Announcements & Upcoming Events

Grants Available
Preparing Achievers for Tomorrow is a five-year, $12 million initiative of the California Community Foundation to provide grants to nonprofit organizations working to improve academic achievement, decision-making skills and self-esteem of youth in South Los Angeles and the South Bay through sports, music and recreation. CCF will be hosting “how to apply” workshops for the 2014 grant cycle on Monday, Jan. 13 from 1-2:30 pm at The Accelerated School, 4000 S. Main St. in Los Angeles. Another workshop will be held Thursday, Jan. 16 in Carson at the Boys & Girls Club, 21502 S. Main Street from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more information, go to www.calfund.org/pat.

Empowerment Congress
The 22nd annual Empowerment Congress Summit will be held on Saturday, January 18 at the University of Southern California’s Bovard Auditorium. This year's summit will include workshops on topics such as civic engagement, boys and men of color, arts funding opportunities, healthcare reform, the future of train transportation to LAX, human trafficking and housing options for people who are homeless. Check-in begins at 8 a.m.; the program is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is free, but advanced registration is required. For more information or to register, visit info@empowerment
congress.org or go to website at www.empowerment
congress.org.

Health Advocate Training
California Black Woman’s Health Project will soon begin training a new group of Northern and Southern California health advocates through its Advocate Training Program (ATP). The ATP is a nine-month program which includes a ten-week course that meets for approximately three hours per class session, twice monthly. The ATP is designed to train women – particularly sisters ages 18 and up – from the grassroots community to become effective health policy activists and advocates. Those who live in the South Los Angeles area are encouraged to apply. Applications are available now. Space is limited so submit your application as early as possible. Click here for more information.

Networking & Roller Skating
BHC South Los Angeles partners in the Outcome 4 Work Group will be networking on Thursday, Jan. 16 while roller skating from 6:30-9 p.m. at Moonlight Rollerway, 5110 San Fernando Road in Glendale. All BHC South LA partners are invited. For more information, contact Joe Donlin at jdonlin@saje.net.

Community Organizing Classes
In partnership with the Los Angeles Trade Tech College (LATTC), CD Tech will be offering free community organizing classes this spring semester starting February 10 through June 9. Participants will take free college courses around topics on community organizing and development in Los Angeles. Applications are due January 20 by 5 p.m. For more information on admissions, please contact Program Coordinator Shelia Balque at sbalque@cdtech.org or call her at 213.763-2520 ext. 250. Click here for the flyer.

Community Planning Education
Interested in pursuing an Associate of Arts Degree in Community Planning? Los Angeles Trade Tech College (LATTC) is offering community planning courses in the Spring 2014! Classes will be from February 10 through June 9 with tuition at $46 per unit. For more information on admissions, course descriptions and financial aid, visit LATTC's website: http://college.lattc.edu/. For additional support please contact Shelia Balque, program coordinator, at sbalque@cdtech.org or call 213.763.2520 ext. 250. Click here for the flyer.

Southside Job Openings
Southside Coalition of Community Health Centers is looking to fill two positions. The Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Director contributes to Southside’s mission and goals by providing our members with technical assistance for clinic providers, staff and board members for the implementation of the PCMH. The Community Outreach Coordinator, a part-time position, will work with the patients and staff at health centers to identify key social determinants of health within this community that are impacting the quality of life and health of residents. For more information about the director position, click here. For more information about the coordinator position, click here. More information can be found on Southside Coalition’s website at http://southsidecoalition.org
/careers/ .

Marketing Coordinator Needed
Homeboy Industries is looking for a marketing manager to help drive and create campaigns for fundraising and social enterprise revenue. This position requires cutting edge marketing knowledge of successful and creative approaches for the profit and non-profit sector. Email resumes to hiring@homeboyindustries.org.

BHC SLA Partner Negotiates Rent Free Lease for a New South LA Clinic
Attorneys with the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, in partnership with pro bono counsel, recently earned a significant victory for South Los Angeles residents by securing space for a community health clinic. The clinic will serve thousands of patients each year, providing health care to some of the highest need residents of Los Angeles.

Several years ago, St. John’s Well Child and Family Center, along with other BHC South LA partners (CD Tech, Esperanza Community Housing Corporation, SAJE, T.R.U.S.T. South LA, and Vermont Village Community Development Corporation), enlisted Legal Aid’s help in negotiating a Community Benefits Agreement with developer GH Palmer and Associates that would promote the interests of the neighboring community. After vigorous negotiations, the developer agreed to provide several important community benefits, including 7,500 square feet for a community-serving medical clinic that will be rent free for 20 years. The developer and St. John’s attempted to negotiate the specific terms of the lease without Legal Aid’s assistance, but, having vastly different views on what should be included in the lease, reached an impasse.

At that point, St. John’s turned again to Legal Aid for assistance. Legal Aid quickly decided to bring in pro bono co-counsel, commercial lease expert Al Stemp, an attorney with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. The legal team then conducted in-person and telephone negotiations with the developer and their attorneys. Ultimately, the team negotiated a final agreement on the lease terms, which included favorable terms ensuring that low-income clinic patients would be able to park for free, and that the developer will pay for major repairs and maintenance.

“This lease will allow St. John’s to focus its precious resources on providing medical care rather than paying for building repairs or insurance,” said Nona Randois, interim managing attorney of Legal Aid’s Community Economic Development team. Pro bono counsel Al Stemp “deserves the lion’s share of the credit for this success—we couldn’t have done it without his expertise and generosity.”

BHC partners are well aware of the grave health disparities that exist between South Los Angeles and wealthier parts of town. Legal Aid hopes that this clinic will help mitigate some of those disparities.
(Story submitted by LAFLA)

Closing Digital Divide in South LA and Beyond 
Imagine if you were not able to communicate instantaneously with others using your smart phone, digital tablet, or computer. That is the case for more than nine million Californians who live in remote rural communities, on tribal lands, in low-income neighborhoods, or who have a disability. Those who have the benefit of high-speed connections to the Internet—referred to as “broadband”— have come to depend on this connectivity for work, staying in touch with family and friends, and making their daily lives easier.

The California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF), established by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), partnered with Weingart YMCA to create the Youth Institute in South LA with the mission to close the Digital Divide in California through youth digital training and community broadband awareness. The broadband awareness project is available throughout the South LA community to reach communities most impacted by the digital divide.

Weingert YMCA, a BHC South LA partner, is opened to work with schools, churches, health clinics, job-training programs and social service providers to provide technical support and access to affordable broadband connections. If interested, contact Trina Greene, at 323.754.3191 or trinagreene@ymcala.org/
(Story submitted by Weingart YMCA)

Paid Job Training Offered to South LA Residents
A program facilitated by CDTech, a BHC South LA partner, will provide free education, training and money to South LA residents looking for entry level employment. CDTech is looking for 25 community members to participate in the six-week UNIDAD Workforce Development Training Program. This paid training program is specially designed to help South LA residents receive education and training to prepare them for immediate employment. Topics to be covered are:

Job Search 101: Resume Development, Job Search, Interview Etiquette (attire, communication, etc.)

Customer Service 101: Oral Communication, Conflict Management, Professionalism & Problem Solving

Leadership Development: Initiative and Values in the Workplace, Team Building and Interpersonal Relations, Diversity and Inclusion

Workers’ Rights & Labor Law Basics (Including Immigrant Workers’ Rights)

Community & Economic Development: Economics in South LA, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, Financial Literacy, and Banking

Career Planning: Preparing for GED/HSD, University, or Technical Training Programs.

Training will be held Monday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on Monday, January 20. Click here for more information about how to apply.
(Story submitted by CDTech)