Campaign to build the Father Greg Boyle Center for Radical Kinship and Cope Village.

And what that means is there's gonna be a place where people can get mental health services, a place to live, job training, get the wraparound services and critically the love and support they need to change their lives.

So we're in the shade of Men's Central Jail, which we hope they'll eventually tear down to make way for this project.

So we're celebrating uh Frank Records, giving us 10 million dollars to launch this 100 million dollar campaign.

We're hopeful that if we imagine uh something like this, we can all roll up our sleeves and make it happen.

Frank McCourt is coming together, homeboy industries are coming together to tell people that they do have a second chance, that this is not their only chance.

Today is mental health day, and so we're reminding folks about what this expansion is about.

That people are out there to heal, people out there to care, and that's what this is about.

And so that investment is an investment into the future of Homeboy Industries.

This isn't just about kind of expanding us.

It's about inviting us to imagine and that we will leave nobody behind.

You just can't.

There's no example of that.

This new Father Gregory Boyle Center for Radical Kinship and Hope Village become a model for the whole country and the world because every community deserves this kind of space that believes in people enough to invest in them.

Time and time again.

Thank you.

It's a hot topic.

Council member Katie Yaroslavski joined LA Civil Rights and Community members to learn more about policymaking on menopause.

They heard what other cities have put in place and how LA can catch up.

The city has done some incredible work on behalf of women.

These benefits really reflect the city's acknowledgement of what our bodies and our minds go through.

We're here uh at Lacey this morning to talk about perimenopause, uh, which is incredibly important to half the population of people, right?

Perimenopause is something that doesn't announce itself in the same way.

Uh, other parts of one's life do, and the changes that women go through when they hit often their 40s through to their 60s are significant and uh have been underemphasized for a really long time.

So it's really important that we bring together experts to help figure out how the city of Los Angeles can do a better job of supporting women who are going through perimenopause.

I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to present the work that City of Melbourne is doing.

It's just so important for all women who are going through menopause and perimenopause.

But we need awareness and we need to talk to each other about what we're experiencing and what we can do to push toward legislation uh to try to make everyone aware and give more protection.

It's a subject that is not talked about yet half of the world's population experiences it, and we don't really talk about it.

We don't study it.

Uh, we don't, we certainly don't view it as an issue that should be addressed publicly or collectively.

The LA Civil Rights Department in partnership with our Commission on the Status of Women wants to be intentional to meet the needs of all community members.

When we say LA is for everyone, we mean women who are dealing with menopause.

Well, one thing I think that will come out of the round table today is there is an economic cost that you all experience from this.

It has economic value to provide this type of care.

It's not just like a nice thing to do, but there's an economic rationale here on top of that.

We want to find out the best practices of how to support women going through menopause.

We want to let people know that learning about menopause and your 40s and 50s could actually extend your quality of life and uh reduce medical costs and of course extend your actual life cycles.

School principals based in the city gather to learn more about how they can connect with city services.

These supports will serve the principals and operating their schools and of course helping their students.

We're here at LA Trade Tech, meeting with principals locally to the area from elementary to high school.

We're gonna talk about all the city services that we offer.

So there's a lot of key organizations that are gonna be offering resources today, all people's community center, Department of Sanitation, Department of Water and Power, LAPD.

A lot of principals have been asking us, hey Jose, how do we get in contact with the local officer?

Hey, how do we get in contact with the local sanitation crew?

So today we got to have them all together to make sure that those questions are answered.

It's really important that we connect with our local schools because a lot of insecurities are going on with the administration right now with funding and public safety.

We wanted to make sure that the local schools got to know who the city council member is, the local departments are, because we uh eventually we'll have to work together.

This gathering today is so sanitation can give out more information on illegal dumping and homeless encampments.

So we want to make sure that they have the all the information and know those steps on how to report.

They can go on to MyLA or even the LA Sanitation website.

Getting all the resources today is pivotal to maintaining quality programming within our city, especially our district nine.

That's where our school is located.

And so I'm just excited to be here to get all this valuable information and take you back to my community.

Share it and do something about it too.

Small business and entrepreneur financing program.

Latino historic places will be marked by LA City Planning, and Councilmember Eunicis Hernandez offers support for renters.

The stories up next on City Beat.

Mayor Karen Bass encourages local small business owners and entrepreneurs to apply for the city's contract financing program.

The program provides an opportunity for local small businesses to better understand the steps needed to be a city contractor.

Through the partnership with Bank of California, one million dollars in funding was provided to establish and facilitate the program.

With this initiative, small business owners can secure competitive loans to help fund materials and equipment.

For more information, go to Mayor.lacity.gov slash press.

The Los Angeles City Planning's Office of Historic Resources is announcing the launch of Historic Places LA revealed Latino Los Angeles.

The Office of Historic Resources is looking to select sites that reflect the Latino community and heritage around Los Angeles.

Markers will be installed at over 100 sites, creating the opportunity for community engagement at these historic places.

An online survey is available for Angelinos to share locations they believe hold Latino heritage that should be recognized.

For more information, visit Planning for LA on Facebook or Instagram.

Council member Eunicis Hernandez announced new data showing evictions in her district have declined, dropping 10% in the last two years.

Citing a new precedent for citywide accountability.lacity.gov.

Now in its eighth year, the annual Reseda Rising Art Walk uses Sherman Way as a backdrop for performances and art.

A nighttime stroll reveals dancers and interactive art lighting up the neighborhood.

Let's take a look.

Well, today is the Resita Rising Art Walk.

It's an annual festival.

We started a number of years ago.

It's our eighth time doing it.

And it's a place where we get to bring community together to celebrate Resita and the artistic community that's here to sort of lean into the art that is a part of the backbone of Rosita, where people are doing performances, painting, live interactive exhibits, music, food, concessions, all sorts of exciting fun things for the family.

Well, bringing to the festival is to spend lifetime with my family, quality of time, and to see some other arts going around and yeah, get to know new people to a new cultures.

Making my art is how I say I love you to the world.

And when a bunch of other other like-minded individuals can come out to a local our local community and do that.

It's just a bunch of people saying I love you to each other to everybody, and that works for me.

That's why we're here at Reseda Rising to celebrate community.

Resita has been my home since eight years old.

My brother went to high school here, and my mom lives down the street.

So it's just great to be outside and see, you know, my community and our common thread of art and creativity.

It's good to bond with the family, to walk, and to know what it's around here, you know.

They have shown new projects that are gonna be around too.

So I like that.

Art events like these are important because otherwise there's Etsy, there's Shopify, but those are kind of dispassionate.

But you know, here when I when I come out to these events, I see people that I know.

Uh people that I maybe I haven't seen for a while.

It's like, hey, you know, actually, just uh the booth across from me is someone that I know that I haven't seen for a good while, and it's we're it allows for reconnecting, especially after several years of not being able to connect with people.

It's music and arts here at the Art Walk, but really it's all about economic development.

It's about taking this area and giving it the support that it needs and to invest in Resita and to transform it uh to not just be what it was before, but to be something new and special and really great for Resita.

And we are seeing that unfold in front of us through this festival, but through all the investments.

Uh and Roseda is rising.

Would you dare go into the water?

Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez hosted a celebration at Hansen Dam for the 50th anniversary of Jaws.

The movie that dug its teeth into audiences and never let go.

Today we're here at Hanson Dam Aquatic Center where we are screening and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the release of Jaws.

That movie was so iconic for so many of us growing up.

It's kind of fun to bring it back and commemorate the first screening that I had here at the Hanson Dam Aquatic Center, which was Jaws back in 2018.

We have food trucks, we have a DJ, we have so many activities in the water, we have the water slide, and it's a free event.

With so many families struggling financially, these are opportunities that allow families to come together with their neighbors, and we get thousands of people that come out.

It's not just the movie, it's using one of our community amenities and really having a wonderful time making memories that will last a lifetime.

So I'm really happy that we're able to offer these types of events that bring families together that are in our own neighborhoods, they can do it right here in their own backyard.

This is like the best pool because it's one of the biggest pools like in uh in LA area.

It's has so much space, it could accommodate so many people.

I just really like this school.

So it was a really good summer.

People came in, they feel safe.

The life cars, like these two right here and everybody else, they do an amazing job making sure that everybody's safe in and out of the water.

Right here in CD7, we do our best to provide an excellent service to the community, working together in a partnership.

We console district 7, Manica Rodriguez.

So our job is to make sure to provide different opportunities for the public to enjoy.

We go to great lengths to try and help create environments that will help lead positive and happy memories for you and your family at zero cost because we want to make sure that as difficult as times are that you still have those moments that no one can take from you.

And that's what these events are all about.

And that looked like a Joss and event.

A welcome for wisdom.

LA's Department of Aging and the Sparks basketball team continue their outreach program for seniors in the community.

It's all about keeping your balance in life and on the dance floor.

So we're currently at Felicia Mahood multi-purpose center.

Today we partnered up with the LA Sparks.

You're gonna flex and just do a quick little R, okay.

They came out and were doing exercises with the seniors.

They're really active with them, really engaging.

We had a Sparky the mascot come out.

It was a lot of fun.

We had a great time kind of getting them up and active, and it was a great event.

We enjoy giving back to the community.

Uh good job, come back down.

Seeing the smiles that come with it.

Uh, we always try to bring our mascot out to the community, and so he always gets a few laughs.

But the biggest thing is just making sure that everybody feels warmed and welcome.

A lot of times, as you get older, you feel like you're you're forgotten, and we wanted to make sure that they felt like they were still very relevant and that we were wanting to get some wisdom from them along with bringing them some joy and some laughter and a different experience uh that they're not used to taking receiving.

Thank you so much.

Keeping our seniors moving is so vital, so important to our department, the department of aging, because we want our seniors to not just go through the day-by-day routine, but to really thrive.

A lot of our senior centers, they offer that.

So whether it's learning a new skill, engaging in a new program or learning about technology, computers, they can do just that.

And then with exercise especially, it's so important that we move and that we have that physical mobility.

We want to make sure that we don't fall.

A lot of this is you know, keeping your balance and not being able to fall because you fall, you're out of luck.

Something can break and you can just end up being horrible.

So this has been a really fun time.

All of instructors here are really good and all different.

Just different to see different people do different things, and you know, you you do different things, and so it's fun.

And a lot of it is sitting, some of standing.

So you get the whole gamut.

They led us in some great exercises, worked up the sweat, played some bingo, and just had a great time today.

They're able to really just kind of fellowship and be around others, engage, socialize, because we really want to make sure we do our best to decrease social isolation.

They don't have to get plugged in and involved to every single thing.

We don't want to overwork them or anything like that, but they can really engage in as little as much as they like.

So if they want to come twice a week and have a ball, they can.

If they want to be here every single day and just sit back and observe, they can.

There is a place and space for them.

Yeah.

It is so vital for our community, especially for this age range and demographics that we serve.

Sometimes we might be the only meal that seniors are eating with us, or we are their only source of community and engagement and family.

And so I see it on their faces on a daily basis.

Uh, just it's something that is very important to them.

No Discord here.

Each year, the Watts Towers Jazz Festival continues to bring harmony and joy to the local community.

Step up to enjoy all the sounds of the festival.

We're the oldest of their kind, these festivals, and it is so important that these festivals continue to be produced in the Watts community.

What we are doing today is the 48th annual Simon Rodillo Watts Towers Jazz Festival.

And I have been the master of ceremonies or co-master of ceremonies for the last 21 years.

And it's it's a magnificent event for the community because it's in the community uh where it's supposed to be for people who live here and people who live around here.

