#SheDoes Left Coast Forum: Homelessness on the Rise in Los Angeles (August 26th)

Join the #SheDoes movement and California For Progress for a panel at the Left Coast Forum 2018 on the ever-changing conditions and the potential solutions to the multi-faceted issue of homelessness.

As we know, homelessness in Los Angeles has risen to epidemic proportions. With this panel, we will hear from activists, community leaders, and people from the affected community on the ways that cities are failing people experiencing homelessness, the solutions being proposed by those on the front lines, and what you can do to help.

HOST
Mel Tillekeratne
Mel Tillekeratne founded Monday Night Mission and The Shower of Hope and recently started the #SheDoes Movement to expand shelter facilities for homeless women in LA. He has been involved in outreach snd advocacy for the homeless for the past 7 years.

PANELISTS
Claudia Perez
Claudia’s commitment to helping people who are experiencing homelessness and poverty comes from a deeply personal journey. She understands what it takes to help people in those circumstances. Born and raised in Los Angeles by a single mom, Claudia lives with her husband and five children in South Central LA. She founded LA on Cloud9 in 2012, from the core belief that every single person is worthy of dignity, respect, and another chance. LA on Cloud9 is a group of volunteers who gather on a weekly basis to deliver basic necessities such as clothing, toiletries, sleeping mats, and more, to people experiencing homelessness in encampments throughout the city. Along with physical necessities, they also strive to provide hope and, in Claudia’s own case, proof that change is possible and everyone can aim to live on Cloud9!

Sylvie Shain
Sylvie is a housing and tenants rights advocate who led a well-publicized campaign against the mass eviction of her historic 50-unit apartment building in Hollywood for a hotel redevelopment. Her personal struggle led her into community organizing and in 2015 she co-founded the Los Angeles Tenants Union, a growing volunteer renter-led housing justice movement fighting against gentrification-displacement and for Housing As a Human Right. In 2017, Sylvie placed second in a grassroots effort to challenge a local incumbent LA City council-member for his failure on housing and homelessness. Today Sylvie continues her community organizing and housing policy advocacy work and has led numerous organizing successes in efforts to keep tenants threatened with mass eviction in their homes, as well as won pro-tenant legislative amendments to the city’s municipal code.

Andy Bales
Andy brings over 31 years of experience in community outreach and service to his “friends experiencing homelesssness”, as Andy puts it, as he leads Union Rescue Mission into a new era of unique and innovative services for Los Angeles’ Skid Row community. As CEO of Union Rescue Mission, Andy has had a pivotal role in reshaping hospital and governmental policies related to the “dumping” of homeless patients from hospitals on to the streets of Skid Row. Andy’s present focus is organizing and working with community partners to address the epidemic of homelessness in Los Angeles.

Bill Przylucki – Bill became Executive Director of People Organized for Westside Renewal (POWER) in September 2012. He began at POWER as a Jesuit Volunteer in 2007. He has worked in neighborhoods throughout LA on affordable housing, economic justice, immigrant’s rights and environmental justice campaigns. He was mentored by the late Shel Trapp. Prior to becoming a POWER organizer, Bill graduated from Boston College with a BA in History & Film Studies, and from Albany High School in Albany, NY. His first campaign was fighting against the Death Penalty in New York State in 4th grade. He is an armchair historian, drummer, and avid karaoke performer. His essay, “Asking Questions and Taking Action” was published in Hungering and Thirsting for Justice: Real-Life Stories by Young Adult Catholics. Louwagie/Ward (ed.) 2012, ACTA.

Join us on August 26th: View Event

#SheDoes Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell Save Our Homes, Support Burlington (August 7th)

Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell your constituents need your help!

Angelenos!
Join us this Tuesday the 7th of August at 6.00pm to support Burlington Unidos. The brave 87 tenants of 143 S.Burlington Ave who went on a rent strike to demand Respect from their landlord, Long overdue repairs and REASONABLE rent. They are facing 25% to 40% rent increases while there’s consistent leaks of feces from sewage pipes into the garage.

We will join Councilmember O’Farrell’s National Night Out event to ask he support his constituents of the Burlington apartment complex.

We also demand that he support expanding and strengthening rent control once Prop 10 is passed.

Time: 6.00pm, Tueaday, 7th of August
Location: LAPD – Rampart Police Station
1401 W. 6th
Los Angeles, CA 90017

Join us on  August 7th: View Event

#SheDoes Burlington Rent Strike Tent Protest (July 20th)

Burlington Rent Strike Tent Protest – join us for setting up a tent-city (“Ehrlich Town”) and a press conference with the Burlington tenants, who are waging the biggest rent strike in recent LA history.

There will be a series of speakers starting at 8:00pm until 10:00pm. These speakers will include the tenants themselves, Elena Popp (the tenants’ attorney), representatives from LATU and #SheDoes, and a variety of local community leaders.

