About CivitasLA
Civitas [ siv-i-tas; Latin kee-wi-tahs ]
noun, plural civ·i·ta·tes[siv-i-tey-teez; Latin kee-wi-tah-teys]
the body of citizens who constitute a state, especially a city-state, commonwealth, or the like; citizenship, especially as imparting shared responsibility, a common purpose, and sense of community.
Launched July 1, 2020, CivitasLA is a podcast that features diverse and emerging leaders throughout the greater Los Angeles region who are “building community.”
Each week, we seek to identify and elevate new leaders in our community, share knowledge, foster community connections, and through our work, promote civic knowledge and engagement.
About the Host

Dwayne A. Gathers
Creator/Host
CivitasLA was conceived by Dwayne A. Gathers, resulting from his own experiences and civic engagement in Los Angeles for close to two decades. Gathers has served as a Commissioner on the board of the former Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA/LA); served on the City of LA’s Workforce Investment Board; the Business Tax Advisory Committee; and the Small Business Advisory Committee. He has also served on the board of The Broad Stage at Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center; chaired the board of the International Visitors Council of Los Angeles; and currently serves on the board of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp; is President of the Board of Trustees of Hollywood United Methodist Church; and is Chair of the Board of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. He’s a graduate of the Leadership Southern California Class of 2007. Born and raised in New York City, Dwayne graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Economics.