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In January 1989,
Alton “Dunnie” Wooten Jr. was killed in a drive-by
shooting near Adams and Crenshaw in South-Central Los Angeles.
The murder of the 35-year-old black man was said to be the result of a
gang initiation.
Drive-by shootings were at a height when Wooten was killed.
Programs like “Taking Back Our Community” and “Mothers Against
Gangs in Communities” were formulated out of a desperate attempt to stop the
violence. “Gang sweeps” by
police officers and tougher penalties for youth offenders also emerged.
But Wooten’s mother felt that the solutions only angered already
rebellious youth.
“What they need is love and attention,” said Myrtle Faye Rumph,
Wooten’s mother. “They need to
stay busy. They need to have more
confidence. They need to have their
attitudes changed. If somebody had
taken more time with the person who killed my son, maybe my son would still be
alive.”
With that, Rumph set out on a journey that would bring her many more sons,
as well as daughters. She decided to
open a youth center.
Rumph started holding meetings in her home two weeks after her son’s
death. She invited relatives and
friends to help her develop her vision.
As a result, the Wooten/Brown Foundation was founded, named after Al
Wooten Jr. and Fredrick Brown, Rumph’s nephew, who was also killed in a
drive-by shooting. Brown’s mother,
Lillie Pearl Brown, left the organization after finding it difficult to cope
with talking about her son.
Ted Hayes of Home for the Homeless was Wooten’s close friend.
They had worked together as activists for the homeless.
Hayes was instrumental in encouraging Rumph and her associates to take
action. Hayes chaired the living
room discussions and pointed out the necessity for sacrifice and diligence.
Over a year later, after taking groups of kids on field trips, attending
various community meetings and consulting with directors of other non-profit
groups, Faye rented a small storefront at 9115 South Western Avenue in Los
Angeles, next door to her moving and storage business, and started the Al Wooten
Jr. Heritage Center.
About 2 years later, the Al Wooten Center moved into a larger facility due
to increased enrollment
Today, the Wooten Center, as we are affectionately known, is housed in
four buildings across the street from our original site.
Our outreach has grown from serving an initial enrollment of four boys to
over 50 children daily during our regular schedule, Monday – Friday, 2p.m. –
6 p.m.
With 11 staff members and 25 dedicated volunteers, the Wooten Center
served over 235 boys and girls ages 8 to 18 last year.
They participated in over a dozen programs for youth and adults.
Those offerings include daily homework assistance, individualized
tutoring, youth leadership training, college and career preparation, arts and
crafts, Boys-to-Men mentoring program, and computer instruction for youth and
adults.
Our facilities include a teen center, computer lab, basketball court,
outdoor garden, the Ella Fitzgerald Library, and the Rhino Entertainment Study
Hall. Field trips and guest speakers
are scheduled on a monthly basis.
For its efforts in presenting positive alternatives for South Los Angeles
youth, the Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center has received numerous
accolades through media features and by corporate, community and government
supporters. But our most cherished
rewards are the countless smiles and laughter, and the academic improvement and
excellence exhibited daily at the youth center.
Presented as an example of “something positive” in the aftermath of
the 1992 uprising in Los Angeles, the Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center has been
featured in the Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, Parent Magazine, Los
Angeles Times, Wave Newspapers, on the Today Show, BET, VH-1, KCAL-TV, KABC-TV,
KNBC-TV, KCBS-TV, KTTV-TV and a host of other media.
In May, 1994 she was declared a Hometown Hero by the
LA Times and the LA Dodgers. To view her recognition by four of LA's
major TV stations click HERE.
The program is based on goals to counter idleness among youth, to
supplement the public educational system, to foster family participation and to
identify and meet family social needs.
The Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center is a non-profit, tax-exempt public
benefit community organization. Its
offices are located at 9106 South Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA
90047. The telephone number
is ((323) 756-7203 and the fax number (323) 756-9159.
Operating solely on grants, fundraising and individual donations, the Al
Wooten Jr. Heritage Center is prevention-oriented and rests on the premise that
constructive alternatives must be provided for at-risk youth to simply show them
a better way.
“Catch The Vision!”
