LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Known as one of the pioneering architects of the civil rights movement, Rev. James Lawson Jr., for more than half a century, has been a force for justice and an influential teacher of non-violence. In honor of Rev. Lawson’s leadership in advancing worker and human rights, today, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion authored by Supervisors Holly J. Mitchell and Hilda L. Solis proclaiming Rev. James Lawson Jr. Day on his 95th birthday, September 22, 2023.

The motion also directs the County’s Department of Consumer and Business Affairs and Anti-Racism Diversity and Inclusion Initiative to create an awareness campaign that will launch this October to help educate residents throughout unincorporated communities on their rights and protections in the workforce.

“Rev. Lawson is a titan among us who has helped write the blueprint for standing up to racism and winning hard fought battles for our shared humanity with non-violence at the core. It is an absolute honor to join my colleagues in celebrating Rev. Lawson, I cannot think of a better way to say thank you for the impact he continues to have on countless lives.” said Supervisor Mitchell. “I look forward to September 22 being recognized across LA County and more residents being equipped with the resources and support to protect their rights.”

“Reverend James Lawson Jr. is a giant. He has devoted his entire life to racial, civil, and economic justice – creating a more just and equitable society along the way. I am proud to lead this effort with Supervisor Mitchell and hope that Angelenos throughout Los Angeles County take September 22nd to remember and commend the contributions Reverend Lawson Jr. has made to working-class communities, immigrants, and communities of color in Los Angeles County and beyond,” said Supervisor Solis.

At Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Rev. Lawson shared what this acknowledgment means to him and the importance of government being in service to the people it represents: “…the dignity of every human being must be reflected in our own personal behavior, so I thank you very much for this resolution and wish you Godspeed. You represent all of us [here in] Los Angeles County and you must know that there are many of us like myself, who keep an eye on you from a distance and who want to see your continued good work. Government must be for the people, for all the people…” 

In 1974, Rev. Lawson moved to Los Angeles, since then, he has served as a lecturer for the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment and was the pastor of Holman United Methodist Church for twenty-five years in South Los Angeles. Rev. Lawson continues to share the teachings of non-violence and be a global voice in the ongoing fight for freedom and justice. 

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion authored by Supervisors Holly J. Mitchell and Kathryn Barger focused on increasing access to County departments, programs, and services for the over 120 unincorporated areas that rely on Los Angeles County as its primary source for municipal services. The motion directs the Chief Executive Office to report back within 90 days with a plan for launching a comprehensive website to access all County services and Departments, accompanied by multi-lingual printed materials and an outreach strategy for unincorporated areas. 

“The absence of a city government structure in our unincorporated communities often creates confusion for the residents who live there on what local services are available. This motion builds on the work the County is doing to ensure our residents are aware of and able to get the services they are entitled to,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “Equipping our unincorporated communities with the resources to more easily navigate the vast County system of services, departments, and initiatives is our ongoing responsibility.”

“Our unincorporated communities rely on the County for local representation and essential services such as zoning enforcement, sanitation, and public safety but many don’t know how to access that help,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “This motion is about making it easier to contact the County. We owe it to our tax-paying constituents to be accessible and responsive.”

The County of Los Angeles is the most populous and complex county system in the nation, responsible for setting policies and delivering services to meet the needs of 10 million residents, out of which 1 million are living in unincorporated areas – communities outside of city jurisdictions, that have no local mayor or city council. These areas look to the County and their County Supervisor for local government representation and services, including sanitation, public libraries, public safety, environmental protection, emergency response, code enforcement, homelessness crisis response, and other critical services and initiatives.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell provided the following statement in response to the closure of the privately-owned, Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery located in the City of Carson.

“Worrying about having access to the loved ones you have laid to rest is deeply troubling and something no one should have to experience. This is the current challenge many Carson residents are facing due to the owner abandoning Lincoln Memorial cemetery. I share the concerns of the families and Carson community that are impacted by the closure of this historic and sacred space. My office has been at the table with the State Cemetery and Funeral Bureau, which has the power to administer licensing to a potential new owner and manages the endowment for this cemetery. We are also working with the City of Carson with this being within its city lines.”

