Los Angeles County
A California Mayor calls LGBTQ+ identities a “choice of lifestyle”
Saying LGBTQ+ community was not worthy of mayoral consideration raised eyebrows after Chen declared April as National Pickleball Month
By Nico Lang | TORRANCE, Calif. – This year was the first since 2014 that Torrance, a California city nestled in the southward sprawl of greater Los Angeles, did not issue a proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month.
The tradition began with Torrance’s former mayor, Patrick Furey, in 2014, but following his retirement last year, the newly elected George Chen broke with the custom by declining to put forth an official statement honoring Pride. Chen, whose views lean conservative, referred to LGBTQ+ identities as a “certain choice of lifestyle for some people” in comments shared with the local news publication Daily Breeze.
“I respect each person’s personal choice,” he said in a June interview. “It does not rise to a proclamation.” His declaration that the LGBTQ+ community was not worthy of mayoral consideration particularly raised eyebrows after Chen issued a proclamation earlier this year declaring April as National Pickleball Month in Torrance.
Chen’s remarks have kicked off a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ controversies in the South Bay city whose comely beachfront and smooth weather have long been a boon to T.V. producers: The exteriors of Torrance High School famously stood in for Beverly Hills and Sunnydale in the ‘90s teen dramas 90210 and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, making the campus a popular pilgrimage for these shows’ passionate fanbases.
But for many in the surrounding LGBTQ+ community, the fallout has left them feeling as if they no longer have a place in the picturesque hamlet they call home. “We don’t have anyone to support us,” said Tiffany Garcia, who owns Torrance’s Black Raven Tattoo. “We feel like the town from Footloose here. No one’s allowed to dance. We’re just at a loss right now. We’re feeling really, utterly defeated.”
When it came to celebrating Pride in 2023, Torrance’s LGBTQ+ citizens and their allies admittedly expected very little. Unlike neighboring areas like Hermosa Beach and Long Beach, the city has never raised the rainbow flag at city hall for Pride month.
Redondo Beach, which borders Torrance to the north, hoisted the Progress Pride Flag in a June 7 ceremony, marking a first for the tourist destination immortalized by punk progenitor Patti Smith in a 1975 track of the same name. “Hate has no home here,” said Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand, who spoke at the event despite battling lung cancer and a brain tumor. “We’re making history by raising this flag to start a new future in Redondo.”
But business owners in Torrance knew that they had to do something more this year after a string of vandalism incidents targeted Pride decorations in June 2022. Assailants repeatedly tore down rainbow streamers that had been wrapped around trees in the city’s prime commercial hub, and members of the Downtown Torrance Association (DTA) came up with a solution to prevent that from happening again.
Rather than placing the decorations where members of the public could easily reach them, the group designed 12 rainbow banners that read “Downtown Torrance Pride” and hoped to hang them from light poles throughout the business district. “We weren’t even doing a whole Pride parade and going all out,” said Adam Schwartz, a member of the DTA and owner of the management firm Levy Living Legacy. “We truly barely did anything. Banners felt like the least we could do.”
The DTA coordinated with members of Torrance’s Community Development Department (CDD), which manages all municipal permits, on the displays for nearly a year, and Schwartz said that members of the CDD were optimistic and encouraging throughout those discussions. He said that local business leaders were told, over and over again, regarding the Pride banners: “That’s a great idea! You just have to get permission.” But on May 10, just three weeks before Pride was set to kickoff, city representatives informed businesses that the process of getting those permissions approved actually would be “really complicated,” Schwartz said.
Although the displays were never officially Okayed, the DTA decided to hang them anyway. No one within the group thought there would be pushback: Signs advertising the annual Antique Street Fair had been hung on city light poles without a permit for 24 years, through five different mayoral administrations. The lack of proper paperwork never posed a problem before.
And yet sources said all that changed when the DTA decided to issue its own proclamation recognizing Pride month after the mayor refused to do so. Members of the DTA took turns reading aloud the statement, which was ratified unanimously by the 50 businesses that comprise the organization, during the public comment portion of the June 6 city council meeting. “[T]he Downtown Torrance Association is proud to recognize the contributions of our community members and leaders who are LGBTQIA+ to the local arts, businesses, schools, government, and community organizations,” the proclamation stated. By the next morning, the Pride displays were gone.
Security cameras that Garcia mounted outside Black Raven Tattoo show city officials removing the Pride displays at 5:50am, around seven hours after the council meeting came to a close. The handful of banners were eventually returned to their owners, but when the DTA put them back up, they were met with a stern warning. In a meeting with the DTA, city representatives claimed that business owners could face misdemeanor charges if the displays weren’t removed by the end of the day.
