With all of those organizations, whether at the state and federal level to make sure we understand what those changes are.

And as they apply to local, whether at the city or the department level, that we understand the impact they have to our operations and we put those to use in the best way possible so that we continue to do our primary mission here in the port, it's to remain, you know, engaged for our stakeholders and for the movement of goods, but also for our employees.

If changes impact how we do business as a city agency, we have to make sure we understand what that means, and ensure that we engage all of our divisions and that we train people and that we continue to update as different changes happen.

Every disaster brings new opportunities, different changes, the most significant being after 9-11.

We saw a whole series of federal requirements change from the Department of Homeland Security, and those continue, and they'll continue to change as climate changes, as we have longer heat emergencies as we've seen this summer, fire change, the brush fire season, the significance of the catastrophic emergencies, it's an ever-changing profession.

It's exciting, but to remain engaged, it's never a stagnant moment when you're in emergency management.

What are some of the differences in emergency management of different countries you have visited?

I think some of the most significant differences are from the government level.

China is a completely different country.

They're run at the national level, and that's how they implement their rules and their policies.

And it's evident in all the different jurisdictions that we visited.

They champion growth and development, as I mentioned, the Shanghai development of the high rises was very significant.

In Japan, it's very different.

They're much more western.

Their prefectures run their emergency management with the great support of the national level.

And how they implement at the very neighborhood level.

The communities in Japan are very receptive to what the national government provides to them.

And as a culture, they're very open and receptive to what the government says, and that's very unique.

In the Western world like us, it's at the very local level.

Emergencies are managed at the local level.

So seeing the differences in those countries, as well as others like Turkey, where again it's a very different, it's a culture, it's the history, and I think for me, one of the most amazing things is being able to see the history of those countries.

I traveled around the world, my mother's British, and my husband is actually Japanese.

So being able to understand the culturals in my home and then see how they're applied at the government level was just amazing for me.

It was in engaging, it was fun, and then I was able to travel afterwards with my family to be able to see how that how that happened and then speak to family members and then really appreciate how they do emergency management was incredible.

I'll never, I'll never forget those traveling opportunities.

I'm very grateful.

As the emergency management coordinator, what does your daily schedule look like?

Well, I think in emergency management or working in government, our days change as the years change.

It used to be you come in and you you catch up with your colleagues and you look and you jump into it.

With technology today, it's ever changing.

To come in and pick up voicemail, I get very, very few voicemails.

But emails, we get hundreds of emails.

So to be able to quickly vet your emails to go through them to see and prioritize what's important to see who they came from.

So if you have a way that you personally are comfortable to sort and prioritize, to align with the projects that you're working on, and to make sure that you also keep in mind the priorities of the agency that you work for.

In emergency management, it's also critical to see what are going to have an impact today.

We recently had an earthquake in Alaska, and to see one quick social media blip, really then changed your focus immediately to find out, you know, was it real?

Was it valid information?

Where did it occur?

Is it going to have greater impacts with an earthquake in the um in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands?

Is there going to be a tsunami?

And there was a tsunami warning for that area.

But to quickly reach out to my colleagues and to find out where, how long is it going to have an impact and are we going to have a tsunami changes everything until you get the information you need from those from those experts outside of your agency.

And then being able to and never forget keep your supervisors and your management engaged and involved and share the most current information so that if we need to change our organization focus to respond to an event you're always ready for that you can never put that in the back seat.

How does your role and responsibilities adapted to fit the needs of the pandemic and how do you expect the industry to change in the event in the future even after the restrictions are lifted.

So I think the pandemic has really changed the way we do business.

It's been almost eight months it has had a tremendous impact both emotionally organizationally it's had a huge fiscal impact to the city of Los Angeles and the port.

But it's not the first time we've dealt with a pandemic event we've dealt with significant events in the past and we adapted and we changed and we got through them and then we returned to normal the difference in the pandemic is we don't know what that's going to look like.

So day to day you see different activities every day and people have adapted masks for the first several weeks were difficult.

They were hard to find they were uncomfortable people weren't used to them and now you can find them in every design color you can find them at stores grocery stores supermarkets everywhere you go you can see masks for sale in all the different designs they're being sold really you know online locally you can get them everywhere and people wear them all the time which is amazing.

As we move from the pandemic of COVID into flu season that is going to benefit us and we'll be able to remain um aware we'll be prepared we will maintain the correct social distancing so we can't let down our guard especially when it comes to this pandemic it won't be the last there will be future pandemics but coupled with earthquakes fires floods landslides and different events that we see we have to be able to acknowledge how that impact is going to change what we do.

So while I've changed wearing a mask social distancing washing my hands and making sure I comply with all the directions that are given to us that's not the only event that we're working on.

While our department operations center is active and we're working with the city's emergency operations center we're also just recently we conducted an earthquake drill for the annual shakeout and then we're looking at our emergency plans it's that time of year where we do update our department emergency plan and our continuity of operations plan.

And then we look at other plans we look at how we're preparing our employees how we work with our communities how we work with our schools and our stakeholders we want our stakeholders and our businesses to remain prepared.

So we will continue to respond to the current pandemic moving into the flu season while always looking at what other events might occur.

What hobbies do you enjoy during your free time?

I am a wife a mother we have five children we have a wonderful blended family we have pets um I love my gardening so I go out in the garden we have some fruit trees we try and you know plant I'm also a grandmother for little grandbabies so when they come over I am so proud that um the oldest with her grandkids now is enjoying gardening as well.

So spending some time outside away from any electronic devices just spending quiet time it's amazing now that they have learned to enjoy just being quiet being by yourself for just a few minutes just to to gather yourself and to do something that's not time intensive takes a lot of patience to garden so you have to um in you have to enjoy it you have to just be patient you have to watch it and then nurture it.

And then you can see the results afterwards.

My grandfather had a wonderful garden, and I'm so proud that I was able to pass that off to my kids and now my grandchildren.

And then if the dogs don't dig it up, maybe we get a couple carrots at the end of the year.

So it's always a lot of fun.

I'm Anna Burton, and this has been my career report.

For more information and to continue to follow us, follow the Port of Los Angeles at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Los Angeles has long been shaped by the cultures, traditions, and stories brought here from across the Pacific.

Today, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities remain woven into the fabric of the city.

From Chinatown and Historic Filipino town to Korea Town, Little Tokyo, and neighborhoods far beyond.

During Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we recognize the generations who helped build Los Angeles through business, art, food, public service, and community while continuing to share the spirit of Ohana or family with everyone around them.

So whether you're discovering Little Tokyo for the first time or call this neighborhood home, welcome to Los Angeles.

Among those voices says George Takei, reflecting on a legacy shaved by perseverance, activism, and identity.

So my mission in life has been to educate Americans about Americans, both its glory and its failure.

And I can still be sending that same message.

At Janam, we've always had the benefit of having our docents, many of whom were survivors of the incarceration themselves.

It was an extraordinary ability for them to be able to talk to people to talk to audiences from the first-hand perspective and be able to tell their own stories.

As that generation is passing, it was this incredible opportunity to be able to use this technology to preserve the opportunity to have conversations with them and for people to engage with them in a very real way.

So today was the unveiling of five story files, which is new technology, AI-based technology that conserves the ability to have engaging conversations with people.

We've previewed four of them today.

One with George Decay, which is an amazing opportunity for people to engage with him about his life, about his history while he was incarcerated as a child, what the impact of the incarceration was on him, his life as the civil rights icon and defender of democracy, and also to ask questions about what the impact of that is today.

Human storytelling is really, since we've been cavemen's the way that we tell, hey, don't go in the bushes over there, don't eat those berries, don't go in the trees, that's dangerous.

It's the way societally we can grow beyond an individual human lifespan.

So we're sort of hijacking that human innate storytelling and listening, call and response, and using it to preserve in Amber the real authentic original storytelling.

So it's hard to tell if this has been eight years in the making or if this has been three lifetimes.

Um, you know, my grandmother was the first volunteer here at the museum.

My mother then raised money for their very first tape recorder, and they used that tape recorder to capture all histories.

And so this has sort of been three generations in the making and eight years of wanting to take the gift that my grandmother, her friends, and all the people we spoke to today have given back to American society, telling the stories of wrongs that have happened to them in American history so that they do not happen again.

Well, I learned a lesson early on, from five years old on, one injustice after another.

When we were in prison, Roosevelt, my father said was a president that he respected back in the 30s, when the nation was in a deep depression, high unemployment, people had given up, and he said to the people of America, there's nothing to fear but fear itself, and this galvanized the people and brought the country up, and then when the uh bombing of Peroga Harbor happened, everybody went crazy, and we have to look like the people that bombed Pearl Harbor, and he saw us as the enemy, and as great a man as Roosevelt was, Roosevelt was a human being.

He got swept up in the hysteria.

There are people on the West Coast that look exactly like the people that bomb our arm.

Who knows what could be a spy?

They might be planning to bomb San Pedro.

After a year of that unjust imprisonment, the government realizes there's a wartime manpower shortage, and here are all these young people, men and women that they've categorized just arbitrarily as enemy aliens.

We're Americans, born, raised, and imprisoned by America, born here.

They just made up this enemy alien thing, but now they need us.

So they come down with a loyalty questionnaire.

What's the matter with this government?

They should have asked that before they imprisoned us, before they took our homes, destroyed my father's business.

Hearing this story, I keep telling people the ideals of democracy are noble.

A government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

That's us.

The people.

At that time, the civil rights movement was going on.

He said, what the black people are doing is that they are out speaking up for themselves.

They have a history.

That's a part of American history.

And you said you, when you get the book, you are the part of the people that speak for this country.

We have to participate.

I am so grateful to be sitting here with Hina Knowles to have a chance to hear a little bit more about your work and the creation of the Waco Theatre Center.

The creation of the Waco Theater Center has been a dream of mine since I was a teenager because I had a mentor actually gave me exposure to the arts.

And it made me feel seen and heard.

So I know the effect of the arts on the community and especially on kids who don't have great opportunities.

And that is what Waco is all about.

We started this charity very small in a little tiny 100 seat theater.

And the challenge was that our students that we mentor, we had to bust them, so we spent all our money on busing them to North Hollywood.

And so this is a dream come true because we're in that community.

We can do community programs.

How cool is that?

I came out here to go to one of the shops on the main street here, which I thought was amazing because it was all these black-owned artistic businesses.

So that was exciting within itself.

And then my friend Mark Bradford brought me here.

And of course, it was before all the renovations, and I was like, oh my God, this is just sitting here.

Are you kidding me?

It looked completely different.

And so when I heard that it was being restored, it was music to my ears.

And when there was an opportunity for us to help manage this place, it was like a dream come true.

And for it to be a place where this community can easily access.

And so that's what we're hoping for this place.

We're praying that it is a cultural community center, which it was meant to be in the first place.

The history, the legacy that is in this building, if the walls could talk.

We are so lucky here in the city of Los Angeles to be able to celebrate and to be able to do that through our theaters, through our art centers, through our grantee programs through public art.

It's all about helping people feel comfortable and confident with where they are and who they are.

I really have to commend the city of Los Angeles.

What you've done here is historical, it's selfless and it's inclusive, and it is really amazing.

So I really commend the city of Los Angeles for that.

I think that it will be a beacon of pride for many people to bring commerce here, to bring attention to this wonderful street with all these beautiful businesses.

I feel like it's going to be contagious.

That touches my heart.

I just cannot wait.

I mean, we just got to get started.

Founded in 1885, Little Tokyo became the center of Japanese American life before World War II and remains one of only three surviving Japan towns in the United States.

It stands as a lasting testament to community resilience, heritage, and small business legacy.

Designated a national historic landmark, this two-block stretch connects historic science from Union Church to the Japanese American National Museum, reflecting one of the largest concentrations that Nisei were second-generation Japanese Americans in the country.

Across LA, historic neighborhoods like Little Tokyo, Filipino Town, Chinatown, and Koreatown are deeply woven into the city's identity, driving culture, connection, and renewal.

And nearby MacArthur Park, once known as the Alice Island of the West, a new stormwater capture project is transforming the lake, reflecting how the city continues to reinvest in its public spaces for future generations.

Has been here for this community through a lot of history.

Good history.

This lake has seen it all.

It's also absorbed it all.

The runoff, the pollution, and the years when this neighborhood was not the first on anybody's list.

Today, that changes.

This is the MacArthur Lake Stormwater Capture Project.

We're so excited.

It's one of the first, it's going to be one of the iconic projects that we implement under the Safe Clean Water Program.

So the project is going to actually capture that storm water, which is polluted from all of the area that it's running off from.

So what that means is we don't have to turn on the faucet for potable water.

That means we conserve water, and we're actually beneficially reusing stormwater that would otherwise go out into the Biona Creek and be lost to the ocean.

Not only to look at the space, but also be able to get on the water, um, even exercise because you know, pedal boat is a cardiovascular exercise, so super excited about that as well, coming into the Mm-hmm.

Um, yeah.

Good morning, and welcome to the regularly scheduled meeting here for Los Angeles City Council.

Today is Friday, the twenty second day of May of the year, twenty twenty six.