“It is my expectation that the Bureau, City of Carson, and County do all we can that we are uniquely positioned to do, to help address this issue so that this space remains operable and that there is a long-term plan in place. While we are committed to assisting the state and the Carson community in finding immediate answers, including the search for a new owner, I want to uplift the need for a long-term solution in light of the fact that the County is not legally required to assume responsibility for privately owned cemeteries that cease operations within any of the 88 cities that together with our unincorporated communities constitute LA County.”

“This is why I have asked for County Counsel to look into potential annexation or the creation of a cemetery district. This challenge has magnified the need for a system that allows for a privately-owned cemetery to change owners without jeopardizing access to the cemetery for the larger community. My office will remain committed to working with all the stakeholders involved in identifying solutions that honor the sacredness of this deeply personal and historic space.”

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, a Metro Board Director issued the following statement on the Metro vote to extend public safety contracts:

“A lot has changed since 2017 when Metro’s current public safety contracts with law enforcement were negotiated. Currently there remains a lack of clarity on the cost of extending these contracts or if the law enforcement agencies will comply with Metro policies and staff direction. These unanswered questions are why I could not proactively support Metro extending its current public safety contracts.”

“I support public safety that accounts for the experiences of our riders and transit operators, and that is aligned with Metro’s values for centering the humanity of the million people who rely on public transit. This is why I voted for the long-term solution of creating an in-house public safety team that is trained by Metro. Leadership matters, we have a new CEO, who is committed to a culture shift. Being trained alongside the teams serving our riders is an important distinction that might also save us funding to invest in more clean and secure bathrooms, transit ambassadors, and community vendors to be additive to law enforcement and our public safety strategies.”

“I respect and appreciate the community members and my colleagues who have provided diverse insights on this pivotal issue. I trust CEO Wiggins to engage in good faith negotiations with law enforcement and believe we will be better positioned to have answers to some of these concerns outlined when we reconvene on this topic in May.”

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (the Board) unanimously passed a motion by Supervisors Holly J. Mitchell and Lindsey P. Horvath calling for – in the first time in the history of the Board – an independent third-party review of its governance structure. The report back will explore comprehensive solutions focused on increasing public transparency and input in the County’s policymaking and budget development process, including expanding the Board for greater representation.  

“This is about ensuring that the foundation by which we make decisions on public policies and our $44 billion dollar budget are aligned with best governing practices to better serve the largest County in the nation” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Second District. “We hear from countless residents about being left out of their local government, making it clear that we can’t have an equitable County without meaningful and full public participation. The independent recommendations that we receive will inform how the Board can create a more inclusive process for solving the problems of today and tomorrow.”  

“Today’s vote of approval is a monumental step toward a more transparent, accessible, and equitable County government. This vote is about doing everything we can to be an efficient government that is inclusive of all 10 million voices we represent,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, Third District. “I look forward to the recommendations that will come out of this motion addressing the size of the Board, public participation in the legislative process, and how campaigns are funded.”  

The Executive Officer of the Board of Supervisors will launch a competitive search for a Request for Statement of Interest and report back in 180 days with options for an independent consultant to assess the Board’s governance structure against national best practices, examples of other County governance structures, and stakeholder insights in order to provide recommendations for a more inclusive and effective Board governance model.  

Additional governance reforms that will be considered include but are not limited to increasing the timeframe for advance public review of Board motions, amending the Brown Act to continue virtual public comment for public meetings without the need for the emergency designation caused by COVID-19 and improving public deliberation in the County budgeting processes. The motion also calls for County Counsel and the County’s Anti-Racism, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative to provide recommendations for campaign finance reforms related to Supervisorial elections.

Prince Osemwengie, Senior Policy Associate at Inclusive Action for the City, shared his support of the motion during the public comment portion of the Board’s meeting.  

“This is the direction we need to be going in. Everyone is better served by having more access to weigh-in on the life changing decisions happening at the Board of Supervisors” said Prince Osemwengie. “I am confident that expanding representation and using proven solutions to increase public input is a win-win for all and will strengthen the County’s efforts in developing community-informed policy and program solutions.”  

