9770 CULVER BOULEVARD, CULVER CITY, CA 90232-0507
MEMORANDUM
DATE: June 16, 2025
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR O’BRIEN AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CULVER CITY
FROM: Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration & Juneteenth Celebration Advisory Committee, Chair Latoya Hearns, Vice Chair Amber Kearney and Members Karena Bibbins-McKeever, Lisa Gordon Cain, Christian Green, Curtis Raynor, Carissa Joy Smith and Andrew Weiss
SUBJECT: 2025 ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND 2025 PROPOSED
ACTIVITY/UPCOMING AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT 6
MONTHS
CC: John Nachbar, City Manager
At the June 16, 2025, regular meeting of the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration & Juneteenth Celebration Advisory Committee (Committee) , the Committee discussed and approved a staff report of activity and authorized staff to transmit the final report to City Council for approval. The list below summarizes the CBC’s accomplishments during the period of January through June 2025 and provides a list of anticipated activities/upcoming agenda items for the second half of the 2025 calendar year. The Committee regularly meets on the third Wednesday of every month and met eight times from January 9, 2025 through June 16, 2025.
List of Accomplishments
• Formed an Ad Hoc Subcommittee to draft a budget letter to transmit to the City Council for additional funding for Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and & Juneteenth Celebration events.
o Wrote and submitted a budget recommendation letter to the City Council for fiscal Year 2025-2026.
• Amended the PR and Marketing for Juneteenth Ad Hoc Subcommittee to add Martin Luther King Celebration to meet with staff and support in the planning of both celebrations.
• On January 13, 2025, the Committee accepted the proclamation from the City Council, proclaiming January 20, 2025 as “Dr. Martin Luther Jr. Day” in Culver City.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration & Juneteenth Celebration Advisory Committee 2025 Accomplishments and 2025 Work Plans Page 2 of 2
• On February 10, 2025 the Committee accepted the proclamation from the City Council, recognizing February as Black History Month. • Hosted alongside the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department the Committee’s first Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on February 15,2025, with approximately 300 people in attendance • On June 9, 2025 the Committee accepted the proclamation from the City Council, in celebration of Juneteenth.
• Hosted alongside the Community and Economic Development Department the Committee’s first Juneteenth Celebration on June 21, 2025 , w ith an estimated 400 people in attendance throughout the day.
Scheduled Activities Plan:
• Continue p lanning and expanding the scope and concept, of the Committee’s Second Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in collaboration with the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department. • Continue p lanning and expanding the scope and concept, of the Committee’s Second Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in collaboration with the Economic Development Department.
• Sending committee members to participate in 2028 Summer Olympic Ad Hoc Sub Committee meetings the Committee in