West Hollywood
West Hollywood in brief- City government in action this week
Melrose Gathering Place Community Conversation; ‘Moving Image Media Art’ Exhibition Series; 2023 Arts Grant Program Grant Recipients + more

City of West Hollywood’s Human Rights Speakers Series Presents a Free Panel Discussion and Screening of ‘Queers Across Years’ on National Coming Out Day
WEST HOLLYWOOD – The City of West Hollywood’s Human Rights Speakers Series, in conjunction with QueerWise, will host a panel discussion and screening of the film Queers Across Years.
The event will take place on National Coming Out Day, Tuesday, October 11, 2022, at the City of West Hollywood’s Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and opening remarks will take place at 7 p.m. followed by the film screening and a panel discussion that will begin at 8 p.m. The event is free, but seating is limited. RSVP is requested at https://HRSS-2022Oct11.eventbrite.com. Parking validation for the adjacent five-story West Hollywood Park structure, will be available at the event (parking is limited to availability).
Queers Across Years was developed through workshops over the course of a few weeks and features a group of younger (ages 18-25) and older (50+) LGBTQ community members sharing personal thoughts, ideas, and writings. The workshops were composed of pairs of younger and older participants with members of QueerWise, an LGBTQIA+ multigenerational writing collective and performance group based in Los Angeles. Members of QueerWise include published poets, fiction and non-fiction writers, and playwrights, singers, musicians, social activists, dancers, and actors, artists, and teachers. The stories written in those workshops have been developed into the material that’s woven into this inter-generational and inter-GENDER-ational video tapestry.
Featured panelists will include QueerWise Artistic Director/Founder Michael Kearns and Queers Across Years participants Gabrielle Néla and Gordon Blitz. The discussion will be moderated by Lucia Chappelle, Co-Producer of This Way Out international LGBTQ radio and Minister of Social Justice, FMCC.
The City of West Hollywood’s Human Rights Speakers Series brings together diverse communities to learn about and discuss global, national, and local human rights issues in a supportive environment. The series reflects the City’s commitment to human rights and core value of Respect and Support for People.
For additional information about the Human Rights Speakers Series, please visit www.weho.org/hrss.
For more information, please contact Joy Tribble, the City of West Hollywood’s Arts Specialist, at (323) 848-6360 or at [email protected].
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
City of West Hollywood Celebrates Disabilities Awareness Month in October
The City of West Hollywood and its Disabilities Advisory Board will recognize October as Disabilities Awareness Month. This year marks the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is landmark civil rights legislation that works to increase access and opportunity for people with disabilities across society, including in the workplace.
Throughout the month of October, the City of West Hollywood will commemorate Disabilities Awareness Month with the installation of 43 street pole banners along Santa Monica Boulevard, which recognize past recipients of the City’s Disability Service Awards in the individual and nonprofit organization categories.
The City will host two events to raise awareness and shine recognition on people and organizations that positively impact the lives of people with disabilities in the community.
On Thursday, October 20, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the City of West Hollywood, in partnership with Cedars-Sinai, will host a free Outdoor Flu and COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic in the Great Hall Courtyard at Plummer Park, located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard. COVID-19 transmission is still a concern in Los Angeles County. People who are unvaccinated are at higher risk for serious illness and death. Additionally, the flu season presents a challenge to public health because symptoms of influenza can be very serious. Services offered at this event are: flu vaccines for ages 6 months and older (children 6 months to 8 years of age receiving their first flu vaccine may be registered for their required second dose at https://myturn.ca.gov/); COVID-19 Pfizer vaccines: first, second, and Bivalent Booster doses for ages 12 years and older; Pfizer third dose for immunocompromised individuals 12 years and older. This event will also feature free blood pressure checks and a voter registration booth.
Walk-ins for both the flu and COVID- 19 vaccines will be accepted, however pre-registration is recommended for the COVID-19 vaccines. Go to: https://myturn.ca.gov/ and use zip code “90046” to locate Cedars-Sinai Pop-up – West Hollywood Plummer Park (10/20/22 Only). A mask must be worn to attend the event. Children under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Participants should bring a form of identification and existing COVID-19 vaccination card. Please stay home if you are not feeling well. For more information or if you have questions about the Outdoor Flu and COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic, please call Cedars-Sinai at (310) 423-4625.
On Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at 6 p.m. the City of West Hollywood will host the 24th Annual Disability Service Awards at a special televised meeting of the Disabilities Advisory Board. The virtual meeting will take place on the Zoom platform at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81840112413. The Disability Service Awards will also be broadcast live on WeHoTV on Spectrum Cable Channel 10 in West Hollywood; will be livestreamed on the City’s WeHoTV YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/wehotv and on the City’s website at www.weho.org/wehotv; and will be livestreamed via the AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, and Roku platforms by searching for “WeHoTV.”
This year’s Disability Service Awards honorees are:
- Lovedy Brydon Differently Abled Individual Award: Dena Saur Bowman – (posthumously);
- Business Award: Pavilions West Hollywood;
- Media Award: Paulo Murillo; and
- Nonprofit Award: West Hollywood Comprehensive Service Center/Jewish Family Service LA.
The City of West Hollywood’s Disabilities Advisory Board was created in 1995 and is comprised of nine members. The Disabilities Advisory Board addresses issues affecting people with disabilities, including ADA compliance, transportation, housing, access to City government and services for people with disabilities, and makes recommendations to the West Hollywood City Council relative to the adoption of programs, policies, or ordinances of benefit to the constituency.
For more information, please call the City of West Hollywood’s Social Services Division at (323) 848-6510.
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing please contact [email protected] for more information and to request accommodation. Individuals may also use TTY (323) 848-6496.
City of West Hollywood to Host Community Conversation for Melrose Gathering Place on Thursday, September 29 at 6 p.m.
The City of West Hollywood invites community members to attend a Melrose Gathering Place Community Conversation on Thursday, September 29, 2022, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the Respite Deck of the West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center (Floor 5 at the top of the grand staircase), located at 8750 El Tovar Place, next to the West Hollywood Library.
The space at the corner of Melrose Avenue and Norwich Drive is currently sidewalk and diagonal parking. It will be transformed into approximately 7,200 square feet of park-like space with landscaping, trees, seating, public art, and other amenities. The previously proposed design for this space is now being reimagined, and the City is excited to restart the effort with a new design team, artist, and with renewed input from the local community. The Community Conversation will be an in-person opportunity for neighbors, local business owners, and residents’ associations to meet the newly commissioned design team early in the process and participate in reimagining the space.
The Melrose Gathering Place project was established as part of the Design District Streetscape Master Plan, which was unanimously approved by City Council in 2014. The Design District Streetscape & Undergrounding Project is now in its second phase of construction. The Master Plan was designed to improve the overall aesthetics and mobility of the commercial district known as West Hollywood Design District, with the goal of strengthening the economic vitality of the district. Key features of the project include pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements; new pavement and sidewalks; distinctive trees and landscaping; upgraded street furniture and streetlights; smart city infrastructure installation; utility undergrounding work; and the creation of new public gathering spaces, such as the Melrose Gathering Place, with integrated public art.
For additional information, please contact Michael Barker, the City of West Hollywood Project Architect in the City’s Urban Design and Architecture Studio, at (323) 848-6483 or at [email protected].
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
City Council Adopts Positions of Support for Four State Ballot Initiatives that will Appear on the Ballot for the Nov. 8 General Election
The City Council of the City of West Hollywood, at its regular meeting on Monday, September 19, 2022, adopted positions of support for four of the seven state ballot initiatives that will appear on the ballot for the November 8, 2022 General Election. The City Council is adopting Resolutions in support of: Proposition 1; Proposition 28; Proposition 30; and Proposition 31. These four Propositions are of particular concern and interest to the City of West Hollywood.
