Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati

Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, PhD, MPH, professor of preventive medicine and Associate Dean for Community Initiatives, has received the CRSSLA (Community Response System of South Los Angeles) COVID Leadership Award. 

Baezconde-Garbanati says the award was bestowed by CRSLAA, a collaborative project representing more than 30 agencies working in South Los Angeles on COVID-related issues. It’s “a recognition of the amazing work we have done in communities, with the most incredible talented and committed team of individuals in Preventive Medicine. I am so honored to be part of our amazing team in PM.”

CRSSLA is a collaborative effort of key community-based organizations, churches, educational institutions and other stakeholders in South Los Angeles. Its goal “is to identify resources for emergency operations centers, medical triage, distribution centers, and command centers that coordinate with various government agencies responsible for deploying information and resources in our area in case of a pandemic or other crises.”

Lezlee Matthews, PhD, general manager at CRSSLA, said Baezconde-Garbanati presented at the webinar sponsored by the group, titled “Saving Lives Through Effective Community Engagement,” in June. Baezconde-Garbanati also provided food bags and arranged for USC trucks to deliver items to the Back 2 School Drive-Through event at Magic Johnson Park on Oct. 3.