South LA residents Debra Taylor-Padgett and Irene Cruz are among a group of people who traveled to D.C. to “Take Back the Capitol.”

A group of about 22 people, mostly from struggling South LA communities, hopped on a red-eye flight on Sunday night headed for Washington, D.C. The objective: to “Take Back the Capitol.” They’ll be spending a “week of action” urging Congress to pass legislation that will help the unemployed and all others who identify as part of the 99 percent who are in need.

Among the South LA residents who embarked on the Good Jobs LA-organized trip is Debra Taylor-Padgett, a self-employed caterer from Inglewood, who works part-time.

“I felt it was my duty as a citizen to be here in D.C. to get a message across that we mean business,” she said via phone from the nation’s capital.

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime, to be able to represent the American public. The 99 percent are in need of jobs, of health care, of reform of our system. And the elected officials refuse to the job they’re supposed to do. They turned down the jobs bill. Nothing’s getting done in Washington. We need to hold our representatitves accountable.”

That’s why she signed on to be part of the South LA delegation that hopes to get its voice heard among the thousands of people from around the country that are expected to participate during “Take Back the Capitol” week.

According to Good Jobs LA organizer Refugio Mata, the South LA group spent Monday – the first day of this initiative – setting up camp on the National Mall. They will be going to Capitol Hill tomorrow, where they plan to target congressional offices.

They want to convince the elected representatives to pass legislation that will create good jobs and tax Wall Street banks, wealthy corporations and millionaires to avoid job-killing budget cuts.

“Our elected representatives need to remember we elected them,” says Taylor-Padgett. “We voted them in and they should know we can also vote them out.”

On Wednesday, the group will participate on a march on K Street – a major thoroughfare in downtown Washington, D.C. known for the high number of lobbying firms and special interest groups located there that play a big role in influencing Congress. They’ll also engage in a march and rally at the Capitol on Thursday, before returning home on Friday.

You can see a video of the group as they prepare to leave LA here: