GREGORY EVERETT
DIRECTOR
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Gregory Everett directed his first film at nine in a special program in school. He would grow up to become a professional editor, producer, director, and reality show executive. Gregory's TV work appears on BET and TVOne, and has performed film work for Warner Brothers, Lions Gate, and Sony Pictures. Gregory is currently in production on the 8 part documentary series Black Panthers: The L.A. Story
DIRECTOR of 41st & Central
Resides in Los Angeles CA
BERNARD ARIFAT
FORMER MEMBER BLACK PANTHER PARTY
Joining the Black Panther Party at just 15, months later he was a victim
of the assault on 41st & Central leading to a five hour shootout with 300 LAPD officers and the newly formed. SWAT. It was the first time Bernard had shot a gun in his life. While out on bail for the shootout case Bernard went underground ending up in Puerto Rico. He returned to the states after finding out that his do-defendants in the shoot out case were found not guilty.
APPEARS in 41st & Central
Resides in Los Angeles CA
GIL PARKER
FORMER MEMBER BLACK PANTHER PARTY
Joining the Black Panther Party at just 18, Gil was 19 when he was victim
of the first line of attack at the assault on 41st & Central. While fighting the case of the shootout Gil stayed loyal to the party. The party split and the Southern California chapter was expelled while Gil was in jail. He and his co-defendants were eventually found not guilty. Gil's attorney on the case a young Johnny Cochran.
Resides in Los Angeles, CA
ELAINE BROWN
FORMER LEADER OF THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY
Author and lecturer Elaine Brown began her service as a Black Panther a secretary of Information in Los Angeles California. She would later be summoned to Oakland by Huey P. Newton and take his place as leader of the entire Party while he was in exile.
APPEARS in 41st & Central
Resides in Oakland, CA
KATHLEEN CLEAVER
FORMER BLACK PANTHER PARTY LEADER
Civil rights activist and Law Professor Kathleen Neal Cleaver was among a small group of women who were prominent in the Black Panther Party. As a member of the Central Committee in Oakland, she served as the communications secretary and the first female member of the Party's decision-making body. She also served as the spokesperson and press secretary.
APPEARS in 41st & Central
Resides in Atlanta, GA
BERNARD PARKS
FORMER LAPD CHIEF OF POLICE
Bernard Parks, who has served the city of Los Angeles for 50 years, worked his way up to LAPD police chief and then to city councilman. He began his journey during the difficult weeks of the Watts Uprising and is a scholar on the subject of police community relations, especially when it comes to Black People. His stories of his interaction with the Black Panther Party during the turbulent 60's in Los Angeles is a great contribution to 41st & Central.
Appears in 41st & Central
Resides in Los Angeles, CA
KAREN STANFORD
AUTHOR, DEPT CHAIR AFRICANA STUDIES
CAL STATE UNIVERSITY NORTHRIDGE
Karin Stanford is a professor of Political Science and Africana Studies at California State University, Northridge. She earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Political Science from Howard University and specializes in African American Politics and International Relations. Karen is the co-author of Nine Lives of a Black Panther' which tells LA Panther Wayne Pharr's riveting story of the Los Angeles branch of the BPP and gives a blow-by-blow account of how it prepared for and survived the massive military-style attack at 41st & Central.
Resides in Los Angeles, CA
MOHAMMED MUBARAK
FORMER MEMBER BLACK PANTHER PARTY
Recruited as a Black Panther in Compton by Party leader John Huggins, Mohammed was a photographer and reporter for the local Southern California newspaper. Mohammed stayed loyal to the party until the split and eventual expulsion of the Chapter.
APPEARS in 41st & Central
Resides in Los Angeles, CA
ERICKA HUGGINS
FORMER BLACK PANTHER PARTY LEADER
Human rights activist, poet, educator, Black Panther Party leader and former political prisoner, Ericka Huggins began her membership of the Party by joining the Southern California Chapter in 1968. She continued to serve even after her husband and Panther leader John Huggins was murdered along with leader Bunchy Carter at UCLA in 1969. As a result of her 14-year tenure as a leading member of the Black Panther Party Ericka brings a unique perspective to the challenges and successes of the Black Panther Party and, its significance today.
APPEARS in 41st & Central
Resides in Oakland, CA
WESLEY KABAILA
FORMER VICE CHAIR, US ORGANIZATION
Wesley Kabaila was a member of the Us Organization fro 1967-1985, and served as it's Vice Chair from 1979-1985. During my entire tenure in Us, he was often assigned to the leader of the US Organization as Dr. Karenga's personal security. His appearance in 41st & Central adds a balance that could only be given by this US insider. Kabaila holds nothing back when debating with Panthers during our Q & A's.
Appears in 41st & Central
Resides in Los Angeles, CA
BRUCE RICHARD
FORMER BLACK PANTHER PARTY LEADER
In 1969 at the age of 19 Bruce joined the lA branch of the Black Panthers. On Oct. 10, 1969 after an LAPD shoot-out Bruce Richards was wounded and charged with attempted murder, and Panther Walter Toure Poke was killed.
After serving seven years Bruce moved to New York and became a union organizer. He recently retired as an Executive Vice President of a 400,000-member healthcare workers union based in New York, and is the author of the book “The Other New York”.
Resides in New York, New York
ROBERT JOHNSON
FORMER MEMBER BLACK PANTHER PARTY
Robert Lee Johnson, author of "Images of America, Compton" was formerly a leading member of the Compton branch of the Southern California chapter of the Black Panther Party in the 1970’s. He lectures on the subject of local history in Southern California. He is featured in the documentaries "The Streets of Compton “,” Compton's Finest ”and” L. A. Displacement in Utopia”. His latest book is "Notable Southern Californians in Black History” and he is currently working on the history of the Watts / Willowbrook area of Los Angeles, California.
Resides in Los Angeles, CA