Authentic Community Engagement in Gentrifying Communities

TOPICMaking Sure That Underrepresented Communities Are HeardIN THIS EPISODE[01:57] Topic for this episode is introduced.[02:01] Introduction of Helen Leung.[02:12] Introduction of Amanda Daflos.[02:30] Helen shares her background and what motivates her to work on issues of equity, smart growth, and sustainability.[04:17] Amanda shares her background and what motivates her to work on issues of equity, smart growth, and sustainability.[05:54] Helen tells about LA-Más.[06:48] Amanda tells about the Mayor’s Office of Innovation in L.A. and the Bloomberg Philanthropies.[08:01] Helen and Amanda explain alternative approaches to traditional models of community-engagement initiatives that are ineffective.[12:02] What are some practices to ensure that underrepresented populations are represented in decision making?[14:58] How do we keep current residents from being pushed out as private investment occurs in underrepresented neighborhoods?GUESTSAmanda Daflos serves as the Director of the Innovation Team (i-team) in the Mayor’s Office of Budget and Innovation in the City of Los Angeles. Her team, funded by the Bloomberg Philanthropies Innovation Teams grant, works on key mayoral priorities and collaborates across the City to define pathways to improvement. Amanda previously worked as a Senior Manager at Deloitte Consulting, and has spent the last decade working with on and leading federal, state and local government projects in the US and abroad. Prior to joining Deloitte, Daflos was the Director of Programs for an international non-profit organization where she was responsible for programming and operations in the US, Tanzania, Peru and Nepal. Daflos presently serves as a Deputy to the Los Angeles Honorary Consulate General to Nepal, a role she accepted in the wake of the 2015 earthquake. Daflos holds a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Colorado and a BA from Hamilton College. She is a 2014 graduate of the Leadership Tomorrow program in Seattle and lives in Los Angeles.Helen Leung is Co-Executive Director of LA-Más, a cross disciplinary non-profit community design organization based in Los Angeles. Helen ensures that all LA-Más projects are grounded in community need and policy potential. She is passionate about redefining the intersection of community development and social equity, with a focus in minimizing displacement in gentrifying neighborhoods. A native Angelino and urban planner, Helen has extensive community-based experience working for former Los Angeles Council President Eric Garcetti. Helen holds a Masters in Public Policy and Urban Planning from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.ORGANIZATIONSThe Innovation Team (i-team) in the Mayor’s Office of Budget and Innovation in the City of Los Angeles is a group of “in-house consultants” that work on key mayoral priorities thanks to a $2.55 million, three-year grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies. Los Angeles was one of 14 cities to win the grant, which sponsors the creation of Innovation Delivery Teams that aim to design and implement new approaches for city halls across the nation to improve neighborhoods and residents’ quality of life – relying on data, open innovation, and strong project and performance management. The Los Angeles team focuses on neighborhood revitalization in low-income areas, with the goal of improving the lives of existing residents and minimizing displacement of long-time residents and local businesses.LA-Más is a...