Garcia, who opened her tattoo parlor in Torrance six years ago, said the threat felt personal to her as a queer woman who has faced discrimination throughout her life. “I don’t honestly feel safe holding my wife’s hand,” she said. “When we got married, it wasn’t even legal in California. We had to fly to another state in order to get married. We couldn’t have the majority of our friends or family there because they couldn’t afford to fly out. Straight people don’t understand the difficulties of what everyday life is like for the LGBTQ+ community.”
The banners, as ordered, were taken down within the day, to some outcry among Torrance residents. Part of the problem, as critics argued, is that the municipal leaders had not laid out clear guidelines for which kinds of banners would be eligible to display from city light poles or how residents would go about requesting to hoist them. Torrance itself owns 78 light poles in the downtown area, while the rest are the property of Southern California Edison (SCE), which limits banner displays to city and state flags or municipally sponsored events.
On June 20, the Torrance City Council met to debate the introduction of a clear policy on banner eligibility, and what was likely intended to be a tedious discussion regarding appropriate procedure quickly devolved into a circus of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment.
Some speakers opposed to the DTA banners appeared to confuse the issue with Torrance itself flying a Pride flag at city hall, which was not being discussed. A woman with a black baseball cap pulled down over her eyes asked why the city wasn’t recognizing the contributions of its straight citizens or people of faith. “Why is the heterosexual Pride flag not represented?” she asked. “Why are we not flying the Christian flag? The Catholic flag?”
Another speaker claimed the Pride flag celebrates “perverted men being perverted in lingerie” and claimed the debate is a slippery slope to “people dressing up as horses” on Torrance’s streets. “Pride isn’t good,” he said. “You are going to invite that into our cities if we don’t keep our city safe now.”
Although Torrance council members clarified that only the banner policy was scheduled for consideration that evening, at least one member of the seven-person body felt that the issue of Pride flags should be raised: Councilman Aurelio Mattucci. In a rambling, six-minute speech, Mattucci said that recognizing the LGBTQ+ community could allow outside groups to take advantage, such as hate groups or maybe even clowns. “No matter what policies we put together under the umbrella of freedom of speech, anybody can really put up anything,” said Mattucci, widely viewed as the council’s most conservative voice. “I can put up flags with clown faces. Where do we draw the line?”
In a unanimous decision, the Torrance City Council voted that evening to limit city light poles to local, state, or federal banners, under the assertion that such a policy would be in line with SCE’s own guidelines. This assertion neglects to consider that SCE is an outspoken supporter of LGBTQ+ equality.
In years past, its parent company, Edison International, has participated in both the Long Beach and Palm Springs Pride parades, and the national electric utility outfit signed onto a letter in 2019 urging passage of federal LGBTQ+ non-discrimination protections. Currently, Edison International enjoys a perfect 100 score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, a significantly higher rating than Torrance itself.
Torrance is among the lowest scorers of any California city surveyed in HRC’s Municipal Equality Index: 58, ahead of only Fontana (52), Ontario (52), Brisbane (53), and Fresno (55). Nearly its entire score is a product of the fact that Torrance resides in one of the country’s most progressive states, a longtime trailblazer in LGBTQ+ civil rights.
While a permanent decision has yet to be made on the future of Pride banners in Torrance, LGBTQ+ citizens said the debacle has been terrible for the local community’s morale. Vandals began targeting bridges in the city with anti-LGBTQ+ graffiti after the mayor refused to issue a Pride proclamation, leaving messages that read “Fuck Groomers,” “Fuck LGBTQ,” and “Fuck Pride Month.” (Neither Chen nor the city council have issued a statement formally condemning the hateful epithets.)
Silas Quinn, a 32-year-old non-binary person, said that they moved away from Torrance as an adult in fear that it wasn’t safe for someone like them, but they came back last year for an apprenticeship at Black Raven Tattoo. They hoped things had changed. “It’s frustrating for me to see that I’m still not really welcome,” they said. “I’m still not really what Torrance wants to be a part of their community. I feel that a lot of people have stopped having a sense of politeness, and their true colors are really starting to show.”
But what frustrates many local business owners is that they feel the events of the past year aren’t reflective of the vibrant, inclusive community they know Torrance to be. Torrance has one of the most diverse populations of any California city, boasting the second-highest concentration of both Korean and Japanese Americans in the state (following Fullerton and Gardenia, respectively). Even after the myriad fiascos that have unfolded over the past year, many local businesses have continued to hang rainbow flags outside their shops or behind their storefront windows. “This will not stop the Downtown Torrance Association from finding other ways to celebrate Pride,” said Isabel (Douvan) Schwartz, who was part of the team that co-authored the DTA’s Pride proclamation. “Next year we will find another way to celebrate.”
