Less than one percent of people who live in District 9 have gotten tested for COVID-19. Meanwhile, last week the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health identified 1,715 positive cases of COVID-19 and 51 deaths in my District, which has a population of more than 270,000. As of May 17, approximately 2,108 District 9 residents had been tested for COVID-19.
In response to Brotherhood Crusade’s COVID-19 Community Rapid Response Fund designed to mobilize funds and provisions for the most under-served communities that are being adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, The James Irvine Foundation will donate funds to help Los Angeles community youth, young adults and families during this critical time. These funds will directly assist with basic living, academic and household needs and assist students while they are away from their schools and the Brotherhood Crusade YouthSource Center.
In just a few weeks, the coronavirus has completely changed life as we know it. This pandemic has also exposed the wealth and necessity of community-based organizations, and a need for a substantial social safety net. Every resident is feeling the devastating impact of COVID-19 within South LA and across the City of Los Angeles. This crisis requires elected leaders, residents, and community-based organizations to collaborate on solutions. The vital role of South LA nonprofits like Community Coalition and other resident led organizations is amplified during times like these. While many residents are rightfully focused on meeting the needs of themselves and their families, many feel a responsibility to help their neighbors and their community at large during this pandemic.
What we’re dealing with as a nation in this moment is unprecedented in modern history. We have fears about our health, our families and friends, fears about our jobs and our finances, and about what this crisis will mean for the economy. What will the world look like in recovery from the novel coronavirus?
“We need goggles, N-95s, surgical masks, pretty much every kind of personal protective equipment,” said Debra Flores, chief operations officer for the hospital and the lead for this emergency response. “What aren’t we thinking of? What more can we do?”
As a senior at Fremont High School in South Los Angeles, it’s increasingly alarming how underfunded schools like mine are. Unfortunately, it has been a problem for decades. From the overcrowded class sizes to empty nurse and counselor offices, students are left feeling cheated and abandoned.
Like all of you, I’m closely following the news of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Right now, my best advice is what you’ve likely already heard: wash your hands frequently for 20 seconds at a time, stay home when you’re feeling sick, and call a doctor if you experience symptoms of a fever, coughing and shortness of breath. And avoid large gatherings if you are elderly or have significant chronic illnesses.
We exist during a critical time in the history of this city and country. I was voted into office in 2015 behind our beliefs and strategies to improve the quality of life for residents in the Eighth District. For decades, our people, neighborhoods, streets and businesses have seen systemic disinvestment and neglect. District Eight is home to hundreds of thousands of residents with diverse needs, however we are connected by shared opportunities and challenges. During my first term in office, I prioritized equitable and transparent service delivery, quality jobs, safe streets and sustainable solutions to homelessness. As we stand at the intersection of past and future, I am confident in the positive direction our communities are headed.
Wednesday, September 18, South Central opened its’ arms to The Beehive, the nation’s first-ever business campus for opportunity-zone (OZ) operated businesses. Here, some of the nation’s most underprivileged will now have to opportunity to meet and work with investors, business owners, and more under one roof.
Following historic lows in gun violence, the month of May saw an alarming spike in violent crime. Unwilling to accept the rise in violence, including the murder of South Los Angeles’ beloved Nipsey Hussle, Counclimember Marqueece Harris-Dawson launched a robust effort to address the root causes and effects of gun violence in South L.A. Traditionally, the summer tends to display an increase in violence. This summer program meets residents where they are with the resources they need to deal with trauma and intervenes to prevent youth from joining gangs and continuing cycles of violence.
LeadersUp not only recruits, trains and advocates for inclusive hiring practices but it partners with employers who are looking to hire diverse talent NOW! And its growing its Fair Chance Coalition of employers adopting hiring practices inclusive of jobseekers with prior arrests and convictions.
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science has received two grants from Cedars-Sinai to help the South Los Angeles medical and health professions university address physician and other health professional shortages, as well as health disparities in chronically underserved communities.
Los Angeles police have opened an internal affairs investigation into why the woman who drove the getaway car in the aftermath of rapper Nipsey Hussle’s killing was sent home when she tried to turn herself in during the manhunt for the shooter.
On June 8th, many South L.A. residents came together at Los Angeles Trade Technical College for the 4th annual People Power Convention hosted by Community Coalition. The convention is a mass organizing event where residents learn about educational equity, justice reinvestment, art activism, and unified voting power.
City of Los Angeles Councilwoman Nury Martinez issued the following statement after introducing a motion calling for a Green New Deal in the City of Los Angeles. This comes just on the heels of a press conference with Mayor Garcetti, Councilmembers Paul Krekorian, Paul Koretz, and Mike Bonin, and President of the LADWP Board of Commissioners Mel Levine, announcing that LADWP will not repower three power plants with natural gas by 2029: