YWCA Greater Los Angeles Area - Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women

Faye Washington, YWCA-GLA Honors Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard

Tuesday September 22, 2009

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(September 22, 2009) Washington, D.C. - Faye Washington, CEO of YWCA of Greater Los Angeles (on left), and Jacquelyn Honoré, the organization's Deputy Center Director of Career Development (on right), present Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) (center) with a Job Corps Champions Award at a Capitol Hill event celebrating the national program's 45th anniversary.

During the presentation, Faye Washington thanked Congresswoman Roybal-Allard for her longtime support for the development of the new Urban Job Corps Campus in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. The YWCA of Greater LA runs the Job Corps program for the Los Angeles Area. The award, which pictures a model of the new campus, reads, "This dream could not have come true without you!"

The new urban campus to be constructed will serve as a prototype for other urban centers around the country. The new Job Corps facility will create a "campus" environment where core Job Corps services are consolidated into one centralized area.

Administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, Job Corps is one of the nation's largest residential education and job training programs for at-risk youth, ages 16 through 24. The congresswoman commended Faye Washington for her leadership of the LA Job Corps, which has trained hundreds of successful young men and women for entry into the area's workforce.

Other honorees included U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, who also spoke in support of the national program.

Congresswoman Roybal-Allard made the following acceptance remarks at the event:

"It is a privilege to join you in celebrating Job Corps 45th anniversary, and I sincerely appreciate and thank Faye Washington for today's recognition.

Los Angeles is exceedingly lucky to have Faye, who is such a dynamic, enthusiastic and relentless champion for young people, at the helm of the LA Job Corps Center.

It has always been my pleasure to support Job Corps' important mission and the 3 million young men and women whose lives have positively been changed by its programs.

With failing schools and high school drop out rates exceeding 50 percent in major cities like Los Angeles, Job Corps is a lifeline for young adults eager for a second chance and an opportunity to reach their educational goals.

I commend all of you who serve in the Job Corps. I know you are working under the most difficult of circumstances.

As the demand for Job Corps services rises, the barriers to participation increases.

As you are aware Job Corps' $127 million budget shortfall has forced the elimination of essential programs like day care services and opportunities to take important tests like the SAT college admission and trade certification exams.

Making matters worse are the many crumbling facilities desperately in need of renovations and the inability of Job Corps to keep pace with the salaries paid to teachers in the public schools.

You are here because of your commitment to the people you serve and the belief in their value and right to a second chance.

Through your diligence and hard work, you provide guidance, education and training services to the many anxious young men and women in search of a better and more productive life. By helping them to develop their skills you give them hope and opportunity to reach their goal.

The success of those you serve is a testament to your service and to the value of the Job Corps program.

I salute you and I commit to you I will continue to fight to restore the funding you need and deserve to fulfill your Job Corps mission. Once again, I sincerely congratulate you on Job Corps 45th anniversary and I thank you for inviting me to join with you in celebrating this noteworthy occasion."

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http://roybal-allard.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=146037

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