embRACE LA Month Kicks Off Series Promoting Racial Equity

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson plans to present a resolution Tuesday that would declare September as embRACE LA Month and continue an initiative to address race relations within the city.

The goal of the initiative is to "unify Angelenos and empower communities through citywide conversations about race and racism in Los Angeles," Wesson said.

Now in its second year, embRACE LA will organize a series of "intimate and diverse" gatherings across the city. Wesson said this year's goal is to establish a new Office of Racial Equity in Los Angeles to serve millions of Angelenos.

Representatives from the Community Coalition, a social justice and advocacy organization based in south Los Angeles, and City Council members Nury Martinez and Mitch O'Farrell were slated to join Wesson at a news conference announcing the initiative on the South Lawn of City Hall.

Supporters believe that an Office of Racial Equity in Los Angeles would help close racial disparities and strengthen inclusion for Los Angeles' most marginalized communities, Wesson said.

Partners of the initiative will continue working to improve the conditions of Angelenos most at risk of inequities in Los Angeles city by campaign building and equity policy advancement, Wesson said.

This year's embRACE LA expects 150 gatherings to take place across the city in homes, offices and businesses, and a dinner will be hosted in each of the 15 council districts by its respective council member.

In 2018, embRACE LA trained 40 facilitators and organized more than 130 free dinners in homes and community-based organizations with more than 1,200 residents participating.

More information is available at www.embRACELA.org.

City News Service