PEOPLE

The Rev. Daniel F. Romero, a Los Angeles native who has led the United Church of Christ’s world ministries board in New York City for 10 years, has been elected administrative officer for 137 United Church of Christ congregations in Southern California.

Romero will start as conference minister in early 1998. He replaces the Rev. Davida Foy Crabtree, who took a similar post in Connecticut last year. The Rev. Herman Haller is serving as interim conference minister for the Altadena-based region.

* Malcolm X and his widow, Betty Shabazz, will receive posthumous awards Nov. 22 at a Los Angeles banquet organized by African American mosques of the Muslim American Society. Imam W. Deen Mohammed leads the society, a mainstream Muslim federation of mosques formerly known as the American Muslim Mission and the Ministry of W. Deen Mohammed.

The Chicago-based imam will attend the banquet at the Westin Bonaventure hotel and give a free lecture at the hotel at 1 p.m. Nov. 23. Those receiving awards at the 14th annual banquet also include founder William W. Baker of Christians and Muslims for Peace, whose office is at the Crystal Cathedral; and two musicians, jazz drummer Billy Higgins and keyboardist Jalal Rushdan, also known as Sonny Phillips. (213) 233-7274.