Drawing on LANI’s expertise at building relationships and cultivating conversations among diverse stakeholders, our annual Community Forum brings together neighborhood leaders and activists with experts from city and county departments and agencies, community-based organizations and nonprofits, and the private sector.

The Community Forum is always free to attend and easily accessible by public transit.

The goals of the Community Forum are to foster dialogue and information sharing, provide access to decision-makers, and recharge and inspire our ongoing collaborative work.

Scenes from the Community Forum 2024

2024 Workshops & Presenters

Innovations in Urban Greening 

Eileen Alduenda: Executive Director, Council for Watershed Health 
Kirk Keller: Principal-Landscape Architecture, Studio One Eleven 
Shruti Shankar: Urban Design Director-Associate, Studio One Eleven  
Moderated by Aleigh Lewis: Program Manager, LANI 

Experts in urban greening share innovative strategies to make our neighborhoods healthier, more climate resilient, and more beautiful. Learn about how adding green elements to even small parcels in the built environment can help us capture water, cool our walkways, and add beauty to our neighborhoods by transforming alleys, medians, and other underutilized urban spaces. 

Planning Downtown LA's Future: DTLA 2040 

Craig Weber: Principal Planner, L.A. City Planning
Jenny Chavez: Sr. Vice President, L.A. Tourism & Convention Board
Nella McOsker: CEO & President, Central City Association 
Moderated by Areen Ibranossian: CEO, Chief Strategies & LANI Board of Directors 

What will DTLA look like with tens of thousands of new jobs, housing units, and people anticipated to arrive over the next two decades? In this session, industry leaders will provide insight and updates about the DTLA 2040 Community Plan, which provides a critical framework for the ongoing sustainable, equitable, and inclusive revitalization of Downtown while thoughtfully accommodating projected growth.

The Next Generation of Water: Building a Climate-Resilient Future 

Carolyn Schaffer: External Affairs Section Manager, Metropolitan Water District (MWD)
Johan Torroledo: Manager of Operations, Operation NEXT, City of L.A. Dept. of Water and Power 
Rupam Soni: Community Relations Team Manager, MWD 
Moderated by Elisa Mendez: Principal Public Affairs Representative, MWD 

As weather extremes and climate change increasingly threaten Southern California’s water supplies, it's crucial that we prepare for the challenges ahead. Join this session to discover how water agencies are proactively planning for a future marked by hotter and drier climates. Strategies discussed will include water recycling for drinking purposes and comprehensive planning for water resources through the lenses of climate adaptation, sustainability, and equity. Learn how you can contribute to the creation of a water-resilient future for generations to come. 

 From Vision to Reality: The Avalon-MLK-Gage Active Transportation Project 

Cameron Palm: Principal Transportation Planner, Metro 
Charlie Ho: Supervising Transportation Planner, L.A. Dept. of Transportation (LADOT) 
Damian Kevitt: Executive Director, Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE)  
Moderated by Todd McIntyre: Vice President, Michael Baker International and LANI Board of Directors 

The Avalon-MLK-Gage Active Transportation Corridor project is a case study in street redesign with the goals of improving access to bus and light rail services, increasing bicycling, walking, and transit ridership, expanding connectivity to employment hubs and popular destinations, advancing pedestrian and cyclist safety, and helping reduce greenhouse gases. This session will provide background into how this project came to be, an update on progress, and serve as a model for how community members can advocate for similar projects in their neighborhoods. 

Art, Creativity, Jobs, and Empowerment 

Ilka Perkins: Co-Founder, People’s Pottery Project 
Madelon Wallace: Director of Social Enterprise, Made by DWC 
Moderated by LeAnn Kelch Melendez: Director of Grants & Programs, LA2050 

The People's Pottery Project and Made by DWC (Downtown Women's Center) employ and empower at-risk, homeless, and formerly incarcerated women, providing them with on-the-job experience, healing community, and economic opportunity. Discover how these impactful programs contribute to our community by investing in our most vulnerable neighbors. 

Walking in LA: Creating Safe, Equitable Pedestrian Environments  

Alex Ramirez: Executive Director, Los Angeles Walks 
Arturo Nevarez: Program Manager, LANI 
Justin Robertson: Sr. Planner, PLACE Program, L.A. County Dept. of Public Health 
Nicole Volpe: Sr. Landscape Architect, Albert A. Webb Associates 
Moderated by Emily Gabel-Luddy: Landscape Architect and LANI Board of Directors 

Join pedestrian safety experts representing municipal departments and local nonprofits as they share insights about their work partnering with community members to transform notoriously car-centric Los Angeles neighborhoods into safer and more welcoming environments for pedestrians through planning, policy, and advocacy. 

Street Vending and Our Neighborhoods: Maximizing the Benefits through Cooperation

Analu Fernandini: Senior Small Business Development Counselor, L.A. County Dept. of Economic Opportunity
Estefanía López Pérez: Senior Policy Advocate, Inclusive Action for the City  
Moderated by Doug Smith: Sr. Director, Policy and Legal Strategy, Inclusive Action for the City 

Street vendors can help a neighborhood be a destination for food and culture and provide a low-hurdle economic opportunity for entrepreneurs. However, vendors must operate in an environment that balances health and safety concerns in the community and coexists with local brick-and-mortar businesses. This workshop will delve into these issues and provide information on L.A. County’s first ever Sidewalk Vending Ordinance. 

Tackling the Complexities of Homelessness: Collaboration and Specialization 

Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater: Executive Director, Friends In Deed
Marian Bell: Homelessness Coordinator, Larchmont Charter School and LANI Board President 
Rebecca Gurrola: Homelessness Team, Office of L.A. City Council District 6, (Padilla) 
Moderated by Jenny Scanlin: Chief Strategic Development Officer, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) 

It's a given that the housing and homelessness crisis in our region is extremely complex. This session brings together a service provider, a community volunteer, and city staff to share how each has a role to play in helping our unhoused neighbors and keeping our neighborhood streets clean and safe for everyone. Attendees will also receive information about how to be part of the solution.