Leon became an iconic figure in the African American fight for equality in the twentieth century through his Los Angeles-based newspaper, The Sentinel.
Civil rights attorney and cousin of Washington, Loren Miller urged him to move to Los Angeles where he practiced and resided.
After almost a decade of marriage, he began to experience numerous health problems and eventually had a stroke, leaving him incapable of performing his job alone.
The park, located almost ten miles from The Sentinel’s headquarters, is home to The Drew League, a program that is known for attracting the NBA's best players such as Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Shannon Brown, Amar’e Stoudamire, James Harden, Matt Barnes, and Trevor Ariza who come by the park to spend time with and enrich their communities, a goal to which Leon Washington dedicated his own life.
After a year of publication, the paper's circulation had then reached the point where Washington could afford to change the name to the Los Angeles Sentinel and become subscription-based.
Friends of Washington highlighted the authenticity of his articles and the newspaper as a whole, noting the prominence of his personality in each edition.
One friend shared that Washington, “epitomized ‘personalized’ journalism.” Today, the Sentinel is the largest, most popular black newspaper in the West.
Washington also went on to become the first African American to serve on the Board of Directors of the California News Publisher's Association.