The Burlington Tenants, facing a mass eviction by their landlord who is giving them rent increases of 25% to 40% on top of a 10% rent increase last year, are fighting back. 85 tenants of the 192 total units, with the help of the Eviction Defense Network and LA Tenants Union are on a rent strike since they received notices of an increase in February. Unless we help them win, over a 100 women and 50 children will be displaced.

We are asking you to join them this Friday, July 20th, from 6.00pm till midnight at 143 South Burlington Ave, LA CA 90057 to pitch a tent on Burlington Ave and show their landlord as well as Los Angeles what will happen to all these families if we don’t help them fight back.

#SheDoes was formed to help homeless women. To truly help, we need to help women from becoming homeless in the first place. #SheDoes Deserve Protection from Mass Evictions

Join us on July 20th : View Event

#SheDoes Candlelight Vigil For Cee (July 3rd)

Join us to hold a candlelight vigil for Cee. Another woman lost on the streets of LA. Join us to honor Cee and to bring awareness to the hundreds who die on our streets without adequate shelter.

Tueaday, July 3rd at 8pm at the corner of Figueroa St and Colorado Blvd. 7368 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90041

Join us on July 3rd: View Event

#SheDoes Housing- Homelessness Town Hall & Resources (June 30th)

LA is facing a serious housing & homelessness crisis, learn from LA’s experts and advocates what is being done to fight against the social ills that are displacing families and affecting our communities. From luxury developments that are driving rents out of control to record number of homelessness. You will hear and meet community and civic organizations that are leading the efforts in addressing and finding solutions to LA’s top priority.

• Come meet and hear from housing and homeless organizations.
• Learn how you can get involved.
• Free event everyone is welcomed.

MORE DETAIL INFORMATION SOON

Join us on June 30th: View Event

#SheDoes Koreatown Tent Protest (May 26th)

#SheDoes Koreatown Tent Protest

#SheDoes Warriors,

It was apparent from today’s City Hall meeting that some people in Koreatown are against helping their homeless neighbors. We need to make sure this new Crisis Shelter in Koreatown gets established as the first in a series of Crisis Shelters established across the City of LA to bring in not only our mothers, grandmas, sisters & daughters off the streets but our fathers & brothers too. We are facing a homeless crisis and while building Permanent Supportive Housing is crucial, it takes time and time is something the people on our streets, especially our women don’t have.

To show support, we are erecting tents on Vermont and Wilshire (3183 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90005) to show what Koreatown would look like in 2020 if this issue isn’t addressed now. We NEED you this Saturday, May 26th from 5.00pm till 7.00pm. Bring everyone and a tent if you can. What is at stake is not just this shelter, what is at stake is whether we as Angelenos see homeless people as human beings or as trash we can just push away into someone else’s neighborhood.

We need you there because #SheDoes Deserve Shelter & Protection!

Join us on May 26th: View event

#SheDoes at City Council for the proposed Koreatown Shelter (May 22nd)

#SheDoes Warriors
The City Council will hear arguments regarding the proposed Koreatown Shelter at City Council chambers at 8.30am this Tuesday, May 22nd. We NEED you to be there in support of the new shelter for Koreatown. Establishing the first shelter in Koreatown is vital for the expansion of shelters in all districts of LA.

Why? Because #SheDoes Deserve Shelter & Protection!

Join us on May 22nd: View event

$9.9 billion Los Angeles city budget approved with $450 million for homeless services

Read more

#SheDoes Warriors!

Thank you for your Hard Work & Courage!

The Budget for the next fiscal year was approved with $30 Million appropriated towards expanding LA’s current shelter system. We got here by screaming #SheDoes! We will get all these shelters open if we keep on screaming #SheDoes Deserve Shelter & Protection! The day is coming soon where there will be shelter for anyone who needs it in Los Angeles.

Thank you for being you!
Mel

#SheDoes at Yes to Koreatown Shelter (May 19th)

According to the 2017 Homeless Count, there are over 1,500 homeless people in Council District 10 and over 400 in Koreatown. The proposed temporary homeless shelter in Koreatown is a small part of a larger city-wide plan to address the homelessness crisis. Show your support for homelessness solutions in Koreatown at this peaceful rally.
Like last week (May 12) and the week before (May 5), there will be an opposing group of 200 or more protesting against the homeless shelter. Despite the clashing opinions, please be civil and respectful at all times. Any hostility and violence will not be tolerated.

We support:
– The proposed shelter at 682 S. Vermont Ave here in Koreatown.
– Efforts by the city to build similar shelters in the other 14 council districts.
– More opportunities for public discussion of the shelter, including community forums and government hearings.
– The neighborhood of Koreatown, which we believe is an amazing community that will be improved by more services to help our homeless neighbors.

We DO NOT support:
– Misinformation – Learn the facts about the proposed temporary homeless shelter: http://herbwesson.com/…/temporary-homeless-housing-facility/
– Personal attacks – Please focus discussion on the issues, not the the person making the argument. We invite a good faith, issues driven discussion, and encourage others to do the same.

Join us on May 19th: View Event