This year, endurance will require us to invest in what makes us effective in times of crisis. As the same communities who have been impacted by natural disasters are being threatened by masked agents, we must make a choice on how we will respond.

2025 has been a long year – and it’s brought unimaginable challenges to our region and the communities we serve. Despite these obstacles, our team at Inclusive Action has persevered and risen to meet the moment with programs, initiatives, and advocacy that center economic justice – and the needs of working people, immigrant entrepreneurs, and…

Over the past year, our team has been on the move meeting with state legislators, building strong coalitions, and organizing lobby days. Together, we have worked to advance legislation that unlocks economic opportunity for underinvested communities.

We’re inviting mission-driven restaurant and commissary owners across LA County to partner with us and open your commercial kitchens to sidewalk food vendors ready to take the next step. We’re looking for partners who believe in an LA that works for everyone. If your business values community, equity, and collaboration, then this is your moment to act.

Through workshops and using our free Inclusive Action Business Curriculum, participants explored essential topics such as pricing food items, writing detailed descriptions, and refining their menu offerings. Our Menu Creation Workshop highlighted the importance of incorporating vegan and vegetarian options – not just to cater to diverse tastes but to expand their customer base and increase revenue potential.

Financial inclusion and innovation are hard work. In a rapidly evolving economic and legislative environment, it’s important our team at Inclusive Action also continues to innovate and to take informed risks to stay ahead of the curve. At the same time, change can create confusion for staff, and it’s important that everyone knows their jobs are safe, and – even more importantly – they feel safe to raise questions and disagree with decisions.

As a business coach, nurturing deep relationships with business owners is paramount. These connections and ongoing support enable us to accurately assess current and future business needs, proactively seek out resources, and provide timely interventions during critical moments in their business journey.By cultivating trust early on, we empower businesses to feel comfortable seeking support during challenging times without fear or shame. For instance, one of our clients urgently needed capital to settle tax obligations and acquire essential equipment. Our team rallied together to provide the necessary assistance.  This proactive approach ensures that we can intervene and support our clients before…

Just 24 hours into the emergency, our team knew we couldn’t just sit on the sidelines – it was clear that we had to act and move quickly. Within hours, we launched our Open Air Worker Emergency Fund to provide cash assistance to vulnerable workers – like street vendors, recyclers, and landscapers who work outside full-time – that were impacted by the fires. We focused on these workers, who our organization has a long history of supporting and advocating alongside, who are often informal workers, are self-employed, and rely on their daily work to sustain themselves. They are often ineligible or have barriers to accessing social safety net programs.

CDFIs should not only be writing to protect their certification, we must also join in with calls to defend free speech, protect immigrants, and preserve the social safety net. We must resist the urge to focus only on self preservation and instead broaden our view to center the threats faced by our clients, neighbors, and our country.

The Open Air Economy Collaborative joined LA Central Library to host a successful resource fair dedicated to supporting Black and Brown Women street vendors. This event offered a wealth of business resources, workshops, and networking opportunities to help these micro-entrepreneurs who often navigate the challenges of the informal economy alone. The day kicked off with a powerful screening of “Hollywood Vendor Film,” a documentary that…

This is the second post in Inclusive Action’s “Doing Capital Differently” series, offering stories, lessons, and tips to financial services and CDFI practitioners from our experience of providing capital to underserved communities. Subscribe to the series!

At IAC, we advance economic justice policy by building the power of our clients, community partners, and historically excluded communities to break open opportunities in this economy, while also building the foundation for a new economy where all communities can thrive. The work to make a more inclusive economy happens in multiple spaces – in the community, in the legislature, and importantly, at the ballot box. That’s why we created an Inclusive Action Voter Guide this year, available in both English and Spanish! Our goal is to educate the public and increase their confidence by providing voter recommendations on state propositions and local ballot measures. We hope to empower and encourage folks to vote for policies that uplift economic justice and take into account the communities we work alongside.

by Associate, Community Research and Innovation Chih-Wei Hsu and Fellow Keyara Sims Join us as we set out to better understand the state of informal recycling in Los Angeles County over the next year! This overview captures what we have learned from existing studies and organizing efforts in other parts of the country. Next up…