City officials in Torrance did not respond to requests for comment on this story, although sources said that some council members have been working behind the scenes to move toward a compromise. During the June 20 meeting, Councilman Assam Sheikh urged his colleagues to table a resolution recognizing Pride month, adding that he hoped the gesture would send a “message to the community that we all love you.” “Whatever you believe, you should be able to express that anywhere in this country,” he said at the time. “That’s the beauty of our country.”
But that recommendation was not heeded by June’s end, which came and went without a statement from the mayor. At a prescheduled June 28 community meeting with Chen, critics expressed their displeasure with the city’s elected leadership. Whereas the prior week’s council meeting was overwhelmed with conservatives citing Bible passages that allegedly proclaim LGBTQ+ people to be an abomination, this time nearly every person in attendance voiced support for the community. Eden Andrews, a 2o-year-old trans speaker, chided Chen for what he said was the mayor’s “lack of compassion.” “That’s all we’re asking for, Mr. George Chen, is respect,” said Andrews, who added that he and his girlfriend have been harassed walking down the street in Torrance and that he has had the word “faggot” written on his door. “You can’t look at me and say that you respect us while saying that it is a lifestyle. It’s not just about putting up ribbons. It’s just because we are like you, and I’d say we all love the same, but it’s clearly not the case.”
The Torrance residents interviewed for this story remain optimistic that next year can be different, even as many other L.A.-adjacent cities likewise bear the brunt of discriminatory backlash. On June 6, three people were arrested following violent protests outside a board meeting of the Glendale Unified School District in the suburb of the same name, which voted in favor of a Pride month proclamation that very evening. Many of the communities that have experienced such incidents, like Torrance and Glendale, generally vote Democratically in statewide elections: Also last month, the Chino Valley Unified School District in Chino voted 4-1 to ban Pride flags from classrooms. The district’s schools are also mulling a policy that would force teachers and faculty to out trans students to their parents if they become aware that a young person does not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Many critics of Chen’s decisions believe that Torrance can break the trends they’re seeing in cities across southern California by showing up to vote in the next election. Torrance suffers from low voter turnout in mayoral race: When Chen was elected in June 2022, he won by fewer than 3,000 votes. Less than 20,000 ballots were cast in total, in a city that’s home to over 143,000 people. That lack of engagement results in a sharply partisan split between local and federal elections: Torrance is represented by Maxine Waters and Ted Lieu, both liberal stalwarts, in the House of Representatives. Lieu, a straight ally, recently reintroduced a bill seeking a national ban on the discredited, harmful practice of conversion therapy on LGBTQ+ youth.
Ultimately, LGBTQ+ locals and members of Torrance’s business community vowed to keep making their city a better place, with or without the help of their elected leaders. “I’m seeing people in my community losing hope,” Adam Schwartz said. “It’s destroyed people’s trust in the city. A lot of people can hear this and go, ‘Oh, Torrance is such a backward, bigoted place,’ and that hurts everyone in Torrance. What I’ve been hoping to do is show that even though city leadership does not accurately represent the actual community, our downtown community is willing to fight in terms of inclusivity and making everyone feel welcome.”
******************************************************************************************
Nico Lang is an award-winning LGBTQ+ news reporter. You can read their work in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Time, The Guardian, BuzzFeed, Jezebel, Them, The Washington Post, HuffPost, The Daily Beast, The Advocate, Out, and the L.A. Times.
Los Angeles County
St. John’s Community Health awarded $10 mil for climate resiliency
St. John’s Community Health is a network of 24 community health centers and 4 mobile clinics providing free & low-cost health care
LOS ANGELES – Today, St. John’s Community Health – a network of community health centers serving South, Central, and East Los Angeles; the Inland Empire; and the Coachella Valley – announced they have been awarded $10 million by the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) to help build a community resilience center in South Los Angeles.
“To protect communities made most vulnerable to climate change by racist policies and practices, we must be proactive in treating environmental disparities and implementing climate preparedness plans,” said Jim Mangia, president and CEO of St. John’s Community Health. “We will build the Avalon Health Access and Resilience Center alongside the community it is meant to serve, offering a diversity of programs and services to treat both the symptoms and the root causes of the climate crisis.”
The abundance of concrete, heavy traffic corridors, and lack of green space in South Los Angeles causes more extreme heat than in other areas of Los Angeles. Further, rapid gentrification has caused spikes in homelessness, leaving many people forced to live on the street and face dangerously hot weather with no respite. Increasing risk of wildfires also put people experiencing homelessness and low-income children at greater risk for respiratory illnesses.
St. John’s Community Health is one of nine applicants being awarded a community resilience center implementation grant.
Through this grant, St. John’s Community Health plans to build the Avalon Health Access and Resilience Center near their existing community health center and drop-in clinic serving unhoused people. The center will be a community-driven safe haven in South Los Angeles with the infrastructural capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate, public health, and other emergencies.
