Staying motivated for good in 2022

2022... ooooof. In tough times like these, I'm sustained by the LA Forward community. Being part of planning sessions on Zoom with familiar faces this week has been exactly what I need to keep going. On top of the connections with awesome people, I'm really excited about the events and campaigns we're putting together. We're using teach-ins on key topics to help us decide on policy campaigns to prioritize, launcing our first member-driven process to endorse candidates for city council, mayor, and other key city and county offices, gathering for picnics (post-surge) across the region to have fun and build a broader community that'll power our campaigns.

From a teach-in this Sunday about what the #@*% happened with redistricting to a panel about decarbonizing buildings to a crucial homelessness prevention ballot measure, 2022 is already shaping up to be an important year of learning and action. It's also a time when we're looking to deep and broaden our community. One small step in that direction is a new Member of the Month program to spotlight the amazing people who make up our community. Meet Karin and then keep reading to learn more about all the events over the next couple months!

What the #@*% happened with redistricting? - Sun, Jan 16 @ 3:00 PM  

Join us for a teach-in about the good, the bad, and the ugly of redistricting of LA City, LA County, the State Legislature, and Congress! Featuring Mike Young, the Political Director of California Environmental Voters. The new district lines that were just approved at every level of government (some with gerrymandering, some not) are going to have a huge impact on our local politics, including key 2022 races. This is a great opportunity to learn more about how they were created, what kind of reforms we need to the process, and the implications for progressive election work this year.

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2022/1/16/what-happened-redistricting 

United to House LA Teach In - Weds, Jan 26 @ 8:00 PM

Join us for a teach-in about the United to House LA Ballot Initiative. If we put it on the November 2022 ballot and pass it, this people-powered initiative will Provide immediate support to people experiencing homelessness and those at risk of homelessness. Invest in innovative approaches to rapidly developing new affordable housing at low-cost.

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2022/united-to-house-la

What Is Building Decarbonization & Why Is It So Important to the Fight Against Climate Change - Tues, Feb 1 @ 8:00 PM

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2022/2/1/building-decarb

Housing Justice Book Club Returns - Mon, Feb 7 @ 7:30 PM

Our book club is back and (maybe) better than ever! Our first book will be High-Risers: Cabrini-Green and the Fate of American Public Housing.

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2022/high-risers


Gathering in person, setting our course together, and fighting for climate and racial justice

The weather's cooling down and our schedule's heating up -- we have a Membership Assembly this Sunday to discuss candidate endorsements and a Fall Picnic hosted by our westside group on October 9th. Plus a virtual teach in about the Cool Blocks program, a panel discussion about TV's portrayal of criminal justice, and meetings of our housing, climate, and transportation issue groups.

MEMBERSHIP ASSEMBLY, Sunday, October 3, 2:00 - 4:30 PM

Los Angeles has a huge opportunity in the 2022 elections! LA Forward Action will be on the front lines of supporting progressive causes and candidates. That means we need to create a principled, practical way to choose who we're endorsing.

Open to all sustaining members, this Membership Assembly is an important opportunity to discuss our proposed candidate endorsement process, policy priorities, and organizing budget. Active in our community but haven't become a sustaining member by paying membership dues? We'd be grateful for your support and participation! Once you sign up, reply to this email for an invite.

Sustaining members who are active in our community get to vote on which candidates we endorse and will have a voice in budgeting and strategic deliberations.

BECOME A SUSTAINING MEMBER

Why do we ask people to pay membership dues? Because this work takes resources and we won't take funding that would compromise our independence. Because building progressive power means building an organization that our community members proudly support. 

We hope you will learn more and contribute to our movement for justice today by becoming a sustaining member today.

---

FALL PICNIC, Saturday, October 9, 2:00 - 4:00 PM

In place of a monthly meeting, we’re hosting a picnic for the entire LA Forward community to meet up and hang out in person! Because we are just as tired of being on zoom as you are :) In July we gathered for a picnic downtown.  This time we’re being hosted by our friends in the Westside group at a beautiful, transit-accessible park. This will be a kid-friendly and pet-friendly picnic to put Zoom faces and names to in-person faces and names. We’ll supply light snacks and beverages. You’re welcome to bring food of your own too! We ask that everyone who attends be vaccinated, unless they are not legally or medically eligible.

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/10/9/fall-picnic

---

Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance Teach-In & Collaboration Session, Sunday, October 17, 3:00 - 4:00 PM

Join us for a virtual teach-in and collaboration session with the Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance. Learn more about who NCSA is and what they do, learn about their Cool Blocks program, and help us brainstorm ways in which our climate team can continue to partner with this awesome organization. Cool Blocks is designed to activate all of us, in our homes and in our neighborhoods, to help us reduce our carbon footprints, reduce our water use, live more sustainably, and prepare for disasters while building community. We're getting ready to launch 200 climate-resilient neighborhoods and keep building from there toward a carbon-neutral LA by 2030. 

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/10/17/ncsa

---

Injustice on the Small Screen: How TV Writers Can Change the Narrative About Our Legal System, Tuesday, October 26, 5:30 - 7:00 PM

Join us for a virtual discussion on how crime and legal TV series impact the public perception of crime, racial injustice and the criminal legal system. We ask the question: How can we, as writers and showrunners, do better? We hope this event will inspire writers who want to be part of telling stories that share a more authentic understanding of the characters, forces and factors that shape the criminal legal system, and in a way that helps viewers reckon responsibly with all the complicated issues bound up in it. Featuring Patrisse Cullors, Jane Dorotik, LaNaisha Edwards, Amity Paye, Nikki Toscano, Alexis Wilkinson. Hosted by Color of Change, ACLU of Southern California, and the District Attorney Accountability Coalition, including LA Forward.

RSVP: https://www.harvardwood.org/crimetv

---

Issue Group Meetings (via Zoom)

Climate Justice - Tuesday, October 5, 8 PM - Get more details & RSVP 

Transportation Justice - Monday, October 18, 8 PM - Get more details & RSVP

Housing Justice  - Wednesday, October 27, 8 PM - Get more details & RSVP

Activism & the Arts

With less than two weeks until a rightwing Republican could become governor of California (for real), we're going all out with contacting voters. Join us Wednesday night for one of the friendliest phonebank opportunities you could imagine. Seriously, it doesn't get much easier than this.

Need something to sweeten the deal? We're excited to host a panel on Arts & Activism this Saturday at 10:30 AM, followed by phonebanking. Join us for a conversation among authors RO Kwon (Kink), Alex Segura (Poe Dameron: Free Fall), Preeti Chhibber (Marvel’s Avengers Assembly series), actor / writer Michele Selene Ang (13 Reasons Why), and podcaster Traci Thomas (The Stacks) about the intersection of art and political activism. Then stick around for an hour or two with the artists as we all let voters know how crucial this election is.

Too anxious to sit back? Join us the following week when we'll more than 15 hours of opportunities to talk and text with voters.

