Dear LA Civil Rights Family,

April is Arab American Heritage month, a celebration of the rich diversity and contributions of Arab Americans in Los Angeles. This month, we celebrate and acknowledge our Arab American communities, their historical presence, and contributions to the beautiful social and cultural fabric of Los Angeles.

Heritage months, like Arab American Heritage Month, are an important time to celebrate rich histories and achievements. However, it is also important that we do not ignore the very real surge of shameful discrimination and xenophobia toward Arab Americans communities. LA Civil Rights is intentional to send a strong message - we strive for an LA For All and hate has no home in Los Angeles. Our LA For All campaign was created to stand against hate, and encourage everyone to speak up and speak out to create an equitable and inclusive City of Angels - for our four million diverse Angelenos!

If you are looking to make a meaningful impact in the City of Los Angeles, for all communities, now is the time. Join our Volunteer Corps to get involved and to fight hate. This opportunity is open to volunteers 18 and older who live, work, or have a connection to LA.

The fight for equity and inclusion does not belong to just one person. It takes all of us, working together, to create an equitable and inclusion Los Angeles!

Keep the faith and keep the fight,

- Capri Maddox

Executive Director

LA Civil Rights Department

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This month, we spread awareness and educate communities to help prevent sexual assaults from happening. Last year, in response to the still unsolved murder of 16-year old Tioni Theus, LA Civil Rights published an equity analysis, Violence Against Black & Latina Women Report, which revealed disproportionate violence against marginalized women and girls. Following the release of the report, LA Civil Rights worked with Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Councilman Curren Price, and Councilwoman Heather Hutt, to create “Blooming Beyond,” a resource guide of local community organizations supporting women and girls experiencing violence in Los Angeles.

We are honored to work with our community partners, elected officials, and local leaders to reduce sexual assault in LA.

L.A. REPAIR Voting is Closed!

Arleta-Pacoima, Harbor-Gateway-Wilmington- Harbor City, Westlake, West Adams - Baldwin Village - Leimert Park, South LA, Skid Row

Voting for the allocation of $5.4 million of the $8.5 million allocated to the community through the L.A. REPAIR Participatory Budgeting Program has come to an end. L.A. REPAIR hosted six very successful Proposer Fairs in each REPAIR ZONE for community members to learn about the programs on the ballot!



L.A. REPAIR is the City's first Participatory Budgeting Program and gives power to the people! Although this program is new to LA, participatory budgeting has been used in thousands of cities across the United States. Although it started in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1989, the LA Civil Rights manages the largest Participatory Budgeting Program in California.

Stay tuned for the results of the vote!!!

To learn more about our $8.5 million Participatory Budgeting Program visit our website or email questions to repair@lacity.org.

Spotlighting the Commission on The Status of Women

The Commission on the Status of Women meets bi-monthly, on the third Friday of every other month at 10:00 A.M. at the John Lewis Conference Center.

Our Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) has a mission to advance the general welfare of women and girls in the Los Angeles community and to ensure that all women have full and equal participation in City government. Over 50% of LA's population is made up of women, the CSW engages in several different issue areas for women, including gender equality, preventing harassment & discrimination in the workplace, and so much more. Click here to watch our Commissioners discuss their work on the Commission on the Status of Women. If you or someone you know would like to sit in on a CSW meeting, join us for our next meeting on May 17, 2024 at 10:00 A.M.

Happy Nowruz!

As we welcomed spring, and prepare to conclude Ramadan tomorrow, LA Civil Rights also participated in Easter and Nowruz community celebrations (hosted by MTO Shahmaghsoudi School of Islamic Sufism). We wish our Christian, Muslim, and Jewish communities blessed celebrations as we uplift religious pluralism in Los Angeles.