Community Leadership Boot Camp

Join a growing network of local preservation advocates

UPDATE: The deadline to apply for the upcoming Spring 2024 Boot Camp has passed. Accepted applicants will be contacted by mid-March.


Through our Community Leadership Boot Camp program, the Conservancy prepares community members throughout Los Angeles County to effectively advocate on behalf of historic and cultural places.

Neighborhoods are changing quickly, not always considering the value community members hold for older and historic places.

Preservation can help us better understand the history of a place — who it is important to, what stories it tells — and how history can shape (but not limit!) change as our cities grow and evolve.

Community Leadership Boot Camp offers best practices and lessons from the field, heightens awareness of current local preservation issues, and strengthens individual and group leadership skills.

Through our Community Leadership Boot Camp, you will:

  • Deepen your understanding of preservation as a powerful planning tool;
  • Learn to make a compelling case for preserving places you care about;
  • Explore ways to win support for preservation; and
  • Connect with others who share your passion for historic and cultural places

We encourage community members from throughout Los Angeles County to apply.

  • 18 years or older.
  • There is no fee to participate.
  • No experience is necessary.
  • Selected participants must have an active membership with the Conservancy by the start of Boot Camp. Membership rates start at $40/year.

Spring 2024 Boot Camp Session dates*

  • Orientation – Wednesday, April 17, 2024, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
  • Session 1 – Saturday, April 20, 2024, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
  • Session 2 – Saturday, April 27, 2024, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
  • Session 3 – Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
  • Session 4 – Saturday, May 11, 2024, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (in-person field session)
  • Session 5 – Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 5:30-7:00 p.m.

*All sessions are held over ZOOM, except for our in-person field session. The field session is a chance to experience a preservation advocacy issue directly and learn from neighborhood advocates.  All sessions are mandatory.

Group discussions encourage participants to learn from each other.
Field sessions reinforce the Boot Camp curriculum and provide an opportunity to engage advocates in your neighborhood.
Virtual ZOOM sessions make Boot Camp accessible to folks from throughout the county.
Boot Camp graduates stay connected with the Conservancy and each other. Photo courtesy of Nicole Infante.

FAQs

Do I have to be actively involved in preservation issues to apply for Boot Camp? 

No! Boot Camp is for anyone that cares about communities, cultures, and histories. Past participants have ranged from labor organizers to realtors to environmental activists. What’s most important is your connection to community and your enthusiasm to learn how you can support and maintain the places that make your community unique through preservation. 

What can I expect from Boot Camp sessions? 

Sessions are a mix of presentations, discussions, and group activities. They are designed to teach you the basics of preservation and practice advocacy strategies like making a case for preserving a place and building support for a preservation-related project.

Boot Camp is also designed to connect you with advocates across L.A. County. Expect to learn as much from your peers as from us (we always do)!  

What is the time commitment? 

Boot Camp consists of six mandatory sessions (approximately 12 hours total session time) and one optional workshop (1 hour). There will be homework assignments for you to complete between sessions that include readings, one individual project, and one group project. Expect to budget 3 to 5 hours for this additional work.  

What happens after I graduate? 

You’ll join the 100 plus alumni who have gone through our program and leave with a better understanding of how you can preserve places you care about! The Conservancy offers different opportunities to continue to support preservation in Los Angeles. This can look like volunteering or supporting the Conservancy’s advocacy issues or education programs. We also encourage you to stay connected through our Preservation Partners Network and our growing Boot Camp alumni network. 

For more information about the Conservancy’s Community Leadership Boot Camp, please get in touch with M. Rosalind Sagara at rsagara@laconservancy.org

Hear from Our Graduates!