For over 80 years, All Peoples Community Center has been a fundamental resource for low-income children, youth and families in South Los Angeles. Founded in 1942 on the site of an old Japanese Christian Institute, the aptly renamed All Peoples Christian Church and Community Center was established by Pastor Dan Genung to serve the diverse residents of Historic South Central Los Angeles, which at that time included Japanese Americans, African Americans, Latin Americans, Armenian Americans, and Chinese American community members. Today, the Church and the Community Center are two separate entities but continue to share the work to bridge the financial, resource and cultural gaps for thousands of neighbors.

All Peoples Community Center is led by Executive Director Saundra Bryant, who began participating in the organization’s programs when she was two years old. Reflecting on her 40-year tenure, Bryant, who is retiring in 2023, says, “Sometimes it’s hard to find the words to describe what this place actually means. There is a spirit when you walk in this door; when you engage with individuals here, you can feel it…. That is what makes us unique: We don’t always have all the resources that we need, but it doesn’t deter us from doing our best and feeling the community deserves the best that we have—no matter what.” 

Bryant’s 40-member staff works together to provide a comprehensive complement of services from childcare and after-school activities, to financial literacy and senior engagement programs, to the extraordinary community farm and garden that occupies a 6,000-square-foot lot across the street  No matter what work the team is  engaged in, their primary focus is providing culturally responsive services that meet the needs of local residents, who still reflect a diverse range of backgrounds and cultural traditions that are served in multiple ways, including artistic programs that lift the spirits, bridge the divides and develop the talents and creativity of community members, especially the youth.