WHO WE ARE

Mission

Our mission is to better sustain, coordinate and improve local planning, development and community services that address the needs of low-income and working-class residents and small businesses in South Los Angeles.

Vision

Our vision is to join with others in the community to create an environment where the basic needs of youth are met; where youth can develop positive social skills, become more aware of their neighborhood’s needs, and demonstrate genuine civic pride by actively contributing to the empowerment of their community.

Core Values

Collaboration: We value work with reputable organizations and partners that are mindful of community needs and have as their mission to work with the same target population.

Accountability: We act responsibly and with transparency, always accountable to the community we serve.

Effectiveness: We are efficient and produce results, making the best use of resources.

Stewardship: We take seriously our role as trustees of community assets and public resources.

Empowerment: We seek to empower others to take a leadership role in improving the community.

Commitment: We are mission driven and follow through successfully on projects we undertake.

History

In 2005, a group of community leaders banded together and founded the Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD) in response to the opportunities and challenges faced by young people in South LA’s Vernon-Central neighborhood. CRCD was co-founded by Mark A. Wilson, Ruth M. Teague, Noemi Soto, Fernando Miranda, and Hugo Ortiz. From 2005 to 2006, the Los Angeles Conservation Corps provided fiscal sponsorship to CRCD.With an intentional focus on young people age 18-24, particularly Black and Latino youth, CRCD has been dedicated, for a decade, to improving the quality of life in South LA’s Vernon-Central neighborhood. CRCD began with one contract — to provide graffiti abatement on behalf of the City of Los Angeles. While we still do graffiti abatement, that work soon evolved into training and work experience for unemployed youth and young adults. Today, we provide education, career preparation, jobs, housing, support services, and business assistance, and we launched a social enterprise.

LEADERSHIP

Board of Directors

  • Antonio Manning – Board Chair, President and CEO, Affordable Living for the Aging
  • Bryan Wilson – Board Treasurer, Revenue Growth Manager, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling Company
  • Leticia Barajas, Vice President of Instruction, Los Angeles Trade Technical College
  • The Honorable David Herriford, Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court
  • Ron Mitnick, Director, Construction Real Estate Risk at Citi Community Capital, CitiBank
  • Ricardo G. Mendoza, Government and Public Affairs-Public Outreach, Lee Andrews Group
  • Bruce Saito, Director, California Conservation Corps
  • Mark Wilson – President, CEO and Co-Founder, Coalition for Responsible Community Development

President and CEO

Mark Anthony Wilson, Jr. co-founded the Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD) in 2005 along with Ruth M. Teague, Noemi Soto, Fernando Miranda, and Hugo Ortiz. Mark served as CRCD’s Executive Director for a decade and now serves as the agency’s President and CEO. Raised in South Los Angeles, Mark previously served as the Director of the Youth Empowerment Project with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference/Martin Luther King Legacy Association, and the Director of Community Development with the Dunbar Economic Development Corporation.

Today, Mark directs CRCD’s comprehensive community development services in housing, education, and jobs for primarily Latino and Black youth aged 16-24 in the Vernon-Central Los Angeles community. He provides leadership on local and national levels to improve the policies, systems, and long-standing neighborhood conditions that impact young people’s lives. In a high-poverty community, Mr. Wilson spearheads effective collaborations with residents, businesses, nonprofits, community college, government, and foundations to create real opportunities for youth to stabilize and pursue their dreams. Since 2005, Mr. Wilson has strategically grown CRCD into an agency running 6 housing complexes, a high school, a YouthSource Center, WorkSource Center, and launched a social enterprise – CRCD Enterprises. Mark serves on the board of the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing; and the LA Community College District Community Advisory Board (representing LATTC). He was recently honored with a YouthBuild USA Rising Star award.

YOUTH POLICY COUNCIL

MCD Community Development

Vision

We, the representatives of the Youth Policy Council are ready for change! We envision a better community that includes quality education, open perspectives, and a safer environment where youth can learn and feel free to make mistakes without any fear or negativity. We can achieve these goals by leading by example and networking with our community to create better opportunities for our youth and those who are in need.

Members

  • David Sanchez
  • Alondra Peñaloza
  • Tyler Lee
  • Christian Sanchez
  • Anai Barrales
  • Michael Soto
  • LaTicia Lock
  • LeVonte Lock
  • Saul Martinez
  • Juan Sandoval
  • Raiel Zewenge