History

Community Build, Inc. is a nonprofit community development corporation established in July of 1992 in the aftermath of the April 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest.

Organized with the assistance and support of Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Community Build is dedicated to the task of bringing permanent, significant, and positive change to the economically impoverished segments of Los Angeles’ African American communities. Community Build is a result of a cooperative effort of a number of African American organizations, businesses, and individuals. Their shared vision and initial financial commitment has enabled it to grow to an organization that now has 32 full-time staff members and a current operating budget of approximately $2.5 million. The mission of Community Build is a reflection of the founding members’ desire to confront and change the conditions that led to the Civil Unrest, in order to achieve equality and prosperity for all residents in the community.

The programs offered by Community Build focus not only on developing marketable skills and providing vocational training, but also on providing educational and long-term career counseling to young people who need guidance. In order to make a difference tomorrow, we must begin the work today. That is why at Community Build, our focus is investing in our community’s greatest resource–youth and young adults!

We at Community Build recognize the importance of meeting the immediate needs of the communities and residents we serve. At the same time, we believe that a key element to achieving lasting success in our community building endeavors is to never lose sight of our long-term goal of making the people within the community more active participants and contributors in the local and global economy.