Our Legacy: “A Labor of Love”

Malibu Community Labor Exchange

For about 10 years or more in the 80’s and 90’s, many day laborers came to Malibu to find work opportunities beyond the Los Angeles area, seeking more work and better pay. Their points of concentration were Las Flores Canyon, Trancas Canyon and Point Dume. These workers faced harassment, discrimination, abuse and non-payment for work done. Some local Sheriffs at that time played an aggressive role to harass the day laborers, not allowing them to congregate in any Malibu area.

In the winter of 1992, a group of activists got together to find solutions which would help Malibu community residents in need of workers and help workers get employment. This group was made up of residents, celebrities, religious leaders and politicians interested in helping.

Same goal, same dream: this was the beginning of a “Labor of Love.”

The first challenge was to raise funds to create a non-profit local community organization. This organization was to become the present-day Malibu Community Labor Exchange (MCLE). Once the Articles of Incorporation for the non-profit were done, the challenge became to find a bilingual operations director with a set of skills: organizational and managerial skills, planning abilities, and the ability to understand and work with day laborers. Two very special individuals were chosen for this crucial task, actors Martin Sheen and the late Ron Hayes.

At that point, the story of Oscar Mondragon and the Malibu Community Labor Exchange begins. Oscar Mondragon was born in Mexico City. His father was a “Bracero,” part of a US and Mexico agreement program to help in agriculture during WWII. Employers of Oscar’s father helped with the proper documentation to legally bring his family to the United States in 1963.

After seven years working in agriculture, Oscar needed to do something more meaningful. Agricultural strikes to help farmworker’s lives in California started in Salinas, California in 1970. After the strikes were over, Cesar Chavez asked Oscar to join as a volunteer of the United Farmworkers of America (UFW) and he worked with the UFW for twenty years. There Oscar learned many skills that later would become useful to build the new organization, the Malibu Community Labor Exchange. Mr. Martin Sheen had met Oscar during his work at the UFW.

Oscar left UFW in 1990. In late 1992, he was approached by Mr. Ron Hayes who offered Oscar the task to work for the new organization and he was hired by the recently created Malibu Community Labor Exchange Board. His mandate was clear, to create a functional location, based on the Articles of Incorporation.

The County of Los Angeles had agreed to lend an area on their Malibu property, under the watchful eyes of the Sheriff’s Department. In the first years of operation, there were many prejudices to face from local concerned residents, afraid of homeless and Latino laborers.

The Labor Exchange Organization

Our organization has been alive for 34 years and has helped, over that period, over 30,000 workers, men and women from many backgrounds and locations. The Malibu Community Labor Exchange is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose primary function is to provide a safe and convenient place for workers to wait for day jobs and facilitate a connection with prospective hirers. 

Having a motivated and supportive organization has truly helped those looking for labor opportunities. Throughout the years our real work went beyond “jobs and a convenient site” and became a supportive organization for a population of workers in need of help for personal and human needs. We became counselors and facilitators. This became 80% of the real work. Programs were created, such as English classes, conflict resolution and negotiation skills, and community participation, among others.

Our Community

The Malibu Community Labor Exchange has always been part of the Malibu community and ready when needed. In 34 years, we have provided workers to help in natural disasters such as “El Niño” rains, the fires of 1993, Woolsey, and the Palisades fire, and other critical situations. To help with daily needs, we provided housekeepers, child care helpers, construction workers, gardeners, brush clearance and so on.

Many individuals have been key for our existence. I have taken the liberty to mention some of them, based on a deep respect for their contribution:

• Martin Sheen: for his commitment to justice

• Ron Hayes: for his unconditional support

• Mona Loo: MCLE Vice President, beautiful soul committed to help

• Honey Coatsworth of the Artifac Tree: ready to provide work boots and clothing to day laborers

• Sharon Barovsky: for her, not only political support, but always ready to bring a cup of hot soup in cold weather to the workers.

• Reverend Larry Peacock: first Board President

• Al Sturgeon

• The Perrin family

• Kay Gabbard

• Stephanie Cupp

• Professor Luisa Blanco and her tireless work to help workers better understand and manage their finances

• MCLE Board members

• Our many donors

• Volunteers

• Hundreds of volunteer Pepperdine students and professors have made an incredible contribution to our work. 

• And so many others, who have made our work easier and more productive.

Our Present Mission, Strategies and Lessons from Our History

The Malibu Community Labor Exchange is a community created non-profit organization that provides an organized and supportive place for the people of Malibu to hire and be hired, creating opportunities for the unemployed to build independence and self-sufficiency through work.

 

In our early years (1992–1994), we faced the challenge of acceptance and overcame many misconceptions and prejudices against our workers. We turned that negative attention into an opportunity through four community strategies: 

1. Provide professional, personalized service to local hirers. 

2. Reach out to community and homeowners' associations. 

3. Invite the local media (The Malibu Times) to our events and encourage human-interest stories. 

4. Maintain close contact with local elected officials.

These lessons helped MCLE become an icon in this community. They remain the foundation on which we can continue building the Malibu Community Labor Exchange for the next ten years.

Oscar Mondragon, Present Director
October 16, 2026