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

Let's begin our proceedings by calling the role.

Alright, first order of business.

Approval of the minutes of May 21st, 2026.

Councilmember Price moves.

Councilmember Blumenville seconds.

What's next?

Commendatory resolutions for approval.

Councilmember Soto Martinez moves, Councilmember Padilla seconds.

Pardon me, can we run through our agenda?

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Items one through seven are items for which public hearings have been held.

Item eight is an item for which public hearings have not been held.

Please note that no action is required on item eight, in as much as the budget resolution has not been submitted at this time.

Item nine on the continuation agenda is an item for which public hearings have been held.

10 votes are required for consideration.

Alright, without objection, those items are now before us.

Uh members, do we have any specials this morning?

Any specials?

Uh all right.

Uh Mr.

Clerk, what items are available for consideration at this time.

Uh the council may now vote on items one through seven and nine.

All right.

Let's open the roll on those items.

Oh, I'm sorry, Mr.

President.

There's actually a request to hold item number seven on the desk.

Um seven on the desk to be continued or to vote.

On apologies, Mr.

President.

That's item number nine from the continuation on the desk to be continued, correct?

So continue so we need a motion to continue item number nine.

Uh it's just to be held on the desk, Mr.

President.

Item number nine.

That's for the interim engineer and then the council.

Held on the desk until when?

Uh until after public comment.

Got it.

All right.

So what items are available for votes at this time?

Items one through seven.

All right.

So open the roll on items one through seven, close the roll, tabulate the vote.

Eleven ayes.

All right.

What's next?

The council may now move on to presentations.

Excellent.

Exciting day of presentations today.

We'll begin by a very special announcement from Councilmember Lee of the 12th district.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I know we have a day full of presentations, but we have some special guests with us here today in chambers.

I'd like if we have a Lee 12 program, which is our leadership program in Council District 12, where we take the best and the brightest from all the different high schools in my district, and we teach them about not only about what we do here in the city of Los Angeles, but leadership skills to have in their community.

And so if I can ask the Lee 12 kids to all stand up and say hello and have a big round of applause for them.

Wave for the camera.

Wave to the camera.

All right.

Well, you guys, thank you so much for being a part of our leadership program, and hopefully you've learned a lot from it.

And uh, like I said, these are our future in Council District 12, and we are very excited to have them here today in city council.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you so much.

All right, our first presentation uh will be brought to us by the one and only council member Soto Martinez in an uncharacteristic necktie.

Okay.

Thank you so much, Council President.

Give our can we get our speakers and some of our guests come up here, please?

Thank you so much.

Well, it is an honor to be here today to recognize a really special moment for Los Angeles, for young people in our communities, and for the future of collegiate sports.

In CD 13 at El Centro del Pueblo, one of our amazing family source centers in our city, we are proud to have a youth boxing program that is a key part of the center's gang intervention work.

The folks on at this program are not just from CD 13, they come from many parts of the city of Los Angeles.

But this program was founded and is led by Daisy Garcia, a champion boxer and current law student, who has dedicated her life to helping develop young leaders through sports.

Through her work with El Centro del Pueblo, Coach Daisy has developed a generation of scholar athletes helping them use that training to go to college and on futures they never knew were possible before.

Earlier this year, the University of California partnered with Daisy and her program, and they hosted the first ever collegiate amateur boxing showcase.

At that event, uh USC and the World Boxing Council created a first ever WBC Collegiate Amateur Belt, bringing a level of recognition and respect to collegiate boxers that the sport has never seen before.

As you can see, this belt is right behind me, proudly displayed by our guests here today.

At that event, a USC freshman won the won the first ever uh inaugural belt.

Uh Gabriel couldn't be here today, but uh, you know, we sure recognize him for what he's done.

But that same event also awarded three boxing scholarships to students from our local communities.

A middle school student from Echo Park in CD 13, a high school student from Koreatown, but in District 13, and a community college student from Pico Union in CD1.

All three of these scholarship recipients have been a part of the Gang Intervention Program program at El Centro del Pueblo.

And if you ever been to El Centro del Pueblo, many of you know Sandra Figueroa, the executive director.

You know that when you go there, you are feeling you feel loved, you feel a sense of community.

Uh all the events that do there are community-based and it's just really wonderful.

But those kind of programs at El Centro del Pueblo they put together with the boxing team and the Pico Union Boxing Club, both led by the incredible Daisy Garcia here with us today, transformed the lives of countless young people in our communities.

Sports gives people an outlet, it builds confidence, it teaches teaches discipline, and they create community.

And most importantly, they give young people something to believe in, both in themselves and in the future.

And none of that happens by accident.

It takes community leaders, coaches, mentors, and organizations who choose every single day to invest in young people and stand right beside them.

So I'd love to introduce one of those leaders.

He's the head coach of the boxing program at USC and assistant dean of workforce development at the USC School of Social Work, known in this known in the boxing community as El Profe, which means a professor.

Please give it up to Professor Omar Lopez.

Buenos días a todos y todas.

First, I want to thank Councilman, Council, Member Hugo Soso Martinez in the City of Los Angeles for this recognition and for creating space to celebrate community partnerships through sport, education, and service.

It is an honor to be here today, representing USC Children's Boxing Club.

I'm here with the president of the club, and uh and making the Iliad LA possible through collaborative efforts with others that will speak later.

The president of the club, Parker Chang, joins me as I make these remarks.

It is worth noting that Parker is a recent USC uh graduate that completed a bachelor's and a master's degree in December while earning a national championship this past month through an impressive uh run as he was the last seed of the tournament.

As head coach of the Toyota Boxing Club, as a social worker and educator at USC, I have the privilege of working with student athletes every day who are learning far more than to box.

They're learning discipline, they're learning accountability, they are learning emotional intelligence, leadership, and how to persevere through adversity.

Most importantly, they are learning the importance of community, which is what Coach Stacy does.

At USC, we talk about developing scholar boxers, students who pursue excellence not only inside the ring, but also in the classroom and out in the community.

Boxing has a unique ability to transform lives because it demands honesty, humility, courage, and self-reflection.

And that is why the alien in LA means so much to us.

This event was more than competition.

It is about building bridges between universities, communities, and generations through amateur boxing.

It is about showing that boxing can be a positive force for youth development, education, and opportunity here in Los Angeles.

I also want to acknowledge the people and organizations who continue uh helping us elevate this vision.

I want to recognize Coach Daisy from Pico Union Boxing in the Centro del Pueblo.

Coach Daisy represents the heart of grassroots boxing here in Los Angeles.

Mentorship, community, and opportunity for young people who need the most.

We are proud, proud to stand alongside her and the incredible work being done.

A special thank you to Nancy Rodriguez here behind me in the World Boxing Council for believing in collegiate amateur boxing and supporting pathways for young athletes to grow both academically and athletically.

Your partnership has helped give legitimacy and visibility in the movement.

In particular, I want to express my eternal gratitude for awarding the Niagara WBC amateur collegiate belt to Gabriel Ponce, who unfortunately could not join us, who's a USC freshman majoring in aeronautical engineer and Australia student who embodies the essence of what we strive to cultivate at USC intellectual rigor, athletic discipline, humility, and service.

As a proud Latino, who comes from humble beginnings, he stands as a powerful role model for a community.

Prove the opportunity, preparation, and perseverance can converge to create something extraordinary.

He represents this color boxer, ideals of the Torget Boxing Club.

Excellence in mind, body, and character.

Los Angeles is one of the great sports cities in the world with the Olympics approaching.

Thank you.

Yep.

And global sporting events continue to shine spotlight in our city.

We believe amateur boxing deserves to be part of the future, especially boxing that develops character, leadership, and community responsibility.

To our student athletes, coaches, families and supporters, thank you for believing in this vision.

And to the city of Los Angeles, thank you for recognizing the positive impact the boxing and education can create together.

Muchas gracias.

Thank you so much, Profe.

Now it is my pleasure to introduce a non national boxing hall of famer, a proud WWC CARES ambassador, founder of Supreme Boxing, and Senior Executive Director of Public Relations and Sports for the WBC, Nancy Rodriguez.

Good morning, everyone.

I really am the type of person that I want to speak for my heart, but I don't want to miss anything.

So I'm gonna read.

First of all, I would like to thank Councilmember Hugo Soto Martinez and the city of Los Angeles for this incredible recognition and for believing in the power of boxing, education, and community.

It is truly an honor to stand here today alongside amazing people who continue to create opportunities for our youth through the sport we all love.

I especially want to thank Coach Daisy Garcia and Coach Omar for their leadership, dedication, and for always putting the community first.

The work being done at the grassroots level is changing lives every single day.

I also want to acknowledge and thank the president of the World Boxing Council, Mauricio Suleiman, whose support for collegiate amateur boxing means so much to all of us.

The WBC believes in creating opportunities for young athletes, not only inside the ring, but outside of it as well, through education, mentorship, and hope.

This is only the first step, but I truly believe together we can build something historic.

I believe one day we will see amateur boxers earning scholarships to universities and being recognized not only as athletes but as students, leaders, and role models in our communities.

As a mother, as someone who has dedicated many years to boxing, 16 years, as someone who deeply believes in helping others, this movement is very close to my heart.

We have all heard the phrase boxing saves lives, and it truly does.

It saved my life.

But with education and opportunity, boxing also gives our youth hope, hope for a future, hope to pursue their dreams, hope to build careers, receive an education, and become the next generation of leaders.

That is the future we are fighting for together.

This belt is green and gold.

The green means hope.

The gold means glory.

Hope and glory is globally known around the world.

But LA, LA, we are hope and glory.

Our parents went through it.

We went through the struggles.

So now together we can fight for amateur boxers to not only fight their way to for their dreams, but let them get an education too.

So when they sign that contract, they know what they're signing.

Because boxing may be broken, but we can fix it through education.

Let's educate our amateur boxers.

Muchas gracias, Nancy.

And finally, I want to introduce someone who has changed the lives of young people across Pico Union and Westlake through her leadership, mentorship, commitment to her community.

We know her through our Family Source Center in El Centro del Pueblo in Echo Park.

She is the youth programs director at El Centro del Pueblo, the founder and coach of El Centro's Boxing Club, a proud Pico Union native and a brand new mom.

Please give it up for Daisy Garcia.

Hi everybody, it's a privilege to be here today.

I'm so grateful to be here alongside my students.

Standing here in the city of Los Angeles, City Council means more to me than I can put into words.

Growing up in Los Angeles can mean many different things for inner city kids like myself and my students that are right here behind me.

Some of it's beautiful, some of it's painful, but through all of it, there's always a sense of hope.

That hope is what drives my mission and the gang intervention programs that I run across Los Angeles every single day.

Youth from every part of LA, whether it's Lincoln Heights, Pico Union, Echo Park, or South Central, deserve to be uplifted, encouraged, and believed in.

Because growing up in the city of Angels means something.

Champions were made on these streets.

Dreamers were raised in these neighborhoods.

And now with the Olympics coming to our own backyard, the world will once again see the greatness that comes out of Los Angeles.

Because let's be honest, there's not gonna be a better boxer than a kid growing up in LA.

So today, the city will also learn how Los Angeles helped create the very first World Boxing Council collegiate boxing belt, a symbol of discipline, education, and opportunity for young people who are fighting for a better future.

It is with great pride that I also recognize this year's boxers of the year.

Emilio Hernandez, Elijah Rivera, and Candy Pineda that are standing here.

Everybody, please give them a big hand.

These are students that never thought that they would become a boxer, but they prove themselves wrong every single day.

They come from neighborhoods that people you know don't believe in, and they are proud to say that there's not only are they boxing out of their neighborhood, but they make sure they invite their neighbors to come and join too.

I also am really proud to present uh today's collegiate boxing scholarship recipient, Elvin Koch.

Elvin is a first-generation USC student, a heavyweight with the Trojan Boxing Club, and one of the most impactful mentors at the Centro de Pueblo Boxing Gym.

He's an example of what we call a collegiate boxer, a scholar boxer.

He comes and trains alongside our youth in Los Angeles, he goes to school full time, and he trains and competes for the USC Boxing Club.

So I want to leave you guys with us today.

I want to dedicate today's ceremony to every young person in Los Angeles who wakes up every day and fights for themselves, for their family, and for their future.

We believe in you, and our gym is always open for you.

And like my student Elijah always says life isn't always just about offense.

There's defense in it too.

Thank you.

Um, hello, uh, my name is Elvin Coke.

Uh I am a current um student at the University of Southern California.

Um I come from South Central Los Angeles.

Uh, the streets that saw me grow up.

And I just want to like thank the city for giving us this opportunity to speak about our unique story.

And I want to thank the people behind me, Coach Daisy, Nancy, Coach Omar.

I'm sorry, it's a bit it's a bit harder in getting in the ring.

Um, yeah, so I just want to say thank you, and I just want to highlight how this has been a positive influence in my story.

Um growing up, I wish that I would have had it like the youth center, like the one Coach Daisy provides and a mentor like her.

I would have probably fast-tracked my career into USC a bit faster.

