2025 EVENTS

Take a look back at our
2nd District Racial Justice Learning Exchange (RJLE) events.

January 2025

Event Photos

Community Book Discussion & Financial Literacy Resource Fair

We kicked off of our 2nd District Racial Justice Learning Exchange series for the year with a powerful discussion on racial justice and generational wealth with Mehrsa Baradaran, Professor at UC Irvine and author of "The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap," and Dennis S. Ellis, the lead attorney in the nationwide Wells Fargo Mortgage Discrimination litigation, moderated by our Chief of Staff, Fredericka McGee. The discussion was followed by a financial literary resource fair.

Resources

Check out this episode from Netflix’s Explainer Series: Racial Wealth Gap as U.S. Senator, Cory Booker, and others discuss how slavery, housing discrimination, and centuries of inequality have compounded to create a racial wealth gap.

February 2025

Event Photos

The Legacy of Eminent Domain: Freeway Placements and its Impact on Black and Brown Communities

 Together we discussed the history and lasting impact of eminent domain—the government’s ability to acquire private property for public use—and explored how we can meet infrastructure needs without harming communities.
Amber Santoro, a Ph.D. student at the University of Southern California, who presented on the history of the 105 Freeway and its impact on displaced communities. Matthew Brazille, a former student of Saint Leo—a school displaced by eminent domain in 1972—and Dan Lopez, CEO/President of Century Housing. Segregation by Design, Century Housing, and the Jeff Gates “In Our Path” photo series.

March 2025

Walk & Learn: Mobility Justice in West Adams

We gathered in the West Adams neighborhood for a Racial Justice Learning Exchange event centered on mobility justice and were honored to be joined by Councilmember Heather Hutt and the CD10 team.

 

Our powerful lineup of community leaders and mobility advocates included Yolanda Davis Overstreet with Biking While Black, Alex Ramirez of LA Walks, Adonia Lugo of the California Transportation Commission, and Eli Lipmen, Executive Director of Move LA. A special thank you to Tamika Butler for her support in helping to conceptualize today’s event, which also included a screening of the documentary Biking While Black, followed by a 1.5-mile walking tour.

 

Proximity matters in helping to create change; that’s why it was important for us to walk the streets together and share our experiences. The throughline for many of the points raised was the need for our streets to be and feel safe for every person, regardless of where they live or who they are. We have a shared responsibility to do our part in helping to keep our streets safe by paying attention on the road, sharing the road, and being open-minded about the various transportation needs of our diverse communities.

 

"Our future is counting on the courage of our actions today. Let us boldly face the challenges before us knowing we have the power to create change.”