The California Community Empowerment Foundation cultivates civic awareness, participation, and empowerment through research, education, and direct community action. Its signature program is the Empowerment Congress of the Second Supervisorial District of Los Angeles County. The Empowerment Congress empowers and engages all members of our diverse communities to ensure our collective voice is heard by:
- Encouraging and enlisting the full participation of our community to improve our quality of life;
- Educating and informing our community on how government works;
- Developing strategies that shape policy and legislation; and
- Connecting our community with public resources
Founded in 1992 by then Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, the Empowerment Congress is a dynamic partnership among neighborhood groups, residents, nonprofit organizations, businesses, religious institutions, and community leaders. It is an ongoing effort in participatory government, founded on the principle that elected officials are most effective when the constituents they serve are actively involved in the decision-making process. The Empowerment Congress served as a model and precursor to the City of Los Angeles’ Neighborhood Councils.