Investing in people in the Seventh Council District is a priority with a major focus on youth, homeless, seniors and families. By working together we can make our neighborhoods better for all who live here.
Investing in People
Youth Development
The City of Los Angeles is home to more than 800,000 youth between the ages of 10 and 25. It is our responsibility to pave the way for them and give them tools to succeed. Families deserve a government structured and designed to meet their needs, not outdated preservation of unmeasured programs that benefit a few. Councilwoman Rodriguez led the call for a standalone Youth Development department when she introduced legislation in March of 2018 calling for a youth development task force. Approved by the Los Angeles City Council in 2019, the task force comprised of nine members, met with City departments, community-based organizations and other agencies serving youth to assess the City’s youth programming and provide recommendations for improvement.
The youth task force presented their findings in January of 2021 echoing Councilwoman Rodriguez’s call for a standalone department. At the Youth Coalition rally held at Los Angeles City Hall in April of 2021, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced $1.1 million in funding to create the first Youth Development Department in the City of Los Angeles. In the City’s 2021-2022 budget approved on June 2, 2021 a total of $1.4 million was secured to establish the City of Los Angeles’ first ever Youth Development Department.
MRod Youth Council
An advocate for youth, Councilwoman Rodriguez established the MRod Youth Council to give middle- and high-school students in the Seventh Council District an introduction to city government. The 25 local youth meet with City leaders monthly via zoom. They are working with the council district staff and City departments on quality of life issues that impact their neighborhoods.
MRod Volunteer Corps
In a collaborative effort to beautify the neighborhoods in Council District 7, Councilwoman Rodriguez created the MRod Volunteer Corps. The corps members consist of local residents and business owners who volunteer for community cleanup and beautification projects. If you are interested in joining our volunteer corps, please register at https://bit.ly/3hYd1d8 and sign up to volunteer in your neighborhood.
Seniors and Families
Supporting those most impacted by the pandemic included providing personal protective equipment and meals to those most at risk of contracting the virus.
During the pandemic we provided:
273,969 | meals to seniors |
15,500 | hot meals for CD7 families |
2,000 | Thanksgiving meals |
2,500 | COVID Care Kits with PPE, cleaning supplies and instructions on how to protect family members from COVID |
Equine Advisory Council
Shortly after taking office, Councilwoman Rodriguez implemented an Equine Advisory Council. The Council works with the staff in Council District 7 to advocate for equine riders on access to trails, safety and quality of life issues as it impacts this community.
Bringing People Together
Community celebrations bring people together and promote pride in our neighborhoods. Throughout the year, the council office sponsors events such as movie night in the park, swimming nights, Dia de los Muertos, the Sylmar Taco Festival, holiday events, Senior Valentine’s Day Ball and more. Councilwoman Rodriguez is looking forward to bringing the community together again once it is safe to do so.
