Op-Ed: Villaraigosa: We came together after the 1992 uprising. We can do it now
After more than two decades’ worth of civil activism and resistance, there now seems ample evidence that we have finally come together, as a force, as a people capable of changing this country, at the national level and with the city as the focal point.
I am referring, of course, to LA as the battleground for the most progressive agenda in our lifetime. The fight has been long and sometimes painful, but it is not over. It is merely being redirected.
Los Angeles is the perfect laboratory for a massive shift in the way politics, entertainment, philanthropy and culture is presented and the way we look at ourselves.
The city has become the cultural hub of the nation, where people, whether they are politicians, artists, billionaires, entrepreneurs or ordinary citizens, have come together to build something new.
We all have a responsibility to continue that effort to build a better and more inclusive society for all people by engaging with one another in a meaningful way from within a new, open, collaborative and participatory culture.
The time for reform and transformation are now, but we must move to the necessary political and economic solutions with our eyes wide open. The process of change for the better will take a multi-faceted approach, from the public to the private sector, from the city to the philanthropic and even the educational institutions.
To meet the challenge of this moment, we have to start with our own values and principles. And to do that we have to take time out every day to reflect on what we stand for and what we believe.
This week, we are going to do just that. I invite you to join us on Monday, March 2nd, when we will convene in front of the United Nations to discuss how we get through this period of transformation as a people, as a community and as a country.
Los Angeles’ long history of working to build