The climate and community resilience center will incorporate wide-ranging disaster relief and environmentally sustaining campus amenities and services, including: accessible and adaptable indoor and outdoor spaces for cooling, emergency shelter, climate and community resilience classes and events, and a community garden.
Physical infrastructure elements will be integrated with year-round medical, dental, and behavioral health services, case management, educational programming, peer support, workforce training, basic-needs services, and other programs to address lack of access to resources for low-income people of color from a diverse group of priority populations living and working in South Los Angeles.
This first-of-its-kind center represents a significant step in expediting recovery efforts and building resilience among communities in South Los Angeles.
Moreover, the center will serve as a catalyst for community cohesion, bringing residents together to collaborate, share resources, and support one another. St. John’s anticipates serving at least 15,000 members from the priority populations at the Avalon Health Access and Resilience Center annually.
Los Angeles County
Manhattan Beach PD: Hate crime investigation after Nextdoor post
Anyone with information regarding the incident was urged to contact Manhattan Beach Police at (310) 802-5127
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. – A photo of a sign with racial slurs and the hanging of what appeared to be a noose from a tree posted online on the neighborhood centric Nextdoor website Thursday has touched off a hate crime investigation Manhattan Beach Police confirmed.
Detective Seth Hartnell told City News Service uniformed patrol units responded to an isolated section of Sand Dune Park near Bell Avenue around 11:00 a.m. Thursday, but that officers did not find a noose hanging there. Hartnell said city workers removed the sign.
“Officers took a report documenting the incident, and Manhattan Beach Police Department detectives are investigating,” he said.
Anyone with information regarding the incident was urged to contact Manhattan Beach Police at (310) 802-5127.
Los Angeles County
New on the LA County Channel
You can watch on Channel 92 or 94 on most cable systems, or anytime here. Catch up on LA County Close-Up here
New on the County Channel
Welcome to Budget Quest: the game where billions of dollars and services for millions of people are at stake! Watch this video as Buddy the Budget Wiz navigates the County’s complex budget process to build and fund a new program.
To learn more about the County’s $45.4 billion 2024-25 recommended budget, visit ceo.lacounty.gov/budget.
You can watch more stories like this on Channel 92 or 94 on most cable systems, or anytime here. Catch up on LA County Close-Up here.
In Case You Missed It
April is “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in Los Angeles County
In L.A. County, there are more sleep-related deaths than all other accidental child deaths. These deaths are completely preventable. Accidental suffocation is the greatest risk for babies under age 1. These deaths are silent and quick. It just takes seconds for a baby to suffocate.
Below are some resources for parents and caregivers to learn more about safe sleeping practices:
- Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect: Infant Safe Sleep
- LA County Department of Public Health: Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: Safe to Sleep®
At Your Service
DEO Small Business Summits
Get ready, LA County! Join the LA County Department of Economic Opportunities and partners for the ultimate small business boost at the upcoming LA Region Small Business Summit series, kicking off Small Business Month on April 29th at the iconic Los Angeles Coliseum with the City of Los Angeles. Five power-packed FREE Summits throughout May, celebrating all small businesses, entrepreneurs, and County residents in style!
Discover a trove of FREE resources, services, and programs aimed at helping your business grow and thrive. From expert panel discussions to a bustling resource expo and beyond – we’ve got everything you need to elevate your business — all under one roof! Ready to supercharge your small business journey? Don’t miss out! Register now for a Summit near you by visiting here.
Out and About
The LA County Fair is Back May 3!
This year the LA County Fair celebrates the medley of communities that comprise Los Angeles County with its theme Stars, Stripes & Fun. LA County is one of the most diverse counties in the nation, brimming with a mix of cultures and communities, and the LA County Fair celebrates them all!
Join us at the Fair as we celebrate all things LA County on Saturday, May 4! Enjoy the LA County Expo showcasing all the great things the county is doing in our neighborhoods and take advantage of this discount offer. Admission is just $8 through May 3 at 11:59 p.m. Admission is $10 the day-of, May 4, 2024.
Get your tickets today and be sure to use the password “LACOUNTY” at check out for the discount price!
Photo Finish
(Photo: Los Angeles County/Mayra Beltran Vasquez)
Click here to access more photos of LA County in action.
Los Angeles County
New on the LA County Channel
You can watch on Channel 92 or 94 on most cable systems, or anytime here. Catch up on LA County Close-Up here
New on the County Channel
L.A. County is investing millions of dollars in American Rescue Plan funds for paid early education apprenticeships. The Early Care and Education Assistant Teacher Apprenticeship Program aims to bolster the education career pipeline and bring relief to those hoping to avoid financial debt.
