A few photos from the Bradley Tower this morning

Opening of Youth Policy Institute Hollywood Family Source Center

Tomorrow, come celebrate the opening of the Youth Policy Institute's (YPI) Hollywood Family Source Center (5500 Hollywood Boulevard). The ribbon cutting will be at 2:00 p.m. followed by an open house from 3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

There will be delicious food donated by ¡Lotería!, and a chance to see a useful and reliable center that helps to lift families and individuals out of poverty.

YPI was originally founded in 1983 as part of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Fund in Washington, DC, and moved to Los Angeles in 1996. YPI strives to lift low-income families out of poverty by offering education and training resources with after school programs, job training, early childhood education, physical education, ESL, computer literacy, charter schools and college preparation.

Women's History Month celebration

Come and celebrate Women's History Month on March 11, 2010 at the Latino Museum of History, Art and Culture (514 South Spring Street) at 6:30 p.m.

Pieces from the Museum's Permanent Collection by Latina artists will be featured at the event.

Admission is free, but please RSVP by calling 213-626-7600 or emailing events@thelatinomuseum.com.

Latina breast cancer survivors research study needs participants

The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Latina Task Force of Partnered for Progress are seeking participants for a research study on breast cancer care. Latinas who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and are 6 months to 10 years after being diagnosed are needed for the project.

Volunteers will be asked to participate in a focus group where they will talk about their experiences with other breast cancer survivors. The focus group will last no more than 2 hours, and participants will receive a $50 Target gift card at the conclusion of the event.

To learn more about this program, call Jenifer at 1-877-303-1131.

Haitian Relief-LA Echo Park Concert

On February 14, 2010, Haitian Relief LA will host a concert at Echo Park Lake from 11:oo a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Come and celebrate Valentine's Day by lending a hand to those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Enjoy food from Tigeorge's Chicken and Project Plus Gourmet Sandwiches while listening to music and spoken word artists. Read poetry and look at art native to Haiti and watch the documentary film The Road to Fondwa.

For more information, visit Haitian Relief LA's website.

Free income tax preparation

Free income tax preparation services are available for individuals and families with incomes under $50,000 per year at the Oakwood Family Resource Center (3910 Oakwood Ave.) from February 6 through April 15, 2010.

Learn more about:

• Qualifying for the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit
• Getting your refund faster through electronic filing
• Getting your refund direct deposited into your bank account.

Appointments are required. Call 877-335-3482 to make an appointment.

Los Angeles Police Department town hall meeting - March 10

On March 10, the Los Angeles Police Department will hold a town hall meeting at Santa Monica Boulevard Charter School (1022 N. Van Ness Ave.) to discuss ways to make positive and long lasting changes to the community.

The meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and members of the LAPD Hollywood Division will be available to speak with community members.

For more information, contact:

• LAPD Community Relations, 213-485-4316
• Senior Lead Office Julie Nony, 213-793-0706
• Senior Lead Office Brenda Ramirez, 213-793-0711

La Mirada Park event

On Saturday, February 6, from noon to 2 p.m., my office and the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles will host an event to discuss plans for a new pocket park at La Mirada and Serrano.

All are invited to review design plans for the new park. Refreshments will be served and there will be art projects for kids.

*In case of rain, the event will be held at Serrano Convalescent Home (5400 Fountain Ave) next to the park property.

Town Hall Meeting for Seniors

On Saturday, February 6, Congresswoman Diane E. Watson is hosting a town hall meeting for seniors who live in the 33rd Congressional District. The meeting will be held at Friendship Auditorium (3201 Riverside Dr.) just south of the entrance to Griffith Park.

For more information call 323-965-1422.

Get LA short film competition

This morning I helped launch Get L.A., a short film competition that celebrates the city, the lifestyle, and the state of mind that we call Los Angeles.

The competition is coordinated by Los Angeles Magazine and L.A. Works, a non-profit organization dedicated to recruiting volunteers to help our community.

Two winners will be selected -- one by a panel of judges and one by an online audience vote. Prizes include coverage by Los Angeles Magazine and a meeting with a studio executive.

I wanted to get involved with this project because I’m hoping that it gives people a chance to really connect to our city—not just simply say what they love or hate, but what they want to see changed and how they want to engage.

I'm looking forward to seeing the creative, innovative ways that filmmakers at all levels and all walks of life communicate what it means to "Get L.A."

For more information or to enter the competition, check out the Los Angeles Magazine website.