For Mychael Darwin and his wife Yasmeen Muqtasid, hanging out with superstars is no big deal. He proudly shows a denim jacket he designed for Prince, embroidered with the famous sign. “It’s not even work for me,” he said.Mychael and Yasmeen own Omnific Studios, a clothing design studio that specializes in leather apparel, accessories, and…

by Senior Director, Policy & Legal Strategy Doug Smith It’s a new day for L.A.’s street vendors. The City has repealed its discriminatory no-vending zones and inked a settlement that will begin to repair some of the harms that vendors have endured by canceling citations and issuing refunds. What comes next is a different kind…

The first post in Inclusive Action’s “Doing Capital Differently” series, offering stories, lessons, and tips to financial services and CDFI practitioners, from our experience of providing capital to underserved communities. Subscribe to the series!  by Director, Lending Andrea Avila, and Associate, Technical Assistance Luis MoranEdwin’s Story: Loan Readiness to Business GrowthHaving recently migrated to the…

Like so many of us, Manori Sumanasinghe was scrolling through Instagram when she came across a post about Inclusive Action for the City and the numerous loan products. Little did she know that this post would change her life. Manori, who moved to the U.S. from Sri Lanka in 2007, is an architectural designer who has…

By Josephine Gardner, Senior Associate of Technical Assistance What sparked Benjamin’s interest in the coffee industry? Boketto Cold Brews LLC, a black-owned business in Los Angeles, is fueled by passion, curiosity, family, and fatherhood. Growing up, Benjamin Westley was no stranger to the small business world. His grandparents owned a concession stand at a baseball field…

“I am the owner and can oust you anytime I want.” That’s what Juana Dominguez said her landlord told her.Juana Dominguez is the proud owner of Paloma Market, a small business in South LA that offers fruits, vegetables, baked goods, cleaning products, and gifts. Like many immigrants, Juana came to the United States from Mexico with…

Maria Rojas stood on the sidewalk, hugging her three children, Rudy, 20, Steven, 17, and Stephanie, 16, as tears streamed down her cheeks. “They are tears of joy,” she said. After a long and arduous journey, Maria’s unwavering determination finally bore fruit. She received her United States residency card, a testament to her resilience and the…

By Julie Jung, Operations and Finance Director At Inclusive Action, we’re proud to have a diverse and inclusive team. For us, this means our board and staff reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and share cultural experiences with community members to ensure our services meet their needs. For example, our team is nearly…

By Nicole Anand, Deputy Director A Seat at the Table is a Learning Journey September marked one year of service on the US Treasury Committee for Racial Equity (TACRE) in my two-year term. This seat at the table gives economic justice advocates and community lenders, like us at Inclusive Action, the opportunity to advocate for…

By Chih Wei Hsu, Research Associate Suehiro, a restaurant and community hub in Little Tokyo, was forced out of a Los Angeles neighborhood after 50 years of service. Suehiro is not alone. Super Pan, a Mexican bakery in Virgil Village, said goodbye to its customers after 20 years of baking delicious sweet bread. If you…

By Estefanía Lopez Perez, Senior Policy Associate Yumabeli, a street vendor, shares a public comment at the Kenneth Hall of Administration on January 30th, 2024. Inside the Kenneth Hall of Administration on January 30, a group of over 50 street vendors sat across the Board of Supervisors to participate in the public hearing on a…

By Chih-Wei Hsu, research associate What would it mean for a society if community members collectively owned real estate instead of individuals owning land? Empowerment. Self-Determination. Racial and economic justice. Equity.That is what community-owned land would achieve.The National Equitable Recovery Alliance, known as NERA, held the first webinar on community ownership and stewardship in a…

By Sharon Senko, Underwriting and Technical Assistance Associate Taraneh Lipscomb felt that she just existed and did not live.“I was tired of trading my time for money,” she told me.Taraneh worked as a mental health therapist for many years, and she burned out when the COVID pandemic took over our lives.But the 34-year-old had a…

By Andrea Avila, Acting Lending Director & Maribel Garcia, Lending Director Inclusive Action began its microlending journey in 2016 after repeatedly hearing from street vendors that they had no access to affordable capital. Street vendors had their equipment confiscated or stolen, and faced financial challenges when trying to replace their equipment. It was then that…

By Luis Moran, Technical Assistant I started the year like I ended in 2023: talking to small businesses about opportunities and challenges. My first appointment was with an entrepreneur named Oscar, who told a story of a catastrophe that fell upon his business last month.  For Oscar, the I-10 freeway fire in Los Angeles was much…

By Rudy Espinoza, Executive Director On Wednesday, Inclusive Action closed for the holidays.I sensed that many of us were desperately awaiting the year end break. I giggled as I saw one of my team members walk into our lobby with a surprisingly renewed swagger. He had a huge smile on his face as he greeted…