A summary of City Council positions on state ballot initiatives is as follows:
SUPPORT. Proposition 1, if approved by voters, would amend the California Constitution to prohibit the state from enacting legislation or regulations that would deny or interfere with an individual’s reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, which includes their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion and their fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptives. The City of West Hollywood is a self-declared pro-choice city and has been a strong supporter of individuals’ right to choose. Proposition 1 is consistent with the City’s core values, the 2021-2022 legislative priorities, and previously adopted policies.
SUPPORT. Proposition 28 is intended to supplement current school funding that is governed by Proposition 98 of 1988, which requires the state to set aside funds for K-12 education from the state’s General Fund and property taxes. This proposition will commit an additional 1% of GF funds for arts and music education in public and charter schools. The City of West Hollywood has been a longstanding supporter of arts and culture in our community and is dedicated to providing accessible arts programs for residents and visitors. Providing additional funding to arts and music education in public and charter schools is important to ensuring equity and accessibility for all, including economically disadvantaged schools and students.
SUPPORT. Proposition 30 would increase the tax on personal incomes above $2 million by 1.75% and dedicate the revenue to zero-emission vehicle subsidies; zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, such as electric vehicle charging stations; and wildfire suppression and prevention programs. The City of West Hollywood has adopted sustainability policies consistent with the City’s commitment to protecting the environment and reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Proposition 30 will increase revenues and allocate funding for the expansion of programs to facilitate a reduction of GHGs in California and West Hollywood. This not only will assist the state’s efforts to combat climate change, it will also result in the reduction of air contaminants, which for many people living with respiratory diseases could mean the ability to breathe easier and have a better quality of life.
SUPPORT. Proposition 31, The proponents of this ballot initiative, manufacturers of tobacco products, including tobacco flavored products, are seeking to repeal the 2020 state law (SB 793, Chapter 34, Statutes of 2020) that banned the retail sales of flavored tobacco products in California. SB 793 was introduced by Senator Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo and was approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. As the opponents were able to qualify the referendum challenging SB 793, the law did not go into effect. Thus, the voters will decide whether or not the ban on the sales of flavored tobacco products should stay or be repealed. A Yes vote on Proposition 31 is a vote to uphold the law and keep the ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products. In 2021, the City of West Hollywood adopted an ordinance to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, and electronic smoking devices. Support for Proposition 31 is in line with the City’s adopted policies.
California voters, in the upcoming November 8, 2022 General Election, will be asked to vote upon seven statewide initiatives. Voters in the City of West Hollywood will vote, as well, to fill three (3) West Hollywood City Council seats for four-year terms. Details about the General Municipal Election are available on the City’s website at www.weho.org/elections. The City encourages community members to check voter registration status at www.lavote.gov/vrstatus.
For more information about the City of West Hollywood’s legislative affairs efforts, please visit www.weho.org/legislative or contact Hernán Molina, the City of West Hollywood’s Governmental Affairs Liaison, at (323) 848-6364 or [email protected].
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
City of West Hollywood is Implementing Block by Block Program Expansion with 30 Additional Security Ambassadors
The City of West Hollywood is pleased to announce that it is in the process of expanding its Block by Block program with 30 additional Security Ambassadors. The Block by Block program has hired and trained 20 new Security Ambassadors, one Team Lead, and one Operations Supervisor, as reported at the West Hollywood City Council meeting on Monday, September 19, 2022. The Block by Block program is on-track to be fully staffed by October 1, 2022, with a total of approximately 85 Security Ambassadors.
The City Council of the City of West Hollywood unanimously approved a Block by Block Security Ambassadors program update at its meeting on Monday, September 19, 2022. This follows City Council approval on Monday, June 27, 2022, of the City’s FY 2022-23 & 2023-24 two-year operating budget and capital work plan, which directed an increase to the number of Block by Block Security Ambassadors by 30 positions. Additional direction regarding the expansion was provided by the City Council on Monday, August 1, 2022 when it approved the related amendment to the Block by Block agreement for services.
“The City’s Block by Block Security Ambassadors program will continue to provide bicycle and foot patrols throughout the City’s commercial districts,” said City of West Hollywood City Manager David Wilson. “The program is adding dedicated foot patrols in residential neighborhoods citywide and is staffing new kiosks in selected locations. Block by Block Security Ambassadors work in close alignment with Deputies from our Sheriff’s Station, as well as our City’s Code Enforcement and Homeless Initiative teams, among others. The collaboration positively impacts quality of life in West Hollywood.”
Block by Block Security Ambassadors work in collaboration with the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station to provide supplemental safety services and they get to know West Hollywood’s neighborhoods to assist in providing an extra level of hospitality to businesses, residents, and visitors. Expansion of the program aims to provide an additional public presence to proactively reduce crime.
Block by Block Security Ambassadors are highly focused on safety and hospitality in West Hollywood with specific emphasis on:
- Maintaining uniformed foot and bicycle patrols throughout the City’s business districts and residential neighborhoods;
- Providing in-person responses 24/7 to non-violent calls for service;
- Conducting safety escorts for residents, businesses, and visitors; and
- Offering helpful guidance to community members and visitors about City information, directions, parking, and more.
In consultation with the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station, the City of West Hollywood will implement four new Block by Block Security Ambassador kiosks by October 1, 2022, at or near the following intersections: (1) Santa Monica Boulevard at N. Robertson Boulevard; (2) Santa Monica Boulevard at Westmount Drive; (3) Sunset Boulevard and Sunset Plaza Drive; and (4) Melrose Avenue and Westmount Drive.
During the next several weeks, the City will be sharing additional information about the Block by Block Security Ambassadors program with outreach to residents and businesses.
About | Block by Block Security Ambassadors Program – The City of West Hollywood partners with Block by Block on its Security Ambassadors program, which has a direct positive impact on safety and neighborhood livability.
First established as a City program in 2013, West Hollywood Block by Block Security Ambassadors provide a highly visible uniformed presence at the street level and leverage the effectiveness of local law enforcement by working in collaboration with personnel from the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station.
In addition to supplemental safety services, Block by Block Security Ambassadors get to know West Hollywood’s neighborhoods and assist in providing an extra level of hospitality to businesses, residents, and visitors and help to address and respond to quality of life concerns in the community.
Security Ambassadors receive trainings on topics such as active shooters, cultural diversity and sensitivity, administration of Narcan to treat narcotic overdose, mental health first aid, sexual harassment, emergency/disaster preparedness, and more.
The Block by Block Security Ambassador Hotline provides access to free, 24/7 support by phone or text at (323) 821-8604; a new toll-free number will be introduced in the coming weeks. For additional information, please visit www.weho.org/bbb.
About | Sheriff’s, Fire, Code, and Emergencies – The City of West Hollywood contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement and the Los Angeles County Fire Department for fire protection. The City’s Neighborhood & Business Safety Division oversees code enforcement.
For additional information, please visit www.weho.org/publicsafety. For anyone with public safety concerns, please reach out to the Sheriff’s Station 24/7 at (310) 855-8850. In an emergency, always call 911.
For more information, please contact City of West Hollywood Director of Community Safety Danny Rivas at (323) 848-6424 or [email protected].
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
City of West Hollywood Announces 2023 Arts Grant Program Grant Recipients
The City of West Hollywood
has announced the recipients for the 2023-2024 Arts Grant Program, totaling $211,000 for twenty new grantees and sixteen multi-year grantees who are all Los Angeles County based non-profit arts organizations and artists.