Save the Date:

Event: Beating the Backlash and Resisting Local Recalls - Sunday, September 12 @ 3 PM

Teach-In: What the City Attorney Does, Why It Matters, and How We Can Make Progressive Change, Sunday, September 19 @ 3 PM


A year later, we continue to fight for justice

A year ago, we wrote about the anger and sadness we felt as we faced a deep, broad complex of systems geared toward violence, white supremacy, exploitation, and brutality. Systems that don't value the inherent dignity of all human beings. A year later, we are still fighting for justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and tens of thousands more.

Over the past year, we have organized across Los Angeles' regions to build our people-power. We continued to focus on the issues of Climate, Housing, & Transit Justice. We organized phonebanks to help pass Measure J and continue to fight to ensure its promises are kept. Still, many of the same questions from a year ago remain. How do we change the power structures that got us to this point?

This month, we will continue to look at ways to build new institutions that truly serve and protect people, including a Public Bank Community Teach-in and a Criminal Justice focused General Monthly Meeting. We are excited to have you join us.

Public Bank Teach-In — Sunday, June 6, 3:00 - 4:30 PM

We have the opportunity to help lead a financial revolution that will create a new economic system that prioritizes people and the planet.

Come and learn what a public bank is and how it will allow Los Angeles to save money and set priorities with fiscally, socially, and environmentally responsible investments. Join the movement and support a public bank that follows sustainability guidelines and empowers our public policy goals.

This exciting community event is in partnership with Public Bank LA, ACT LA, & Sunrise Movement LA.

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/6/6/a-public-bank-community-teach-in

LA Forward General Monthly Meeting — Sunday, June 13, 3:00 - 4:30 PM

As we commemorate one year since George Floyd's murder and the subsequent uprisings across the nation and world, we will focus on how police brutality and misconduct plague our communities in LA. In particular, we'll focus on what's being surfaced about our LA County Sheriff's Department, including the unchecked activities of deputy gangs, harassment of families of those murdered by sheriff deputies, and obstruction of oversight by the sheriff himself. Join LA Forward's Criminal Justice Group, Check the Sheriff coalition leader Andres Kwon and LA Forward member Godfrey Plata at this teach-in, and learn about how you can stand up for justice in Southern California.

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/6/13/la-forward-monthly-meeting

Housing Justice June Monthly Meeting - Wednesday, June 23, 8:00 - 9:30 PM

Join us to learn about how to get involved in housing justice in Los Angeles. There will be updates from our coalition housing justice groups in LA, and we will discuss how we can build on the work being done. We will also provide an update on the Housing 101 guide and discuss potential ways we can organize and empower people at the neighborhood level.

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/6/23/housing-justice-june-monthly-meeting

June Regional Group Meetings

Join us on Zoom as we debrief and act on recent conversations that LA Forward members have had with City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, the Check the Sheriff coalition, and Public Bank LA. Also, find out more about our first opportunity to gather *in-person* for those who feel safer doing so these days!

Koreatown-DTLA-Boyle Heights — Wednesday, June 16, 8:00 - 9:30 PM

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/6/16/june-regional-group-meeting-koreatown-dtla-boyle-heights

Mid-Wilshire — Thursday, June 17, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/6/17/june-regional-group-meeting-mid-wilshire

Greater Silver Lake — Thursday, June 17, 7:30 - 9:00 PM

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/6/17/june-regional-group-meeting-greater-silver-lake

Westside — Thursday, June 17, 7:30 - 9;00 PM

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/6/17/june-regional-group-meeting-westside

Northeast LA — Tuesday, June 22, 8:00 - 9:30 PM

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/6/22/june-regional-group-meeting-northeast-la

San Fernando Valley — Wednesday, June 23, 7:30 - 9:00 PM

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/6/23/june-regional-group-meeting-san-fernando-valley

May We Continue Organizing

With the summer swiftly arriving and millions of Angelenos vaccinated, we may be getting back to "normal" soon. Of course, we know that the pandemic's impacts will be felt long after the economy fully opens, which is why we must continue coming together to protect those most vulnerable in our communities. From the looming wave of evictions to the continued mass incarceration of our poor and unhoused, from local oil drilling to the increase in NIMBY-ism across the city, we have a lot of "normal" to fight.

We are excited to have you with us as we keep up the struggle for justice.

Getting Ready for the 2022 Elections - Sunday, May 16, 3:00 - 4:30 PM

Local governments have hugely important elections coming up soon! Join us for an expert overview of the critical races on deck and exciting new progressive infrastructure we’re building with partners to overcome the right-wing backlash and win big. Plus a short workshop on campaign finance — the rules, how to find out where candidates are getting their money, and why campaigns cost so much money. We'll also share updates from our climate, housing, transportation, and criminal justice groups!

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/5/16/getting-ready-for-2022 

Phonebank for Progressive Neighborhood Council Candidates - Monday, May 17, 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Elections for Neighborhood Council are happening right now and we have a short window of time to elect principled progressives to these important, official LA City organizations that are the lowest level of government. We need you to let your neighbors know they need to request ballots ASAP! Join us for a fun, virtual phonebank where we’ll call LA Forward Action members to ensure they request ballots and vote by mail for progressive candidates. Never phone-banked before? No problem -- we’ll provide training and support!

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/5/17/phonebank-for-progressive-nc-candidates

Issue Team Meetings

Housing Justice - Wednesday, May 12, 8:00 - 9:30 PM

Guest Eric Ares, Sr. Manager - Homeless Systems Change at United Way, will be presenting what U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter's Injunction means for those unhoused in Los Angeles.

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/5/12/housing-justice-may-monthly-meeting 

Criminal Justice  - Sunday, May 16, 7:30 - 9:00 PM

Join us to hear updates from our volunteers about what criminal justice issues our affiliate groups are tackling, learn what actions you can take, and help us plan for our Spring teach-in.

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/5/16/criminal-justice-team-monthly-meeting

Transportation Justice - Monday, May 17, 8:00 - 9:00 PM

Join us for our monthly meeting! Learn about the latest Metro updates, opportunities to act on transit justice, and our upcoming plans for transit education.

RSVP: https://www.laforward.org/events/2021/5/17/may-transportation-justice-team-meeting

Regional Group Gatherings

Join us for our May regional group meetings, where we will (a) highlight opportunities to influence upcoming teach-ins and campaigns being led by LA Forward's issue groups (criminal justice, transportation justice, housing justice, and climate justice) *AND* (b) follow-up on our "power player" brainstorm from last month by sharing upcoming possibilities for YOU to meet with leaders and organizations in Los Angeles. As always, there will be time to meet and greet with folks in our community and share announcements about other local actions and happenings!


The Ideas of March

In addition to all our usual work to fight for progressive policies, we've used the last couple months to come up with better systems to engage the LA Forward Action community. We now have a group of a dozen leaders working to support people who are organizing on specific issues and neighborhoods. And one of our biggest priorities is communicating more effectively with all of you. Our event calendar is packed every week this month and we expect it's going to be pretty busy from here on out. So we'll be sending around a newsletter once or twice a month with a list of all the upcoming trainings, actions, meetings and more. Hope to see you soon!