By Estefanía B. López Pérez, Senior Policy Associate On an early Tuesday morning in September 2022, a bustling group of street vendors gathered around a busy intersection in downtown Los Angeles. They were not selling their goods, and many had taken precious time out of their busy schedules to be there. Instead, they went to…

Budgets give us an opportunity to dive deep into our priorities and values as a city. City of LA departments have worked on their proposed budgets for months now, and Mayor Bass announced her 2023-24 proposed city budget last week, highlighting budget priorities, including homelessness and policing—issues that she campaigned on. However, a $13B budget for…

By Deputy Director Nicole Anand Recently, I was selected to sit on the inaugural US Treasury Committee on Race and Equity (TACRE). I flew to Washington DC for an orientation to the committee and to attend The Freedman’s Bank Forum where the committee was announced. It’s a great honor to represent Inclusive Action and the…

10 years ago this week I began my journey as Executive Director of Inclusive Action (then called LURN). I remember my Mom wondering why I left my last gig (a CDFI in South Los Angeles); “Don’t they pay you?,” she asked, clearly wondering why I would leave a stable job.

By Rudy Espinoza, Executive Director COVID-19 has changed all of our lives. Since 2020,  many of us have seen firsthand how vulnerable our communities are. Too many families have been living one crisis away from economic chaos, and that “one crisis” has now lasted over two years. As we emerge from this crisis, we need…

By Josephine Gardner, Technical Assistance Associate February is Black History Month. It’s a time to lift up the accomplishments of Black Americans and recognize their central role in our history. At Inclusive Action we celebrate the vibrant history, culture and resilience of the Black community every day, but this month we are lifting it up…

Dear Future Mayor,I’m writing to share my hope for your leadership and stewardship of our favorite city in the world, Los Angeles. You will be elected at a pivotal moment in our city’s history. The city is emerging from the debris of a global pandemic. Its spirit is wounded from scandal. Too many of our neighbors…

Voter guide season is here! 🗳️🥳The general election is less than two weeks away and Inclusive Action is tracking four major county and city measures that will impact our clients and surrounding communities. So grab a pumpkin spice latte, read the guide below, do some more investigating, tell your friends, families, neighbors and baristas all…

By Rudy Espinoza, Executive DirectorLast week, I traveled to Washington D.C. to attend the Latinos & Business summit, an event hosted by the Aspen Institute’s Latino & Society Program.The convening was a gathering of practitioners from across the country who were working to revitalize their neighborhoods and advance economic development in Latino communities. They had…

Over the last two weeks, Los Angeles has been reeling from scandal, racism, and more. Many of us have felt betrayed by some of our region’s most powerful elected officials, and we’ve also been inspired by other leaders who showcased a new brand of leadership and solidarity.In the midst of this, our team remains focused…

By Sharon Senko, Underwriting & Technical Assistance AssociateCreating a loan product tailored to young adults has long been a goal for Inclusive Action. For years we’ve observed the children of small business owners and entrepeneurs starting their own businesses – often offshoots of their family business – facing multiple barriers including a lack of credit…

By Prince Osemwengie, Associate, Policy & ResearchOn August 5, 2022, select federal government agencies gathered comment letters on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA); Inclusive Action submitted a letter advocating for economic just updates to the CRA. INTRODUCTIONDid you know that thanks to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), between 2009 and…

By Nicole Anand, Deputy DirectorHow We Got HereOver the last few months, the team at Inclusive Action for the City (IAC) has grown tremendously, fueled by an overwhelming demand for capital and economic relief in the communities we serve in Los Angeles. Every day, we receive inquiries about the low-interest loans we offer, the grant…

By Chih-Wei Hsu, Research AssociateNo one can deny how irresistible the aroma of al pastor twirling on the flaming spit is. It is a smell that defines Los Angeles. Street vending in Los Angeles existed long before the food truck renaissance in the late 2000s. As early as the 1870s, spicy tamales vendors were recorded…

By Karina Guzman, Technical Assistance AssociateAs a Technical Assistance Associate, I provide Inclusive Action’s microloan recipients with tailored one-on-one business coaching. Over 75% of my time is spent interacting with clients, listening to their needs and identifying what our Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) can offer to meet those needs.This has given me the opportunity…

