For half a century, PACE has stood at the intersection of social justice and community empowerment, championing those left behind and ensuring progress is shared by all. Rooted in the spirit of 'serving the people,' we honor the legacy of AAPI community organizing and remain committed to one simple mission: to serve and empower our communities.
Creating economic opportunity isn’t just about helping communities—it’s about empowering them.
5o years of empowerment
Our Journey
In 1975, PACE was founded to address the employment needs of Los Angeles’ growing AAPI refugee community through job training and placement services. However, we soon realized that promoting economic opportunity required more than just employment support. This drove us to expand our mission and services, tackling poverty and inequality across all communities.
Today, PACE provides multilingual services to communities across Los Angeles, with our community development efforts spanning five core programs: Employment, Education, Business, Energy, and Housing.
For 50 years, our story has been one of service, empowerment, and innovation. From supporting AAPI refugees in the 1970s to launching our Business division in response to the 1992 L.A. riots, our mission has always been about one thing: to uplift communities in need.
As we celebrate this milestone, we remain committed to serving our communities’ evolving needs as we empower economic opportunity for generations to come.
Stories of Empowerment
Our story is best told by those who’ve lived it. As we celebrate 50 years, we’re spotlighting the people behind PACE’s impact. Follow along as our clients, employees, and supporters share their stories!
Staff Reflections:
Finding Purpose Through Service
After retiring, Susana Apeles found a new sense of purpose in serving the community—read more to discover how her journey led her to PACE.
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After retiring as a utility company Program Manager in 2016, Susana Apeles planned to travel and explore the world. However, when the pandemic disrupted those plans, she began searching for a new sense of purpose. That opportunity came when she joined PACE as an Administrative Supervisor in the Energy Department.
Her connection to PACE began years earlier when she managed PACE’s Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) Program as a partner, promoting energy efficiency initiatives. But becoming an employee opened her eyes to the organization’s full impact. “I was amazed to find out that there was more to PACE than just promoting energy savings,” she shared. Beyond energy programs, PACE empowers communities through employment, education, housing, environmental initiatives, and business development.
Now part of the PACE team, she feels privileged to contribute to a mission that serves thousands of low-income individuals and families across L.A. County. Her journey at PACE has reinforced an important lesson: “Age doesn’t matter if you have so much working experience to share, and still too many things to learn—while having fun!”
As PACE celebrates 50 years of community impact, we’re honored to have dedicated employees like Susana be part of our legacy.
