Honorees

The California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (CHCC) and its 120 Hispanic and diverse chambers and business association members represent the interest of over 850,000 Hispanic-owned businesses in California.

The CHCC serves as the voice of California's diverse small business community, bringing the issues and needs impacting Hispanic and diverse small businesses and communities to the forefront of California and National economic agendas. The CHCC focuses its proactive education, advocacy, and empowerment efforts on programs and policies that answer and meet the needs and priorities of California's diverse small businesses and Hispanic community. As the nation's leading regional Hispanic and diverse business organization, the CHCC has been the voice for Hispanic and diverse business owners in California for over forty years. From its inception, the CHCC is committed to fostering economic growth that creates and sustains prosperity for the benefit of California's economy and our communities.

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The City of Downey Utilities Division operates and maintains the City’s water, sanitary sewer, and storm water infrastructure which consists of 20 groundwater wells, 3 MWD imported water connections for emergency purposes, 270 miles of water main, 200 miles of sewer main, 1 sewer and 2 storm water lift stations, and various storm water open channels, culverts, drywells, and infiltration basins. The City relies on groundwater from aquifers beneath the City to meet 100% of its potable water demands.

In addition, the Utilities Division plans, designs, and develops the City’s potable water, recycled water, sewer, and storm water system infrastructure rehabilitation and replacement programs by managing and implementing engineering contracts and studies, preparing plans and specifications, managing the Geographic Information System (GIS), and reviewing designs and improvement plans for developments for compliance with Division standards.

The Division also develops, manages, and implements watershed management and monitoring plans, Green Streets, Low Impact Development (LID), and other policies/programs in order to capture dry and wet weather runoff for infiltration into the ground via best management practices (BMPs) implemented at developments and City projects which raise local water levels to the benefit of the City’s groundwater wells while achieving compliance with MS4 permit requirements.

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For the past 18 years Amigos de los Rios has been committed to improving the built environment and bolstering civic engagement in under-served communities of the San Gabriel Valley and Gateway Cities. These neighborhoods are among those most burdened by urban development and most in need of green infrastructure.

To create projects and programs that improve public health, bolster the ecosystem, and build resiliency to climate change, they have spent almost two decades developing innovative strategies, creating regional plans, and working with a diverse spectrum of urban stakeholders in these areas.

They hope to empower community members with shared values of environmental stewardship, cultural awareness, and the power to affect positive change.

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After 15 years working as a service coordinator with the East Los Angeles Regional Center and time spent as a Los Angeles Unified School District teacher, Elizabeth Jinzo founded Designated Exceptional Services for Independence (D.E.S.I.) in 2008 to support families with children and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

In 1990, Elizabeth’s daughter, Desirae, was born premature and with developmental delays, prompting Elizabeth to continuously fight and advocate for her inclusion in school, work, and beyond. DESI’s goal is to make our clients independent and active members of their community. Independence is achieved through activities that clients engage in with coaches who guide them through their goals. These activities can be tasks such as utilizing public transportation, attending post secondary education, acquiring employment, micro-enterprising, building appropriate social skills, learning about financial budgeting, and any other areas in which assistance is desired.

Furthermore, in 2016, DESI opened its doors as a Food Pantry and now supports communities in Los Angeles by providing food to thousands of individuals every month in East Los Angeles, South East Los Angeles, and surrounding communities.

DESI also offers job coaching to mothers returning to the workforce through Los Angeles County's Transitional Subsidized Employment program and to young adults enrolled in the Elevate program, in partnership with Los Angeles County’s American Job Center of California (AJCC).

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