Dear Partner,

In celebration of Black History Month, the Community Investment for Families Department (CIFD) is highlighting Los Angeles trailblazers who make a historic impact locally and beyond. Leaders like poet and activist Amanda Gorman, and writer/producer Issa Rae, shine a light on our community and encourage us to push forward and reach new heights. We know that Black history transcends the month of February, and we want to uplift the Black voices of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, through community work that inspires new trailblazers in this City.

On Feb. 2, we joined the Los Angeles Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department’s launch of the Peace & Healing Center program, which opened nine Peace & Healing Centers in nine REPAIR Zones. The celebration kicked off at our Central City Neighborhood Partners (CCNP) FamilySource Center, and I was delighted to speak and champion the new pilot program that allows community-based organizations to create physical spaces and public programming centered on environmental, social, and economic healing.

We were pleased to gather nearly 30 BIG:LEAP participants and their families on Jan. 28 for a Community Storytelling event that allowed them to share their heartfelt experiences during their journey through the program this past year. We learned so much about the benefits of BIG:LEAP and the challenging path forward as the program concludes. We are grateful to all of our participants.

This week, we invited community input during a pair of virtual meetings to help us complete our Five-Year 2023-2027 Consolidated Plan, which helps decide how more than $100 million in federal grants will be used for housing and community development. Community input is such a critical part of all that we do. It is only through our collaboration with the community that we can truly serve it.

Sincerely,

Abigail R. Marquez
General Manager

Nearly 30 BIG:LEAP participants and their families gathered for a Community Storytelling event at the All Peoples Community Center on Jan. 28 with the purpose of sharing their heartfelt experiences during their journey through the program this past year.

Tangible benefits for the participants included: better work-life and transportation, improved credit scores and money management, leaving homelessness, and funding for new businesses. Yet the path forward once the program concludes will be a challenge.

Participants have formed informal and digital networks, like WhatsApp, to share information and offer resources to families in need in their communities.

The Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department (LA Civil Rights) launched Peace & Healing Centers in nine communities, called LA REPAIR Zones, across the city. The $2 million pilot program works with community-based organizations to create physical spaces and public programming centered on environmental, social, and economic healing.

Read the full story HERE.

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