2025 EmpowerLA Award given to Sylmar Neighborhood Council

Posted on 09/29/2025

The EmpowerLA Awards are presented by the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners. They will recognize seven Neighborhood Councils—one from each region—that demonstrate excellence in civic engagement and responsiveness to local needs. This includes efforts to engage the public, improve City responsiveness, and uphold transparency, inclusiveness, and independence.

The Sylmar Neighborhood Council is proud to be the winner. We are also extremely honored to be among the other area nominees! (Chatsworth, Sun Valley Area, Sunland Tujunga, Empowerment Congress North, Northridge East, North Hills West 

THANK YOU!

Pictured Left to Right

Rebecca Zamora/SNC Vice President of Communication • George Ortega/Treasurer • Lucille Floresta/Board Member • Hiral Bhakta/Board Member • Kurt Cabrera-Miller/Council President • Isaac Middleton/Board Member • Felicia Bushwitz/Vice President of Administration • Carmen Chang/General Mgr, EmpowerLA • Jay Palmer/Board Member • Nathan Hochman/LA County District Attorney. 

We also want to acknowledge that there are several other SNC Board Members who share in this award but are not pictured. You can see the full SNC Board at: https://www.sylmarneighborhoodcouncil.org/page/Board

FIRST Nomination for Neighborhood Council: Sylmar

1. Nominate a Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award by providing details on their achievements and adherence to best practices.

a. SNC does so much to keep our community up-to-date on events, activities, and news affecting our community. They collaborate closely with our elected officials and law enforcement to bring needed resources and programs to our area. They communicate with us through email and social media, especially during emergency situations such as wildfires. And they provide a haven during heat waves or crises. The key to all this is our president. Kurt Cabrera-Miller. He is the one who leads, organizes, and works to improve Sylmar!

2. What project(s) or initiative(s) has the Neighborhood Council undertaken that demonstrate their success in: a) Promoting more citizen participation in government, and/or b) Making government more responsive to local needs?

a. SNC has a good working relationship with all our elected officials and their staff. They are invited to comment, update us, and answer constituents' questions at every meeting.

3. How does the Neighborhood Council uphold the ideals of inclusiveness, non-discrimination, transparency, and independence in its operations?

a. The council is diverse and therefore sets a good example of inclusiveness.

4. In what ways does the Neighborhood Council utilize or reflect best practices outlined in the Neighborhood Council Rules and Best Practices Guide?

5. Are there any additional comments you would like to share that may assist in the selection of this Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award?

a. I think they are the most organized and constantly active on social media, which helps our community to stay informed and involved.

 

SECOND Nomination for Neighborhood Council: Sylmar

1. Nominate a Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award by providing details on their achievements and adherence to best practices.

a. The Sylmar Council office has served as a hub for the council and for the community. We have opened our doors as a Cooling Site & Warming Location during Sylmar's heat, cold, and windy weather events. We open as an Evacuation Site within minutes of reports of all local fires or other disasters. Act as a meeting space for committee meetings, town-halls, and educational trainings such as C.P.R., First Aid, CERT, Active Shooter, and more!

2. What project(s) or initiative(s) has the Neighborhood Council undertaken that demonstrate their success in: a) Promoting more citizen participation in government, and/or b) Making government more responsive to local needs?

a. We curated "Bark-Tober", a free animal resource fair to address the needs of our pets and local animals. In 2024, there was attendance of over 5,000 people and pets! Bark-Tober’s 3rd Annual event is this upcoming October.

3. How does the Neighborhood Council uphold the ideals of inclusiveness, non-discrimination, transparency, and independence in its operations?

a. Anyone has the opportunity to share their insight or knowledge at our committee meetings and general board meetings. We take the time to actively listen and discuss.

b. All of the Sylmar Neighborhood Council's meetings are offered not only in person but also online by ZOOM to ensure everyone has the opportunity to participate and engage. We also alternate the monthly Main/General meeting between two different parts of Sylmar to help make sure our entire community is represented!

