“If We Organize, If We Fight, We Will Win”: Jazz Brunch 2025 Recap

On Sunday, October 12th, Venice Community Housing hosted our 33rd Annual Jazz Brunch — a morning filled with music, connection, and powerful messages of hope and action. Whether you joined us in person or supported from afar, we’re excited to share some of the moments that made this year’s event one of our most impactful yet.

Held at Above the Block, the brunch brought together longtime supporters, new friends, and community leaders to celebrate housing justice and the work we’re building together.

We were honored to welcome Congresswoman Maxine Waters, whose keynote speech reminded us of the urgency of our mission:

“Know that the road ahead won’t be easy — as we all know, the attacks on housing are real. They are dangerous, but we’re stronger, and if we organize, if we fight, if we refuse to back down, we will win.”

Her words were echoed by Allison Riley, our Co-Executive Director, who spoke about the importance of protecting our work and standing firm in our values:

“We must fight because we know what’s at stake. It’s people’s lives, it’s their futures, and it’s their right to call this city home.”

We also heard from Zed, a VCH resident of over 20 years, who shared how stable housing has allowed him to thrive:

“VCH is my family. Because of their personalized care, support, respect and love… I have a safe place to read, do my art, and work on my electronics projects.”

And Micah, a Westside Youth Academy alum, reminded us of the everyday joys that come with stability:

“I’m excited to hopefully get my cat back soon.”

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, we raised more than we ever have before at a Jazz Brunch — fueling our mission to expand affordable housing and support services across the Westside.

Event Highlights

View the full photo gallery here.

We’re deeply grateful to everyone who made this event possible. Your support helps us build a more just, inclusive, and compassionate community, one home at a time.

Stay connected by signing up for our newsletter, and we hope to see you at next year’s brunch!