In honor of Women’s history month, Community Collective’s REBUILD LA brought together over 150 leaders last Wednesday for a night of empowerment honoring women at the front lines of the Wildfires at the Viceroy Santa Monica. Unplug Meditation Founder Suze Yalof Schwartz set the intention for the evening with a powerful meditation as she shared her personal journey of loss with her home in the Palisades. Moderated by Christina Pascucci, Founder of Atlas, Former U.S. Senate Candidate, the thought-provoking panel featured influential female leaders including Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete, Misti Kerns – President & CEO, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, Najla Kayyem – Executive Director, Steadfast LA, Jennifer Taylor – Economic Development Manager, City of Santa Monica, Dr. Lizzy Moore – President, Santa Monica College Foundation.
The panel featured Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete, Misti Kerns – President & CEO, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, Najla Kayyem – Executive Director, Steadfast LA, Jennifer Taylor – Economic Development Manager, City of Santa Monica, Dr. Lizzy Moore – President, Santa Monica College Foundation. Photos by: Tiffany Rose Photography
“As we look at the impact of the fires in our community and how we can drive change, I wanted Community Collective to recognize those who are rebuilding and create a forum that can further service our community with insight and services to inspire change,” says Edgar, founder and CEO of Community Collective, who joined as a Steadfast Ambassador. The partnership with Community Collective and Spin PR’s Kim Koury marks a first as both Santa Monica residents wanted to unite to give back to the community during these unprecedented times.
Santa Monica has embraced the Palisades community and helped ensure a smooth transition for families and businesses with over 3,000 students across 5 schools and over 200,000 square feet of commercial office space. “We have also welcomed 8 businesses, thus far, ranging from art galleries to bakeries, farmers market vendors and martial arts studios,” said Taylor.
Santa Monica Mayor Negrete focus has been communicating transparently information to the community in a way that may not naturally have the resources to get it – using social media channels, newsletters, and speaking in a way that everyone can understand it to help them with “rebuilding in their own life – that way they can help someone else.”
“If we don’t rebuild this community, we have nothing from mental health and economic perspective. My focus has been communicating transparently information to folks who may not naturally have the resources to get it.”
As a local business owner, Negrete’s Santa Monica Music Center felt the impact of the fires as 36% of their customer base was lost and as a result they donated over two dozen families replacement instruments.
The audience at the panel. Photos by: Tiffany Rose Photography
Steadfast LA is focused on eliminating roadblocks, getting people to yes, and figure things out, while focusing on infrastructure, rebuilding, communications, community and resilience coalition of private sector leaders to produce and solve micro-economic challenges using private resources time attention and business’ to deliver solutions to different municipalities to expedite the rebuilding process, said Kayyem.
“My biggest challenge and initiative is cutting through red tape and bureaucracy to get things done and fast and getting communities built quickly, efficiently and safely so they can continue to live their lives,” said Steadfast’s Kayyem.
Steadfast LA’s primary mission is to accelerate rebuilding by cutting through bureaucracy, mobilizing expertise and delivering real world solutions with urgency and efficiency. Currently, Steadfast is working with JJ Redick on restoring the Pali Rec Center working spaces & places initiative. A partnership with Samara home initiative is also helping put people back in homes by purchasing small homes and ADU’s, and the organization is fundraising to make a match to buy more homes.
Steadfast has been instrumental in pushing various municipalities to publicly confirm that they will be undergrounding utility lines
Kerns, a local resident who raised a family in Santa Monica and had family in the Palisades, shared that each one of us has a responsibility in rebuilding LA.
“Our biggest challenge we are facing as a destination is that we are open and operating as people are unaware that we are open and operation – offering this destination for people to come and visit as so many who experience the city decide to move,” said Kerns.
Moore, who led the Santa Monica College Foundation Disaster Drive and Distribution event securing World Central Kitchen to serve 14K meals to 3,800 volunteers and 7,500 attendees affected by the fires, to getting brands like IKEA and Baby 2 Baby to donate, raising over $1.5M for the foundation’s relief efforts.
“Through the ashes, the City of Angels rose and we are going to do this together. The only way forward is to do this together,” said Moore.
Through leveraging public and private partnerships and driving change in community, Community Collective’s monthly event series features industry pioneers across sports, music, entertainment, art, technology, government and impact, propelling business collaboration and connection being the go-to place where business gets done. Edgar has produced over 15 events featuring leaders across: The Recording Academy, City of Santa Monica, AEG Dignity Health, ACFC, Genesis International, Boardwalk Pictures, Steadfast LA, Santa Monica College Foundation, Compton Cowboys, Compton Unified School District, to Randy Jackson and producer Maejor. With major global sporting events on the near horizon, Community Collective’s power network is expanding across cities with an inaugural launch last week in Long Beach on The Queen Mary, supported by Councilmember Kristina Duggan and City of Long Beach’s Bo Martinez highlighting SCORE LA’s work led by Craig Sussman and Adrienne Hunter providing small business’ with resources and tools leading up to the Olympics with key hosts and leaders in the community including: Jeremy Harris, Marissa Pettys, Jillian Fontaine, Joe Cannon, Vida Patricia Rodriguez, Marine Maroukian, artist Louis Carreon.
Community Collective Manhattan Beach will launch this summer.
Michelle Edgar has built a career at the intersection of social impact, entertainment, sports, fashion, and culture. As a connector and founder, she has worked closely with talent, management, brands, and businesses.
