Leimert Park Event Celebrates Queen Calafia While Honoring South LA Victims of Serial Violence

Leimert Park, Los Angeles — On a warm, sun-soaked Sunday afternoon, Leimert Park once again became a gathering place for community, culture, and remembrance as Reclaiming Our Sisters Everywhere South LA (ROSE SLA) hosted its “Celebrating Queen Calafia” event on March 29.

Held in during the Leimert Park Art Walk, the event brought together residents, artists, families, and advocates from across Los Angeles for an afternoon that blended creativity with a deeper purpose: honoring the more than 200 Black women from South Los Angeles who have been murdered or remain missing and are presumed to be victims of serial violence.

The event, part of Women’s History Month programming, offered a space where celebration and reflection existed side by side. Attendees participated in complimentary, hands-on workshops designed to engage both the mind and spirit.

One workshop invited participants to silk screen their own T-shirts, many choosing to print messages tied to the “Reclaiming Our Sisters Everywhere” movement—turning remembrance into something visible and wearable. Another workshop focused on healing through nature, where attendees led by an Indigenous healer created their own herbal salt scrubs, carefully mixing natural ingredients into personalized remedies to take home.

Throughout the afternoon, the energy in Leimert Park was vibrant and welcoming. Children moved between activity tables, families gathered under the sun, and artists and community members connected through shared purpose. Live music played in the background while refreshments were offered, creating an atmosphere that felt both intentional and communal.

“This is about honoring Black women in all their fullness—those we celebrate and those we’ve lost,” said Margaret Prescod, founder of the Black Coalition Fighting Back Serial Murders. “We are making sure that the women who were taken from us are not forgotten, and that our community continues to come together in ways that heal and uplift.”

Spanish interpretation was available throughout the event, helping ensure accessibility and inclusion for a broader range of community members.

Hosted in collaboration with KAOS Network and LA Commons, the event continued a series of gatherings in Leimert Park that use art, culture, and public space to elevate stories that have too often been overlooked. KAOS Network, a longtime multimedia arts and training center in the neighborhood, served as a fitting backdrop for a day centered on expression and community engagement.

For many who attended, the event was more than a celebration—it was a continuation of a larger movement to bring visibility and dignity to the lives of Black women in South Los Angeles. The combination of creative workshops, cultural programming, and community presence underscored the importance of not only remembering the past, but actively shaping how it is honored in the present.

As the afternoon came to a close, participants left with more than T-shirts and herbal scrubs. They left with a shared understanding that remembrance can be both creative and collective—and that in spaces like Leimert Park, community continues to show up to make sure these women’s lives are acknowledged, honored, and never erased.