The City of West Hollywood, through its Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, has maintained an Arts Grant Program since 1997. The Program provides funding support, through the Arts Grant Program, to eligible artists and nonprofit arts organizations for the production, performance or presentation of arts projects that take place in the City of West Hollywood and that serve the West Hollywood community.
The City received a total of 49 applications, and $315,604 in funding requests, from artists and non-profit arts organizations proposing art projects to take place in the City of West Hollywood in 2023. These applications represent a variety of arts disciplines and a wide array of excellent project proposals. Following peer panel review, Performing Arts and Cultural Affairs Subcommittee, and Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission funding recommendations, the West Hollywood City Council approved the below recommendations on September 19, 2022.
The Arts Project Grant category supports the production, performance or presentation of art projects that take place in the City of West Hollywood and that serve the West Hollywood community. It is a two-year grant. The following non-profit arts organizations are grant recipients for 2023-2024: Brockus Project Dance Company, Grand Performances, International Eye Los Angeles, Mashup Contemporary Dance Company, Oasis Players, Pieter, Pride Poets, and Saturday Night Bath Concert Fund.
The Transgender Arts Initiative Grant category supports and enhances the presentation of artworks in West Hollywood by transgender artists, artist collectives or groups, and non-profit organizations with a history of supporting transgender artists. First initiated in 2013, this grant category is the first to support artwork by, for, and about the Transgender community. Last year, the City received 4 eligible applications; this year 16 applications were received. The 2023 grant recipients in this category are: Celebration Theatre, Cleveland Wright Lopez, Drian Juarez, Lauren Woods, and Marval A Rechsteiner.
The Community Arts Grant intends to support non-profit arts organizations with a history of supporting BIPOC and/or female artists and audiences. The grant recipients in this category include: Age Inclusion in Media, The Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights, Chicana Directors Initiative, and East West Players, Inc.
The WeHo Artist Grant aims to nurture and support the long-term development of an artist’s ideas by providing funds that increase the capacity for artists to realize work, advance the conditions of creation, and navigate the complexities of both making art and making a career. The West Hollywood resident artist grant recipients for 2023 are: Ignacio Darnaude, Sharmin Rahman, and Steven Reigns.
In addition to these new grant awardees, the City continues to support its multi-year grantees in their second or third year of programming. The multi-year grantees are: Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, Greenway Arts Alliance, Helix Collective, Kontrapunktus Neo-Baroque Chamber Orchestra, LAXART, Look What She Did, MAK Center for Art and Architecture, ONE Archives, Rogue Artists Ensemble, Suarez Dance Theater, The New Arts Foundation, War Toys, Prism Comics, No Easy Props, Arts Bridging the Gap, and Wordsville.
The Arts Grant Program is considered a central component to arts and cultural programs and services provided by the City of West Hollywood. Arts grants offer subsidized funding to artists and organizations so that ticket prices are free or more affordable for the public. In other cases, art grants provide opportunities for artistic development, allowing space for stimulating creativity and deepening cross-cultural understanding, while contributing to the quality-of-life residents and visitors can enjoy in West Hollywood. The funding provided through the vehicle of a grant ensures a fair and equitable review process and results in the reflection of the diversity contained among our residents.
Join the City of West Hollywood’s Arts Division staff for the WeHo Artists Roundtable, on Thursday, September 22, 2022 at the West Hollywood Library Community Meeting Room. RSVP at https://bit.ly/WeHoArtistsRoundtable. The WeHo Artists Roundtable is a gathering of arts organizations, individual artists, arts and creative businesses, and community members committed to West Hollywood’s artistic and cultural vitality. This Roundtable will offer a presentation by Greg Victoroff, Esq. centering the topic of copyright issues for art makers.
The City of West Hollywood is committed to providing accessible arts programming for residents and visitors. The City delivers a broad array of arts programs through its Arts Division including: Art on the Outside (temporary public art), Arts Grants for Artists and Nonprofit Arts Organizations, City Poet Laureate Program, Free Theatre in the Parks, Human Rights Speakers Series, Library Exhibits and Programming, Summer Sounds / Winter Sounds, Urban Art Program (permanent public art), WeHo Reads, and the WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival.
For more information about the City of West Hollywood’s Arts Grant Program, please visit www.weho.org/arts or contact Eva Angeloff, Grants Coordinator in the City of West Hollywood’s Arts Division, at (323) 848-6354 or at [email protected].
City of West Hollywood Presents 59, a Film from Artist Leslie Foster as Part of the ‘Moving Image Media Art’ Exhibition Series
The City of West Hollywood announces the next exhibition in the Moving Image Media Art program (MIMA) and the debut of 59, a film from artist Leslie Foster. 59 will air at the top of every hour on the digital billboard at 8743 Sunset Boulevard (Invisible Frame) on the Sunset Strip from Saturday, October 1, 2022, through Tuesday, January 31, 2023.
MIMA is an ongoing exhibition series of moving image media artworks on multiple digital billboards at various locations along Sunset Boulevard. The goals of the MIMA Program are to foster cultural equity, expand accessibility, inspire communication, create public space, and enhance the human experience of the Sunset Strip. Among the most resonant and applicable themes MIMA seeks to represent is the concept of invisibility in relation to communities rendered unseen by inequity.
H. Leslie Foster II is an experimental filmmaker whose work shines a bright light on the historically silenced. 59 is comprised of 11 films, that were shot in 11 months in May 2017, with 11 different collaborators. 59 represents the completion of a yearlong art residency with the nonprofit art collective Level Ground, where he now serves as the Director of Art Residency. The work recognizes struggle as a universally shared experience, which provocatively describes our differences and similarities all at once.
Foster is an artist based in Los Angeles whose work explores Black and queer futurism through a lens of dream logic. His love for storytelling is inspired by a childhood spent in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Berrien Springs, Michigan. Since 2006 he has shot films and music videos in Serbia, gone undercover in Jamaica to shoot a documentary about violent homophobia, attended Burning Man 8 times, and has been exhibited internationally. He is also a founding member of the collective Museum Adjacent, which was formed by members of the 2019 Torrance Art Museum FORUM residency cohort.
The Moving Image Media Art program (MIMA) is a City of West Hollywood exhibition series administered by the City’s Arts Division, as part of its Art on the Outside Program, and is presented within the Sunset Arts and Advertising Program. MIMA offers artists the opportunity, and the funding, to create immediate, remarkable, and ambitious works of art that engage with the unique visual landscape of the world-famous Sunset Strip, and experiment with the state-of-the-art technology of high-definition digital signage.
MIMA enables artists to occupy, contest, and play with the boundaries and uses of public space and manifest moments of connection and awe. Leslie Foster was selected for exhibition from the MIMA Prequalified List, a rolling, open-call for moving image media artists, curators, and nonprofit arts organizations, with applications reviewed bi-annually by the City of West Hollywood’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, in November and May. The MIMA Prequalified List includes a diverse list of artists of all career levels; from emerging to internationally recognized. https://www.weho.org/community/arts-and-culture/visual-arts/mima
The City of West Hollywood’s Arts Division delivers a broad array of arts programs including Art on the Outside (temporary public art), Arts Grants, City Poet Laureate, Free Theatre in the Parks, Human Rights Speaker Series, Library Exhibits, WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival, Summer Sounds + Winter Sounds, Urban Art (permanent public art), and WeHo Reads. For more information about City of West Hollywood arts programming, please visit www.weho.org/arts.
