Catalysts in the Community

Become a part of the greater African-American journey. Our true beauty shines when we use our inner strength, kindness and generosity to live out our passions and help others. Discover the stories of those who help make a difference and act as positive role models in black communities. Get inspired to start something positive and become a catalyst in your own neighborhood.

Mercedes Cunningham, City Year Volunteer

Los Angeles native Mercedes Cunningham is a young person dedicated to transforming the lives of others in her community. The youngest of four, Mercedes grew up in the Watts area of Los Angeles, a gang-infested community where she witnessed firsthand violence, drug deals and gang-related activity as a normal way of life.

Mercedes attended King Drew High School but dropped out in the 11th grade after feeling disengaged and disconnected with the students and teachers. Mercedes was on her way to becoming another statistic until she became involved with Summer Night Lights, a program dedicated to keeping local parks open late to decrease youth violence.

Mercedes was later recruited by City Year and became an active volunteer with the nonprofit organization and its programs while obtaining her GED. Mercedes describes her life now as a complete turnaround from the life she lived before, and she now aspires to attend UCLA and pursue a career in gang prevention. Her ultimate dream is to work with the mayor of Los Angeles to create options for underprivileged and underserved youth.

Adrienne Lamar, Associate Director, Jenesse Center

Adrienne Lamar is the associate director for Jenesse Center, Incorporated. Jenesse Center is a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive services to women and children who are survivors of domestic violence. Adrienne works tirelessly to support Jenesse's creed: "The Center is more than a shelter for battered women and their children; it is an institute that seeks to heal communities by healing families." Jenesse Center provides a variety of mental health, health education, vocational and economic empowerment services that help rebuild self-esteem as women transition toward self-sufficiency.

Adrienne's involvement in the leadership of the organization has enabled Jenesse Center to increase its participation in policy issues at the local, state and federal levels. Recently, Adrienne participated in a national planning effort with the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African-American Community to address domestic violence in the African-American community in the Greater Los Angeles area and surrounding counties.

Adrienne has been recognized for her commitment to battered women and social justice by several county, state and national organizations, including Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Council, Department of Children and Family Services Family to Family Initiative and UCLA School of Social Work.

In addition to her responsibilities at Jenesse Center, Adrienne is active in other community and national human-service-related organizations, including:

Mentor for the Women of Color Network® — a program of the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) designed to mentor women of color in new social-justice leadership roles
SPA 6 Advisory Council
Advisory Council Member for the South Central Training Consortium — a rotating group of graduate-level interns who provide direct services to community-based agencies
Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Task Force
Los Angeles Domestic Violence Council

Adrienne has spent the past 14 years as a staunch advocate for black women's health. She is dedicated to providing vital health and social-service resources and information to women and other unserved and underserved communities. Adrienne also is the former associate director for the California Alliance Against Domestic Violence (now known as California Partnership to End Domestic Violence). There, along with her team, she provided cultural competency trainings for the entire U.S. western region.

Adrienne's career in the nonprofit sector began when she served as a national minority recruiter and national campaign coordinator for the American Red Cross. Her background as a minority recruiter enabled her to identify areas and cultures where she could best serve. Adrienne also is the former program coordinator for the California Black Women's Health Project. Her successes with the organization include the establishment of additional "Girl Talk" groups along the South Central Avenue Corridor. As a result of the "Girl Talk" groups in the area, the program received national recognition as a model program and was adopted by several housing developments in the Greater Los Angeles area.

View More Stories in the Archive

Get Involved