October 2014 - YWCA Greater Los Angeles

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greater los angeles
Working together for peace, justice, freedom, equality and dignity.
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Los Angeles Job Corps
Graduation: Celebrating 50 Years
New Center Delivers Much Needed Programs to the Walnut Park Community
The August 22, 2014 Los Angeles Job Corps Graduation Ceremony, held at the Los
Angeles Convention Center, was especially poignant as it celebrated the program’s
50 years of service to the community. Several distinguished guests and friends of the
YWCA Greater Los Angeles joined the celebration including member-elect of the
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Hilda Solis, Maria Shriver, Lou Gossett Jr.
and Hosea Chanchez as 438 graduates proudly accepted their various certificates of
completion.
During the ceremony, Maria Shriver presented the “Shriver Legacy Award”, a
scholarship of $5000 given to an excellent student for the purpose of supporting
further education. This honor was awarded to Job Corps graduate Joshua Mejia.
Not only is Joshua an exemplary student but he also has had to overcome some
medical challenges that could have deterred him from his path; but, he pressed
on. During Joshua’s inspirational address to the audience, he encouraged his
fellow graduates with a call and response section. He said, “We are next in line
to those who are retiring from their work. We are next in line to those who took
care of us when we were babies. We are next in line to make our world a better
place to work and live and to tackle the toughest jobs.”
Member-elect of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Hilda
Solis delivered the keynote address. “Don’t believe when someone tells you
that you can’t – you are the only person who can tell you that you CAN. You must
believe that,” encouraged Solis. “It doesn’t matter where you come from, if you
stick with your dream and try hard – you can achieve it.”
The graduates, each with training in one of more than 45 vocational trades, will
join the workforce and the thousands of individuals who have benefitted from Job
Corps’ success. Since its inception 50 years ago, the YWCA Greater Los Angeles
has operated the Los Angeles Job Corps. Originated as one of the flagship programs
of the War on Poverty launched by President Johnson, Job Corps is the nation’s
most successful academic remediation and career readiness program of its kind.
Job Corps graduation continued on page 2.
WHAT’S INSIDE
October 2014
pg 2
From the Desk of Faye Washington,
YWCA GLA President & CEO
pg 4
2014 Rhapsody Ball
pg 3 Advocacy Corner
pg 6 Faye Washington’s Charge to the Community
We create a safe space to live, learn and grow.
Dear Friends of the
YWCA Greater Los
Angeles:
As we celebrate
this 120th year
of service to the
community, we
remember some
of the incredible
milestones along
our journey. We
have built buildings,
served our community, and shed light
on issues long-ignored. We have faced
these issues with courage and dignity.
We are guided by a mission that connects
passion with the growth and needs of the
community. It is this energy that propels us
today and prepares us for tomorrow.
To think of the history that this
organization has endured, the ups and
downs, the change that has transpired over
the last twelve decades – is remarkable;
yet our organizational age does not define
us. We stand on the shoulders of those
who’ve gone before us, learning from them
and growing – refusing to be stagnant.
We choose to be leaders who think and
approach the ills of today’s society with
strength and innovation. We continuously
work to enable individuals to not be defined
by their circumstances but rather their
tenacious desire to achieve their dreams.
As you read through some of the
highlights over the last few months, would
you consider passing this newsletter
along to a friend? There is always more
work to be done – more children who
need a safe place to learn and grow; more
victims who need help along their journey
to becoming a survivor; more Seniors who
crave interaction and the opportunity to not
merely occupy their time, but to serve their
community, to expand their minds. We need
more people, like you, who care. We need
more people to join us and stand up for the
voiceless in our community.
Standing with you,
Faye Washington
President and CEO
YWCA Greater Los Angeles
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Job Corps graduation continued from page 1.
Joining in the event were Los Angeles County Community
Development Commission of the County of Los Angeles, Sean Rogan,
Executive Director; Dolores Huerta, Community Activist; Wally Streder,
Walnut Park Historian; Joseph Balthazar, President of Walnut Park
Resident Association; and Efrain Martinez, President, Walnut Park
Chamber of Commerce.
The nearly 14,000 Sq. Ft. building, located at 7515 Pacific Boulevard
in Walnut Park, is designed in the California Mission Revival style and
integrates traditional design elements such as tile, wrought iron and stone.
The two story childcare and enrichment program facility includes three
classrooms on the first level as well as a multi-purpose room, commercial
grade kitchen and premium indoor and outdoor play equipment. The
second level consists of five classrooms as well as a computer learning
center and conference room.
