Department History and Mission Our Mission The Community Organizing Department fights for social, political and economic justice and is a lasting and united voice committed to the self-sufficiency and empowerment of residents of LA's Eastside. Our Goals Community Power: Develop a strong organized base of tenants and their allies for active participation in the decisions to improve the community for their families. Community Leadership: Be an avenue for community members to increase their self-esteem to exert their rights, actively participate in organizing their community for social change for a better community for their families. Strengthening the Social Movement: Work in coalitions and shared campaigns that focus on increasing affordable housing, rights of tenants, and economic justice to enact policy and programmatic changes that will lead to the social and economic empowerment and self-sufficiency of the Eastside community. Our History Community organizing activities have been an integral component of ELACC's mission since it was founded in 1996. Early organizing and advocacy efforts were neighborhood-based, focusing on issues relevant to ELACC's specific housing developments. By 2000, ELACC helped form eight active neighborhood councils. These were designed to be advocacy entities to leverage their collective voice for neighborhood change. In 2001, community-organizing efforts adopted education reform as a new issue to focus its activities on. In 2003, ELACC's expanding community organizing efforts culminated in the creation of its own distinct department within the organization, the Community Organizing Department. This new department adopted an issue-based focus rather than its previous neighborhood-based approach. Education and employment were designated as the first two focal advocacy issues. In 2005, ELACC adopted housing as its third advocacy issue. Our Success As of 2005, the program has built a (still growing) membership base of 654 residents willing to actively participate in community advocacy and social justice campaigns. 50-60 Eastside resident leaders attend various monthly community organizing meetings and regularly participate in actions. ELACC has spearheaded a local coalition for accountable development in Boyle Heights-Comunidades Unidas De Boyle Heights (CUBH). Other coalition members include, local non-profit organizations from Boyle Heights, Union de Vecinos, Innercity Struggle, Homeboy Industries. On September 29th, 2005, ELACC along with CUBH members mobilized over 250 residents to attend a community meeting with MJW, the developer of the Sears building site, which is being considered for an adaptive reuse/mixed-use development, commercial space, lofts and condominiums for sale. This was an important meeting for residents to engage in the planning and development of the site with the private investors intending to profit from developing in this predominantly low-income, immigrant and tenant community of Boyle Heights. Spring 2005, ELACC participated in a successful citywide campaign that advocated for the implementation of the A-G requirements as the standard curriculum for all of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). ELACC led a petition drive and collected 1,500 signatures to support and advocate for the A-G policy in LAUSD. ELACC was one of two local grassroots organizations organizing the Eastside base. This was a major win towards closing the educational achievement gap for lagging Eastside schools, as well as for the entire Los Angeles region. Summer 2007, ELACC hosted series of Community Forums on land use and planning. Culminating in the first large public forum the City's Planning Director attended to dialogue with community residents. ELACC has identified 200 community leaders and organizers to train for community campaigns. These individuals serve to coordinate, provide outreach and train other community members during active campaign initiatives and participate in Leader Academy in order to inform organizing efforts and strengthen ELACC's efforts.