These Meetings Minutes are not official until approved by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration/Juneteenth Celebration Advisory Committee
REGULAR MEETING OF THE June 17, 2026
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION AND 6:30 P.M.
JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA
Call to Order and Roll Call
Chair Bibbins-McKeever called the regular meeting of the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and Juneteenth Celebration
Advisory Committee to order at 7:07 P.M. in Rooms C75 and C77 at the Culver City Senior Center.
Present: Karena Bibbins-McKeever, Chair
LaToya Hearns, Vice Chair
Lisa Gordon Cain, Member
Anasia Obioha, Member
Curtis Raynor, Member
Absent: Andrew Weiss, Member
Staff: Tomás Herrera-Mishler, PRCS Director
Edgar Varela, Special Events Manager
Dorian Jackson, Associate Analyst
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Pledge of Allegiance
Tomás Herrera-Mishler, PRCS Director, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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MLK Jr. Celebration and
Juneteenth Celebration
Advisory Committee
June 17, 2026
Public Comment for Items NOT On the Agenda
Chair Bibbins-McKeever invited public comment.
Dorian Jackson, Associate Analyst, reported that no requests to speak had been received.
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Receipt of Correspondence
Dorian Jackson, Associate Analyst, reported that no
correspondence had been received.
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Consent Calendar
Item C-1
Approval of the Minutes for the Martin Luther King Jr.
Celebration and Juneteenth Celebration Advisory Committee Meeting of May 20, 2026
MOVED BY VICE CHAIR HEARNS, SECONDED BY CHAIR BIBBINS-MCKEEVER
AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED (ABSENT MEMBER WEISS), THAT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION AND JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION
ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPROVE MINUTES FOR THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION AND JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF MAY 20, 2026.
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Order of the Agenda
Items from Staff was heard after Item C-1 and again before Adjournment.
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Items from Staff
Tomás Herrera-Mishler, PRCS Director, introduced himself; thanked Committee Members for their work on important
MLK Jr. Celebration and
Juneteenth Celebration
Advisory Committee
June 17, 2026
celebrations for the community; and discussed forging a new legacy for the community.
Committee Members expressed appreciation for the
acknowledgement of their work; discussed Committee goals; history of Culver City; providing a sense of community; and gratitude.
Dorian Jackson, Associate Analyst, discussed annual Brown Act training on June 25; new Members coming to the next meeting; and she noted that anyone who could not make it to the training would need to make arrangements with the City Clerk’s Office. o0o
Action Items
Item A-1
Drafting of a Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration & Juneteenth Celebration Advisory Committee Biannual Report to the City Council
Dorian Jackson, Associate Analyst, introduced the item.
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members
regarding allowing time for additional review; providing comments after the meeting; the deadline to provide the report to the City Clerk’s Office; inclusion of metrics; adding language to indicate that the Committee shares relationships to build-out entertainment; reflecting outreach to the
community with awareness of both events; use of existing relationships; oversight of budget; fiscal responsibility to make a greater impact; negotiation with vendors within
budgetary constraints; establishing relationships with
community partners for current and future programming;
estimating hours put into subcommittee work; additional comments to be provided by the Chair; a request for more metrics to be included; comparing the number of attendees in previous years; impact; and proclamations.
MOVED BY CHAIR BIBBINS-MCKEEVER, SECONDED BY MEMBER RAYNOR AND
UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED (ABSENT MEMBER WEISS), THAT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION AND JUNETEENTH CELEBRATON ADVISORY MLK Jr. Celebration and
Juneteenth Celebration
Advisory Committee
June 17, 2026
COMMITTEE UPDATE AND APPROVE ADDITIONS TO ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND GOALS BY JUNE 25, 2026 AND APPROVE TRANSMITTAL OF THE BIANNUAL REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
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Item A-2
Approve the Run of Show for Juneteenth Celebration Event 2026 With Amendments, if Any
Dorian Jackson, Associate Analyst, introduced the item noting that additional adjustments had been made.
Edgar Varela, Special Events Manager, provided a summary of the material of record and discussed the run of show.