For more information about MIMA please contact Rebecca Ehemann, City of West Hollywood Arts Manager, at (323) 848-6846 or at [email protected].
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
City of West Hollywood Presents THREE OVERLOOKED WOMEN FILMMAKERS from Artist Sabrina Gshwandtner As Part of the ‘Moving Image Media Art’ Exhibition Series
The City of West Hollywood announces the debut of the next exhibition in the Moving Image Media Art program (MIMA) program and the worldwide debut of THREE OVERLOOKED WOMEN FILMMAKERS, a collection of three short films, from artist Sabrina Gshwandtner. The THREE OVERLOOKED WOMEN FILMMAKERS Film I will air at the top of every hour, followed by Film II and Film III at 20 and 40 minutes past each hour on the Streamlined Arbor billboard, located at 9157 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip from Saturday, October 1, 2022, through Tuesday, January 31, 2023.
MIMA is an ongoing exhibition series of moving image media artworks on multiple digital billboards at various locations along Sunset Boulevard. The goals of the MIMA Program are to foster cultural equity, expand accessibility, inspire communication, create public space, and enhance the human experience of the Sunset Strip. Among the most resonant and applicable themes MIMA seeks to represent is the concept of restoration in relation to communities rendered unseen by inequity.
Sabrina Gschwandtner has examined the historical erasure of work done by women in film throughout her career. By creating kaleidoscopic moving image “quilts” of meticulously manipulated historic footage, Gshwandtner’s work performs an act of historical remediation, recovering the names and works of under-recognized women filmmakers of the silent era, where intricate sewing skills translated their handcraft perfectly to the rigorous demands of weaving together an engaging movie. Gshwandtner’s expressive films mend unconscionable gaps in Hollywood’s past, but they also exist as beautiful, mesmerizing moments on their own, flickering at the western edge of the city, confidently guiding us home.
Sabrina Gschwandtner’s artwork, comprised of film, video, photography, and textiles, was recently featured at The Sum of the Parts, Craft Contemporary, Los Angeles, and at a solo exhibition at Shoshana Wayne Gallery in Los Angeles. Gschwandtner’s artwork has been exhibited internationally at museums including the Smithsonian American Art Museum; the Victoria and Albert Museum; the Museum of Arts and Design, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, among many others. Her work is held in the permanent collections of LACMA, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the RISD Museum, the Mint Museum, the Philbrook Museum, the Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art at Rollins Collect, and the Carl and Marilyn Thoma Art Foundation, among other public and private collections worldwide. Gschwandtner was born in Washington D.C., received her MFA from Bard College, and received a 2019 City of Los Angeles (COLA) Individual Artist Fellowship.
The Moving Image Media Art program (MIMA) is a City of West Hollywood exhibition series administered by the City’s Arts Division, as part of its Art on the Outside Program, and is presented within the Sunset Arts and Advertising Program. MIMA offers artists the opportunity, and the funding, to create immediate, remarkable, and ambitious works of art that engage with the unique visual landscape of the world-famous Sunset Strip, and experiment with the state-of-the-art technology of high-definition digital signage.
MIMA enables artists to occupy, contest, and play with the boundaries and uses of public space and manifest moments of connection and awe. Sabrina Gshwandtner was selected for exhibition from the MIMA Prequalified List, a rolling, open-call for moving image media artists, curators, and nonprofit arts organizations, with applications reviewed bi-annually by the City of West Hollywood’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, in November and May. The MIMA Prequalified List includes a diverse list of artists of all career levels; from emerging to internationally recognized. https://www.weho.org/community/arts-and-culture/visual-arts/mima
The City of West Hollywood’s Arts Division delivers a broad array of arts programs including Art on the Outside (temporary public art), Arts Grants, City Poet Laureate, Free Theatre in the Parks, Human Rights Speaker Series, Library Exhibits, WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival, Summer Sounds + Winter Sounds, Urban Art (permanent public art), and WeHo Reads. For more information about City of West Hollywood arts programming, please visit www.weho.org/arts.
For more information about MIMA please contact Rebecca Ehemann, City of West Hollywood Arts Manager, at (323) 848-6846 or at [email protected].
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
News
West Hollywood joins coalition against ICE raids, standing up for queer immigrants
West Hollywood Mayor Chelsea Byers talks to the Blade about the city’s adamant stance against the unconstitutional practices conducted by ICE

When the City of West Hollywood voted unanimously to join a lawsuit against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) this July, it wasn’t just a procedural step; it was a demand for accountability. A demand to stop the illegal collaboration between local jails and federal deportation agents. A demand to end complicity in a system that disproportionately targets queer, trans, Black, brown, and immigrant lives.
The lawsuit, originally filed by the cities of El Monte and San Gabriel, challenges ICE’s use of detainer requests in California. These requests ask local jails to hold individuals past their release dates so ICE can apprehend them, often without a judicial warrant. That practice is illegal under the California Values Act (SB 54), which was passed in 2017 to prevent local law enforcement from aiding federal immigration enforcement. These detainers lead to unjust arrests and deportations, tearing apart immigrant families and communities.
“We are not going to stand by as ICE tries to continue these unconstitutional practices in our state,” said West Hollywood Mayor Chelsea Byers in an interview with the Blade. “It’s important that we call that out as illegal and take action, which is what this lawsuit is about.”
This isn’t West Hollywood’s first stand against ICE, but the decision to join this lawsuit signals a growing urgency. In recent years, anti-immigrant sentiment has become more aggressive, with far-right leaders stoking fear and fueling deportation efforts while simultaneously attacking LGBTQ+ rights. For trans and queer migrants, that double targeting has deadly consequences.
“When we think about West Hollywood’s identity as a sanctuary city, that doesn’t just mean we offer support in symbolic ways,” Byers said. “It means that we have to be active when rights are being violated, especially for LGBTQ and immigrant communities.”
West Hollywood’s move didn’t come out of nowhere; it came from years of pressure, coalition building, and resistance led by immigrant justice organizations and trans-led groups. Two of the most influential voices behind this action are CHIRLA (the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights) and the TransLatin@ Coalition, whose work helped push this issue into the public and political spotlight.
CHIRLA’s legal team has been instrumental in challenging ICE’s detainer practices. They argue that ICE has repeatedly violated state law by issuing civil detainers without legal justification, turning local law enforcement into extensions of a federal deportation machine.
The TransLatin@ Coalition, founded and led by trans Latina immigrants, has spent over a decade building power through direct services, community organizing, and policy advocacy. They know firsthand how immigration enforcement tears apart communities and how dangerous detention is for trans people.
“This lawsuit is ultimately about dignity,” said Byers. “It’s about due process, and making sure that we don’t allow any agency—even a federal agency—to overstep the rights of individuals.”
The case against ICE is not just about technical violations of SB 54; it’s about state sovereignty and whether California’s sanctuary laws will be respected or undermined by a federal agency notorious for operating outside the law.
California’s sanctuary policies were designed to protect immigrant communities from exactly this kind of abuse. But enforcement loopholes, misinformation, and quiet cooperation between law enforcement and ICE continue to put lives at risk. This lawsuit seeks to shut those loopholes once and for all.
“This is a matter of California law being upheld. That’s why we joined this lawsuit—to make sure that ICE is held accountable,” said Byers.
As the legal fight plays out in court, West Hollywood’s action sends a clear message to other cities: you don’t get to call yourself a sanctuary if you’re silent when ICE breaks the law. It’s not enough to offer symbolic support. Real sanctuary means putting resources, legal pressure, and political will behind the people most targeted by the system.