But you know, everything happens for a reason, and at the end of the day, we're just here to share our collective stories and foster um a better community for the next generation.

Um thank you.

Thank you so much, Elvin.

Thanks, everyone.

You know, these are the folks that we often don't think about in this building.

Um, they should never be left behind, and this is an incredible program that we're creating to give folks an opportunity and an outlet to grow in their leadership.

Thank you, Mr.

Soto Martinez.

You have, as you might imagine, a few members on the queue, beginning with uh Councilmember Jurado.

Thank you, Councilmember Soto Martinez, uh for bringing this uh to the forefront and to council Coach Daisy Felicidades.

I'm so happy to see you honored here.

You taught me about the legacy, the long deep history of the East Side and the boxing history, which is so rich.

Uh congratulations on your baby.

I just gotta tell you about Coach Daisy.

You know, this boxing program is like gang diversion intervention, but for other communities, you just call it an extracurricular activity.

But for her, it's so mission-oriented.

I met her doing work in Lincoln Heights.

She's a budding lawyer, she does social impact work, but really the most meaningful moment when we met Daisy, Coach Daisy, is when we helped one of her students.

They were criminally impacted.

Oh, there's no baby.

Oh, I can see on the east side, everybody.

Anyways, sorry.

Anyways, I just wanted to say we went to the courthouse, this kid had a public defender.

She went there to testify that you know, for his character, asked me to come along as an attorney to show that this program was something that was keeping them occupied, that they were staying focused, that they were working towards a scholarship and college readiness, and that's the kind of work that you're doing, showing them through boxing that there's something more to life and keeping our communities and our kids safe.

And so that's what this program really means that she's showing up and making sure that our folks are safe and having families and staying in the communities that raise us and being success stories.

So thank you, thank you, thank you, Coach Daisy.

Congratulations to all your students, and thank you, Councilmember Soto Martinez, for highlighting this work and the east side and our history of boxing here in LA.

Thank you so much.

Councilmember Padilla.

Let me start off by the traditional um Councilmember Martinez, thank you for bringing this presentation.

I really like it.

For the record, you look great in a tie.

Um, more often.

But anyways, um, you know, I want to speak to the youth.

Congratulations.

This is a big deal.

The fact that you get to now brag about it and winning in such a high-level um competition.

Um, it really to me, the fact that you've done something uh productive with yourself means that you're taking your youth seriously, valuing your young age.

Um, and when you do that, we know for a fact that you are going to be the future leaders of our community.

So know that you are you're not just a future leader, you're technically already leading because your classmates, your cousins, your friends, your neighbors are seeing you doing something that's important, and I applaud you for that.

Keep up that spirit and keep loving yourself enough to be able to continue to stay involved and thinking about your future because it's very important.

Um, to the coaches, to the staff of El Pueblo, you know, uh, that's what it is.

Right at Centro del Pueblo del Centro, right by our office, right?

Beautiful facility, uh, a great place for the entire Echo Park community, familiar with the work.

Uh, thank you uh for having these sorts of programs, for having these opportunities for our community.

I could really sense the intergenerational um echo park pride.

Um, as soon as I walked in here, um, with you guys being here, and I love that.

Really working to, you know, uh make sure Echo Park takes care of itself because to me that that's important.

So uh thank you to all of that staff that's helping bring these programs so that they have something to do.

Um, because we know that when you run a nonprofit, you are constantly thinking outside the box and trying to figure out how to fund those things that you know the community wants, needs, and thrives from.

So thank you for that to you guys, and then to the parents, you know, congratulations to you too.

Um, because you know, we know we want the best for our parents for our kids, but unless we're actively finding out what's out there, um, what are you gonna do?

So thank you for caring enough to take them to the to the program, um, taking them to the to the uh, you know, to the challenges, to the competitions and whatnot.

So, holistically, I'm very happy for all of you.

Congratulations, a big deal.

Um, this is a big Kodak moment.

Enjoy it, and may you have more uh amazing things happen.

But as young people I always like to say, um, don't forget that you are the generation that gets two free years of community college, take advantage of that, keep reading, keep asking questions, get mentors, and remember this is your uh city hall, you can always come back.

Thank you.

Councilmember Rodriguez.

Thank you, Mr.

Zoto Martinez, for this great presentation, and the legacy of what El Centro de Pueblo does continues.

It's an incredible example of all of the different programming that it provides and has provided the community for generations, and so I just want to congratulate you.

In Pacoima, we also have a boxing program, and it is so well revered.

Uh, we had uh Rafael Ruelas there uh one year with us to celebrate the incredible contributions that members of our community just grow up and could and continue to give back in this way.

It's so important because what young people are learning in that ring and in this space is the grit and the ability to continue to persevere in amidst some of the greatest challenges that they may face.

The level of discipline that is required and the tenacity to keep going, even when you're tired, to just get up and keep fighting back.

That is the lesson of what's brought here in this type of programming.

So I just want to commend you all for your contributions, for your dedication to do this work, to get into that space.

It's tough, and especially as women to be able to continue to do that.

It's phenomenal.

We are the moms, we are the sisters, we are the TIAs that continue to show leadership in these spaces, and so congratulations to you and to the next generation in your arms.

Um want to congratulate you all.

Thank you so much for being here.

And I want to join the course in thanking uh the council member for bringing this uh great presentation and lifting up this organization and your work and letting us see the faces of the champions that are sort of the heart of that area.

That's such an important part of our city, you know, bounded by Echo Park Lake and Angeles Temple and the Echoplex and right in the heart of it.

The energy, the the the heartbeat is El Central.

And so I um so grateful to see you all and to see your faces.

Uh, because yesterday, you all probably weren't, and you shouldn't have been paying much attention to this, but we passed a budget yesterday.

And in the budget, we help support programs like yours.

And a lot of times it just seems like nameless, faceless activities that don't affect anybody, and you're here to bear witness to those investments that the people of Los Angeles make in you, and so uh thank you for that.

And all my only ask is don't forget it, uh, because when you're old enough to vote, you got to remember that the city needs to keep investing in programs like yours and investing most importantly in the youth and the families of our city.

Thank you so much, Councilmember Soda Martinez.

Thank you so much for all your comments, colleagues.

Thanks for uh our incredible guests, and without further ado, it's my honor to give this certificate, recognizing all the incredible work that comes out of El Centro de Pueblo.

Squeezing, we can't lose.

And Mr.

President, if the council would like, the council may vote on item number nine.

All right, let's open the roll of that item, close the roll.

Tabulate to vote.

Thirteen eyes.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

All right.

All right.

Now we want to yield the floor to council members Rodriguez and Park for our next exciting presentation.

All right.

There she is.

All right.

Thank you, Council President, and to everyone here in uniform this morning.

Thank you for your service to our country.

We are incredibly grateful for your sacrifice, your discipline, and your willingness to serve something greater than yourselves.

I am incredibly proud this morning to get to join Councilwoman Rodriguez and the entire Fleet Week team as we welcome Fleet Week back to LA.

I'm also really honored to get to stand in for Councilmember McCosker, whose district hosts this incredible event at the waterfront.

As chair of Trade Travel and Tourism, I see Fleet Week as a lot more than just a celebration.

It's actually a great example of LA at its best.

It brings together patriotism, community, tourism, small businesses, our waterfront, and families from every corner of Los Angeles and beyond.

And frankly, there's really just nothing else quite like it.

If you've never been to Fleet Week, or if you haven't been recently, you should definitely make the time and check it out.

The ship tours, the culinary wars, the demos and the flyovers, and oh my gosh, the food at the waterfront.

Come hungry and definitely overdo it.

And by the way, I have to give it up to the one five.

The waterfront is absolutely one of the most beautiful waterfronts in all of America.

And it's free and open to the public.

This year's fleet week comes as our nation approaches the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

That milestone reminds us that freedom isn't automatic.

It is something that is protected every day by these men and women in uniform.

More than two hundred and fifty thousand visitors are expected to participate in Fleet Week events across LA over Memorial Day weekend, and thousands of visiting service members get to explore everything that LA has to offer.

We are excited to see and feel the energy in our local neighborhoods, our restaurants, our hotels, and our local businesses.

Another thing that makes Fleet Week really special is that it's not just confined to one location.

You'll see service projects in our neighborhoods, leadership projects for students, veteran resources, public performances, community activations, and partnerships that strengthen the bond between the men and women of the military and the communities that they serve.

This event also helps prepare LA for the future.

Through the leadership summit at Altisi, public safety leaders, military officials, emergency responders, and civic organizations are already working together on crisis preparedness and coordination ahead of major global events coming to Los Angeles, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2027 Super Bowl, and of course the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Fleet Week reminds us that LA is not just a worldwide city, it's also a military city.

So to everyone who helped organize this incredible week, thank you.

And to our service members who are here today, welcome.

We are honored to have you here.

And with that, I'd like to turn it over to my colleague and friends, Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez.

Thank you so much, Councilmember Park, and it is quite an honor to be joining you this morning in collaboration on this presentation.

Because I gotta be honest, I'm always a little jelly of the one five for this presentation.

And as Jonathan knows, as uh, you know, I'm the daughter of a Marine.

Ooh, and it's really important as the daughter of a Marine to continue to uh make sure that members of my community get the recognition that they deserve for their contributions in service.

And so what has been especially uh unique in this role is that I made a lot of trips down to the one five to convince Jonathan to help me out and make sure that we had a Fleet Week connection in the San Fernando Valley, and I'm proud that on Sunday we will be having the uh Marine Band, the Third Wing Marine Band come into the Northeast San Fernando Valley for our now third annual tradition.

And it's special because we get an opportunity to say thank you to each of the servicemen and women for the sacrifice and contributions that they make to securing this nation each and every day.

But more importantly, we get to bring cause for members of our community that so often the veterans that so often aren't connected to the resources and the services that they're entitled to as a result of their service.

We get an opportunity to bring everybody together, say thank you, and bring remembrance to those that made the ultimate sacrifice.

Because as we know, all gave some, but some gave all.

And that's what this weekend is also about, in addition to the incredible preparations that they work with our public safety partners to make sure that we are all prepared for God forbid a catastrophic event that might require us to really be bring together, come together as various parts of law enforcement, public safety, and first responders to help to continue to protect the shores of our nation and of course here in the city of Los Angeles and in at the port.

And so I'm just really grateful to be part of this celebration this year and each and every year, and invite everybody to come out this weekend on Sunday from 11 to 2 at Brand Park, where we will continue to honor this tradition, bring a little piece of the 1-5 up to the Northeast San Fernando Valley, but more importantly, to be able to celebrate the incredible contributions that our servicemen and women make to protecting us and to uh making sure that the freedoms that we enjoy are something that we continue to have in this country that we will celebrate again 250 years that we're embarking upon the celebration of the struggles of what we still hope to achieve in freedoms that this country represents, but we continue to fight for, and that's what's so special about all of you being here today.

We welcome you to the city of Los Angeles.

We thank you for the sacrifice of your service, but more importantly, we thank you uh for your incredible dedication to preserving everything that this country represents for more for approaching now two hundred and fifty years.

God bless you all and thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

And now we have a very special performance brought to us by Matthew Gordon and the Navy Southwest Band.

Okay.

Can everyone hear me?

Good morning, City Council, ladies and gentlemen.

On behalf of Rear Admiral Rich Jarrett and Navy Region Southwest, we are Navy Band Southwest.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for having us here.

We're here in LA Fleet Week for to uh essentially connect with communities across this beautiful city of yours.

And we love bringing music and the navy to cities around not only the Southwest region, but also the globe.

We thank you so much for having us here today.

We hope you enjoyed this last election.

Thank you so much for the performance.

It's always so great to get to see you and hear you perform, and it's always wonderful when we get to see them out in the community here across Los Angeles doing their community service projects.

Councilwoman, you know, you mentioned some of the things that they're doing out in the San Fernando Valley.

We've been so incredibly honored to have your partnership on the West Side.

We've done beach cleanups and planted trees.

And of course, none of that would be possible, and Fleet Week wouldn't be possible if it weren't for the great partnership between our city and Fleet Week coordinators.

So to share a few remarks, I would like to call up Commissioner Yolanda De La Torre from the Harbor Commission.

Come on up.

Good morning.

Thank you, Councilmember Tracy Park, for this opportunity to join you along with our executive director, Jean Soroka, and fellow Commissioner Lee Williams.

As we recognize the return of LA Fleet Week to the Port of Los Angeles for the 10th year, I'd like to acknowledge Councilmember Tim McCosker for his support in helping make LA Fleet Week such a meaningful event for our harbor communities in the entire city of Los Angeles.

While he is away this week, his commitment to the LA waterfront and to the success of Fleet Week continues to be deeply appreciated.

Each Memorial Day weekend, LA Fleet Week gives Angelinos an opportunity to come together in recognition of the women and men who serve our nation in uniform.

It is both a celebration and a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by members of our armed forces, especially those who gave their lives in service to our country.

The Port of Los Angeles and the United States Navy share a long, proud history that stretches back more than a century.

Our waterfront has long played an important role in supporting both commerce and national security.

And that connection remains strong today.