Just the fact that it's here, people can come out, sit, listen to music, they can walk the grounds and see various cultural shops and they have the food and then they got a free area where they dance and they have their drummers doing free drumming and stuff like that.

I mean, that it's like a breath of fresh air, you know.

It's like it's like something that the community needs, you know, and uh we look forward to this being here for uh another 48 years, you know.

It's just been a beautiful thing.

Uh, you know, to be honest, um I've I've often heard it said that jazz is dead, but I have to say that being here today proves that that statement is a lie.

Um, jazz is very much alive and well, and the youth of today and hopefully the youth of tomorrow will continue to push the R Forum forward.

Truly a blessing and great thing for us to be here in 2025.

Um it's always good when you can serve your community.

And you know, we go all over the world doing concerts where there's total different thing when we're at home.

We'd also like to invite you to next year.

We're always the last weekend in September.

You can come here, and we got you.

We love you and they're waiting for you.

So come see us.

In this week's feature story, our Maria Holm Brown is in conversation with Steve Kang.

As leader of the Board of Public Works, Kang is involved with all aspects of infrastructure in the city from the day to day to the Olympic size challenges ahead.

For someone who's not familiar, the Board of Public Works impacts a swath of the city.

What are some of the areas that the commission actually has oversight of?

Sure, we're a five-member body, all appointed by the mayor with confirmation by the city council.

What makes us so unique is that we're all full-time.

We're the only full-time commission body in the city.

We meet three times a week, similar to City Council, Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

So we hold over 150 public meetings.

And the role of the board is really to provide that oversight, transparency, public accountability, and that governance to five of the most critical infrastructure core building blocks of our city.

So we oversee the Bureau of Sanitation, lights, streets, contracts, and engineering that basically works on pretty much all the public right-aways from your streets to your sidewalks to your trees to your sewers to new construction projects, and then leading up to the Olympics as well.

Right now we're in sort of that growing pains phase where you're seeing a lot of construction in different parts of town, but you're not seeing those headlines, and you're not seeing sort of the final ribbon cutting projects that are coming to life.

So for example, there's a brand new purple line that's been an underground metro project that is partnership with the city, uh, that connecting from the Wilton Theater and Koreatown, Woolshire, and Western to UCLA.

So it stops once that's open way in uh before the Olympics.

Uh that's an 18-minute one way.

Those things are going to be opening up.

I know the people mover system at LAX.

There's going to be other underground construction projects, and also many of the sidewalks and the trees and the streets are now being prepped for the games ahead of time.

Most recently, the Board of Public Works also approved the construction contract for the LA Convention Center expansion and modernization project.

So that is a very robust project that will expand the size of the convention center.

We felt that the urgency of the moment in terms of revitalizing downtown LA to where it needs to be, could not wait another three years.

So, yes, there has been some delays, unfortunately, because of the fires and recently the ice raids, those things are not helping to move projects along.

And I know there are concerns about the budget and cost overrun, but I have hope and I have firm belief that when we have a firm deadline.

And we do have a firm deadline because we can't push back the Olympics.

So our staff and our construction partners and the labor partners are well aware of that timeline.

We can get it done on time.

All this up next on things to do.com.

Councilmember Monica Rodriguez invites Angelinos to the Verdugo Hills Pool reopening on Saturday, October 25th from 10 a.m.

Verdugo Hills Pool is conveniently located in Tahunga and offers a variety of programs like lap training and aquatic classes.

So grab your bathing suit and your swimming trunks and head out to Verdugo Hills Pool reopening on Saturday, October 25th, starting at 10 a.m.

For more information, visit the events tab at cd7.lacity.gov.

It's that time of year for witches and warlocks to appear.

Councilmember Eunicis Hernandez and the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks invites you to their free pumpkin patch festival on Saturday, October 25th, from 12 p.m.

to 4 p.m.

So gather your little ghouls and goblins and head on down to Rio de Los Angeles State Park at North San Fernando Road.

Enjoy music, arts and crafts, face painting, and much more.

Come to the Pumpkin Patch Festival.

Saturday, October 25th, starting at 12 p.m.

to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit the calendar tab at city1.lacity.gov.

And that's a look at some things to do.

For more information, visit the calendar tab at City One dot LA City.org, and we're also on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube.

See you next time for more LA this week.

Challenge yourself to conserve.

Turning off the faucet when you brush saves up to ten gallons of water.

Taking a five minute or less shower saves up to fifteen gallons of water.

Washing only full loads of laundry saves up to thirty gallons of water.

And fixing a running toilet can save up to fifty gallons of water.

Keep it in mind all day, every day.

All right, good morning, and welcome to the regularly scheduled meeting of Los Angeles City Council.

Today is Friday, the 17th day of October in the year 2025.

Public comment for this morning's meeting will be taken in person in this council chamber.

Mr.

Clerk, please begin our proceedings by calling the role.

Yes, Mr.

President.

Blumenfeld, Harris Tawson, Hernandez, Hutt, Jurado, Lee, McCosker, Nazarenian, Padilla, Park, Price, Raman, Rodriguez, Soto Martins, Yaroslavsky, 10 members present at Quorum, Mr.

President.

All right, first order of business.

Approval of the minutes of October 15th, 2025.

Mr.

Councilmember McCosker moves, Councilmember Hernandez, seconds.

What's next?

Commendatory resolutions for approval.

Councilmember Padilla moves.

Councilmember Soto Martinez seconds.

Can we run through our agenda?

Yes, Mr.

President.

So Housing and Homelessness Committee reports for items three and four have been submitted and are available online in their respective council files.

Item one is an item notice for public hearing.

Item two is an item for which public hearing has been held.

Items three and four are items for which public hearings have not been held.

Ten votes are required for consideration.

All right.

Without objection, those items are now before us.

Members, do we have any specials?

Mr.

Lee.

No.

All right.

Any specials?

All right.

Seeing no uh specials.

Are there any items available for consideration at this time, Mr.

Clerk?

Yes, Mr.

President.

And there is a request to continue item three to Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025.

All right, without objection, that'll be the order.

The council may not vote on item two.

All right, let's open the roll on that item, close the roll, tabulate the vote.

Eleven eyes.

All right, what's next?

The council may not move on to presentations.

All right.

Uh members, we have an exciting morning of uh presentations, beginning with Council District 13, Mr.

Soto Martinez, thank you so much, Council President.

Give our folks a couple minutes or a few seconds to get up here.

And thank you to everyone who came out to City Hall today, including family members, loved ones, and super fans to celebrate the life and legacy of a true legend, the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz.

Because today we celebrate the 100th birthday of Celia Cruz, one of the most iconic Latina singers of the 20th century, and a true a true champion for Afro-Latino artists everywhere.

Celia left her home country of Cuba in 1960 after the Cuban Revolution and became a shining symbol of the Cuban community in exile, bringing the sounds and flavor of her home country of Cuba to make to Mexico, the United States, and the rest of the world.

She also brought those sounds to probably every Latino household.

She sang Waracha, son, Roomba, Afro, and of course, salsa.

And she always infused her music with her signature Azucar.

Over the span of her career, she recorded 37 studio albums, won seven Grammys, and even acted in movies and telenovelas.

For her amazing body of work, she has streets all over the world named after her, including Celia Cruz Square here in Hollywood.

And in 2024, she became the first Afro-Latina to be featured on the United States quarter.

So today we celebrate Celia's enduring and impressive legacy, and we say 100th happy birthday to a true legend.

Now in honor of Celia, we have a very special performance from Stephanie Stevenson's Latin dance studio.

And she should be entering any moment.

This is so beautiful.

I love my culture.

I love it, I love it.

Thank you so much.

Give it up once again for the dancers.

Oh, that was wonderful.

Now Celia touched so many lives from many great artists that came after her, and we have a very special greeting from another icon of Latin music, Gloria Estefan.

Now, here to say a few words about Celia is her nephew, a founding member of the legendary group Cypress Hill, and an incredible solo artist in his own right.

Hi guys, everybody, I'm I'm really like so grateful and thankful to be here today on such a glorious day for Celia and for all of us.

And for all those unsung heroes that stood behind Celia, like my tia Wini Sanchez right here.

Celia was not actually my actual blood relative, but she took me in when I would tour with her and and open up for her on tour of people like Jose Jose, Jose Feliciano, and people like that in the 1990s.

But nonetheless, she was my tia and she protected me from people out there in the business when needed.

But uh and I'm bringing I'm saying this right now about the ladies because if Celia Cruz had a had a hood, if Celia Cruz had a hood, these would be her home girls right here.

Um these ladies would be her home girls.

They really looked out and made sure that when it came time for Celia to get her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, my tiawe specifically led that charge.

Maria de Los Angeles and them.

They're the ones who told me Melo Ben Paca que to mean.

And so my whole family drove down there.

And um look, I'm getting a little lengthy, but I'm also speaking for my tia because she didn't want to speak here today, right?

Well, at least right now.

Um but I'm getting a little long-winded, but I just want to say what a beautiful day it is to be Latino.

And gracias, Celia Cruz, la magnifica.

Thank you.

No, no, no, no, no.

Thank you so much.

Uh, and of course, we're joined by Tia Winnie, who is just uh you know chose not to speak, but she's definitely here and and supportive and her family's here and so many friends.

Um but before we wrap up, I do want to present uh the certificate on behalf of the city of Los Angeles City of Los Angeles declaring today October 17th as Celia Cruz Day in the city of Los Angeles.

Hey!

Congratulations.

We have uh Mr.

Soto Martinez, a couple members on the queue, beginning with Council Member Padilla.

Yes, uh Council Member Soto Martinez, thank you for this great presentation, one of the best I think we've had this year.

Um huge Celia Cruz.

Huge, right?

Um you can't go to any party and be satisfied if you don't hear at least a few um songs by the the queen of salcera, right?

But to me, she was more than that.

To me, um, you saw her partner with different artists throughout her career.

Um, so you knew her as also uh, you know, making songs with uh Roquen Espanol artists, uh ska artists, just everything.

Um, but more than anything, you know, outside of her music, just what a great icon she was um in terms of how she talked to people about living a positive life, right?

She was always very positive.

Um, I always giggle that um my mom once told me, Celia Cruz nunca repeat the vestidos vestes and photos, and uh and I kept that with me, you know, and I just thought that was so cool that she cared so much and loved her audience that much that even the way she dressed was important for how they perceived her.

Um, and her songs were always a positivity about positivity, uh, using dance as a way of like unwinding.

Um, and also uh I always loved seeing interviews where she alluded to how much she loved her husband and how you were able to see that.

So she was like a great example in just so many different ways.

So I'm glad that here in Los Angeles we're honoring her.

Very well deserved.

So thank you to everyone and um Mr.

Metalman Ace.

I know right now earlier we just did a double take.

You're probably wondering if I'm that girl you met a few years ago.

The answer is yes.

Um, I ended up having to run for office instead of uh letting go uh being a wannabe writer.

So for those of you who don't know Metal Man Ace, you should know that after 30 years, he finally has the rights to the song Mentirosa.

So if you have not so if you have not downloaded Mentirosa, you should because he's now getting the royalties for it.

And also check out his new uh uh wine line, because I've I've purchased it, I've enjoyed it, and you should too.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Councilmember Rodriguez.

It's so great to be, it's so wonderful to have uh all the cubanos in the house.

As uh, you know, in my household, we celebrate both being Mexicano and Cubano.

My husband is cubano.

Uh and for the last 30 years, there has not been a house party or just as you mentioned, just a Saturday or a dominoes game that wasn't either you didn't either have uh competing with Gloria or Celia.

And so it's really wonderful that here in the city of Los Angeles, not just from Calle 8, not just from the streets of Washington Heights, that we are honoring this goddess in our chamber and in our city.