Voter Outreach Strategies - TONIGHT, MARCH 3 at 7pm

Want to win elections? You need to figure out which voters you should be reaching out to and which tactics are most effective. In this training, we’ll compare your options for voter outreach: canvassing, texting, phone banking, and relational organizing. Running for Neighborhood Council this year? Apply these skills to your own race. Not running this year? This concept will help you understand how campaigns work and build skills for the 2022 election cycle! RSVP

Phone Bank: Elect Progressives to LA Neighborhood Councils - Thurs, March 4, 6 - 8 PM

Help mobilize your neighbors to vote for progressives in their Neighborhood Council district! First Time phone bankers welcome. Training and support provided! RSVP

Climate Justice Team 2021 Kickoff - Sun, March 7, 3 - 4:30 PM

Learn more about our current campaigns. Special Guest Speaker from STAND LA coalition against urban oil drilling. RSVP

Housing Justice Team 2021 Kickoff - Tues, Mar 9, 8 - 9 PM

We'll be discussing groups that are already creating change, our housing 101 guide, and next steps. RSVP

Training: Conversations with Voters 101- Weds, Mar 10, 7 - 8:30 PM

Conversations are at the heart of every effective grassroots campaign - whether you’re running for President or Neighborhood Council, talking to regular people, on the phone and at their door, is how you win. How can you nail that conversation on the phone? How do you avoid launching into a debate, and instead focus on listening and validating? How do you persuade an undecided voter? All this and more in our Effective Conversations training! RSVP

Transportation Justice Team Meeting - Thurs, Mar 11, 8 - 9:30 PM

This month will feature an overview for new members on the work we've done researching the efforts of related groups who are working on issues of mobility and access, as well as examining some upcoming opportunities for action. RSVP

Kicking off 2021 -> opportunities to learn & act

I've been meaning to write for awhile, but it's a struggle. Hard to find the right words to capture my relief and even exhilaration about the victories in Georgia thanks to the grassroots organizers, (including but not limited to Stacey Abrams) and the power that gives us to actually pass meaningful legislation in DC alongside the devastation that covid is producing and the terrible attack yesterday on our democratic institutions by fascist, white supremacist goons. One thing I do know is how grateful I am to be in community with all of you, now as always. After a year of tremendous growth and some growing pains, I am confident we are going to continue to expand our impact and strengthen our community in the months ahead.

** This Sunday you're invited to our 2021 kickoff (3 PM just like our usual Second Sunday monthly meetings).  

* A group of volunteers will share some of the leadership structures we're putting in place to make LA Forward work better.

* Another set of volunteers will talk about a mysterious but important thing called ADEMs. The CA Democratic Party's board is composed of more than 3,000 delegates and one-third of them are elected in January of every odd year. Anyone who's a registered Dem can vote. We’ll go in depth on what ADEMs, how the process works, and why it matters. Usually there's a 3 hour window on a weekend to vote in person. Because of covid, this year you have to pre-register online in order to vote by mail. The DEADLINE is Monday, January 11.

* Plus we'll set aside some time to process the upheaval of this week through our usual "check in" process at the meeting's start.

...Wait, there's more!

** Reminder that TONIGHT at 6 PM is the first session of Organizing School, a 5-week series hosted by Hannah Kessel, LA Forward's talented organizer. It'll cover the nuts and bolts of organizing including structured organizing conversations, theories of change and building your network. Everyone welcome!

** Plus next Monday we're hosting "Running for Neighborhood Council 201." This volunteer-led workshop will go more in depth on how you can run an effective campaign to get elected to LA City's most local branch of government. Whether you've already filed or are still mulling it over, we hope you'll join us to meet and hear from NC members past, present, and future! Whether you’re more interested in organizing in your neighborhood, or around a specific issue, we’re here to connect you to the work, and support you as you do it! 

Here's to hoping and working together for a better 2021 and beyond!

In solidarity, 

David Levitus
Executive Director
LA Forward Action

We can build a better LA in 2021

Even in the midst of a tough year, it’s amazing how much we’ve been able to accomplish — not just as an organization, but as a movement and a region. Together we’ve been mobilizing for policy change, winning historic legislation, electing transformative local leaders, and organizing to build power for the long haul. 

I’m so proud of what our community has accomplished together in 2020: 

  • Publishing our Progressive LA Voter Guide and our LA 101 Guide to Local Government.

  • Educating and mobilizing Angelenos through civic teach-ins and neighborhood organizing that drove thousands of emails and calls to city and county offices.

  • Calling 39,101 voters to win Measure J, one of the nation’s most ambitious efforts to reinvest in communities, not incarceration.

  • Helping launch the Healthy LA Coalition and winning over 20 crucial protections during the pandemic for tenants, workers, and other vulnerable Angelenos.

  • And so much more.

Now we are asking for your support to expand our community and impact in 2021.

Help us build a better LA

I’ve never been more excited about the promise of a new year. Dozens of LA Forward community leaders are developing a new membership model to build our base and hold elected officials accountable. For the first time in 2021-22, we’ll have an inclusive process to endorse and campaign for candidates for local office. Our goal is to transform local government by supporting principled progressive candidates we can be proud of, and who can win, in all of the major local offices up for election in 2022. 

We’ll also be hosting a series of virtual house parties, organized and led by LA Forward members and partners, to get your input and keep you updated on local movements for justice. And we’ll continue growing our regional and policy teams while delivering the civic teach-ins, panels, and publications you’ve come to know and trust.

Zoomshot.jpg

Recurring monthly donations are the lifeblood of our work. Your contribution enables us to take on powerful interests, respond rapidly to new challenges, and remain accountable to regular Angelenos. Can you make a monthly recurring gift today?

Thank you for your support! 

In solidarity, 

David Levitus
Executive Director
LA Forward Action


Sign the Housing is Health Pledge Today + Running for Neighborhood Council 101

RUNNING FOR NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL 101 - Thursday, December 10th at 7:30 PM 

There are 99 Neighborhood Councils across the City of Los Angeles. They’re a unique way to learn about how local government works and to influence important policy decisions. Historically these official advisory bodies have been conservative and NIMBYish but we're seeing progressives start to win seats and even gain majorities.

Elections are being held March through June of 2021 and the filing deadlines to become a candidate are coming up soon. We’re encouraging all progressive Angelenos to consider running for office in their own neighborhood. To help you decide whether to run and to show you how you can be effective, we’re hosting an info session this Thursday. 

Join Neighborhood Council members — past, present, and future — to learn how YOU can run to represent your neighborhood! No need to have already made up your mind. Anyone curious to learn more is welcome. Please RSVP for the Zoom info.

On Thursday, December 3, over 1500 Los Angeles residents tuned in to Healthy LA's #CancelRent and #CancelMortgages Teach-In via Zoom and Facebook Live. The event was simultaneously translated into Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, and Armenian and offered a space to discuss our policy platform with tenants, landlords, homeowners, advocates, Councilmember Mike Bonin, Councilmember-elect Nithya Raman, and County Supervisor Hilda Solis' Planning Deputy, Guadalupe Duran. The conversation uplifted the difficult queries around what rent and mortgage cancelation would mean and look like in LA County. We introduced our policy platform two-pager and an animation explaining the policy.