4. In what ways does the Neighborhood Council utilize or reflect best practices outlined in the Neighborhood Council Rules and Best Practices Guide?

a. All meetings are scheduled in advance, agendas are posted in advance, minutes are accounted for, and recordings are uploaded to our website.

b. Our website is our central media outlet, but we are active on Facebook and Instagram as well.

5. Are there any additional comments you would like to share that may assist in the selection of this Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award?

a. It ain’t much, but it’s honest work.

 

THIRD Nomination for Neighborhood Council: Sylmar

1. Nominate a Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award by providing details on their achievements and adherence to best practices.

a. Sylmar Neighborhood Council

2. What project(s) or initiative(s) has the Neighborhood Council undertaken that demonstrate their success in: a) Promoting more citizen participation in government, and/or b) Making government more responsive to local needs?

a. Bark-tober, After School Programs-Education Committee, Local News and Information- Outreach Committee, Sylmar Farmer's Market

3. How does the Neighborhood Council uphold the ideals of inclusiveness, non-discrimination, transparency, and independence in its operations?

a. The purpose of the Council is to participate as a body on issues concerning the Sylmar community and on issues regarding the governance of the City of Los Angeles (“City”) in a transparent, inclusive, collaborative, accountable, and viable manner.

4. In what ways does the Neighborhood Council utilize or reflect best practices outlined in the Neighborhood Council Rules and Best Practices Guide?

a. SNC provides an inclusive and open forum for public discussion of issues of interest to the Council, including City governance, the needs of the Council, the delivery of City services to the Council area, and other matters of a City wide nature; we advise the City on issues of interest to the Council, including City governance, the needs of the Council, the delivery of City services to the Council area, and other matters of a City wide nature; we initiate, execute and support projects for the physical, social and cultural improvement of the Council area; and we facilitate communication between the City and Stakeholders on issues of concern to the community and/or the Stakeholders.

5. Are there any additional comments you would like to share that may assist in the selection of this Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award?

a. SNC promotes welfare, protects the interests, and serves as a voice for the Sylmar community in the City’s decision-making process for a better quality of life.

 

FOURTH Nomination for Neighborhood Council: Sylmar

1. Nominate a Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award by providing details on their achievements and adherence to best practices.

a. Sylmar Neighborhood Council for our exceptional outreach to the community. Details in subsequent sections

What project(s) or initiative(s) has the Neighborhood Council undertaken that demonstrate their success in: a) Promoting more citizen participation in government, and/or b) Making government more responsive to local needs?

a. Bark-Tober is an animal resource fair where Sylmar pet owners can come get their pets microchipped, vaccinated, and more. Many local vendors provide animal-related goods, and there are petting zoos and entertainment for the whole family. We also have an office in the community for council meetings and other events. We host LAPD Neighborhood watch nights, Women's Club meetings, Equestrian events, and more there. We are at the local Farmer's Market every weekend, outreaching to our community and explaining how the neighborhood council system works.

3. How does the Neighborhood Council uphold the ideals of inclusiveness, non-discrimination, transparency, and independence in its operations?

a. We include a Youth Board member and a highly diverse board.

4. In what ways does the Neighborhood Council utilize or reflect best practices outlined in the Neighborhood Council Rules and Best Practices Guide?

a. Yes, we never deviate, even when it causes additional work, we don't let that be a barrier to providing resources for our community

5. Are there any additional comments you would like to share that may assist in the selection of this Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award?

 

FIFTH Nomination for Neighborhood Council: Sylmar

1. Nominate a Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award by providing details on their achievements and adherence to best practices.

a. I nominate the Sylmar Neighborhood Council for the EmpowerLA Award. They hold fast to Robert's Rules of Order, treat the community with great concern and respect, practice good communication, and embody the

inclusiveness that lies at the heart of the Neighborhood Council system.

