During the 2023 Phoenix Awards at the Congressional Black Caucus’ 52nd Annual Legislative Conference in Washington D.C, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass received the Foundation Chair’s Award for her distinguished political career, CBS News reports.

Under the theme, "Securing Our Democracy, Protecting Our Freedoms, and Uplifting Our Culture,” the highly anticipated event brought together, “visionaries, activists, and leaders who are shaping the future of African Americans and the global Black community” and was held at Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Bass, who was a member of the CBC while serving in Congress from 2011 to 2022 and was chair of the caucus from 2019 to 2021, expressed her gratitude for the tremendous honor that was presented by Representative Terri Sewell.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to leave Congress, but I had to because Black folk in Los Angeles are 8% of our city and 30% of the people on our streets,” Bass said in her acceptance speech. “But CBC will always be in my heart, and even though I might not be a member of Congress I still consider myself part of the CBC family.”

In 2022, Bass made history as the first woman to be elected mayor of Los Angeles in December 2022.

At her swearing-in ceremony, Bass shared that one of her primary tasks was to address the homelessness of Los Angeles, which has one of the highest rates in the country.

“Today, too many Angelenos have no choice but to crowd multiple families into one home, and to work multiple jobs just to barely pay rent,” Bass said. “Tragically, our city has earned the shameful crown as being home to the most crowded neighborhoods in the nation – Pico-Union, South L.A., East L.A., the East Valley,” she added. “And Angelenos, we know our mission – we must build housing in every neighborhood.”

In May, Los Angeles was one of five cities to be selected to work with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH ) in a historic partnership with the White House to address unsheltered homelessness all across the country.

As participants in the first-of-its-kind initiative, the city of Los Angeles “partners with the USICH and its 19 federal member agencies to strengthen and accelerate local efforts to move unhoused Angelenos off the streets and into homes.”