As a harbor commissioner and as someone who proudly calls Wilmington home, I am specially excited to welcome members of our USC services to our communities this week.

Tonight's Wilmington's welcome reception at the historic Banning Museum will be a wonderful opportunity for residents to personally thank these service members for their dedication and sacrifice.

One of the things that makes LA Fleet Week so special is the way it brings people together, whether it's touring active duty ships on the LA waterfront, visiting military exhibits, attending neighborhood activations across the region, or simply meeting members of our nation's armed forces face to face.

These experiences help strengthen the bond between our military and the communities they serve.

I encourage Angelinos from across the city and throughout Southern California to come down to the LA Waterfront this weekend and take part in the many activities and events planned throughout Fleet Week.

All the details are available at LA Fleetweek.com.

Most importantly, let us take this Memorial Day weekend to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation and to thank all the military personnel and families who continue to serve our country with courage and distinction.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Commissioner, and now our emergency management department director, Carol Parks.

Good morning.

Thank you to all of our city council members, to Commissioner Delatory and Williams, to Admiral Jarrett, Jonathan Williams, Jean Soroka, and others who are here representing the Pacific Battleship Center and our military partners most importantly.

I bring you greetings from the city's emergency management department.

It has truly been a privilege and honor, first as a EMD division chief and now as general manager, to take part every year in LA Fleet Week for the last 10 years.

Once again, this year, as a preamble to Fleet Week, for those who prepare the city for disasters, we've held a defense support of civil authorities or Disca exercise series and a senior leadership summit.

These events allow us to rehearse, collaborating with our military and civilian partners, as well as our private sector partners who always support us during these heroin times.

And what times these are that we seem to face more and more.

From natural disasters to large-scale emergencies each week or each year, and also gearing up for our world stage events.

It's making the experience and the wisdom sharing of this week even more valuable every year.

So this week offers unique opportunities for face-to-face collaborations, better understanding of available resources and ways to identify solutions well before disasters happens.

This definitely ensures the readiness of our emergency operations centers, and it also establishes great relationships that are truly invaluable.

So during these exercises, and it's most befitting that these days are very important to us right as we observe Memorial Day, remembering those lives who sacrificed in defense of our nation's ideals.

And then our great nation's 250th anniversary.

It's always appropriate to partner, and we will continue partnering with our brave men and women here this week on a mutual mission.

That mission is a more prepared and resilient Los Angeles.

Thank you so very much.

And on behalf of the Emergency Management Department, thank you for the continued partnership.

Thank you so much, Carol.

Now it is my pleasure to introduce Mr.

Jonathan Williams, president and CEO of the Pacific Battleship Center.

Come on up.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

You know, I you everybody here has covered almost everything.

But you know, it really is Los Angeles' Fleet Week.

And that's what we look at is this is the community's fleet week.

There's over 150 different events that exist up to the valley, all the way out to Anaheim.

You'll see our sailors, marines, coast guards, even Army that are out and about in the community giving back, participating in relationship building, going to Dodgers Games, go into Disneyland, go into activities throughout the community of Santa Monica, in supporting our community.

So it's not just about the festival on the waterfront, which being at the Battleship Iowa, I love to see the festival on the waterfront because the waterfront is absolutely beautiful, and it's gorgeous, and thanks to the Port of Los Angeles and the investment that the port has made.

It is just an amazing place, and it's our one time, one of the times of the year to highlight that significant investment and how great San Pedro and the LA waterfront is.

So thank you to the Los Angeles community.

Everybody across the city, please go out and connect with our military, meet the men and women that served.

I never served.

I've spent 26 years, and these are my friends, and uh hopefully you get an opportunity to work side by side with them.

Thank you.

Jonathan, thank you so much for your service.

And now it is a real pleasure and privilege to get to introduce Rear Admiral Rich Jarrett, Commander, Navy Region Southwest.

Come on up, Commander Jarrett.

Good morning.

On behalf of the United States Navy and the U.S.

Third Fleet, our acting commander, Admiral Rich Meyer, I want to extend thank you to the City of Los Angeles, Mayor Bass, her esteemed colleagues on this City Council, the Port of Los Angeles, the Pacific Battleship Center, communities throughout Los Angeles, including neighborhoods like San Pedro and Wilmington, for welcoming our Navy into port for Fleet Week LA.

Los Angeles and United States Navy share a storied history.

In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt sent his great white fleet into the port of San Pedro and established the Pacific Battle Fleet in Los Angeles.

Over the many years, sailors have called this home.

Ships have sailed in and out of port.

And today, the port of Los Angeles, being the largest shipping container port in the Western Hemisphere, is protected by the United States Navy across the globe, defending the seas and protecting the commerce that extends from this port around the world.

Thank you for that.

Yes.

Captain Everett has brought our Iron Gator, USS Essex and its 1,200 plus sailors and marines into the port.

The brow is down.

It is open and welcome for visitors.

We invite everyone from the city of Los Angeles to come aboard to see your ship.

Come and see your sailors and marines, come and see your Coast Guardsmen, many of whom are the sons and daughters of Angelinos.

And they are here in a homecoming visit to come back and show pride in the work they do on behalf of the United States Navy.

I'd like to extend again my thank you for the great friendship.

We're in a celebratory year, 250 years of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, 250 years of the United States of America, and not for nothing, the 10th year of Fleet Week LA.

Thanks again for the great hospitality.

We look forward to having you aboard the ship, and we look forward to seeing you out and about in the community.

Thank you so much.

And to you and to all of the men and women in uniform again, thank you for your service.

So, Councilwoman, with that.

I don't see it.

If you would um like to help me do the honors, we have this incredible um resolution that we'd like to present on behalf of the city of Los Angeles as we celebrate Fleet Week 2026.

Also want to say another thank you to Captain John Barrientos, Commander Amphibious Squadron 5, Captain Russell Everett, Commanding Officer, USS Exis, Essex, Colonel Jason Armas, Commanding Officer, Marine, First Marine Regiment, Commander Robert Pointinger, Commanding Officer, Coast Base LA Long Beach, and Commander Zach Franklin, Commanding Officer Navy recruiting.

So to all of you, thank you so much.

And on behalf of a very grateful and proud city of Los Angeles, congratulations.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you so much for that great presentations.

We're gonna go from Fleet Week to River Walkers and Watchers, led by Councilmember Bob Blumenfield.

Thank you.

All right, let's bring everybody over here.

Slight change pace.

Was great uh seeing the fleet week.

Let's start with a little trivia for you all.

Everyone here knows uh the LA River, right?

51 mile linear park, amazing vision, uh, proud to have been part of the original visioning 25 years ago.

Um but a little bit of trivia.

Do you know where the river starts?

anybody?

I know I'm talking to myself up here.

It's rhetorical.

It starts in the West San Fernando Valley.

Uh it starts in Canoga Park, uh, and it is the headwaters of the river that all of these folks behind me are intimately involved with.

All the way from the LA River, I am thrilled to welcome with us today the LA River Walkers and Watchers.

And kudos to all of you.

These folks took public transportation to get here today, all the way from the West Valley, which, as we know, is no easy feat.

Uh, this incredible group of people volunteer their time and energy to preserve the LA River bike path as a safe, clean, and welcoming community resource for everyone to enjoy.

What makes this group of people uh so powerful is that this started at the grassroots level.

Neighbors coming together because they cared deeply about their community, and they refused to accept neglect as the status quo.

As you all know, the river was imagined to be this incredible amenity that starts in the headwaters in the valley 51 miles, goes all the way through downtown, all the way to the ocean.

But unfortunately, uh, in many parts of the river and in the West Valley, it had become a bit of an albatross as opposed to an amenity in many respects because of crime and drug use and a lot of uh other problems.

So back in 2015, more than 30 concerned residents gathered in Rosita to share concerns about all these issues, about the increased dumping, about the deteriorating conditions, the lack of oversight along the bike path.

And I should say, along the bike path, uh, and the river path over there, you can sometimes have five different agencies with jurisdictions.

It's insane.

There's one corner where you walk around and you've got you've got the city of LA, you've got the county of LA, you've got the flood control district, you've got the Army Corps of Engineers, you've got Metro, and you've got Caltrans.

Imagine trying to navigate all that and get somebody to solve a problem when there's so many different organizations.

So I was proud to uh walk the path with them, to clean up trash with them, to listen to them, uh, and be committed to improving the conditions along the headwaters.

And what began as a neighborhood conversation has grown into a movement of environmental stewardship.

To help with all these dizzying jurisdictions, I thought about it and talked to them and and turned back to an organization that I had worked for for several years, an organization called the Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority.

And they are a joint powers organization, so they are used to dealing with multiple jurisdictions and trying to figure it out.

And they have rangers who are not only naturalists, but rangers who uh have police power.

And so they seemed like the perfect partner to help with this morass of jurisdictions and all of these problems along the river and having a community that was there and dedicated to seeing something change.

So we worked with the MRCA, uh, was fortunate that I had a good relationship with them for many years, and we forged a partnership and a contract.

And we got them, the rangers to partner with the LA River uh watchers and walkers, and for the rangers to be officially patrolling the LA River to keep it clean and protect the ecosystem.

And that partnership has made a real difference.

Since the MRCA began working its work in 2020, we've seen stronger coordination, increased ranger presence, improved maintenance, expanded cleanup efforts, and a renewed focus on making the river accessible and safe for families, cyclists, walkers, and neighbors.

It has basically helped transform the headwaters of the river back into the amenity that it was meant to be.

I also want to recognize the collaboration with the Los Angeles Conservation Corps that are standing here as well, and all the volunteers who show up month after month, rain or shine, to clean the bike path, report hazards, remove trash, and advocate for responsible stewardship of this very important public space.

You know, the river used to be drainage, people would turn their backs on it.

And in you most of the buildings, it's the backside of the building.

But this is the idea of transforming it to making it the part of the the part of the community, people put their fronts toward that they're proud of.

And this is a river that runs through uh some underserved communities, and it is a river, it is it is meant to be a park in what is a park poor area.

So the work I want to remind us that revitalizing the Los Angeles River isn't just about the infrastructure and the path itself.

It's about building healthier neighborhoods, restoring habitat, creating recreational opportunities, and reconnecting Angelinos to one of our city's most important natural resources.

So please join me in thanking the LA River walkers and watchers for their years of dedication, advocacy, and service to our neighborhoods and to the future of Los Angeles.

So now it's my pleasure to introduce one of the uh we're gonna introduce two of the organization's founders, uh Evan Elvelin Alemon and Bob Akery.

We're gonna start with Bob to say a few words, uh, and then we'll we'll have some other speakers as well.

Bob, come on up for you.

Yeah, good morning.

Um, this started out.

People often ask me, how did you start this?

And I tell them 45 years ago I bought a piece of property which joined back up against the river, and it was great at night.

I could hear all the crickets and the frogs, and I thought, man, this is really nice.

And then the bike path came in.

And I looked over my fence instead of hearing crickets and frogs, I saw every kind of drug.

We had chop shop, bike places.

It was a place where they would clean the weed, distribute it, and I thought, hell no, this shit can't be happening in my backyard.

So I got a hold of one of my neighbors, Sandra, who is Andre as I am, and we got out there with bags, hands, gloves picking up, and uh, then all of a sudden, coming off from Rosita, we ran into this young lady, who was committed to do the same thing.

And uh we soon realized this is bigger than we are, man.

And uh we started looking, all this money is put into this, but yet all the neighbors are scared to use it.

I mean, anybody would be scared back there.

Contacted police, they wouldn't go down there because if they did go down there and they got a call, the response time would be so bad they would get out, so we decided you know what we got to get a hold of Bob Blumenfield here.

So we we talked to him, and he supplied us with this and grabbers and bags and paint, the graffiti, and uh he came out on a walk with us, and I think he was shocked that we was back there.

So um, we started cleaning up, and even though we were cleaning up, there was still a security thing that we you know, we just didn't have any security.

So, like he said, he brought the rangers in, and uh, without that, I don't think we would be where we're at.

We got somebody that's watching us, and uh they come out all the time, and uh it's a better place, and the good thing about it, we see older people older people, I'm on older people, but we see older people walking there, and it's safe now.

And uh I just want to say thank you to Bob and I'm gonna miss you, man.

Thanks.

Next we'll have Evelyn Elman.

So I'm gonna speak a little bit about our group, who we are, and um, I'm gonna tell you our group of neighbors met on the bike path, just like Bob Akry.

We all came from different perspectives, but we agreed on one thing that we needed to take care of and steward our public resource in our own backyard, which was the LA River.

So we met in 2015.

We all shared the common frustration about an increasing blighted area challenged by trash, overgrowth, brush, drugs, crime, and encampments.

We reached out to council member Bob Blumenfield, who partnered with us right away to find solutions to the existing challenges we faced.

We also partnered with our LAPD senior lead officers, first Barbara Ampara and later Boca Negra and Fuentes, with help from former CD3 District Director Michael Owens.

We met with city departments, later county departments, as well as the state to engage them in our work to clean and clear the upper LA River bike path.

We held tours with city leadership, zooms with local and state electeds, and media interviews to raise awareness.

