Dear Friends,  Since its start, the goal of our Volunteer Corps has been to continue to channel a shared enthusiasm for change across our district. Ten months in, this energy has made sharing vital information to District 4 renters, providing services to unhoused residents, and helping clean up our beloved parks, possible.  To celebrate the incredible work of all the volunteers who have dedicated time and energy so far, and to invite those new to getting involved with our office to learn more, join Councilmember Raman, CD4 staff, and community partners this Sunday, October 24th from 12 pm to 2 pm for a spook-tacular gathering, with speakers, food, and fun! We’ll be meeting at De Longpre Park (1350 N Cherokee Ave), and will have an optional volunteer opportunity with the CD4 team, notifying renters in the area about State rental assistance, to follow. RSVP at bit.ly/cd4trickortreat!  Hope to see you there! Best,  Team CD4 JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT DAY!  Last month, we hosted our first Neighborhood Support Day, with an incredible offering of services and resources, made possible with the generosity of partner organizations and hard work of our volunteers! LA This Week: Neighborhood Support Day in Council District 4 We’re excited to announce our next Neighborhood Support Day, coming to District 4 on Thursday, October 28th — this time in Sherman Oaks! We’ll need volunteer help with set-up and breakdown, welcoming attendees and more — sign up HERE to get involved.  GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT 100% RENT & UTILITY RELIEF Since its launch in September, our Volunteer Corps has been getting the word out about California’s emergency rental assistance program! This program from the State covers 100% of rent and utilities owed since the start of the pandemic for qualifying Angelenos. It’s not too late to join us to let residents in District 4 know about this opportunity! Volunteers are going door-to-door to talk to renters about this new round of funds, and to help connect them to additional assistance from office staff and other local organizations, starting with a thorough training from CD4 staff. This is a great chance for all experience levels to make real-time change in our communities. To sign up, fill out the form at bit.ly/cd4rentoutreach! STANDING WITH STREET VENDORS IN CALLING FOR STATE-LEVEL CHANGE The legalization of street vending in LA came from 10 YEARS of organizing — but we need to finish this work at the State level. I was proud to stand with Inclusive Action, Community Power Collective, and street vendors from across LA to urgently demand California enact changes to remove barriers to permits. One of these barriers is California’s food code. Last month, I introduced a resolution calling for a code made with vendors in mind. I look forward to next steps on this resolution and to action from the state — together, we can ensure Los Angeles’ street vendor community can continue to be a defining characteristic of the city we all call home.  ENSURING EQUITY IN EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS FOR CANNABIS USERS Despite the legality of both medical and recreational cannabis, a positive test can still negatively impact one’s current employment or chances of being hired. Last week, I introduced a resolution in support of State Assemblymember Bill Quirk’s bill AB1256 prohibiting this type of discrimination.  Oftentimes, the tests used by employers will find traces of non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites, which can stay active in a user’s system for weeks, and which do not correlate with on-the-job impairment. This bill follows the lead of twenty-one states with laws protecting employment rights for medical cannabis users, and five states, plus several cities such as New York City and Washington DC, protecting recreational cannabis consumers’ employment rights. It can help advance a workforce in California that is strong, robust, and equitable, and I am proud to support it through this resolution. CLEANING UP CENTRAL HOLLYWOOD My family and I had a great time with the Central Hollywood Neighborhood Council (CHNC) Beautification Day, painting the curb and picking up trash at the Highland Ave and Santa Monica Ave intersection. CHNC hosts regular cleanups in the community — I encourage any neighbors in the Hollywood area looking to get involved and have fun doing it to get in touch HERE! CONSTITUENT CONVERSATIONS ACROSS CD4 I am always thrilled to gather and speak directly to residents of our wonderful district! This weekend, I had two chances to do so, at backyard meetups with groups in Lake Hollywood and Hancock Park, to discuss issues and answer questions unique to their neighborhoods.   We look forward to joining more of these conversations across CD4. If you’re interested in coordinating a meetup for your neighborhood, we encourage you to reach out to your Field Deputy or at [email protected] to let us know! A ‘BEHIND THE BAR’ EXPERIENCE AT STARBUCKS I had the pleasure of joining the fantastic team at Starbucks in Hollywood to discuss challenges affecting their stores, how our office can be of assistance, and opportunities to partner with them in the future — and to tap into my old barista experience (my very first job!) to serve up patient customers. Thank you to Diana, Janessa, Adriana, and Mary for your leadership and hospitality! NEW PEDESTRIAN BEACON IN HOLLYWOOD LA’s pedestrians deserve streets that don’t put their lives at risk. The newly-installed flashing beacon at La Brea Avenue and De Longpre Avenue is an exciting and important development in ensuring Angelenos can safely walk in this high-traffic area in Hollywood. We thank the LA Department of Transportation for all their hard work in creating safer streets in CD4!  CD