous violations were committed to the safety of newborns: there were no supplies for medical care, the staff was negligent, and the workers were mistreated.
She reported these irregularities and, in retaliation, they stole her car and shot up the house where she lived. She was threatened with death and had to live in exile for two years in Peru.
“Then I returned to Venezuela and the harassment continued. “It was then that I decided to emigrate to the United States.”
In this nation he was granted asylum, thanks to the credible fear he could demonstrate, and he was granted a work permit.
In New Jersey she worked taking care of the children of a Jewish family and, in Los Angeles, where she arrived two months ago, she still has not been able to settle into a permanent job.
“My life is still very unstable,” said the Venezuelan woman. “But with faith in God I know that everything will get better.”
Since she lives alone, in the midst of nostalgia, she mentioned that she will bake her turkey, following a recipe on the Internet, and share it with her neighbors.