LA Black Cultural District receives state funding

(The Center Square) - Thanks to $2.5 million in state funding, south Los Angeles may get a new Black cultural district, according to one of L.A.’s state senators. Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, D-Los Angeles, secured the funding earlier this year after the Legislature approved the money for the establishment of the Black cultural district, according to Smallwood-Cuevas’s communications director. “Black cultural spaces are under attack by the Trump administration, facing increased threats that undermine their critical role in preserving our history and communities,” Smallwood-Cuevas said in a news release. “Protecting these spaces by creating a Black Cultural District is needed now more than ever.” Smallwood-Cuevas and her communications director, Paulette Thornton, were unavailable for an interview on Friday. The $2.5 million of funding comes from the 2025 state budget, according to an email sent to The Center Square by Thornton on Friday. Smallwood-Cuevas moved forward with local organiz