Letter to the Mayor and City Council
General ·Dear Mayor Garcetti and Members of the Los Angeles City Council:
We, the undersigned members of the Los Angeles City Family, are informed by a wide variety of life experiences and serve in City government in a multitude of ways. We work and live on Indigenous land not given freely. For many of us, our personal histories and identities as Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQIA+ people are inseparable from our sense of professional duty. We choose to honor these histories as we fight to reverse institutionalized racism and work towards an equitable city.
There is one dominant issue that demands our immediate attention and action — the ongoing brutalization of Black people at the hands of law enforcement, and the nationwide uprising to demand justice, accountability, and the reallocation of funds to provide community-driven solutions to safety. This story did not begin with the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd in other U.S. cities, but we are moved by how the injustices inflicted upon these three individuals have entered the national consciousness and sparked a movement for change.
In Los Angeles, despite record levels of public engagement in Council and committee meetings, and following unprecedented protests across the City, elected officials have failed to make significant changes to the Fiscal Year 2020-21 City budget, or meaningfully address community demands. The City of Los Angeles must not only acknowledge, but directly work to uproot anti-Black racism and its long-standing history of disinvestment in Black and Brown communities.
In these times, as we grieve and reflect, the Movement for Black Lives and People’s Budget LA present a unique and inspiring opportunity to bravely reimagine our priorities as a City. We recognize this is a longstanding movement. We draw inspiration and strength from the activists and community members that have led this movement here in our own city, many of whom played a key role in launching it to national prominence.
We unequivocally align with Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and People’s Budget LA. We recognize that as civil servants we are uniquely positioned to uplift calls for change. While decision makers lay out priorities, we are charged with delivering them on a daily basis. Our work can and should reflect the priorities spelled out in the People’s Budget LA, where more than 24,000 Angelenos have articulated their needs. We uplift their calls to prioritize human-centered services by investing in the Built Environment, Universal Aid and Crisis Management, and Reimagined Community Safety. We envision a future where community safety and security is provided through secure housing, education, food security, and healthcare, and not over-policing. The call to defund police and fund communities is urgent and timely for our City’s Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities facing the dual crises of COVID-19 and structural racism.
We are moved by the actions of other agencies and fellow Angelenos, including the protests by unionized dockworkers against police brutality, demands for Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Los Angeles Public Library, and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to sever ties with the police, and calls for a care-first budget for Los Angeles County.
We too are making the political and moral argument that public safety can be reimagined to truly protect those who are most affected by various forms of oppression. Within our departments, we commit to build tools to center racial equity and dismantle racism; foster meaningful collaboration with historically oppressed and systems-impacted populations; and seed, nurture, and advance a new path forward toward full inclusion, holistic well-being, and self-determination for all communities—especially Black, Brown, and Indigenous people.
The Mayor and the City Council must act immediately to:
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REINVEST: Reallocate funds to essential social services for communities of color as spelled out in the People’s Budget LA with a commitment to decrease LAPD’s operating budget for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 and in the years that follow. Top priorities include low-income housing assistance and rent cancellation, alternatives to public safety, mental health support, food assistance, and free public transportation. Ensure a just transition for City Employees as we embrace this mission.
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RELEASE: Investigate any LAPD officer who has been accused of using unreasonable, excessive, and/or deadly force, and provide justice for the 886 Black and Brown deaths at the hands of law enforcement in Los Angeles County since 2000. Start with an investigation of LAPD tactics used at the May 30, 2020 protests in the Fairfax district as called for by an alliance of community, labor, policy and academic organizations in LA.
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RESPOND: Acknowledge the demands for justice that more than 50 Black Los Angeles leaders authored in April 2020 to address the disparate impacts of COVID-19 on the region’s Black communities. Key demands include adequate testing, small business protections, and safe housing during the pandemic, as well as reparations, universal healthcare, food security, and education access in the long term.