“To the LGBTQ+ immigrants in our city, we want to send the message that you are welcome here, and that we will stand up for you.”
News
West Hollywood to advance protections for diverse and non-nuclear families
West Hollywood is working to update local ordinances to include non-nuclear, polyamorous, and chosen families.

West Hollywood is once again at the forefront of LGBTQ+ equality and family inclusivity. The city, known for its progressive leadership, is working to update local ordinances to better reflect the full spectrum of modern family structures, including non-nuclear, polyamorous, and chosen families.
Christina Fialho, an attorney and founder of Rewrite the BiLine, has been a driving force behind the effort. Fialho has spent nearly two decades advocating for LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights. For her, this fight is deeply personal. “West Hollywood is my community, where I go to the gym, where I go out with friends, and as a bi queer person, I am grateful each day to be part of such a welcoming community,” Fialho shared.
“For polyamorous individuals and people in diverse family structures,” Fialho said, “the fear of discrimination and lack of legal protections make coming out incredibly difficult. That’s why I have mobilized community support by meeting one-on-one with community members to listen, connect, and build trust. Despite the fear, there’s a powerful, shared desire for change, and it’s that collective courage that has made this work possible so far.”
The push gained momentum after the passage of Proposition 3 in California last year, which removed discriminatory language from the state constitution and reaffirmed same-sex marriage protections. Fialho reached out to West Hollywood Mayor Chelsea Lee Byers in March 2025 to explore how the city could further protect diverse families. Within two months, Mayor Byers introduced an agenda item to initiate the process of expanding the city’s nondiscrimination protections.
“For so many queer individuals, chosen family is a source of safety, stability, and joy,” Mayor Byers shared. “As a city that has long championed LGBTQ+ rights, it’s essential that we enact the legal protections necessary for all families to live in dignity and security. This nondiscrimination ordinance and the domestic partnership law will enhance the well-being of people and families across West Hollywood, and I’m proud that our city continues to lead with our values of inclusion, diversity, and equality for all.”

On May 19, 2025, the West Hollywood City Council unanimously voted to explore updates to the municipal code that would prohibit discrimination based on family and relationship structure. These updates would explicitly protect people in polyamorous relationships, multi-parent families, step-families, multi-generational households, and asexual partnerships. These types of ordinances, which have been adopted by a few other cities, “are already reducing stigma and advancing equity in real and measurable ways,” Fialho wrote in her May 19th comment letter.
On June 23, the City Council took another historic step. Vice Mayor John Heilman introduced an agenda item to explore updating the city’s domestic partnership ordinance to allow more than two people to register as domestic partners, potentially making West Hollywood the first city in California to officially recognize multi-partner relationships. When introducing the agenda item, Heilman explained that he wants to address the needs of people in diverse family structures “and provide whatever protection we can for them as a family and for their children.” Heilman also led the city’s groundbreaking effort in 1985 to create the nation’s first domestic partnership registry for same-sex couples.
This growing movement has been powered by the voices of West Hollywood residents, local leaders, and LGBTQ+ advocates who have rallied in support of the ordinance. Many emphasized that recognizing diverse family structures is not just a policy update, it’s a necessary step toward dignity and equity for all.
Brian Wenke, who runs a global LGBTQ+ nonprofit, stressed the urgency of modernizing family protections, sharing that “our laws must evolve to reflect the full spectrum of how love and family show up in the world.” Nicole Kristal, founder of Still Bisexual, highlighted the specific impact on bi+ people, many of whom are left “without the protections, benefits, or dignity afforded to others.” For Kristal, this is about more than just policy; it’s about finally “addressing the needs of people who have been historically sidelined even within queer spaces.” Educator and advocate Ross Victory also underscored the importance of protecting chosen families, especially now, saying, “family, chosen or blood, is more important than ever in these times.”
As a polyamorous, trans woman and West Hollywood community member, I also spoke in support of the ordinance. For me, this is personal. “Domestic partnership recognition isn’t just symbolic; it’s a step toward legal inclusion, protection, and dignity,” I shared. In a time of growing backlash against LGBTQ+ rights, I believe that “taking bold action to support marginalized communities isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the necessary thing to do.”
This local movement is part of a growing national effort to redefine what family means under the law. Across the country, more than a dozen states have expanded paid family leave to include chosen family and “designated persons,” and California now allows caregiving beyond the traditional nuclear family. If this ordinance passes, West Hollywood will become the first city in California and the first on the West Coast to officially recognize domestic partnerships that include triads, polycules, and other multi-partner relationships, joining municipalities like Somerville, Cambridge, and Arlington, Massachusetts.
“What we do here in West Hollywood has a direct effect on the state and national conversation,” Fialho emphasized. “While West Hollywood cannot end discrimination against queer families on its own, it can lead the way.” Fialho hopes this progress will inspire other cities across Los Angeles County and beyond to follow. “The binary lens through which society views gender, sexuality, and relationships denies the reality of millions. Poly families disproportionately include bi+, trans, and nonbinary individuals, communities that already experience discrimination and legal invisibility. Unequal access to rights and benefits was a primary catalyst for the marriage equality movement, and it should motivate Californians to extend benefits to all families.”
The City Attorney has now been directed to evaluate amending local ordinance language, and the next vote is expected soon. Community members can stay engaged and show support by joining the local coalition here. All eyes will be on West Hollywood as it continues to push the boundaries of family recognition in an upcoming City Council meeting.
a&e features
A king rises in Vico Ortiz’s new solo show
With a little bit of ‘astrology woo-woo-ness, a little bit of magic woo-woo-ness, drag and fabulosity,’ they tether together the story of the relationship between them and their mother

Nonbinary, Puerto Rican icon, comedian, actor and activist, Vico Ortiz, 33, binds and weaves awkward childhood moments, family expectations, Walter Mercado and the love of their life embodied by a household mop, to tell the story of the rise of a king.
During the peak of Pride month, Ortiz gifted the Los Angeles queer and trans communities with a spectacularly queer, solo show featuring themself in their quest of self-discovery, a profound sense of connection and reconnection with their femininity and masculinity through growing pains and moments of doubt. This is a show that Ortiz describes as “wholesome, but burlesque.”
King Vico Ortiz rises
The show, which premiered on June 12, details Ortiz’s childhood, vignetting and transforming through their most formative years and through canon events that led them to their gay awakening, such as watching Disney’s Mulan (in Spanish) and the moment Ortiz cut their hair in honor of the scene where Mulan cuts hers off. Ortiz took the audience on a journey through their inner monologue during the moments in their childhood and into adulthood, where they not only come to terms with their identity, but also learn to understand the internal battle their parents went through as they watched their king rise.
Though Ortiz mostly only acted prior to writing and producing their first solo show, they finally took their opportunity to do things a little differently. Last June, their friend Nikki Levy, who runs a show called Don’t Tell My Mother, coached Ortiz to dredge up childhood memories and tether them in a way that could be told and understood by an audience as a show about queerness and self-discovery.
“[Levy] started asking me those questions that dig deeper into the emotional journey of the story, not just ‘hehe’ ‘haha’ moments, but there’s something a little deeper happening,” said Ortiz in an interview with the L.A. Blade. This is when they asked Levy to help coach them through the process of putting the story together in a way that Ortiz imagined it, but also in a way that made sense to the audience.
Ortiz says that with a little bit of ‘astrology woo-woo-ness, a little bit of magic woo-woo-ness, drag and fabulosity,’ they tether together the story of the relationship between them and their mother.
