USC : 500 Expected at Empowerment Event

More than 500 south Los Angeles residents are expected to attend the third annual Empowerment Congress, organized to help community members become more involved in improving the quality of life in their neighborhoods.

The event, sponsored by 8th District Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at USC’s Davidson Conference Center. The conference center is at the southwest corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Figueroa Street.

Ridley-Thomas will begin the event with a “State of the 8th” speech, during which he is expected to talk about recent community achievements in his district, including a crackdown on slumlords and a resident-solicited corporate donation to provide a $10,000 composite-sketch computer program for LAPD’s South Bureau homicide division.

Ridley-Thomas is also expected to discuss upcoming community projects such as an effort to bring residents, merchants and police closer together to coordinate crime fighting. The city’s failure to be designated a federal empowerment zone will also be discussed.

In addition, workshops will be held on the following topics: block club organizing, economic development, public safety/domestic violence, senior citizens and youth.

A big-screen video display willoffer viewers an interactive demonstration of a new computer program under development that willhelp people access city servicesand better understand local government.

Information: (213) 485-7616.