NOVEMBER COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

As partners alongside our hardworking, diverse communities, we honor the resilience and solidarity that fuel our shared journey for justice. Every day, we’re inspired by the connections rooted in love and care that bring us together. Join us in celebrating these incredible moments and we hope to see you at one of our gatherings.

In this NELA neighborhood issue:

🎉  Rooted was a success – Thank you!

🏘️  Community Housing updates – Arvia housing is catching love

🫰🏾  Community Economies updates – Building resilient communities together

🏆  Recent Awards – It feels good to be recognized

🌳  In the neighborhood – Walk to the Park + food distribution

🗓️  Upcoming events

We were thrilled to have over 200 supporters join us to celebrate our work, and together, we raised $70,000! Thanks to our community’s generosity and higher sponsorships, we exceeded our goals and are grateful for the commitment you showed.

Highlights from our honorees

“I love the way that our two organizations – Clockshop and LA Más – keep intertwining and building together. We saw this happen most recently on the purchase of the 5-unit property in Cypress Park by LA Más which will help to protect current tenants from displacement. This project came about partially because of Clockshop’s Take Me To Your River Cultural Atlas programming.” -Mycelium Awardee, Julia Meltzer

“When I got Helen’s text about acquiring the first property, I cried. I shouldn’t be getting this award; you all should be getting this award for doing the work.” -Moss Awardee, Shawn Escoffery

Memorable moments and a heartfelt thank you

Rooted was a celebration of community, resilience, and collaboration. The Arvia exhibition was a visual timeline highlighting the journey of LA Más and our neighbors in acquiring our first community housing property in Cypress Park—a milestone in our mission to build stable housing for all. We enjoyed delicious food from community vendors Cynthia Leong, Wendy Rodriguez, Maria Dolores Moreno, and Ana Rodriguez, while DJ Subversive Sounds and El Río’s live music filled the night with joy.

A special thank you to Miguel Ramos, who energized our live pledge, raising over $5,400 in collective support, and to Betty Avila, LA Más board chair, for guiding the evening with warmth and grace. This event was made possible by our incredible Host Committee—Betty Avila, Natalie Donlin-Zappella, Jenna Hornstock, Jess Skylar, Josh Kamensky, Lauren Kim, Lili Sanchez, and Norma Dominguez—and our event producers, Reva Events.

Our work would not be possible without our generous sponsors: AARP, United Way of Greater LA, Genesis LA, Julia Meltzer + David Thorne, Renee Dake Wilson + Glen Dake, Beth + David Meltzer, LISC LA, Self-Help Federal Credit Union, Sammy Lyon, Haymarket Strategies, San Antonio Winery and Alco Printing. Thank you for being part of this journey!

Couldn’t make it to Rooted? Check out the event photos here.

Community Housing Updates

Get a closer look at our work on housing stability in Northeast LA with this video about our Arvia housing journey. Learn more by reading our escrow announcement! Now that we’ve acquired our first property on Arvia, our focus this year is on collaborating with residents to make needed repairs, setting up a reliable property management system, and starting plans for an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) in the coming year.

📰 In the News: Check out recent coverage on KCAL 9 and a short article in the Eastsider.

We are looking for more properties in NELA like Arvia

Our goals for future acquisitions include:

• Patient + Willing Sellers: We need 2-3 months to assess financial feasibility, so we’re looking for sellers who haven’t yet listed their property or who are open to a 90-day escrow.

• Organized Working-Class Residents: We prioritize properties where residents are committed to staying rooted, with a shared interest in collaborative work and open communication with LA Más.

• Bonus Criteria – Vacancy or Extra Space: Properties with a vacant unit or room for an ADU (e.g., a garage conversion) are ideal, as this helps us support more Northeast LA residents facing displacement.

  
  

📅 Join Us! Don’t miss the next Northeast LA Community Housing Alliance (NELACHA) meeting on Tuesday, November 19 from 5:30-7:30PM to hear more about our housing efforts and future plans. Please register with Melissa@mas.la.

Community Economies Updates

Our Community Economies program focuses on three core strategies for economic resilience and community well-being:

• Community Vending: Creating spaces for local vendors to share and sell goods

• Sharing Economies: Supporting collaborative economic models that benefit the whole community, especially with leaders of grassroots organizations providing free food and services

• Resource Sharing: Offering access to free and essential resources to enhance economic stability

Sharing economies

Thanks to a grant from the LA Food Equity Fund, we’re excited to continue supporting the work of the NELA Food Justice Collaborative! This grant enables us to provide $70,000 over the next two years to seven amazing groups: Accion Comunitaria, Bike Oven, Padres de Family Juntos Park, NELA Mercadito, Manos Que Sobreviven, Semillas en Lucha, and Unidos por NELA. Together, we’re building food justice across Northeast LA through quarterly gatherings and shared resources.

Community Vending – Mercado NELA Comparte

Recognition + Awards

In the Neighborhood