The powerful stories from tenants, homeowners and landlords had a visible effect on the legislators and their staff in attendance. We’ve already received feedback that they felt the pressure to urgently take action. It’s critical that we seize this momentum and turn up the pressure on all of our LA Council Members and Supervisors!  

Please take action NOW by sending a message that urges our local elected officials to sign the Housing is Health Pledge: http://healthyla.org/pledge/ 

As we head into a second major shutdown, with over 7,800 Angelinos who have passed, and ICU beds being severely limited, elected officials need to do everything in their power to keep residents safe, housed, and healthy. Lack of eviction protections across the country have led to over 433,000 more COVID cases, and 10,700 deaths. Housing is health! Elected officials need to know that the people they serve urgently need them to take action to protect the most vulnerable Angelinos! It is a matter of life and death.

We also have a Take Action Toolkit with all of the instructions you need to uplift how we can keep Angelinos healthy!

Below are some quick links and instructions! It will take you 5 minutes to do all of them.

1. Submitting Public Comment online and on the phone

2. Spread the Word on Social Media

Yes on Prop 15 - Put Schools & Communities First

Proposition 15 – Close Corporate Tax Loophole to Raise $12 billion for local schools & community services – YES

Proposition 15 would close a corporate property tax loophole created by the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978. Specifically, Proposition 15 would require non-residential commercial and industrial property to be reassessed based on its current market value. Currently, non-residential commercial and industrial property taxes are assessed on purchase price, not their market value as is the case in most other states. Proposition 15 is commonly referred to as “split roll” due to the fact that its passage would only impact how property taxes are assessed for non-residential commercial and industrial property, and not how taxes are assessed for residential property. Proposition 15 also includes language that exempts small businesses from the proposed market-based property tax and it would not change how agricultural land is taxed.

Passing Proposition 15 would generate an estimated $12 billion in revenues a year across California. These revenues would be allocated between K-12 schools and community colleges, which will receive 40% of revenues, and local governments, which would receive the remaining 60% of revenues. Funds allocated to local governments could go towards supporting needed services such as housing, fire protection, healthcare, or other local priorities. Prop 15 requires that every school district, community college, city, county, or special district publicly disclose the Proposition 15 funds they receive and how they are spent. 

Prop 15 opponents claim that it would negatively impact California’s economy and businesses. This claim does not hold up to scrutiny. In reality, only 10% of California’s commercial and industrial property will generate 92% of Proposition 15 revenues. Furthermore, Prop 15 maintains the 1% limit on property taxes (annual property taxes can not exceed 1% of their assessed market value), which is a lower rate than many other states. 

Some people have good-faith concerns about the impact of Prop 15 on small businesses. These are mostly misplaced. While many commercial leases are “triple-net” which means taxes are automatically passed along to renters, most leases currently in effect will end and be up for re-negotiation before reassessment begins to increase property taxes in late 2022. In a market where there is an overabundance of commercial real estate (due to the pandemic and other factors), small businesses will have the upper hand in negotiating lower total rents, even with higher taxes factored in. Higher taxes will largely be taken out of the windfall profits currently enjoyed by these long-time property owners, not out of the pocket of small businesses.

There are additional protections for small businesses built into Prop 15. Buildings worth less than $3 million owned by small businesses are exempt from reassessment. Businesses will also no longer have to pay taxes on the first $500,000 of non-real estate property (things like office furnishings and restaurant equipment). This will entirely eliminate a cumbersome tax for 90% of California’s small businesses, saving them thousands each year, and $1 billion statewide. 

It’s also important to note that Prop 15 will not result in higher taxes for any residential properties. In the case of mixed use buildings, which combine housing with retail, only the commercial part of the buildings will be subject to regular reassessment of their taxable value.

Much has changed since the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978. At that time, home owners and owners of commercial and industrial properties shared a roughly equal property tax burden. However, over the past 40 years, the share of property tax burden for residential property owners has jumped to 72%. Furthermore, when Prop 13 was passed, California was among the top ten states in per pupil education spending. Since then, California has dropped in national ranking and is currently positioned among the lower third of states in per pupil education spending. With revenues decreasing as a result of the covid-created economic recession, local schools and communities need additional sources of funding. Starting in 2022, Prop 15 would deliver those much needed resources by taxing the windfall profits enjoyed by California’s biggest and wealthiest corporations.

Passing Prop 15 is an opportunity for California to generate much needed revenue and support vital services by closing a corporate tax loophole. Now is the time for California to make an investment in our education system and our local communities, and to create a fairer property tax system in which wealthy commercial and industrial land owners pay their fair share. 

We strongly urge you to vote YES on Proposition 15.

Join our campaign to let voters why Prop 15 is so important:

https://www.mobilize.us/laforward/event/338819/

Yes on Measure J - Invest in LA Communities

LA County Measure J – Permanently Allocate Local Funding to Community Services – YES

LA Forward strongly recommends a YES vote on Measure J which would amend the LA County Charter to permanently allocate at least 10% of unrestricted, locally-generated tax revenues to community-serving programs like mental health services, affordable housing, job creation, youth programs, and alternatives to incarceration in Black, brown, and low-income communities across LA.

When discussing Measure J it’s important to have some context about the County budget and what Measure J does and does not do. At $35 billion annually, LA County manages the second largest local budget in the country. Over 85% of the overall budget, or $30 billion annually, is fixed and non-flexible spending that’s difficult to adjust from year to year. The remaining 15% of the budget, about $5 billion in 2020-21, is discretionary and can be shifted around by County officials each year. Measure J targets only this $5 billion of annual discretionary spending, and would require that 10% of that amount — up to about half a billion dollars in the current budget — be spent on community programs and alternatives to incarceration. That would more than double what the County currently spends on such programs. 

Los Angeles County runs the largest jail system in the world, and the county spends more than 40% of its annual discretionary budget on law enforcement. If voters were building a new county budget from scratch, there is no way they would spend such staggering sums on policing, courts, and jails at the expense of everything else. This disproportionate spending on punishment comes at the expense of programs that address the root causes of poverty, inequity, and violence — not just the symptoms. The LA County Sheriff’s Department alone receives over $3 billion dollars annually, while programs focused on economic development, affordable housing, small businesses in Black and brown communities, mental health services, diversion and re-entry, and other alternatives to incarceration receive only a fraction of that. 

Measure J was only added to the ballot in August 2020, after a motion co-authored by County Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Hilda Solis (“Re-Imagining L.A. County: Shifting Budget Priorities to Revitalize Under-Resourced and Low-Income Communities”) passed 4-1 among the County Supervisors. Being added to the ballot only three months before the election has meant that many voters have not had the chance to learn about Measure J, which is unfortunate because it is one of the most ambitious efforts to rethink local budget priorities anywhere in the country.

