goldhirsh foundation

LA2050 is an initiative for a shared vision of Los Angeles. Led by the Goldhirsh Foundation, LA2050 is dedicated to driving and tracking progress towards that vision. This year they have accepted qualified submissions to apply for a $100,000 grant in the categories of PLAY, CONNECT, LIVE, CREATE, and LEARN.

Here at Citizens Of Culture we are big supporters of LA2050 and with all the submissions we wanted to help our community sort through all of the wonderful selections. We’ve combed through each of the categories for projects that we think are most interesting to our editors and have picked a few selects to highlight in each category.

Everyone of the applicants aspires to do something amazing for the city, we simply wanted to lend our support to a few of the ones that resonated with us deeply.

Voting began on September 2nd and will continue until Tuesday September 12th, stay tuned as well post updates on all the categories.

 

Check out who we like, and why, and feel free to check out other applicants here and tell us who you will be voting for in the comments as well.

Category : CONNECT

 

WHO WE LIKE: See Political: Making Ballot Propositions Easy To Understand

SeePolitical explains the confusing language for each ballot proposition in less than two minutes with our engaging and unbiased videos.

WHY WE LIKE THEM:
We’ve been fans of this organization because they embody the citizenry pillar of our own mission. In order to get people interested and engaged in participating in the political process, the people need to be educated on the issues. This organization simplifies and effectively communicates the propositions that people can vote on in a simple form that allows the everyday person to understand what is going on so they can make an informed vote. We need so much more of this, we wish them the best of luck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBMMD3_5s30</span> 

WHO WE LIKE:LA Conversations

When sitting down to eat, what if, instead of a menu of food, there was a Menu of Conversation… and your dinner companion was a stranger.

WHY WE LIKE THEM:
One of the greatest ways to connect with someone is over meaningful conversation. It is why we enjoy the friends we enjoy. It is why we love birthday parties and gatherings. We are proponents of dialogue as a cultural experience, and this initiative by Nation Builder is the perfect catalyst to reduce the number of strangers in Los Angeles.

WHO WE LIKE: *My City

Dumlao Enterprises is a digital media & marketing business focused on helping small businesses, artists, & entrepreneurs.

WHY WE LIKE THEM: Los Angeles is such a rich city with cultural experiences it is a shame that the dominant image is only that of Hollywood. In order to get the word out about the rest of our amazing city we have to enable the locals to impart their knowledge and experience into the tourism industry. With any luck, we will be able to help make the city even more diverse and share cultural experiences that would never be found from the seats of a Hollywood tour bus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHaLkpe_jms</span> 

WHO WE LIKE: Meet Me At The Metro

Meet Me @the Metro: Theatre/In/Transit (M3TNT) is an innovative theatrical extravaganza staged on and around the LA Metro Gold line.

WHY WE LIKE THEM: Imagine you missed your train, and instead of daydreaming about how late you are going to be you are drawn into a creative performance right there in the middle of the train platform. But the performers are not asking you for money, they simply want to brighten your day and create a community experience that will carry with you the rest of your day. It’s not a dream, it is a reality and we believe in the reality these guys are building.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MVQfBjaOS0</span> 

WHO WE LIKE: The Alternative Travel Project

The ATP project will guide Angelenos toward making car-free travel choices through surveys, analyses, education and inspiration.

WHY WE LIKE THEM:  Driving is the “easy answer” when it comes to transportation. But we sacrifice a lot when we hop in to a car, not just the time we spend in traffic, but our health, the environment, and possibility of connecting with others. As the city grows we should all seek to explore other transportation options. No one is saying you need to give up your car, but it isn’t always the best way to get around. This group will help us make that decision clearer. Thumbs up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0DYRf98w-o</span>

Since you can only vote once make sure you choose wisely. We wish best of luck to all the applicants and a bright future to the city of Los Angeles.

For more information on LA2050 visit their website or follow them on twitter. @LA2050

* members of Citizens Of Culture may know or have met members of applicant organization.