Esteban Garcia

Manhattan Beach, CA– This morning, less than two years after she announced her intention to return Bruce’s Beach to the Bruce family, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn celebrated the official transfer of the property to the great grandsons of Willa and Charles Bruce.  Hahn joined Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Senator Steven Bradford, members of the Bruce family including Anthony Bruce and Derrick Bruce, and local activist Kavon Ward for a ceremony at Bruce’s Beach to mark the occasion.

Supervisor Hahn has released the following statement:

“When I met with our County lawyers last year and said I wanted to return this property to the Bruce family, they told me nothing like it had ever been done before. No government in this country had returned land that was taken from a Black family unjustly. They said the work ahead of us would be unprecedented. Now, we are sending a message to every government in this nation confronted with this same challenge: this work is no longer unprecedented. We have set the precedent and it is the pursuit of justice. 

Today I am thinking of Willa Bruce, who never gave up on getting this land back for her family.  I am thinking of her children and grandchildren, who were denied the generational wealth and opportunity that should have been theirs.  I am thinking of her great grandsons, Derrick and Marcus Bruce, who today become the owners of some of the most beautiful beachfront property in the world. And I am thinking of the generations of Bruces to come – whose lives will be forever changed because of the wrong we are setting right today. 

We can’t change the past. And we will never be able to make up for the injustice that was done to Willa and Charles Bruce nearly a century ago. But this is a start. ”

Learn more about Bruce’s Beach: https://ceo.lacounty.gov/ardi/bruces-beach/

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Los Angeles, CA – Today, LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn named two community leaders and educators to serve on the County’s Commission on Human Relations – Hawaiian Gardens resident Dandy De Paula and Whittier resident Lisa Michelle Dabbs.

“The Commission on Human Relations has the monumental and important task of combating prejudice and hate in an increasingly diverse LA County,” said Supervisor Hahn. “It can’t do this without the expertise of individuals who have spent years supporting and improving their communities and know what residents of these communities need to thrive. Dandy De Paula and Lisa Michelle Dabbs are two such individuals – I am proud to appoint them both today, and I know they will do great work.”

Both De Paula and Dabbs bring with them to the Commission decades of experience in education and community leadership.

De Paula – a native of the Philippines – is a resident of Hawaiian Gardens who has worked since 2003 in the field of Early Childhood Education. He currently serves as a Program Director of Covenant Kids Preschool, helping local kids get a quality education in a safe and nurturing environment. De Paula has received numerous awards from the City of Hawaiian Gardens and the ABC Unified School District for his organizing and outreach efforts in Hawaiian Gardens. He also previously received a Certificate of Appreciation from Supervisor Hahn commending him for his community work.

“Serving others has been my passion and I am deeply honored to have been given this great opportunity to continue my work in helping improve the quality of life and create healthy relationships,” said De Paula.

Starting her career as a teacher, Whittier resident Lisa Michelle Dabbs is an education leader who worked for over 15 years as a school principal in four different school districts in LA County. She was elected in 2018 to serve as President of the East Whittier City School District Board and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of La Verne, where she teaches courses in school administration. She is also a published author. Her book “Standing in the Gap: Empowering New Teachers Through Connected Resources” is taught in teacher education courses across the globe.

“I’m honored to receive this appointment to the Commission on Human Relations, the longest-standing Commission of its kind in the US,” said Dabbs. “I want to thank Supervisor Hahn for selecting me to serve and represent the diverse community of Los Angeles County on this Commission. As a second-generation Latina, I have dedicated my education career to championing the rights of the underserved. The mission of the Commission speaks to that commitment that I have had and to leaving a lasting impact by striving to bring the community together around the issues of diversity that matter to our LA County residents. Lastly, I look forward to connecting with my fellow Commissioners and in collaboration with them, becoming a valued member of this important Human Relations work. I want to again thank Supervisor Hahn for entrusting me to this important Commission appointment.

The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations is a 15-member body dedicated to promoting positive human relations and protecting human rights in an increasingly complex and multicultural LA County. Partnering with schools, cities, community-based organizations, and other leaders, the Commission brings key players together to resolve intercultural conflicts and to work toward the longer-term aim of eradicating bias and prejudice in LA County. Each Supervisor names three Commissioners who serve multi-year terms.

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Vernon, CA — After the announcement by Farmer John that it will close its Vernon plant next year, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn issued the following statement:

“The planned closure of the Farmer John plant in Vernon will have an impact on the economy and workers in Southeast LA County. I will do everything I can to get county resources to Farmer John employees to help them with the job training and assistance they need to get new good-paying jobs.”