27th ANNUAL EMPOWERMENT CONGRESS SUMMIT WORKSHOPS
Reclaiming and Transforming Community: A Constructive Critique of Gentrification
Displacement is arguably the most threatening unintended consequence of the current economic development renaissance in Los Angeles. This workshop will convene policy makers, local residents and advocates alike to address the topics of community engagement, cultural preservation, community wealth building, affordable housing development and more as strategies to reduce the negative impacts of gentrification. Using interactive exhibits and local projects and policies as focal points of discussion, participants of the “Reclaiming Community” workshop will leave with a historical perspective on land use inequality, tools and strategies to take leadership roles in their changing landscapes and opportunities to prepare and benefit from future growth and development.
Transforming and Uniting Communities through Arts and Culture
Inclusion of arts and cultural activities in our daily lives has the power to transform lives and communities. This workshop will explore how spirituality in arts and culture is reflected in the diverse communities of Los Angeles, and how it can be used as a mechanism to bridge these communities. Join us to experience spiritual growth and open your hearts and minds through interactive activities and creative explorations through art, music, dance and creative thought.
A Tour of Willowbrook: A Community in the Midst of Transformation
The Willowbrook tour will give participants an opportunity to explore and learn about the estimated $1 billion in transformative improvements constructed and planned for the Willowbrook community, with a particular emphasis on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Medical Campus. Participants will have the opportunity to see the new, state-of-the-art Community Hospital (which opened in 2015); the Center for Public Health, including the Community Healing and Trauma Prevention Center; transportation and infrastructure improvements; recreational and cultural amenities; and affordable housing developments. The 90-minute tour will be conducted by bus and community leaders will serve as guides.
Transforming Probation: A Key Step in Criminal Justice Reform
The Los Angeles County Probation Department is the largest in the nation, with a budget of almost $1 billion and supervisory responsibility for more than 40,000 adult clients and about 8,000 youth, more than 900 of whom are incarcerated in juvenile justice facilities. The Probation Department touches many lives in the County -- and yet it is too often misunderstood, and for too long has failed to meet its mandate of rehabilitation. Come hear from dynamic community and County experts to learn how LA County is turning the tide on Probation reform, and share ideas for how the County can ensure meaningful oversight.
Bioscience: Transforming the Workforce in a Growing Industry Sector
The Los Angeles region generates a high volume of cutting edge life science research capable of supporting new commercial enterprises. The bioscience industry generates well-paying jobs at all skill levels. Unfortunately, many new start-ups move to other regions that provide a business infrastructure with resources that support success and growth. The County of Los Angeles is committed to reversing this trend to ensure that new technology generated in the region remains and that local residents benefit from the jobs created from the commercialization of new technologies. Ensuring that the local workforce has the necessary skills and training that these companies need to be successful and continue to grow over the long term is critical.
Transforming Neighborhoods and Transforming Lives
This interactive community fair will showcase the overall homeless services and housing system in Los Angeles County, with a particular focus on an innovative Second District development called “Safe Landing,” which will provide a full-service site to individuals transitioning out of homelessness into permanent housing. In addition to providing a safe place for individuals to transform their lives, the Safe Landing development will also transform 2.5 acres of blighted, vacant County-owned land in West Athens into a thriving and vital part of the neighborhood. The workshop will feature a variety of “information stations” through which attendees will interact one-on-one with experts and engage in discussion to learn more about different aspects of the Safe Landing development and the homeless system.