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Mayor Dan O'Brien Newsletter — January 18, 2026
📬 Councilmember Dan O'Brien — Culver City — January 19, 2026
Hello neighbors,
Fifty-seven years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. asked us to consider what we're doing for others. It's a question I come back to every time this day arrives—not as an abstraction, but as a personal inventory. When I was a kid in Idaho, my parents showed me what service looked like through sacrifice: powdered milk, homemade clothes, and a father who petitioned neighbors to pave our gravel street because he believed anyone could make a difference. That lesson never left me. And on a day set aside to honor a man who gave everything for the belief that community is built through action, I find myself asking: what are we building together, and who are we building it for?
This week brought moments that reminded me why I love this city—the kind of small-scale beauty that doesn't always make headlines but shapes who we are. Let me share what's happening.
⚖️ Honoring Dr. King's Legacy
🔹 Saturday's MLK celebration brought our community together in a powerful way. The Veterans Memorial Auditorium was filled with neighbors, families, and folks who showed up to do more than remember—they came to reconnect with Dr. King's call to service. Live performances from Caleb Crump, Roots & Thunder, and MAJOR set the tone, while food from The Jerk Spot and Alta Adams kept everyone fed. The resource fair gave people real ways to plug in, and I was moved by how many brought non-perishable food donations for the Grace Lutheran Food Pantry.
→ 🎯 My take: There's something that happens when a community gathers not to celebrate itself, but to ask how it can do better. I walked away Saturday feeling like we're capable of more than we sometimes give ourselves credit for.
🌸 Arts & Culture
🔹 A handcrafted water wheel from our sister city Kaizuka, Japan, begins its journey to Culver City today. A handcrafted water wheel from our sister city Kaizuka, Japan, departs Osaka Port today on its journey to Culver City. It's expected to arrive at Los Angeles Port on February 13 and reach Culver City in late February, where it will be installed in the Kaizuka Meditation Garden at the Julian Dixon Library.
→ 💡 What this means: Our 60-year friendship with Kaizuka continues to deepen. This isn't just a gift—it's a living symbol of how two cities on opposite sides of the Pacific can build something meaningful together over generations.
👉 View pics of the water wheel (Facebook)
🏛️ This Week's Meetings
🔹 Cultural Affairs Commission meets Tuesday, January 20 at 7:00 PM. If you care about public art, cultural programming, or how we support artists in Culver City, this is your meeting. You can attend in person or join remotely via Zoom.
🔹 MLK Jr. Celebration and Juneteenth Celebration Advisory Committee meets Wednesday, January 21 at 6:30 PM. Fresh off Saturday's event, the committee will debrief and begin planning ahead. Community voices shape these celebrations—consider joining the conversation.
📅 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.
🙏 Closing Thought
Dr. King reminded us that the time is always right to do what is right. Today, on a federal holiday named in his honor, I hope you find a moment to ask yourself his question: what are you doing for others? It doesn't have to be grand. It can be as simple as checking on a neighbor, showing up to a city meeting, or bringing canned goods to a food pantry. A beloved, caring community isn't built in a single day—it's built one small act at a time, by ordinary people like me and you who refuse to look away.
Thank you for being part of what makes Culver City worth fighting for. If you have thoughts, questions, or just want to share what's on your mind, hit reply. I'm always grateful to hear from you.
