Mayor Karen Bass has officially launched Shine LA- a new monthly initiative to have residents band together and help clean up various neighborhoods as Los Angeles prepares to host major global sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.
Unveiled in her State of the City address, Bass explained that Shine LA is more than just getting ready before “company” comes. It’s about uniting Angelenos, strengthening community ties and showing the world- and ourselves- the true spirit of LA. It’s a way to invest in the city’s future.
“We have one goal– love L.A. We will show our love for each other…Block by block, we will come together to be stronger, more unified than ever before—and that matters, especially in a world that seeks to divide us with each passing day,” Bass said in her address.
The kickoff celebration was held in Hollywood on Saturday, April 26, which started out rainy. Despite the weather, more than 1,000 Angelenos came out to revitalize 16 different sites across the city, including:
- mulching and tree maintenance at Augustus Hawkins Park in South LA,
- litter removal and general beautification at Jefferson High School in South Central,
- community gardening at Imperial Gardens in Watts.
“South Central LA has always been a community built on neighbors lifting each other up — and today for Shine LA, we’re lifting up our planet, too,” said Councilmember Curren Price, Council District 9. “Together, we’re planting trees, cleaning our streets, and taking real, hands-on steps toward a cleaner, greener, and healthier Los Angeles that is ready to welcome the world. This is climate action at its best — rooted in love for our neighborhoods and a commitment to the generations still to come.”
The next Shine LA event is May 31—an AAPI Day of Service in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Sign up and find more information here about upcoming Shine LA events: mayor.lacity.gov/ShineLA
