L A Voice

IT IS OUR MISSION TO TRANSFORM LOS ANGELES INTO A COUNTY THAT REFLECTS THE HUMAN DIGNITY OF ALL COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN GREATEST NEED.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS: DURING THE PANDEMIC, LA VOICE CONTINUED TO ORGANIZE AROUND TENANT AND HOUSING PROTECTIONS. IN OUR HERE2STAY CAMPAIGN, LA VOICE PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN ORGANIZING A SIX-WEEK EVICTION DEFENSE CAMPAIGN TO KEEP A FAMILY FROM BEING HOUSELESS. USING COLLECTIVE ACTION, THE FAMILY WAS ABLE TO SPEAK TO THE MAYOR OF INGLEWOOD WHO COMMITTED TO REACHING OUT TO THE FINANCIAL ACTOR WHO FORECLOSED ON THEM. THE FAMILY ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF RECOVERING THEIR HOME BUT THIS CAMPAIGN SHOWED THE STRENGTH IN UNITY AND COLLECTIVE POWER. LA VOICE ALSO CONTINUES ITS GROUNDBREAKING WORK THROUGH OUR FAITH IN HOUSING PROJECT. AS OF 2021, OUR FAITH IN HOUSING PROJECT IS IN CONVERSATION WITH 30+ CONGREGATIONS ABOUT BUILDING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THEIR LAND AND IS SEEN AS THE GO-TO TO RESOURCE FOR CONGREGATIONS THAT ARE MOTIVATED TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE OR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AS A REFLECTION OF THEIR FAITH AND CONCERN FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE. OUR FAITH IN HOUSING PROJECT IS CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND CITY APPROVAL PROCESS WITH INGLEWOOD UMC. WE HOPE TO BREAK GROUND BY MARCH 2023.

IMMIGRANT JUSTICE: OUR WORK WITH BELONG CIRCLES HAS CONTINUED TO GROW SINCE WE STARTED WITH OUR FIRST GROUP OF FIVE PARTICIPANTS AT DOLORES MISSION CHURCH IN BOYLE HEIGHTS IN 2020. AS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF ORGANIZING, LA VOICE INVESTS IN BELONG CIRCLES, A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO CONNECT PEOPLE ACROSS DIFFERENCES, BUILD COMMUNITY, AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERS WITH THE HOPE OF CONNECTING THEM WITH OTHERS ACROSS THE NETWORK TO REALIZE A SHARED VISION. TODAY OUR BELONG CIRCLES CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES OFFERING A PLACE TO CONNECT, BUILD, AND BRIDGE ACROSS DIFFERENCES. ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH SUPPORT FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WE WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP OUR COVID-19 RESPONSE TO HELP OUR MOST VULNERABLE, FOCUSING ON IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. WE PARTNERED WITH 5 OF OUR MEMBER CONGREGATIONS, IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, HELPING THEM TRANSFORM INTO TESTING SITES. 3,563 COVID TESTS WERE PERFORMED.

CIVIC AND VOTER ENGAGEMENT: OUR VOLUNTEERS AND JUSTICE-IMPACTED PAID PHONEBANKERS TALKED TO 152,000 VOTERS ABOUT WHAT'S AT STAKE IN SPECIAL ELECTION RECALLS, THE ROLE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AND RENT RELIEF PROGRAMS.

ALL OTHER - TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE: LA VOICE HAS EXPANDED ITS NETWORK BY MERGING WITH ITS SISTER ORGANIZATION, LONG BEACH ICO. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LONG BEACH PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN, WE DEMANDED A REALLOCATION OF POLICE FUNDS TO BE DIRECTED TOWARDS EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, HEALTH, AND IMMIGRATION. THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP AND ORGANIZING WITH FAITH CONGREGATIONS THROUGHOUT L.A. COUNTY, LA VOICE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PASSING OF SB2, THE POLICE DECERTIFICATION ACT.