LA2050 on the Eastside: Bringing Palo Alto to East L.A./Boyle Heights, DIY Social Spaces, Public Safety Through Gang Salvation

The next tech boom in Boyle Heights? Repurposing alleyways  to create new social spaces and community empathy? These are a few of the topics Eastside community groups are bringing up in LA2050. Only 10 ideas will be chosen for the $100,000 prize, but there are many worthy causes in Boyle Heights and East L.A., many of which are regularly covered in our Eastside coverage.

All the ideas listed in this post were the one's I found that would have a direct impact on the Eastside. While I couldn't highlight all, some honorable mentions are included at the end.

THE i.am.angel EAST L.A. INCUBATOR PROJECT

by i.am.angel Foundation

Indicator: Entrepreneurial training, Technology, Economy

Quote: "We want to build a startup incubator program in East LA to foster entrepreneurship in underserved communities that have low access to technology and startup resources."

"By bringing this startup incubator program to East LA, we are fostering local talent and providing top-notch education and mentorship from successful entrepreneurs. This will bring valuable jobs and job skills to underserved communities. Not only does this help to uplift a struggling neighborhood, but it creates a better overall startup ecosystem for the entire city of Los Angeles – by creating a larger pool of talent coming from diverse backgrounds and walks of life."

Learn more and vote, by clicking here.

DIY Social Spaces

by Union de Vecinos (or United Neighbors)

Indicator: alleyway/urban reclamation, urban design,

Quote: "Just like TreePeople has trained and organized volunteers to plant trees, Union de Vecinos proposes to train and organize 1,000s of Angeleno volunteers to design and build DIY social space for their neighborhoods. Los Angeles’ social connectedness deficit is rooted in our poorly maintained car dominated streets, alleys and neighborhoods. Most Angelenos wish for a more walkable, safer, neighborly environment, but see no way they can make a change when even the simplest public space project seems to take years and hundreds of thousands of dollars. We think we have found a solution: DIY social spaces created by volunteers in a few months for a few thousand dollars."

Learn more and vote, clicking here.

Homeboy Industries: Hope Has An Address

by. Homeboy Industries

Indicator: Public Safety

Quote: "In this program, we propose to improve public safety through an integrated curriculum of ten classes that help end the intergenerational cycles of violence that many former gang members and recently incarcerated men and women have experienced. The classes and support groups we offer foster the personal transformation necessary for our clients to heal from their complex traumatic histories and prevent their children, families and communities from experiencing similar trauma."

Learn more and vote, click here.

Market Makeovers: NextGen Leaders

by Public Matters

Indicator: Health

Quote: "Specifically, we are asking LA 2050 to fund a group of emerging adult community leaders (age 18-24) to transform the food landscape, food behaviors and health outcomes in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights, building on an existing infrastructure within which they’ve worked for the past three years."

"For them, it’s personal; the work they do impacts the health of their families, friends and loved ones. LA 2050 funds would take their leadership development to the next level so that they have increased opportunities and greater capacity to bring about meaningful, sustainable community transformation."

Learn more and vote, click here.

Honarable Mentions:

College Track: Creating a Pathway to College in Boyle Heights

LA Street Vendors: A Better Econmy through Low-Income Entrepreneurs

Youth Take Their Lives Off The Streets And Into Gardens

GLOBALGIRL MEDIA HIVE NETWORK

The Beacon Network, presented by Jovenes, Inc.

Future Leaders Initiative - Listen to the Leaders of Tomorrow (Not East LA Specific)