On May 27th, Initiating Change in Our Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation (ICON CDC) celebrated the graduation of 53 entrepreneurs from the South Valley BusinessSource Center Entrepreneur Training Program (ETP). This event featured inspiring speeches from Councilwoman Imelda Padilla and EWDD’s Assistant Grants Administrator Rosa Penaloza, who highlighted the importance of supporting
Boyle Heights YouthSource intern, Gizelle Lopez, began gaining work experience in high school at Homeboy Arts Academy. During this time, she had no work experience and was unsure of which career or educational goals to pursue.
On April 28th, EWDD and Workforce Development Board staff joined youth, educators, and community leaders at the 2025 Crossroads Policy Forum, held at Los Angeles Trade Tech College. This transformative gathering aimed to re-engage marginalized youth through the lens of mental wellness, equipping practitioners with actionable tools to create lasting change. More than just a conference, the forum served as a
Amy Tran, owner of Yue Wa Market, was the first Chinatown-based participant in the Healthy Markets LA (HMLA) program run by the LA Food Policy Council. Tran, who has never had formal business training, shared that running a grocery store has been a learning experience primarily shaped by trial and error. The HMLA program has