About Monique K. McClendon

Monique K. McClendon is a native of Los Angeles, California. She is a Community Advocate, Youth Mentor, and Founder of Arise Los Angeles, a 501 3(c) Non-Profit organization that provides short-term residential therapy, homeschooling services, and independent living skills training for foster females (12 – 17), referred from Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), probation, as well as privately placed to help them rise to their potential in life.

Monique has dedicated her life to empowering young women and enriching their lives for the better. Daring them to dream so that can see the visions God has given them. Surrounding them with the circle of success team so they don’t get lost in transition.

She has always had a soft spot for the underdog, the one that just needed that word that would change their life. Monique has been a servant leader all her life. Growing up she would hear, “You can’t save the world!” But she tried to do it anyway. Being raised in Los Angeles in the 80s, when the crack epidemic influenced the black communities, she saw all that went wrong and wanted to do something to change what was happening. She then volunteered at LAPD 108th Division Community Relations Center to see how changes could be made in the relationship between the community and LAPD.

Continuing to do the work, she volunteered for 15 years at Jesse Owens Park. During her time there, she saw other needs that affected our youth community that was not being adequately met. This and other issues in the community became the driving force behind her becoming a Resource Parent, (Foster Parent) parenting over 20+ kids.

Monique received a BA in Sociology with a Minor in Law & Society at California State of Los Angles. (2019) She is also a graduate of Los Angeles Trade-Tech College in Paralegal Studies. (2015)

Her Ministry was awarded by the DCFS for being a Resource Parent to the Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) demographic.

Monique believes that as she continues to do the work, God is able to do His work through her to shine His light into darkness. While transforming the lives of women and children to help them arise to their fullest potential towards a bright and promising future.