Many men have been thrust into the spotlight, only to see their principles crumble at the first sign of adversity. It is those who stand strong in the face of hate that we remember, and two of those men will be in Los Angeles on Thursday for a timely conversation on the state of race relations in America. Join KCET's Erin Aubry Kaplan as she moderates this talk between James Lawson and Terrence Roberts, two lasting figures of the Civil Rights Era.

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"If you surround yourself with the right people, there is hope; you become that amazing advocate that your children will need."

Areva Martin is a nationally recognized leader in the realm of law as well as the realm of advocacy for children with developmental disabilities. Through concerted, grassroots outreach programs and legal initiatives, her organization's efforts have evinced significant gains in the quality of diagnosis and treatment options available to the families of thousands of special needs children in her South Los Angeles community.

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"We want to develop music programs to let kids know that [music] is not a complicated, magical issue. It should be accessible to everyone."

Billy Mitchell's passion for jazz music has earned him acclaim from his peers and taken him to destinations all over the world. When he realized that many young, talented musicians in his own community were being deprived of the opportunity to pursue the same passion, he resolved to start a program that would help them find their own success in music.

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"It's a matter of reading between the lines...See what the real truth is about the world. If you like yourself, you won't want to hurt anyone else."

After retiring from her 40-year profession as an LAUSD school teacher, Millicent "Mama" Hill continued to educate and empower the at-risk children who needed the most guidance in her community. Her affable demeanor and talent for teaching, right from her living room, have made her home a place of solace and peace in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

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"Think positive, even though it's difficult to think positively in such a situation... Doctors only do so much. The healing part is up to you."

Shonte has worked for Los Angeles county for more than 20 years as a As a judicial assistant to Judge Leland Tipton's felony court in Bellflower, Shonte Henderson coordinates every aspect of the courtroom into one cohesive whole. She's accomplished and organized, but her real acclaim comes from her own personal victories against breast cancer, as well as her strident support for several different fundraising organizations that fight the disease she miraculously overcome four times. She is a shining example of perseverance and positive attitude to everyone in her community.

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In October, "America I Am: The African American Imprint," a touring exhibition presented by KCET broadcaster Tavis Smiley that celebrates nearly 500 years of African American contributions, came to its Los Angeles home at the California Science Center. Ambitious in scope, "America I Am" traces the indelible imprint African Americans have made on America.

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I'm rushing into the local Smart & Final to get last-minute supplies for a meeting: fruit, soda, salad mix. Maybe a low-fat sweet, if they have it. Deadly as meetings can be, I look forward to this one. It's a monthly confab at somebody's house around a dining room table that's part social, part social evaluation: a handful of black folks coming together to catch up on each other and on the perilous state of the race. Our state in Los Angeles is always more and less vexing than it is in other big cities--an enigma wrapped in a conundrum. The advent of President Obama has only intensified the riddle. So we need food that's as festive as possible at these discussions, sometimes a little wine. I'm on a mission; the meeting starts in fifteen minutes.

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Watts has endured the most daring tests of our local history. Produced by students from Locke High School, this installment of KCET Web Stories' Departures gives an honest portrait of the people and places who claim Watts as their own.

Huell goes back to Occidental College where he finds some never-seen-before photos and gets an additional interview with one of Barack Obama's former classmates. Web Exclusive.

Visit Huell's official site .

Nowhere was the elation over Barack Obama’s victory greater than in the black communities of south Los Angeles. Not only was an African American elected President, but the whole campaign was re-energizing the political hopes of African American politicians. They remember how Obama’s election was foreshadowed 35 years ago right here, when Tom Bradley became the first African American mayor of a major American city.

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A tour of South Central's low rider culture by car club members.

A discussion on cooking, traditions, and the preservation of culture in Creole communities in Los Angeles.

Verna Deckard Williams reflects on her experience of immigrating to south Los Angeles in 1924 when the neighborhood was segregated and housing discrimination was unchecked. Watch for an intimate look at how Williams was finally able to settle in her home - for the next 73 years.

In honor of Black History Month, the web-team wants you to watch our short video profiling a local hero fighting to keep her home.

Millicent Hill, better known as Mama Hill, runs an afterschool program in Watts for at-risk youth. Hill developed a “Safe Passage,” program to help transport children from different gang-affiliated neighborhoods to her home, where she helps them stay on top of their school work and out of gang life. Over one hundred children a month take part in, “Mama Hill’s Help Inc.”

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Visiting...With Huell Howser, Episode #109
1993

Huell takes the Blue Line train to uncover yet another treasure in Los Angeles - the Watts Towers. Known for its famously eccentric design and the intriguing story behind its creator, Simon Rodia, the Watts Towers attracts locals who are viewing the Watts community through a cultural lens.

Visit Huell's official site.