Uplifting Latino/a Voices
Founded in the mid-1990s, a group of grassroots Latino organizers originally known as the “Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club” decided that there was a need for a policy advocacy group to serve as the voice of Latina/o interests, the region’s largest and fastest-growing population. Organizers created Alliance for a Better Community (ABC) to promote Latina/o agendas within local government, surrounding schools, and other public entities.
ABC envisions a diverse community in which all families have access to economic opportunities, high-quality education, comprehensive healthcare, and affordable housing. To achieve these outcomes ABC advocates for policy change by engaging parents and professionals, and leveraging partnerships with other community-based organizations.
Building Community Power
With funding from the California Community Foundation (CCF) administered by the SELA Collaborative, ABC launched a Parent Academy aimed at cultivating leadership skills among Latino/a parents with students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Recognizing that Latino/a parents are often underrepresented in civic leadership and advocacy, the academy seeks to bridge this gap by equipping parents with the skills and knowledge necessary to advocate for social justice on behalf of themselves, their families, and their communities. This work is especially pertinent considering the share of families with children in the SELA region is nearly 13 percentage points higher than the Los Angeles County Average.
The academy’s first session, titled “Making a Difference: Introduction to Advocacy & Systems Change,” served as an entry point to understanding civic engagement. This session encouraged parents to visualize what meaningful engagement could look like within their communities, fostering discussions around both the challenges and opportunities for involvement. Participants also explored upcoming ballot propositions to identify key issues they could support or address through advocacy, providing a practical framework to connect civic actions with real policy changes.
In addition to the advocacy workshop, the academy offered workshops related to environmental justice and digital equity, underscoring ABC’s commitment to a holistic approach to leadership development. Environmental justice workshops allowed parents to engage with pressing issues affecting their neighborhoods, while digital equity sessions addressed the technological barriers many families face. Partnering with local organizations helped ABC expand its resources and impact. For instance, a collaboration with digital service provider EveryoneOn enabled seven parents who attended the digital equity workshop to receive Chromebooks, giving them access to essential tools for continued learning and engagement.
Through these workshops, ABC’s Parent Academy fosters a sustainable support network for parents, strengthening the Latino/a community’s presence and influence in shaping policies and initiatives in LAUSD and beyond. The initiative also builds momentum for continued advocacy, providing parents with the skills and resources to become leaders and advocates within their communities.
Fostering Leaders
ABC’s goal is to create a pipeline into civic involvement, empowering participants to become trusted voices within their communities. Through this pipeline, ABC aims to equip Latino/a parents with the tools and confidence to actively share information on critical local and statewide ballot measures that impact education funding, healthcare, economic development, and other community needs. By becoming informed advocates, participants can demystify complex policy issues for their peers, helping community members make informed decisions that affect their daily lives and future.
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In the long term, ABC envisions building a culture of civic engagement throughout Southeast LA. This effort extends beyond immediate policy advocacy; it is a framework for sustained involvement, where participants are encouraged to continue their civic journey. Graduates of the Parent Academy are inspired to further engage with ABC initiatives or collaborate with other community organizations, becoming pillars of leadership within SELA.
Moreover, ABC aims to inspire a new generation of Latino/a leaders who may ultimately choose to pursue roles in local boards, commissions, or elected office. By fostering the development of grassroots leaders who reflect the diverse makeup of their communities, ABC is working toward a future where Latino/a representation is stronger and more influential in shaping policies that affect their lives. This approach not only strengthens local civic engagement but also cultivates a support network for emerging leaders, amplifying community voices at every level.
The Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) Collaborative is a network of organizations working together to strengthen the capacity of the nonprofit sector and increase civic engagement in Southeast LA. Founded in 2011 by eleven core organizations, the Collaborative seeks to revitalize the communities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Florence-Firestone, Huntington Park, Lynwood, Maywood, South Gate, Vernon, and Walnut Park.
These grantee vignettes highlight the work and impact of individual Collaborative members, each of whom have a long history of serving and advocating in partnership with residents of Southeast Los Angeles. Read more about the SELA region here.
Author
Emily Phillips
Emily (she/her) is the Project Specialist at Neighborhood Data for Social Change. Emily received her Master in Public Policy with a specialization in advocacy communications from the USC Price School in the Spring of 2024. Prior to relocating to Southern California, Emily grew up in Phoenix and then obtained her BA in Political Science and Global Studies from Loyola University Chicago. Her main focus incudes policy advocacy across a variety of policy areas including housing, health, and racial justice. She is passionate about community engagement and social impact.