2. What project(s) or initiative(s) has the Neighborhood Council undertaken that demonstrate their success in: a) Promoting more citizen participation in government, and/or b) Making government more responsive to local needs?

a. The SNC has evolved into a pillar of community support under its president, Kurt Cabrera-Miller’s, leadership. Its social media presence is 85% more active than all other Neighborhood Councils, suggesting that this NC is the most intent on encouraging active participation in local government. It connects community members to all other City, County, State, and Federal representatives, departments, and agencies to address individual needs and help the community deal with natural disasters and other crises. In recent years, the SNC office has been turned into a Cooling or Heating Center during especially hot, cold, and windy weather. The office has been made available as an Evacuation Site within minutes of reports of local fires and other disasters, as it was last January with the Hurst Fire. The SNC office has become a meeting space for town halls and C.P.R., First Aid, CERT, and Active Shooter training. I’ve attended some of this training myself, and as a result, I am more prepared to meet the needs of my own community/neighborhood should there be a crisis.

b. As a long-time attendee of monthly SNC meetings and outreach events, I have witnessed an ebb and flow of programming that always has the community’s best interests at heart but that hasn’t always achieved meaningful community impact. The current iteration of the SNC, however, takes every opportunity to encourage community pride by distributing free “I Heart Sylmar” bumper stickers and designing programming that sits at the heart of Sylmar’s unique and local needs. For example, to address the need for more local animal services, the SNC launched "Bark-Tober," a free animal resource fair to address the needs of local pets and pet owners. Last year’s attendance peaked at 5,000 attendees (people AND pets!). The event buzzed with excitement as attendees walked from tent to tent, enjoyed the petting zoos, and took advantage of free vaccines and microchipping for their pets. My family adopted our own dog, Eddie, in Barktober 2023. He’s my two-year-old son’s best friend and “little brother” from another mother. We can’t imagine our family without him, or without the local community resources designed and delivered by the SNC.

3. How does the Neighborhood Council uphold the ideals of inclusiveness, non-discrimination, transparency, and independence in its operations?

a. First of all, the SNC board itself embodies its inclusive ethos. Public representatives have shared that they appreciate how the Board reflects the diversity of Sylmar itself. The Board Members range in age from 15 to 77 years old, and include Members of the Black, Hispanic, White, Chinese, Filipino, and Southeast Asian communities. Diversity within the LGBTQ+ community is represented as well. No single demographic dominates, and decisions are made in the spirit of harmony and collaboration. From what I can tell, the SNC has cultivated a culture that makes Board Members feel at ease to speak their mind and talk through disagreements with great maturity and fairness at heart. The president, Kurt Cabrera-Miller, always gives Board Members - as well as community members - the time to speak their mind. He and the rest of the Board go out of their way to address the concerns of the community with great respect for their individual backgrounds, perspectives, and political and/or religious worldviews. This is very refreshing to watch, as I have seen other public forums (on television and in person) that tune out, distort, or diminish the seriousness of the needs of individual community members. No community member is turned away from a meeting without their public comment being heard, considered, and addressed with great care, concern, and respect.

4. In what ways does the Neighborhood Council utilize or reflect best practices outlined in the Neighborhood Council Rules and Best Practices Guide?

a. I have served on numerous SNC committees, and in my view, the SNC has always held in high regard NC Best Practices and done its best to uphold them. Board Members take Robert's Rules of Order quite seriously, and conduct themselves with great professionalism and reverence for the broader rules of civil society. They do their utmost to enhance community outreach by developing and circulating social media content and posting meeting agendas (for both general and committee meetings) to the SNC website. The SNC realizes that not everyone has digital competency or good in-home WIFI, so they meet these community members “where they are” by taping meeting agendas to the SNC office’s front window and circulating flyers with information about committee meetings and other events at the monthly General Meeting. This, to me, reflects a deep investment in transparency, access, accountability, inclusivity, and clear communication. On a final note, the Board is always interested in learning how it can continue to evolve and better meet the needs of the community.

