Tensions in Los Angeles flared over a scheduled Latino-run 5K running event originally planned for Leimert Park, a neighborhood long regarded as the cultural center of the city’s Black community. The race, organized by Barrio Athletics, a predominantly Latino running club, was set for September 6 but was relocated following objections from local Black residents and community leaders.
The controversy began after the event was announced in late August without the organizers obtaining the necessary permits or consulting neighborhood leaders and business owners. Leimert Park has undergone significant demographic shifts in recent decades, with the once predominantly Black area seeing an influx of Latino residents amid broader waves of gentrification. These changes have heightened concerns among longtime residents about the preservation of the neighborhood’s cultural identity and community spaces.
Community members expressed worries that the event could interfere with a longstanding weekly farmers’ market, which had experienced disruptions in the past. A Black activist group, Africa Town Coalition, prominent in Leimert Park and known for its critical stance on Latino presence in the area, voiced strong opposition. The group claimed the run’s promotional language, including phrases like “taking over the streets,” was disrespectful and emblematic of broader tensions between Black and Latino populations in South Los Angeles.
Social media quickly became a battleground, with heated exchanges that included racial slurs and calls to involve immigration authorities. Despite the online hostility, community leaders from both sides moved to defuse the situation. Kaya Dantzler, co-founder of We Love Leimert, a local community group focused on revitalizing the neighborhood, engaged with Barrio Athletics founder Henry Gallardo to explain the concerns and encourage postponing or relocating the run. Gallardo, 25, said he was unaware of the permit requirements and chose Leimert Park to accommodate planned vendors after another location proved unsuitable.
Following discussions, the race was moved to Elysian Park, approximately nine miles away, where it took place on the originally scheduled date. Gallardo acknowledged a “misstep in protocol” and noted that community tensions were amplified by internet discourse, stressing that conflicts should not be framed as a Black-versus-Latino issue.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a native of South Los Angeles, weighed in by urging unity between Black and Latino communities while denying any direct involvement in the event’s relocation. She highlighted her longstanding commitment to fostering cooperation between the two groups in the city.
The episode underscores ongoing demographic and cultural shifts in South Los Angeles. According to research from the University of Southern California, the area’s Black population decreased from around 80 percent in 1970 to a Latino majority by the 2010s. Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, representing Leimert Park, emphasized the challenges Black residents face amid rising housing costs and displacement pressures.
Experts note that economic anxiety plays a significant role in the tensions. Sonja Diaz, founder of the nonprofit Unseen, acknowledges the validity of concerns about job competition and displacement but points out that no evidence conclusively shows Latinos are displacing Black workers in local industries. Instead, she frames the conflict within a broader context of economic hardship in underinvested neighborhoods across Los Angeles.
Some residents expressed regret that the dispute overshadowed opportunities for collaboration. De’Shunn Powell, 21, attended the relocated race, viewing it as a moment for unity rather than division. He said the event highlighted the importance of access to public spaces for all community members, despite the challenges that surfaced online.
The incident reveals the delicate balance in Leimert Park between honoring cultural heritage and navigating the realities of a changing city, underscoring the need for dialogue and inclusive planning in community events.