So I want to thank you all for being here today, because it's really special that you know, one of my favorite one of my favorite songs from from you know, another uh another Cuban goddess is Gloria Estefan.

Hablemos la mismo idioma, and it's an it's a song about has how we are as Latinos, that we all spake this speak the same language, doesn't matter where you come from, that we're all fighting and celebrating under La Bandera de Libertad.

And what I find in this moment that is so critically important that as we continue to come together, celebrate how beautiful and diverse our Latino culture is, and it rep it's emblematic of everything that Celia Cruz was, from her radiating beautiful smile, from connecting us through song and our cultural diversity.

So I just want to say thank you all for being here today.

I am so proud to live in a city that even posthumously we are celebrating one of the greatest iconic musicians that still her music reverberates today, and it transcends generations, which is so important.

So happy Celia Cruz Day.

I am so proud to be in Angelina on this day, and thank you all for joining us here.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Soto Martinez.

Thank you so much, uh, Mr.

President.

Once again, uh congratulations, uh happy Celia Cruz Day, and I hope folks join us at the four court later today, where we are gonna continue the celebration.

We're gonna continue her her birthday, and uh thank you so much for everyone and everybody will be performing.

Oh, and of course, Melamanes will be performing.

Are you gonna do Mentirosa?

I mean, because you have the rights now, so there's no reason not to.

All right, thank you.

Give it a one more time for Celia Cruz Day.

Thank you so much to Mr.

Soda Martinez and the declaration of Celia Cruise Day in the city of Los Angeles.

Next, uh, we'll hear from CD7, Councilmember Rodriguez with a very special presentation.

But do you want to bring them tell me?

You need to tell me.

Just bring them right here.

All right.

Well, I know Celia Cruz is a tough act to follow, but I've got a great honoree as today here with me as well.

So good morning, colleagues, and uh all our uh both our cubano and our Filipino family that is here visiting us today in chambers.

It is my honor that with me today I have one of I think one of the most outstanding organizations, not just in my district, but I think throughout the city of Los Angeles.

And today I have with me Pause for Life.

Please give them a round of applause.

Pause for Life, Canine Rescue is operating in my district in Mission Hills.

And they are frankly saviors.

When I think about the work that you all do, Alex, it's really incredible.

You're not just giving these beautiful animals a new lease on life.

But what's special about the work for Paws for Life is that they're employing formerly incarcerated individuals to be part of the training and rehabilitation of so many animals that often, if not rescued, would be euthanized.

And so they're giving both individuals that were formerly incarcerated an opportunity for employment opportunities and to be engaged in this important work.

And so many of us know, and I know Mr.

Blumenfield, this is an issue that you're incredibly passionate about, but sadly and tragically, we see how so many animals are left unadopted for whatever perceived concerns that people might have about the breed of these animals and whether or not they're safe to be in families with families.

I have witnessed firsthand the incredible and magical work and the compassion of Alex and her incredible team that have not only rehabilitated and trained so many animals that so often would be considered perhaps for many families threatening or concerned to be adopted.

But really, I've seen I've seen I you know you've changed my perception and belief about pit bulls, for example.

I've seen the most docile and friendly and affectionate behavior from these animals that sadly so often are the very animals that become euthanized as a result of not being able to be adopted.

And so I uh am proud to have with me today, Alex Tonner, who is the CEO, Tiffany Palazzini, Rita Blackwell, Tommy Yackley, Alissa Benavides, Zoe Ramagano, uh Diana Mota, and Diego Urquisa for joining us here today.

Because what they do, the work that they do is really incredible.

They provide so many services in our community, helping to also train owners.

Let's be honest, we got to train some owners on knowing how to treat their animals and help to garner some of the behaviors that we want.

So often so much, I think it was Cesar Milan that says it's not the animals' problem, it's the owner's problem sometimes, that we have to help course correct the behaviors of these animals so that we actually give them the best opportunities for survival and longevity in their lifestyle.

So it's it's really remarkable the work that they do, and uh I'm so proud that they are doing this work in my district, and I think it's a model for how we help address multiple concerns.

We live in a city that we don't, I mean, let's let's bring it out in the open.

We live in a city where right now we have shelters that are frankly struggling.

We have animals in desperate need of care, and the work that I've seen at Pause for Life from the veterin staff that has frankly, I don't know, she keeps adopting all the animals that she saves.

Um it's really when you see the compassion and the love and the attention to detail at this facility.

It's shameful that we don't do this more widespread to help save the lives of more animals and the individuals that are training them and caring for them in these facilities.

It's a magical way of helping to address so many challenges that we face all at once.

And I think it's really remarkable and beautiful that it's here in the city of Los Angeles, but most proudly, I'm glad it's in my district, and that you're an incredible partner to help ensure that these beautiful animals are cared for and have a longer lease on life, but more importantly, that the individuals that are leaving incarceration are finding new employment opportunities that so often they would otherwise not have an opportunity to pursue.

So, with that, ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome our the CEO and founder of Pause for Life K9 Rescue, Alex Turner.

Thank you.

And that was truly a really hard act to follow.

So I really want to thank you, Monica, for all of your support, which hasn't been easy for us, but you have really welcomed us to this city and in that facility and has supported us from day one.

What we do each year, we help around about 4200 dogs, and we offer the community free training for as many sessions as they want for as long as they want one-on-one private sessions.

We do transports, my team has been up since 2 a.m.

this morning, as we just put over a hundred animals on a flight at 4 30 a.m.

this morning, and the here now support and supporting this award that you've given us.

And so we really think that this center is a model that should be looked at by everyone, and the way we run this center, not only are the dogs enriched every single day, it's silent of a night.

They sleep peacefully because they're out for up to six and a half hours every day being enriched, and our team works really, really hard for those dogs' lives.

The dogs that we have here today, we have our charger dog, which is the Chargers football team pup, and this dog is going to be a service dog for a veteran of war.

And we gift around about 10 dogs that are trained in our prison system for veterans of wars and first responders.

We have about 11 dogs throughout the firehouses up and down the state.

So it's amazing just to have this support from you and to recognize that the work we're doing, and we really, really, really appreciate you.

So thank you for having us here today, and thank you all for listening.

Thank you.

And we're gonna teach dogs to do the salsa.

Thank you.

And and again, just to just to uh make sure that everyone understands that uh the opportunities for people to have their dog trains, they should they send them to prison.

Do you want to share that story?

Because I think it's an important uh folks need to know uh the type of work that they do for individuals that have animals that need training.

Yeah.

So, you know, I've been rescuing dogs in the city of LA since 2008, and when I was at the South LA shelter for many years, and no kill movement came in, which was a great movement, but I saw dogs in those shelters sitting there for more than two years at a time without anything happening, and then ultimately being euthanized because of the behavior they developed in those kennels.

So I developed a program for any dog at that time.

I think I dealt with Brenda Barnett in 2017.

Any dog that had been at the shelter for more than nine months would go to our prison program for a free six-week training course.

It would live there.

We would train it, we'd hand it back to the people six weeks later, and we'd be there to support them for the life of that dog.

Well, we blew through those dogs, and now anyone who adopts from any one of our city shelters has that opportunity to send the dog to our prison program for six weeks for free.

Or if they don't want to part with their animal, they can bring it to us at our center and get the train and free at the center.

So that's what we do.

Thank you, Alex.

And you know, again, oops.

Thank you to Alex and her incredible team of just some of the most compassionate and considerate individuals that have dedicated their work to saving so many lives.

And as I said, it's not just the animals that they're saving, it's creating an employment opportunity for individuals that we see so often don't have many options post incarceration.

They're providing a critical service in helping to train these animals, helping to ensure that they're going to have uh a survival rate that so often falls short in our own shelters.

And so it's a model, I believe, for how we need to be doing this work going forward.

Because it's no longer about just making sure that animals are adopted, it's about making sure that they stay in those households and that they're able to have a long, healthy life.

And I want to thank you for helping to provide that critical gap in service.

Uh, but doing it in such a way that is generating incredible results.

And I'm just so proud that you're in my district, and I look forward to you expanding that work and saving more lives through the process.

So, on behalf, thank you very much, colleagues, on behalf of the city of Los Angeles, I'd like to recognize formally all of the incredible people and staff uh from the individuals here in the city of Los Angeles to those that are training the animals in the prison.

Yeah, that's an incredible partnership and collaboration, and it's one that I feel that is incredibly important for us to find new ways of helping to find multi-benefit solutions.

And you've done it here.

And I want to congratulate you and thank you for this incredible work.

Ladies and gentlemen, please help me congratulate Pause for Life Canine Rescue for their magnificent work in Central.

And thank you, Councilwoman Rodriguez, and thank you to our honorees this morning.

Super important work uh that would fall through the cracks if folks like you did not step up and stand in the gap for us uh for both our humans, you know, who've gotten uh in a situation where they're incarcerated and are out, uh, and our animals, so many uh animals that we just leave behind.

I represent the South LA shelter, so I know all about it, and uh your work is in extremely valuable to the city and the people of the city of Los Angeles.

So thank you all so much.

All right, our next presentation will be led by the one and only Councilmember Nazarian of the second council district.

Thank you, Council President and colleagues.

Thank you to everyone who's here in the chambers.

Uh, thank you to all the wonderful presentations.

Today is a jam-packed day of wonderful events and organizations that we're recognizing.

I wanted to take a minute and highlight an organization that is near and dear to me, but it's also something that's transformative throughout the world, and it's going to be transformative for Los Angeles and California as well.

Um, but before I do that, I wanted to take a minute and tell you also why I'm highlighting this organization.

Um Armenian community.

It's actually the golden age, what's known as the golden age month for the Armenian community.

And unfortunately, because of incidents in the 20th century, horrific incidents in the 20th century, uh most of what is known about Armenia and Armenians has to do with the genocide.

But if you know the community, you understand that it's not a victim mindset community.

It's a community that's transcended the horrific hardships and challenges of Soviet Union era programs prior to that genocide, prior to that, constant trampling of various different empires.

And one of the ways that it secured doing so was in the fifth century in the fifth century, establishing its own alphabet.

Establishing the alphabet so that it can communicate amongst itself.

People can communicate amongst themselves.

And so in order to be able to do it, within a hundred years after that, came up with the alphabet to be able to make sure that they were able to maintain the language and maintain their faith through the spoken language.

But once that happened, it was the internet of that era.

Right.

Once everyone found out there's a tool of communication, you could write about things.

So I will be introducing a resolution in moments that is going to establish October as the golden age month for the Armenian community, and from here on out for us to be celebrating Armenian Heritage Month in October.

But for the first year in doing so, I wanted to take a moment and recognize an organization that is doing so much for the youth in Armenia and now the youth all over the world by establishing locations almost in all, well, right now in three continents, approaching the fourth continent as well, possibly even going to the fifth continent.

They've come up with that secret sauce of how they take young students, young minds, curious minds, training them to speak in the technology terms, but also learn how to manage their time, how to become good leaders, how to become good developers of ideas and shepherds of those ideas forward.

So I wanted to take a minute and ask all of you to watch two videos that are combined about a little over three minutes so that you get to know more about TUMO rather than for me to just speak about it.

At TUMO, we believe in the incredible potential of teenagers, not just to learn, but to create, build and imagine a future they're excited about.

We invented the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies to change lives through free after school education.

Tumo teens have access to the best tools, software, and mentors to fully express their creativity and discover their passions.

It all began in Yedevan Armenia when we asked the question what if teens were in charge of their own learning?

What questions would they answer?

What would they build?

What would they care about?

And what tools would they need?

We've spent the last 15 years working with the brightest minds in education, technology, and design to answer that question.