Congressmember Karen Bass visits our Faye
Washington Youth Empowerment Center in Celebration
of the 50th Anniversary of Los Angeles Job Corps!
YWCA GREATER LOS ANGELES
AMBASSADOR
KATHY IRELAND VISITS
WITH JOB CORPS STUDENTS
On October 7th
Kathy Ireland, YWCA
Greater Los Angeles
Ambassador, spent
time with our Job Corp
students engaging in
intellectual conversation and speaking to
students about about perseverance.
2014 Los Angeles Job Corps Graduation:
Celebrating 50 Years
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard stopped by
and toured our newest facility, The Supervisor Gloria
Molina Community Empowerment Center! We thank
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard for visiting with us to
learn more about all the services the YWCA Greater
Los Angeles provides in the Walnut Park community.
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2014 Rhapsody Ball Co-Chaired by
Kathy Ireland and Mavis Leno
CHERYL BOONE ISAACS
President, Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences
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B A L L
and policy. Under her leadership, United Way of Greater Los
Angeles has launched a strategic 10-year action plan called
Creating Pathways Out of Poverty to help tackle poverty in L.A.
Also receiving the Silver Achievement award this year is
Cheryl Boone Isaacs, President of the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences. Recently elected for a second
Presidential term, Ms. Isaacs has served for 22 years as a
governor within the Public Relations Branch of the organization.
As a Marketing Executive in the film industry, Ms. Isaacs has
worked for various industry leaders such as Paramount and
New Line. She currently heads CBI Enterprises, Inc. where
she consulted for marketing efforts on hit films including
“The Artist”, “The King’s Speech”, “Precious: Based on the
Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”, and “Spider-Man 2”. A forerunner
and pioneer, she became the first African-American and the
third woman to head the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences.
Accepting the 2014 Corporate Champion award is Ian
O’Donnell, Senior Vice President for Xerox. Mr. O’Donnell
joined Xerox as a sales representative in 1984 and worked
his way up in the company. He now oversees operations for
Southern California and Las Vegas regions. The YWCA Greater
Los Angeles honors and acknowledges Xerox’s dedication to
innovatively addressing the needs of the community with their
partnership in opening the “Digital Learning Academy”, where
students will receive hands-on training in a technologically
advanced and working digital print shop.
KTLA Co-anchor of the Morning News, Chris Schauble will
join the elegant annual fundraiser as the evening’s emcee. For
ticket and sponsorship information, contact Laureen O’Hara at
(213) 251-1329.
Silver Achievement
Award
Corporate Champion
Award
ELISE BUIK
IAN O’DONNELL
United Way of Greater
Los Angeles
President & CEO
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Members Gather on the Rooftop of the Faye Washington Youth Empowerment Center
Annual Fundraiser to Honor Elise Buik, United Way, and
Ian O’Donnell, Xerox
Silver Achievement
Award
E
120th Annual Meeting & Summer Jazz Concert
t h e
Join us November
14 for the 2014
“Rhapsody Ball:
Steppin’ Out” to
be held at the Four
Season Beverly
Wilshire Hotel
presented by lead
sponsors Union
Bank, Xerox, and JP
Co-chairs of the event, Kathy Ireland and Mavis Leno. Morgan. Co-chairs
of the event include
Kathy Ireland and Mavis Leno. This highly-anticipated, annual
fundraiser honors inspirational individuals, while supporting the
work of the YWCA Greater Los Angeles. The event will feature
dinner, jazz entertainment and a live auction.
“As we celebrate 120 years of service to the community, we
continue ‘Steppin’ Out’ from the traditional model of service
and instead we move forward with a fresh approach to most
effectively help those who desperately need assistance,” stated
Faye Washington. “I am especially excited for this year’s
honorees and their personal passion for the greater Los Angeles
community.”
One of this year’s Silver Achievement honorees is Elise Buik,
President and CEO of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
Nine years ago, Ms. Buik made history by becoming the first
female president and CEO of United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
She has been instrumental in transforming the organization
from its historical fundraising role into a community impact
organization that identifies social issues, convenes experts,
partners with other organizations and crafts innovative solutions
N
Xerox
Senior Vice President
SBU Operations
Southern California/Las Vegas Operations
O
verlooking the Los Angeles cityscape,
nearly 100 of the YWCA Greater Los Angeles
most dedicated members and partners
joined together August 21, 2014 on the Faye
Washington Youth Empowerment Center rooftop patio for
the 120th Annual Meeting followed by a Summer Jazz
Concert.
