29th Annual Empowerment Congress Video
Break Out Sessions
The 29th Annual Summit, “Reimagining Civic Engagement: Fueling a Movement for a Better Tomorrow”included five dynamic breakout sessions, featuring community leaders and stakeholders discussing topics ranging from the impacts of COVID-19 on educational outcomes to reimagining the LA City budget through an anti-racist framework. View one or all of these engaging breakout sessions below!
- Breakout Session 1 | Journeys: Moving from the Streets to a Home
- Breakout Session 2 | If We Build It, Will They Come? Trust in COVID-19 Vaccines Among Communities of Color
- Breakout Session 3 | Resiliency in Crisis: School Closures and Learning Loss Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Breakout Session 4 | Reimagining the City Budget Through an Antiracist Framework
- Breakout Session 5 | Empowering LA: Redefining Civic Engagement in a COVID-19 Era and Beyond
Journeys: Moving From the Streets to a Home
This session presents a case study of the “Street to Home” pilot on Venice Blvd, where dedicated social workers from The People Concern, funded by Councilmember Ridley-Thomas’ office, helped rehouse 28 individuals as of December 2020. Join us to explore lessons learned and how they can inform broader efforts to address street homelessness in Los Angeles.
MODERATOR:
- Dr. Jack Barbour, Chief Executive Officer, Southern California Health & Rehabilitation Program (SCHARP); Empowerment Congress Leadership Council Member
PANELISTS:
- John Maceri, Chief Executive Officer, The People Concern
- Jose Torres, Team Lead & Substance Use Specialist E6 Street Outreach, The People Concern
- Elizabeth (Libby) Boyce, Director of Access, Referrals & Engagement, Housing for Health Division LA County Department of Health Services
- Almadelia (Alma) Carmona, Pre-taped video
If We Build It, Will They Come? Trust in COVID-19 Vaccines Among Communities of Color
Vaccines offer hope against COVID-19, but trust remains a major hurdle—especially in communities of color, given a history of medical mistreatment like the Tuskegee Study and the Holmesburg Prison Experiment. This session brings public health experts and community leaders together to address vaccine concerns and discuss how to ensure equitable access amid longstanding racial health disparities.
MODERATOR:
- Sonya Vasquez, Chief Compliance and Operations Officer, Community Health Councils; Empowerment Congress Executive Committee Member
PANELISTS:
- Dr. Brad Spellberg, Chief Medical Officer, LAC+USC Medical Center
- Dr. Katya Corado, Infectious Disease Specialist, Division of HIV Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
- Dr. Roberto Vargas, Associate Professor of Medicine, College of Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Resiliency in Crisis: School Closures and Learning Loss Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close, and despite efforts to bridge the digital divide, low-income students have faced the greatest challenges with distance learning. As reopening plans emerge, key questions remain: How are vulnerable students affected, and how can we address learning loss? This session brings together educators, parents, and administrators to discuss the impacts of school closures and explore strategies to support students and families during and beyond the pandemic.
MODERATOR:
- Dr. Shani Byard, Founder, @AfroMediaLit; Empowerment Congress Leadership Council Member
PANELISTS:
- Dr. Tyrone Howard, Professor of Education, Associate Dean for Equity & Inclusion, Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles
- Dr. AmberMarie Irving, Parent and PTA Member, Baldwin Hills Elementary School
- Mia Young-Adeyeba, English Teacher, Alexander Hamilton Senior High School
Reimagining the City Budget Through an Antiracist Framework
In response to nationwide protests and calls for justice, the LA City Council pledged to cut police funding and reinvest in marginalized communities. A new LMU study, commissioned by the LAPD, reveals growing public support for change. This session explores the survey findings and how we can reimagine public safety in an antiracist Los Angeles.
MODERATOR:
- Arna Fulcher, Co-Chair, Empowerment Congress Equitable Economic, Environmental & Community Development Committee; Empowerment Congress Executive Committee Member
PANELISTS:
- Dr. Fernando Guerra, Professor of Political Science and International Relations and Chicana/o Latina/o Studies and Director of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University
- Miguel A. Santana, Chair, Committee for Greater Los Angeles
Empowering LA: Redefining Civic Engagement in a COVID-19 Era and Beyond
In 2020, the pandemic, George Floyd’s death, and a divisive election sparked a wave of activism in Los Angeles. From street protests to social media movements, Angelenos mobilized for change—providing mutual aid, pushing for housing justice, and engaging through neighborhood councils.
This session explores lessons from this surge in civic action and how we can sustain and strengthen community engagement to build a more empowered, connected Los Angeles.
MODERATOR:
- Rhea Mac, Social Equity Consultant, Rhea K. Mac Consulting; Co-Chair, Empowerment Congress Committee on Homelessness
PANELISTS:
- Raquel Beltrán, General Manager, Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, City of Los Angeles
- Councilmember Nithya Raman, Los Angeles City Council, District 4
- Raphael J. Sonenshein, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, California State University, Los Angeles
- Sherin Varghese, Organizer, Ktown for All