Hope Central Watts has been formed as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

We are a non-denominational church, but are not opposed to denominations as such, only their overemphasis of the doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the body of Christ. We Believe worship of God should be Spiritual. Therefore, We remain flexible and yielded to the Holy Spirit to direct our worship.We Believe worship of God should be Inspirational. Therefore, We give a great place to music in our worship.

We Believe worship of God should be Intelligent. Therefore, Our services are designed with great emphasis upon teaching of the Word of God that He might instruct us how He should be worshiped.We Believe worship of God is Fruitful. Therefore, We look for His Love in our lives as the supreme manifestation that we have truly been worshiping Him.Hope Central Watts has been formed as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

API RISE is a nonprofit organization that seeks to empower the Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander American communities and specifically those individuals who have been impacted by the criminal justice system. We aspire to be an organization that celebrates diversity through inclusion and to build upon knowledge, resources and organizing to undo the stigma and shame that silences youth, formerly and currently incarcerated people and their loved ones.

To build an actively engaged and involved API community of API inmates, formerly incarcerated individuals, at-risk youth, families, allies, and supporters.

To educate our community around issues of how the criminal, legal and prison systems impact Asian Pacific Islanders.

To organize around the needs of currently and formerly incarcerated community members.

During the summer of 2013, Duc Ta, David Kupihea, Paul Jung and traci ishigo had their first meeting in South Los Angeles.

At the time, Duc and David were both employees at the Amity Foundation, mentors and conscientious community leaders. As formerly incarcerated individuals, Duc and David had experienced long histories with the criminal justice system and possessed unique storytelling abilities that informed both the purpose and vision of the organization from the very start. Both Paul and traci had experience working at separate nonprofit advocacy organizations. Paul helped create a nonprofit that created jobs and training for individuals with drug addictions in the Koreatown area.

The conditions we want to address are complicated and quite nuanced: due in part to the cultural stigma, silence and apathy in the Asian and Pacific Islander American (API) community regarding criminal justice issues and the resulting lack of infrastructure and API institutional capacities around these issues, particularly here in Southern California. Until now, no organization has recently stepped up to champion these issues and to directly organize and promote the leadership of API formerly incarcerated population.

The four founders, collectively coming from vastly different backgrounds and life experiences, also realized that diversity and inclusions are key assets to draw upon in our communities to empower and lift up the voices of the invisible and oppressed among APIs in California's Prison Industrial Complex. This became the organization's goal and clarion call.

The four point of focus of API RISE are:

• Provide a support group of peers who help heal the past wounds and generate solutions for the future.
• Create a network of mentors to encourage and help members navigate challenges.
• Educate and advocate for APIs by collecting disaggregated data through storytelling to reveal the strength, resilience and diversity of API communities.
• Encourage API social enterprises as a model for economic empowerment and sustainability.