[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 13 (Monday, January 23, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E158]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    TRIBUTE TO THE WEST ANGELES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. AND ITS 
                EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LULA BAILEY BALLTON

                                 ______


                          HON. JULIAN C. DIXON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 23, 1995
  Mr. DIXON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and salute the West 
Angeles Community Development Corp. [West Angeles CDC] and its 
executive director, Mrs. Lula Bailey Ballton. Under Mrs. Ballton's 
outstanding and innovative leadership, West Angeles CDC is working to 
empower residents of the Los Angeles community. Located in my 
congressional district, the West Angeles CDC was established for the 
purpose of promoting, developing, and fostering economic development, 
social justice, and community transformation opportunities in and 
around the Crenshaw community.
  West Angeles CDC's approach to economic development is simple: to 
attain and maintain local control of capital and management of 
community assets. Progeny of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ 
and its spiritual leader--Bishop Charles E. Blake--West Angeles CDC 
understands that the key to an economically secure future rests in 
achieving economic parity. To help residents of the community 
accomplish this goal, West Angeles CDC forms new partnership 
arrangements with the private sector to create new jobs and stimulate 
economic activity in the community.
  West Angeles CDC offers several important training initiatives to 
help the community prepare for the new jobs that come into the area as 
a result of the organization's outreach. Through its Adult Learning 
Center, classes are offered in computer applications, clerical 
training, English as a second language, and business skills critical to 
enhancing employment opportunities for residents. Nearly 100 trained 
tutors, operating under the auspices of the West Angeles Literacy 
Empowerment Team [WALET], work to improve the reading and comprehension 
skills of students.
  West Angeles CDC's executive director, Mrs. Lula Bailey Ballton, has 
been instrumental in steering the organization toward its goals. Under 
her leadership, a program is being developed to rehabilitate low-
income, mixed-income, and affordable housing in communities surrounding 
the West Angeles Church. Future plans call for the development of a 
senior low-income housing project and providing comprehensive services 
such as housing rehabilitation mortgage counselling, and housing 
development.
  Educator, businesswoman, and attorney, Lula Bailey Ballton brings a 
wealth of experience to her position. She has served on the faculties 
of several colleges and universities, including city colleges of 
Chicago, Los Angeles City College, and El Camino College. She also 
served as director of education for the Chicago Urban League, and 
founded the Whitney M. Young Scholarship and the Edwin Berry Loan Fund. 
In 1984, she founded SCHOOL SEARCH, Inc., a school finders service. She 
chairs the corporation's board of directors.
  Mrs. Ballton received a juris doctorate in 1990 from the UCLA School 
of Law. She served as an attorney in the civil rights division of the 
California Department of Justice, and prior to joining West Angeles 
CDC, was with the law firm of Bryan, Cave, McPheeters, and McRoberts.
  Residents in and around the Crenshaw community are indeed fortunate 
to have an individual of Mrs. Ballton's statute at the helm of West 
Angeles CDC. Her skills are formidable and will be a tremendous asset 
to the organization as it moves to launch several other programs, all 
designed to bring self-sufficiency and economic parity to the 
community.
  Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to have this opportunity to salute the 
fine work being done by the West Angeles Community Development Corp. 
and Mrs. Lula Bailey Ballton. I ask my colleagues to join me in 
extending to them best wishes for continued success as they persevere 
to fulfill a commitment to community empowerment.


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