The LA City scandal has caused deep wounds across communities and exposed inequities in how city government operates. While the political and civic leaders involved in the scandal must be held accountable, intercommunity healing and a more equitable future will require more than just resignations. A new vision of city governance is needed, and that vision needs to be rooted in and shaped by the perspectives of BIPOC and low-income Angelenos. In collaboration with residents, OUR LA coalition will work to realize this vision and advance a community-based reform agenda. 

OUR LA is a multiracial, multi-generational, and multi-intersectional coalition of community-based organizations and racial justice advocates committed to community voice, multiracial solidarity, power-building, racial equity, structural reform, and transparency.

Our coalition includes the following community partners: 

The coalition’s goal is to engage community residents and educate policymakers and the public about the structural reforms needed to realize a more racially equitable Los Angeles.  

What Is Structural Reform & Why Does It Matter? 

While fighting for changes that address specific issues, such as homelessness, housing, transportation, city services, etc., are urgent and important, tackling each on its own is not enough. We need to change the rules of the game – the very structures, systems, and processes – within our city government that bring about, perpetuate, and exacerbate racial and economic disparities, corruption, and underrepresentation of low-income and BIPOC communities. To achieve this goal, a multi-racial, structural reform agenda for city government must be rooted in communities most impacted by these racist systems and processes found within city government.

2023 Objectives and Activities 

• Identify reform priorities through community convenings & disseminating community surveys across the city.
• Develop a community reform agenda based on the feedback gathered at convenings and surveys.  
• Engage in the city’s reform proposal process. 
• Prepare for a possible 2024 ballot campaign.

March 2023 Convenings & Community Survey 

OUR LA has held five community convenings in March – one virtually and four in-person in Central LA, the Eastside, the San Fernando Valley, and South LA – bringing resident leaders from low-income communities of color together to share their perspectives on the challenges, issues, and solutions for strengthening their political representation within LA City Hall.

Additionally, OUR LA has launched a critical new survey to learn how Angelenos like YOU would transform our systems of governance in the wake of last year’s city council scandal. Make your voice heard by April 21st and tell us what you think are the structural reforms needed to realize a more racially and economically equitable Los Angeles. Survey participants will have a chance to win a raffle for one of two $100 gift card prizes for completing the survey.  

For more information, please contact Aaron Robertson, Director of Political Voice, at arobertson@catalystcalifornia.org