The result?

A new approach to learning that uses technology and mentorship to make every learner's journey unique.

Over the last decade, the TUMO program has grown into an international movement.

From Paris to Berlin, from Lisbon to Takasaki, over 35,000 students are discovering their passions at Tumo centers around the world each week.

At Tumo, students don't sit through lectures, they choose their own learning path.

With the help of Tumo's Learning Platform, they build skills step by step.

Learning to animate, code, create songs, make video games, and more.

Teens put their skills to work in workshops led by our trained staff of experts and industry-leading volunteers.

It's not about grades, it's about mastery, creative expression, and confidence.

The kind that lasts a lifetime.

Now, Tumo has found a home in the creative capital of the world, LA.

Right here in North Hollywood, we're opening the first Tumo in the US.

A place where every young Angelino can explore their potential and cutting edge technology and design completely free of charge.

With support from the city of Los Angeles, local partners, and our incredible community, TUMO LA is ready to ignite the next generation of creators, builders, and innovators.

That's for the first segment, now the second.

In May 2025, we ran a two-week AI workshop in Mumbai with teens from some of the lowest income neighborhoods in the city.

The teens used AI tools to generate images, videos, creative writing, and even music and songs in English, Hindi, and Marathi.

They also learned to configure AI agents to embody their creations.

These agents would receive a character from another participant, blend it with their own using an online AI model, and then pass the new hybrid forward.

Each participant started by imagining a character, a monster, a superhero, or any kind of protagonist that reflected their interests and creativity.

Then they used AI to flesh out their characters.

They prompted models to capture their personalities, looks, and voice.

They generated visuals and jingles, and they built dynamic websites through vibe coding to showcase them.

All these teens came from informal settlements in the suburb of Mumbai, and they were super invested in the learning process.

At one point, some of them took the workshop laptops back to their neighborhoods to show the younger kids what they'd learned.

And our team ended up doing the same.

Our goal at TUMO is to empower young people to take charge of their relationship with AI.

They need to exercise their agency as creators and learn how to master new tools and new opportunities as they emerge.

Excellent.

Excellent.

So you know, when you have a chance to visit TUMO, which I personally am offering my services of giving you all a tour, all of my colleagues a tour of the location in North Hollywood, you'll feel the electricity.

You'll feel the neurons snapping.

You'll see how this place is energized and going to generate amazing things to come for our youth because it's gonna not only teach them a language, but it's also going to give them the confidence of knowing how to move forward.

But it's not enough to kind of play a role of initiating something.

I was fortunate enough to be able to do this while I was in the state legislature to bring the support necessary to open this.

It's not enough to do that because you need to have the right partners in place to make sure that they're stepping up and making this happen.

So I want to introduce a few folks and start start out with our uh, as she's mentioned, incomparable general manager.

Uh no, you didn't say it.

Others have said it about you.

Uh, of uh of CIFD who has helped shepherd this project along and also has identified city funding to support the state funding in order to make this a reality.

Abigail, please say a few words.

Good morning.

Thank you, Councilmember Nazarian, and I am just truly humbled and honored to be part of this remarkable celebration to welcome TUMO to Los Angeles.

One of the many highlights of my job is when I get to visit the completion of these projects and see them come to life.

As the administrator of the consolidated plan, we directly oversee a number of projects that are funded with a community development block grant.

And this is one of those remarkable investments that we made as a city.

And the department was honored to support first the initial $3 million acquisition that was allocated $3 million in funding to support the acquisition of TUMO, and then the additional $2.5 million that was also allocated through the community development block grant to support the expansion of the facility improvements.

We work with over 19 city departments to support CDBG funded projects, but we also work directly with nonprofit organizations like TUMO, and it's been an incredible partnership with TUMO.

They've been able to leverage private dollars and in times of great uncertainty where our federal funding is at stake and being threatened constantly.

These are the types of investments that we want to continue to highlight.

It is going to be already is a remarkable facility.

I do hope that you all get a chance to visit.

And I just really want to thank Councilmember Nazarian for leveraging his, you know, his resources when he was in the state legislature to bring over 20 million dollars to the project and to also working alongside our department to continue to invest our federal funds to support the growth of this facility and to the TUMO team who's here.

You've been incredible partners, and again, we're committed to continuing to see the growth of the facility for generations to come.

Thank you.

Thank you, Abigail.

Thank you very much.

What started out as a program by an engineer, an innovative individual who looked at Armenia and said, Here's a landlocked country that is in a hostile environment and constantly has challenging circumstances.

What can it do internally to succeed, to thrive, and to start exporting a good, a benefit?

It doesn't have oil, and given the hostility of its neighbors, trade routes aren't easy easily coming by.

So he established TUMO in Armenia to make sure that children ages eight, young adults, children and young adults ages 12 to 18 benefit from understanding and learning technology so that they can export technology outside and beyond the confines of hostile environments.

And he did that so successfully that now TUMO is found in 12 different cities worldwide and teaches technology to over 30,000 children weekly.

And I'm just I'm very honored to be able to introduce and bring Sam Simonian and Silva Simonian to the podium because they made this happen and they're gonna make this happen for our children in Los Angeles, starting from North Hollywood.

Thank you for being here, Sam and Silva.

Good morning.

Today I don't want to speak only about accomplishments.

I want to speak about gratitude.

Because more than anything, I know I'm a lucky person.

I was born into a modest family in a poor neighborhood with public schools that had more challenges than resources.

Yet even there, I received something priceless, opportunity.

Thanks to the generosity of the Armenian benefactors, our community opened schools in our neighborhoods, and I received subsidized education.

They never knew my name, but they believed that every child deserves a chance.

And that belief shaped my life entirely.

I continued my education, entered the world of technology, and eventually started and sold a tech company.

But I have not forgotten how I got here.

I saw poverty, but I also saw potential in the eyes of thousands of young people.

And I made myself a promise.

A program that is completely free of charge, so that no child is left behind because of financial limitations.

Today, I am proud to say the project is thriving in Armenia, where we serve nearly half the country, about 30,000 teens each week, and are working tirelessly to reach the rest through ambitious infrastructure projects.

Meanwhile, members of our alumni are playing an outsized role in Armenia's tech renaissance.

What began as a dream in Yerevan is now a global movement.

Tumo centers have opened in Portugal, France, Germany, Albania, Georgia, Argentina, Japan.

And today, I am incredibly grateful that thanks to both the vision and tireless efforts of Council Member Adrin Nazarian, former president of City Council, Paul Krikorian, the city of Los Angeles, and the great state of California.

And I also like to mention Mr.

Charigalian, who effortlessly worked on this.

We are finally bringing Tumo home to LA, where we are ready to change lives once again.

Because somewhere here, just like I once was, there's a young person waiting for a door to open.

And one day, that young person will stand where I'm standing here today and say, I was lucky to.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Sam.

Thank you and Silva for both of your unwavering commitment to our youth across the world.

Um, and thank you for your partnership now with Los Angeles and California in bringing Tumo here.

Uh last, I want to uh bring up Mary Lou Papazian, Tumo's founding CEO and the person that took the dream that Sam had, Sam and Sylvia had, and made it into a reality and made it gangbusters and make sure made sure that it is exported throughout the world.

Mary Lou.

Thank you.

Good morning.

I'm a little bit uh touched.

Uh I'm a fan of Celia.

I hope that we'll create new celliaes in the Tumu Center in LA.

And uh she will be happy too.

So 20 years ago, Peggar and my family of five kids moved from LA to Armenia.

Um we moved there, we we met Sam and Silva, who had this dream and who had already started building the building, the building that you saw in the videos.

And we the chemistry clicked, and we started this center, not knowing that one day we will have thousands of students.

And I remember when after two, three thousand students came to the Tumo Center in Yerevan.

I wrote to Sam saying we have a problem, we're going to have more students, and we have no computers, no space.

And he said, that's not a problem.

That's a very good thing to solve, and we'll find a solution, don't worry.

And we did.

And after the TUMO in Yerevan, we opened other five centers, and we're continuing to open, and hopefully we'll have 16 centers in Armenia.

But I'm really proud and very, very honored to be back home, where I think there is the biggest potential for our young people, and I'm so happy that everything will start from LA.

Remember my words.

We'll have a lot of centers in the US, but the first one is in LA, and I'm pretty sure that we'll have the same problem as I told you.

We're going to have a big problem.

We'll have many students, and you will have to help us.

I know you did already.

I know you did your part, and I we are very grateful, and we're very happy that Adrian and the City of LA sponsored it and helped us made it reality.

But soon we'll have bigger problems because we'll have more students, and you will be proud of that moment because you will see how they're going to reach their maximum potential.

These kids from 12 to 18 coming and wanting to learn and spending time on not wanting to go back home because they're enjoying what they're doing and they're preparing their amazing future.

Thank you.

Those are good challenges to have, Mary Lou.

We're looking forward to those challenges.

Um a time when access to opportunity depends so much on privilege.

TUMO reaffirms its commitment to equity and excellence.

To every young person in Los Angeles, this space belongs to you.

Step inside, try something new, make mistakes.

God knows we make a lot of mistakes here.

Learn deeply and create boldly.

You are not just students, you are innovators, artists, builders, and most importantly also our future leaders.

I urge our community to get involved, spread the word, mentor, and support this growing network so that we can continue in uh nurturing this city and ensuring its success in the future.

As I started saying earlier, nothing happens without good partners.

So I want to, you heard from the partners that made this happen today, but there's also three other individuals that I want to recognize.

Pegor Papazian, Mary Lou's husband.

This is a dynamic duo that has been leading this charge.

Pegor also works side by side with Mary Lou and sometimes not so much side by side because he's flying around the world opening up these new centers as well, as Mary Lou is making sure that the home base runs smoothly.

Pegor, thank you very much for being here as well, and for the work that you do for Tumo.

I wanted to take a minute also and recognize Sawyer Hishcock, who left the United States, the comfort of his home in the United States some years back, made it to Armenia, somehow trekking there, uh met the TUMO leadership, worked there for five years, made it a success there, and then got exported back from Armenia to his home country in order to run and establish Tumo LA here.

Sawyer, thank you for all of your hard work.

And last but not least, you know, so you sometimes need the glue that brings everyone together, the political leadership, the community, the infrastructure, the capital support, and that is Charlie Galean, uh, our local Angelino here, who I partnered up with years ago to make sure that this becomes a reality.

Thank you all for the opportunity to recognize this wonderful organization.

Mr.

Nazarene, we have a member on the queue, Councilwoman Raman.

Like to say a few words.

I just, you know, I just wanted to say thank you, Councilman Nazerian, for bringing um this incredible work to our attention.

Uh, and as someone who was born in India, now is here, has a large Armenian community in my district, Council District 4, in both the Valley and in the Hollywood, Los Felibles areas.

I just wanted to say to see those connections between neighborhoods in Bombay and Yerevan and LA.

That feels really exciting to me, and it feels like what makes me, you know, the thing that really keeps me so inspired, being a representative of this incredible city is the fact that it is so international and that people maintain those connections and that they lift each other up.

And that was beautiful to witness, and thank you, Councilmember, for bringing this to our attention today.

I didn't know about it, and I'm so glad to know about it, and congratulations to all of you for the incredible work that you're doing.

It really is very meaningful to see it.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Well, echo that congratulations and send it back to Mr.

Zarian to close.

Thank you very much for those kind words.

Thank you all for listening.

And the offer stands for the tour.

I'm happy to offer you a personal one myself.

So, with that, I have recognition for everyone here involved, but I wanted to take a moment and uh present this uh uh certificate of recognition to TUMO on behalf of all of us here.

Thank you, colleagues, thank you, Council President.

