EmpowerLA’s Asian-American woman GM urges community: ‘We want to hear from you’

EmpowerLA, the organization that supports Los Angeles’ 99 neighborhood councils, has hired its Asian-American woman General Manager.

Neighborhood councils are the city’s grassroots neighborhood governance organizations. It works on issues such as homelessness, housing and land use, public safety, transportation, and sustainability.

Carmen Chang was appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in April. Chang brings years of experience and know-how in connecting communities and government, having served as program and organizing director at Golden State Opportunity, a California nonprofit dedicated to ending poverty and organizing director at the California Immigration Policy Center.

The Korea Daily spoke with Chang about her ambitions and future plans for supporting 99 neighborhood councils, including the Wilshire Center-Koreatown Neighborhood Council (WCKNC).

-Tell us how you feel about your appointment.
“As LA’s largest model of grassroots civic engagement, this system impressed me greatly. As the first Asian American woman to be appointed to this position, I’m still learning the system, but I’m excited to support the diverse voices of LA and its immigrant and low-income communities.”

-There are 99 Neighborhood Councils in LA. What is the most important element of operations?
“Community engagement and outreach. In our surveys, we found that many residents are unaware of neighborhood councils and how they can voice their concerns to City Hall. To increase engagement, we need to start with accessibility in multiple languages. Diverse and representative board composition is also key. We are currently meeting with representatives from all 99 neighborhood councils to hear about their situations and challenges and discuss how the department can support them.”

-What is unique about WCKNC which includes Koreatown?
“WCKNC is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhood councils of the 99. We need to understand and support the needs of our diverse community. Language is a particularly important factor. We need to provide information in multiple languages, including Spanish and Korean so that people can participate.”

-What are WCKNC’s current issues?
“One of the main concerns in the Koreatown neighborhood is public safety, and there are also concerns about graffiti and trash. WCKNC brings the community together to hold public safety forums and is active in community beautification projects, such as trash and graffiti cleanup.”

-What are EmpowerLA’s efforts to address such issues?
“We are looking to host a forum to bring the community together and hear their voices. We plan to attend future meetings to learn more about specific needs. We’re also trying to streamline the process because many residents are confused about how city government works. It’s important to know who to contact when you have a specific need. We’re working with the LA City Council and the Mayor’s office to ensure that we can meet and support the needs of our community members.”

-What are the challenges of a neighborhood council with a large population like WCKNC?
“The larger the population, the harder it is to engage people. In immigrant communities or low-income communities, people are often too busy trying to make ends meet to realize the council exists. First, we need to lower the language barrier by translating meetings and resources and providing interpreters. The key is to create opportunities for as many people as possible to participate. We need to find ways to increase participation, whether it is knocking on doors or distributing flyers for those who are interested but don’t have time.”

-Is there a way to engage younger generations?
“Building youth leadership is important for the future of the city of LA. For example, the WCKNC has youth delegates. We need to promote that young people also have a seat at the table. Also, EmpowerLA hosts an annual youth conference to connect youth with neighborhood councils and city departments.”

BY SUAH JANG, HOONSIK WOO [jang.suah@koreadaily.com]