The council member brought the MRCA, LA Conservation Corps, Lhasa, and Policy to support the effort.

Later, the Roseda and Winnetka Neighborhood Councils joined, as well as the Chamber of Commerce, Community Benefit Foundation, Resita Charter High School, and J R O T C who are here with us today, and as always, our amazing neighbors.

It's been 11 years going on, 12 years, since our first meeting, and thanks to this community local government collaboration, we have a beautiful bike path we feel proud of.

Well, the work to restore the bike path to beauty and safety started with our community.

We couldn't have done this without the help of our partners at the city.

Today we're here to say thank you to the community that is the LA River walkers and watchers, and you're looking at all of it here, and to especially thank Councilmember Bob Blumenfield and his team for listening, engaging, and partnering with us.

Thank you, Councilmember.

The communities along the upper LA River are grateful for your support.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you, Evelyn.

Not just for those kind words, but for all the effort that all of you put in all the time volunteering your efforts.

Uh, and I mentioned that you know this this happened because we forged this partnership with the with my former organization, MRCA.

Uh so I want to bring up uh Chief James Latham from the MRCA to say a few words.

Chief.

Good morning, Mr.

President, Council members, and the public.

Uh, as the chief, as the deputy chief ranger for MRCA, I'm here to express our gratitude to Councilmember Bloomenfield for bringing us on board this project and giving us an opportunity to serve along the Los Angeles River in Canoga Park, the city and beyond.

I'd also like to congratulate, thank, and celebrate our partners, uh Los Angeles River Walkers and Watchers.

Without them, our job would be much more difficult.

That organization should be a blueprint for all the communities within Los Angeles.

If you have concerns and you want to take action and make your city a better place, they've got the template to do that.

I'd also like to thank uh Los Angeles Conservation Corps and the JROTC and all of our partners.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

And that's a perfect transition to our next speaker for uh Carla Ramos of the LA Conservation Corps.

Carla.

Thank you, Councilman.

And Evelyn and Bob.

It's finally a pleasure to meet you.

I've heard so many great things about you.

First and foremost, I'm here on behalf of the LA Conservation Corps.

It's an honor to be here this morning and offer our support to the LA River walkers and watchers in recognition of their incredible dedication and hard work your team has shown.

All the volunteers.

I know it's not easy to wake up on a Saturday morning and go into work and to getting your hands dirty out in the river.

So thank you for that.

Over the years, our teams have recognized the importance of giving the LA River the attention and care and stewardship it deserves.

When Evelyn first reached out to us with the request to support with general cleanup efforts along the river and the support of the council member of Bloomfield, we were proud to step up and help in any way that we could.

Today, five years later, I know it's only been five years for us, but our partnership remains stronger than ever.

This collaboration is a true example of what we what can be accomplished when community members and organizations and volunteers come together with a shared purpose and uh commitment to service.

We are grateful for the opportunity to give back to our community.

And today, this is our 40th year anniversary, and we look forward to continuing this meaningful work together.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And uh before I present a certificate to the group here, I want to do some shout outs to some folks who are here as well.

We've got Robert Garcia, who's the senior naval and science instructor of Resida Navy uh JROTC, Reset of Charter High School.

Uh he's got some cadets with him.

We've got Joe Messias from the River Walker uh walkers, Sam McKetarian, Sandric Napton, Sierra O'Neal, Sylvia LaCroix, Carla Ramos, we'd already mentioned, Yvette Ramirez, uh, and Andros Hernandez, who are Corps members.

Uh, we've got certificates for all of you.

We're gonna do that in the back room so as not to take uh too much time here, but I do want to present.

And before you do the big uh the big reveal, uh Mr.

Bloomfield, I got a couple of speakers on the queue.

Uh beginning with Councilmember Padilla.

You know, I just wanted to um thank you, Councilmember Bloomfield for bringing this uh team here.

Um, you know, there's a lot of people that don't realize that the river goes into the valley, that we have its tributaries, and uh a lot goes on there, right?

Our constituents call us about it all the time, and I'd like how you emphasize that you deal with a jurisdictional fight just to even get started.

And I think it's important that we always elevate that because um sometimes we cannot accomplish it unless we incorporate that lens to begin with, anyways.

So um, thank you all for what you do.

We really appreciate it.

And uh, like they said, Bob, uh, they're gonna miss you, man.

Um, so whoever replaces you.

I hope you leave them like a memo saying you better make sure you're intergovernmental when it comes to the river, or else nothing gets done.

Thank you all for what you do.

Thank you so much.

Councilmember Rodriguez.

Well, well said, uh Ms.

Padilla.

Bob, this is uh really an important example about the role that a council office plays in their community.

It's wonderful, Carla, to see you here, Evelyn.

It's you know, the the multifaceted nature of what you've done to help activate and make sure that we are protecting a space that so often gets overlooked.

This is not something that we have the capacity to police, it's not something that you know it we know of the challenges that are often presented along the LA River.

We know this and its tributaries, but it's a reflection of how you have pulled together all the different parts, including the community, to help make sure that you are actively watching and monitoring that space to protect its vibrancy for everyone to be able to enjoy.

And so I want to commend, especially the members of the community that are so deeply woven into this process to be part of this as part of the walkers and watchers program.

It's just it's an example of how we all need to play an active role in maintaining public safety.

That's what this is all about.

The preservation and protection of the LA River, but no, not just the river, but our streets, our parks.

So much of this is based on our ability to remain active and keeping this these spaces for the community to be able to enjoy.

And of course, with MRCA, with the core, everybody plays a role in helping to be a part of maintaining and supporting that activity as well.

So I just want to commend you, Bob, because this is really one of the really critical roles that council offices have to make sure that we maintain public safety and that we engage the members of the community to be part of that solution as well.

This is not a oh, that's not my jurisdiction.

It's a it's all of our jurisdictions, and it's all of our responsibilities collectively to maintain these spaces for us to continue to enjoy to protect the environment.

But I I just want to say thank you for bringing that in for being the tip of the spear to help be part of with members of the community to find the uh the need to help, you know, bring it all together.

Of course, your history with MRCA and it played a deep role in that, which is a reminder of the multifaceted nature of what our job is.

It is not just policy maker, it is not just fill in a pothole, it is so much more than that.

It is seeing the need and filling the need, and I want to commend you all for your role in doing that.

Thank you for being here today.

Thank you.

Council Member Park.

Thank you, Council President, and thank you, Councilmember Blumenfeld, for bringing um this organization in.

And I just wanted to take a moment and personally say thank you as well as your friend and neighbor to the West.

The way we care for and treat our watershed upstream has very, very significant impacts on our overall ocean and coastal health.

And the amount of garbage and trash that you all have helped remove has really improved things.

So the work has direct impact, and as we continue recovering from the Palisades fire, where we've had such an infusion of the additional organic material into our water systems that lead to the algal blooms and the devastating impact on our dolphins and other wildlife.

It just really means a lot to see an activation upstream, really thinking about the holistic opportunity and reason why keeping our watershed clean and clear really is important work.

And as you all know, the Santa Monica Bay is the repository for all of the trash and garbage and pollutants that move through all of our rivers and creeks and storm drains upstream, and all of that is literally just deposited right onto the sand and out in the ocean, and it washes up on our beach, and you see the results of that.

And so thank you so much for what you are doing to maintain your parts of the city and recognize these environmental assets for what they are and for being such good stewards in a way that provides such impact.

So thank you.

Thank you truly.

Thank you so much, uh, Councilmember Park and uh all members of spoken.

Thank you, Mr.

Bloomfield for this uh presentation, which is an example that we can use all over the city.

Our public spaces only work if the public's involved, and if the public takes ownership of them and acts as a caretaker, as you've done.

That applies to our libraries, our schools, our roads, public safety, all of it.

And so thank you for the example you're setting for every Angelina.

Bob Blumenfield.

Thank you.

All right, let's give it up.

We've got a certificate here for the walkers.

I guess I said I'll have individuals for you in the back, but please accept this as a token of appreciation for the entire city.

We'll have to review it.

All right.

Next up, Councilwoman Heather Hutt of the Tenth District.

Hi, everybody.

In honor of Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Month, I have the privilege of bringing forth these outstanding Korean American men of industry, whose achievements and advancements across the arts, business, and community service have made our city better.

These five individuals are truly deserving of this recognition.

They could simply choose to be successful in their in their own fields, but what makes them extraordinary is that they share their gifts with our community and use them to benefit others.

First, I'm going to start off with Richard Choi, who is a legendary broadcast journalist whose voice became a lifeline during one of America's most difficult chapters during the nineteen ninety-two civil unrest.

Through twenty-four-hour news coverage on Radio Korea, Mr.

Choi ensured that Korean Americans' community remain informed and supported during a time of uncertainty.

Often referred to as Walter Cronkite of Korean American News, this distinguished 37-year career, his distinguished 37-year career has left its mark on media and journalism in Los Angeles.

Even in retirement, Mr.

Choi continues to invest in the future by mentoring the next generation of broadcast journalists right here in Koreatown and throughout our city.

Mr.

Choi.

And all members of the Los Angeles City Council.

I arrived in Los Angeles in 1974, 52 years ago, with nothing.

But hope and the belief that this city could become my home, and it did.

For thirty-seven years through Radio Korea, I devoted myself to sharing news and stories to help our Korean American community find its voice, its confidence, and its place in this country.

Standing here, I feel as though the American dream, my family and I quietly carried in our hearts, has finally come true.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next, I have John Ho Sung, whose decades of visionary leadership transformed the Korean Youth and Community Center into one of the most impactful nonprofit organizations in Southern California.

Since joining KYCC in 1985 and becoming executive Director in 1998, Mr.

Song has expanded critical services in youth development, mental health service, prevention, education, environmental services, permanent supportive housing, and financial literacy.

Under his leadership, KYCC has become a cornerstone institution that empowers people, creating opportunities for thousands of Angelinos each year.

John?

Thank you.

First, I want to thank the council member Heather Hart for this recognition and our continued support of our family, not family, community.

My family.

Okay, and I see our council member Heather Hart coming to KYCC to say hello to our clients, our youth and family members, every so often.

Thank you for that.

I also like to take this opportunity to recognize our wonderful staff at KYCC who make this work possible for a daily basis.

This recognition belongs to our staff, community partners, funders, and mostly families that we serve.

What began as a small organization back in 1975, helping Korean American youth has grown into a multicultural community-based organization serving all residents of Korea Town.

AAPI Heritage Month is not only a celebration of our culture and history, but also a reminder of the responsibility we have to continue to bring communities together.

On behalf of everyone at KYCC, thank you again for the recognition and your partnership in serving the people of Los Angeles.

Thank you.

So I always say this, I know I make you jealous, but Korea Town has the best food in the city of Los Angeles.

And so Yoho Kim is the president of the Korean American Food Industry Association, representing more than 1,200 Korean American restaurants across Southern California.

During the COVID 19 pandemic, when many small businesses faced unimaginable hardship, Mr.

Kim stepped forward as a tireless advocate for restaurant owners and workers.

He helped distribute essential resources and connected businesses with critical grants and support programs that help many survive one of the most challenging economic periods in recent history.

As both a longtime resident of CD 10 and a small business owner himself, Mr.

Kim understands firsthand the importance of community perseverance and economic opportunity.

Did you all understand what he said?

Um I needed notes for my little presentation, but he asked me to do the translation, so here he goes, folks.

And actually all the council members here.

He feels that we should give you an award.

So he's uh very thankful.

Um, and he made it sound.

He quickly said something about K food.

He is the president or former president of the Korean American Restaurants Association, and he is asking all of you to be very healthy and eat a lot of Korean food.

He didn't say it, but he told me to tell you to come to Arado his own restaurant.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you, thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

See, I told you.

Okay, next I have Joe Kim.

He's highly respected civil rights attorney and president of KW Lee Center of Leadership.

Through his work, he's champion youth empowerment, civic engagement, and leadership development for underserved communities across Los Angeles.

His work reflects a deep commitment to justice, equity, and to service.

As another longtime resident of CD10, Mr.

Kim continues to inspire youth leaders to become active change makers in their communities and advocates for a more inclusive future for all who call this place home.

Mr.

Kim.

Good morning, everybody.

Uh I have been at Arado restaurant myself many times, and it is definitely a place to go.

First of all, I want to thank all of the council members here for this award, and I especially want to thank uh Councilwoman Heather Hutt.

I've been a resident of the 10th district for practically all of my life.

Grew up on a Olympic in Kingsley, right around there, right in the heart of Koreatown.

Um I also would be remiss if I didn't mention some of the mentors that I had that helped me get to this place today.

Uh when I was a college student in 1990, 1991, uh I met a few people that helped change my life.

These members were part of the Black Korean Alliance that were here in Los Angeles that were trying to bridge the gap between the black community and the Korean community here.

People like Pong Kim, people like J.

Lee Wong, people like Larry Aubrey.

These were the mentors that I loved.

These are mentors that showed me the way.

These are the mentors that let me see that I wanted to become a community organizer and a community leader for this city and for my community.

