InnerCity Struggle is a left-leaning advocacy and social services organization that promotes left-leaning policies surrounding housing, race, immigration and educational issues in the Eastside area of Los Angeles, which includes the neighborhoods of Boyle Heights, unincorporated East Los Angeles, El Sereno and Lincoln Heights. The group lobbies the Los Angeles Council and the Los Angeles Unified School District and also lobbies on statewide policy issues in California. ¹

The organization is supported by many left-leaning funding organizations including the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the California Community Foundation, and the East Bay Community Foundation. ² A capital campaign to fund a new headquarters for the organization was supported by now-Vice President Kamala Harris. ³

Background

InnerCity Struggle began as a project of Proyecto Pastoral at Delores Mission and was launched as an independent organization in 1994. The organization focused on community organizing projects in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights in its early days and launched a youth organization component called United Students, as well as an organizing group for parents called Familias Unidas. Early projects of the organization included promoting health and violence reduction programs within the community. One early activism project of the organization was its failed attempt to defeat the 2000 Proposition 21 ballot proposal, which increased penalties for juvenile criminal defenders. ⁴

After about 10 years, the organization expanded its geographic area of focus to include the other “Eastside”⁵ Los Angeles neighborhoods of unincorporated East Los Angeles, El Sereno and Lincoln Heights. ⁶

About

InnerCity Struggle operates several training and educational campaigns in addition to its lobbying and policy activism efforts. The organization’s community center and headquarters, built in 2019, provides training and educational spaces for students and community activists. ⁷ The construction of the organization’s Youth and Community Center was supported by Los Angeles City Councilmember Hilda Solis (D) and Los Angeles School Board Member Monica Garcia. Capital for the project was raised by Red Hook Capital Partners and donors to the building included the Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department, The California Endowment, Marguerite Casey Foundation, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, The Wallace Foundation, and then-U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA). ⁸

Policy Stances

Many of the policy priorities of the organization center on public schools. The organization promoted an “Equity is Justice”⁹ resolution that directed millions in additional funds to public schools in “high need”¹⁰ areas. The organization also pushed to ban suspensions for “willful defiance” in Los Angeles schools and subsequently pushed for a statewide ban on such suspensions in California. ¹¹

The organization also supports left-leaning rent control policies and pushed to enact strict rent control policies in Los Angeles. ¹²

Affiliations and Coalitions

InnerCity Struggle is active in many left-leaning organizations coalitions, most focusing on various issues in Los Angeles City and County as well as the State of California. The organization is a member of the Check the Sheriff Coalition, a far-left criminal justice organization demanding the resignation of Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva (D). ¹³

InnerCity Struggle is also a member of a the coalitions Alliance for Boys and Men of Color; Brothers, Sons, Selves; California Calls; Communities for Los Angeles Student Success; Equity Alliance for LA’s Kids; Power California; and YO! California. ¹⁴

Funding

InnerCity Struggles is funded by many left-leaning funding organizations including California Calls, the California Community Foundation, Californians for Justice, Community Partners (First 5 LA), the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Funders Collaborative on Youth Organizing, the Liberty Hill Foundation, Nike, Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, the Weingart Foundation, the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. ¹⁵

1. “Mission and Vision.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://www.innercitystruggle.org/mission_vision
2. “Partners.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021.  https://www.innercitystruggle.org/partners
3. “Building Permanence In the Eastside.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://www.innercitystruggle.org/building_permanence_in_the_eastside
4. “Our History.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://innercitystruggle.weebly.com/our-history.html
5. “Our History.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://innercitystruggle.weebly.com/our-history.html
6. “Our History.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://innercitystruggle.weebly.com/our-history.html
7. “Building Permanence In the Eastside.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://www.innercitystruggle.org/building_permanence_in_the_eastside
8. “Building Permanence In the Eastside.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://www.innercitystruggle.org/building_permanence_in_the_eastside
9. “Victories.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://www.innercitystruggle.org/victories
10. “Victories.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://www.innercitystruggle.org/victories
11. “Victories.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://www.innercitystruggle.org/victories
12. “Victories.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021.  https://www.innercitystruggle.org/victories
13. “About.” Check the Sheriff Coalition. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://www.checkthesheriff.com/about
14. “Partners.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://www.innercitystruggle.org/partners
15. “Partners.” InnerCity Struggle. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://www.innercitystruggle.org/partners