Measure J is alternatively known as Reimagine LA, which is also the name of the broad coalition of local nonprofits, social justice leaders, community groups, labor unions, and progressive politicians supporting it. It is the culmination of years of organizing by Los Angeles community groups and social justice advocates. It shares many of the same organizers and endorsements as other recent community-driven initiatives to address the harm that the criminal legal system has inflicted on Black and brown communities, including Measure R (“Reform L.A. Jails”), which increased civilian oversight of the Sheriff’s Department and required the development of a county-wide plan to reduce the jail population and invest in alternatives to incarceration. Despite strong opposition from the Sheriff’s Department and local law enforcement, Measure R passed overwhelmingly in March 2020 with the support of nearly 73% of LA County voters. Much of the research, planning, and organizing that Measure R helped set into motion is now represented in Measure J, and voters would be wise to vote for it with similar enthusiasm.

Opponents of Measure J deploy two general arguments. The first, advanced most aggressively by Sheriff Alex Villanueva, is that public safety would be compromised by any decreases in law enforcement budgets. The second, cited by LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger (the only County Supervisor against Measure J), is that mandating 10% of the discretionary budget on community programs would tie the hands of local politicians and endanger essential services. Both arguments appeal to voters’ fears — Villanueva literally tweeted an image from Mad Max and said it was what LA County would become if Measure J passes — and both are misleading and factually inaccurate. 

Supervisor Barger’s argument is rebutted by her four colleagues on the Board of Supervisors and by the substance of Measure J, which makes clear that the 10% requirement can be eschewed in the event of budget emergencies that threaten the county’s essential programs. Sheriff Villanueva’s argument relies on a narrow conception of public safety that ignores the impact of poverty, trauma, and generations of disinvestment in communities most impacted by violence. It also ignores the systemic racism and violence inflicted primarily on communities of color by law enforcement, and assumes that crime is something “bad people” do and will always do. Rather than making long-term investments in building healthier, more resilient communities with less violence, it demands massive and never-ending spending on policing and carceral systems that do not actually make us safer. Just compare the violent crime rates in the U.S. to other developed countries with far fewer police and much lower prison populations.

Budgets are statements of our values, and the county’s current budget allocates obscene levels of spending on enforcement and punishment with few resources leftover to invest in building the kind of communities and society we want. Passing Measure J would shift hundreds of millions of dollars each year away from carceral systems and into restorative and rehabilitative ones. It is a modest first step toward a more rational and humane county budget, and we give it our strongest possible recommendation. 

We enthusiastically urge a YES vote on Measure J. 
Join our campaign to let voters know why Measure J is so important: https://www.mobilize.us/laforward/event/338374/

Guides, Guides, Guides

I'm excited to share the LA Forward Voter Guide with you! It's a deep dive into all of the Los Angeles and California propositions, full of the thoughtful kinds of analysis and explanation that you've come to expect from LA Forward. If you've already voted, share with friends!

Get the Guide

Voting is important. Voting for progressive priorities is vital. But do you know what is transformational? Banding together with hundreds of our community members to reach tens of thousands of our neighbors and pull them into the process of making real change. LA Forward's mission is to bring together a community of people who fight for policies that'll make our region a fair, flourishing place for everyone.

Right now, voters have themselves have the power to enact transformative policies that will set local budgets and priorities for a generation to come. If we pass LA County Measure J and California Proposition 15, we can free up billions for jobs, schools, housing, healthcare, and more by taking back resources from the corporate and carceral systems that have unjustly hoarded the wealth.  We need 50% of voters to join with us and things are looking very close right now. Contacting voters is one of the most important things you can do to help win. It might seem intimidating, but we promise it can be easy and actually kind of fun too, even over the phone.

So we're inviting you to join us this Sunday for a Voter Contact 101 Training!

If you've never phonebanked from home or even if you've never contacted voters at all, this the perfect event to learn how it works. No additional commitment required. We encourage you to invite a couple of friends to join you. It'll be a fun community event. I'm Interested

Ready to jump into voter contact right now? Join our virtual phonebanks for Measure J and Prop 15. We'll provide all the training, tips, and support you need. Just bring yourself, an Internet connection, laptop/tablet and a cell phone. Sign up for one tonight or tomorrow! Count Me In

The Feminist City and a Guide to the Criminal Justice System

For our Housing Justice Book Group on October 26, we're discussing FEMINIST CITY by Leslie Kern 

"Taking on fear, motherhood, friendship, activism, and the joys and perils of being alone, Kern maps the city from new vantage points, laying out an intersectional feminist approach to urban histories and proposes that the city is perhaps also our best hope for shaping a new urban future. It is time to dismantle what we take for granted about cities and to ask how we can build more just, sustainable, and women-friendly cities together." 

 RSVP: https://www.losangelesforward.org/calendar/2020/10/26/the-feminist-city 

femcity260.jpeg

We're excited to share a guide to the criminal justice system and the imperative for transforming it.

We believe that in order to reimagine how we ensure public safety and challenging policing and carceral power, we need to understand their histories and structures. It's not the first or last word on this topic by any means, but we hope it's a useful overview and introduction that opens up the door to many more questions and topics.

You can download it — and check out the new section on our website about these issues at —losangelesforward.org/criminaljustice

TakingBack.jpg

Get educated and then take action

Our communities deserve better. We let big corporations evade taxes that should be used to fund our schools and we let policing and prisons take up a huge percentage of our local government budgets. It’s time to turn that round by passing Schools & Communities First (Prop 15) to close corporate property tax loopholes and Reimagine LA (Measure J) to direct local funding into community investment and alternatives to incarceration. September 17 at 8:00 PM, we’re fortunate to be joined by a couple talented speakers, Ben Grieff from Evolve and Mike Dennis from Everyone In, and we’d love for you to join us too. 

Do you want to educate yourself on how policing and criminal justice systems work in Los Angeles? The uprisings around the country have brought unprecedented attention to the institutionalized racism that communities of color face. LA Forward is excited to present a zoom discussion about what it looks like to re-imagine public safety and create a society that prioritizes caring for all of us. Plus the unveiling of informational guide that lays out the history of policing and power in Los Angeles -- created by LA Forward volunteers!

When: Sept. 20, 3 PM

RSVP: https://www.losangelesforward.org/calendar/2020/9/20/transformative-justice

We’ll be joined by Tina McKinnor from LA Voice and Brian Kaneda from CURB / Justice LA, for an urgent and important discussion of the criminal justice system and the imperative for transformation. 

Monday, September 21 at 7:30 PM: How to Bring Your Friends into the Campaign for Measure J - RSVP

One major step to transforming our racist, classist criminal justice system is passing the Measure J to prioritize LA County's $35,000,000,000 (that's 35 billion!) budget on alternatives to incarceration and the community care and investment programs that attack the root causes of crime.

To win our campaigns for Measure J, we need to massively multiply the army of people we have who are down to make calls and reach WAY more voters. This training will focus on fun, easy ways to recruit your friends, colleagues, and social networks to get involved. Join us!

RSVP: https://www.losangelesforward.org/calendar/2020/9/21/how-to-bring-your-friends-in

 

Tuesday, September 22 at 8 PM: Tenant Protections Panel Discussion - RSVP

Keeping people housed shouldn’t be controversial. Housing shouldn’t be a privilege. But we have policies and institutions in place that systemically disadvantage people who rent their homes. At this moment of crisis, we need to support renters more than ever. Come learn from a panel of amazing organizers, attorneys, and policy experts about how to keep people housed right now and how to build a system where housing is truly just. Featuring Carla De Paz, the director of Community Power Collective; Katie McKeon, an attorney with Public Counsel; and Francisco Dueñas, the director of Housing Now, California’s leading housing justice coalition.