“Astrology had a huge influence in my life growing up from the get-go,” said Ortiz. “I was born and [my mother] printed my birth chart.” The Libra sun, Sagittarius rising, Scorpio moon and Venus in Virgo, says they have always known their chart and that not only did astrology play a huge role in their life growing up, but so did astrologer-to-the-stars Walter Mercado.
The solo was partly influenced by their mother and partly influenced by the iconic, queer, androgynously-elegant Mercado, who famously appeared on TV screens across homes in Latin America and the United States for a segment on that day’s astrological reading.
Seeing Mercado on that daily segment shaped Ortiz’s view of gender and began to understand themselves in a new-found light — one in which they saw their most authentic self.
“Seeing that this person is loved and worshipped by all these people who are like: ‘we don’t care that Walter looks like Walter, we just love Walter,’” said Ortiz. This is when they realized that they too, wanted to be loved and adored by the masses, all while fully embracing their masculinity and femininity.
Closing Night of ‘Rise of a King’
The closing night show of ‘Rise of a King’ was a reminder of how unpredictable life can be and how darkness comes in on some of our brightest moments. Ortiz brilliantly pulled off an improv monologue during a 15-minute power outage. Though it was unpredictable, it was on theme. Ortiz owned the stage, going on about childhood memories that shaped them into who they are today and how they have reconnected with the imaginative child that once told the story of a half-butterfly, half-fish.
The rest of the show went according to plan, immersing the audience in a show that took us straight into the closet of Ortiz’s parents and where Ortiz not only discovered, but learned to embrace who they truly are — to the first moments they embraced the king within and outwardly began to show it to audiences, and eventually their mother.
The set, designed by Jose Matias, functioned as a walk-in closet that transforms throughout the show against the backdrop of drawings of Ortiz and their family memories projected on a big screen on the stage.
Ortiz’s original, solo-show had its world premiere at FUERZAfest in New York City, then its west coast premiere at L.A.’s own Hollywood Fringe Festival.
Follow @puertoricanninja for more updates on their upcoming work.
Arts & Entertainment
Make Your Voice Heard at WeHo Pride: Join the Women’s Freedom Festival and Dyke March
FREE! FREE! FREE! Come celebrate Pride in West Hollywood with these free events

WeHo Pride is now fully underway with an arts festival happening now, leading up to a weekend-long worth of events celebrating the kick-off of Pride season.
On Friday, May 31, the Women’s Freedom Festival will take over the Celebration Stage, celebrating women’s rights — and wrongs. The event is co-sponsored and produced by the L-Project, featuring emerging and local artists from the LGBTQ and QTBIPOC identities, including activists, musicians, poets and comedians.
The exciting lineup of events features an arts festival that is currently hitting the streets of West Hollywood, the historic Dyke March featuring Dykes on Bikes and Pride Riders L.A. — an organization for queer and lesbian women motorcycle riders — and much, much more.
Katrina Vinson is the founder of Pride Riders L.A., working hard over the last few years to bring much-needed visibility to dykes, women who love women and nonbinary people who identify as sapphics.
Her application to start the first Dykes on Bikes Los Angeles chapter is about more than branding. It’s about connection to a legacy of activism — dating back to the group’s 1976 founding in San Francisco, when leather-clad lesbians led the Pride parade in defiance of the police force and society’s patriarchal norms.
“It’s not just about riding,” Vinson says. “It’s about showing up for each other and reminding the world that we’re still here, still loud, still proud — and still riding.”
Pride Riders LA will feature an all-women and nonbinary people lineup of motorcycle bike riders, revving their engines all up and down West Hollywood. Pride Riders LA will roll in following the Women’s Freedom Festival, creating a transition from stage to street. The call for riders is already underway—with an emphasis on inclusivity and outreach to younger riders, trans and nonbinary folks, and LGBTQ+ bikers of color.
Jackie Steele is a multi-faceted community organizer and longtime activist who has built a reputation in queer and sapphic spaces. She is the Los Angeles District Attorney LGBTQ+ Advisory Board Chair, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna LGBTQ+ Advisory Board Member, and was previously the Public Safety Commissioner for the City of West Hollywood, Co-Chair of the LGBTQ+ Advisory Board of the City of West Hollywood and a self-proclaimed militant queer.
“Chris Baldwin runs the L-project and what they’ve put together is a concert and an event that is a true celebration of intersectional queer identities,” said Jackie Steele. “We worked really hard to work with the city to create a space that was accessible for everybody, where folks can just come out, enjoy the street fair and enjoy themselves.”
This year, they are expecting around 50 bikes to roll through for the Dyke March, so if you’ve never been, this will be a moment to remember, some might even call it a canon event.
“If you’ve never been, Dyke March is a celebration of dykes and what lesbians have done in the community — which is often under-celebrated,” said Steele. “There’s going to be bikes everywhere, engines roaring, a live program on stage and we will be fists in the air, standing together.”
WeHo Pride will take over Santa Monica Blvd., over the weekend. Check the West Hollywood Pride events page to keep up with street closures, parking information and full lineup of performers and events.
a&e features
Frankie Grande is loud and proud this WeHo Pride
Frankie Grande will be hitting the stage at this year’s Outloud Music Festival at WeHo Pride and is ready to bring the party

Among other queer and ally big names like Lizzo, Alyssa Edwards, Kim Petras and Frankie Grande will be taking center stage on Saturday, May 31, at this year’s OUTLOUD Music Festival at WeHo Pride. In the wake of the queer community’s current political strife, Grande is taking the spotlight, unapologetically and ready to bring the party, celebrating activism and sexuality unabashedly.
Hot off the heels of his recent two hit singles, “Rhythm of Love” and “Boys,” Grande is gearing up for the release of his new album, Hotel Rock Bottom, hitting platforms on June 27. The album is bringing queer aesthetic to the pop genre and is a retelling of Grande’s life as he has gone from party boy to stage, screen, and reality TV personality, to getting married and living a sober family life (dog and all).
We sat for a chat with Grande as he prepares for his WeHo Pride extravaganza. With everything socially and politically considered, Grande is not holding anything back this Pride season.
Pride is recharging and gearing up for battle. I feel like we’re in a place where our community is under attack, and this is the time where we get the microphone so recharge and get ready to be loud and be prouder than we ever have before. We need to show the world that we are not to be fucked with. We got the mic, so let’s use it.
No stranger to taking the stage, Grande promises a spectacle for his Outloud appearance.
I’m so excited. I’ve put so much effort into crafting a very beautiful show, a very gay show, a very hot show. I’ve selected some really fun songs from my album that people are going to get to hear for the first time because the album won’t be out. I’m also doing some fun and clever covers of songs that have inspired me. I’m excited that I’ve mixed it up and it’s going to be really fun and really gay.
This Pride, Frankie’s call to the gay community is clear.
Support our trans siblings. It is more important than ever. Go to your trans friends and be like, “Hey, what do you need? And how can I help?” Because they’re the ones who are directly being scapegoated at this moment. To think that it’s happening to them means it’s not happening to you is crazy. We are all part of the same community. We’re all under the rainbow umbrella, so let’s go support the community that is directly under attack right now.
Grande’s album comes at a time when queer folk could use a little levity and party attitude. He has been a long-time spokesperson for the LGBTQ community. He has used his platform from reality TV to his role as GLAAD board member to incite activism. He knows full well the fatigue that many of the queer community face as we continue to resist a brutal Presidential administration.
You have to find moments of joy. Honestly, that’s a lot of what this album is to me. It’s like, let’s dance around and bop and be silly to boys tonight so that we can hit the ground running tomorrow and go get some legislation overturned. My whole life, I’ve turned to the dance floor during times of stress, and I think we do need to do that. We have to go celebrate. We have to remember why it is so fun to be a huge homosexual and what we’re fighting for. But then we need to go fight. Don’t get so fucked up that you have to be in bed for three days because we actually do need to go to work.
