The Community Service Organization has been organizing and serving the Boyle Heights community since 1947.
In the early years CSO was involved in organizing for immigrants rights, against police brutality, leadership training and voter participation.
We won early victories in the Bloody Christmas police abuse case in 1952 at the old Lincoln Heights city jail portrayed in the movie LA Confidential and the election to the LA City council of one of our early leaders Edward Roybal in 1953.
Early organizers include Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez and Tony Rios. Many of today's political and community leaders worked or were trained at the CSO. Over time CSO became more involved in providing social services such as legalization counseling, alcohol counseling, literacy and the establishment of our own credit union.
M I S S I O N
The Centro CSO was established to increase awareness of issues important to poor working class communities and to fight discrimination against Mexican Americans, immigrants and other people of color.
The purpose of the Centro CSO is to:
� Guard and further democratic rights.
� To become more aware of our responsibilities as citizens.
� To coordinate efforts for the common good of the community.
� To encourage participation in civic life.
� To improve relations among all nationalities and religions.