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REBUILD: Restore public trust in the public sector. Commit to authentic partnership with Black, Brown, and Indigenous community members on re-prioritizing the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 budget. Partner with community members to implement these budget priorities across City departments. Commit to implementing a participatory budgeting process for all future budgets.
We, as City employees, chose to do this work in the public sector because we believe in the power of our labor for social good. We are asking you, as our elected leadership, to join this urgent moral call to action and reimagine with us.
Signed,
- Adam Bucholz, Recreation & Parks
- Adam Gertz, Mayor’s Office
- Adam Villani, Department of City Planning
- Aisha Khan, Department of Transportation
- AJ Ferrara, Los Angeles Zoo
- Alex Freedman, Department of Transportation
- Alex Heath, Department of City Planning
- Alex Linz, Department of City Planning
- Alex Mullenix, Housing Authority
- Alexander Wikstrom, Department of Transportation
- Alexis B. , Personnel Department
- Alexis N., Personnel Department
- Alina Borja, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Alissa Gordon, Department of City Planning
- Alonso Castillo, Recreation & Parks
- Amalia Merino, Department of City Planning
- Amanda Leal, Personnel Department
- Amir Farah, Public Works
- Amitis Motevalli, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Amy Perkins, Mayor’s Office
- Amy Zhou, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Anacany Hurtado, Department of City Planning
- Andrea More, Department of Animal Services
- Andres Rodriguez, Department of City Planning
- Andrew Jorgensen, Department of City Planning
- Andrew Miller, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Andrew Torres, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Angela Vasquez, Los Angeles City Retirement System
- Angelica Loa Perez, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Anna M., Recreation & Parks
- Anna Vidal , Department of City Planning
- Anna Van, Department of City Planning
- Ari Simon, City Council
- Ariane Briski, Department of City Planning
- Ariel J., Department of City Planning
- Arturo C., Personnel Department
- Aryeh Cohen, Department of Transportation
- Ashley Atkinson, Department of City Planning
- Aujanee Baldwin, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Babak Dorji, Department of Transportation
- Barry S., Los Angeles World Airports
- Becky Snodgrass, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Ben Sullivan, Department of City Planning
- Bianca S., Office of the City Administrative Officer
- Blair Miller, Office of the City Administrative Officer
- Blair Smith, Department of City Planning
- Bonnie Kim, Department of City Planning
- Brett Shears, Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
- Briana L., Department of Transportation
- Brittany A., Department of City Planning
- Brittany Batong, Housing + Community Investment Department
- C. G., Department of City Planning
- Calandra C., Los Angeles Zoo
- Cally Hardy, Department of City Planning
- Cameron Phillips, Department of City Planning
- Caridad Avila , Personnel Department
- Cassandra Baron, Los Angeles Zoo
- Celeste P., Recreation & Parks
- Celeste R., Mayor’s Office
- Cerrina T.-R., Department of Cultural Affairs
- Chandler Tso, Personnel Department
- Char Santi, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Chelsea Jensen, Los Angeles Zoo
- Chelsea Lucktenberg , Office of the City Controller
- Cheryl Aguilar, Office of the City Administrative Officer
- Chris M., Los Angeles World Airports
- Chris P., Department of City Planning
- Christina M., Mayor’s Office
- Christina P., Department of City Planning
- Christine B., Department of City Planning
- Christopher Hicks, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Cindy Luna, Recreation & Parks
- Claire Bowin, Department of City Planning
- Clare Eberle, Department of Transportation
- Clare Kelley , Department of City Planning
- Colin Piethe, Department of Transportation
- Corii Richardson, Department of City Planning
- Courtney Hamilton, City Council
- Courtney S., Department of City Planning
- Courtney Shum, Department of City Planning
- Crystal J., Department of Water & Power
