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EHRAC: ACTION ITEM - (1) RECEIVE AND FILE A REPORT FROM THE 2024-2025 EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS AWARD AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEE; (2) IF SO DESIRED, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE REPORT’S RECOMMENDATIONS; AND (3) DETERMINE NEXT STEPS AS DEEMED APPROPRIATE.
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Meeting Date: January 27, 2026
Contact Person/Dept.: Michelle Hamilton/Human Resources
Phone Number: (310) 253-5647
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (01/21/2026) ; (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - Equity & Human Relations Advisory Committee (01/21/2026); (E-Mail) All City Staff (01/21/2026)
Department Approval Name, Title Date: Dana Anderson, Human Resources Director (01/21/2026)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee: (1) receive and file a report from the 2024-2025 Equity and Human Relations Award Ad Hoc Subcommittee; (2) if so desired, discuss and consider approval of the report’s recommendations; and (3) determine next steps as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND
In 2021, the Culver City Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee created a Community Contributions Award to honor outstanding individuals and businesses for their contributions to equity and human relations in Culver City.
During the April 26, 2022, meeting, there was clarification that the 2021 award would be issued as the “Equity and Human Relations Award.”
For the last three years, the awards recipients have been individuals, nonprofit organizations, and businesses that have embodied inclusiveness, altruism, and giving through volunteerism and public service to make Culver City a better place for all people to live. Medallions are granted to honorees from each of the categories listed below:
• An Individual - A Culver City resident or a person employed in Culver City;
• A Student- Resident of Culver City or attending a Culver City Elementary School; Middle School, High School, or West LA College;
• A Culver City business owner; and
• An executive director of a non-profit organization serving the Culver City area.
At the August 27, 2024, Special Meeting, EHRAC achieved consensus to create a 2024-2025 Equity and Human Relation Awards Ad Hoc Subcommittee and appoint Members Rona, Moammar, and then-current Chair Bano thereto. The 2024-2025 Equity and Human Relations Awards Ad Hoc Subcommittee’s purpose is to address the planning of a timeline, the development of a rubric, the completion of marketing and advertising, the review and modification of the nomination form as deemed necessary, coordination of the collection of nominations and to relay the top nominees to EHRAC for a vote.
At the October 22, 2024, Special Meeting, EHRAC reached consensus to hear a report from the 2024-2025 Equity and Human Relations Awards Ad Hoc Subcommittee at the November 19, 2024, Special Meeting.
At the November 19, 2024, Special Meeting, EHRAC agreed to add Member Valverde to the existing Equity and Human Relations Awards Ad Hoc Subcommittee, to modify existing categories and descriptions, in addition to website updates, and the approval of the flyer with modifications as necessitated by updates to the website.
On January 8, 2025, the City’s Equity and Human Relations Awards website and on-line nominee submission form were updated and published with the current and updated awards information. Categories were modified as follows:
• Individual: Nominees for the individual award must reside or be employed in Culver City.
• Student: Nominees for the student award must reside in Culver City, and/or attend a school in City of Culver City or attend West Los Angeles College.
• Business Owner: Nominees for the business owner award must own a business located in Culver City.
• President or Executive Director of a Non-Profit: Nominees for the non-profit award must be a leader of a non-profit located in or that serves Culver City and the greater area.
At the January 28, 2025, Regular Meeting, the Awards Ad Hoc Committee reported marketing and outreach efforts, timeline for submission review, and the flyer, website, and updated categories were discussed to ensure all messaging was consistent.
At the April 22, 2025, Regular Meeting, EHRAC reached consensus to push this item over to the May 20, 2025, Special Meeting.
At the May 20, 2025, Special Meeting, EHRAC reached consensus to award the following and to review the presentation and biographies at the July 22, 2025, Regular Meeting:
• Individual: Dr. Jo Tavares Reager
• Student: Kalia Lowitz
• Business Owner: Fawaz Istwani and Nicholas Conner, Owners of Jackson Market
• President or Executive Director of a Non-Profit: Jane Borochoff, Executive Director of the Westside Regional Center.