5. Are there any additional comments you would like to share that may assist in the selection of this Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award?

a. I can’t imagine an NC deserving the EmpowerLA Award more than the Sylmar Neighborhood Council. My family has long seen the monthly General Meetings as an opportunity to spend a few hours with a Board that, truly, wants to meet the needs of a community that has always represented a range of ethnic, cultural, religious, and political views. In an age of polarizing discourse and tribalist tendencies, we need more “third spaces” where people can gather and feel a part of the larger public discourses that animate and inform community values. Perhaps most importantly, honoring the SNC with the EmpowerLA Award would reward meaningful community support AND inspire the SNC to continue innovating. Actually, I take that back. The SNC will continue innovating out of love for the Sylmar community, whether they receive the Award or not. But isn’t that even more reason to honor them?

SIXTH Nomination for Neighborhood Council: Sylmar

1. Nominate a Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award by providing details on their achievements and adherence to best practices.

a. The best thing about the Sylmar neighborhood council is that they are REACHABLE and RESPONSIVE. Anytime I have reached out to them, they actually call back, take the time to discuss, and answer my concerns. I trust them & the information provided- they understand our community.

2. What project(s) or initiative(s) has the Neighborhood Council undertaken that demonstrate their success in: a) Promoting more citizen participation in government, and/or b) Making government more responsive to local needs?

3. How does the Neighborhood Council uphold the ideals of inclusiveness, non-discrimination, transparency, and independence in its operations?

a. Their social media presence has grown, providing multiple venues for Sylmar residents to see what's going on. They have several options to attend meetings (Zoom, in person, etc)

4. In what ways does the Neighborhood Council utilize or reflect best practices outlined in the Neighborhood Council Rules and Best Practices Guide?

5. Are there any additional comments you would like to share that may assist in the selection of this Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award?

a. The Sylmar neighborhood council has worked hard over the past few years. They have become an invaluable resource for Sylmar.

 

SEVENTH Nomination for Neighborhood Council: Sylmar

1. Nominate a Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award by providing details on their achievements and adherence to best practices.

a. The best thing about the Sylmar neighborhood council is that they are REACHABLE and RESPONSIVE. Anytime I have reached out to them and they actually call back, take the time to discuss and answer my concerns. I trust them & the information provided- they understand our community.

2. What project(s) or initiative(s) has the Neighborhood Council undertaken that demonstrate their success in: a) Promoting more citizen participation in government, and/or b) Making government more responsive to local needs?

3. How does the Neighborhood Council uphold the ideals of inclusiveness, non-discrimination, transparency, and independence in its operations?

a. Their social media presence has grown, providing multiple venues for Sylmar residents to see what's going on. They have several options to attend meetings (Zoom, in person, etc)

4. In what ways does the Neighborhood Council utilize or reflect best practices outlined in the Neighborhood Council Rules and Best Practices Guide?

5. Are there any additional comments you would like to share that may assist in the selection of this Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award?

a. The Sylmar neighborhood council has worked hard over the past few years. They have become an invaluable resource for Sylmar.

 

EIGHTH Nomination for Neighborhood Council: Sylmar

1. Nominate a Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award by providing details on their achievements and adherence to best practices.

a. Sylmar Neighborhood Council

2. What project(s) or initiative(s) has the Neighborhood Council undertaken that demonstrate their success in: a) Promoting more citizen participation in government, and/or b) Making government more responsive to local needs?

a. barktober

3. How does the Neighborhood Council uphold the ideals of inclusiveness, non-discrimination, transparency, and independence in its operations?

a. They welcome everyone and listen to everyone

4. In what ways does the Neighborhood Council utilize or reflect best practices outlined in the Neighborhood Council Rules and Best Practices Guide?

a. They always answer my concerns and care about them, even if they might not agree

5. Are there any additional comments you would like to share that may assist in the selection of this Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award?

a. I think the Sylmar neighborhood council is the best. I've been a part of others in the past, and I feel they are superior.

