recognition month

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn to proclaim October 2024 as Italian American Heritage Month in Los Angeles County. Supervisor Hahn lives in and represents the community of San Pedro, which is home to approximately 45,000 Italian Americans—the largest Italian American community in Southern California.

“Whether it’s our St. Joseph’s Day celebrations, the Taste of Italy festival hosted every year by the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, or the Festa Italiana we held in San Pedro earlier this month, the pride that LA County has in its Italian American community is clear,” said Hahn. “But the contributions that Italian Americans have made to LA County also run much deeper. The strength of our economy and commitment to labor rights are directly tied to our history of Italian immigration. By declaring Italian American Heritage Month, we are celebrating everything the Italian American community has contributed to the cultural fabric of LA County.”

The fishing industry in San Pedro was developed in large part thanks to Italian immigrants coming from Ischia and Sicily, and Supervisor Hahn led an effort when she served on the Los Angeles City Council to officially designate Ischia as a Sister City. Italian American artists, entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and workers have also made lasting contributions to Los Angeles County’s architecture, cuisine, entertainment, and labor rights movement.

In March 2023, Hahn, her staff, individuals with autism and their families, and community advocates painted an LA County Lifeguard tower on Torrance Beach in honor of Autism Awareness Month.

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn to declare April “Autism Awareness Month” in LA County. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 22 children in California is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

“Individuals with autism sometimes need extra care and I want our LA County family to meet that need with the right resources and sensitivity,” said Hahn. “I’m thankful to our Fire Department for modeling that behavior by creating the Sirens of Silence program.”

In 2021, the Los Angeles County Fire Department launched Sirens of Silence program to better prepare lifeguards and firefighters to interact with people with autism. It includes better training, better tools in the field, and events where local children with autism can interact with first responders.

Among the other County resources that have helped people with autism and other disabilities is LA Found, a program that provides Hahn led the launch of the program in 2018. LA Found has given out 1,418 bracelets since the program launched, and has helped find 28 individuals.

Both the White House and the United Nations recognize April 2 as Autism Awareness Day.