Uh to Sawyer, to Sam, as well as to Mary Lou and all of us here for uh uh making Los Angeles the new home for the newest TUMO.

Thank you all.

Okay, as they are uh taking their final pictures, we can ask Councilwoman Yaroslavsky to gather her group together.

We have a very important presentation coming up, uh commemorating our uh domestic violence awareness month.

And as we gather the folks together, all of us uh wearing purple in honor of that day.

Got my purple shirt on.

All right.

Councilwoman Yaroslavski, the uh the floor is yours.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Hernandez or Councilwoman Hernandez, you want to join us up here?

No pressure.

All right.

Uh thank you, Council President, colleagues.

Uh, I'm honored to introduce this presentation, recognizing domestic violence awareness month, and to be joined by so many passionate advocates, providers, and survivors.

I want to begin by centering the devastating and far-reaching impacts domestic violence has on our city.

Last year, LAPD received 43,000 DV related calls and responded to 15,000 DV related crimes.

And tragically, 13% of all homicide victims in LA County lost their lives because of domestic violence.

13%.

DV also continues to fuel our homelessness crisis per the 2025 homeless count.

41% of all unhoused Angelinos have experienced domestic violence.

And the number of unhoused survivors in LA have increased at nearly double the rate of the general population since 2020.

Meanwhile, the federal government has tried, but so far has been styming it in court to cut off vital service funding.

The current shutdown has also furloughed staff in the Office of Violence Against Women and Rental Assistance, along with other vital programs utilized by survivors such as CalFresh and CalWorks.

They're gonna run out of money by November 1st.

That's two weeks from now.

Even in the face of these circumstances, this council has chosen to make historic and unprecedented investments in supporting survivors and their families.

It's progress, but it's not victory.

In 2024, we secured and have continued to sustain the single largest increase in survivor services in the city's history, adding 188 new domestic violence shelter beds to our system.

Survivors deserve protection and support through every single part of their journey.

That's why we created the DV Restraining Order Enforcement Task Force, which is a partnership between all relevant city agencies, and there are several, which recently secured a million-dollar grant to scale its work.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Councilwoman Yarosowski.

When we talk about domestic violence, we're talking about care and what happens when care is denied.

Every survivor deserves safety, but too many are trapped by poverty, housing costs, and fear.

Survivors make up nearly 10% of the unhoused population, and an even bigger chunk as Councilwoman Yurosowski brought up in Los Angeles.

And when wreck and when wreck costs more than your paycheck, leaving abuse can feel impossible.

I've spoken to mothers who are too scared to call for help because they don't know if the person who shows up will protect them or deport them.

That's not safety, that's state violence.

That's why programs like Survivors First matter.

They turn care into policy, providing rental assistance, housing, and wraparound services so survivors and children can start over safely.

This year, we expanded that work through uh places like St.

Anne's Family Services in Council District One, who support gangly impacted youth, teen moms, and young women who have been in and out of the system.

Because when we invest in them, we are investing in prevention, in public safety, and the future of the city.

One where we always uh put care first and where we make sure that everybody's uplifted.

So thank you, Councilwoman Yarosowski and everybody for being here for being brave for telling your stories.

Let's continue to invest in survivors.

Um, and let's continue to make those historic investments of your leadership.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much, Councilwoman Hernandez, uh, for your strength, your resolve to create a safer uh and more caring city for all Angelinos.

Um next, I'd like to uh call up Abigail Marquez, who's the general manager for the community investment for families department, whose extraordinary team oversees the city's survivor services programs.

Okay.

Thank you, Councilmember Yaroslavsky.

At CIFD, we're both proud and incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to work alongside our service provider community, the agencies that are working tirelessly day in and day out to support and elevate and advocate for the needs of domestic violence survivors.

So I want to lift them up today as we acknowledge and elevate October as domestic violence awareness month.

So I want to start there with recognizing them and thanking them for their incredible advocacy.

But I I want to thank every member of the city council who support survivors year in and year out.

Every year this last year, we came before you at the request of many of you who authored a motion and directed our department to look at the intersection of homelessness and domestic violence.

And our department, as a department that oversees the city's city-funded domestic violence shelters, we reported to you that we have a public health and a public safety crisis in our city.

Not only do we have 41% of our unhoused population who's had a prior incident with intimate partner violence, and that number is even greater if you look at the number of women who are entering homelessness because they don't have a safe place to flee to.

But we turned away 9,000 survivors who are seeking shelter because we just don't have enough beds in our city.

And I agree with councilmember's statement.

This is this is not a victory, but it is a step in the right direction, and I want to really lift up the incredible commitment that you all displayed and the support that you provide that you share to for providers.

And it has over a 92% rate of keeping survivors housed.

So we know prevention that is targeted to keeping survivors housed works.

And we also have flexible funding to support survivors, uh support our providers who are working directly with survivors.

They are offering a comprehensive set of wraparound services from legal to mental health counseling services to support for their children.

So we're just so incredibly grateful for the support that you have provided, not just this past year, but I know that it was a very difficult budget year and in our city fiscal budget, but you stood stood firm in your commitment to support survivors.

So want to acknowledge you and again acknowledge the incredible leadership of Councilmember Yuroslavsky as the chair of the budget and finance committee for making sure that this commitment uh stood firm.

So again, thank you all.

Thank you to the CIFD team who's here for their uh incredible support, advocacy, and again uh to lift up um our service provider community who's here who continues to educate us on the unique needs of survivors.

So thank you.

Thank you very much, Abigail.

Um, we have a certificate to present in honor of domestic violence awareness month, but I don't know if there are any speakers on the queue, otherwise we'll we'll go ahead with the cert.

Okay.

So councilwoman Hernandez, why don't you come over here?

Um October is domestic violence awareness month.

Um it's an honor to present this certificate to all of the people who do the work day in and day out uh to make sure that people have a place to go when they need help.

Um, and that's what this is about, making sure everyone has a place to go.

Thank you.

All right.

Thank you.

All right, this concludes our presentation.

Thank you, Council President.

Okay.

Thank you very much for that presentation.

Uh we have uh one final presentation today, and so I would ask uh Councilwoman Herado to head to the podium.

Um we're going to celebrate Filipino American Heritage Month.

Very exciting presentation.

I don't know what I'm waiting for now.

I'm waiting for Carol.

Okay.

Oh, amazing.

Well, October is a very, very fun month.

And as the first Filipino American ever elected to City Council, this is the first.

Oh, wait, Los Angeles Filipino Association of City Employees, also known as La Face.

Give it up for Lafayette.

I want to call up Monique Dioniso Lomelli to sing the Philippines national anthem.

Salami Lugula.

It is always such a majestic song.

And it's a moving way to begin today's celebration, honoring our roots, our resilience, and our shared pride as Filipino Americans.

It is now my pleasure to introduce Malaya Filipino American Dance Arts, a Los Angeles-based cultural group dedicated to preserving and sharing the beauty of traditional Filipino dance.

Thank you so much, Malaya.

And so seeing the indigenous Muslim suite being presented is not often, and highlighting that was very important.

And now I want to introduce someone who almost needs no introduction, one of the first citywide Filipinos to represent the city of LA, my Kuya.

Actually, I think I'm your ate.

But predecessor in elected office, LA City controller Kenneth Mejia.

Yeah.

That's right.

To my Ate or my, you know, older sister, uh, elder sister, Councilmember Isabel Harado, thank you so much.

It's it's an honor uh to be here.

And happy Filipino American History Month, everyone.

And you can't start any celebration without the loud Mabuha, everyone.

Woo!

So I just want to say, um, you know, we celebrate in October the contributions of Filipino uh Filipino Americans, and we do this because the world is moving so fast.

We know there's so much going on, and this is that opportunity to take the time to just think and reflect and recognize the contributions of so many Filipino Americans who made who we are today.

And so if you all didn't know, the first Filipinos landed in in Morrow Bay in 1587 uh under a colonization from Spain, and we came to America as property.

And as time went on, we had to deal with the exclusions of becoming nationals, we were considered aliens, we couldn't migrate to this country, even though many of us fought in World War II.

Um, and then leading on after that, we we led great movements, worker strikes, the Delano Great Workers Movement, the strikes.

Y'all know about that?

Y'all know about Philip Vera Cruz and Larry Itlong.

The Morris.

Exactly.

And so there were so much contributions by Filipino Americans to get to where we are today.

And today, not only do we contribute so much and in, you know, all my nurses, any nurses here, and healthcare and health care, but we also contribute so much in music and entertainment.

Accountants, you know.

We're in the technology also in the Navy, you know.

There's a joke.

They say if you're Filipino, you're gonna be a nurse, an accountant, or you're gonna be a the post office or the Navy.

And so uh, you know, one of those artista too.

And so I'm I'm I'm very, you know, excited that we get to honor so so many of our folks here today.

I want to also give a shout out to um the first Filipino elected to the city council, is Councilmember Isabel Harado.

Um, I I do math, and I was like, let me do the math.

There's there's uh there's 18 elected officials in the city of Los Angeles, and we make up two, we make up 11% of the uh like that officials here, huh?

And so uh we're moving on up, you know.

So uh, you know, I just feel like this is a Filipino party right now, you know.

We're just missing the food and karaoke.

Exactly.

But you know, I'm just so excited and honored to be here amongst so many great people.

I want to give a shout out to the honorees, Tony Cabrera, Jennifer Taylor, yeah!

And Romel Pasqua.

Because so much of the work that they do affects us here locally, and we see their work, whether it's on the news, whether it's in the programming, the events, or whether it's the amazing Cyclavia that we just had this past Sunday.

We're doing great work here, and I'm so honored to be uh, you know, everyone's uh city controller, and just thank you, everyone, and happy Filipino American History Month.

Thank you.

I'm all appreciated.

Thank you so much, LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, uh, for blazing a trail.

And now we'd like to celebrate all the others who've also been blazing a trail in their own right.

But before I get to that, I want to thank Councilmember Sotamartinez for holding it down all these years before, and for everything you do to uplift historic Filipino town and Filipinos uh in uh Los Angeles every single day.

And Councilmember Badilla, I see you with the new Capua Square dedication over in the San Fernando Valley.

Yes.

If you don't know, a lot of the nurses that work at Cedar Sinai ended up settling in the suburbs of the valley, and they just drive down instead of going up.

For those who may not know, Capua is a deeply Filipino concept that means being with others.

A recognition that our humanity is interconnected, that who we are is bound up in one another.

It's a reminder that community isn't just where we live, it's how we live together.

And that's exactly what today represents.

As the first Filipina ever elected to this body, I feel both proud and humbled to stand here today.

This moment means so much, not just for me, but for every Filipino Angelino whose story, labor, and love has shaped the city in ways big and small and make me who I am.

Our community has been part of this city story for generations, from nurses caring for our families to teachers inspiring our kids to union leaders and small business owners, keeping our neighborhood strong.

We've always been here building, serving, leading, and even when we weren't always seen.

But today we are seen, and today we are celebrating.

And that visitability matters because when people see themselves reflected in leadership, like I did when Kenneth ran and won.

It reminds us that we belong here, that our stories matter, and that we are part of moving LA forward.

So as we honor Filipino American History Month, let's celebrate the way Filipinos do best with heart, with joy, with food waiting somewhere nearby, and deep sense of Capua, that shared pride and purpose that connects us all.

And now it's my great honor to introduce this year's Filipino American History Month honorees.

First, a familiar face to many of us, Tony Cabrera, aka at uh ABC Tony.

Uh morning news anchor for ABC 7 Eyewitness News.

Tony continues to use his platform to bring visibility and representation to Filipino Americans in broadcast journalism.