You can watch more stories like this on Channel 92 or 94 on most cable systems, or anytime here. Catch up on LA County Close-Up here.
In Case You Missed It
April is “Sexual Assault Awareness Month”
This April marks the 23rd observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual Assault Awareness Month is a chance for each of us to think about the role we can play in preventing sexual abuse, assault, and harassment.
Violence is preventable. Stopping sexual abuse, assault, and harassment before they happen requires us to work together to support healthy, safe, and respectful behaviors and environments. To build truly connected communities, we must start with community accessible services and support and expand the network of service providers. When it comes to sexual violence, everyone has a role to play to help build a community that is safer, inclusive, and equitable. Below are some resources and ways for you to get involved:
- Raise Awareness: The National Sexual Violence Resource Center
- Participate in Denim Day | April 24, 2024: 5 Ways to Participate in Denim Day and Denim Day Rally & Press Conference
- Learn More: Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services and The Rape, Abuse, and Incest Network (24/7 Confidential Support Hotline)
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673.
Learn more at lacounty.gov/sexual-assault-awareness-month/.
At Your Service
Commercial Acquisition Fund Program
The Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity recently launched the Commercial Acquisition Fund to provide grants to qualifying nonprofit organizations to support the acquisition of vacant or abandoned land and buildings in designated communities that were most negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Commercial Acquisition Fundis funded by the County, with $10 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds and will be awarded as recoverable grants, ranging from $500,000 to $2,000,000. Acquisitions and funding must occur before December 1, 2024.
To learn more, apply, or sign-up to attend a community webinar, visit lacaf.info.
Out and About
April 21 – April 27th is “National Crime Victims’ Rights Week”
Join District Attorney George Gascón, the LA District Attorney’s Bureau of Victim Services and the LA District Attorney Crime Victims Advisory Board for this special National Crime Victims’ Rights Week panel discussion: “Pathways to Healing: Supporting LA’s Crime Survivors.”
This hybrid event will be on Thursday, April 25 at 6 PM, with doors opening at 5:30 PM. Click here to register to attend.
Photo Finish
Celebrate the 4th year of SOAR at the South Coast Botanic Garden when butterflies return May 1!
Click here to access more photos of LA County in action.
Los Angeles County
UCLA survey says quality of life in L.A. County is way down
High cost of housing is the most important factor impacting the annual Quality of Life Index, particularly among renters
LOS ANGELES – Affordable housing, groceries and consumer goods that have all spiraled upward in cost has lowered the quality of life for Los Angeles County residents this past year according to a survey conducted by UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs.
Interviews were conducted with 1,686 L.A. County residents between Feb. 22 and March 14, both in English and Spanish.
The Quality of Life Index, or QLI, is a project of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs measures county residents’ satisfaction in nine categories. The overall rating fell two points from last year to 53 on a scale from 10 to 100, marking the second time in three years it came in below the survey’s 55 midpoint since the index launched in 2016. That means a majority of respondents are dissatisfied with the overall quality of their lives.
Zev Yaroslavsky, director of the study at UCLA said renters, who make up nearly half of survey respondents, are being disproportionately affected by the economic and inflationary pressures facing the region. More than half, or 59%, cited housing as the most important factor in their rating.
“Housing costs have gone up,” Yaroslavsky said. “And incomes have not gone up anywhere near commensurate with what’s happened to housing.”
While 61% of homeowners feel optimistic about their economic future in Los Angeles County, 51% of renters report being pessimistic. Only 23% of renters think they will be able to buy a home where they would want to live at some point in the future.
KTLA reported that according to data released by the National Association of Realtors earlier this year, parts of L.A. County rank 8th highest in the nation for highest housing prices. Just 23% of the renters that responded to the survey believed that they’d be able to buy a home in an area they find desirable in the future.
Homelessness problems are worsening
This year’s survey also produced striking results on the issue of homelessness.
“We discovered very little optimism about whether the current programs and efforts to eradicate homelessness will work,” Yaroslavsky said.
More than half, or 60%, of respondents said homelessness in their area has gotten worse over the past year, with only 10% saying it has gotten better. Just 20% are more hopeful than they were last year that the homelessness situation in Los Angeles County will improve.
Respondents were also asked whether they worried about becoming homeless themselves, with the highest levels of anxiety expressed by people living in households earning less than $60,000 annually at 44%, renters 37% and African Americans 33%.
“Despite the best efforts of state and local officials, the public is more negative and less hopeful about solving homelessness,” Yaroslavsky said.
In an email to the Blade Wednesday, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Lindsey Horvath said:
“Watching my neighbors struggle with affordability or be on the brink of homelessness is what calls me to be of service to our community. We need to urgently address our overlapping homelessness and affordable housing crises by expediting production of all forms of housing, expanding tenant protections, and ensuring fair wages to address rising income inequality.”
