#WisdomWed… Organize with LA Voice

“Community organizing, the task of a few to mobilize many.” Organizers educate, research and teach community leaders to build power to change local, state and national policy. Organizations like L.A. Voice of Los Angeles are making change across the political and civic landscape. The following is a preamble, some of LA Voice’s credentials.

LA Voice is a growing federation of 30 congregations

• churches, synagogues, and mosques and
• we represent over 40,000 families in the LA region, including seven city council districts in the city of LA and with a growing presence in Baldwin Park in the San Gabriel Valley.
• In total, we organized and represent over 40,000 families. LA Voice and all of us are also part of PICO National Network, the largest faith based grassroots organization in the U.S. with organizations in 23 states representing over 1 million families of different colors and creeds.

Inclusively, We are changing the rules that were never written for our benefit, and writing rules that create opportunity for all of us. It has been often repeated, “If you are not at the table, then you are on the menu.” Well, through LA Voice, we are AT THE TABLE!

What’s my evidence?

• How about that we signed a community benefits agreement worth over 10 million in local investments at Hollywood and Vine?
• How about the fact that we ended 30 day impounds that cost immigrant families millions per year?
• How about we led the coalition that passed the Responsible Banking Ordinance, holding banks, those are seeking city business, accountable to our needs?
• How about the fact that we identified over 8100 voters who value what we do by knocking on over 13,000 doors and having 8,000 phone conversations in support of proposition 30. Helping an effort of PICO across the State of California, move 40,000 voters to vote, for its successful passage last fall
• How about the fact on Monday April 15, 2013 in Washington DC, LA Voice and other PICO California leaders had a meeting with Senator Dianne Feinstein, who has agreed to finally meet with California Clergy to discuss gun violence and the path to citizenship for our 11 million aspiring Americans?