And so uh I'm so grateful to have met them.

I also want to say this award is especially special for me because KW Lee, who our center is named after, also received the same award, and I was also present here when he received that award, and so it's a wonderful feeling to be able to follow in his footsteps, and so I thank you for that honor.

I also want to say uh at the KW Lee Center, we're about one thing.

We're about building community consciousness and conscience.

I think that is one of the most important things that we can do for a young person, that they are a part of an important community that they are being raised by, not only by their family, but also by a community that loves them, supports them, and we want them to do well academically, definitely, but at the same time, we also want them to understand that there are issues in our community, issues about homelessness, houselessness, issues about domestic violence, issues about Asian gangs and re-entry, issues about workers' rights, these are some of the things that they learned at our center, and I also want to say that it's really important for us to inspire the next generation.

I've been working with uh young folks for about 33 years now, and I thought to myself, what is it that they really need?

What they need is exactly what I got when I was young, which is inspiration.

So I thank you.

Uh, and I hope that through the KW Center, we're able to inspire young people, that's my goal, but also through our programs and through our center.

And lastly, I just want to say Koreatown is a place that is my home.

It's a place that I love, but I also believe that it can be the lighthouse, and the city of LA can be the lighthouse to the world.

We are training young people not to be leaders of just one specific community, but to be leaders of all people, to build to be rooted in their community, but then also to be able to build alliances and coalitions with all other communities as well to fight for social justice.

So with that, I thank you so much for this honor.

Thank you.

Now I'd like to bring up James Rowe, who's a former member of the Far East movement, a trailblazing Asian American hip hop group.

He was the first to ever reach number one on the Billboard chart.

James was raised in Koreatown and through his art showcased our city to a global audience, reaching 4 billion streams and 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

As founder of the Pacific Bridge Arts Foundation, James uplifts A N H P I individuals through mentorship and financial support for pursuing their career in the music industry.

James.

Thank you.

I'm really honored to be here.

I gotta say that uh like the real heroes are over here.

I feel honored to be in their presence.

Um my daughter went to KYCC.

Um Doe has mentored my friends for the last 20 years over at KW Lee.

Um I ate at Arador for the last like 15 years, and um, and Mr.

Richard Choi actually was just telling me a story about how my dad and him uh experienced uh the civil uprisings in 1992 together.

Um so it's just it's amazing these types of connections, and um I'm I'm just so thankful.

I actually don't even really get nervous usually, but damn, this is like but I do want to say um, you know, first off, thank you to God.

Um I wanna say thank you to uh councilwoman Heather Hutt and everybody over here.

I want to say thank you to my MRG brother Alan for uh thinking of me for this, and um, and I want to I want to thank the uh the city that raised me uh and gave me everything I have and everything that I love.

Uh that's like my wife, my daughter, my friends, my company, Transparent Arts, and um, of course, Snoop Dogg.

Um, and uh doing international work these days, I really do realize like how much of a blessing it is to have a city that taught me so much about multiculturalism, about love, about patience, and um, and I just want to continue to give back and support in the same way that uh that the city has supported me.

So, with that, I gotta say, go Dodgers, go Lakers, go Sparks, go Rams, and go Kings and go LA.

Thank you.

And like a G6.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, colleagues, for really allowing us to celebrate what I call the tapestry of Los Angeles.

Thank you so much, uh, Councilmember Hutt.

We have a few members on the queue that that uh have words to share, beginning with Councilmember Rodriguez.

Thank you, Councilmember Hutt for bringing in these legends.

It's wonderful to have you all here today, and Zhang Ho has been a longtime friend and love the work that KYCC does, it's part of the fabric that is making sure that young people are being met in their local communities and to all of the work that each of you bring to helping to make LA and especially Koreatown such a vibrant place that we're all so proud of.

Uh, as a visitor uh and in uh frequent uh enjoy enjoyment, uh I find enjoyment with the restaurant scene of Los Angeles.

I am particularly uh excited to try your restaurant.

I was just at Dato a couple weeks ago, but there's so many wonderful restaurants, and I love the fusion that happens in Koreatown, which is really embracing the multicultural nature of our food scene in Los Angeles.

It is part of what makes us the I call it the food porn capital of the world because everyone's always taking pictures of their food, and it's uh, you know, Korean Korea town and and Korean food is an environment unlike any other, and we're all really connected in the celebration of what makes our cuisine, our culture so unique and different, but it's embraced by so many.

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

And then, you know, I can't believe the Walter Cronkite of uh Koreatown is has less gray hair than me.

If he came in 1974, the year I was bored.

Um, but you know, the I'm here today because of what I saw happen to Koreatown during the riots, and wanted to make sure that no other community was gonna have to fend for itself in the way that Korean business owners had to during the civil unrest.

And so I want to thank you for being that voice that helped keep everybody informed at a time when it was so volatile and terrifying for everybody.

It didn't matter what part of Los Angeles you're in, but so it's so important for members of our communities that are able to speak in our native languages, to be able to remain in communication, keep people up to date about what's happening, and to help try and you know bring calm into an otherwise chaotic moment.

I want to thank you for the work that you do to help being a very important voice in our community, and thank you to all of you for what you do.

We appreciate you.

Mr.

Lee.

Thank you, Mr.

President, Councilmember Hutt, just want to thank you for bringing these leaders of Korea Town and leaders of the AA and H A PI community here at the city of Los Angeles and into Council Chambers today.

You know, as someone who born and raised here in the city of Los Angeles, um, I have a story like so many other immigrant families.

My mom worked seven days a week, and so I spent a lot of time in Korea Town growing up.

While I didn't live there, you know, if I wanted to spend uh time with my mom and see her, I had to go to work with her on Saturdays and Sundays.

And so I grew up watching in the 70s, watching Korea Town grow up.

Back then we were really focused on, you know, a lot of Korean families were just focused on surviving and making their businesses grow.

But as you saw Korea Town grow, it was because a bunch of people like the men you have standing up there today, who started realizing it was more than just about themselves and their families, but the community around them.

And so you start to see Peter people sort of venture out and start understanding that you know we had to mentor our youth to grow up to be those next leaders.

Uh people like myself would not be standing here as a city council member here in the city of Los Angeles as a proud Korean American if it wasn't for the amazing people and the shoulders that I've stood on over those years to see to see, you know, someone like Mr.

Kim, who I grew up at Arau, eating his, you know, for many many years eating his food.

I've known him, he's been a family friend for forever.

But you have organizations up there that not only support, uh not only um highlight some of the things that make Koreatown, you know, and Korean culture, our beautiful culture so incredible, like our food and our arts, but you have all these amazing other people uh who really really are showing that it is important to mentor the youth of tomorrow and to understand that our responsibilities to uh you know build something for them, our next generation.

So to all of the five gentlemen, you know, thank you so much for everything you've done, and Councilmember Hutt, thank you for your continued support of Korea Town and the amazing things that you're doing in that community.

Thank you, everyone.

Thank you so much, Councilmember Hutt.

Thank you.

Um I'm happy to really acknowledge people who spend their leisure time, their work time, their family time in Koreatown.

And I I just wanted to show the city of Los Angeles the folks that have really invested in that part of our city.

So thank you.

You want to hold up your background.

And then we've got to be a next presentation will be brought to us by the one and only Councilmember Nazarian.

Thank you, Council President.

And again, thank you to my colleague, Heather Hutt for the wonderful presentation.

And what's really key about what she just made the presentation about is how life comes full circle and how interconnected we all are.

So thank you very much for pointing that out so eloquently the way you did.

Colleagues, I feel like we're having deja vu here.

We're here again with North Hollywood High School.

Last year, around this time, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Last time, if you remember, around this time, last year, around this time, we were celebrating our Huskies for their Science Bowl victory.

They came in first place regionally, came third place nationally, this year again, first year first place regionally, fifth place nationally.

So consistently keeping making the valley very proud.

Today, today, uh, it just gives me great joy and pleasure to be recognizing a group of dedicated young ladies who propelled North Hollywood huskies to the forefront and made them regional CIF champions.

So that's right.

That's right.

That's right.

Today I'm proud to welcome the North Hollywood High School Lady Huskies basketball team to City Hall to your City Hall to honor their extraordinary achievement.

This season they won the 2026 Division II CIF City Girls' Basketball Championship.

This was their first championship title in a decade.

In a thrilling game that went all the way to overtime, they never gave up, and they came out on top with a final score of 59 to 55.

This season, the Huskies found something special within themselves, pushing through grueling practices with the drive and determination that carried them all the way to the championship.

This team showed our city what grit, heart, and belief in one another looks like they fought through an intense season, embraced a new coach, built a new chemistry, and rose to the biggest moment of their athletic careers.

Congratulations.

She's humbly hanging out back there.

Look at her.

She's not here today.

This is no small feat, and this city is grateful for her dedication to the entire Lady Huskies roster, your coaching staff, your families, and North Hollywood High School, our city is proud of you.

I'm gonna pass it on to Coach LaCelle Swan to say a few words, but before I do, I'd like to take a minute and just recognize every team member individually.

I'm gonna call out their names and their grade and position.

Salma Perez, senior guard.

Elena Poole Brooks, Senior Guard.

Mia Contreras, sophomore guard.

Zaire Goodman, Junior, forward.

Emma Padilla, senior guard, Sophia Dell, sophomore guard, point guard.

Emily Hernandez, senior guard, Manoli, Sugatadosa, Senior Guard.

Jeanette Santiago, sophomore, point guard.

Jayla, a jugo, a juguo, a jugo.

Did I get that?

Thank you.

Junior, forward.

Annabelle Santiago, sophomore forward, Stella Pankowski, sophomore forward, Shila Bailey Junior, forward, Isabella Batts, senior forward, Melina Cuevas, sophomore guard, Evelyn Alvarez, Junior Guard, and the team manager, senior Jocelyn Hernandez.

Congratulations to all of you.

With that, I'd love to have Coach LaCelle Swan come up.

Thank you.

It is an honor and a privilege to be invited here to be recognized for our dedication to North Hollywood Girls Basketball team and our commitment to our community as well as determination to being a winning program.

It's so inspirational to be invited to City Council Chamber today because it helps me show our young athletes of North Hollywood High how hard work and perseverance in sports can have lasting impacts on your life, as well as others and take take you places you've never been before.

No way we thought we'd be standing here being recognized for winning a city championship at the city uh council, if you asked us in August.

Each and every one of these athletes sacrifice and work hard to become leaders across our community and campus, both on and off the court this year.

Their commitment to sports and their dedication to becoming better people every day tells me that they will all be wonderful contributors to our society.

An estimated 68 to 95% of Fortune 500 CEOs and executives have backgrounds in competitive sports.

These sports oriented oriented leaders at North Hollywood will end up with crucial corporate skills like resilience, teamwork, and performing wonderfully under pressure because we had to perform under pressure all year.

We made school history by winning the division two championship, which hadn't been done in over a decade.

We finished our season 14 and 8 and had to win eight of our last nine games to make it to the championship, and we won.

Our team made it to a regional semifinals this year, which hadn't been done in school history.

And this year, these athletes made it happen.

They face uncertainty like no other, a new coach, a new program, new offense and defense.

But they started to prepare for in June to win the championship in March.

From 6 a.m.

practices every day all summer to compete completing all of their school work and staying on task all year.

I would like to thank each and every one of my athletes for believing in something bigger than themselves.

Just as you all do here every day.

They showed up early, left late, worked hard, played hard, and had fun while doing it, which is why we're here today for winning a city championship.

I'm sorry.

Oh, I'm sure all these athletes will go on to do great things for the city of Los Angeles, just as you all do here every day.

All of our seniors will be attending college in the fall, and I'm so proud of each and every one of them.

The hard work in the class and on the court has paid off.

We'll miss you all, but you're now part of North Hollywood history.

And thank you, City Council, for recognizing our greatness and motivating us to continue to be great while representing the county of Los Angeles.

Finally, I'd like to thank myself.

Just kidding.

Um, I'd like to recognize Coach Marcus as the most supportive assistant coach and being just a great role model for our players throughout this year and uh giving them a space where they can be themselves.

Thank you to our North Hollywood High School, our principal, Mr.

Rosales, our wonderful administration, including assistant principal Mr.

Miller, our athletic director, Mr.

Ken Harris, as well as our assistant athletic athletic director, Mrs.

Mr.

Cruz, for your continued support.

Thank you again to the City Council for recognizing our hard work in the classroom while winning a division two city championship.

You have all inspired us all, and I cannot wait to see all the positive change that we will all contribute to the city of Los Angeles.

Thank you.

Thank you, Coach Swan.

Um I want to take a minute now and invite Sophia Dow to say a few words on behalf of the team.

Sophia.

Good morning, councilman and councilwoman.

My name is Sophia Dow, a sophomore at North Hollywood as part of the HDM program.

First, I definitely want to thank all of our parents for make for taking that long drive to school at 6 a.m.

in the morning all season for however months long preseason was, during season, and during postseason playoffs.

Then I want to thank all of our teachers for giving us grace for arriving or not going to class on game days for arriving tired in the mornings, but we still pay attention to class, don't worry.