Dissatisfaction with the government
Noting the fact that this is an election year Yaroslavsky, a former member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from December 1, 1994 – December 1, 2014, said: “It feeds an overall sense that things aren’t working well.”
He framed this year’s results in the context of nearly a decade’s worth of research showing positive results for neighborhood quality and racial/ethnic relations, but low marks in categories commonly associated with decisions by public officials.
“A main theme over the last nine years is that Angelenos love the neighborhoods where they live. We appreciate diversity and get along with others better than some people think. And the quality of life for most of us is pretty good,” he said. “But at some fundamental level, people think our governmental institutions are letting them down.”
The last year has seen a modest decline in most ratings for elected officials.
- Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna is viewed favorably by 34% and unfavorably by 26%. Last year was 37% favorable and 21% unfavorable.
- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is viewed favorably by 42% and unfavorably by 32%, a drop from 46% favorable and 23% unfavorable in last year’s QLI.
- Respondents had a slightly favorable view of the city councils in their cities: 37% favorable and 32% unfavorable. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is viewed more negatively: 27% favorable and 35% unfavorable.
The Quality of Life Index in issues regarding the environment found that 25% of respondents said climate change had a major impact on their quality of life in the last year; 38% saw a minor impact.
Los Angeles County
Eric Schockman appointed to LA County LGBTQ+ Commission
Schockman served as high-level staffer in the State Assembly & was instrumental in passing AB 1 (1st LGBTQ+ civil rights bill in California)
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang appointed LGBTQ+ community leader and educator as well as noted author H. Eric Schockman, Ph.D., to the first-ever Los Angeles County LGBTQ+ Commission.
Schockman currently is Professor of Politics and International Relations at Woodbury University, previously serving as Associate Dean and Associate Adjunct Professor at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California.
He was President and founder of the Global Hunger Foundation, dedicated to helping women in the developing world break the chains of poverty by funding projects designed to provide sustainable development and organic farming. He served as CEO and President of a prestigious international anti-hunger organization for over a decade pumping some $60 million in grants into the field.
“This was an easy choice for this ground-breaking commission,” Los Angeles County Assessor Prang said. “I’m just grateful that Eric agreed to serve on this important commission, especially in light of the serious and hateful policies against the LGBTQ+ community across the country. Eric has a long record of leadership and activism, advocating for LGBTQ+ equality and will add a strong voice of experience and accomplishment to this important commission.”
Schockman served as high-level staffer in the State Assembly and was instrumental in passing AB 1 (the first LGBTQ+ civil rights bill in California). He has also written several books and edited many articles on leadership and politics in California, the nation and international affairs, and presented on scholarly panels on these same topics.
(Photo Credit: Woodbury University)
Schockman holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and International Relations from the University of California.
“I am pleased and honored to be asked to serve on this historic commission,” Schockman said. “Assessor Prang has shown his leadership in LGBTQ+ issues for years and I do not take this new assignment lightly. I am grateful to be selected.”
The Commission was created last June with a motion authored by Supervisors Hilda L. Solis and Janice Hahn. The 15-member Commission will provide recommendations on policies and budget priorities at a time when LGBTQ+ people face mounting challenges.
According to the LA County Commission on Human Relations’ 2021 Hate Crime Report, 89% of the hate crimes towards gay men were of a violent nature and 93% of anti-transgender crimes were violent – a rate of violence higher than any other marginalized group recorded by the report.
The Los Angeles County LGBTQ+ Commission will be seated and hold its first meeting in the coming months.
Los Angeles County
City of Malibu backing two bills aimed at making PCH safer
Between March 11 & 17, the Malibu CPH Task Force issued 109 citations (88 for speeding & two for distracted driving)
MALIBU, Calif. – The City of Malibu is supporting efforts by officials in Sacramento to increase and ensure efforts aimed at making the Pacific Coast Highway safer for drivers and pedestrians.
In a statement a spokesperson said that as part of the City’s commitment to addressing PCH safety and ensuring public safety in the community, the City sent a delegation of officials to Sacramento to support two State traffic safety bills, SB 1297 and SB 1509. Both bills were approved by the key State Senate Transportation Committee April 9 and will continue through the legislative process.
SB 1297, introduced by Senator Allen (co-authored by Assemblymember Irwin and Senators Stern and Friedman), would expand the State’s automated speed safety pilot program to allow the City of Malibu to participate. The City has advocated for the installation of the speed camera systems on PCH that can automatically issue citations to speeding motorists as one of the steps to help improve safety on PCH.