Grande has also become the poster boy for sober party gays. Celebrating 8 years of sobriety, he has been very open about his journey and how it fits into gay culture. Being openly sober has gained momentum in the queer community and many Prides now include dry events. Grande knows the triggers that Pride can include and has some advice to his fellow sober folk.
First of all, sober gays are fun gays, let’s just say that. If you’re triggered, get the fuck out. You know? There are a lot of drugs, there’s a lot of drinking, there’s a lot of partying, and sometimes you’re just not fully ready to be in those environments. And if that is true, then just leave. The people who are drinking and using will have no idea that you left.
Also go find some sober friends to go with. I did everything in sobriety, like linked with my sober BFFs, Salina EsTitties and stylist Mandoh Melendez. They were my bodyguards and they were my shield, and they had more sobriety than I did. They showed me the ropes, and to this day, they’re still sober and my best friends. So, get a sober buddy and GTFO when you’re triggered, just leave.
Grande is being very vulnerable in his upcoming album Hotel Rock Bottom. Not only is he leaving himself to be compared to other family members in the business, but he is also telling his story on his own terms with music. What is his intent with his album?
My mission with this album is to inspire others to be themselves by being so open and honest. If you just want to listen to the surface value of my album, then you’re going to have a great fun dance time being like, this is so much fun. But if you want to actually go and listen to the lyrics and dissect it, you’ll see that there’s a lot of darkness and a lot of light on both sides of this album. I organized this album into side A and side B, or top and bottom, as we’re calling it on the vinyl. There’s sobriety and using days, there’s good and bad, and highs and lows on both. So, no judgment, it’s all about just be yourself, live your life, live authentically, and you’re going to get through whatever you’re dealing with.
And his message to the queer LA community this Weho Pride?
We’re very privileged and we’re very blessed because we’re in a very liberal and very blue state, so we need to have the best time and show up. But let’s make sure that we’re constantly beaming our love, light, and energy, and thinking about how we can help people in red states who are not going to have a governmentally and a community-supported Pride, because that is a reality these days. Let’s try to figure out how we’re going to help the country while we’re in the most liberal, most protected state in the world, which is fabulous.
Catch Grande onstage at Outloud on Saturday, May 31st. Hotel Rock Bottom will be released June 27th, available wherever you stream your music.
Commentary
From pride to policy, it’s time to build in WeHo
‘West Hollywood isn’t just coasting on its values—we’re acting on them’

By John M. Erickson, West Hollywood City Councilmember
West Hollywood has always stood as a beacon for LGBTQ people, for the
marginalized—for anyone chasing a place to be safe, seen, and supported. But that
promise is slipping away. If people can’t afford to live here, then West Hollywood becomes a symbol, not a sanctuary.
The housing crisis gripping Southern California is particularly acute in LGBTQ communities. Whether it’s trans women of color pushed into homelessness, queer youth aging out of foster care, or seniors on fixed incomes being priced out of the very neighborhoods they helped shape—our inability to build enough housing is deepening the inequality we claim to fight against. Our failure to build enough housing is not just a policy gap—it’s a moral one.
This isn’t theoretical. It’s personal.
As a gay man and a progressive policymaker, I know what it means to live at the intersection of identity and action. I carry the legacy of those who fought for a seat at the table—and the duty to do more than just sit there. Right now, that means confronting a housing system that’s failing the very people we claim to protect.
When West Hollywood became a city in 1984, we inherited density. We had walkable
neighborhoods, apartment buildings, and a diverse housing stock. But we froze. For 40
years, our zoning has barely moved.
In the last 25 years, WeHo has actually decreased in population. Meanwhile the number
of Americans who identify as LGBTQ+ has more than tripled in that same amount of
time. We haven’t kept up with demand, and we haven’t met the needs of the vulnerable
communities we claim to champion.
That’s about to change.
On Monday, May 5th, I’m introducing a sweeping housing reform package aimed at one
thing: making it easier, faster, and cheaper to build homes in West Hollywood. Not just
luxury condos—homes people can actually live in. That means slashing red tape. Cutting delays. Dismantling outdated rules that stall projects and drive up rents.
This isn’t about bulldozing neighborhoods or silencing community voices. It’s about
fixing a broken system—one built for a different era and completely out of step with the
urgency of now. It’s time to stop confusing progressive branding with progressive
outcomes. We need real reform: faster processes, smarter regulations, and yes—political courage.
Will this fix everything overnight? No. But it will send a clear message: West Hollywood
isn’t just coasting on its values—we’re acting on them.
Housing justice is LGBTQ+ justice. It’s racial justice, economic justice, and generational
justice. We don’t get to call ourselves a queer haven if only the rich and lucky can live
here. The West Hollywood of the future must make room for drag artists, Trader Joe’s
cashiers, trans youth, longtime renters—and anyone else trying to build a life with
dignity.
A city that flies the Pride flag can’t stand by while its most vulnerable residents are
priced out and pushed out. We owe the next generation more than just slogans and
rainbows. Let’s leave them keys.
Local
WeHo Gives Back program launched to support small businesses
This initiative will raise funds for local businesses impacted by the recent wild fires

The West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce (WHCC) announced the launch of WeHo Gives Back, a new initiative that is committed to supporting small businesses in West Hollywood that have been impacted by the Los Angeles fires.
“The small businesses of West Hollywood are resilient, but they need our community’s support
now more than ever,” said Genevieve Morrill, WHCC president and CEO. “WeHo Gives Back is
our way of ensuring these establishments receive the support they need to recover and thrive.”
West Hollywood is home to a diverse number of locally owned businesses. From the nightlife and restaurant industries to service providers like dry cleaners and salons, there’s a business for every one of the community’s needs. According to the WeHo Chamber of Commerce, businesses have been experiencing revenue declines between 25 percent to 50 percent with retail, hotels, restaurants, and bars being hit the hardest. In some cases, businesses have reported over 70 percent in loss of revenue, leading to a reduction in staff and operating hours.
About 26 percent of West Hollywood’s workforce is made up of hospitality workers, primarily employed by small businesses. These businesses, including the hotel industry, contribute to an estimated 70 percent of the city’s revenue. Tax revenue is used to support social services, community safety, and infrastructure improvements.
WHCC is calling on the community to support through WeHo Gives Back with a goal to restore the loss in foot traffic and to raise much needed funds. The public is encouraged to venture out to West Hollywood to shop, dine, and play.
The initiative kicked off on March 1st and West Hollywood go-ers will start to see QR codes on signs, napkins and websites in order to contribute to the recovery fund.
For more information about WeHo Gives Back or where to donate, visit wehochamber.com/wehogivesback.
West Hollywood
West Hollywood receives top score in Municipal Equality Index
Key findings point to record amount of cities to receive 100-point score across the nation

The City of West Hollywood received the highest score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2024 Municipal Equality Index. The MEI is an evaluation by the HRC of over 500 cities across the United States, measuring a city’s laws, policies and available resources for LGBTQ+ people.
This rating is done using a scorecard that factors in non-discrimination laws, employment opportunities and protections, municipal services, law enforcement and leadership on LGBTQ+ equality.
“Even when anti-LGBTQ+ extremists in state capitals are working to undermine their progress, mayors and city council members keep fighting to make sure that LGBTQ+ people in their communities – especially trans people – are supported and lifted up to the fullest extent possible,” said Kelley Robinson, president of the HRC. “This year’s Municipal Equality Index shows the results of their dedication, while acknowledging the increasingly hostile environment in which they must govern.”