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members
regarding ensuring that politicians do not speak for too long; feedback received that MLK felt like a school assembly; ensuring the City is a good partner; collaboration with Holly Mitchell’s office; displaying the lyrics for “Lift Every Voice”; the in memoriam section; providing a script for Tanika Ray in case Isaac Bryan does not come; display of the
Juneteenth flag; playing videos during transitions vs. playing a video in the background while people are dancing; the history and fashion video; participation by Council Member McMorrin; origination of the Committee; providing phonetic spellings to allow for proper pronunciation; the bio for Tanika Ray; the land acknowledgement; bios for performers; ensuring that the proper Juneteenth flag is shown; providing background on the flag and its significance; ensuring that there is a reminder for people to check out the Trailblazers display and the California voter ID ballot initiative; other reminder
announcements; parking passes for Committee Members; the inability to have plastic water bottles in the park; lanyards; and appreciation for the hard work of Member Raynor on the Education Subcommittee.
MOVED BY CHAIR BIBBINS-MCKEEVER, SECONDED BY MEMBER RAYNOR AND
UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED (ABSENT MEMBER WEISS), THAT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION AND JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION
ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPROVE THE RUN OF SHOW FOR THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION EVENT WITH THE AMENDMENTS AS DISCUSSED.
MLK Jr. Celebration and
Juneteenth Celebration
Advisory Committee
June 17, 2026
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Item A-3
Receipt and Filing of Updates from the Juneteenth’s Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Food and Non-Food Vendors
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members
regarding confirmation of Dulans on Crenshaw for the event; the 250 pre-packaged meals for give away; efforts to get additional food for purchase; ensuring a process to manage food distribution; providing healthier options; suggestions for food trucks to approach; promotion of the event; the number of people anticipated at the event; determining who is served; ensuring that those who need to eat are served; prioritization of people who have signed up through Eventbrite who will be served first come, first served; clarification that there will not be a passport system this year; encouragement for everyone to bring their own picnic; the requirement to register in order to receive food; a request for reminders to be sent out; flyer distribution; clarification that those who have registered and arrive first receive a meal ticket; number of people currently signed up on Eventbrite; appreciation that Juneteenth is growing in importance; other Juneteenth events happening in the area; and a recommended entertainer who dropped out and is performing another area celebration instead.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members regarding outreach for resource tables; lack of a response; encouragement for anyone interested in participating to contact staff; Black-owned businesses or those who serve the Black community; ensuring applicable organizations or companies participate; the 360 photo booth; potential vendors; and fast-tracking items.
MOVED BY MEMBER RAYNOR, SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR HEARNS AND
UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED (ABSENT MEMBER WEISS), THAT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION AND JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION
ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECEIVE AND FILE UPDATES FROM THE FOOD AND
NON-FOOD VENDOR AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEE WITH COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO CONNECT ANY AVAILABLE POTENTIAL VENDORS WITH EDGAR VARELA. o0o
MLK Jr. Celebration and
Juneteenth Celebration
Advisory Committee
June 17, 2026
Item A-4
MLKJCC – Receipt and Filing of the Martin Luther King Jr.
Celebration and Juneteenth Celebration Advisory Committee 2026 Meeting Calendar and the Upcoming Agenda Items List
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members
regarding items for the next meeting; new Members; and
procedures for selection of the Chair and Vice Chair.
MOVED BY MEMBER RAYNOR, SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR HEARNS AND
UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED (ABSENT MEMBER WEISS), THAT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION AND JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION
ADVISORY COMMITTEE: RECEIVE AND FILE THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION AND JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING CALENDAR AND UPCOMING AGENDA ITEM LIST, WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS.
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Public Comment – Items NOT On the Agenda (Continued)
Chair Bibbins-McKeever invited public comment.
Dorian Jackson, Associate Analyst, indicated that no requests to speak had been received for Public Comment – Items NOT On the Agenda.
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Items from Members/Staff
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members
regarding Member availability for the next meeting; voting for the new Chair and Vice Chair; and start times for Committee Members at the Juneteenth event.
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MLK Jr. Celebration and
Juneteenth Celebration
Advisory Committee
June 17, 2026
Adjournment
There being no further business, at 8:38 P.M., the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and Juneteenth Celebration
Advisory Committee adjourned to a regular meeting to be held on July 19, 2026.
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___________________________________________________________ Dorian Jackson
SECRETARY of the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and Juneteenth Celebration Advisory Committee
APPROVED ____________________
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KARENA BIBBINS-MCKEEVER
CHAIR of the Culver City Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and Juneteenth Celebration Advisory Committee
Culver City, California
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that, on the date below written, these minutes were filed in the Office of the City Clerk, Culver City, California and constitute the Official Minutes of said meeting. _________________________ _____________________
Jeremy Bocchino Date
CITY CLERK