- Dahlia Ferlito, Department on Disability
- Daisy Benicia, Department of City Planning
- Daisy Ellen Evans, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Danai Zaire, Department of City Planning
- Dang Q Nguyen, Department of City Planning
- Daniel D., Housing + Community Investment Department
- Daniel Herman, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Daniella L., Personnel Department
- Danielle J., Personnel Department
- Darryl Kitagawa , Public Works
- David Choi, Office of the City Administrative Officer
- David Somers, Department of Transportation
- David Tres, Los Angeles Zoo
- David Woon, Department of City Planning
- Delia Arriaga, Department of City Planning
- Denesse Elias, Public Works
- Denise Chavez, Department of City Planning
- Diana Jimenez, Department of City Planning
- Diego Janacua Cortez, Department of City Planning
- Dominick Ortiz, Department of City Planning
- Dorothea Rodgers, Recreation & Parks
- Drew Glucksman, Los Angeles Zoo
- Dwayne Wyatt, Department of City Planning
- Dylan S., Department of City Planning
- Ebony C., Mayor’s Office
- Edber Macedo, Department of City Planning
- Edgar Rojas, Recreation & Parks
- Edith Hannigan, Emergency Management Department
- Eduardo Park, Los Angeles City Retirement System
- Eliza D., Personnel Department
- Edward Huang, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Elis Fernández , Police Department
- Elizabeth J., City Council
- Elizabeth Rubin, Emergency Management Department
- Ellen Slezak, Office of City Attorney
- Emely C, City Council
- Emily Gable, Department of City Planning
- Emma G. H., City Council
- Eric Claros, Department of City Planning
- Erick Lopez, Department of City Planning
- Erika Cui, Department of City Planning
- Erika Mitchell, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Erin C., Department of City Planning
- Erin Strelich, Department of City Planning
- Esther Ahn, Department of City Planning
- Esther Serrato, Department of City Planning
- Eva B., Recreation & Parks
- Eve B., Housing + Community Investment Department
- Ezequiel Olvera, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Fabiola Inzunza, Department of City Planning
- Fatima S., Department of Water & Power
- Fausto Macario, Office of Finance
- Felipe Ortega, Department of Water & Power
- Forrest Tiffany, City Council
- Gabriela J., Department of City Planning
- Gibson Nyambura, Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
- Gonzalo M., Recreation & Parks
- Greg Reed, Department of Water & Power
- Griselda Gonzalez, Department of City Planning
- H. Cooke Sunoo, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Harmony Jones, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Haydee Urita-Lopez, Department of City Planning
- Hayley B., Recreation & Parks
- Heather J., Public Works
- Héctor Huezo, Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
- Helen Campbell, Department of City Planning
- Helen Rigg, Personnel Department
- Helene Rotolo, Office of the City Administrative Officer
- Henry C., Los Angeles Zoo
- Hunter Owens, Information Technology Agency
- Ian Rose, Information Technology Agency
- Ian Schiffer, Office of City Attorney
- Isa Hopkins, Recreation & Parks
- Isabelle L., Department of Cultural Affairs
- Ivette Serna, Office of the City Controller
- J. W., Police Department
- Jackie Cornejo, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Jacob Wasserman, Department of Transportation
- Jacquelyn A., Recreation & Parks
- Jaime Espinoza, Department of City Planning
- James A., Police Department
- Jamileh A., Department of Transportation
- Jane Choi, Department of City Planning
- Janna S., Department of Transportation
- Jasmine Alvarez, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Jason King, Department of Transportation
- Jeanalee Obergfell, Department of City Planning
- Jeffry Carpenter, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Jennifer Caira, Department of City Planning
- Jennifer Ly, Department of Transportation
- Jerome Gross, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Jerry Hammond, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Jes McBride, Department of City Planning
- Jessa Ross, Department of City Planning
- Jessica Mosleh M., Public Works
- Jessica Salans, City Council
