LA Forward is a community organization fighting for policies that will make Los Angeles County a fair, flourishing place for everyone.

 

OUR VISION

We envision our region as a vibrant, multiracial social democracy, where Angelenos have the knowledge to participate enthusiastically in local democracy, the skills to build civic relationships within and across neighborhoods, and the power to ensure our political system prioritizes our common needs above special interests. 

We envision a fair, flourishing region where public policies ensure that all people can live in dignity, have access to good housing, transportation, jobs, schools, and green space, and reach their fullest potential as human beings.

LA Forward serves as a vehicle of solidarity, helping build the power necessary to make these policies a reality.

WHAT WE DO

As a 501(c)(4) tax-exempt nonprofit, we can engage in direct advocacy and political campaigns that advance bold progressive policies. We work closely with our 501(c)(3) nonprofit partner, LA Forward Institute, on education, training, and research programs that strengthen democracy and advance racial and economic justice.

1. We build power to move a social justice agenda through LA City Hall.

We help build community power to support progressive policies and help Angelenos stay engaged for the long haul.

We are leading relational organizing efforts in 11 City Council districts to focus on issues our members care about. Our digital campaigns bring everyday people the tools they need to make their voices heard – and we mobilize thousands of messages to Council Members on key votes. In 2023, we organized community efforts that helped win $15 million more in the LA City budget for unarmed crisis response.

We deepen democracy by helping lead coalitions that fight for progressive reforms and policies. We’re working to end gerrymandering in the redistricting process, push for publicly financed elections, and expand the number of seats on the LA City Council.

We also serve on the steering committees of key housing coalitions, such as ACT-LA and Our Future LA.

2. We organize across LA County — starting with the San Gabriel Valley — to scale our success.

We’re growing our membership and community engagement in this region where we need dramatic investment in the pipeline of progressive leaders and policies. 

In 2021, we launched an organizing effort in the San Gabriel Valley to mobilize support for affordable housing and tenant protections in a dozen cities. In the 2024 election cycle, we are recruiting, training, and supporting candidates to run for office in five SGV cities.

3. We promote a new generation of progressive leadership.

Our Progressive Campaign Leadership Academy is recruiting and training a diverse cohort of LA County residents to be candidates and campaign staffers in 2024 and beyond.

Our Judicial Leadership Academy equips a cohort of social justice-oriented attorneys with the skills they need to run for and win seats as LA County Superior Court judges.

Our candidate endorsement process identifies, endorses, and supports progressive candidates running in local elections across the county. In some cases, we mobilize volunteers or independent expenditures to support endorsed candidates in high-priority races.

We empower voters with the information they need through our popular voter guides, which have reached millions of people since 2016. These resources are provided for free to help people across our communities access thoughtful insights on the candidates and ballot measures up for consideration so they can make informed decisions aligned with their progressive values. Stay tuned for our 2024 election guides.

We also serve on the steering committee of the LA Chapter of the Working Families Party.

 

WHAT WE’RE FIGHTING FOR

  • Housing affordable for all and neighborhoods where diverse people form communities together.

  • A comprehensive transportation system that ensures quality, affordable, accessible multi-modal mobility options; prioritizes the needs of core transit riders; and stops criminalization of communities of color.

  • Environmental justice and a fight against the climate emergency that lifts up the interests of frontline communities.

  • A transformed justice system that no longer relies on mass incarceration.

  • A fair economy that guarantees worker rights and dignity, and provides everyone with access to the necessities they need to survive and thrive.

  • A robust, people-powered democracy and accessible, responsive government.

 

A majority of our budget comes from our members’ monthly donations. In 2024, our goal is to raise 70% of our budget from dues-paying members. That will enable us to be 100% accountable to people like you. Your gift allows us to respond rapidly to emerging issues, to take on powerful interests, and spend as little time possible on fundraising so we can focus on the crucial work that needs to get done every day.