RSVP: https://www.losangelesforward.org/calendar/2020/9/22/tenant-protections-webinar-amp-workshop

Join us Sunday - Election Kickoff

THIS SUNDAY afternoon, we're hosting a General Meeting & Election Assembly for EVERYONE who’s been involved in LA Forward and for anyone who's interested in learning more.

The purpose is to celebrate all we’ve accomplished together these last few months, build relationships across neighborhood and issue areas, discuss how we can act together to win big on Election Day, and plan next steps to make it happen! Plus you'll get to meet a awesome new member of our staff, a talented election organizer. Please RSVP here to receive the Zoom link.

Action is a powerful antidote to anxiety. As we're stuck inside together this weekend, this is a perfect opportunity to connect with people who share your values and are committing to fight for justice and a better world together. Count Me In

Upcoming Events

You're also invited to join us for a series teach-ins on key racial and economic justice issues and ballot initiatives. All planned by LA Forward members.

* Thursday, September 17 at 8 PM: Invest in Communities Kickoff - RSVP

Our communities deserve better. We let corporations evade taxes that should be used to fund our schools and we let policing and prisons take up a huge percentage of our local government’s budgets. It’s time to put a stop to all of that by passing Schools & Communities First (Prop 15) to close corporate property tax loopholes and Reimagine LA (Measure J) to direct local funding into alternatives to incarceration and community care. We’re fortunate to be joined by a two stelllar speakers and we’d love for you to join us too.

RSVP: https://www.losangelesforward.org/calendar/2020/9/17/invest-in-communities-kickoff

Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 3PM: Transformative Justice Panel Discussion - RSVP

We’re excited to present a panel discussion about what it looks like to re-imagine public safety and create a society that prioritizes caring for all of us. 

We’ll be joined by Tina McKinnor from LA Voice, Brian Kaneda from CURB / Justice LA, and several other speakers for what promises to be a fascinating and important discussion of the criminal justice system and the imperative for transformation.

RSVP: https://www.losangelesforward.org/calendar/2020/9/20/transformative-justice

Tuesday, September 22 at 8 PM: Tenant Protections Panel Discussion - RSVP

Keeping people housed shouldn’t be controversial. Housing shouldn’t be a privilege. But we have policies and institutions in place that systemically disadvantage people who rent their homes. At this moment of crisis, we need to support renters more than ever. Come learn from a panel of amazing organizers, attorneys, and policy experts about how to keep people housed right now and how to build a system where housing is truly just. Featuring Carla De Paz, the director of Community Power Collective; Francisco Duenas, the director of Housing Now, California’s leading housing justice coalition; and Katie McKeon, a social justice movement attorney with Public Counsel.

RSVP: www.losangelesforward.org/calendar/2020/9/22/tenant-protections-webinar-amp-workshop

Keep people safely housed now and for the long-term

It's hard to overstate how big the looming tidal wave of evictions and foreclosures could be. It could dwarf the 2008 financial crisis and it will hit renters far harder, especially in Black, brown, and immigrant communities. 

What can you do?

1. Join our LA Forward general meeting tomorrow, Sunday, August 16 at 3 pm where we'll go over all the different efforts happening now and what we can do in the long-term to make good, affordable housing something every person has access to, no exceptions.

RSVP: https://www.losangelesforward.org/calendar/2020/8/9/august-monthly-meeting

2.  To prevent the approaching tidal wave of evictions, call your State Senator, your Assemblymember, and the Governor every day till you get a firm yes for AB1436 which would ban evictions for unpaid rent due to covid emergency. 

Here is a script and instructions prepared by the statewide Housing Now coalition that we're proud to be part of.

And send a message to your rep in Congress urging them to include rent and mortgage forgiveness for all impacted Americans in the next relief bill.

3. Direct Action / Protest - Friday

The State Judicial Council's Rule is currently preventing evictions by preventing courts from hearing cases BUT they're ending it September 2nd and we still don't have any protections for renters that haven't been able to pay rent due to the COVID-19 crisis. Courts will start eviction processes and it'll be a disaster on an unfathomable scale.

The community, tenant groups, and labor unions are ready to tell the courts and our legislators that we will not let that happen.
 
We are stopping business as usual and protesting this Friday, Aug 21st  to send a clear message that we will not tolerate mass evictions that will lead to homelessness and major health consequences for millions of people.

Sign up to get more info

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

* Saturday, August 22 at 3 PM:  Climate and the 2020 Election, a panel discussion - RSVP

This panel discussion is for anyone who cares deeply about climate change and climate justice and wants to know how they can best make a difference in the upcoming election. Featuring Loraine Lundquist and Aura Vasquez who ran for office as climate champions; a representative from an environmental justice advocacy group; and Sarah Jakle, the Outreach Director for Field Team 6.

* Thursday, August 27 at 8 PM - Book Discussion: How to Be An Anti-Racist - RSVP

Earlier this summer, we read Ibram X. Kendi's history of white supremacism's embeddedness in U.S. society, Stamped From the Beginning. Now we're doing a follow up discussion of Kendi's How to Be An Antiracist. This one really builds on the history laid out in the first book, so it's nice to have the historical background, but it can also be read completely on its own. It's more personal and less academic than Stamped.

 

Stay tuned for many more events over the next weeks and months.

Our members are planning teach-ins and action workshops on key ballot propositions like Reimagine LA (County Measure J), Schools and Communities First (Prop 15), increased state tenant protections (Prop 21), and many more of the crucial racial justice initiatives on the November ballot.

——-

P.S. Interested in local redistricting? Learn more about the LA County Redistricting Commission by watching the workshop we hosted with Common Cause. Applications due August 31.

Stop gerrymandering today, fight for housing and climate justice next week, and re-imagine an anti-racist LA for years to come

I don't know about you but this has been the strangest summer of my life, living with a new routine and a complex welter of emotions. Anger at the utter failure of our elected officials at the top to prevent the deadly spread of covid and to take care of people financially. Deep frustration at the failure of our local and state officials to rise to the challenge left by federal failures and do everything in their power to keep people housed and fed. Inspired by the surge of activism in the streets. Motivated by the flood of new people joining LA Forward and so many organizations like ours. Cautiously hopeful we'll be able to shift the terrain of our fight for this justice on this November's ballot. Amid it all, I'm focusing on what is within my power. Not narrowly either. But my ability — our community's ability — to organize collective action on a scale like we've never seen before. Over the last month we've been a little quieter than before. Behind the scenes, our new Neighborhood Organizing groups have been ramping up and I'm excited to share just a taste of the results soon. For right now, I want to invite you to some fantastic programs our community has put together. There'll be a lot more to come as we organize for victory in this fall's election and beyond.