- Joana Sabbagh, Office of the City Administrative Officer
- Joann Lim, Department of City Planning
- Jocelyn O., Public Works
- Joe Luckey, Department of City Planning
- Joe Mcnelly, LA Memorial/Coliseum
- Joel Montano , Los Angeles Public Library
- Joel Rodriguez , Department of Transportation
- John Hemer, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Johnny Rafter, Los Angeles Public Library
- JoJo P., Department of City Planning
- Jonathan P.B., Los Angeles Public Library
- Jordan H., Department of City Planning
- Jordan Fraade, Department of City Planning
- Jordann Turner, Department of City Planning
- Juan Lopez , Office of the City Controller
- Julia Heidelman, Department of City Planning
- Julie Chavez, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Justin Bilow, Department of City Planning
- Karen H., Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
- Kate H., Emergency Management Department
- Kate Tucci-Share, Los Angeles Zoo
- Katharine Mound, Office of the City Clerk
- Katherine S., Department of City Planning
- Kay Sasaki, Department of Transportation
- Kelly Hickler, Police Department
- Kelly Tobin, Department of Transportation
- Kevin Cheng, Office of the City Administrative Officer
- Kiran Rishi, Department of City Planning
- Kylie F., Los Angeles Zoo
- Kylie Knight, Los Angeles Zoo
- La Wanda D., Department of Water & Power
- Lameese C., Department of Transportation
- Lance Sierra, Department of City Planning
- Landy J., Department of City Planning
- LaTanya R., Department of City Planning
- Laura Barnard, Los Angeles Zoo
- Laura MacPherson, Department of City Planning
- Laura Dominguez, Department of City Planning
- Lauren Ballard, Department of Transportation
- Lena M., Department of City Planning
- Lennon Cooper, Personnel Department
- Leslie Rivas Q, Los Angeles Zoo
- Leslie Shim, Department of Water & Power
- Ligeia Gorre, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Liku A., Department of City Planning
- Lily Brown, Department of Transportation
- Lilly O., Department of Transportation
- Lisa B., Office of City Attorney
- Lisa Marroquin, Mayor’s Office
- Luke Shneour, Department on Disability
- Luis H., City Council
- Lulu Mickelson, Mayor’s Office
- Lupita H., City Council
- Maddy Ruvolo, Department of Transportation
- Maeron Y., Los Angeles Zoo
- Maidel L., Department of City Planning
- Maira Sanchez, Department of City Planning
- Margaret Collier , Police Department
- Mariah Mendez, Los Angeles Zoo
- Mashael Majid, Department of City Planning
- Matt Gertz, Department of Transportation
- Matt Milne, Office of Finance
- Maryam Hosseinzadeh , Department of Cultural Affairs
- Maya Abood, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Maxfield Vermy, Department of City Planning
- Meagan Elizondo, City Council
- Melba Kirkendoll, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Melissa A., Department of City Planning
- Melissa Kaufler, Office of the City Controller
- Melissa Petersen, Office of the City Controller
- Melody S., Los Angeles Zoo
- Micaela T.G., Department of City Planning
- Michael F Davies, Department of City Planning
- Michael Heinrichs, Office of City Attorney
- Michael Ryzhov, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Michell C., Department of Water & Power
- Michelle B., Mayor’s Office
- Michelle Carter, Department of City Planning
- Michelle Montenegro, Department of City Planning
- Michael S., Department of City Planning
- Mickey Thompson, Los Angeles Zoo
- Michiko Murakami, Department of Transportation
- Miles Orr, Department of City Planning
- Mindy Nguyen, Department of City Planning
- Mukund Nair, Department of Water & Power
- My L., Department of City Planning
- Naima Pulliam, Public Works
- Nancy T., Housing + Community Investment Department
- Nancy Kim, Office of the City Clerk
- Naomi Iwasaki, Mayor’s Office
- Nat G., Department of Transportation
- Nateene Diu, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Nathalie F, Public Works
- Neale Stokes, Los Angeles Public Library
- Niall Huffman, Department of City Planning
- Nicholas Ortiz, General Services Department
- Nick A., Department of City Planning
- Nicole Donanian-Blandón , Los Angeles Public Library
- Nicole Rademacher, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Nicole Ramirez, Office of the City Controller
