LA Commons remembers long time partner and friend to LA Commons, Arturo Ybarra. Arturo founded the Watts/ Century Latino Organization in 1990 and worked a lifetime to bring people together. WCLO is the only Latino multicultural nonprofit organization specifically serving Latinos and African-Americans in South L.A. Long known for his ability to work well with both the Latino and African-American communities, Ybarra has been a tireless organizer and activist, fearlessly approaching LA’s most salient issues like housing, violence, education reform and environmental justice. We thank Arturo for the legacy that he leaves behind.
“I first met Arturo Ybarra when working at Community Partners. He was one of the amazing Violence Prevention Fellows sponsored by The California Wellness Foundation. I was struck by his humility and warmth, and by his commitment to his work as the founder of Watts Century Latino Organization. He was a staple in the area and I relished the chance to connect with him each time LA Commons worked in the neighborhood. He was truly an inspiration to me, given his exceptional leadership abilities and his emphasis on bridging the Black and Brown communities in Watts. Of African and Indigenous heritage, he proudly identified himself as Mexican Afro-Latino Native American.”
Karen Mack
Executive Director, LA Commons
Watts/Century Latino Organization is dedicated to the empowerment of Latino residents living in Watts and to the establishment of multicultural unity within the community. LA Commons hopes to honor Arturo’s legacy and continue the work forward with and across communities in the shared city and county we all call home.
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