ONE LA-IAF: "Standing for Families"
Despite concerns about the poor quality of education and other issues, people in low- and moderate-income communities often feel they lack the power to bring about needed changes. The Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) brings together these people and the institutions, like churches and unions, of which they are a part, and provides leadership and issue-related training so that they can work effectively with others who share their concerns and with officials to make the necessary improvements. Since 1999, IAF Southwest Regional Director Ernesto Cortes has led an effort to restructure and rejuvenate the IAF presence in the metropolitan Los Angeles area. The Annie E. Casey Foundation, a long-time supporter of IAF education reform and workforce development initiatives, has provided modest annual funding almost from the outset of this effort, which has created the metropolitan-wide organization ONE LA-IAF. With a special interest in school improvement, the Foundation was making a "bet" that IAF and Cortes could mobilize congregations, parents and others to press for change. Building an effective movement takes years, but ONE LA-IAF already is showing results on both the organizing and issue fronts.
- Deep-reaching school reform is the eventual goal, but interim victories that help students include such changes as more nutritious menus, relocation of a school located near a toxic waste site, and reconfiguring another school to combine elementary and middle grades to give children more continuity and stability. Hundreds of parents and teachers are learning how to collaborate on education reforms in IAF-sponsored Achievement Academies. Encouraged by ONE LA-IAF organizing, the Crenshaw community recently voted to have low-performing Crenshaw High School join a special Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) reform initiative that will bring together administrators, teachers, parents, and community members to work on school improvement.
- ONE LA-IAF now has over 100 dues-paying institutional members and partnerships with a wide range of organizations that provide intellectual and other resources. Reflecting its preference that people "gang up on the problem, not on each other," ONE LA-IAF leaders have formed positive working relationships with many of those in authority, ranging from school principals and police commanders to the Mayor, Chief of Police, and the LAUSD Superintendent.
- ONE LA-IAF now has a budget of $800,000, half of which comes from dues. The organization has leveraged greater public investment to benefit children, as well, helping through information campaigns to secure passage of bond measures to maintain essential trauma care services and to build new schools.
For more information, read the full ONE LA-IAF program profile.
Contact:
ONE LA-IAF
213-273-8420