For Immediate Release

Event will celebrate resilience in BIPOC and low-to-moderate income communities in California and recognize top California community leaders. 

 

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 2, 2022 — The California Reinvestment Coalition (CRC) is pleased to announce the re-launch of its annual award celebrations, which will take place in Northern California on Thursday, Sept. 22 and in Southern California on Thursday, Nov. 3. The Equitable Futures Awards recognize community leaders and organizations across California that are making a positive impact in their local communities. 

The award celebration, formerly called the Community Heroes Awards, is designed to honor game changers, difference-makers and community leaders who are working to create a more just and sustainable economy in California. New this year are two categories of awards: the Equitable Futures Award and the Alan Fisher Economic Justice Award.

The Equitable Futures Award is presented to organizations whose body of work has either helped redistribute wealth to Black, Indigenous and People of Color and working-class communities or led organization and mobilization campaigns to create an equitable economy.

The Alan Fisher Economic Justice Award is CRC’s highest honor. The award is presented to an individual that embodies the spirit of Alan Fisher, CRC’s founding director who advocated tirelessly for working-class families, communities of color, and small-business owners.

This year’s honorees include:

  • Jose Padilla, Executive Director of California Rural Legal Assistance; 
  • Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco, an organization that provides counseling and organizing services for San Francisco tenants; 
  • Veritas Tenant Association, a community member-run accountability organization made up of Veritas Investments tenants;
  • Chancela Al-Mansour, Executive Director of Housing Rights Center, the largest nonprofit housing rights center in the United States;
  • California Public Banking Alliance, a coalition of public banking activists in California founded in 2018 to create socially and environmentally responsible city and regional public banks; 
  • SEIU California State Council, a more than 700,000-member organization that coordinates the political efforts of SEIU union shops and contests discriminatory ballot measures;
  • Asm. Miguel Santiago (CA D-53), represents the 53rd California Assembly District, which covers Koreatown, Downtown Los Angeles, Boyle Heights and other surrounding localities;

CRC Chief Executive Officer Paulina Gonzalez-Brito noted this year’s event highlights resiliency, saying, “As California continues to emerge from the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re proud to recognize the unwavering commitment these honorees have made to building resiliency in their respective communities and across the state through work that shifts power to working-class families and communities.

“We have chosen to honor Jose Padilla and Chancela Al-Mansour with the Alan Fisher Economic Justice Award, the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco and the Veritas Tenants Association with the Equitable Futures Award in Northern California, as well as the California Public Banking Alliance, SEIU California State Council and Asm. Miguel Santiago (CA D-53) with the Equitable Futures Awards in Southern California. They are the perfect representation of resiliency-builders and champions of an equitable economy,” Gonzalez-Brito said. 

In past years, CRC has honored Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Inner City Struggle, senators Holly J. Mitchell and María Elena Durazo,  Sacramento Habitat for Humanity, United Neighbors In Defense Against Displacement (UNIDAD), US Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The 2022 Equitable Futures Awards are sponsored by Diamond-level donors Citi, East West Bank, and Flagstar Bank; Emerald-level donors CDC Small Business Finance, Clearinghouse CDFI, and City National Bank; Sapphire-level donors HSBC and PNC; and Opal-level donor the East Bay Housing Organization. 

 

Event Details: 

What: Northern California Equitable Futures Awards
When: 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022
Where: 7th West, 1255 7th Street, Oakland, Calif.

What: Southern California Equitable Futures Awards
When: 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022
Where: Lokels Only, 2010 E.7th St. Unit B, Los Angeles, Calif.

 

To purchase tickets, visit the Equitable Futures Awards registration site (Bay Area | Los Angeles).

To learn more about the Equitable Futures Awards, visit the Equitable Futures website.

 

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Media Contact:
Brian Maxey
Chief of Communications
bmaxey@calreinvest.org
510-813-7552

For sponsorship opportunities:
John Hoffman
Chief Development and Finance Officer
jhoffman@calreinvest.org
415-676-1320