Chester Kano, Chief of Development, County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation
Randall Lewis/Building Healthy Places Forum at the Fall Meeting in Los Angeles
August 7, 2023
Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park Recreation Center | Image Source: KPFF
The seventeenth in the series of Building Healthy Places Forums was be held in conjunction with ULI’s Fall Meeting in Los Angeles.
The forum, generously supported by ULI Foundation Governor Randall Lewis, brought together leaders in health, wellness, and real estate to discuss what they are doing, planning, and observing in the field. The forum was a content-heavy, interactive discussion and exchange.
The forum was organized in collaboration with ULI member leaders and focused on sharing information about LA-based projects at the intersection of health and the built environment and applying lessons from these projects to the work of forum participants.
Meet the Los Angeles Forum attendees
When: Monday, October 30th from 8:00am – 5:00pm PT
Where: Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park Recreation Center
Registration: Through Fall Meeting registration. The Forum is open to Full Members. Associate Members interested in attending can reach out to [email protected]. The fee to attend is $99/member.
At a glance, forum participants engaged in —
- A tour of the Watts neighborhood including MudTown Farms and Jordan Downs redevelopment;
- Presentations featuring the work of Watts Rising, a collaboration of residents, community organizations, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), and more, committed to improving health and quality of life outcomes in Watts;
- A visit to and a panel focused on the Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park, a once polluted site redesigned to restore the environment and serve as a vital recreation resource for residents of the Willowbrook neighborhood.
The forum also commemorated the 10-year anniversary of the ULI Building Healthy Places program.
Agenda
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:15 a.m. | Bus Transportation from Convention Center to Earvin "Magic" Johnson (EMJ) Park Recreation Center |
| 9:00 a.m. | Location: Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park Recreation Center | 12645 Wadsworth Ave. | Los Angeles, CA Light continental breakfast will be served Introductions, Forum Overview Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles Presentations & Discussion:
Watts Rising Evaluation Progress Presentation, Elena Hernandez, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation |
| 11:45 a.m. | Bus Transportation to Jordan Downs Redevelopment and MudTown Farms (adjacent sites) |
| 12:00 p.m. | Location: Jordan Downs | 2062 E. 99th Place | Los Angeles, CA Tour: Jordan Downs Redevelopment and MudTown Farms |
| 1:00 p.m. | Bus Transportation back to Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park Recreation Center |
| 1:15 p.m. | Location: Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park Recreation Center | 12645 Wadsworth Ave. | Los Angeles, CA Lunch will be served |
| 2:15 p.m. | Panel Discussion: Earvin "Magic" Johnson Park |
| 3:25 p.m. | Small Group Discussion and Reflection |
| 4:35 p.m. | Bus Transportation to ULI Welcome Reception at Belasco (Fall Meeting registration available onsite), Forum Concludes |
Preview of Forum Speakers
Jennifer Zell, Director, Los Angeles Operations & Director, Regenerative Design Studio, MIG
Rachel Bennett, Director of Health Equity, MIG
Elena Hernández, Project Manager, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Ivory Rose Parnell-Chambeshi, Director of Neighborhood Initiatives, Watts Rising Collaborative, Office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass
Treasure Sheppard, Strategic Initiatives Project Manager, HACLA
Aaron Thomas, Director of Urban Forestry, North East Trees
John King, Director, Community Engagement, HACLA
Jenny Scanlin, Chief Strategic Development Officer, HACLA
Forum Goals:
- Provide a place for ULI members who are passionate about health and development to meet and engage.
- Offer an opportunity for ULI members to share knowledge and insights.
- Update forum participants on the latest work at ULI and other organizations regarding the intersection of health, wellness, and real estate.