UPCOMING EVENTS

* Wednesday, August 12 at 12 PM: Stop Local Gerrymandering - RSVP

Learn about LA County's new Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission and how you can apply to be on it (and prevent gerrymandering!) in a webinar with co-hosting with Common Cause.

You can now watch the workshop we hosted with Common Cause. Applications due August 31.

* Sunday, August 16 at 3 PM: The Path to Housing Stability and Justice - RSVP

We're using this month's general meeting to focus on the solutions to the impending flood of evictions and foreclosure, plus a discussion of comprehensive, long-term approach to achieving housing justice could look like from tenants rights to social housing to the end of exclusionary zoning and predatory finance and much more. Plus updates on everything LA Forward members are working on!

* Saturday, August 22 at 3 PM:  Climate and the 2020 Election, a panel discussion - RSVP

This panel discussion is for anyone who cares deeply about climate change and climate justice and wants to know how they can best make a difference in the upcoming election. Featuring Loraine Lundquist and Aura Vasquez who ran for office as climate champions; a representative from an environmental justice advocacy group; and Sarah Jakle, the Outreach Director for Field Team 6.

* Thursday, August 27 at 8 PM - Book Discussion: How to Be An Anti-Racist - RSVP

Earlier this summer, we read Ibram X. Kendi's history of white supremacism's embeddedness in U.S. society, Stamped From the Beginning. Now we're doing a follow up discussion of Kendi's How to Be An Antiracist. This one really builds on the history laid out in the first book, so it's nice to have the historical background, but it can also be read completely on its own. It's more personal and less academic than Stamped.

GOOD NEWS

We're excited to be part of the Reimagine L.A. coalition which worked with LA County's Board of Supervisors to put a remarkable proposition on the November ballot.

Reimagine L.A. will push the County to divest from incarceration and invest in the health and economic wellness of marginalized people in L.A. , especially Black and brown communities. Details on how you can get involved coming soon.

One last thing and it's a good one! Thanks to your votes, we placed in the top 3 in the LA 2050 competition!  We're getting $25,000 to produce the LA 101 guide to local government and host dozens of workshops on how to understand local issues and effectively make change. Stay tuned for all of that and more...

 

In solidarity,

David Levitus
Executive Director
LA Forward

2 quick actions by 5pm today

Today, I'm asking to you to do to two quick things:

1) Send a message to your rep on the LA County Board of Supervisors TODAY, urging them to pass policies that protect workers, renters, & immigrants and to invest in communities of color at tomorrow's meeting. Details below.

2) Vote for LA Forward in the LA2050 Challenge so we have the resources to expand our LA Civics teach-ins and to invest in community organizing. The Deadline is TODAY at 5 PM (PDT)! Once you vote for us to receive $100,000, please consider sharing our posts on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram and inviting your friends to vote at challenge.la2050.org/2020/connect/la-forward/

-----

Send a Message

As our communities continue to experience the devastating impacts of this pandemic, our County leaders have important decisions to make and our movement must continue to fight to ensure they support the health and well being of ALL Angelenos. On Tuesday, July 21, the LA County Board of Supervisors will be voting on important items to set the course for a just recovery. Please send a message right now urging your Supervisor to:

  • Extend the Eviction Moratorium until at least September 30;

  • Renew the LA Justice Fund to provide due process for undocumented immigrants;

  • Allow workers to establish Public Health Councils to help limit covid's spread.

  • Place the "Re-Imagine LA County" initiative on the November ballot to create permanent funding for Alternatives to Incarceration strategies, prioritizing investment in communities most impacted by systemic discrimination and criminalization;

We need the Board of Supervisors to feel the pressure, especially about the eviction moratorium extension. Send a message to your Supervisor today to let them know what you and your community need!

 

Keep LA Forward Going Strong

There is still time for you to vote for the LA101 Guide to win critical resources to continue our community education and leadership development programs!

LA Forward and Inclusive Action have been leaders in the work of the Healthy LA coalition to pass crucial policies that protect renters, fight predatory real estate companies, and provide essential support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through our local organizing and coalition building during the last decade, we’ve learned how LA really works — not just who’s elected and what they do, but how power operates behind the scenes. Now we want to share that knowledge in a way that’s easy to understand. Which is why we're creating the LA101 Guide to local government, politics, policy and more.

We need your help to make LA 101 a reality. Voting ends TODAY at 5 PM Pacific so please cast your ballot for us to win $100,000 NOW! With your vote, we can secure the resources needed to expand the LA 101 guide, get it into the hands of Angelenos everywhere, and do even more education programs with communities across LA County. 

Newsletter for the Week of July 12th

Let me get right to the point — there is a lot happening this week with LA Forward — a teach-in on effective local advocacy TODAY at 3 PM, a chance to help us create a comprehensive local civics guide tomorrow (Monday), an anti-racist reading and discussion group (Tuesday), and much more.

Sunday (6/12), 3 - 4:30 PM - Teach-in - How To Make Change in Your Local Community

As part of our LA Civics 101 series, we’re hosting a session on the basics of the smallest bodies of government. In the City of LA, those are Neighborhood Councils. We’re fortunate to be joined by two NC leaders — Eryn Block, Palms NC President and Lauren Buisson, Echo Park NC CIO — who will share their experiences with this imperfect system and talk about how progressives can work to leverage it for justice. 

We'll also have a conversation with Culver City Councilmember Daniel Lee who will share what his experience getting elected as a staunch progressive to lead a small city and how regular people can be effective in fighting for social justice locally —from big picture strategy to little things like giving effective public comment.

We’ll also share updates on all our campaigns and give you the opportunity to ask questions and get involved.

Echo Park NC CIO Lauren Buisson

Echo Park NC CIO Lauren Buisson

Palms NC President Eryn Block

Palms NC President Eryn Block

Culver City Councilmember Daniel Lee

Culver City Councilmember Daniel Lee

  

Monday (6/13) at 9 AM - Help LA Forward create a comprehensive local civics guide

Voting begins Monday at 9 AM for the "LA2050 Grants Challenge" and we are going to need all your votes. We're a finalist for our LA 101 project to create a comprehensive guide to local government and politics in partnership with our friends at Inclusive Action for the City. We'd be grateful if you would a note in your calendar to vote on Monday and comitt to asking 3 friends to vote for us too. You'll be able to vote from June 13 to 20 online. If you visit LA101Guide.org, you'll be directed to the right place. 

And after you vote for us in the CONNECT category, we hope you'll vote for our friends in other categories: SAJE (NoRent.org) in LIVE, Las Fotos Project in CREATE, and Public Matters/LA Walks in PLAY.

Thanks for helping us (LA Forward) help you to help us (the 10 million people of Los Angeles)!

Tuesday (6/14) at 8 PM - Join in a discussion of the book, Stamped from the Beginning, about white supremacism in America

In this deeply researched and fast-moving narrative, Kendi chronicles the entire story of anti-Black racist ideas and their staggering power over the course of American history.