AB 1509, the NOT in California Act, was introduced by Senator Stern (co-authored by Senators Allen, Niello, Seyarto and Umberg), and would amend the CA Vehicle Code to make convictions of driving 26 MPH or greater over the posted speed limit, a two-point violation against a person’s driver’s license.
Malibu Mayor Pro Tem Doug Stewart, City Manager Steve McClary, Deputy City Manager Alexis Brown gave testimony and advocated for the Bills.
They were joined by Barry Stewart, whose daughter Peyton was one of the four Pepperdine students who were tragically killed by a speeding motorist while walking on PCH in October 2023, and Michel Shane, whose 13-year-old daughter Emily was tragically killed by a motorist while walking on PCH in 2010. Shane produced the powerful, moving film “21 Miles” about the dangers of PCH in Malibu. Both gave impassioned testimony about the dangers of PCH and the urgent need to improve safety conditions on the highway.
According to the California Highway Patrol, between March 11 and 17, the Malibu CPH Task Force issued 109 citations (88 for speeding; two for distracted driving; one for a seatbelt violation; and 18 for equipment violations). Four verbal warning were issued. One driver was stopped for speeding, and was arrested for DUI. Year-to-date, the CHP Malibu Taskforce has issued 721 citations.
The City Council on March 25 approved sending a letter urging Governor Gavin Newsom, State Senator Ben Allen, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna, California Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin, and Caltrans Director Tony Tavares to work collaboratively to make changes to the State Vehicle Code to help address PCH safety. The changes include:
- Anybody who exceeds 100 MPH shall lose their driver’s license for three months, and anybody who exceeds 100 MPH more than once in a 12-month period shall lose their driver’s license for six months.
- Anybody who exceeds twice the posted speed limit shall lose their driver’s license for one month, and anybody who exceeds twice the posted speed limit more than once in a 12-month period shall lose their driver’s license for two months.
- The loss of license in these instances shall be mandatory not discretionary.
Los Angeles County
New on the LA County Channel
You can watch on Channel 92 or 94 on most cable systems, or anytime here. Catch up on LA County Close-Up here
New on the County Channel
Culinary classes, big screen movies, games and other delights for the entire family await those ready to venture out after the sun goes down for the beloved “Parks after Dark” Spring season at participating County parks.
You can watch more stories like this on Channel 92 or 94 on most cable systems, or anytime here. Catch up on LA County Close-Up here.
In Case You Missed It
Second Chance Month Expungement Events
Every person deserves the chance to rewrite their story. As we celebrate “Second Chance Month” in LA County, the Public Defender’s Office will be hosting a series of expungement clinics across the county.
Join the Public Defender’s Homeless Mobile Unit for Community Outreach Court at the Skid Row Community ReFresh Spot on Thursday, April 18th from 9am-12pm. This collaborative effort aims to assist individuals experiencing homelessness in resolving various legal matters, including record expungement, that can remove obstacles hindering access to housing, employment and social services.
For more information about the Community Outreach Court, visit pubdef.lacounty.gov/COC. For a full list of upcoming expungement events, click here.
At Your Service
Resilience is Taking Root in LA County
The Chief Sustainability Office has just released the discussion draft of Room to Grow, the first-ever Community Forest Management Plan in LA County. The Community Forest Management Plan is an actionable, long-term strategy to manage trees in our communities for today and for future generations to come.
To learn more about the plan and provide your input, visit lacountycfmp.org.
Out and About
Kids Beach Cleanup
In celebration of Earth Day, LA County Beaches and Harbors is partnering with Heal the Bay to host Kids Beach Cleanup event at Dockweiler Beach on Saturday, April 13, 9 AM – 12 PM.
Click here to learn more and/or register for the event.
Photo Finish
(Photo: Los Angeles County/Mayra Beltran Vasquez)
Click here to access more photos of LA County in action.
Los Angeles County
Anti-LGBTQ+ LA event features Christopher Rufo & Chaya Raichik
The events are held by far-right extremists like Raichik & Rufo protesting “secret gender transitions of minors & porno books in schools”
TORRANCE, Calif. – Two of the more prominent far-right anti-LGBTQ+ extremists are hosting an event Sunday, April 7 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Torrance – South Bay property which has stirred a reaction from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and activists.
Billed as a “War on Children” event, it features far right-wing extremist Chaya Raichik, the creator of the anti-LGBTQ+ social media accounts Libs of TikTok, and Christopher Rufo, who spreads transphobic and homophobic online content along with conspiracy theories.
A spokesperson for Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. provided a statement to the Blade that read in part: “Hilton properties serve as places of public accommodation and do not adopt, share, or endorse the views of any individuals or groups to which we provide accommodations and services. The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Torrance – South Bay is independently owned and operated and therefore we are unable to speak on their behalf.”
