Mel Tillikeratne, Claudia Perez, Sylvie Shain, Andy Bales, Bill Przylucki

Sunday, 12:15 p.m.

As we know, homelessness in Los Angeles has risen to epidemic proportions. With this panel, we will hear from activists, community leaders, and people from the affected community on the ways that cities are failing people experiencing homelessness, the solutions being proposed by those on the front lines, and what you can do to help.

Claudia Perez: Claudia’s commitment to helping people who are experiencing homelessness and poverty comes from a deeply personal journey. She understands what it takes to help people in those circumstances. Born and raised in Los Angeles by a single mom, Claudia lives with her husband and five children in South Central LA. She founded LA on Cloud9 in 2012, from the core belief that every single person is worthy of dignity, respect, and another chance. LA on Cloud9 is a group of volunteers who gather on a weekly basis to deliver basic necessities such as clothing, toiletries, sleeping mats, and more, to people experiencing homelessness in encampments throughout the city. Along with physical necessities, they also strive to provide hope and, in Claudia’s own case, proof that change is possible and everyone can aim to live on Cloud9!

Sylvie Shain is a housing and tenants rights advocate who led a well-publicized campaign against the mass eviction of her historic 50-unit apartment building in Hollywood for a hotel redevelopment. Her personal struggle led her into community organizing and in 2015 she co-founded the Los Angeles Tenants Union, a growing volunteer renter-led housing justice movement fighting against gentrification-displacement and for Housing As a Human Right. In 2017, Sylvie placed second in a grassroots effort to challenge a local incumbent LA City council-member for his failure on housing and homelessness. Today Sylvie continues her community organizing and housing policy advocacy work and has led numerous organizing successes in efforts to keep tenants threatened with mass eviction in their homes, as well as won pro-tenant legislative amendments to the city’s municipal code.

Andy Bales brings over 31 years of experience in community outreach and service to his “friends experiencing homelesssness”, as Andy puts it, as he leads Union Rescue Mission into a new era of unique and innovative services for Los Angeles’ Skid Row community. As CEO of Union Rescue Mission, Andy has had a pivotal role in reshaping hospital and governmental policies related to the “dumping” of homeless patients from hospitals on to the streets of Skid Row. Andy’s present focus is organizing and working with community partners to address the epidemic of homelessness in Los Angeles.

Mel Tillekeratne founded Monday Night Mission and The Shower of Hope and recently started the #SheDoes Movement to expand shelter facilities for homeless women in LA. He has been involved in outreach snd advocacy for the homeless for the past 7 years.

Bill Przylucki became Executive Director of People Organized for Westside Renewal (POWER) in September 2012. He began at POWER as a Jesuit Volunteer in 2007. He has worked in neighborhoods throughout LA on affordable housing, economic justice, immigrant’s rights and environmental justice campaigns. He was mentored by the late Shel Trapp. Prior to becoming a POWER organizer, Bill graduated from Boston College with a BA in History & Film Studies, and from Albany High School in Albany, NY. His first campaign was fighting against the Death Penalty in New York State in 4th grade. He is an armchair historian, drummer, and avid karaoke performer. His essay, “Asking Questions and Taking Action” was published in Hungering and Thirsting for Justice: Real-Life Stories by Young Adult Catholics. Louwagie/Ward (ed.) 2012, ACTA.

Tackling Homelessness in the Southland with New, Innovative Solutions

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