In addition to the score of 100, the city received flex score points in recognition of specific services such as those for LGBTQ+ youth, seniors and people lacking basic needs. Available services for people living with HIV/AIDS jumped to 134 cities nationwide, 83 cities for LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness, 78 cities with services for LGBTQ+ older adults, 163 cities with services for LGBTQ+ youth and 97 cities with services for transgender and transsexual people.
A city’s MEI score is based on non-discrimination laws, protections, its recognition of relationships, fairness and inclusiveness in employment opportunities and resources catered to LGBTQ+ people.
The MEI is done in partnership with the Equality Federation Institute, which partners up with LGBTQ+ organizations nationally.
“This year, a record-breaking 130 cities — over 25 percent of all MEI-rated cities — earned the highest score of 100. What is even more remarkable is that in 20 states across the country, 76 cities earned over 85 points despite hailing from a state without a nondiscrimination statute that explicitly protects LGBTQ+ people,” said Fran Hutchins, executive director at the Equality Federation Institute.
During 2024, a record-breaking amount of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation was proposed and approved at all levels of government. LGBTQ+ Americans across the country have felt the effects of the legislation, which has affected and impacted schools, families and the municipalities that are essential building blocks of the U.S.
Despite the continued anti-LGBTQ+ legislation attacks against the municipalities that have taken proactive steps to protect LGBTQ+ rights, freedoms and establish protections, many cities such as West Hollywood continue to lead and pave the way for equality.
In its thirteen-year history, 2024’s index recorded the highest all-around city average and a record number of cities to receive a 100-point score.
Some key findings do point to the loss of points in some cities in 2023, due to the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in some cities across the country.
According to the MEI report, more cities than ever have taken steps to protect the most vulnerable populations, with over 10 percent of MEI-rated cities taking action against these harmful laws, nearly doubling over the last five years.
Other figures include a new all-time high national average of 72 points.
For more information on the report, its findings and scoring criteria, visit the HRC’s website or find the full report here.
AIDS and HIV
New monument in West Hollywood will honor lives lost to AIDS
In 1985, WeHo sponsored one of the first awareness campaigns in the country, nationally and globally becoming a model city for the response to the epidemic

December is AIDS/HIV awareness month and this year West Hollywood is honoring the lives lost, by breaking ground on a project in West Hollywood Park that has been in the works since 2012.
Members of Hollywood’s City Council joined representatives from the Foundation of AIDS Monument to announce the commencement of the construction of STORIES: The AIDS Monument, which will memorialize 32 million lives lost. This monument, created by artist Daniel Tobin, will represent the rich history of Los Angeles where many of those afflicted with HIV/AIDS lived out their final days in support of their community.
Tobin is a co-founder and creative director of Urban Art Projects, which creates public art programs that humanize cities by embedding creativity into local communities.
The motto for the monument is posted on the website announcing the project.
“The AIDS Monument:
REMEMBERS those we lost, those who survived, the protests and vigils, the caregivers.
CELEBRATES those who step up when others step away.
EDUCATES future generations through lessons learned.”
The monument will feature a plaza with a donor wall, vertical bronze ‘traces’ with narrative text, integrated lighting resembling a candlelight vigil, and a podium facing North San Vicente Blvd.
World AIDS Day, which just passed, is on December 1st since the World Health Organization declared it an international day for global health in 1988 to honor the lives lost to HIV/AIDS.
The Foundation for the AIDS monument aims to chronicle the epidemic to be preserved for younger generations to learn the history and memorialize the voices that arose during this time.
The HIV/AIDS epidemic particularly affected people in Hollywood during the onset of the epidemic in the 1980s. The epidemic caused a devastatingly high number of deaths in the city. The city then became one of the first government entities to provide social service grants to local AIDS and HIV organizations.
In 1985, the city sponsored one of the first awareness campaigns in the country, nationally and globally becoming a model city for the response to the epidemic.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the theme for World AIDS Day, ‘Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress.’
The city of West Hollywood continues to strive to become a HIV Zero city with its current implementation of HIV Zero Initiative. The initiative embraces a vision to “Get to Zero” on many fronts: zero new infections, zero progression of HIV to AIDS, zero discrimination and zero stigma.
Along with the initiative and the new AIDS monument, the city also provides ongoing support and programming through events for World AIDS Day and the annual AIDS Memorial Walk in partnership with the Alliance for Housing and Healing.
For more information, please visit www.weho.org/services/human-services/hiv-aids-resources.
LGBTQ Non-Profit Organizations
Quinceañera fashion show raises record-breaking funds
The Trans Latin@ Coalition raised approximately $300,000 to continue funding vital programs

The Trans Latin@ Coalition raised a record-breaking amount of money at their quinceañera, celebrating fifteen years of helping the Trans, Latin American communities of West Hollywood and Los Angeles. The event took place at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, starting with a VIP reception and red carpet, followed by a fashion show featuring 14 designers. The 15th anniversary successfully highlighted the intersection of cultura, fashion and activism with a mariachi and fashion lines full of vibrant Latin American colors, patterns and embroidery.
The quinceanera’s fashion show is called GARRAS, which stands for Groundbreaking Activism Redirecting and Reforming All Systems. GARRAS is more than just a fashion show, it is also a movement to transform the Trans, Gender nonconforming and Intersex community–as well as their allies–into high-fashion icons.
GARRAS raises funds for the Trans Latin@ Coalition and uses these events to give TGI people a platform to showcase their talents, leadership and activism. The quinceañera-themed fashion show
Bamby Salcedo, CEO of Trans Latin@ Coalition spoke during the event to address not only the need for continued funding, but also to point out how much more unity the TGI and Latin American communities must demonstrate in light of the incoming Trump administration.
“I want to thank each and every one of you for supporting our work, for believing in our work and for participating in the change we are all working to create,” said Salcedo to the audience. “We’re here to raise funds to continue to do the work that needs to happen, especially because of what just happened [with the election]. And you know what? [The government] is trying to scare us and diminish who we are, and I say to all those mother f*ckers ‘F*ck you!”
The fashion show and reception brought in celebrity guests, models, influencers and many other queer Los Angeles socialites. Zaya Wade, Gia Gunn from Ru Paul’s Drag Race: Season 6, Mayhem Miller from Ru Paul’s Drag Race: Season 10, Heidi N Closet from Ru Paul’s Drag Race: Season 12 and many influencers and personalities.
The TGI designers who showcased their latest creations were: Leandrag, Enrique Montes, Semi Creations, Natalia Acosta, Royal Rubbish, ArmaniDae, Nuwa1997, Bad Burro, Life on Mars, HIM NYC, 10 eleven, Rag to Fab, Christiana Gallardo and Jesse Alvarado.
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Kamala Harris opts out of Governor’s race: What does that mean for 2028 and trans rights?
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Movies4 days ago
Restored film offers inside look at ‘80s gay Berlin
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Events4 days ago
The Blade wins Excellence in LGBTQ+ Reporting Newsroom Award at NLGJA Los Angeles Press Pride event
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Opinions3 days ago
Vacationing abroad with an embarrassment in the White House
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a&e features3 days ago
Charles Galin King brings cultural influences and style to Revry’s ‘King of Drag,’ the first-ever drag king television competition series
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Books9 hours ago
Get happy and read new book on Judy Garland
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LGBTQ Non-Profit Organizations2 hours ago
Uniting for justice: How the TransLatin@ Coalition is leading in a time of attacks