Thirteen hundred people participated last Saturday in a dialogue about Los Angeles County’s crisis of homelessness at the 24th annual Empowerment Congress Summit.
They vowed to work together as a community in search of solutions.
County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas described homelessness as one of the most profound issues of our time. He said 44,000 people live on the streets or in temporary shelters every night.
“One out of every three homeless persons lives in my Second District, 14,000 men, women and children,” Ridley-Thomas said. “The most vulnerable — those with mental or physical disabilities, drug or alcohol addiction, women without family support — are the hardest hit.”
The summit coincides each year with the national observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. Mr. Ridley-Thomas recalled the legacy of the legendary civil rights leader.
“Dr. King’s words implore us not to harden our hearts in despair, cynicism and bitter resignation in the face of these challenges,” he said.
“Dr. King reminds us that it is our moral imperative to learn more about the homeless problem. We need to challenge ourselves to creatively respond and alter the systems causing homelessness in the first place.”
Actress Pauley Perrette, a longtime advocate for the homeless and star of the world’s highest-rated television show, “NCIS,” also urged help for the homeless.
“We all share a common humanity,” Ms. Perrette said. Although best known for playing the role of forensic scientist Abby Sciuto, she is an ardent social and civil activist, involved in many charitable organizations.
Founded in 1992 by Mr. Ridley-Thomas, then a Los Angeles City Councilman, the Empowerment Congress is a national model of civic engagement and forerunner of the neighborhood council movement. It seeks to be a dynamic partnership among neighborhood groups, residents, nonprofit organizations, businesses, religious institutions and community leaders, built on the core principles of participatory democracy, reciprocal accountability, and intentional civility.
The summit had the theme Empowerment Matters: Building Stronger Communities. Speakers at the plenary session included California Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon and Los Angeles City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson.
Other speakers included Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Songhai Armstead, A Community of Friends CEO Dora Gallo, architect Michael Maltzan, Marquez Community Strategy founder Mercedes Marquez, and civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Cecil Murray.
The plenary session was followed by workshops on such issues as preparing for El Niño, the relationship between law enforcement and young men of color, mass transit as a vehicle for economic development, and the state of social justice in Los Angeles.
