LOS ANGELES – Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) was honored today by Girls Today Women Tomorrow (GTWT) for his support in the creation of the organization's new Green Community Empowerment Center. A non-profit organization that mentors girls and young women from Los Angeles' Eastside community, GTWT strives to foster an environment where teenage girls create their own opportunities for life success while contributing to the betterment of their community. The new Green Community Empowerment Center will be the group's headquarters with ongoing renovations to become a model home of "How to Go Green".
"Girls Today Women Tomorrow helps make sure the young women in our community have strong role models to support and inspire them," Pérez said. "You all have a chance to become mothers and business owners and university professors, and do whatever you want. And that's in part because of this wonderful organization."
During 2009, Proposition 40 Bond money was frozen and GTWT was left without funds that had already been approved and budgeted. Pérez supported the extension date of a $500,000 grant awarded by the California Department of Parks and Recreation used to purchase the GTWT Green Community Empowerment Center.
"I want to thank the Speaker Pérez for being a champion of Girls Today Women Tomorrow Leadership Mentoring Program and our Green Community Empowerment Center," Michele Deane, President and CEO of GTWT said. "He literally kept our project alive in 2009 during the state budget crisis."
"There's an old expression that when you teach a girl, you're teaching a family, because that girl will grow up to teach her own sons and daughters," Pérez added. "I believe in that idea and in the idea that when we invest in our children, we are investing in our state."
Besides the energy efficient upgrades and use of earth friendly materials, GTWT has partnered with Boyle Heights native, Celebrity Chef and Food Stylist, Chef Aaron J. Perez, who is designing the Center's professional teaching kitchen for healthy cooking instructional classes for broadcast television. The Green Community Empowerment Center renovation will also include a wireless computer lab, video editing bay, film screening room and community meeting space in an open modern loft style environment while keeping the integrity of the original 1898 Workman exterior architecture.
With this new modern center, more youth will be exposed to mentoring programs, and a multimedia television studio that stands to not only highlight the talent and success stories of Boyle Heights, but also the rich base of contributors that bring invaluable resources to the community.
Website of Speaker John A. Pérez: www.asmdc.org/speaker
CONTACT: John Vigna (916) 319-2408
