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Informed Choices Regarding Mental Health

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As part of the Mental Health and Public Child Welfare Lecture series, Laura Delano, founder and executive director of Inner Compass Initiative (ICI), visited UCLA Luskin on Nov. 16 to discuss her efforts to reclaim care from the “psychiatric-pharmaceutical industrial complex.” Through the ICI, Delano has worked to provide information and resources to facilitate more informed choices regarding all things mental health. Speaking to her experiences as an ex-psychiatric patient, Delano said, “I fully embraced the mental health system and my diagnosis when I was so hopeless for a solution to the pain. I thought maybe if I embrace this diagnosis and do everything the doctor says, I will be able to survive.” Delano suggested that the system must change the way it portrays mental illness as being in opposition to “normalcy” in order to put an end to patients feeling ostracized because of their medical diagnoses. Click below to view a Flickr album of photos from the lecture by Bryce Carrington.

 

Social Welfare Lecture

Student Awarded Prestigious Myra L. Frank Memorial Scholarship

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UCLA Luskin Urban and Regional Planning master’s degree candidate Ribeka Toda has received the $10,000 Myra L. Frank Memorial Scholarship for women pursuing career paths in transportation. “Each fatal crash I had ever analyzed in a database had a mother, a father, a child, a dear friend. As a transportation planner, I feel a deep sense of responsibility that we have not done enough,” said Toda of her motivation to focus primarily on roadway safety. Martin Wachs, distinguished professor emeritus of urban planning at UCLA Luskin, described Toda as an exemplary student whose dedication to improving public safety in transportation goes beyond solely an interest in the technical field, but also as a vital public service.

Daughter of Civil Rights Leader Speaks at Film Screening

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Maria Elena Chávez’s presence at the screening of “Dolores,” a documentary depicting the life and legacy of civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, sent a powerful message about generational activism and fostering change within minority communities. The political landscape of Huerta’s generation, where there were fights for basic human rights of farm workers, is not so different from today, Chávez said about her mother’s efforts. As the film depicts, marginalized immigrant farmworkers living in poverty were able to organize and fight for their rights, benefitting generations to come. Huerta, now 87, was at the heart of this movement, demanding respect, fair wages and access to clean water on the job. Chávez described her mother as “unstoppable” and “passionate” as she has continued to make an impact in her community after leaving the Unified Farm Workers Movement organization and creating the Dolores Huerta Foundation. Chávez also discussed her mother’s impact on her life and professional choices as a political filmmaker and civil rights activist. “It’s in my blood,” said Chávez, who is the daughter of Huerta and Richard Chavez, the brother of César Chávez. She also spoke of the challenges of growing up in a politically active family and adversities she faced because of her mother’s dedication to the civil rights movement while raising 11 children. “Maria Elena Chavez’s visit to UCLA provided a direct appeal to join the movement for justice,” said Sonja Diaz, director of the Latino Policy and Politics Initiative, which co-sponsored the event. “The political landscape that mobilized farmworkers to demand respect, fair wages and workplace access to restrooms and water is not too different from today’s crisis of inequality. As the film ‘Dolores’ makes clear, farmworkers and countless other U.S. workers living in poverty have the skills to organize, and those of us with means have the obligation to support.”

Maria Elena Chávez spoke of the rewards and challenges of growing up in a politically active family. Photo by Bryce Carrington

 

Armenian Defense Minister Visits UCLA, Discusses Policymaking

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UCLA Luskin Dean Gary Segura served as host and master of ceremonies for a Nov. 13, 2017, lecture and discussion by the minister of defense of the Republic of Armenia, Vigen Sargsyan. “The cultural connections between the Republic of Armenia and the city of Los Angeles are deep,” Segura said at the noontime talk at the Luskin Conference Center. Noting that Los Angeles is home to the largest Armenian community in the world outside of the boundaries of the former Soviet Union, Segura added, “Armenians are a cultural, economic and political force in the city and in the region, and are an important presence here at UCLA.” Sargsyan was appointed defense minister in 2016 following a career in public service and education. He spoke about his own education related to public policy and offered insights into the challenges and goals of policymaking, providing a view of the geopolitics from his homeland south of the Caucasus Mountains region of Southwest Asia — a crossroads with ancient historical and cultural roots. During a Q&A that followed, Sargsyan talked about his country’s relationships with neighboring countries, military service in Armenia, economic development and environmental concerns in his nation.

Talk with Armenian Defense Minister

‘Breaking Bread’ With Veterans About Westwood Garden

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The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and the UCLA Food Studies Certificate Program hosted a panel discussion on Nov. 7, 2017, about the community and health benefits of urban farming for the veteran population. The discussion, titled “Breaking Bread: Community Building with Veterans and Farming,”  included moderator Kris Skinner, a retired Army captain and UCLA alumnus; physician Peter Capone-Newton MA UP ’09, PhD ’13 of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Mick Deluca, assistant vice chancellor, UCLA Campus Life; Jeremy Samson, a military veteran and urban farmer; and Julie Sardonia, program director for Veteran Farmers of America. A reception at La Kretz Garden Pavilion in the UCLA Botanical Gardens preceded the panel discussion, which focused on efforts to revitalize a 14-acre garden on the U.S. Veteran Affairs campus in West Los Angeles. Learn about our Off the Table series or read about previous sessions. Access a Flickr gallery below.