He leads with heart, professionalism, and authenticity, telling our stories with pride and purpose.

And if you follow him on his handle, he's also very hilarious.

Now, on behalf of the city of Los Angeles, uh, I commend you, Tony Cabrera, for all the things that you do for our city, and congratulations.

My boy Joy!

We'll take a photo.

We are live on TMG every morning.

What do I think?

And Tony, uh, please give us a few words.

Oh man, thank you so much.

Thank you.

Only in LA can you celebrate Armenians, Latinos, and Filipinos in one council meeting.

I mean, I love diversity.

I really do.

I mean, my parents are here.

Speaking of diversity, my dad was born in the Philippines, moved to Hawaii and then California, where he met my beautiful blonde-haired blue-eyed mom.

And uh but I do want to celebrate my dad because we are here for Filipino American History Month.

And he has worked so hard to get our family to where they are, and um, he has taught us to work hard.

That's like a big thing for our our family and for our culture.

Him and his extended family.

We have this uh this Cabrera strong thing, and we keep going and we fight on, go USC.

Uh, but uh it's it is uh is something that I hope to pass on to my kids too.

So, dad, thank you for that.

Uh, and my brother's here as well, who uh also celebrates our culture.

We grew up being in the Filipino clubs in high school and in college.

Uh, I was in Troy Fly at USC, and uh, and so we did the Tina Kling and we did all of that and we celebrated, and that is that's so important for us.

And you know, for my coworkers, I have some co-workers that are here.

Uh they uh they put up with me waving that Filipino flag during this month and everything.

Um so yeah, thank you uh for everything and for celebrating that.

So to Council Member Jorado, where she go, right here.

Um, and then the Filipino Association of City Employees.

Thank you all.

And then to the fellow honorees, uh Jennifer and Rommel, thank you so much, you know, for also being a part of it and for encouraging me to uh you know put us out there.

So thank you, thank you, thank you.

I love you.

Mabuha!

Let's go water.

Oh, thank you.

Don't forget your shirt.

Uh thank you, Tony, for highlighting your father.

I mean, so much of this being Filipino is being about family.

And uh, I like to say I stand on the shoulders of four foot giants, which is my two Lolas, my mom, my four uh aunties who are very strong women and scared me.

And so if I scare you, that's because of them.

Next, I want to introduce someone who is scary in her own right in that she's a formidable woman.

Okay, um, a respected leader whose commitment to public service, equity, and community empowerment has made a long-lasting impact across Los Angeles, and she's just getting started.

Her name is Jennifer Taylor.

Her work is rooted in compassion and excellence, the same values that define the best of public service.

And so, on behalf of the city of Los Angeles, we'd like to honor you, Jennifer Taylor.

You the circuit.

Okay, okay.

All right, Jennifer, please share a couple words with us.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council members, for having me, and thank you, Laface, for the nomination and the recognition.

I like everybody else, mostly the folks behind me are here because of my parents.

I am a proud uh child of immigrants.

My parents are here.

They're from the Philippines, and they've been here since the 60s.

I was born in the 70s, raised in Arcadia in a time that nobody looked like us.

And so, you know, to be up here and to be able to serve the community.

Our roots are from historic Filipino town.

Thank you so much to uh Councilmember Sona Martinez, who has been a huge advocate for our community.

And you know, to be able to see the faces of Isabel Jurado and Kenneth Mejia and Lauren Hodgins in this room and know that the leadership of uh the city of LA really falls on some of these Filipino Americans is so prideful for me.

But you know, I want to just take this time to say it's such a great moment for Filipino Americans, and I'm so happy to be part of this community.

Muraming Salamat, everyone.

She's so modest, y'all.

Thank you, Jennifer.

And finally, uh, I want to honor Romel Pascual, executive director of Cyclavia.

And just this past weekend we celebrated Siklavia's uh Kinsey, its 15th year anniversary, bringing tens of thousands of Angelinos together to walk, bike, and roll through the streets of downtown Little Tokyo, Boyle Heights in CD 14, and Chinatown and MacArthur Park in CD1.

Romel, your leadership has transformed how Angelinos experience our city.

We're claiming car-packed streets and turning them into people-powered spaces filled with joy, connection, and community.

You've shown that our streets aren't just for getting from one place to another, they're for coming together.

And so we really want to congratulate you on behalf of the city of Los Angeles, Romel Pascual.

Thank you for your work.

Yeah.

Thank you.

You're fine.

Okay, first.

Oh, oops.

And Romel, can you please do this, Yana?

Thank you so much, Councilmember, and thank you, Controller Mia, for representing Filipinos today in leadership roles.

I look around the city council chambers and I see very familiar faces because you all have been to a Cyclave and saw the power of connection.

And I'd like to think that the culture in which we as Filipinos have, you can see it at a Cyclave.

It is about connection.

It is about pride.

It is about joy.

And there's nothing more than a joyful party with a purpose.

But I think as Filipinos and as Filipino Americans, what we represent is more than that.

We really represent the sense of gathering for a common purpose.

And Ciclovia, I'd like to think represents that.

It is what we call today, and thank you, Councilmember Hernandez, for being there this past Sunday, because it was an incredible day of joy, but more so as joy as a human right.

So thank you for this honor.

And I'd like to also plug UCLA because I heard I heard a I heard a USC person here, so go Bruins.

So thank you very much for this honor.

Thank you, Councilmember.

And then Council More.

I see some Samahang Filipinos behind me.

There's a I went to uh Pasadena City College that's part of Tropa, and so that's my group.

I just want us to be represented from the community college level as well.

Okay, um, and so at the heart of today's celebration is Laface, the Los Angeles Filipino American city employees, whose dedication and services have uplifted and united Filipino Americans across city government for decades, and in joining us to honor them, I'm inviting um deputy council general.

Uh give me one second.

Maria Elmi Gamble.

Maria Elni Gamble do to say a few words on behalf of Consul General Adeleo uh Cruz and about LaFace.

Thank you very much, Councilmember Jurado.

On behalf of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles and Consul General Adelio Angelita Escruz, we thanks once again the Los Angeles City Council and congratulate La Face and the Filipino American community leaders and representatives gathered today for this annual recognition.

This honor belongs to the countless Filipino Americans who have woven their lives into the fabric of the city of angels.

From the pioneering farm workers of the past to the frontline healthcare workers and the dynamic professionals represented by Laface, their contributions are undeniable.

The city is home to one of the largest and most vibrant Filipino populations in the United States.

This community is defined by their sense of Bayonihan.

That spirit of communal unity and unwavering commitment and dedication to making Los Angeles a better place.

This year's recognition is, of course, extra special because the community now has direct representation in the city council with District 14 representative, Councilmember Isabel Jurado.

And this is another accomplishment that the community should rightly be proud of.

Of course, we cannot forget the support of uh Councilmember Hugo Salt Martinez, who has been speaking for and sponsoring the annual resolutions on behalf of the Filipino community, especially his constituents in historic Filipino town, Maraming Salamatseino, and Maraming Salamatpa to the Los Angeles City Council for always recognizing the efforts of the Filipino American community.

Mabuha Ipuka Yung Lahat.

And together we'd like to honor the Los Angeles Filipino Association of City Employees.

In addition to being 115 of the voting block.

So I would like to give a congratulation to the Los Angeles City Association.

And then Councilwoman Jorado, when you're ready to go.

I won't take long.

Good morning, honorable council members, city leaders, and distinguished guests.

Mabuhai.

On behalf of La Face, Los Angeles Filipino Association of City Employees, I'm deeply honored to join in celebrating the presentation of the City Council resolution recognizing October as Philippino American History Month in the city of Los Angeles.

This resolution is not just symbolic, it is a reflection of the Filipino American community's profound impact on the growth, diversity, and success of this great city.

Filipinos have long been part of Los Angeles story, contributing in every field, from public service and education to healthcare, engineering, and the arts guided by the values of Bayonihan, integrity, and hard work.

We are especially proud that today the city of Los Angeles is represented by Filipino American leaders who embody these values in public service.

Council member Isabel Jurado, the first Filipino elected to the Los Angeles City Council, represents a new chapter in leadership and visibility of our community.

And City Council Kenneth Mejia, my youngest brother, where is he?

The first Filipino American elected to citywide office in Los Angeles, continues to lead with transparency and accountability.

Their presence here today is an inspiration to many.

Prove that when our community is given the seat at the table, we uplift not only ourselves, but entire city we serve.

This morning, we also recognize our 2025 La Face honorees, three outstanding individuals whose work reflects the excellence and spirit of the Filipino community.

Tony Cabrera, ABC 7 anchor and reporter, whose platform voice gives voice to Philippine American stories and brings representation to mainstream media.

Jennifer Taylor, president of FIIRE and founder of Ambicultural Advisors, whose leadership in community development and advocacy continues to empower others and open doors of opportunity.

Romel Pasqual, before leading Ciclavia, he worked in various city and state roles in a strong background in environmental justice and social equity.

Each of them reflects the many ways of Filipinas contribute to our city and community.

On behalf of La Face, I extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Los Angeles City Council for your continued support and recognition of our community.

Your partnership reminds us that our shared success as a city is built on inclusion, unity, and respect for all our cultures.

To our honorees, speakers and Filipino Americans serving in and beyond city government.

Thank you for inspiring us through your service and for continuing to bring pride and heart to our community.

Maraming Salamat Po and happy Filipino American History Month.

Okay, thank you.

So there's several members on the queue.

We'll start with Councilmember Soto Martinez, followed by Councilwoman Hernandez.

Thank you so much, Council President.

Well, I just want to start off by saying it just gives me so much joy for you, Councilwoman Jurado, to bring in so many people that I've worked with that I've gotten to know over the last two years.

And I was very happy to hold it down until you got elected.

Let me tell you something.

It was a lot of fun doing it.

And I continue to have a lot of fun.

And of course, uh, you know, um, as CD 13 is home to historic Filipino town, and I think over the last two years I've gotten to know so many of the leaders there.

Uh Jennifer, uh, you know, Barrio Hi-Fi is just an amazing, incredible event that happens yearly.

Thousands of people show up to celebrate what is historic Filipino town and Romel, of course, the Clovia.

I love going to see Cloviera.

So I couldn't be there this weekend.

I was really packed.

But I biked to an event, and actually, I biked to the event at Unidad Park, where we were doing an unveiling of our own councilwoman, is now on at the at the mural of Unidad Park.

So if you want to see Isabel Jurado, just go to that park.

There's a wonderful painting of her.

Uh, and all the other folks here today, with Lafayette, uh, our console, uh, all the dignitaries.

Thank you so much.

Uh, it was an honor to be uh part of of these presentations, and uh as you know, you will continue to see me in the neighborhood, having a ton of fun, enjoying the culture because uh the Philippine community is Los Angeles, it is this country, and especially now we gotta keep showing that and being being and being proud.

And so thank you so much for for being a wonderful partner and friend.

Thank you.

Okay, Councilwoman Hernandez, followed by Councilwoman Padill.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you so much, Councilwoman Jurado, for bringing in this phenomenal presentation and showing us what the spectrum of Filipinos looks like here in the city of Los Angeles.

All of you all are playing your part to make sure that your community can see themselves in you, and that is so important.

And your leadership, Councilmember Jurado, I know is has already impacted generations of young Filipino women that want to be in these roles, but most importantly, you all play every single one of you play a role in making the dreams of this city come true.

You know, whether it's making sure we have enough resources to complete the projects, whether it's designing the projects, or whether it's being on the ground and showing us what it looks like for people to be able to enjoy our streets in a car centric city.

