The rain threatened to dampen the day, but South LA showed up anyway. On Saturday, Jan. 25, community members gathered under gray skies for a powerful workshop hosted by Reclaiming Our Sisters Everywhere South LA (ROSE SLA), with the support of Arts in California Parks. The event was a space for collective healing in response to the public health crisis of serial murders that targeted Black women in South Los Angeles.
Led by longtime activists Margaret Prescod and Trudy Goodwin, the workshop emphasized individual and community restoration, because grief without action is just devastation, and South LA refuses to be devastated any longer. As Black women continue to be disproportionately targeted by violence, the event served as both a memorial and a movement—honoring those lost while equipping the community with tools for resilience.
The gathering–the first in a series focused on healing intergenerational trauma–was centered on healing, and what better way to symbolize that than through learning about how plants can help us to heal, and art activity? Facilitated by Jessica Hernandez, the hands-on activity encouraged attendees to cultivate life in their homes and workspaces. It was a quiet yet powerful act—getting hands dirty, planting something that will grow, grounding grief into the soil and choosing life in the face of loss. Art supplies were provided, allowing attendees to decorate their plant pots with personal designs and messages, adding another layer of creativity and reflection to the healing process.
For decades, the Black Coalition Fighting Back Serial Murders has been at the forefront of demanding justice for the missing and murdered impoverished Black women of South LA. Founded in the 1980s, the coalition has relentlessly called attention to the serial killings that law enforcement and mainstream media have repeatedly ignored. Led by journalist and activist Margaret Prescod, the coalition has held vigils, organized protests, and pushed for accountability, ensuring that these crimes are neither forgotten nor excused. They also were a support for families and work to ensure the victims are not forgotten.
During the event, the names of known victims of one of the most infamous of the series of serial killings in South LA were spoken aloud beneath their photos, which lined the tent where the gathering took place.
As a part of its ongoing fight for justice and remembrance, the Black Coalition Fighting Back Serial Murders are working to secure a permanent memorial monument in a public park in the community where the murders took place the proposed memorial, would serve as a lasting tribute, ensuring that the lives of the victims are not forgotten and that the ongoing crisis of violence against Black women and the devaluation of the lives of some remains in the public consciousness.
ROSE SLA is a project of the Black Coalition Fighting Back Serial Murders and recognizes that justice isn’t just about catching a killer–it’s about healing the wounds that serial violence leaves behind. Black women in South LA live with the knowledge that their lives are often deemed disposable, and that realization is its own trauma. Saturday’s workshop sought to reclaim agency, reminding attendees that healing is an act of defiance.
A steady drizzle lingered throughout the afternoon, but it did nothing to deter the spirit of those in attendance. Some came with umbrellas, others braved the mist unbothered. The message was clear: no storm—literal or figurative—would keep this community from showing up for each other.
The program opened with African drumming and dancing. Participants shared stories, reflected on the lives lost, and supported one another through conversation and connection. Organizers made space for both grief and hope, balancing the weight of loss with the commitment to collective care.
“People think healing is just about moving on, but it’s also about remembering,” said one attendee, gently packing soil around the roots of their newly potted plant. “We’re here because these women deserve to be remembered, and we deserve to heal.”
The workshop was more than just an afternoon gathering—it was a call to continue the work. ROSE SLA and the Black Coalition Fighting Back Serial Murders are urging community members to stay engaged, demand justice, and push for systemic change. The event reinforced that healing and activism are not separate–they are intertwined.
As the event wound down, participants left with their plants in pots they decorated in hand, small reminders that healing takes time, care, and commitment. Just like those seedlings, South LA is still growing—rooted in resistance, watered by love, and determined to bloom.
For more information, please visit, rosesouthla.org.