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First Ever Regional Congress of Neighborhoods: How did It Happen? |
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South LA
By Guy Leemhius
The South Los Angeles neighborhood councils will host the first Regional Congress of Neighborhoods—this one entitled “The Gathering” Council leaders have expressed both excitement and anticipation for upcoming first-of-a-kind event.
This regional gathering of neighborhood councils has been a truly collaborative effort with four primary groups playing an active role in the planning of this important event. The Planning Committee includes Empowerment Congress Members Joy Atkinson, Mia Boykin, Marco Flores, Guy Leemhuis, Taylor Mayfield, Maggi Fajnor, Empowerment Congress North Area, NDC, Lark Galloway-Gilliam, Empowerment Congress West Area, NDC, Sharron Haynes, Watts Neighborhood Council, Julian S. Rogers, Empowerment Congress Southeast Area, NDC, Theodore Thomas, Park Mesa Heights Neighborhood Council and Steven Vasquez, Empowerment Congress and Mid City Neighborhood Council.
The Empowerment Congress, the South Los Angeles Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (SLAANC) and various south Los Angeles neighborhood councils have been collaborating with the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) for the past eight months.
How a Regional Congress Came About-The idea of a regional focus for neighborhood councils is a theme that was discussed among members of the Neighborhood Council Review Commission and was often well received as a concept during discussions at public hearings of the commission in 2007. A number of neighborhood commissioners from south Los Angeles discussed the need for south Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils to get together on regional issues of great import in the community.
It should be no surprise that a few of the folks involved with the South Los Angeles Gathering are former Neighborhood Council Review Commissioners, including Guy Leemhuis, Julian Rogers, Rev. Altagracia Perez, and Jackie Dupont-Walker.
In May 2007, the Empowerment Congress, a predecessor to neighborhood councils which celebrated 15 years of empowering of residents of Los Angeles, met with former General Manager, Carol Baker Tharpe and Asst. General Manager BongHwan Kim. The purpose of the meeting was to explore ways in which the Empowerment Congress could assist the new leadership in working with the community in a more collaborative way that would engender more community empowerment.
By August 2007, the Empowerment Congress began working closely with DONE and SLAANC to develop a regional Congress of Neighborhoods. One of the first decisions was to change the name as it was clear by numbers of the neighborhood council leader participants that the term Congress had too much baggage from citywide efforts to hold a Congress which many felt lacked neighborhood council input.
What to Expect-The focus of this event is the empowerment of neighborhood councils and its stakeholders to focus and mobilize on issues affecting their community and with which they can assist the city by not only having their voice heard but identifying strategy and policy gaps that need to be addressed by the City. It was hoped that this would also begin the process for enabling neighborhood councils to take a more proactive role in problem solving with the City on issues of import.
Over the past eight months, the planning community has been working diligently to put together what is shaping up to be an exciting event. More importantly, neighborhood councils will be active participants in the dialogues throughout the event.
The Planning group used a consensus model for decision making and has developed and identified all of the speakers for the event as well as its format which will be interactive and allow for participants to dialogue throughout the day long event.
The philosophy of this gathering is that each neighborhood in South Los Angeles represents and carries a unique part of the history, fabric and future of Los Angeles. While there are communities within communities rich in cultural diversity, we share many common values, strengths and challenges. The Neighborhood Councils are an important forum for bringing broad cross sections of each community together to identify key issues and concerns as well as solutions.
Making Change Happen-This one-day congress is designed to take two of the challenges that cut across street boundaries, racial and ethnic communities and provide an opportunity for area residents to explore with each other as well as key city officials, what is being done and what can be done to improve the quality of life in South Los Angeles. The congress will examine:
• Gang Violence: Finding Solutions to a Community Health and Economic Crisis
• Community Revitalization: Getting the Best Out of Community Redevelopment and Planning
The purpose and desired outcomes of this one-day congress are to:
• Identify City strategy and policy gaps in resolving gang violence and community reinvestment
• Increase our understanding and sensitivity to the issues
• Identify vehicles and opportunities for change
• Provide a format that can be replicated for addressing other community concerns
• Build the capacity of Neighborhood Councils to respond effectively to community challenges
The Planning committee is working hard to finalize the program participants, so be on the lookout in CityWatch for more updates on this important event. And, save the date May 17, 2008. (Guy Leemhius is an attorney, neighborhood council activist and served on the NC Review Commission.)
REGIONAL CONGRESS DETAILS-“The Gathering”-Neighborhood Councils - Making Change Happen-Saturday – May 17-8:00 am – 4:00 pm -WEST ADAMS PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL-1500 W. Washington Blvd. s Los Angeles, CA 90007. Register at: www.lacityneighborhoods.com .
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