2028 Games – Our Path Forward

2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Greetings Neighbor,

As Los Angeles prepares for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it’s essential that South Los Angeles communities have real access to the jobs, contracts and resources that these Games will bring. That’s why I recently hosted a Workforce & Procurement Symposium – to connect 28th District businesses and workforce organizations with LA28 leadership, who shared valuable information and resources on how to participate in these historic opportunities.

This newsletter issue will recap our symposium as well as provide a link to the important presentations that were shown by LA28 and the Mayor’s Office. Also included in this issue is the recent press announcement about the state committing nearly $100 million to Exposition Park to fund repairs ahead of the Games.

As we continue this work, I remain committed to ensuring that local communities benefit from these once-in-a-generation opportunities.

Workforce & Procurement Symposium Connects 28th District with 2028 Games

(Far left photo) LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover is pictured with Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas at the symposium; (Center photo) LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover is shown giving a presentation at the symposium; (Far right photo) Symposium attendees listen to a presentation by the Mayor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

With the City of Los Angeles primed to host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, I hosted a Workforce & Procurement Symposium last month at Exposition Park to bring together LA28 leadership with 28th District workforce and business leaders to create equitable access to economic opportunities that will be generated by the 2028 Games.

The symposium connected more than 100 local workforce administrators and business owners with employment and procurement experts representing LA28 and the LA Mayor’s Office to focus on one common goal: Opening doors to economic opportunities for underserved communities that have been historically overlooked by major global events.

Small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses received guidance on how to compete for upcoming contracts as well as resources designed to support their growth. Workforce representatives learned how to prepare their workers for pathways into good-paying jobs and career pipelines tied to LA28 projects.

Reynold Hoover, LA28 Chief Executive Officer, participated in the event to greet attendees and lead his team in facilitating panel discussions and presentations about their hiring and procurement processes. The LA Mayor’s Office also led presentations to help small and disadvantaged businesses navigate the procurement process and scale to meet demand.

This event was what equity looks like in action. When workers and businesses from communities of color have real access to decision-makers for employment and procurement opportunities, they can build lasting economic security for their families.

To view the procurement presentations shown during the symposium, please visit here.

To register to volunteer for the 2028 Games, please visit the LA28 Volunteer Program site here.

State Invests Nearly $100M in Exposition Park Ahead of 2028 Games

Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (third from right) is shown at the Exposition Park press conference announcing the nearly $100 million state investment in the park. She is joined by (from left) Courtni Pugh, Chair of the Board of Directors for Exposition Park and California Science Center; Andrea Ambriz, General Manager, Exposition Park; LA Mayor Karen Bass, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove; Assemblymember Sade Elhawary; and Ricardo Mendoza, Chief Business Development Officer, Coalition for Responsible Community Development.

Last month, I joined LA leadership in announcing that the state budget includes nearly $100 million in critical funding for Exposition Park, one of California’s most iconic public spaces in the heart of South Los Angeles. This investment comes as Los Angeles prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics – global events that will draw millions of visitors and position South LA on the world stage.

Over the past year, I’ve advocated for long-term investments that ensure South LA shares fully in the benefits of these historic events. The nearly $100 million in state funding will address long overdue surface and infrastructure repairs, strengthen core systems, improve accessibility, and prepare the park to safely host large-scale international events.

At a time when many families across California are feeling fear and uncertainty while struggling with rising costs, this investment is about both opportunity and stability. Global events can generate jobs and small business opportunities, so I’m working hard in the State Legislature to ensure that those benefits reach our local residents. At the same time, preparing for the Games must go hand in hand with making sure longtime residents, immigrant families, seniors, and people with disabilities feel safe, welcome and respected in their own neighborhoods.

This investment goes beyond preparing for global events. It represents a lasting commitment to South Los Angeles. The funding will support local jobs, strengthen neighborhood infrastructure, and deliver enduring benefits to the surrounding community long after the Games conclude. 

Special thanks to Governor Gavin Newsom as well as state, local and federal partners for their collaboration. Also thanks to Exposition Park General Manager Andrea Ambriz, California Science Center President & CEO Jeffrey Rudolph, and their teams for their leadership in the park’s repair effort.

While this funding is an important step, the work continues. Our communities are counting on us to ensure access, safety, dignity, and a welcoming experience for all. As such, I will continue to champion the investments needed to make sure Exposition Park is ready – not just for the world, but for the people of South Los Angeles who call this place home.