Carrying big hopes for a brighter future, more than 12,100 residents from over 90 community institutions formally founded One L.A. --- a county-wide, non-partisan organization helping families have a voice in the political decisions that impact them.

One L.A., formerly known as L.A. Metro, launched the "Standing for Families" campaign July 11 at the Los Angeles Convention Center to advocate on behalf of affordable housing, health care, education, jobs and safety.

One L.A.-IAF Founding Member Institutions that are Catholic

Ascension Church, Los Angeles

Holy Name of Jesus Church, Los Angeles

Holy Name of Jesus School, Los Angeles

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Los Angeles

Jovenes Inc., Los Angeles

Mary Immaculate Church, Pacoima

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, Sun Valley

Our Lady of Loretto Church, Los Angeles

Our Lady Queen of Angels Church (La Placita), Los Angeles

Our Lady of Soledad Church, East Los Angeles

Our Lady of the Valley Church, Canoga Park

Our Lady of Victory Church, Compton

Our Lady of Victory Church, East Los Angeles

Precious Blood Church, Los Angeles

Presentation of Mary Church, Los Angeles

Sacred Heart Church, Altadena

Sacred Heart Church, Compton

Sacred Heart Church, Pomona

Sagrado Corazon y Santa Maria de Guadalupe Church, Cudahy

St. Agnes Church, Los Angeles

St. Aloysius Gonzaga Church, Los Angeles

St. Anthony Church, San Gabriel

St. Bernadette Church, Los Angeles

St. Bernadette School, Los Angeles

St. Denis Church, Diamond Bar

St. Elizabeth Church, Van Nuys

St. Emydius Church, Lynwood

St. Frances X. Cabrini Church, Los Angeles

St. Madeleine Church, Pomona

St. Martha Church, Valinda

St. Matthias Church, Huntington Park

St. Michael Church, Los Angeles

St. Paul Church, Los Angeles

St. Peter Church, Los Angeles

St. Raphael Church, Los Angeles

St. Rose of Lima Church, Maywood

St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Los Angeles

St. Vincent Church, Los Angeles

San Conrado Mission, Los Angeles

San Gabriel Mission, San Gabriel

Santa Rosa Church, San Fernando

Santo Niño Chapel, Los Angeles

Transfiguration Church, Los Angeles

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ keeps asking us to notice the people that are not noticed," Father Dick Martini, pastor of Transfiguration Church in Los Angeles, told The Tidings. "When people can't meet basic human needs," he added, "we're called to be in communion with those suffering."

Forty-seven percent of One L.A.'s founding dues-paying member organizations are Catholic institutions, mostly parishes. Buses filled the parking lot as more than 800 parishioners from St. Emydius Church in Lynwood turned out for the afternoon event, along with over 700 from St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Los Angeles, another 500 parishioners from St. Rose of Lima in Maywood, and more than 300 from Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Sun Valley.

Choosing to walk in the hot summer sun, L.A. parishioners from St. Agnes, St. Vincent and St. Thomas the Apostle sang, chanted and prayed during their one- to two-mile march to the convention center. Greeting One L.A. participants and applauding their efforts to better their communities were Auxiliary Bishops Oscar Solis, Gerald Wilkerson and Gabino Zavala.

Among the other founding members of One L.A. are public schools, teacher associations, unions and Jewish, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist, Mennonite and other Christian congregations.

Residents said they hoped that by organizing a broad-based effort they could build power to effectively address common concerns among the county's diverse population.

Carrying home-made signs and wearing colorful t-shirts and buttons, Latino, African-American, Asian and Anglo neighbors at one point held up family portraits so that elected officials could see their families' faces.

"We're uniting among churches and it doesn't matter from what religion. There are people here of all colors. It's one God and we're one united group," said Elvia Bernal of Sacred Heart Church in Pomona.

"We have to participate so that [elected officials] hear our voice and can see us," added Luis Alvarado of San Gabriel Mission.

Pledges of support
Recognizing the launching of One L.A. were several dozen elected and public officials including Mayor James Hahn, nine L.A. City Council members, State Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, L.A. Police Chief William Bratton, L.A. County Supervisor Yvonne Burke, LAUSD Board President Jose Huizar and others.

Following short speeches by officials, Hahn agreed to continue seeking full funding for the housing trust fund to build affordable housing and to work with One L.A. to develop an inclusionary housing proposal. Bratton agreed to a meeting between lead police officers and One L.A. on issues like community policing. He reiterated his support of increased road safety through drivers' licenses for all California drivers who can pass a drivers' test, regardless of their legal status.

Huizar pledged to create a network of schools where parents and teachers discuss common issues. Burke said she would strive to keep Martin Luther King/Drew Medical Center open and agreed to work with One L.A. on other healthcare proposals.

Convention participants said they were buoyed by the pledges of elected leaders and hope they follow through.

"Tomorrow we wake up with new hope," said Alverado, "that there will be solutions to hunger, solutions to poverty, solutions for the sick."

Ana Alvarez of St. Thomas the Apostle Church said she walked the two miles from her parish to the convention center in support of undocumented immigrants.

"We're all children of God, and I love my brothers and sisters," said Alvarez. "They came to work and not to rob."

Her 24-year-old daughter, she added, was driving without a license, and her niece was recently deported back to Guatemala after an immigration check at the factory where she worked, leaving her two-year-old and six-month-old children with a relative.

One L.A. will continue its ties with the national organizing group Industrial Areas Foundation, which sponsored the development of L.A. Metro and now One L.A. for the last four years. Lead organizer Ernie Cortés of IAF will serve in an advisory capacity on strategic planning, leadership development and training.

The development of new leadership among groups of people traditionally at the margins of civic life is a cornerstone of One L.A.'s strategy. So is the strengthening of community institutions like churches and schools.

One L.A. is taking on a complex multi-faceted agenda for change, because "families have to deal with multiple issues," said Cortés. He said parents wanting a good education for their children are also worrying about protecting their children from crime.

Father Mike Montoya, associate pastor of Precious Blood Church in Los Angeles and a member of One L.A.'s central leadership team, said the organization's next steps would be to keep bringing in new member institutions, hold a one-day voter engagement training for 1,000 leaders Sept. 25, and register 100,000 non-partisan voters committed to the One L.A. "Standing for Families" program.