At the July 22, 2025, Regular Meeting, EHRAC reviewed and reached consensus to approve of the awardee biographies to be read before City Council and agreed to postpone the presentation of the awards to a Council meeting at a later date, as the awards were not completed.
After the discovery of an error in the creation of the physical awards, the awards were sent to a vendor to be re-engraved. They were then completed on September 17, 2025. Staff inquired at that time as to the availability at a City Council meeting to present the awards and were informed at that time that the remaining 2025 City Council Meeting Agendas were full. As a resolution, the recommendation was made that EHRAC host the awards presentation at an EHRAC meeting and later announce the winners at a subsequent City Council Meeting to ensure timely presentation to and recognition of the awardees.
At the September 18, 2025, EHRAC Special Meeting, Staff reiterated the recommendation that EHRAC consider hosting a reception and awards presentation at the subsequent EHRAC meeting to ensure recipients received their awards in a timely manner while still offering EHRAC members to attend a subsequent City Council meeting to announce the awardees before City Council.
EHRAC reached consensus to forgo the option to present the awards at an EHRAC meeting and instead pursue an inquiry to have the awards presented at a Council meeting. Upon conveying EHRAC’s request to include the awards on the City Council agenda, staff were advised that the City Council meeting agendas were fully scheduled through the remainder of the 2025 calendar year and that a presentation could not be accommodated during that timeframe. Staff shared this information with the 2024-2025 Equity and Human Relations Award Ad Hoc Subcommittee.
On October 14, 2025, Member Rona emailed staff, the City Manager and the 2024-2025 Awards Ad Hoc Subcommittee requesting the awards be presented at one of the remaining City Council meetings in 2025 - preferably at the October 27, 2025, City Council Meeting, with an abbreviated presentation.
As EHRAC assigned staff do not have control over the City Council Agenda generation, Member Rona’s email was forwarded to the City Clerk’s office for review. On October 15, 2025, the City Clerk’s Office responded to the 2024-2025 Equity and Human Relations Awards Ad Hoc Subcommittee members and noted that the City Council agendas were overfilled with many items having to be deferred to January 2026. The recommendation from the City Clerk’s Office to ensure the awards were presented within the 2025 Calendar year was that the awards be presented at an EHRAC meeting.
On October 20, 2025, Members of the 2024-2025 Equity and Human Relations Awards Ad Hoc Subcommittee responded that they strongly believed the presentation needed to take place at a City Council meeting and, therefore, requested that the presentation be scheduled in January 2026.
On October 29, 2025, the City Clerk responded that a new mayor would be elected on December 8, 2025, after which the new mayor would review the upcoming recognitions for 2026 and invited EHRAC members to attend the November 10, 2025, City Council meeting, in which the City Council would be discussing how to streamline the recognition process.
DISCUSSION
Review and discuss the report from the 2024-2025 Equity and Human Relations Award Ad Hoc Subcommittee and determine next steps.
It should be noted that the 2024-2025 Equity and Human Relations Award Ad Hoc Subcommittee Report does not fully capture the actual circumstances that contributed to the delayed presentation. For example, the awards were scheduled to be presented in the spring or summer of 2025 according to the 2024-2025 Ad Hoc Committee’s Report. However, the awardees were not selected until May 20, 2025, and while the award presentation was anticipated for July 22, 2025, the awards were not completed at that time, prompting the further delay. Additional context as to the delay is provided in the preceding section of this staff report.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There are no fiscal impacts associated with this discussion at this point in time. However, should EHRAC wish to consider a reception for the awardees, at an EHRAC meeting, there may be an associated fiscal impact.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2026-01-27_ATT1_ Equity and Human Relations Award Ad Hoc Subcommittee_04112025
2. 2026-01-27_ATT2_ Equity and Human Relations Award Ad Hoc Subcommittee_01162026
recommended action
MOTION(S)
That the Equity and Human relations Advisory Committee:
1. Receive and file a report from the Equity and Human Relations Award Ad Hoc Subcommittee;
2. If so desired, discuss and consider approval of the report’s recommendations; and
3. Determine next steps as deemed appropriate.