📬 Councilmember Dan O'Brien — Culver City — February 2, 2026

Hello neighbors,

Sunday morning I was standing on Jefferson Boulevard near Obama Boulevard with a rake in my hands, pulling back years of overgrown brush that had swallowed a pedestrian walkway. A Culver City resident had flagged the problem—turns out the patch is technically in LA, so our Public Works team couldn't legally touch it. Rather than let it sit, I gathered the usual suspects: Jeff, Phil, Jeff's dad Dan, and the team from Jungle Nursery. Within a few hours, the sidewalk was clear. We even found a Taco Bell bag with a receipt from 2019 inside. That tells you how long it had been neglected.

There's something clarifying about showing up with work gloves and a sense of purpose. It reminded me why I got into this work in the first place—not to wait for permission, but to build the kind of community where people take care of each other. And this month, that spirit of showing up feels especially important. February 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month—a century of honoring the contributions, resilience, and stories of Black Americans. Culver City has more ways than ever to celebrate, learn, and participate. Here's what's happening.

✊ Black History Month — 100 Years of Honoring Black Stories

🔹 This year marks the centennial of Black History Month, and Culver City is leaning in. The 34th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival returns February 9–16, bringing films, art, and community events to The Culver Theater and Westfield Culver City. PAFF is the largest Black film festival in the country—and it's right here in our backyard.

→ 🎯 My take: As someone who's spent 25 years in edit bays shaping stories, I know how much representation matters behind the camera and on the screen. PAFF isn't just entertainment—it's a space where Black filmmakers, artists, and storytellers get the spotlight they deserve. Supporting it means supporting the kind of cultural richness that makes Culver City special.

👉 Learn more about PAFF 2026

🔹 Westfield Culver City is hosting a Black History Month Art Pop-Up Experience from February 8–23. The first floor will feature work by emerging local Black artists, with a Community Kickoff Celebration on Sunday, February 8 (1–3 PM) and a Creative Expressions Day for families on February 15.

👉 View Westfield Culver City events

🔹 Malik Books at Westfield Culver City is hosting events throughout February, including a conversation with billionaire philanthropist Robert F. Smith and Jayne Kennedy on Wednesday, February 4 at 7 PM at The Miracle Theater.

🧹 Community in Action

🔹 The "guerilla good works" cleanup at Jefferson and Obama Boulevards was a reminder that sometimes the best thing you can do is just show up. Thank you to Jeff, Phil, Jeff's dad Dan, and the team from Jungle Nursery for giving a few hours of a Sunday morning to clear that walkway. The area had been neglected for years—LA doesn't respond at the level of Culver City—but now it's passable and safe for pedestrians.

→ 💡 What this means: This is what community looks like. Neighbors who don't wait for someone else to fix the problem. I'm proud of everyone who showed up.

👉 View the cleanup photos (Instagram)

🌍 Welcoming Global Partners

🔹 Last week, the City Council welcomed international guests exploring business, tourism, and cultural partnerships with Culver City. Mame Toucouleur Mbaye, Honorary Consul of Senegal in Los Angeles, and her affiliates met with Mayor Freddy Puza, City Manager Odis Jones, and my colleagues on the Council to discuss proposals that could contribute to our continued development in business, tourism, and socio-cultural activities. I'm always energized when Culver City's reputation reaches beyond our borders—and when visitors see the same potential we do.

→ 🎯 My take: Global connections bring new ideas, new investment, and new opportunities for our residents. These conversations are how we build a city that punches above its weight.

🌸 Kaizuka Water Wheel Update

🔹 The traditional water wheel from our sister city Kaizuka, Japan, is currently making its way across the Pacific. It departed Osaka Port on January 19 and is expected to arrive at Los Angeles Port on February 13, then reach Culver City in late February. The wheel will be installed in the Kaizuka Meditation Garden at the Julian Dixon Library.

→ 💡 What this means: Our 60-year sister city friendship continues to grow. This isn't just a gift—it's a symbol of what two communities can build together over generations.

👉 View photos of the water wheel (Facebook)

🏛️ Looking Ahead: City Council

🔹 The next City Council meeting is Monday, February 9 at 7 PM. The agenda already includes two public hearings: an appeal of the mixed-use project at 5757 Uplander Way and an appeal of a proposed 147-room hotel at 11469 Jefferson Boulevard. These decisions shape what our neighborhoods look like for decades—your voice matters.

→ 🎯 My take: Show up, speak up, or watch from home. However you engage, these discussions need you.

👉 View Meetings & Agendas

📅 This Week & Looking Ahead

🔹 Every Tuesday, 2-7 PM — Downtown Farmers Market. Main Street. Grab produce, support local growers, and say hello to neighbors.

👉 Visit the Farmers Market page

🔹 How to watch and participate in meetings. Agendas post Wednesdays before Monday meetings. You can attend in person or virtually.

👉 How to watch meetings

👉 View Meetings & Agendas

🙏 Closing Thought

A hundred years of Black History Month. A sidewalk cleared by neighbors who didn't ask for permission. A water wheel crossing an ocean because two cities decided, sixty years ago, that friendship was worth building.

These things don't happen by accident. They happen because people show up—with work gloves, with stories, with the belief that what we do together matters more than what we do alone. There is more that connects us than divides us. That's what I'm thinking about as we head into February.

If you're looking for ways to engage this month—whether it's catching a film at PAFF, volunteering, or just stopping by the Farmers Market—I hope you'll find something that connects you to this city we share. And if you have ideas, concerns, or just want to say hello, hit reply. I'm still here, still listening, still doing the work.

Together, we can build a stronger, more connected Culver City. Thank you for being part of our community.

Together, we can build a stronger, more connected Culver City. Thank you for being part of our community.

Dan O'Brien
Councilmember, Culver City
dan.obrien@culvercity.org