I also want to thank all of our schoolmates, all of our friends, all of our classmates who show up to all of our games, who give us the support that we needed and give us the greatest student section ever during the championships.

Then I want to thank all of my teammates for being there for us when we didn't know what we what was gonna happen during the postseason.

Trust me, if you told me during June and August, as a little as a rising sophomore that we were gonna win the championship, I would have called you crazy.

But look where we are now.

I just want to thank everyone for supporting us.

As I thought that we were the underdog, as we thought we were the underdogs for the season.

And just thank you for all the administration and all of the support that we receive from everyone.

Thank you.

Great work, Sophia.

But by the way, she did this on the fly.

She thanked parents, administration, classmates, teachers, uh, all on the flight when I asked her to come up and say a few words.

So I think guard service.

Point guard.

Yes.

Figures, yeah.

You're on the team.

We can tell.

So, on behalf of the city of Los Angeles, it's a pleasure to present these uh certificates that I'm gonna be presenting.

One to the team and one to the coach.

Oh, you know what?

Let me take a break before we do this.

Yes, Council President.

Yes, we have we have some ballers on the council who wanna give words of congratulations.

Councilmember Padilla.

Well, as soon as I saw the the blue and the white and principal over here, I was like, oh, the huskies are in town again, they're in the building.

So I just want to make sure you guys knew uh the congratulations.

Really happy for you guys.

Thank you for rubbing the valley.

You know, I went to Polly, so I've always had a special place for the original uh rivals of Polly, nor Hollywood Huskies had a lot of friends now graduated from there.

Um, but you know, I'm gonna tell you guys what I what I tell all the young people that come into this building.

You know, congratulations on your your championship.

It shows a lot of leadership.

You are the leaders of the future, and uh, you know, um, as you mentioned, it's it's a team effort, it's the parents, it's the teachers, it's the admin, it's everybody.

So, congratulations to you as well, coaches, and um, like I always tell your generation, you're the generation that has two years of community college, so make sure you pursue higher education, read, take care of yourself, take care of your health, your heart, ask questions, find mentors, and don't let this be the last time you ever come to City Hall.

Congratulations, enjoy this beautiful championship and Kodak moment, that will be in your mind forever.

Councilmember Rodriguez.

Thank you, Councilmember Nazarian, for bringing these ladies in.

And you just heard from the council's Spud Webb.

So uh, yeah, she she she's got it.

I'm surprised you didn't introduce yourself that way, Melda.

So it's it's a reminder that you don't have to be six feet tall to be a baller.

And I want to congratulate you all for this incredible accomplishment.

I think it's awesome.

I think it's especially great at a time when women in sports are finally getting their due.

And so what a special time for you all to have this moment, have this experience.

Congratulations, coach, to your entire team, to the families that support you, to all of your other teachers, as you indicated, that have been so supportive, and of course your friends.

So congratulations to each of you on this well-deserved recognition.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Nazarian.

Thank you for that, colleagues.

Thank you very much, Council President as well.

On behalf of the city of Los Angeles, it's my pleasure to present these certificates.

One to the team.

Thank you very much.

Congratulations to all of you.

And may you continue to, as my colleague said, from my neighboring district, continue your path forward, stay hungry, and constantly move forward.

Congratulations.

And to coach.

Your first year.

Congratulations.

Congratulations, everyone.

Let's take a quick photo.

All right.

Mr.

Clerk, I want to confirm that we're ready to go to public comment.

The councilman now moved to public comment.

Yes.

All right.

We'll ask the city attorney to read the instructions into the record.

Okay, all items have been voted on.

So members of the public may speak to up uh for up to one minute for general public comment today.

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

We will tell you when your time is up.

I have a few more announcements before we begin.

I'll ask that the interpreters please make this announcement aloud to the room.

If you require a Spanish interpreter, please make sure to pause every few sentences so the interpreters can interpret.

Don't worry, we will pause your time while the interpreters are interpreting, so you will get the same time as everyone else.

Thank you.

Additionally, if you've made an accommodation request pursuant to the ADA with the clerk's office, or if you would like to make one today in order to make use of the wireless handheld microphone, after you hear the name you signed up under, called aloud, please raise your hand so the sergeants can provide you with the wireless microphone.

Finally, to help us run an efficient public comment period, please wait until you hear the name you signed up under, read aloud before lining up in any order to speak.

Thank you.

All right, uh, before we call names, I want to uh yield to Mr.

Nazarian.

Thank you, Council President.

I wanted to say this before I uh we stepped away from the podium.

Principal Rosales, thank you so much for what you're doing uh for North Hollywood for Council District 2 for Los Angeles.

I just want to continue doing this.

I want to have you here every year celebrating a different theme, whether it's on the sports field or on the science field.

Thank you.

Thank you, colleagues.

Thank you so much.

All right, congratulations, principal, and we'll begin to call names.

I'd like to call up 317 217 bar, Jim G, Dan M, Charles Rugger, Jester G, Francis Gadoy, and Eva Garcia.

You'll have one minute.

Buenos Mañana, agente illegal, conceal agent of the council.

Now you know that you can't say that I I can't say what I said, like the slow big headed uh fat guy that used to be there, 317 216.

And so I call the fat so groat, but in English it's animal.

And he says that he's just like me.

But I'm no dumbass Korean that eats dogs.

They are symbol is el whirling bird, or in uh English se lama Thunderbird.

Look at the symbol here.

It's the whirling bird, or in English it's called the Thunderbird.

So in the future we have a right constitutionally to say and or see, you bunch of Cs.

So long, you and Before the next speaker begins, I'll make a quick announcement.

Because we have so many names on the queue, but not as many people currently here.

If you would like to give public comment, please come up and line up on your left uh right now.

Thank you.

Speaker of one minute.

Hi, good morning, my name is Eva Garcia.

I'm an organizer with Community Power Collective.

Uh no to work with MAGA.

Continue to attack our communities.

And we're now tired of continuing to have to fight against the federal government that continues to terrorize us.

And this is the same federal government that protects the rich and leaves the unfortunate people out in the cold.

And so that's why we're here to ask you as our local government to be our voice and to advocate for us.

That's what community deserves.

But the community deserves it too.

Sorry.

The coalition has also come to the committee.

And I'm just asking you for the please fund ULA.

Next speaker.

You'll have one minute.

Hello.

Good afternoon, City Council.

I would like to thank and acknowledge all veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice and to wish all American families a happy Memorial Day weekend.

Also, with all the tension in the air about elections, let's hope the votes are done peacefully and civic.

Let's not forget all the veterans who lost their lives in the battlefield so we can enjoy the fruits of freedom.

God bless America and goodwill to all.

Mr.

Bloomfield, I would like you to help landscape one generation so that we can get the veterans to help utilize the facilities.

Speaker, you'll have one minute.

How many items are there, ma'am?

You'll have one minute for general public comment.

Just for general.

Okay, well, you started already.

Alright, quickly, Mr.

Bloomathville.

From Miss Pikas to Miss Chick to Mr.

Zine to you, sir.

Thank you.

We hate seeing you leave.

But we need to fix the yards at uh one generation.

They're going to enclose it with a fence.

And watching those seniors sit there amongst dead grass.

It just can't happen.

We can do it.

We've already talked to landscapers who are uh doing business with the city and they say they will donate.

Uh we water and power has a project that they might be able to landscape.

So please, let's make this your final project where we do uh make one generation a beautiful place for all the seniors to live.

Uh what was the other thing I was gonna talk about?

Oh, the warriors, the warriors who came here and fought you.

And for those council people who stood with them, thank you for those who use them to step on their backs as they climb the city council.

You have something to answer.

Not to me, maybe to them.

Speaker, your time is up, but thank the four of you for what you're doing.

Next speaker, please.

Next speaker, please.

You'll have one minute.

Speaker, your time is up, please don't disrupt this meeting.

We'll see you next week.

Uh Mr.

Candino.

Thank you, sir.

Yes.

Good afternoon, council.

My name is Jesse, and I'm a member of LA Ken.

I live, I am also a schedule resident.

I am here to urge the council to oppose placing amendments to measure the ULA on the ballot.

Measure ULA is working in its first years.

It's raised over one billion dollars and helped keep more than 10,000 people housed.

We can in it now would cut funding for tenant protections and affordable housing.

I do community watch and skid roll every week and witness people being brutally criminalized every day on our streets under LA Municipal Code 4118.

Now, a major source of our funding that helps keep people housed is being threatened.

If the city if the city claims to care about homelessness, make that make sense.

Seven people are already dying every day in our streets.

Taking away money from that goes toward permanent housing will undoubtedly lead to more people losing their lives while developers turn profit in our community.

Save you all.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

You'll have one minute.

Hello, everyone.

It's an honor to be here.

Taking over Tim Spot.

So I've highlighted a couple of individuals that I'm going to work to rid the city of.

So the person that's sitting uh in 1st district, she's gonna be out.

The person sitting in fourth district, they're gonna be out.

And the person sitting in the 13th district, they're gonna be out.

All three of these members have been identified as socialists that claim that they are democ democrat, but they are not, they are socialists.

And two individuals that I've highlighted, I'm going to align myself with to promote and to make sure that they keep their seats, and that's price.

Um in the uh I'm sorry, not price.

It is park.

Park in the 11th.

I will work to keep to help her stay in her seat.

And also the second district, right here.

Thank you so much.

God bless each and every one of you.

Next speaker.

Good morning.

You'll have one minute.

Council members.

I'm Pamela Robinson.

This is Dr.

Frank DeGorville.

We are both business owners in the Los Angeles area.

Dr.

DeGorville is the founder of Why Are You Met, which is a nonprofit organization in the Los Angeles underserved community.

We're here today to discuss a parking lot.

Dr.

DeGorville is um uh not only reserved officer retiree, but he also protects the community as a teaching martial martial arts in the Los Angeles Jeopardy and PAL programs in the Los Angeles area.

He is the ambassador of the Caribbean martial arts, he holds a Supreme Grand Masters uh degree, an attempt degree black belt.

And currently we have uh understanding kids.

I'm sorry, can we hold this time?

Each member, I guess one minute each.

So if you could just hold her up until she finishes her public comment, thank you.

Thank you.

I'm sorry.

Okay, so currently, um, we are asking for this meeting to get the ownership of a parking lot that's located in underserved developed community of Los Angeles, and so far we have.

Time ran out.

Okay.

Again, I'm Dr.

Frank de Goville.

I'm in district number nine, and I'm trying to get support from our council personnel, and we've been trying to do that for over 12 years.

There's a vacant lot.

Um, it's on unclaimed.

We've been trying to get parking before COVID-19.

We had the our parents used to park in that lot.

Now it's unsafe because they park on the street, they park in the Ross parking lot, and they have to walk their kids from my business, which is unsafe.

It's unacceptable.

So I'm trying to get support from council district number nine.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All I need is um someone that I could contact because this we uh we've been against a hard wall.

Thank you.

Someone will uh hang tight, someone will reach out to you.

I think this man in the um maroon suit uh chat with you for a minute.

All right, next speaker.

Speaker, you'll have one minute.

Okay.

Hello, my name is Matthew, and I am a member of LE Kent.

I have lived in the Boyd Hotel in Skiddown for three years, and I stayed in the midnight mission before that.

I am here today to urge the council to reject any amendments to ULA to protect what voters fought for, which is funding for permanent affordable housing, not interim housing.

Because of ULA, we have seen the first drop in homelessness in years.

A clear sign that investing in tenant protections and affordable housing makes a difference.

Even homeless service providers do not support diverting funds to interim housing.

This city needs to stop prioritizing expensive shelter to nowhere programs and listen to the real data.

Homelessness ends with the home.

Again, reject any amendments and comment to the study of ULA before moving anything forward.

Thank you for your time.

Next speaker.

You'll have one minute.

My name is Kenneth.

I am a member of LA Can.

I have been in the downtown resident for 15 years.

I live in the Charles Club apartment in Skid Road.

I have been for I have seen on first hand how developers have come into the downtown area building housing, which is not affordable for longtime residents.

They are basically trying to eliminate Skid Row.

We need permit affordable and dignified housing, not high-wise luxury laws.

We also need eviction defense, especially since we are dealing with slum lords.

We now, we know that ULA is already delivering real housing stability.

Measure ULA has generated over one billion dollars in funds eviction for eviction defense.

When we leave and deep league affordable housing, I am urging you to oppose placing ULA amendments on the list.

You know, that does not work.

Speaker, you'll have one minute.

Um I want to emphasize that I'm not anti-police, just that there are serious problems with the police and prosecutors which are not being addressed.

So I'm puzzled why you're not taking the simple step of publicly asking the governor to do a military level investigation.

It is your job, after all.

One possibility is that someone persuaded you that it's super important that you not do it.

Some people are born to this sort of persuasion.

But the fact is that fundamental rights are being violated, and it's super important that you do take this no cost action.

Speaker, you'll have one minute.

Good afternoon, my name is Esmeralda Negret, and I'm a member of the Collective Community.

I am here to ask the council to defend ULA.