Calls to the The DoubleTree by the Blade for comment were not responded to by the hotel.
Alejandra Caraballo, a trans clinical instructor at the Harvard Law Cyberlaw Clinic, who teaches Gender & Technology based courses posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Stand up to hate.”
Stand up to hate. https://t.co/7pFRmmMIEW pic.twitter.com/WitnA8tfiq
— Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) April 3, 2024
Rufo responded also on X posting: “The trans brigade is organizing a campaign to call the Hilton Hotel and demand that it shut down an event featuring me and @libsoftiktok. But the Hotel is telling them it is “proud to not discriminate” and then hanging up on them.”
The trans brigade is organizing a campaign to call the Hilton Hotel and demand that it shut down an event featuring me and @libsoftiktok. But the Hotel is telling them it is "proud to not discriminate" and then hanging up on them. pic.twitter.com/2R5vCuWPgJ
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) April 3, 2024
The “Stop the War on Children” events are held to protest what far-right and extremists like Raichik and Rufo allege are “the sexualization of children, secret gender transitions of minors and pornographic books at schools.”
Last October, “Stop the War on Children” rallies were held by anti-LGBTQ+ extremists in Temecula and 31 other U.S. cities and about 40 in Canada, all protesting LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum, books, and transgender youth in school settings on sports teams and using bathrooms that match their gender identity.
Los Angeles County
New on the LA County Channel
You can watch on Channel 92 or 94 on most cable systems, or anytime here. Catch up on LA County Close-Up here
New on the County Channel
On the latest episode of ‘One on One,’ LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs’ Executive Director, Rafael Carbajal, discusses how the County is stepping up to help those in need.
You can watch more stories like this on Channel 92 or 94 on most cable systems, or anytime here. Catch up on LA County Close-Up here.
In Case You Missed It
Property Tax Deadline is Approaching!
The deadline to pay property taxes is approaching. Choose the safe, secure and no-cost way to pay. Pay your property taxes online with eCheck to avoid processing costs. To learn more, please visit propertytax.lacounty.gov.
At Your Service
Grants for Older Adult Homeowners
The Los Angeles County Development Authority’s Senior Grant Program assists with mobility and habitability repair to help low-income older adults (62 years or older) remain in their homes. To qualify, applicants must live within unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County and own a home in need of modifications and repairs.
The program will finance deferred maintenance repairs such as roofing, plumbing, electrical, or heating that are necessary to improve the structural integrity of the home and prolong the home’s useful age.
Click here to learn more and see if you qualify.
Out and About
“Second Chance Month” Events
The Los Angeles County Justice, Care and Opportunities Department, in collaboration with County and community partners, will host resource fairs, meet-and-greets and grand opening ceremonies in all five Supervisorial districts during the month of April in honor of Second Chance Month.
The “Second Chance Month” events are an opportunity for justice-involved individuals and their families to learn about available and forthcoming resources from the Justice, Care and Opportunities Department and community-based organizations in their area.
Click here for a list of upcoming events.
Photo Finish
Solar eclipse program at the El Monte Library. Join in on all the solar eclipse fun at a County Library near you!
Click here to access more photos of LA County in action.
Texas politics leave transgender foster youth isolated
WNBA star Brittney Griner’s interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts
St. John’s Community Health awarded $10 mil for climate resiliency
Manhattan Beach PD: Hate crime investigation after Nextdoor post
Triple A: Southern California gas prices begin to slowly decrease
Tennessee: Anti-LGBTQ parents can now foster, adopt LGBTQ kids
“Queers in the Valley” Ojai launches & is ready to celebrate Pride
Recognizing & celebrating lesbians: Mayor Pro-Tem of El Cerrito
90 percent of trans youth live in states restricting their rights
Smithsonian staff concerned about future of LGBTQ programming
-
Tennessee3 days agoTennessee: Anti-LGBTQ parents can now foster, adopt LGBTQ kids
-
Ventura County3 days ago“Queers in the Valley” Ojai launches & is ready to celebrate Pride
-
California Politics4 days agoRecognizing & celebrating lesbians: Mayor Pro-Tem of El Cerrito
-
Research/Study3 days ago90 percent of trans youth live in states restricting their rights
-
Politics4 days agoSmithsonian staff concerned about future of LGBTQ programming
-
Music & Concerts5 days agoHere is the Earth Day anthem we forgot we needed
-
Maine3 days agoMaine’s Governor Mills signs trans & abortion sanctuary bill into law
-
Florida4 days agoGov. DeSantis denounces ‘weaponization’ of book challenges
-
Politics3 days agoKenyatta may become first LGBTQ statewide elected official in Pa.
-
West Hollywood1 day agoUpdated: WeHo’s The Abbey Nightclub was sold for $45 Million