Hundreds of community members, dignitaries, and elected officials met at USC on Thursday for the second annual State of Black LA.
Hosted by the Los Angeles Urban League, the goal is to use data from LA County to find solutions to make Los Angeles a more equitable place for everyone, especially Black residents.
The focus of this year’s event was economic empowerment, health access and equity, and housing and homelessness.
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Among the keynote speakers were Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, LA County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, and President and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League, Cynthia Mitchell-Heard.
“The ultimate goal is to eliminate racial disparities and achieve equality and equity by disrupting harmful trends and transforming systems and policies,” Mitchell-Heard said to the audience.
Mayor Bass said she’s looking forward to international events calling Los Angeles home, including the 2028 Olympics, and working together to make sure Black-owned small businesses benefit equally from the influx of visitors and opportunities.
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“The state of Black LA is resilience and hopeful,” she told NBC4. “We have challenges but I think as evidence by the people in the room, people are determined to tackle the challenges and move forward.”
Mayor Bass also said she is launching a campaign in the coming weeks to call on Angelenos to help house veterans.
This year’s State of Black LA was moderated by NBC 4 meteorologist Melissa Magee and Telemundo 52 reporter Dinorah Perez.
