I hope our newsletter finds you well. I was really excited to start the Google Innovation Lab for the City of Los Angeles on Tuesday. Thanks to ITA General Manager, Ted Ross, and his Assistant General Manager, Jeanne Holm, I joined 49 other public and private sector participants in Los Angeles’ Angel Lab to tackle some pretty tough City issues using Google’s innovative techniques: Civic Engagement for a Stronger LA, Preventing Falling into Homelessness, Building a Better LA from Within (Next-Generation Workforce), Supporting Resilient Communities in Emergency Situations and a Business-Friendly LA. We spent the day at Google’s awesome offices in Venice and will do 4 more days of workshops to come up with tactical plans for each of the areas. More info to come!
I was very sad to hear that Neighborhood Council Valley Village’s long time parliamentarian, board member and one of its founding members, Stuart Simen, lost his battle to cancer this week. I’ve known Stuart for most of my 8 years at EmpowerLA, and he was a smart and passionate advocate for Valley Village and the Neighborhood Council system. I would often receive emails from him where he would let me know very explicitly whether we were doing a good or not so good job, and I knew it was because Stuart really cared and wanted us all to be the best. I last saw Stuart a few months ago when I seated the new board members at Valley Village, and he had a front row seat guiding the board despite having laryngitis. I’m glad that is the memory I will have of Stuart doing what he loved. We’ll miss you, Stuart (xo)!
Last night, Director of Neighborhood Council Operations, Leyla Campos, and I attended the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils to launch our citywide EmpowerLA 2016 Town Halls to receive feedback from the board members on how we can improve our support services. We’ll be holding these town halls at alliance meetings and at stand alone sessions this month and in August. Check out our EmpowerLA Calendar for the dates. If you can’t stop by a town hall, then please take the time to weigh in via our survey. Thank you so much!
The Neighborhood Council Budget Day is quickly approaching on Saturday, July 20th. Please make sure that your Neighborhood Council has selected its 2 Budget Representatives to send to the Budget Day where they’ll select the Budget Advocates for this year. Click here to register. I look forward to seeing you there!
Mayor Garcetti’s Neighborhood Council Civic Youth program continues tomorrow with a presentation from the head of the Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement, Henry Casas, at City Hall. If I don’t see you there, have a wonderful weekend!
