Dear Friends,

This week, many of us were shocked to hear the recording of four powerful Los Angeles leaders who expressed intolerable, hateful, and racist comments. Nury Martinez’s decision to resign was the right thing to do. As elected officials, it’s our responsibility to lead with integrity. If someone can’t do that, and isn’t able to represent people of every background, it’s time to step down. That includes the two council members who are still in office.

The city of Los Angeles should also confront their redistricting process. Gerrymandering (manipulating district boundaries to favor a particular group of people) is unjust and unfair. We cannot allow the preferences of elected leaders to disenfranchise our communities.

This incident highlighted what so many of us already knew, hate can happen anywhere and at any level. It can create a lot of pain and feelings of helplessness. I want my constituents to know that there are actions you can take and resources available to you.

If you are experiencing negative mental health impacts, reach out to the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to speak to a trained professional. Call their help line at (800) 854-7771 or text “LA” to 741741. Their website also has a list of services, including a dedicated page with anti-racism resources that include mental health support for diverse communities, families, and educators. The website also offers connectivity to iPrevail to match you with a mental health coach or support group, or the Headspace meditation app to bring you some peace of mind.

If you experience hate or prejudice of any kind, or want to step up as an advocate against hate, I encourage you to access the L.A. vs Hate program. The website includes helpful community resources, bystander training, self education, inspirational artwork, and social media assets to share with your network.

While it is a challenging time, I hope we use this as a catalyst to support one another and move toward healing and unity.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger serves the residents of the Fifth Supervisorial District — the county’s largest — spanning 2,785 square miles, which includes 20 cities and 83 unincorporated communities in the San Gabriel, San Fernando, Crescenta, Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys.