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Name: Watts Labor Community Action Committee Founded: 1965 [[Country: Watts, California, United States]] Key People: Ted Watkins [[Office Location 10950 S. Central Ave Watts, CA 90059]]

Watts Labor Community Action Committee WLCAC is a non-profit, community based, human social service organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for South Central Los Angeles Residents.

History

Ted Watkins, a former member of the United Auto Workers Union, was one of the founders of the WLAC in 1965 right before the Watts rebellion. Watkins organized and founded the WLCAC after facing insurmountable injustices of labor discriminations against members of the Watts community, which was predominantly Blacks. It was also founded in part to pressure the Office of Economic Opportunity which was in charge of administering various of the War on Poverty Programs, into giving them their funds and for more community representation. Watkins and members of the Committee worked to improve the quality of life in Watts. WLCAC began receiving funding from local, state, and federal agencies, as well as private organization like the Ford Foundation for its various anti-poverty programs. One of the first community institutions established by the WLCAC was a credit union that was needed by the members of the community that were denied everywhere else.

1970's-1990's

In the early 19670s WLCAC became a Community Development Corporation. As a CDC the WLCAC stressed community control and planned economic development and was funded by the Ford Foundation. During this time the WLCAC worked with the residents of South Central to create programs to mobilized the youth of the area to fight against their subordination. They created a Community Conservative Corps which provides summer jobs for teenagers and offers educational classes on African American heritage and culture. The WLCAC most famous project is the annual Watts Summer Festival, a community celebration of African American culture traditionally held at Ted Watkins Park..

With the Watts Riots of 1992 the WLCAC headquarters on the historic Central Avenue were destroyed by rioters. After the destruction of the headquarters members of the WLCAC and residents of Watts rallied and organized to rebuilt the headquarters.

2000's-Present

[edit] Today the population of Watts no longer constitutes a majority of African-Americans. Rather the population is split between African-Americans and Latinos. WLCAC is incorporating programs celebrating Latino Culture and emphasized multiculturalism to the people of its community in an effort to promote tolerance.

Influence

The actions of the members of the Watts Labor Community Action Committee and the growing Chicano Civil Rights Movement urged Mexican-Americans in the area to create The East Los Angeles Community Movement and the Chicana Service Action Center. It has been deemed as one of the most successful anti-poverty organizations of the late 20th century.

External Links www.wlcac.org

==Notes==