{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/g73707zt1c/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["LAPL Community Histories  -  Michael Woo (Former L.A. City Councilmember)"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/200/original/lapl_logo.png?1628076950","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Agent"]},"value":{"en":["Michael Woo","Tien Nguyen"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2025-07-31"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["Michael Woo, former Los Angeles City councilmember (1985-1993) is interviewed by Tien Nguyen, Los Angeles Public Library Creator in Residence.  Woo was involved in the roast duck bill legislation in the early 1980s, early efforts to legalize street vending in Los Angeles, and co-founded the Hollywood Farmers' Market."]}},{"label":{"en":["Format"]},"value":{"en":["MPEG-4"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["TheirStory"]}}],"summary":{"en":["Michael Woo, former Los Angeles City councilmember (1985-1993) is interviewed by Tien Nguyen, Los Angeles Public Library Creator in Residence.  Woo was involved in the roast duck bill legislation in the early 1980s, early efforts to legalize street vending in Los Angeles, and co-founded the Hollywood Farmers' Market."]},"provider":[{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["Los Angeles Public Library"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["Los Angeles Public Library"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/200/original/lapl_logo.png?1628076950","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/298/322/small/photos_29393_large.jpg?1765140212","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - open-uri20251207-428871-ajv1f5.mp4"]},"duration":3646.22933,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/298/322/small/photos_29393_large.jpg?1765140212","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-lapl.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/298/322/original/open-uri20251207-428871-ajv1f5.mp4?1765139797","type":"Audio","format":"audio/mp3","duration":3646.22933,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["TheirStory Transcript (Paragraphs with Speakers) [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Okay. Maybe we can start by— can you say your name?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=0.2,3.28"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Michael Woo.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3.28,4.12"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Okay. And where do you live now?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=4.12,5.68"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e I live in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=5.68,8.6"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e And can you talk a little bit about your background? Were you born in Los Angeles? How long have you been living in LA?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=8.6,15.56"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yes, I was born in Los Angeles in 1951. So, 73 plus years ago. I'm the first member of my generation, of my family born in the United States. My father was an immigrant from China, from Guangdong province. My mother was also of Chinese descent, but she grew up in Stockton, California. And food has played a major part in our family history in that my father and my grandfather started a wholesale produce business in Los Angeles. So, in other words, as I was growing up, I was very accustomed to hearing stories about the latest interaction with farmers, or with markets or restaurants who were customers of the produce business. And we always had fruits and vegetables around. Plus, my grandfather and my father and my mother worked at the family business for decades. So that was a big part of my upbringing and I think inculcated a strong interest in food and farming and eating.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=15.56,89.3"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah, right. I was going to ask you — that was going to be my next question, actually, about the produce business. What kind of vegetables or produce was your family involved in?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=89.3,100.78"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e The Chungking Produce Company was a combination of a conventional wholesaler and some specialization in Chinese vegetables. So in other words, they had conventional produce, such as, say, apples or oranges. But they specialized in developing relationships with the network of Chinese American farmers, especially if they were producing specialty vegetables like bok choy or other vegetables. And then they developed a specialty clientele of Chinese markets and Chinese restaurants. And back during the era when the business was operating, before it was easy to get bok choy if you operated a Chinese restaurant, say, in Massachusetts or something, Chungking Produce Company used to airfreight Chinese produce to far flung areas that were served by United Airlines and, in other words, provided relatively easy shipment of Chinese vegetables to both markets and restaurants on the East Coast.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=100.78,189.21"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e That's so fascinating. Were they working with local farmers here?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=189.21,192.93"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/10","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yes.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=192.93,193.25"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/11","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Oh I see.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=193.25,194.49"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/12","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yes. In the Central Valley, in the, you know, Inland Empire, wherever the farmers were. So there was a there was a kind of a network. In other words, Chinese growers, some of whom grew conventional crops, but also some of whom specialized in certain kinds of crops.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=194.49,219.41"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/13","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e I see. And so they sought them out, and then brought them.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=219.41,222.13"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/14","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yes.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=222.13,222.61"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/15","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e That is amazing. Because when you talk about California cuisine and the whole thing in the '70s, '80s, about things being local and seasonal, often that I feel like that part of the story gets missed.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=222.61,233.77"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/16","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. But also it's part of the story of many, many of the businesses and the produce business in those days were owned by Chinese Americans or Japanese Americans. But Chungking Produce was around long enough to witness the transition to Vietnamese and Korean immigrants taking over some of the produce business, probably continuing the same tradition of developing networks of both producers and customers. I assume—I've never actually researched this, but I'm just guessing this is true.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=233.77,276.07"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/17","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e That's really interesting. Do you know if they worked with them to plant specific crops? Or was it stuff they were already growing?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=276.07,284.95"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/18","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e You know, I was just a kid then, so I don't I don't really know. I'm guessing that there was some interaction. And my father used to go on regular weekend road trips to go drop in on the farmers; in other words, to maintain the relationship. And I'm sure they talked about things like this, although I kind of doubt that my dad got into the nitty gritty of, Yeah, have you tried this particular kind of choy? or I know a customer who would really who wishes he could really get... I doubt that he got down to that level of detail.