Eric Washington: A True Watts Community Advocate

CERP is honored to spotlight a community partner helping to advocate for equity in our communities. Eric Washington, BS, MPA is a Community Relations Specialist at the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) as part of the Watts Rising collaborative, which is a coalition of Watts residents and stakeholders that have been working together to address community needs. Mr. Washington leads the Watts Rising Street Team, whose members help to engage the community on various initiatives. HACLA is also leading one of the inaugural National Institutes of Health (NIH) Community Partnerships to Advance Science for Society (ComPASS) awards in partnership with Charles Drew University and UCLA; Mr. Washington helps to manage the Community Leadership Council for this project. Prior to his current role, Mr. Washington worked as a Field Representative within the California State Assembly’s District 64 to discuss and advocate constituent concerns related to healthcare, transportation, food insecurity, homelessness, and other social determinants of health. In addition to this experience as a public servant and advocate at the local and state levels, Mr. Washington also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with a concentration in constitutional law from the University of North Texas as well as a Master’s in Public Administration from Grambling State University. He is an influential change agent in social justice advocacy, public safety awareness, and policymaking. Please help us celebrate the great work Mr. Washington is doing within our communities as we look forward to an ongoing and prosperous collaboration.