LOS ANGELES, May 06, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leaders of the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters (SWRCC) and its African American Task Force (AATF) sat down with Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson to pledge that Carpenters from the community will help build South Los Angeles’ Destination Crenshaw project.
This marks the latest step in the Southwest Carpenters’ support for the community-inspired project. Destination Crenshaw, led by a team of artists (including the late Nipsey Hussle), academics, and community planners, envisions transforming a 1.3 mile stretch of Crenshaw Boulevard into a world-renowned center for public art and modern design. The outdoor art and culture experience will celebrate the contemporary contributions of artists from the community, just in time to serve as a spectacular gateway for LA visitors attending the 2028 Olympic Games.
“We believe Los Angeles needs to work for everyone, not just a few. Our roots in the community run deep enough that the question wasn’t whether to support Destination Crenshaw, but how,” said Dan Langford, SWRCC Executive Secretary-Treasurer. The SWRCC has provided financial support for the project and is continuing to work with organizers to help realize a hiring goal of 50% of Destination Crenshaw workers drawn from within the community.
“Our aspiration is for young people from the community to see our members – their neighbors – constructing a world-class project right here in South LA,” Langford continued. “And when they do, some of them will be inspired to seek a future with the Union. That’s the most promising path to the middle class and restoring equity to the community there is.”
Langford appointed the AATF, led by Corey Crockerham and Kyle Patterson – AATF chair and board member respectively – to serve as special liaisons to the project.
“The Southwest Carpenters get it. Their African American Task Force is one of the few organizations producing opportunities for the African American community at a level that anyone can acknowledge,” said Councilmember Harris-Dawson. “We’re proud to be partnering with them to achieve our goals. Not just for completing Destination Crenshaw, but in laying the foundation to build a strong South LA for decades to come.”
About the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters (SWRCC)
The SWRCC represents over 52,000 union carpenters in six states. The Union is dedicated to raising the safety and standards for all skilled carpenters and advocating for the rights of workers, their families, and their communities. The SWRCC is proud to be affiliated with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. For more, visit www.swcarpenters.org.