- Nina Idemudia, Department of City Planning
- Nina P., Public Works
- Nithya Raman, Office of the City Administrative Officer
- Omari Battles, Emergency Management Department
- Paola Méndez, City Council
- Patricia Gurrola, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Patrick Whalen, Department of City Planning
- Patrick Wolff, Los Angeles Zoo
- Patsy Adams, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Paul Pescador , Department of Cultural Affairs
- Paul Yoon, Department of Water & Power
- Paulina Samborska, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Pauline Chan, Department of Transportation
- Penelope UA., Department of Cultural Affairs
- Pricilla C., Emergency Management Department
- Primsuda Sakuntabhai, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Priya Macwan, Recreation & Parks
- Priya Mehendale, Department of City Planning
- Quetzalli E, Department of City Planning
- Raissa Echavarria, Recreation & Parks
- Raul Anorve, Office of City Attorney
- Raven O., Personnel Department
- Rebecca Cruces, Personnel Department
- Rebecca Horta , Department of Cultural Affairs
- Rebecca Prater, Los Angeles Zoo
- Renae Zelmar, Department of City Planning
- Renata Ooms, Department of City Planning
- Rey Fukuda, Department of City Planning
- Richard Platkin, Department of City Planning
- Richard Reaser, Department of City Planning
- Robert Keatinge, Department of City Planning
- Robert Paterno, Recreation & Parks
- Robert Ramos, Los Angeles Zoo
- Rochele Gomez, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Rosemary C., Public Works
- Rosemary McCarron, Department of Transportation
- Roy Samaan, Department of City Planning
- Ruben Vasquez, Department of City Planning
- Rubina G., Department of Transportation
- Sabrina B., Mayor’s Office
- Sabina P., Los Angeles Public Library
- Saira Gandhi, Streets Services Bureau
- Salvador Gutierrez, Department of Transportation
- Samuel Fernandez, Department of Water & Power
- Sandra Tapp, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Sara C., Department of City Planning
- Sara W., Housing + Community Investment Department
- Sarah Deiuliis, Personnel Department
- Sarah Marquez, Los Angeles Zoo
- Sean T., Mayor’s Office
- Sharon Foster, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Shauna Johnson, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Sheimeikaa Wagstaff, Public Works
- Shirley R. , Housing Authority
- Sophie Gabel-Scheinbaum, Department of City Planning
- Stacy Farfan, Department of City Planning
- Stephanie Campbell, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Stephanie Uy, City Council
- Steven Bautista, City Council
- Steven Katigbak, Department of City Planning
- Steven W., Recreation & Parks
- Steven Wong, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Susan M., Office of Finance
- Susan Zermeno, Department of City Planning
- Tania P., Department of Cultural Affairs
- Tanzi C., Police Department
- Tayler L., Los Angeles World Airports
- Taylor H., Office of the City Administrative Officer
- Teresa Batson, Department of City Planning
- Terry Scott, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Tiffany Do, Recreation & Parks
- Timothy Black, Department of Transportation
- Tina B., Los Angeles World Airports
- Tina B., Police Department
- Tom M., Mayor’s Office
- Tom Rothmann , Department of City Planning
- Trevor Martin, Department of City Planning
- Umi Hsu, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Valentina Knox-Jones, Department of City Planning
- Veronica Miyakawa, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Victoria Keossian, Housing + Community Investment Department
- Vinson W., Department of City Planning
- Vivian Chang, Fire & Police Pensions Department
- Wafa Azeem, Los Angeles Public Library
- Wajiha I., Department of City Planning
- William Friedman, Housing Authority
- Yadi Hashemi, Department of Transportation
- Yamilette Duarte, Department of Cultural Affairs
- Yukio Kawaratani, Community Redevelopment Agency
- Yvette Hernandez, Recreation & Parks
- Yvonne Mayo, Office of City Attorney
- Zachary Mitchell, Department of Water & Power
- Zuriel Espinosa Salas, Department of City Planning
Total: 370 Signatories
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