The threat that Harris, the billionaires aligned with MAGA, as well as the interests of large real estate are threat.

Ya basta de tantos attaques.

No queremos cambios.

La ULAFANAD democraticamente.

And enough with the attacks.

ULA passed democratically.

It was the will of the people, and the will of the people should be respected.

Our coalition has already gone to the ad hoc meetings.

We have already talked with experts about this.

Speaker, you'll have one minute.

Yes.

Hello, my name is Lisette, and I'm a organizer with CPC.

At a time when organizers are deeply worried about our community members being detained, our neighbors evicted, and families struggling to stay housed.

We need the city leaders to support us.

Fifteen year exemptions on new construction for multifamily and commercial property sales will hurt how ULA is funded and direct support created to keep people housed.

The proposed amendments would reduce who pays into ULA, delay when revenue is collected, and shift funds away from permanent housing.

The 15-year exemption is being advanced in interest of developers and not in the interest of our communities.

As a member of the ULA coalition, I do not support the amendments or changes to ULA.

Placing amendments will not protect ULA, and it risks delaying the crucial funding.

It creates carve outs and again undermines the will of the voters, as my colleagues have shared today.

ULA is supporting the thousands of tenants that we work with and will continue supporting more, but only if you take uh make the effort to understand all the data we presented inside and outside these teams.

Thank you.

Your time is up.

Alright, that concludes public comment for today's meeting.

What's next, Mr.

Clerk?

Council has motions for posting and referral.

They are posted and referred.

Announcements members.

Announcements to my left.

Announcements to my right.

All right, I'll ask everyone in chambers to rise in reverence for announcement.

Councilmember Tracy Park.

I have an announcement, Council President.

Thank you so much.

Jonathan, come on up here with me.

Colleagues, it is my honor to get to recognize someone who has been an incredible asset to my office in Council District 11, but really to the entire city of Los Angeles, Jonathan Laguna.

Jonathan built an impressive career that was rooted in community engagement, planning, sustainability, and advocacy.

From his early work in council districts 9 and 13, to his work in urban design and environmental planning, Jonathan is deeply committed to improving quality of life for Angelinos.

Before joining my office, he worked on sustainable and drought-tolerant landscaping projects across LA and actually helped empower young people, particularly in Boyle Heights through his participatory design and community workshops.

He also used his creative talents as a videographer to help elevate and celebrate communities all over LA.

When Jonathan joined my office as a communications deputy, he really became indispensable with his creativity, professionalism, and incredible work ethic, especially in the very long days, weeks, and months following the Palisades fire.

Jonathan, you really embody the kind of thoughtful, mission-driven public servant that we need more of in local government.

Jonathan is leaving Council District 11 to launch his new career.

He's headed off to law school.

We are incredibly proud of you.

Very sad to see you go to see you go, but wanted to take a moment and congratulate him and wish him well as we send him off into the world.

Thank you so much, Councilmember Park, and thank you for your service.

Mr.

Blumenfield.

Announcement Mr.

Blumenville, who's going to be with us through December of this year.

Everybody who's keep saying you're leaving.

I'm here for a while, sorry.

But speaking of being here, announcement that this Monday, the 34th annual Memorial Day parade, and Reef Lang ceremony will happen in Canoga Park, as we've done every year.

It's a great ceremony.

Probably 30,000 people show up, line the streets.

I urge folks to come.

If you want to come for the parade, the parade starts at 11.

But if you want to come for the ceremony beforehand, that starts at 10.

It's on Sherman Way, and basically at Owens Mount.

So come one, come all, honor those who have uh given so much and given the ultimate sacrifice.

Thank you so much.

The big memorial day parade in the valley.

All right.

Uh, any adjourning motions today?

Oh.

Mr.

Bloomfield.

No adjoining motions.

Journey motion, yes.

Okay.

I'm sorry, Mr.

Bloomfield.

Announcement.

Councilmember Rodriguez first.

Just to piggyback on your Memorial Day event.

We again have at Brand Park this year from 11 to 2 on Sunday.

We will be having the uh third wing Marine Corps band.

And uh we have a classic car show and low riders.

We've got a lot of activities, you know, free hot dogs will be barbecued there.

So come on out, bring the whole family.

We've got resources for our veterans as well, and uh we want to pay tribute and thanks to those that made the ultimate sacrifice.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any more announcements, members?

Any more announcements?

All right.

Uh adjourney motions.

Mr.

Blumenfield.

Actually, I have uh two adjourning motions today.

Uh first adjourning motion is for someone who you've all heard of.

You know his name very well, but you probably didn't know about the LA connection or the connection that I have with this person.

I'm talking about uh adjourning in the memory of Congressman Barney Frank.

Congressman Frank represented the Boston suburbs of Congress for more than three decades.

He was a pioneer of LGBTQ rights and was drawn to public life after seeing the injustice of Emmett Till, who was lynched by a white mob in Mississippi.

He started off as an aide to a Boston mayor, Kevin White in 1968.

Like so many other future leaders like Congressman Berman and Andy Jacobs, Frank started uh a friendship and with civil rights and human leader in LA icon, Al Lowenstein.

He started with him and he helped uh Lowenstein helped show Barney how to navigate a career in public service and how to help make positive change.

In 1973, he won his race to serve in the Massachusetts State House before being elected to Congress in 1980, a job he proudly served until 2013.

He came out publicly in 1987.

He was the first member of Congress to do so voluntarily.

He was the first Congress member to marry someone of the same sex.

During his tenure in Congress, he was chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.

He fought tirelessly for working people, civil rights, LGBTQ, and equality.

He was immortalized with the Dodd Frank Act, a law that helped reset our financial system after near collapse, and he brought forward important consumer protections that are sadly being hacked away by the current administration.

Let me tell you something else about him.

He was hilarious.

And Barney Frank couldn't help himself.

He was a running commentary on everything that was happening.

And he would lean back in his chair, and I was the audience because I'm the guy sitting behind the two of them.

And he would just rip apart everything and everyone.

If you like the roasts on Comedy Central, you would love to be a staffer in the budget committee sitting behind Barney Frank.

I will never forget that, and I learned a lot in the as a member of the staff on the budget committee, but I was so entertained.

Another thing about Congressman Frank was that he was sort of involved.

One of the most meaningful things I was able to do as a staffer in Congress.

I was very involved in the earthquake bill in 1994.

And among obviously that was important because it brought 14 billion dollars worth of aid to the district.

But there was also a little thing inserted in there about including sexual orientation as a protected class.

Something I had kind of helped slip into that bill.

But there was no press on it.

It was just hidden and tucked away.

And I'm walking with Howard Berman in the hallways in Congress, and I say to him, you know, I thought this was such a big thing, and nobody's picked up on it.

And he says, well, watch this.

We saw Barney Frank coming, and he says, we told Congressman Frank, he told him about what we had put into this bill, and how I had initially as a mistake, but anyway, we had helped get this language in.

Frank was just blown away.

He was like, oh my god, I've been trying to do this for 30 years.

And he's like, this is so incredible.

Uh and then Howard says to him, just don't tell anybody.

And then he walks off, and then Howard turns to me and says it'll be in the paper tomorrow.

And uh sure enough, front page of the Washington Post and then New York Times and probably dozens of other papers.

I have a lot of clips upstairs hidden in a picture frame, all covering this event.

So I have a very special place in my heart for Congressman Frank.

He actually endorsed me in my very first race for assembly.

People have thought it was strange.

Like, well, how do I have a Congressman from Massachusetts endorsing me?

It was a it was an important endorsement too because it helped uh help with certainly with the LGBTQ community.

Uh so I was always very grateful for his support, and that you know, it all comes back to that conversation and that and that bill and having gotten to know him a little bit.

So I ask that we adjourn his memory.

Uh not an Angelino, but someone who has Los Angeles ties, as I mentioned.

So that's number one.

Uh, second adjourning motion is I'd like to adjourn in the memory of Peter Helm, a beloved member of Wingsover Wendy's, a proud supporter of veterans, an aviation photographer, and a crew member on his on a historic B-25 aircraft.

Many also knew his work, uh, knew him from his work in film and television, including roles in the Andromeda Strain, the longest day, and the wagon trail.

He was larger than life, a passionate storyteller, car enthusiast, animal lover, and loyal friend.

It was once said that Peter was to the early Ferrari Owners Club in Los Angeles, what Bogart was to Sinatra's rat pack.

He brought people together with warmth, humor, and an unforgettable charm.

He leaves behind two daughters, his sister Ann Helm and his beloved companions, Chewy and Scooby.

Those are probably dogs, I imagine.

On behalf of the community, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends.

May we remember Peter for the joy, history, and friendship he shared with so many.

Blue skies and tailwinds.

Peter, may he rest in peace.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Boomenville.

Any other attorney motions today?

All right.

This is the MacArthur Lake Stormwater Capture Project.

We're so excited, it's one of the first, it's going to be one of the iconic projects that we implement under the Safe Clean Water Program.

So the project is gonna actually capture that stormwater, which is polluted from all of the area that it's running off from.

It's gonna treat the water, and we're gonna use that in MacArthur Park Lake.

So what that means is we don't have to turn on the faucet for potable water.

That means we conserve water, and we're actually beneficially reusing stormwater that would otherwise go out into the Bayona Creek and be lost to the ocean.

In the very neat future, we're going to have our pedal boat operations back here at this lake.

We I really believe that that's an amenity that's going to really bring in community to use the space, not only to look at the space, but also be able to get on the water, even exercise because you know, pedal boat is a cardiovascular uh exercise, so super excited about that as well coming into uh into this parking into the space.

Projects like this are not only bringing a community benefit, they're also helping to improve the environment through saving that water, reusing water, through building trees and creating shade and bringing an overall aesthetic beauty to the neighborhood.

There's always been so much misconception around the lake in MacArthur Park, and we're trying to fix that.

I think that folks want to see clean water.

They want to see a beautiful project that incentuates the beauty of this area.

And that's why we're trying to bring an opportunity for folks to be proud of the community they live in, and this is just gonna help make an already beautiful park even more beautiful.

The Cabrera Marine Aquarium is an extremely special place serving this community.

It's all about connecting people with nature.

When visitors come here, they get to see animals that live right off our coast here in Southern California.

It's an enjoyable place, and I'm really thrilled.

The team that works here at Cabrera Mine Aquarium is excellent.

Whether we're teaching about whales or grungy, it's just a very, very special place, and I'm glad to be a part of it.

This is the entry to the exhibit hall, and behind me is the story of the Cabrera Marine Aquarium, our 90-year history.

This wonderful exhibit has a map that explains what's happening inside the exhibit hall.

As you're walking around through the maze of the exhibit hall, there's different habitats.

This helps you guide along through the exhibits and see all the beautiful animals that are here in their habitats.

We've been here 90 years teaching about marine life of Southern California, and we teach about the conservation.

How everyone can help do their part to conserve the beautiful animals and the life of Southern California.

Here we are at the Jelly Lab.

This is a very special lab, brand new.

We just finished completing it.

We have a culture area where we're growing baby jellies.

We're growing about three different species right now.

We grow jellies here for our education and also for our research and to share with our other institutions that we partner with.

Welcome to our Jelly Tunnel, the entrance to the Drifters of the Deep exhibit.

This is a great space to come and learn about the natural history of jellies and get up in close and personal, really up close and see the beauty of these jellies.

We have moon jellies, we have pot of gold jellies, and we have purple striped jellies here on exhibit.

All of the animals that you see here on exhibit in the jelly lab are part of the work that we do here.

We are growing these jellies in the jelly lab, and we are sharing those jellies with our visitors every single day.

Welcome to the exhibit hall pump house.

In this room is the life support system that provides clean water to our exhibit hall and to our living collection.

We have an array of pumps, filters, chillers, UV sterilizers, and other components that provide the animals that are living here with the highest quality water.

It's all happening right here.

In the future, as we add more exhibits or as we change exhibits, the living habitats with animals in the exhibit hall are going to get the best care because of everything you see around you right here.

Growing up in this area and now working, Cabriero Marine Aquarium is a reminder of how special it is to live here in Southern California.

We live in a very vibrant and diverse community, and I'm thrilled to hear different languages and different people and different experiences and cultures, and uh it's all happening right here.

So please come be a part of it.

Communities like Little Tokyo, Chinatown, Koreatown, and historic Filipino town reflect over a century of migration, settlement, and cultural preservation in the city.

The 1970s marked a turning point for Little Tokyo as Japanese companies establish international headquarters in the heart of Los Angeles.

By the mid-1980s, the Little Tokyo Service Center helped guide that growth, balancing economic development with the preservation of the neighborhood's cultural legacy.

This era also aligned with the rise of nearby arts communities in repurposed downtown warehouses, now more connected than ever through expanded metro transit.

In Los Angeles, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is not just commemorative, it's visible in everyday life through museums, temples, festivals, small businesses, and public art across many neighborhoods.

Places like Barnesdall Art Park invite visitors to experience exhibitions from emerging artists and reflect on the evolving artistic identity that defines the city.

One of the things about heavy metal is it's a play on words, it's a play on concept.

There are a lot of