About Nickerson Gardens
by Dedan Gills (Mentor to Demaria Perry)

William Nickerson, Jr., the founder of largest Black-owned insurance company in the history of America, Golden State Mutual, was an exemplary businessman and civil rights activist, a man of high standards that had a commitment to uplifting the race. He was a visionary who lived and died dedicated to this dream. Nickerson died in 1945 leaving a legacy that continues to thrive until this day. In 1955 a housing project was built to accommodate approximately 5,000 people on 66.6 acres of land set aside for government housing for the poor. The intent was to provide low cost transitional housing, giving the residents an opportunity to save money and get a new start in life. After over fifty years it has been generally agreed that the concept of concentrating so many poor people geographically contains the seeds of a poor design. Ironically this project located in the community of Watts was named after the late William Nickerson, Jr., a man of high hopes and dreams.

The Nickerson Gardens is considered by many as the most violent, drug infested, crime riddled neighborhood in the country. Contrary to its name there are no gardens in this place, just dwindling hope, broken dreams and nightmares that never end. Despite the bleakness of their situation, like the lotus blossom, sometimes the noblest of souls are spawned in the quagmire of human despair. Nickerson may have turned over in his grave, appalled that his good name is attached to such a toxic place, but he might want to turn and take another peek. Like lotus flowers that bloom in murky waters, there are young people with vision and dreams growing here, and Demaria Perry is one of them.


Facts about public housing, poverty and violence and Los Angeles*

The City of Los Angeles owns more than 60 public housing projects with over 8,000 units.
The County manages over 3,600 public housing units at 68 sites, has a wait list of 52,667.
In 1999, an estimated 1.6 million women, children and men were poor in Los Angeles County, or 16.3% of the county's 9.86 million people.
Among 528,800 poor households in 1999, 53,500 units lacked complete kitchen facilities (sink, refrigerator, oven or burners), 18,700 units lacked some or all plumbing facilities (hot water, bathtub/shower, flush toilet, exclusive use) and 52,200 had signs of rodents in last 3 months.
In Los Angeles County, law enforcement officials are aware of more than 1300 street gangs with over 150,000 members. In the City of Los Angeles alone, there are approximately 407 gangs and over 56,000 members. (Los Angeles Almanac, 2002)
Gangs account for approximately 51% of all homicides in Los Angeles County. Of the 1156 homicides in 2001, 587 were gang-related. The majority of all gang homicides are committed with handguns. (Los Angeles County Safe Streets Bureau, 2002)
13% of LA County residents who died in gun violence in 2000 were 18 years old or younger. (California Dept of Vital Statistics, 2000)
Of all the victims of gun violence in LA County who were under the age of 18, 13% were girls. (California Dept of Vital Statistics, 2000)

*Statistics compiled by Marla Greenway