Community Coalition

In 1990, physician assistant (and future mayor of Los Angeles) Karen Bas informally gathered community leaders to address the devastating impacts of South L.A.'s crack cocaine epidemic and the punitive practices of the era's "War on Drugs." They believed that it was essential for the city's African American and Latino residents to guide the search for solutions and foster change from the inside out. Thus the seeds for one of South L.A.'s most powerful activist organizations were planted, and since then, Community Coalition has been a leading force in combatting addiction, poverty, crime, and violence. Through community organizing and policy advocacy, Community Coalition amplifies the voices of South L.A. residents and champions grassroots change.

The organization also serves as a producing partner for embRACE LA, an initiative launched in 2016 by Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson and Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell. embraceLA encourages individuals and organizations to host conversations about race as a way of fostering understanding, communication, and collaboration, embodying Community Coalition's fundamental belief in the importance of community engagement to seek equity for all Los Angeles residents.