The highly anticipated panel series returns to USC’s Town and Gown Ballroom to spotlight racial equality and coalition building across health, economics, and immigration. Distinguished speakers and panelists from political, civic, and public sectors include California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Heather Hutt, Dr. D’Artagnan Scorza, the Executive Director of LA County’s Anti-Racism, Diversity and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Union Leader & Activist David Huerta, California Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Johnson, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, USC Interim President Beong-Soo Kim, National Urban League President & CEO Marc Morial and Los Angeles Urban League President and CEO Cynthia Mitchell-Heard.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 will livestream the full program.
LOS ANGELES, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025 – The Los Angeles Urban League (LAUL), a leading civil rights and economic empowerment organization, presents the third annual State of Black Los Angeles panel series, taking place Wednesday, October 16, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the University of Southern California’s Town and Gown Ballroom. This year’s convening, themed “Solidarity in Action: Black and Brown LA,” will explore pressing issues and opportunities for coalition, reflecting the shared challenges and collective strength of Black and Brown Angelenos.
The program begins with a data presentation by Dr. D’Artagnan Scorza, Executive Director of Los Angeles County’s Anti-Racism, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative (ARDI), who will release the latest data on population trends and outcomes in Los Angeles County, supplemented by findings from other major California counties.
This year’s panel topics and panelists are:
Health: Increasing Access and Life Expectancy
Moderator: Dominique DiPrima, Radio Host, KBLA Talk 1580
Panelists: Helen Iris Torres, CEO of HOPE; Dr. Pierre R. Theodore, Physician-Executive, Exec. Director of Population Sciences, Genentech; and Dr. David Carlisle, President & CEO, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship: Building Pathways to Prosperity
Moderator: Danny Bakewell Jr., Executive Editor, Los Angeles Sentinel
Panelists: Dr. Manuel Pastor, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences; Kevin Harbour, President, BizFed Institute and Libby Williams, Small Business and Policy Director for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Immigration: Building Cross-Community Solidarity
Moderator: Enrique Chiabra, Anchor, Telemundo 52, 16-time Emmy Award Winner
Panelists: David Huerta, President, Service Employees Int’l Union (SEIU) California; Angie Jean-Marie, Chair, Inclusive Action for the City; Nana Gyamfi, Esq., Executive Director, Black Alliance for Just Immigration; Chandra Bhatnagar, Esq., Southern California Exec. Director of the ACLU; and Martha Arévalo, Exec. Director, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) of Los Angeles
Among the prominent voices participating are California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass; Dr. D’Artagnan Scorza, Executive Director of LA County’s Anti-Racism, Diversity and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative; LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell; Los Angeles City Councilwoman Heather Hutt; USC Interim President Beong-Soo Kim; National Urban League President & CEO Marc Morial; Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation President & CEO, Monique Trusclair Maddox; California Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Johnson; Congresswoman Maxine Waters; Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove; and Cynthia Mitchell-Heard, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League. The event will also feature additional participation from the Los Angeles City Council, LA County Board of Supervisors, and the California State Legislature.
Returning for her third year as emcee is Melissa Magee, NBC4 Meteorologist, who will guide the program from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. PDT. The event is sold out yet accessible via livestream.
“State of Black Los Angeles has become more than a convening — it is a catalyst for progress. This year, with our theme of Solidarity in Action: Black and Brown LA, we are challenging ourselves and our partners to not only highlight disparities but to build solutions together. Our communities cannot wait for change; we must create it side by side,” said Cynthia Mitchell-Heard, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League. “We know the data, and we know the challenges; now it’s time to transform knowledge into action. SOBLA 2025 is about elevating the right voices, amplifying solutions, and moving from conversation to measurable change for the people of Los Angeles,” added Ms. Mitchell-Heard.
“As Board Chair of the Los Angeles Urban League, I believe the State of Black Los Angeles is essential to ensuring that the voices of African Americans and communities of color are heard and represented across Los Angeles. I am proud to stand with the Los Angeles Urban League and to champion the meaningful impact we continue to make throughout the region and beyond,” said Mr. Keith Drake.
The State of Black Los Angeles is presented in partnership with the Los Angeles County Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative. Additional sponsors include USC, Genentech, US Bank, GPSN, Comerica and the Los Angeles Sentinel.
Audiences can tune in to the livestream on NBCLA.com and Telemundo52.com, on the free NBCLA and Telemundo 52 mobile apps and on the stations’ 24/7 local news streaming channels NBC Los Angeles News, Noticias Telemundo California which are accessible on Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Samsung TV Plus. A recording of the event will also be available following the live broadcast on the @NBCLA and @Telemundo52 Facebook and YouTube pages.
For more information about the State of Black Los Angeles, please visit laul.org/sobla.
Media Contacts:
Ron Carter (626) 345-1413, [email protected]
Rona Menashe, (310) 246-4600 Office, (310) 489-4693 Cell, [email protected]
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About The Los Angeles Urban League
The mission of the Los Angeles Urban League, which is an affiliate of the National Urban League, is to help African Americans and all others in underserved communities achieve their highest true social parity, economic self-reliance, power, and civil rights. The League promotes economic empowerment through education and job training, housing and community development, workforce development, entrepreneurship, health, and quality of life.
About Los Angeles County Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative
On July 21, 2020, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion to establish an Anti-Racism Los Angeles County Policy Agenda to address “generational inequality and systemic anti-Black racism.” Recognizing that racism is “a matter of public health in Los Angeles County,” and that racism against Black people and communities of color has resulted in large disparities in family stability, health and well-being, education, employment, economic development, public safety, criminal justice and housing, the Board directed the County Chief Executive Officer to establish the Anti- Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative.
About the University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC) is one of the world’s leading private research universities, located in Los Angeles, California. Home to more than 49,000 students across 23 schools and academic units, USC excels in teaching, research, artistic creation, and professional practice. With a diverse community and a global alumni network known as the Trojan Family, the university advances innovation, public service, and impacts locally and worldwide.