“Our identity is connected to our members – we
are a membership organization; thus, it is vitally
important for us to join together with you, our supporters,
to be transparent, to share ideas and dreams and in those
conversations, we arrive at solutions and answers,” shared
Faye Washington, President and CEO, YWCA Greater Los
Angeles.
The annual business meeting began with a welcome
address by Eleanor Beasley, YWCA Greater Los
Angeles Board President. Dr. Thelma James Day,
Dean of Academic Affairs at Los Angeles Community
College, delivered the keynote address and spoke on
the topic “Making Our Voices Heard: Sustaining our
Communities through Communication, Cooperation and
Collaboration”.
Faye Washington shared the accomplishments of the
year and introduced Deja Robinson, a Job Corps student
who learned how to code during her time in the program.
This student represented the need for strong curriculum and
training programs based on the needs of the marketplace. “I
am so thankful for the impactful services of Job Corps
and the great opportunities they have helped open up for
me,” expressed Deja. “My life has changed drastically and
my future is bright.”
Cynthia Heard, Vice President Communication
and Advocacy, reported on the Domestic Human Sex
Trafficking Symposium and its outcomes followed by an
announcement of volunteer opportunities as presented by
Audrey Centeno, Volunteer Coordinator.
Donor Relations and Events Coordinator Laureen
O’Hara encouraged further support of the organization.
“Let’s continue to do this good work together. Support the
YWCA Greater Los Angeles’ programs by simply making
a gift or enhancing your membership. We thank you for
being members and tireless workers for the ideals that join
us together - empowerment, justice and peace.”
A Summer Jazz Concert and collaboration with the
National Latina Business Women Association and Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. wrapped up the evening as
guests enjoyed music by jazz harpist Mariea Antoinette
and The Ben Rose Band.
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Los Angeles Newspaper Shares
Ms. Washington’s Charge to the Community
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CREATING MOMENTUM FOR THE FUTURE
YWCA Greater Los Angeles Service Locations:
“It’s Time We Get Serious about Combatting Child Sex Trafficking” from Los Angeles Sentinel
By: Faye Washington
Not long ago, I read a startling
statistic. The United States now
ranks in the top 5 countries
in the world for child sex
trafficking. This alarming stat
illuminates the fact that we as a
country are absolutely failing our
most vulnerable citizens. Plain
and simple. Domestic human
sex trafficking is an epidemic
in America that many of us turn
a blind eye to because we see
it as something that happens to women and children from
other countries, something far removed from our day to
day lives. But the facts don’t lie and it’s time
we collectively pay attention. Last week, the
FBI announced the results of Operation
Cross Country VIII, an annual
enforcement push to recover minor
victims of domestic sex trafficking
and bring their pimps to justice.
The national effort was carried out in
106 cities across the country including
right here in Los Angeles. Nationwide,
281 pimps were identified and 168
child victims were rescued, according
to the FBI report. Here in the greater Los
Angeles area, our local taskforce identified
12 pimps during the operation and rescued
10 children from their grasp.
Collaborative inter-agency efforts like Operation Cross
Country are vital as we all work together to combat the
scourge of domestic sex trafficking and I salute their
efforts. However we know that this is a problem that is
still grossly under reported. Not only because there is
an extreme lack of comprehensive statistics surrounding
the issue, but we can see with our own eyes that there are
far more than 10 child victims in need of rescue here
in our region. I see these children every time I look out
the window at our Compton facility. Many of you have
seen them as you drive down the streets of this city going
about your everyday lives. We cannot continue to believe
this is someone else’s ‘problem’ to deal with. There is
an immediate need for laser-focused research on domestic
human sex trafficking, especially as it relates to California
and Los Angeles. It is vital that not only law enforcement
agencies, but lawmakers, corporate leaders, and those of us
in the nonprofit community fully understand the scope of
PAGE 6
the problem in order for us to provide adequate services
and resources to address it.
In April, the YWCA Greater Los Angeles convened our
first domestic sex trafficking symposium to help shine
the light on this issue that is far too prevalent in our own
backyard. The symposium was a launching pad for our new
advocacy initiative and helped to reignite the conversation
surrounding the multi-system response to sex trafficking
here in the state of California and focused on defining
concrete solutions. One of the calls to action that rose
out of the conversations at the symposium from not only
our California Attorney General, but also from District
Attorney’s offices statewide, was to ramp up prosecution
of the predators and recognize those involved in the
sex trade as victims instead of criminals. The
Los Angeles District Attorney’s office began
this work earlier this year by partnering with
us and other community-based nonprofit
organizations to administer its First Step
Diversion program which is helping to
redirect these juvenile victims.
