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Los Angeles, CA – Today the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors proclaimed June 12, 2023 as “Philippine Independence Day” in Los Angeles County. The motion, authored by Chair of the Board Janice Hahn and coauthored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, reads in part “The Board of Supervisors recognizes the importance of this day to Filipino residents in Los Angeles County and the contributions made by Filipino employees who are a vital part of our County workforce and continually dedicate themselves to serving our communities.”

“The histories of Los Angeles County and of the Philippines are inextricably linked, and Filipino immigrants have shaped our region over generations. We’re honoring those historical ties and also saying to our Filipino community: LA County is celebrating with you,” said Chair of the Board Janice Hahn. “I’m especially thankful for the role that our Filipino employee groups like the LA County Filipino American Employees Association and the Filipino American Employees Association of DPSS play in the life of our County government, and I wish them a very happy celebration of Philippine independence next month.”

Los Angeles County, which has the largest Asian American population of any county in the nation, is home to more than 340,000 Filipino Americans.

“This June 12 will commemorate the 125th anniversary of Philippine Independence Day, marking the historic day when the Philippines declared independence from Spain. I am proud to represent a vibrant community of Filipino American residents, from Historic Filipinotown to West Covina. I am honored to celebrate this historic milestone with them and am so grateful to them for their part in making our County so special,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District.

After 300 years of Spanish colonial rule, Filipino rebels declared independence on June 12, 1898. After its defeat of Spain in the Spanish-American War, the United States subsequently annexed the Philippines, and governed the archipelago until full independence was granted on July 4, 1946.

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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Los Angeles, CA — Today, LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn appointed Palos Verdes Estates resident Jonathan Beutler to the Los Angeles County Library Commission.   

“LA County’s libraries are where our residents can experience the world through literature and culture,” said Supervisor Hahn. “Jonathan’s perspective and unique experiences from around the world will really enrich the Commission.”

With graduate degrees in Hispanic literature from the University of Barcelona and in Public Policy from UCLA, Beutler served in the United States Department of State and completed fellowships with the Anti-Defamation League, the German Marshall Fund, and the U.S.-Spain Council. Since returning to Los Angeles County, Beutler has held various leadership positions in organizations across the Fourth District, including as Chairman of both the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce and the Harbor City Harbor Gateway Chamber of Commerce.

“As a dedicated and lifelong library patron, I have a deep passion for our public libraries and the services they offer, as well as what they represent to our community,” said Beutler. “It is a tremendous honor to be called upon to serve as Commissioner.”

The Los Angeles County Library Commission is tasked with advising the Board of Supervisors and the County Librarian on matters of library policy, administration, operation, and service.

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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.”

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Metro Board of Directors voted unanimously to support a proposal by Supervisor Janice Hahn to end a decades-long effort to widen the 710 freeway. The long-planned widening would have destroyed homes and neighborhoods in Southeast Los Angeles, displacing families living along the freeway.

“Widening this freeway and wiping out neighborhoods is not the pathway forward, and neither is the status quo,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “We may be closing out an old chapter, but today we’re going to write a new chapter. We have an opportunity to use the funding we already have set aside for this project on smarter ways to improve air quality, reduce congestion, improve mobility, and address safety concerns for everyone living and traveling along this corridor.”

Early last year, federal and state agencies denied the approval of an environmental impact report for the widening, prompting Metro to explore alternatives to widening in consultation with local groups. With her motion, which is co-authored by Supervisor Hilda Solis, Supervisor Holly Mitchell, and Director Fernando Dutra, Supervisor Hahn proposes using the $750 million in local sales taxes already dedicated to the project to invest in more innovative solutions to traffic congestion, air pollution, street safety challenges, and other problems that communities along the 710 face.

“There are already so many ideas being generated for how we can use this funding going forward,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “When I met with Bell Councilmember Ali Saleh, he brought up the idea of a regional transit initiative in SELA that better connects these cities. And Bell Councilmember Ana Maria Quintana told me her residents deserve to have a new Florence Ave interchange that allows them to walk, bike, and drive safely across the bridge. Many of our SELA city councilmembers have also brought up the need for air filtration in our schools, more sound walls, and better access to the LA River. Our Ports are also working towards becoming fully zero emissions, so we need to invest in a zero-emissions truck program.”

Supervisor Hahn’s motion does four things:

1. Direct staff to come back to the Board in June with new project vision and objectives, after final consultation with the 710 Task Force
2. Call for the project to be renamed to shift focus from being just on the freeway to addressing the broader issues of air quality, goods movement, mobility, and safety in the corridor cities
3. Remove capacity enhancing freeway widening from the project altogether
4. Direct staff to create an Investment Plan, with short- and mid- and long-term initiatives, with at least three initiatives to request funding in 2022, as informed by the Task Force.

Since the widening of the 710 freeway was first proposed two decades ago, the project has faced opposition from community groups along the corridor. The decision to move away from widening and Supervisor Hahn’s motion to direct funding to improvements instead was met with support from a wide range of stakeholders from environmental organizations to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.