Troy Vaughn, the president and CEO of the Los Angeles Mission, has revealed plans to collaborate more with Kanye West whilst denying rumours that the LA Mission is “frustrated” with the rapper’s lack of incentive.
Last November, it was reported that West had collaborated with the LA Mission to deliver 1,000 meals to rough sleepers. Now, according to anonymous sources, the charity had been struggling to get in contact with West following the short collaboration last year.
Last autumn, West met with Vaughn to plan four ways he could help tackle homelessness in LA. These included further efforts to provide homeless people with food by partnering with various local charities; using his own companies to provide education, jobs and housing to those in need; utilising his platform and Sunday Service series to highlight the issue, as well as uplift the homeless community; and teaming up with other groups to advocate for homeless people.
Yesterday, West took to Instagram with an obscure post stating that he “look[s] to the homeless” [and “the children”] as “the biggest inspiration for all design”.
TMZ originally reported that “sources” connected with the LA Mission said West “hasn’t followed through on his vow to help”, and that “little if anything has been done since” last November. After that was published, however, Vaughn shared a statement with the outlet, confirming that the charity has been in talks with West.
“We have absolutely had collaborative discussions with Ye about improving the lives of the unhoused on Skid Row,” he said, “especially through design as he mentioned in his [Instagram post]. We are extremely optimistic that Ye will be an instrumental force in helping us launch The Skid Row Revitalization Project in the coming months.”
According to reports from Harlem World, the LA Mission started work on the Skid Row Revitalization Project last month, with the organisation drawing out an aim to “beautify Skid Row, the ground zero for homelessness for over 100 years.”
The project will tackle the problem from four angles – “We will paint drab buildings in bright colors,” the LA Mission wrote, “[and] introduce trees and greenery to the concrete jungle” – meanwhile they aim to tackle audible and gastronomical issues as well.
The “audible” element of the plan intends to “provide free musical concerts, events, and other initiatives to uplift the community”. As for the gastronomical aspect, the organisation plans to “bring in chefs from Los Angeles’ best restaurants to serve the community”.
