A Hopeful Future
I attended two events this last month that made me feel better about the state of the world. I’m generally pretty optimistic, but now I feel even better.
At the Brentwood Community Council monthly meeting, awards were given out to four high school students from the area. Awardees came from Palisades High, Archer School for Girls, Brentwood School and University High School.
Nick Melvoin, LAUSD School Board member, presented the awards.
Delara Tehranchi (Archer) receives a certificate from Nick Melvoin, LAUSD Board Member.
Delara Tehranchi (The Archer School for Girls) was recognized for setting up a nonprofit to support foster children. Her mother, a doctor, came home with a foster child one evening – it was an emergency situation and the child had nowhere to go – and the family decided to adopt the infant. She is now Delara’s sister! Delara will be attending Stanford in the fall.
Maverick Au from Brentwood School, Peter Garff from Palisades Charter High School, and Janessa Nicolas from University High School also received certificates of recognition.
These student leaders – future leaders of America – provided terrific inspiration. When they take over, I’m confident they’ll figure things out.
Traci Park, our recently elected City Councilwoman for CD11, was the featured speaker at a “Meet Our Councilwoman” reception held in the backyard of Tom Safran. This was not a fundraiser; it was simply an opportunity for attendees to get to know Councilwoman Park better.
Tom Safran fields a question for Councilwoman Traci Park.
She carried a legal pad with her, which she referred to as she gave a lengthy and hopeful progress report.
She reported that:
- Homelessness is receiving attention like never before, but we still have a long ways to go. She said she likes working with Karen Bass, who is working really hard, according to Park.
- Park said she he has picked a top-notch team, a mix of City Hall insiders and community leaders who know the district.
- The “Interceptor 007,” a big mechanical device that captures trash as it flows through Ballona Creek toward the ocean, did a masterful job of trapping trash during the heavy rains.
A member of the audience asks a question.
- The rains caused lots of potholes; her team is on it.
- She is busy with her committee assignments: Trade, Travel and Tourism; Transportation; and Economic and Community Development.
- A city budget just got passed, which includes $1.3 billion for the purpose of addressing homelessness in Los Angeles.
- Some new housing units for homeless veterans just opened at the VA.
- Street drugs are more powerful than ever and extremely dangerous.
Traci Park had fun fielding questions. Most of them, anyway.
- Park is working to get parking lot locations for RVs that currently park illegally (often with inhabitants inside).
- She agreed to keep A Bridge Home in Venice open for now. This is a controversial project that has spooked neighbors because of homeless-related incidents, but Park said the city is trying to improve operations and set an example for how similar programs might operate elsewhere.
- Some new soccer fields are opening in Westchester, courtesy of the airport, which owns the land.
- Park wants the 2028 Olympic skateboard competition to take place at Venice Beach, where skateboarding was invented.
- Park said it has been a whirlwind so far, but she loves the job and she’s honored to serve as CD11’s representative.
- She invited people to learn more by visiting her website, cd11.lacity.gov, encouraging site visitors to sign up for the weekly newsletter.
Traci seemed upbeat; the crowd seemed upbeat; it’s nice to feel upbeat after many years of decline and discouragement.
Here’s to more upbeat for all of us!
Want to get in touch? Send me an email: jeffhall@mirrormediagroupla.com.