So you're making dreams come true, you're making things a reality, and I'm grateful for everything y'all have brought to the city, continue to bring to the city, because I also see myself in you all in your culture, and it's especially in this moment when we're pushed to try to hide away from our culture.

That's what I mean that I see myself in you that you're standing brave and with love and sharing it with everybody, which we need to.

We can't hide away from our culture.

So thank you so much.

Thank you for everything y'all do, and Zion right there as well.

Um an amazing volunteer all throughout our districts, but just thank you, Councilwoman.

I really appreciate you, and thank you, everybody.

Thank you.

Thank you, Racardo.

Councilwoman Padilla, followed by Councilwoman Rodriguez.

Councilwoman Jurado, what a great presentation, and what a great honor to be able to have a Filipino representative be able to celebrate it this year.

Um very proud of you.

If I had a dollar every time my uh Filipino stakeholders asked me whether I know you, whether you're my friend, whether we're working together, trust me, they know who you are now.

So congratulations to you for that.

And you know, I want to also thank you for for working with me to designate my uh my Hapla Square.

Um, for those of you who are not familiar in the San Fernando Valley, we have a big Filipino community, and that is why we're designating Woodman and Roscoe for this community.

It's where you can find some of the best Filipino restaurants, Filipino grocery stores, more than one, okay?

Not just one, but quite a few.

And it's just everything related um to items um from from uh the Philippines.

So for those of you who don't know, now you know this is where we are in the San Fernando Valley.

Um, but I also just want to give a shout out to all of my uh personal friends, um, the Filipinos that are watching, um, that are part of my life, my best friend Michelle Ira, one of the few people who can actually uh make me move.

Um very uh uh she just knows how to make me do things, and not a lot of people can.

So shout out to you, Michelle and your family, my brother's best friend Piero, and also to everyone uh from Holy Rosary, who's actually that's in San Valley, um, which is across the street from my district and district two.

But you know, um I giggle because uh my mom recently told me that she has almost forgotten how to say the rosary in Spanish because she's been saying it so much more often in Tagalo in the Holy Rosary community.

So kudos to that too, and also you know, uh uh a very famous Mexican American comedian once said, Filipinos, they're our cousins, our primos.

And I gotta say I can't very relatable.

So congratulations and uh happy Filipino American month to everyone.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Rodriguez.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Jurado, for this great presentation.

Look forward to having Lafayese here visiting us every year.

And um, you know, when we know the very deep roots that Filipino Americans have had, not just in the city of Los Angeles, but especially so in the San Fernando Valley.

And I want to give a shout out to our mutual friend, dear friend Dr.

Joe Bernardo, who wrote an incredible book about the history and the contributions of Filipino Americans in the San Fernando Valley.

We know the very rich and deep history that is rooted between our both our Latino communities and the Filipino uh American community here in the country.

From those early days and strikes for helping farm workers and being together in partnership and fighting for those workers' rights, to how we continue to fight for rights today, particularly as they're attempting to be stripped down from all of us.

It's a really important partnership that we must continue to celebrate and reflect and uphold.

But this history is deeply rooted in justice.

And I want to thank you all for being part of that story.

Uh Romel for helping to connect us, all of our neighborhoods in such important ways.

Uh, it's really wonderful that we've continued to advance this work together.

And so happy Filipino American History Month.

Let us all celebrate the incredible and immense and deep rooted contributions that each of our communities makes together in partnership.

Mabu Kai.

Thank you.

Great.

Council Monaroto, thank you so much for bringing this wonderful presentation to our chambers today, and and happy Filipino American Heritage Month.

And I turn it back to you to close.

Thank you.

Today's event is more than a celebration.

It's a reflection of how far the Filipino community has come and a commitment to how far we will go.

Our stories don't just end with the Delano Grape Strike.

Uh they start here.

I think with our honorees, I can sense a mashup of Tony Cabrera, Jennifer Taylor Romel, Pasquale face, CD 14 event in the mix, and see what we can concoct together.

But thank you for celebrating uh Filipino American History Month.

It goes all the way till the end of October.

Next week we'll have something else for you.

But thank you so much and happy fam and congratulations to all the honorees.

One more thing of prayers for the Philippines, especially for those of you affected in the earthquake.

I have to give some shout-out to our fellow Filippines people.

Oh, yes.

One last thing that Zion uh so polignantly um pointed out is that we want to make sure that we acknowledge and send prayers to our Filipino community that have been affected by the natural disasters in the Philippines in these past weeks, and that's been devastating our country.

I know all of us are contributing in our own rights, whether it's remittances or fundraisers, uh and checking in with our families who may not have um access actually to telephones at this time.

So please, thoughts and prayers for our community back home, and thank you again.

Okay, thanks, Diane.

Thank you.

Okay.

Okay, that concludes our presentations for today.

And what's next?

I believe we have public comment.

Yes, Mr.

President, our council may not proceed to public comment.

Okay, if you could read the instructions in for public comment.

Yeah.

So for people providing public comment, when it's your turn to speak at the podium, please state which of the agenda items you'd like to speak to.

You will have one minute per item to speak, up to two minutes total for the items open for public comment.

Members of the public may also speak up to one minute for general public comment.

During the general public comment period, members of the public may speak to any of the items or anything else within the city subject matter jurisdiction.

We'll tell you when your time's up.

When speaking on the agenda items, you must be on topic.

Our goal is to get through as many speakers as we can.

If you're not on topic or if we can't tell whether you're on topic, you'll get one brief warning from me or the council president.

At that point, you need to get immediately clearly on topic.

If you don't do so or you again stray off topic, you'll forfeit the rest of your speaking time and we'll move on to the next speaker.

The items open from open for public comment are items one and four.

Item one concerns a lean on South Albany, and item four is acceptance of a regional um early action policy grant and associated memorandum of understanding with the Southern California Association of Governments.

And if the interpreter would be kind enough to state um uh on the mic, if anybody needs Spanish translation, please pause every couple of seconds so that we can translate your time will be held during this, so you get the same amount of speaking time as everyone else.

Uh hola, see you the necessita interpretation in Spanish, por favor assegure that or a brevia sibling opportunity to interpret that.

Uh he tendra obviamente la misma cantidad de tiempo que hablar para todos.

Okay, get in those demos.

Gracias.

And with that, Mr.

President, I believe we're ready for public comment.

Okay, if we could uh read the names.

I will begin by calling the following names.

Gunny Dan, Candido, Jesse, Arikha Park, Boxer, and Candy.

Okay, if you've heard your name, come on up to the uh left side of the chamber.

Uh left stage right, and uh you don't have to go in the exact order, but just uh we'll take you as you come.

Okay, we have our first speaker.

Great.

Hello, speaker.

Which uh items or general public comment did you want to speak on?

General comment.

Please go ahead.

You have a minute.

I don't know what goes on in closed sessions, but if someone tries to convince you that it's okay for the police to ignore frivolous criminal complaints, then you are being set up.

You'd be giving the police a green light to do what should be the jury's job to sidestep the criminal process completely.

Maybe someone claims that it's untenable for police to document every little thing, but that alleged issue should be hashed out in public.

What would you do?

What would you expect to happen if a victim is threatened with further violence if she goes to the police?

You'd expect her not to report the crime, but the LAPD extols a low rate of reported crime as evidence of a low rate of crime.

I have to give credit to Commissioner Southers.

He has enough sense to get off a sinking ship, but he didn't do enough to actually save himself.

He did the well-behaved exit.

He left without making waves.

But what's needed is to demand militarily level oversight of the police.

Anything less is doomed to failure.

Thank you.

Thank you, Speaker.

Next speaker.

Before the next speaker begins, I would like to call the following names.

Jack Kay, Diana D, Seba, Marie, Quinn M, and Bobby M.

Hi, Speaker.

Which items or general public comment did you want to speak on?

I'm sorry, I can't hear.

Did you want to speak on an item or general public comment?

Uh public comment.

Okay, please go ahead.

Do you have a minute?

Um yeah.

Um I my name is Mark.

Pull the mic a little bit closer to you, we'll hear you better.

Okay.

I am Mari, and um I've spoken before uh at Lhasa and Accra.

Basically risking my life.

Uh as I commented and um and make members of the various meetings aware about the predators who are oppressing me.

I call them the oppressing team, which is the landlord and the skilled hacker, my neighbor.

He has hired and is sponsoring, and who are abusing and persecuting me, who have rendered me totally homeless, and uh want to keep me that way forever and want to destroy my life.

Uh I thought I would receive some real help from Lasa Ecra members, but instead I was told uh I disturbed the meeting when I was talking.

All my attempts to be housed and find housing are interrupted, intercepted, and um hijacked.

Thank you.

Sorry, your time's expired.

Thank you.

Hi, Mr.

Morris.

What did you want to speak on?

Good morning, Candido Maris, who founded the first uh Filipino uh Knights of Columbus in the United States.

Uh public comment.

You know, um Wednesday, I believe you had one LA, and I it was one of the best presentations.

When you see a group of people that are working within this city, and I remember something they said to make a holy and sacred community.

And our president, he said a holy spot.

No, not a holy spot, but from San Pedro to maybe Chatsworth.

Mr Ms.

Costa McCosker, uh, you are working towards that.

And the one thing I'm really learning is a lot of you are doing that, but you're still allowing the bad ones to control the city council.

But you're still allowing the bad ones to control the city council.

So please.

Well, how about the neighbor?

How about someone like me who's worked in this community and been here for 36 years, who's not who has to fill out 20 names just so that he's called the first five names were all me.

All five.

Good.

Thank you.

You two for the next speaker.

I'd like to call up Ken M, Manny P, Joey C, Veronica, and Smoke and Scan.

Hi, Speaker.

Did you want to speak on general public comment or one of the two items?

General Public Comment.

Please begin.

Public, when you hire clowns, you get a circus.

Because these clowns bankrupt the city, giving one billion dollar increase to LAPD.

The clowns won't take the money back because LAPD makes tremendous campaign contributions to Sleazy Dawson, Monica Luminsky Rodriguez, and racist Asian John Lee.

One billion dollar budget emergency, tens of thousands homeless epidemic emergency, 275 billion dollar damage emergency.

Sleazy D C D eight has the highest incarceration rate, homeless rate, unemployment rate in the entire country, over 12 and a half percent.

CD8 is a food desert.

Sleazy D has spent over 10 million dollars on luxury offices for himself while tens of thousands are homeless.

I formally protest some presentations.

The mass incompetence of these clowns, and I demand fleazy D's resignation.

Okay.

I demand an apology from people.

So much for that.

Thank you, Speaker.

Okay.

Are there are there any other is anyone else here for public comment?

If you are, just go ahead and line up anyone who wishes to speak in public comment, and we will uh we'll handle the final names that way.

That's okay, speaker.

Please go ahead.

Yeah.

Um, did you want to speak on an agenda item or general public comment?

General public comment.

Please go ahead.

Do you have a minute?

Okay, I'm back here again just to again raise the awareness of Scientology's infiltration into the city's uh board, their their halls, their meetings constantly.

Uh we have permits that are constantly being given to them on Al Ron Hubbard way for all kinds of random events like Halloween, Christmas.

Scientology does not have anything to do with the belief or idea, anything having to do with holidays.

Um they use these as recruitment events to get city officials and members of the city to like to be likened toward for Scientology.

While Scientology turns around and uses the city's taxpayer money, they don't pay taxes.

They a fire department, this when the the LAPD is used for their um city position, all being used by the city.

Scientology does not help the city or environment whatsoever, and you guys are being used by their tactics.

Please disconnect and associate from any Scientology connections.

Thank you, Speaker.

And hi.

Um, do you want to speak on general or a comment or a specific?

I'd like to do comment.

It's it's on the abatement, right?

