Greetings from the Mayor’s Office

Brenda Shockley

Deputy Mayor of Economic Opportunity, City of Los Angeles

Brenda Shockley was appointed the Deputy Mayor of Economic Opportunity for the City of Los Angeles in July 2016. The mission of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity is to eliminate and prevent homelessness and poverty, with compassion and inclusion, through education, training, and employment at a livable wage.

The following policy and programmatic areas are under Deputy Mayor Shockley’s purview: homelessness, economic and workforce development, reentry, housing and community development, veteran’s affair and Federal Promise Zone designation.

Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office, Deputy Mayor Shockley served as the President of Community Build for over 24 years. The mission of Community Build, which was incorporated in 1992 in response to the Los Angeles civil unrest, is to revitalize South Los Angeles through human investment and commercial and economic development.

During her tenure there, she oversaw the development of 16,000 square feet of commercial space in Leimert Park which serves as a center for the African American community, offering a coffee house, 99-seat theater, office space, and a park. Deputy Mayor Shockley’s work to revitalize communities in South L.A. has led to more than $100 million of investment in education, employment and training programs for young people.

Before joining Community Build, Deputy Mayor Shockley was a practicing attorney and the President of the Drew Economic Development Corporation.

31st of April, 2023

Dear Friends,

It is both a privilege and a pleasure for me to welcome all those attending the 47th Annual Scholarship and Awards Luncheon hosted by the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.

I applaud the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles and their tireless efforts and commitment to the development of African American attorneys and judges, awarding scholarships and providing pro bono legal assistance. As a proud new Member of the United States Congress, I hope to continue being a partner to the work that the Association is doing to uplift and empower Black women across the 37th Congressional District and beyond

Congratulations to this year’s prestigious honorees: Crystal D. Crawford, Amber Finch, Tabitha Brown and the Social Justice Learning Institute. Thank you for your outstanding leadership, hard work, and continued service to the community. Your efforts in advancing the rising tide of women’s voices is deserving of the utmost praise.

As you all come together for this occasion, I hope you can continue to draw new-found inspiration from one another I wish the Association a wonderful Scholarship and Awards Luncheon and continuous success in the coming year!

June 3 2023

It is my pleasure to greet all of you who are gathered to celebrate the 47th Annual Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Scholarship Fundraiser and Awards Luncheon and to recognize this year’s distinguished honorees.

This year’s honorees include:

Excellence in Advocacy Award – Crystal Crawford, Executive Director, Western Center on Law and Poverty

Excellence in Law Award – Amber Finch, Office Manager, Partner, Reed Smith LLP

Excellence in the Arts Award – Tabitha Brown, America’s Mom, Author, Entrepreneur, and Actress

Community Service Award – Social Justice Learning Institute

I offer my congratulations to all the honorees. They have exemplified the Black Women Lawyers Association’s goals and mission and significantly contributed to the legal profession and the larger community.

Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Sydney Kamlager-Dove Member of Congress, CA-37