By Inclusive Action – Prince Osemwengie, Lyric Kelkar, Rudy Espinoza; Destination Crenshaw – Jason Foster, Tafarai Bayne, Terrick Gutierrez, Nadra Nittle.A few months ago, we wrote about the forthcoming report: Small Business Anti-Displacement Strategies & Tools: Supporting Local Small Businesses In Crenshaw. Today, we’re so excited to finally be able to share it with you. …

By The Small Business Alliance for Equitable CommunitiesSmall businesses are the beating heart of every community. They are what make our neighborhoods feel intimate, and what makes each street feel uniquely Los Angeles. With rising rent prices, inflation, and the burdensome permits and licenses needed to keep a small business afloat in this city, we…

By Rudy Espinoza, Executive Director of Inclusive Action for the CityI returned from Aspen last week where I was discussing leadership and human nature as part of the Aspen Executive Seminar, a component of the Civil Society Fellowship. While I was there, 10 people were shot in Buffalo, New York. 3 people were shot in a…

This blog highlights the need for new inclusive commercial real estate financial products designed specifically for under-resourced small businesses and nonprofits in hot real estate markets.

This blog kicks off Inclusive Action’s Economic Justice & Small Business Series which will highlight economic justice-rooted anti-displacement programs and financial products to address the needs of small businesses in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods.

The holiday season is well underway! What better way to complete your holiday shopping and support the local economy than buying from local hard-working entrepreneurs? Inclusive Action works with over 100 small businesses throughout Los Angeles County; we support these businesses by helping them access low-interest capital (via our Semi’a Fund) and by providing one-on-one small…

Yesterday, a street vendor in Boyle Heights was stabbed several times on 1st street, right across from the Metro’s Gold line Station. The street vendor, Ignacio Torres, was rushed to the hospital and if it were not for his wife being across the street, he may not have been in a position to recover from…

By John Broadway & Rudy EspinozaIn May, we held another round of our Street Vendor Emergency Fund, passing out $400 cash cards to 114 street vendors in Los Angeles. And since last year, we’ve put nearly $650,000 collectively into the hands of over 1,400 different street vendors. Recently, a neighbor said we need to do more…

Illustration credit: https://www.instagram.com/dtwatsonjr/

By: Lyric Kelkar, Data Analysis by: Prince Osemwengie, Fernando Abarca, Lyric Kelkar, Penelope BernalWe all know what happened in March of 2020. As an organization that is dedicated to serving low-income entrepreneurs, we quickly pulled together the Street Vendor Emergency Fund (SVEF) to provide direct cash assistance to this group of people who are often…

Inclusive Action stands in solidarity with Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities who are reeling from and speaking out against the hate-driven, racist, and misogynistic murder of eight people, including six Asian women, in Georgia on March 16th.The violence and relentless scapegoating committed against AAPI communities during the pandemic is a horrifying and direct…

On February 11th our Policy Director Lyric Kelkar hosted an Instagram Live conversation with Eunisses Hernandez, co-director of La Defensa and co-author of Measure J. Eunisses shared her thoughts on how the measure will change LA for years to come and what Angelenos can do to get involved in its implementation. Read below for the…

By John Broadway In my previous post, I gave some examples of the different forms of economic exploitation at the root of America’s racial hierarchy. This exploitation sparked various forms of resistance. Let’s take a look at two of the “founding fathers” of the Civil Rights movement whose competing ideologies shaped the fight for economic justice…

By John BroadwayAs Americans engage with Black history this month, we want to take time to honor and understand how the economic exploitation of Black Americans has shaped much of this nation’s history. In this blog post, we’re taking a look at the many forms this economic exploitation has taken throughout American history and what…

By John BroadwayOn Thursday, December 3, Healthy LA hosted an online discussion about cancelling rent and mortgages for Los Angeles renters and homeowners in the face of the pandemic’s devastating economic toll. Over 1,500 people tuned in from across the country. And it’s no wonder – over 260,000 Angelenos losing their jobs since March has…

By Marco Covarrubias“We don’t own anything!”Earlier this year, a video went viral of the activist and author Kimberly Jones standing in a boarded up commercial corridor in the wake of the George Floyd protests. In six short minutes, Jones rebukes the public’s misguided focus on “looting” during the uprisings. She reminds us that this country…

By John BroadwayThis year has felt like one long fight: a fight against the usual enemy of systemic racism and injustices, plus the invisible foe of COVID that exacerbates these injustices while threatening our physical, mental, emotional, and financial well-being.Born of injustices against Indigenous people, Thanksgiving is understandably, not something everyone chooses to celebrate. However,…

