Union Pacific Neighborhood Celebrates $9 Million YWCA Empowerment Center

Thursday May 20, 2010

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By EGP News Service

Hundreds of East Los Angeles residents gathered Saturday to celebrate the grand opening of the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles' Union Pacific Empowerment Center.

The $9 million building replaces a previous version of the center opened about eight years ago that served 45 preschool children in the area. The new building serves 80 preschoolers and infants and provides numerous other programs and services to people of all ages.

The UP Empowerment Center, however, is not a place where parents can just drop off their children; it is a place where the entire community can thrive, according to the YWCA. The center in part resulted from an ‘Empowerment Council' that identified the community's needs and gave them what they wanted and needed, according to Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, in whose first district the center is located.

The audience cheers as Supervisor Gloria Molina presents a colorful quilt she made that matches the floor tiles of the building's interior. (EGP photo by Gloria Angelina Castillo)

"We are proud of the involvement of our East Los Angeles residents who helped shape this model, state-of-the-art Empowerment and Child Care Center," Molina said in a written statement. "The comprehensive programs and services offered by the YWCA Greater Los Angeles in this culturally empowering facility will enrich the lives of our community's children and families."

Besides early childhood education for infants and toddles, the Center offers leadership programs for young people, parenting and financial literacy classes for adults and recreational programming for seniors. "The organization aspires to level the playing field and enrich the lives of women and their families; by applying a holistic family approach to the creation of empowered and educated individuals," according to the Center's website. The wide range of services will also include Citizenship, English as a Second Language (ESL) and health and exercise classes, as well as assistance with legal documents.

YWCA Greater Los Angeles CEO Faye Washington noted that the senior programming was a direct outcome of the empowerment council meetings.

"There will be many offerings for this population [seniors] including congregate meals, activities, and socializing, exercise, and language classes," said Washington in a press release. "We want to engage this community holistically. Family unity will be promoted through community-wide events such as family nights and movie nights."

Gov. Schwarzenegger last week announced plans to cut more social services as a way to balance the state's budget. Molina told EGP that she is concerned those cuts may mean the childcare center will lose some of its funding, but added that she has the utmost confidence in the YWCA's Washington's ability to exercise the leadership needed to keep the programs at the Empowerment Center operating.

"The YW(CA) raises money on its own. We have Community Development Funds that come in here as well, and the childcare center is going to have a really tough [time] because it does have a state grant. So it is going to be really hard pulling and making sure these services are sustained," Molina told EGP. "But the YW, Fay, has done some marvelous work, she's also done some ... for-profit work. In other words, she trains young people, they go out and get contracts and then they put those profits back into the YWCA. So she's done an outstanding job."

The official dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony included the participation of empowerment incarnate, legendary community organizer Dolores Huerta, founder and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation and co-founder with Cesar E. Chavez of the National Farm Workers Association, now known as the United Farm Workers Union. Huerta introduced Washington.

The community's excitement over the Center's opening and for those who helped bring it to fruition was evident as they sat enthusiastically listening during the nearly two-hour-long ceremony, as the sun beat down on them.

Rebecca Ramirez and her infant daughter Brenda Ramirez were among the neighborhood's residents who spoke highly of the Center that began providing services about four months ago.

"It has helped us, it is a safe place to bring our children," Ramirez told EGP in Spanish. While she is not currently employed, Ramirez said that she is grateful that her year-and-a-half-old-daughter is enrolled at the early education center because now she can attend school.

The colorful building on the corner of Union Pacific Avenue and South Downey Road, will also house a computer lab and Internet café, sponsored by Edison International.

The Union Pacific Empowerment Center took a year to build and was on schedule and under budget; similar centers are located in Central LA, Compton and the San Fernando Valley, according to the event's press release.

The day's celebration included a tour of the facility; performances by child folklorico dancers; Aztec dancers and musicians; a giant bouncing house for children; face painting; cooking demonstrations; free food, and informational booths.

For more information about programs offered and registration at the Union Pacific Empowerment Center, call (323) 415-6057 or visit, http://www.ywcagla.org/project-sites/union-pacific-empowerment-center.htm

 

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