To read the full motion, click here. 

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion authored by Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell and co-authored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis to establish a countywide Fair Chance ordinance to provide individuals that have been impacted by the justice system with equitable access to employment opportunities. The ordinance would apply to over 10,000 employers in unincorporated Los Angeles County with five or more employees along with County contractors, subcontractors, and leaseholders.  

“For system-impacted job seekers, the promise of a fair chance is a critical opportunity to pursue a better life,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, representing the Second Supervisorial District. “We have a long way to go to making this real for every Angeleno, and as the largest employer in the region, the County has an obligation to lead by example and ensure our hiring practices are equitable and transparent.”

“This motion is about dignity,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District. “There is research that supports that when people with lived experience get employment, it reduces their risk for recidivism and they have more drive and loyalty to their employer, which results in staying at companies longer. These are also the same individuals who give back to their communities as engaged taxpayers. Everyone deserves a fair chance. That’s what this ordinance is about.” 

The rate of employers conducting background checks has risen and, making it more difficult for system-impacted individuals to gain access to employment and further perpetuates the assumption that those convicted of a crime should continue to be viewed with suspicion by employers. In California, the Fair Chance Act (FCA) was enacted to prevent employers from engaging in hiring discrimination but violations of the FCA continue to occur. In January of 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved a motion requesting an evaluation of options to improve FCA enforcement locally. In April of 2022, stakeholders responding to a County survey reported that employers are able to inconsistently apply FCA requirements, including, among other things, use of unreasonably old convictions to justify rescinding job offers. 

Today’s motion sets the foundation for strengthening protections for system-impacted job seekers by prohibiting consideration of certain convictions, including those more than seven years old (with certain exceptions), and mandating that employers provide an assessment of the risks associated with criminal history in writing. Additionally, employers not in compliance with the ordinance will face fines, allowing complaining job seekers to ensure more responsive and meaningful enforcement of the FCA. The motion directs the Interim County Counsel, in collaboration with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Director of the Department of Economic Opportunities (DEO), and other relevant County departments to report back in writing in 90 days with a draft Fair Chance Ordinance.  

To read the full motion, click here. 

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion authored by Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, representing the Second District, to expand access to doula services across LA County and support the growth of the doula workforce to ensure the success of the program.

“Across the nation, maternal and infant mortality rates are exponentially higher for Black people than any other group,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “Doula care is shown to improve pregnancy experiences and birthing outcomes. We must increase awareness of doula services for mothers and families across the County and expand our workforce to be more representative of our communities most in need. This motion helps us achieve this by investing in the success of our new doula Medi-Cal benefit.”

In Los Angeles County, the Black infant mortality rate is more than three times the rate of White infant mortality, and the Black maternal mortality rate is four times the rate of White maternal mortality. Engaging in doula services has been found to reduce the rate of preterm and Caesarean births, lessen the need for medical pain control in labor, and decrease symptoms of postpartum depression. Evidence also shows doula support is associated with an increased chance of breastfeeding initiation and duration, and maternal satisfaction with birth.

In 2021, California added doula care as a new Medi-Cal benefit. As of January 1, 2023, Medi-Cal managed care plans (MCPs) are required to provide full-scope doula services for eligible pregnant and postpartum members.

To ensure the success of the doula benefit launch, today’s motion directs the Director of Public Health, in collaboration with the Director of the Department of Health Services (DHS), the Executive Director of the Anti-Racism, Diversity, & Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative, managed care plans (MCPs), and relevant stakeholders to report back in 60 days with a plan to create a hub for doula service providers to make these services more accessible. Additionally, the motion calls for intentional outreach to increase the size and diversity of the doula workforce.

To read the full motion, click here.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell provided the following statement on the murder of Tyre Nichols by the officers within the Memphis Police Department.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell provided the following statement on the outcome of the Board of Supervisors vote on her motion, co-authored by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, to establish an independent external committee to review and improve the Los Angeles County board governance structure.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell shared the following statement in response to Los Angeles County’s efforts to be among the first counties in state to implement CARE Court: