Point of interest
International Institute of Los Angeles
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Tips from locals
Kyung
March 26, 2019
The International Institute was established in Boyle Heights in 1914 as a branch of the YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association). Its mission was to “serve women and girls coming from Europe and the Orient and to assist the foreign communities in their adjustment to life in this country.” One of the Institute’s earliest projects was to meet “Japanese picture brides” at the LA Harbor and help them resettle into their new lives in Los Angeles. The Institute offered a place for immigrants to gather for special events and holidays, and the courtyard was often a centerpiece of their annual International Day Festival that showcased dances, food, and customs of the many cultures in Boyle Heights and fostered greater cross-cultural understanding. As a charitable women’s organization, the International Institute was one of several community service agencies that were along this block of Boyle Ave by the 1920s. In addition to the Hollenbeck Home for the Aged, the Japanese Sisters Home for Children, and the Volunteers of America Girls and Boys Home were located on either side. They operated from buildings that were once the grand residences of prominent individuals, and reflected the strong philanthropic dedication of the Boyle Heights community. While those buildings are no longer here, the International Institute and Hollenbeck Palms remain.
The International Institute was established in Boyle Heights in 1914 as a branch of the YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association). Its mission was to “serve women and girls coming from Europe and the Orient and to assist the foreign communities in their adjustment to life in this country.” One of t…
Unique things to do nearby
Location
3845 Selig Place
Los Angeles, CA
Lincoln Heights