At REDF, we believe in the power of vibrant communities: ones where neighbors help neighbors, where small businesses are thriving, and where all people have the opportunity to work, contribute, and thrive.

Yet so many communities today are plagued by real and urgent challenges that dim the light on their vibrancy. Challenges like generational poverty, homelessness, and the impact of incarceration are felt in cities and towns all across our country.

One such city is Los Angeles, a place where many of our colleagues — and most importantly, many of the employment social enterprises (ESEs) in our community — call home. We don’t just work here; we live here, we play here, and our kids grow up here. This is our community, too. And watching the devastation, confusion, and fear unfold in our neighborhoods – as made manifest in the recent immigration enforcement activity and protests – pains us deeply in ways not easily described to folks who are processing this solely from the news reels.

And while what’s happening in Los Angeles is front and center this week, we know these challenges aren’t unique to just one place. We’re seeing similar stories in communities across the country — from Chicago to Boston, from the Central Valley to Austin — where ESEs are showing up every day to support people navigating the same fears and uncertainties.

In times like these, it is easy to feel overwhelmed or helpless. But these moments strike at the core of why we do what we do. We exist to create a world where economic power is a means to not only create security, but also to enable whole communities to thrive. Immigrants aren’t just part of the story of L.A. — they are the story. They’re our neighbors, our coworkers, our family, us. They are the backbone^* of this city and the shoulders on which we build and rebuild its future.

In response to this week’s events, we reaffirm our unwavering support for the dignity, safety, and humanity of all people — particularly those navigating systemic barriers to employment and opportunity. We stand in solidarity with our immigrant community and call for justice, due process, free expression, and peaceful protest.

And we’re reminded, once again, of the urgency of our mission. Dignified work offers more than income; it creates belonging, safety, and the power to shape one’s future.

This is the dream that many immigrants hold upon coming to this country. And this is the dream that we believe in, too.

^*According to the 2020 U.S. Census, more than 35% of the 3.9M people living in the city of Los Angeles were born outside the United States. And just over half of L.A.’s foreign-born residents are naturalized citizens, with more than 56% of L.A. residents speaking a language other than English at home — predominantly Spanish.