'Breaking Bread: Community Building with Veterans and Farming'

‘Indivisible and the Resistance’ Focuses on Local Activism

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On Election Day, Nov. 7, 2017, “Indivisible and the Resistance” addressed local activism and organizing as a powerful and effective strategy. Sponsored by the Institute on Inequality and Democracy at UCLA Luskin, the on-campus event featured Billy Fleming, co-author of the “Indivisible Guide,” followed by a panel discussion and Q&A moderated by Ananya Roy, professor of urban planning, social welfare and geography, and the director of the Institute. In addition to Fleming, panelists included Melany De La Cruz-Viesca of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center; Laure Murat of French and Francophone Studies; and Abel Valenzuela of Urban Planning and Chicana/o Studies. Valenzuela is also special adviser to the Chancellor on immigration policy at UCLA. “Urban Planning is about remaking the relationship between power, knowledge and space, and perhaps so is the INDIVISIBLE team,” said Roy, setting the tone for Fleming’s remarks about effective tactics to engage members of congress — town halls, public events, office visits and phone calls. “It’s been a year,” Roy said. “But the fight to make change is stronger than ever before. We will be seen. We will be heard.” For a video of the event and more information about the series of “#OnRace” events to follow, check the IID website. View a clickable album of photos from the event below.

'Indivisible and the Resistance'

Catalysts For Change

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On Nov. 1, 2017, Global Public Affairs @UCLA Luskin hosted a lunchtime talk with Duncan Green, an educator, writer and head of research at Oxfam GB, about power and how power systems shape global policy and change. As detailed in his latest work, “How Change Happens,” Green shared his expertise and knowledge gained through years of working with different institutions of power ranging from governments to grassroots social and political activists.

A Flickr album of photos from the presentation can be accessed below.

Author Duncan Green

Boyle Heights, Gentrification and Beyond

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The UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy hosted a panel discussion on Nov. 1, 2017, focusing on the current state of Boyle Heights as a microcosm for a larger conversation about the rise of gentrification and the slew of other issues to which it contributes in Los Angeles. “Gentrification and its Discontents: Boyle Heights and Beyond” included Rina Palta of KPCC News as moderator; Professors Abel Valenzuela and Eric Avila, whose appointments include positions in UCLA Luskin Urban Planning; Cecilia Estolano MA UP ’91, co-CEO of Estolano LeSar Perez Advisors; and Steve Lopez, a Los Angeles Times columnist. The discussion was followed by an enthusiastic Q&A that included a detailed political history of rent control in Los Angeles from Zev Yaroslavsky, director of the Los Angeles Initiative. Access a Flickr gallery of photos by Aaron Julian from the event below.

Boyle Heights and Beyond

Festival, Panel Focus on Food Security Issues  

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UCLA Luskin and the UCLA Food Studies Certificate program hosted a Food Week festival and panel discussion on food security issues on Oct. 26, 2017. “Harvesting Change: Fostering Partnerships for Food Security” was held on the 3rd Floor Commons of the Public Affairs Building and included food, games and information booths. The event segued into a panel discussion hosted by Urban Planning alumna Jessica McBride MURP ’14, founder of Open Silo and project manager for three6ixty. Fatinah Darwish, a program manager at the L.A. County Department of Public Health, Nutrition and Physical Activity, talked about county efforts to reduce food insecurity by increasing inter-agency coordination among government, healthcare and non-profit organizations. Mental health expert Rhea Holler, Ph.D., spoke about the shame and feelings of failure often experienced by people who are unable to afford food for themselves and their families. UCLA Luskin Senior Fellow Rick Nahmias, founder and executive director of Food Forward, talked about his organization’s history and its ongoing efforts to repurpose surplus food from fruit trees, farmers markets and other sources to provide hunger relief in Southern California. Attendees also heard from Frank Tamborello of Hunger Action LA, which is working to end hunger and promote healthy eating through a variety of advocacy, direct service and organizing efforts that benefit Los Angeles residents. Access a Flickr gallery from the event below.

'Harvesting Change' festival

Symposium Looks at Global Issues and Local Impacts

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A series of discussions under the umbrella title, “Global Climate Change, Local Growing Pains,” highlighted the 2017 UCLA Lake Arrowhead Symposium on Oct. 15-17, 2017. This annual gathering organized by the Lewis Center and the Institute of Transportation Studies at UCLA Luskin has tackled the connections between transportation, land use and the environment since 1991. Participants learned of the latest research and most innovative practices from around California and the globe related to questions of land use and climate. This year’s attendees included a diverse and influential group of policymakers, private sector stakeholders, public sector analysts, consultants, advocates and researchers. Summaries of the presentations can be found here, along with a video that includes interviews with UCLA Luskin faculty and alumni. Hover over the image below to access a Flickr gallery of speakers, snapshots and scenes from the event.

2017 Lake Arrowhead Symposium