What are Peace & Healing Centers?
The Peace & Healing Centers pilot program, funded through the City of Los Angeles’ Reforms for Equity and Public Acknowledgement of Institutional Racism (L.A. REPAIR), is a partnership with local community-based organizations to create community spaces and culturally-informed programming for environmental, economic, and social healing in nine underserved communities, called REPAIR Zones.
Peace & Healing Centers across nine REPAIR Zones will offer diverse programming to meet their community’s unique needs, and will also act as an interconnected Peace & Healing network to provide immediate support and healing spaces in times of citywide crisis.
In Westlake, CCNP will offer environmental healing through a community garden. Bryant Temple AME CDC will provide economic healing through financial literacy workshops. Creating Justice LA in Skid Row will offer social through immersive education in music, art, and meditation. Many more examples exist across nine REPAIR Zones.
Who is running the Peace & Healing Centers?
The Peace & Healing Center program is administered by the city’s Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department (LA Civil Rights). Eight community-based organizations and non-profits will serve as host sites for the Peace & Healing Centers in nine REPAIR Zones. These organizations submitted proposals to provide at minimum 20 hours a week of open-door programming focused on social, economic, and environmental healing. The selected Peace & Healing Centers are: El Nido Family Centers in Arleta- Pacoima, El Nido Family Centers in Panorama City-North Hills- Mission Hills, Central City Neighborhood Partners (CCNP) in Westlake, Bryant Temple AME CDC in Baldwin Village-Leimert Park-West Adams, Creating Justice LA in Skid Row, Proyecto Pastoral in Boyle Heights, Para Los Niños in South LA, Volunteers of America Los Angeles (VOALA) in Southeast LA, and YMCA LA in Wilmington-Harbor Gateway.
How were the REPAIR Zones selected?
Nine REPAIR Zones were selected based on a number of factors to determine the communities in Los Angeles that have been the most impacted by structural and historical racism. These factors include employment and poverty data, home access to Internet, COVID-19 case rates, the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index, the CalEnviroScreen environmental index, and historically “redlined” neighborhoods. In each zone, at least 87% of residents identify as people of color and at least 16% of residents are living below the poverty line. The selection of the nine REPAIR Zones does not mean that other neighborhoods are not also negatively impacted or are not deserving of participation, and the Peace & Healing Centers will be open to all.
How can I find a Peace & Healing Center near me?
Visit the civilandhumanrights.lacity.org/peaceandhealing for a map of the Peace & Healing Centers and a featured tool to search by address or intersection to find a location near you.
Why is the city funding Peace & Healing Centers?
Los Angeles has some of the lowest income and highest need areas in the country resulting from years of structural and institutional racism. These inequities were further made apparent as the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted our low-income communities of color.
The LA Civil Rights department recognizes that these inequities were not an accident of history, and that intentional intervention and investment is needed to build a more equitable and just city for everyone. In partnering with local organizations, the Peace & Healing Center program aims to help the people who help the people - trusted community partners already doing important work in their neighborhoods. This pilot program aims to address racial trauma, build stronger communities, improve government trust, support community organizations, and strengthen government community relationships.
Peace & Healing Centers will bring together community-based organizations, social workers, mental health professionals, faith-based organizations and others to foster effective and consistent support systems that serve the community.
Where can I learn more?
Contact the LA Civil Rights Department at civilandhumanrights@lacity.org or call (213) 978-1845. To learn more about the program, visit civilandhumanrights.lacity.org/peaceandhealing.