EWDD's Newsletter for November 2023

EWDD’s BusinessSource Centers Assist Business Owners Impacted by the 10 Freeway Closure

On November 20-21, 2023, the City of Los Angeles partnered with government agencies and community-based organizations to provide resources, assistance, and services to businesses suffering from economic hardships from the 10 freeway closure.

EWDD's Southeast, East, and Hollywood BusinessSource Centers representatives were in attendance on both days to provide in-person resources to impacted business owners. The BusinessSource Centers spoke with and assisted business owners Francisco Torres and Carina Quinto.

Francisco Torres, owner of Torres Produce, explained that in the fire they lost trucks, forklifts, and other essential machinery needed to transport their businesses' produce. Due to this loss, they had to halt operations and are concerned about how they will find the funds to buy back all that was lost, pay rent, and pay their employees. Torres hoped to attend this event to receive information about loans or grants. "Whatever the City thinks is a fair amount for a grant or loan, it would be of great help," Torres expressed.

Carina Quinto, owner of MCA Diesel, faces similar hardships. In the fire, Quinto lost her office, her inventory and two of her clients’ trucks. Carina relies on this business to support herself and her family, a business left to her when her husband passed away from COVID. “I'm not working right now, and I have five kids and I don't know what to tell them. It's uncertainty,” stated Quinto.

To aid in assisting more affected businesses, representatives from the Southeast BusinessSource Center (BSC) canvassed the streets in the damaged area providing close to 50 businesses with flyers about this resource event. When business owners became aware of the emergency event, "the [business owners] were ecstatic about this, grateful that they can access all of these resources in one place,” said a Southeast BSC representative.

The Local Business Assistance Resource Center is only the first step to recovery. Available to all businesses are 10 BusinessSource Centers located throughout the City of Los Angeles that provide services such as access to capital, entrepreneur programs, one-on-one counseling, and much more to help businesses succeed. EWDD’s Microenterprise Grant program offers grants of up to $5,000 to eligible microenterprises in the City of Los Angeles and is accepting applications until December 10, 2023.

Learn More Here

YO! Watts YouthSource Participants Get C.M.A. Career Training at Kaiser Permanente

The YO! Watts YouthSource Center (YSC) partnered with the Los Angeles Job Corps and Kaiser Permanente to provide YouthSource participants with career training to become State Certified Medical Assistants (C.M.A).

Participants Aidee Sanchez, Adreanna Kaufman, Elizabeth Espinoza, and Aulani Henry are currently taking their C.M.A. training with the Los Angeles Job Corps and recently began their C.M.A. internships with Kaiser Permanente-Sunset Hospitals through the Volunteer Services Department. The young professionals will complete their clinical hours and will soon be ready to take the state test to gain their California-recognized certification.

The YO! Watts YSC’s partnership with the Los Angeles Job Corps and Kaiser Permanente shows the value of partnership and collaboration for students' success. “It takes a village and the village is very proud of these young professionals,” expressed Clarence Scott, YO! Watts’ Senior Project Assistant.

Locate your nearest YouthSource Center

Incubator- Grid110 Launches Their ‘Idea to Launch’ Bootcamp

EWDD administers and supports several incubators and accelerators in the City of Los Angeles through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, including Grid110, an economic and community development non-profit dedicated to creating pathways to success for early-stage entrepreneurs.

Grid110 wrapped up the 6-week ‘Idea to Launch’ Bootcamp, the nonprofit startup incubator’s latest initiative to support underrepresented startups and small business founders in Los Angeles. The bootcamp consisted of 6 weeks of intensive self-directed work and weekly live sessions, including mentorship, accountability, and coaching. The founders were led by Grid110’s Program Associate, Margot Johnson, who was assisted by Grid110’s Entrepreneurs in Residence and supported by Grid110’s team members.

As a result of the 6-week Bootcamp, Grid110 helped support and accelerate their largest cohort to date of 37 companies and 51 founders. All of the companies are early-stage, LA-based businesses that had the goal of launching their business within 3-6 months at the start of the bootcamp. Now, they have progressed in their launching journey, gained valuable insights and advice, and became connected to a diverse and collaborative ecosystem of founders through Grid110.

One participant who stood out is Bijal Desai-Ramirez, founder of Masalawali, a chai shop and collective liberation space that reclaims and decolonizes South Asian traditions co-opted and capitalized by others. They celebrate the rich complexities of modern South Asian American art, culture, and community while creating a home for liberatory/radical events and programming, book clubs, cultural activities, and conversations within and between marginalized communities. While some people may just come for the chai, Bijal hopes that others will stay for the moksha (“liberation”).

Read Full Story Here

💼Job Fair Recaps

Public Works Career Fair- EWDD’s WorkSource Centers Provided Info on Alternative Pathways to City Employment

On November 2, 2023, the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works hosted its 4th Public Works Career Fair at the Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center. Over 800 job seekers attended to learn how to apply and gain information about the City and other job employment opportunities.

Two of EWDD's WorkSource Centers, Downtown/Pico Union and Northeast Los Angeles, were in attendance to provide information about alternative pathways to City employment such as the Targeted Local Hire program, employment support, and job training opportunities. Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez (CD1) greeted and spoke with various City department representatives and attendees.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Department of Public Works to provide employment resources for the community at their career fairs!

EWDD’s WorkSource Centers offer free job training, resume assistance, and skill training and placement services to local job seekers and business owners.

Locate your nearest WorkSource Center

Resources

Resources for businesses impacted by the 10 freeway closure, visit: emergency.lacity.gov/10LBARC

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If you have any questions, comments, or wish to have a contribution considered for inclusion in an upcoming EWDD Updates, please contact EWDD's Comms Team at ewddcomms@lacity.org.