A Promising Glimpse of The Hub Los Angeles

Last month, on a beautiful rooftop in the Downtown Art District, we saw a promising glimpse of Hub Los Angeles as 30 local change makers gathered to dine and discuss the future of LA.

Amazing Oaxacan food and Mezcal cocktail was provided by one of our very own Founding Members, Bricia Lopez, of the Guelaguetza Restaurants. Mezcal is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from a similar plant as Tequila, which is deeply engrained in the culture of Oaxaca where most of it is produced today. Unlike tequila, whose market has been dominated by larger corporations, Mezcal is still very much hand-crafted by locals in Oaxaca. It’s interesting to note that the popularity of Mezcal has recently been increasing in the United States.

While we had some group activities prepared to spark conversation, we soon found out that it wasn’t necessary; people were immediately immersed in conversation. As the sun went down, each table went around and introduced themselves using peculiar objects. We’d asked them in advance to bring an object to share with the group that had a special meaning to them and social entrepreneurship. Mara Abrams (above) shared with us a sand painting she received as a gift from a woman on a Navajo Reservation - a reminder that as she gives to the communities in which she works she always receives an abundance of gifts in return, both literally and figuratively. Mara currently works with The Tiziano Project, an organization that teaches new media journalism to community members in conflict, post-conflict and underreported regions.

About half way through the night, we had the opportunity to hear from our co-founders Nick and Elizabeth about the current state of Hub LA. Additionally, they both spoke of their inspiration that brought them to where they are now. Elizabeth spoke of her visit to the original Hub in London, where she was inspired by the power of the Hub community and dedicated herself to bringing this to Los Angeles.

Having a great group of Founding Members join us in creating the first Hub in Los Angeles, we’re excited about the increasingly growing momentum and can’t wait to open.

Want to see more photos of Hub LA’s summer activities? Check out the Hub LA Summer 2011 Photos on Facebook.