By Maribel Garcia + Andrea AvilaIt’s hard to lend in a pandemic, especially when lending to entrepreneurs from underserved communities. For us at Inclusive Action, this was never more evident than last week; we were processing an emergency grant and loan for Mario, a street vendor that has been selling nieve de garrafa (artisanal, hand-churned…

Photo Credit: PHYLICIA J. L. MUNN, MATEO ARCINIEGAS, CAROLINA CORREA-CARO

By John BroadwayIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with our partners East LA Community Corporation (ELACC), Public Counsel, and Community Power Collective, we’ve created the Street Vendor Emergency Fund. This is a campaign to provide street vendors in Los Angeles with direct cash assistance because they have largely been left out of recovery aid…

Photo credit: LUCY NICHOLSON/REUTERS

By John BroadwayIn this series, Inclusive Action highlights some of the amazing small business owners and entrepreneurs that we work with through our microloan and coaching programs. Introducing  Mrs. Falon Duncan (pen name: Falon Monét), who is a writer and entrepreneur — the owner of a publishing company titled “Fallie Pie” (which is also her nickname)….

By John Broadway During Inclusive Action’s virtual team retreat last week we reflected upon how white supremacy culture exists in our organization and how we can fight against that and anti-Black racism. We believe one of the best ways to create change is through intentional self-reflection and committing to action. As economic justice advocates for…

By Erika Hernandez Patty Archuletta was overwhelmed with joy. On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, she watched as her community came together at Emma’s Meat Market to distribute over 200 boxes of food to families affected by Covid-19. A few weeks before, Patty, a leader in the street vendor community who sells used clothing on the corner…

By Lyric Kelkar and Rudy EspinozaToday at 2 pm, the City Council’s COVID-19 Recovery Committee will be discussing an important proposal put forward by Councilwoman Rodriguez and Councilmember Cedillo to allocate $5 Million from the City of Los Angeles’ CARES Act allocation to support street vendors in procuring carts and permits. This proposal is an important…

Images by Lilith Ferreira from Las Fotos Project

Last week, the U.S. Treasury certified Inclusive Action for the City as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).This notice is an acknowledgement of our growth as a community-based lender to entrepreneurs of color. Since 2016, when we issued our first low-interest loan to a street vendor in Los Angeles’ piñata district, we’ve deployed over $500,000…

Illustration by Anna Parini

By Kateri GutierrezWhen micro-business owners organize, organizations like Inclusive Action can provide resources more quickly and advocate more efficiently. What our organization has learned over the last 4 years running COMPRA Foods, our purchasing cooperative that delivered affordable produce to corner stores throughout Los Angeles is this:  corner stores are the most accessible source of…

By Fernando AbarcaThis morning, the LA County Board of Supervisors discussed the establishment of a “Roadmap to Economic Recovery” – an economic stability plan meant to get people back to work, and open up businesses again. This will be done through the development of a “Task Force” made up of industry experts, chambers of commerce,…

photo credit: Carolyn Cole/LA Times

By Rudy Espinoza and Marco Covarrubias We are not doing enough to make sure that public resources are reaching small businesses  in our country. This morning, the County of Los Angeles promoted yet another program to help small businesses survive the COVID-19 Crisis: the “Save Small Business” Fund. Last week, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced…

When the COVID-19 pandemic began impacting our communities, we quickly saw that all the data about income inequality was right: most people don’t have any savings to cover their household expenses in an emergency. Many small businesses operate with only enough cash on hand to last them 27 days.We heard this loud and clear from…

Photocredit: Los Angeles Times

To America’s Bankers,We are writing to ask you to join us. Join us in solidarity to fight back against COVID19 and take care of our communities. Together we are witnessing our economy ground to a halt like never before. People are suffering, and even the very wealthy are losing. We have an opportunity to do…

By Lyric KelkarIn 2013, a group of organizations came together to address an issue that so many communities in Los Angeles are all too familiar with: vacant lots. Our cross-disciplinary group consists of ourselves, Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI), LA Neighborhood Land Trust, TRUST South LA and Esperanza Community Housing. We call ourselves Free Lots Angeles. About…

How Lenders & Investors Can Do More Than Just Talk About Equity By Rudy Espinoza When Trump established the Opportunity Zone program as part of his 2017 Tax Cut, people across the political spectrum were both happy and sad. Some thought this was an important moment to galvanize the super wealthy to invest in low-income…