---

Neighborhood Organizing Kicks Off

Last week we launched our initiative to organize neighborhood communities for justice this past week with virtual gatherings in every part of the city. From the Westside to the Northeast, the Valley to South LA and beyond, we're giving people a chance to get to form relationships and begin strategizing how to join and create campaigns for systemic change. In Rebecca's words, “I loved getting to know my neighbors and hearing that we share many of the same interests and concerns. Many of us are passionate about solving the Westside’s housing crisis so I’m looking forward to meeting again to learn how we can take actionable steps within our area of LA.” 

Relational organizing is powerful — a way to connect with people genuinely, to surface common values and interests, and to build effective and enduring teams. We were excited to see hundreds of people participate and we're looking forward to more of you joining in. Reply to this email if you're interested in getting involved!

Renters Assistance Program

Tens of millions of Americans aren't able to pay their rent or mortgages. It's outrageous and Congress needs to act to cancel rent and mortgage payments. You can send that message here. State and local governments should be doing the same thing, but they haven't yet.

What the LA City Council did instead was create a $100 million fund to cover rent for Angelenos who've lost their income. This fund will only cover a small fraction of the need, BUT if you're eligible and in need, you should apply. Immigration status does not matter.

Applications will be open for four days, beginning on Monday. You can apply at https://hcidla.lacity.org/

Those eligible to receive temporary subsidies will be selected randomly once the application process closes Friday, July 17. (Yes, this is outrageously frustrating.) Rather than disperse payments to renters, money will be paid out directly to landlords. 

All eligible are encouraged to apply and be persistent in the face of any technical delays. We encourage you to share your experience with this process with City Council President Nury Martinez on Twitter or Instagram @CD6Nury

What We're Reading and Listening To: 

 

In solidarity,

David Levitus
Executive Director
LA Forward

A New Newsletter for a New Era

There's so much going on these days, it's hard to keep up. We're starting a weekly recap email to keep you in the loop! It's made possible by the work of fantastic volunteers like Rebecca and Dinah and thanks to them, you're now reading the first issue.

This week, we're sharing the audio from our LA Civics 101 teach in and videos of our trainings on community organizing, opportunities to join a teach-in on neighborhood councils and discussions on racial and economic justice around books like Stamped from the Beginning and The Color of Money, plus a few exciting policy wins that are moving LA toward justice.

LA Civics 101

Did you miss our June LA Civics 101 teach-in, which explained how local government works and doesn't? No problem — we recorded it as a podcast, so take a listen during your next walk. We cover questions like "What's the difference between LA City and LA County?" and "What kind of power does the LA City Council have compared to the Mayor compared to the County Board of Supervisors?"

After you listen, reply to this email with other questions you have and what you'd like us to cover in future sessions.  We are working on a comprehensive LA 101 Guide that will help you cut through the confusion of LA politics and learn about key elected and appointed officials, the main levers of powers, how everyday Angelenos can make an impact and more. And stay tuned for a fun video version! 

Neighborhood Organizing Project

Are you interested in connecting with like-minded people in your neighborhood to confront systemic injustice? We recently launched a neighborhood-based community organizing initiative and would love for you to get involved. If you missed our June 14 overview, June 20 1:1/phone banking training or June 30 house meeting training, don't worry — you can watch them here. Community gatherings will be coming (virtually) to your part ofLA soon. Reply to this email for more info.

Recent Wins

Thanks to the Black Lives Matter movement, there have been important steps forward in the fight for transformative justice. We want to highlight one that's received less attention that new policies being passed by LA City and LAUSD. Our Transportation Justice team was proud to play a role as in pushing LA Metro to adopt the Community Safety Approach to System Security and Law Enforcement motion, which is the first step in eliminating the role of law enforcement on our Metro systems and investing in community based approaches to keep the Metro system safe and welcoming for transit riders of color. LA Forward members, as part of the Alliance for Community Transit (ACT-LA), submitted public comments during and ahead of a recent Metro Board meeting and posting on social media in support of community safety. It all happened thanks to wide coalition of grassroots groups who powered this with years of unseen work and LA City Councilmember Mike Bonin for championing this, along with County Supervisors Hilda Solis and Janice Hahn.

Upcoming Events

July 12, 3 PM - Monthly Meeting - Teach-in on neighborhood councils and more.

Our government system is not designed to make it easy for regular people to get involved and fight for policies that uplift the public good. One problem is the confusing way in which we are expected to give input. It limits opportunities for real grassroots deliberation. Another is the patchwork quilt of different levels and bodies of government. It’s hard to know where to get started and who really has power.

As part of our LA 101 series, we’re hosting a session on the basics of the smallest bodies of government. In the City of LA, those are Neighborhood Councils. We’ll have some NC leaders sharing the basics and how progressives can leverage this problematic system for justice. Plus we’ll have an elected official from one of the small cities in LA County to talk about to effectively participate in those type of places.

We’ll also share updates on all our campaigns and give you the opportunity to ask questions and get involved.

July 14, 8 PM - Book Discussion - Stamped from the Beginning 

This month, we're reading Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi. In order to improve as anti-racist activists, we need to understand the history of racism in the US and particularly the history of how anti-Black racism is often deliberately used as a political tool. Stamped From the Beginning is a great narrative of this history which can allow us to start thinking through how to discredit and fight against white supremacy. Past books we've read as a group include Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Cullors, City of Inmates: Conquest, Rebellion, and the Rise of Human Caging in Los Angeles, 1771–1965 by Kelly Lytle Hernández, The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein, and City of Segregation: 100 Years of Struggle for Housing in Los Angeles by Andrea Gibbons. We recommend them all!

July 28, 7:30 PM - Book Discussion - The Color of Money

This month, our housing book group is discussing The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap by Mehrsa Baradaran. When the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863, the Black community owned less than one percent of the United States’ total wealth. More than 150 years later, that number has barely budged. The Color of Money pursues the persistence of this racial wealth gap by focusing on the generators of wealth in the Black community: Black banks. Studying these institutions over time, Mehrsa Baradaran challenges the myth that Black communities could ever accumulate wealth in a segregated economy. Instead, housing segregation, racism, and Jim Crow credit policies created an inescapable, but hard to detect, economic trap for Black communities and their banks.

August 6, 3 PM - SVP LA Fast Pitch

I'm honored to be personally participating in Fast Pitch on behalf of LA Forward.

Fast Pitch is Social Venture Partners LA’ signature program. It's the culmination of a fellowship for community leaders driving systemic change across Greater Los Angeles hosted by. This year's theme is "Liberating Our Future." As we look at the work that each of the 10 presenting organizations are building, they implore us to consider how interconnected our struggles are and how necessarily interconnected our efforts must be to address them. It takes each of us, for all of us to live in a just, and liberated future.

You'll get to hear 10 community leaders share 3-minute pitches on how you can join their movements to bring liberation to all in Los Angeles. 

What We're Reading and Listening To: 

Follow us on Twitter, where we share more every day! @LosAngelesFwd 

 

In solidarity,

David Levitus
Executive Director
LA Forward

A majority of our budget comes from our members’ monthly donations. In 2024, our goal is to raise 70% of our budget from dues-paying members. That will enable us to be 100% accountable to people like you. Your gift allows us to respond rapidly to emerging issues, to take on powerful interests, and spend as little time possible on fundraising so we can focus on the crucial work that needs to get done every day.