 

NINETH Nomination for Neighborhood Council: Sylmar

1. Nominate a Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award by providing details on their achievements and adherence to best practices.

a. I consider the biggest achievement of the SNC is ALWAYS being available to the stakeholders of Sylmar.. Whether by regular scheduled meetings, media, or having a physical place to go to for information and help.

2. What project(s) or initiative(s) has the Neighborhood Council undertaken that demonstrate their success in: a) Promoting more citizen participation in government, and/or b) Making government more responsive to local needs?

a. The General Meeting is held in 2 different locations to encourage stakeholders from the north and south areas of the community to attend. SNC has several committees that hold meetings at the office; stakeholders are encouraged to attend these meetings. SNC has been instrumental in promoting the need for a 2nd fire station in Sylmar, and that process has finally started. A special meeting was recently held to honor and get to know the LAPD Officers who are representative in our community.

3. How does the Neighborhood Council uphold the ideals of inclusiveness, non-discrimination, transparency, and independence in its operations?

a. I do not think you could find a more diversified group than SNC Members: Men, Women, Gay, Black, White, Latino, Asian, and Indian. SNC has no special interest groups involved in its operations. All reports, meeting records, and agendas are available "online" for those who want them. The board has a few empty chairs, and the President is always encouraging others to volunteer. There is absolutely no discrimination at meetings, ever..

4. In what ways does the Neighborhood Council utilize or reflect best practices outlined in the Neighborhood Council Rules and Best Practices Guide?

a. Prior to meetings, one can get the agenda for said meetings online. Meetings always start on time with the Pledge of Allegiance. If a board member is late or can not attend, it is always announced at the beginning of the meeting for all to know. The agenda is followed religiously, and gives all a chance to have their say.

5. Are there any additional comments you would like to share that may assist in the selection of this Neighborhood Council for an EmpowerLA Award?

a. SNC makes very good use of the media. We stakeholders are always informed on Facebook, Next Door, and possibly other apps, of future meetings with agendas to follow. They also provide a calendar of events for the month, which includes meeting dates and times for various committee meetings that are open to all. Announcements regarding community events are also posted for all.

b. The office has been opened up many times for various reasons: It's been opened as a cooling site in the deadly heat of summer. Also, as a warming location during our cold and/or windy weather. It is used as an evacuation site within minutes of reports of all local fires or other disasters.

c. The office has also been used as a space for town halls, and educational trainings such as C.P.R., First Aid, CERT, Active Shooter, Meet & Greets, Community Watch, and more. We were very recently informed of a new upcoming meeting to discuss and learn what and how the newly scheduled "Major Modernization Project" at Sylmar Charter High School will affect those living in the area. At all times, Sylmar stakeholders can be informed of what the volunteers in SNC are doing to improve the lives in the community.

d. The SNC has also entertained "Sylmarians" with outdoor theater.. This year, they will put up the big screen and show "Jaws". Last year, we were very lucky and saw an opera that was simultaneously playing live in Hollywood. We will also have something called "Bark-Tober," a VERY BIG EVENT that usually brings in others from different communities. This is an animal resource fair to address the needs of our pets, vaccines, microchipping, and veterinary exams, all free, with vendors and other resources available too.. Overall, I believe the Sylmar Neighborhood Council is doing an excellent job for the stakeholders of Sylmar. Sylmar is a large community, commonly underserved... The council has worked hard to get another fire station for Sylmar. We only have one, and I believe a 2nd one is in the works now. We compare with the city of Burbank, with the same type of geography, and the same size population; they have five fire stations. The President of SNC is very astute and compassionate about bringing Sylmarians together. He has done such a fantastic job of keeping the community informed of all events and meetings pertaining to Sylmar. I truly hope you will give SNC a shot at this award. I have lived in Sylmar for 65 years, and I am very impressed with what the current council has accomplished.

WHAT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL? -

https://neighborhoodempowerment.lacity.gov/about-neighborhood-councils/

Here is the complete list of Nominations!  - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IosreFddrEsXfBrdO2gYvczSgiGu6tWX/view