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CC - ACTION ITEM: Consideration of an Annual City Produced Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration and Direction to the City Manager as Deemed Appropriate.
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Meeting Date: August 11, 2025
Contact Person/Dept: Edgar Varela / Special Events Manager
Elaine Warner / Economic Development Director
Phone Number: (310) 253-5752
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (08/08/2025)
Department Approval: Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager (07/22/2025)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council consider the creation of an annual, City produced Hispanic Heritage Month celebration and provide direction to the City Manager, as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
On Monday, February 24, 2025, the City Council received a majority consensus to agendize a discussion of the creation of an annual City-produced event for Hispanic Heritage Month.
Hispanic Heritage Month is a month-long celebration of Latino history and culture each year from September 15th to October 15th. The month recognizes the experiences, contributions and influence of Latinos to the nation’s history and culture.
Last year, Economic Development produced a “Love Local” event in collaboration with Westfield Culver City, highlighting Hispanic Heritage Month and coordinated folkloric dancers and mariachi singers as part of an afternoon celebration. The Fiscal Year 2025-2026 work plan includes a similar activation with the City providing musical/dance performances and highlighting local Hispanic-owned businesses during for an event at Westfield Culver City, pending scheduling confirmation.
If the City Council desires to implement a stand-alone City-produced event for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, staff proposes the development of a free family-friendly film and panelist event, in coordination with CauseConnect to showcase films featured on Artbound via PBS SoCal. The event could take place at the Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center which currently has availability on September 18th/19th. If desired, the event could potentially be subsidized with external sponsorships.
Below is the list of suggested documentary films for the potential screening.
La Raza
In East Los Angeles during the late 1960s and 1970s, a group of young activists used creative tools like writing and photography as a means for community organizing, providing a platform for the Chicano Movement in the form of the bilingual newspaper and the magazine La Raza.
The Cheech
The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum showcases the actor's collection of more than 700 pieces by Mexican American artists.
América Tropical: The Martyr Mural of Siqueiros
Mexican social realist painter David Alfaro Siqueiros created Olvera Street’s popular “América Tropical” mural.
L.A. Rebellion: A Cinematic Movement
Following the Watts Uprising, UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television enacted affirmative action policies to increase enrollment of students of color in its film program - a group historically underrepresented in the student population.
187: The Rise of the Latino Vote
Proposition 187 was a California ballot measure passed in 1994 that sought to deny public services to undocumented immigrants. This PBS film could be shown with the short film “Boundless Borders” is a feature documentary about an undocumented student from Guatemala who overcomes language barriers and the threat of deportation to pursue his dream of a higher education in the U.S.
Descriptions of the films can be found on www.pbssocal.org/shows/artbound <http://www.pbssocal.org/shows/artbound>
Luis Garza could be a featured panelist for several of the films related to his co-curated exhibition “La Raza” featured at The Autry during The Getty's Pacific Standard Time initiative from 2017-2019. A portion of the exhibition could be available for display at the City’s event.
Alternatively, staff is happy to explore other options should the Council have a different recommendation for implementation of an event this year or next as directed and/or with the City’s Special Event Grant Subcommittee or other committee as assigned.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Funding for the Love Local event at Westfield City Hall has been included in the Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 in Account No. 10110500.610200 (Economic Development - Marketing). It is estimated that a film series/panelist event would require additional funding ranging between $5,000 - $10,000 relative to CauseConnect’s curation, audio visual components and other event elements. If the City Council would like to proceed with a stand-alone event, it is recommended that funding could come from the Special Event Grant Program contingency in Account No. 10116100.517560 (Non-Departmental - Special Event Grants) which currently has a balance $18,000. Pursuant to Council direction, additional support could also be pursued through donations and sponsors.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Consider an annual City-produced Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration in Culver City; and
2. Provide direction to the City Manager as deemed appropriate.