The success of Operation Cross
Country is an important step towards
our collective goal of intervening against
and combating domestic human sex
trafficking. But we must never forget that
there are so many more victims out there that
are awaiting rescue. One of the startling facts
that came out of the FBI’s announcement was that
many of the rescued children were never reported
missing in the first place. How is it possible that no one
was looking for them? These are our babies. In his remarks
announcing the annual enforcement operation, FBI Director
James Comey pointed out that “these are America’s
children…not faraway kids in faraway lands.” He
is absolutely right. These children belong to all of us.
Everyone is accountable for what happens to our children;
for ensuring that no child in America is held in bondage as
a sex slave to a child predator. That includes legislators,
corporate leaders, local community organizations and all
who have turned a blind eye at the sight of a young girl
walking the streets late at night. We as a society can’t let
them fall through the cracks and have their voices silenced
due to anonymity. In turn, we at the YWCA Greater Los
Angeles will do our part as tireless advocates, continuing
our ongoing efforts to raise community awareness and
give a voice to these voiceless, vulnerable babies.
Faye Washington Youth
Empowerment Center
1020 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Programs: Job Corps,
Workforce Training
Studio Club
Empowerment Center
1215 Lodi Place
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Programs: Transitional Housing
South Bay Sexual Assault
Crisis Center
920 Atlantic Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90813
Programs: Sexual Assault
Crisis Services
Sexual Assault Outreach Specialist, Olivia Alvarez closed out the activities of
“Week Without Violence” with a Community Self-Defense Class at Union Pacific.
Felicia Mahood Senior Center
11338 Santa Monica Boulevard,
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Program: Seniors
Union Pacific
Empowerment Center
4315 Union Pacific Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90023
Programs: Child Development,
Seniors, Youth
greater los angeles
Supervisor Gloria Molina
Community Empowerment Center
7515 Pacific Blvd.
Walnut Park, CA 90255
Programs:Child Development,
Sexual Assault Services, Youth,
Seniors
YWCA Greater Los Angeles
at Osborne
12059 Osborne Street
Sylmar, CA 91331
Programs: Seniors,
Transitional Housing
North Valley
Empowerment Center
1200 North Maclay Avenue
San Fernando, CA 91340
Programs: Child Development
Angeles Mesa
Empowerment Center
2501 W. Vernon Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90008
Programs:Child Development,
Sexual Assault Crisis Services
Compton
Empowerment Center
1600 E. Compton Blvd.
Compton, CA 90221
Programs: Child Development,
Sexual Assault Crisis Services
North Valley Child
Development Center
11133 Omelveny Ave
San Fernando, CA 91340
Programs: Child Development
To support the work of the YWCA Greater Los Angeles visit: www.ywcagla.org
PAGE 7
greater los angeles
1020 S. Olive Street, 7th Floor
Los Angeles 90015
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T H A N K Y O U T O O U R PA RT N E R S !
ywca_gla
YWCA Greater Los Angeles
Board of Directors
Officers:
Eleanor Beasley
Board Chairwoman
Alva P. Adams-Mason
Secretary
Elected Members:
Margaret Leong Checca
Dr. Annalisa Enrile
Gerald M. Ford
Trisha Muse
Michelle Isenberg
Diedra Porsche
Amanda J. Lee
Patricia Reed-Cunningham
Patricia Keane
Treasurer
Faye Washington
President and CEO
Lisa D. Cagnolatti
Board Vice Chair
The YWCA Greater Los Angeles needs volunteers!
There are volunteer opportunities currently available
at the Los Angeles Job Corps School Library. Join
this volunteer team to help students with online
research and check materials in and out. Visit: www.
volunteermatch.org/search/opp1782096.jsp for more
information.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: If you are committed
to eliminating sexual violence in our community, then
the YWCA Greater Los Angeles needs your help! If
you missed this September’s Sexual Assault Crisis
Center Volunteer Training, look for an opportunity at
the beginning of 2015. This is your chance to join the
movement and become a Certified Sexual Assault
Crisis Advocate to help provide support to rape
survivors. For more information regarding upcoming
opportunities, contact Audrey Centeno at
213-251-1351 or [email protected].
The YWCA Greater Los Angeles is dedicated to eliminating
racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice,
freedom, and dignity for all.
Become a member today and ADD YOUR voice to help
change YOUR community and empower lives! Visit
ywcagla.org/membership for more information.
The YWCA Greater Los Angeles: Safe space to live, learn
and grow.