Is that the one that's open about the abatements?

Yes, number one.

So please and that's all there is available.

Uh there's also number four, which is about a grant agreement.

Okay, I'll I'll I'll do I'll I'll do the um public and then the number one.

Please start with number one, which is about a lean um on South Albany Street, if I recall.

Yeah, but I just want to talk, it's it's like nuisance abatements in general.

Um that's okay as it relates to it.

That's good.

Okay.

Yeah, I just I like I I I've been saying that, like, you know, I I think it's good to go after nuisance properties, but I do want to just remind that there is about like I think hundreds of complaints for you know, so many complaints about neighbors of El Ron Hubbard Way begging and begging and begging um, you know, the different the city council for help with the music that is played so loud that their walls shake, and they say they feel it in their bones because of all the the woofers because they don't have a respect for the law when it comes to their permits, and so that that's also a nuisance.

Um I do want to remind you that Mr.

Lee owes me an apology, and so I don't know any of his things.

I you know, I'm saying vote no on.

I know, I I just had to throw that in here.

So he was rude, Mr.

City Attorney.

But do you want to move on to general?

Sure.

Thank you.

And um, I want to give a shout out to Smoke and Scan, and um, and I just want to say that last Saturday, okay, uh, there was the Faith in Blue event, and it was supposed to be by the LA clergy, which is supposed to be a multiple religions, but it was only Scientology.

And when Laura and I went into the event, just going in, Scientology swooped the police and told them to kick us out.

And we were kicked out for viewpoint discrimination.

It wasn't even on the Scientology property, it was on uh the Presbyterian church's property, but there was no other religions there, it was just Scientology.

And then thankfully, um Sergeant the sergeant came and he realized what was going on and turned it around and we were able to go.

But this is the stuff that's happening, and like you know, the Alexville in the way but's gonna be speaking at one of their events.

Um we're not allowed to go, even though we're not gonna disrupt, I'm not gonna cause any problems.

But just because if I'm a critic, then I can't go to public events.

Thank you.

Thank you, Speaker.

Hi, Speaker.

Uh, which agenda item or general public comment would you like to speak on?

It's gonna be general public comment.

Okay, great.

You have a minute.

Please go ahead.

The floor is yours.

I'm speaking in regards today with all the renters in Los Angeles and something concerning homelessness.

Um my goal today is to inspire a council member to create a motion towards peacefully bringing about equal rights in the city.

As citizens, we demand the equal right to only pay property tax, not rent.

Over 43% of all rental units in the city are owned by corporate landlords.

Once the property tax is paid, over three hundred and fifty percent of that income is profit.

Are we not in a state of emergency considering homelessness?

Or is that just good business to charge that much price gouging for something that's so necessary?

Housing is a human right, and we demand the same rights as owners.

Thank you.

Thank you, Speaker.

All right, if there are any other speakers whose names have not been called who wish to speak, uh please line up right now.

We'll give about five seconds for somebody to approach the line.

If not, that'll conclude public comment.

I don't see anybody approaching.

All right.

Uh Mr.

Clerk, what's before us?

Mr.

President, the council may now vote on items one and four.

All right, let's open the roll on those items, close the roll, tabulate the vote.

Twelve eyes.

All right, what's next?

Mr.

President, there's a request to send item four forthwith.

Without objection, that'll be the order.

What's next?

A special one motion has been introduced by council member Hernandez and seconded by Councilmembers Sor Martinez, Rodriguez, and Jurado.

Please note uh vote is required for the finding that that there's a need to take immediate action and that the need for action came to attention of the city subsequent to posting of the agenda.

All right.

Uh are we prepared to open the rolls on the findings, and then we will hear from council member Hernandez after that.

Mr.

City Attorney.

I I believe the motion has been distributed.

I assume the members have had a chance to look at it.

So unless anybody objects and says they need time, I think we can vote on the findings.

All right.

With that, we'll open the roll on the findings, close the roll, tabulate the vote.

Twelve eyes.

All right.

All right.

We have to have public comment on this item.

So if there are any members of the public who wish to speak on this item, uh please line up on the uh right side of the or left side of the auditorium.

And just for the record, the motion had been posted on the bulletin board, so it has been publicly available for a while.

Um I'm not seeing anyone from the public who wants to speak on the motion.

So unless somebody indicates now, I think you can close public comment on it.

Uh council member public comment is closed.

Councilmember Hernandez.

Council President.

Um there's been moments that we have been confronted with a few times where decisions have felt like they've been made without conferring with this body.

So this motion is just calling out an opportunity um and a request and a direction for action not to be taken on um the injunction around the 2025, September 2025 protests until we can confer with this body.

Um and the motion has been passed around, so I don't know if there's any questions, but thank you.

All right.

Uh any discussion on this items, members.

Um I want to thank uh council member Hernandez and the folks who uh signed on to this motion for bringing it to us.

Uh this is a uh uh a tricky situation uh regarding the safety of the city, especially with this uh weekend coming and a big no king's march um that is expected.

Um there are lots of always lots of concerns when we have a big march uh in downtown LA or anywhere in the city uh and how we how law enforcement relates to that.

I think uh the city attorney's offices are trying to respond to that.

But as the member said, um it's appropriate for uh the city attorney's office to confer with this body either as a whole, or we have a public safety committee, we have a public safety chair, we have a pro tem, we have a council president, we have individual members, uh, somebody.

And uh so this uh motion seeks to uh press that point uh to the city attorney in a way that's public and on the record.

Um, you know, the the um this does not bind uh our city in any way.

It uh simply says that the city attorney needs to confer with the governing body of the city, which is the Los Angeles City Council.

And so if there are no other further, if there are no further comments on this, Councilmember Rodriguez.

Thank you, and uh thank you, Ms.

Hernandez, for this.

I think it's important for us to remind every elected official in this building procedurally how we need to be consulted as a legislative body that is independently elected by the people.

Unfortunately, this isn't the only level of uh in the branch of government that has breached that responsibility.

And so what I hope is that this becomes a more permanent act of this body to exercise its role and oversight in exacting all of our responsibilities collectively to help represent this city in the best manner possible.

But again, this is not the only example.

This is not an isolated situation.

This is a behavior that is not just been exemplified by the city attorney, but it's been exemplified by other executive branch activities as well.

So I really hope that this is a body that will continue to now forge a path forward to exercising its authority in this role.

Thank you.

All right, seeing no other speakers on the queue, let's open the roll on this item, close the roll, tabulate the vote.

Twelve eyes.

All right, yes.

Can I move that to go forth with please?

Without objection, that'll be the order.

Clerk, what's next?

Mr.

President, Council has motions for posting and referral.

They are posted and referred.

But that's clear, sir.

All right.

Announcements members, any announcements?

All right, seeing no announcement, I'll council member Park in the wonderful LA 2028 Summer Games jacket with her name on the front.

Councilmember Park.

Proudly sporting it today.

Thank you, Council President.

It was the perfect opportunity as we marked one thousand days this morning until the launch of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Uh it was great to be out in Venice Beach this morning with the mayor and so many of our city partners uh to acknowledge the occasion.

You know, we're really excited in Venice where we are going to be hosting triathlon, marathon, street cycling, the Paralympic versions of all of those, as well as some other major events.

Uh, but moving on to other really important news and the boys in the I don't know, Councilmember Park.

This is pretty bold up here.

I don't know.

If and when mostly when the Dodgers win and clinch their ticket to the World Series, we are going to be hosting a couple of Dodger Watch parties at Marvice Direct Center.

Uh, those are gonna be on Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th.

This is gonna be a partnership with Play LA and our own wreck and parks department.

So come on out, hang out with us and go Dodgers.

Thank you so much, Councilmember Park.

Any other announcements?

Uh I have a couple of announcements.

One in uh celebration of uh a thousand days to the Olympics, Delta Airlines, which is the official airlines of the 2028 summer games.

Um begin their um employee volunteer-driven effort to plant uh 10,000 trees in the city of Los Angeles between now and 2028.

So there were a couple hundred um Delta employees in South LA in a neighborhood in my district that began planting.

They'll be all over the city planting trees.

Uh and it was great to see they have people from as far as Hawaii and and the other side of the country who are showing up uh to this work.

So they'll be in your district uh very soon.

And also tomorrow, uh drum roll.

I think uh councilmember Hutt may be out getting ready for it because it's such a big party in celebration.

Uh tomorrow, uh beginning at 10 a.m.

is the world famous Taste of Soul celebration on Crenshaw Boulevard.

We expect 500,000 people from all over Southern California to be there to uh eat the food in the community.

It's definitely a food-centered event, but there's also uh music, there's a jazz stage, there's an RB stage, there's a gospel stage.

Uh there's a young man in here who's gonna be performing tomorrow at noon.

Uh he does music too, so he'll be on King and Crutch.

I'll stick get out here, dude.

Come on.

You can it's not it's not the time to go behind the pillar.

Uh Maurice Johnson will be performing at noon amongst uh a host of other artists.

Uh there'll be uh dozens and dozens of uh at noon.

You have a 30-minute set, right?

30 minutes set.

So uh at King and Crenshaw, he'll be there at the gospel stage.

Uh and we'll have a a number of um vendors there and a big big push to make sure nobody comes to and leaves Taste of Soul without being registered to vote, because there's still time to register to vote for the November 4th uh election.

So uh with that, we invite you all out to the wonderful, wonderful Taste of Soul on Crenshaw Boulevard tomorrow afternoon.

Good to see you.

All right, uh Councilmember Rodriguez.

Thank you.

And while I would love to go see Claudio que si uh perform tomorrow, and I am going to be uh celebrating the San Fernando Valley Classic, which is Silmar High School in San Fernando High School competing at the LA Coliseum.

And so this is a very important rivalry in the Northeast San Fernando Valley.

And uh I want to thank uh, of course, uh my friend George Plaw for his help in helping to convene so many high schools across our city to have this wonderful experience to play on the field where champions have played, where again the uh Olympics will be held.

And so I'm very excited that this is going to uh that we finally have arrived.

So uh tomorrow we will we have uh uh women's flag football, JV, and varsity uh taking the field at the LA Coliseum at uh beginning at about four o'clock.

And so if you are from the San Fernando Valley and are either a tiger or a Spartan and want to come cheer on your side, or from any other part of the city, come on out to the San Fernando Valley Classic tomorrow at the LA Coliseum.

We'll see you there.

These are uh wonderful games uh to at the Coliseum with our high schools playing in the big under the big lights.

I know San Pedro's had schools in there, South LA has had schools in there, and and obviously the East Side has the classic uh many years in the Coliseum.

So it's a it's a great event and uh thankful to George Plaw in the Coliseum for doing that.

Any other announcements, members?

Councilmember Hernandez.

Yes, thank you, Council President.

I think I've already said this in chambers before, but uh this Saturday, tomorrow from 2 to 8 p.m., we're having our annual event, Music Am Poemas.

We're closing down Figaro Boulevard in Highland Park.

We're gonna have low riders, performers, musicians, magicians, an adult stage, a children's stage, a bunch of activities, a bunch of food, special margaritas designed for the night, uh being sold by some of our small businesses.

So come on by, stop on by for a good time.

I don't know if y'all know Boletos with Attitude BWA, but they're gonna be out there playing some good tunes.

So come on by and enjoy Music Music Capemas tomorrow from two to eight in Highland Park.

Thank you.

All right, thank you so much.

Any other announcements, members?

All right, seeing none, I'll ask everyone in the chamber to rise for adjourning motions.

Any adjourning motions to my left?

To my right.

All right, seeing none, we are adjourned.

Thank you so much, everybody.

And she will review it.

And if we feel it is