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=284.95,322.69"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/19","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah, that's really interesting though. So you mentioned that you grew up with food. How did that shape you? Even before you became interested in in local politics or food or policy—did that shape the way you approach the world, in a way?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=322.69,341.17"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/20","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Well, it made me aware as I was growing up of the complicated route that produce takes to get to the market or to your table. I'm guessing a lot of other young people in California don't see that if they didn't grow up with it, so I think that's one impact that growing up with this kind of background gave me. Although, I wasn't willing to make the commitment to follow in my family's footsteps and take over the produce business, because while the family business provided an invaluable livelihood and supported me going through college without me working in the family business, like with many other immigrant families, the next generation went on and did other things and didn't stay with the family business.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=341.17,410.63"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/21","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Right, right. Did they want you to stay in the family business or were they happy?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=410.63,413.81"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/22","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e I think that there was a sentimental desire. There was that business, but also in the early '60s, my father and my grandfather were among the early co-founders of Cathay Bank, the first Chinese-owned bank. And I think there was another part that made them wish that I wanted to go in that direction. But I wasn't really interested in banking or in produce.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=413.81,437.65"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/23","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Right. So how did you end up getting interested in politics?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=437.65,440.57"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/24","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Oh, I think that it has something to do with growing up in the 1960s in the United States, at a time when many college students and even high school students were awakened by both the civil rights movement, the resistance to the war in Vietnam, and the understanding that this has something to do with decisions made by government officials who are elected by voters, and isn't there this whole electoral process? So I think that growing up in that environment, and even jumping into it to a certain extent in terms of —I remember going to my first anti-war demonstration when I was a freshman in college. I remember I've volunteered in political campaigns in high school. I even ran unsuccessfully as a, quote, progressive, unquote, candidate for student body president, but lost the election. I think that's sort of how I got into it. And my father, whose ideology was very different than mine, was a conservative Republican and my grandparents, my parents and others in the family were dedicated Nixon supporters, partly due to ideology, that is, you know, conservatism, anti-communism and all that. There's a story that my mother in the 1950s, I think, in early '50s, wrote a letter to Senator Nixon asking for a favor, asking for his support getting my grandmother out of China, who otherwise, because of the restrictive quotas, couldn't be reunited with her husband—my grandfather—here. And so Nixon did what senators can do. He introduced a bill to specifically exempt my grandmother from the quotas. It passed. And that enabled Grandma Woo to come from China to the United States. And on top of that, my grandfather, who was a real gentleman and tried to play by the rules, as a gift to to indicate his gratitude to Senator Nixon, sent a crate of fine China to him as a gift to show his gratitude for all he had done for our family. And Nixon's office sent the crate back with a very nice letter saying, Sorry, I can't accept this. I was just doing my job, and it would look improper. And was signed by his personal secretary, Rosemary Woods, who later became famous during the Watergate era because she was the secretary who took responsibility for putting her foot down on the erase pedal, erasing 17 minutes of the Watergate [tapes]—you know, the White House recordings. So there's this history. I think my dad met President Nixon once, but they didn't really know him. It was just my mother as a as a citizen sending a letter to Senator Nixon saying, We have this family predicament. Can you help us? And they agreed to try to help. So that was like another connection to politics of seeing what a government official can do to help people.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=440.57,684.68"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/25","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. Wow. That's a lot. What was your first political job? Were you an intern?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=684.68,698.36"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/26","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Oh, my. Yes. My first political job took place just a few blocks away from here. I was an intern in the office of state assemblyman David Roberti, who represented this area. But the way I found my way to him was by accident. I didn't know Roberti. Let's see, I had just volunteered in my first political campaign when I was a freshman at UC Santa Cruz and had had fun in the George Brown for US Senate campaign. He was the antiwar candidate in 1970. I was very active as a freshman. Instead of doing schoolwork, I volunteered and Brown lost the election. He was our congressman over in Monterey Park, where our family lived. But by virtue of losing the primary for US Senate, he gave up his seat. But I naively thought, Oh, if George Brown was a good person, then whoever would run to succeed him must be good too. So I called the office of the state senator who was running for Brown's congressional seat, a state senator named George Danielson. And his campaign office just said, Well, we don't need any volunteers here, but you should contact the office of Assemblyman Roberti because they always need volunteers. So not knowing anything about Roberti, I thought, Okay, I'll reach out to him. And they said, Sure, come on in. And I worked for the summer. He had an assembly off as district office right over here in Rowena Avenue, and it's now a chiropractic office. But I worked for the summer as a volunteer going out with Roberti with my little camera, taking photographs and doing mundane chores like running the Xerox machine, things like that. As a 18 or 19 year old. And so, I was kind of introduced to retail-level politics and going with Roberti to meetings and getting to know him. He was a young, up-and-coming member of the state assembly. He was probably about 30 years old then. I was, you know, like 18 or 19. You","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=698.36,838.79"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/27","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e all are so young, my goodness. Right.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=838.79,840.25"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/28","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e But he had been elected, and he rose rapidly after that. He ran for the state senate, actually, he ran for the senate seat vacated by George Danielson, who won George Brown's congressional seat. So it was like going up the ladder. And then he quickly became the senate majority leader. And so, like 4 or 5 years later, after I finished my undergraduate degree and after I finished my master's degree, he offered me a job working for him in Sacramento. And that then led to me moving to Sacramento, working as a legislative assistant. And that's the connection to the roast duck bill.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=840.25,886.39"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/29","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yes, that was a great segue.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=886.39,888.95"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/30","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e I mean, I worked on lots of different issues, but the roast duck bill came about because Irvin Lee, the owner of Grandview Gardens restaurant in Chinatown and a longtime Chinatown community leader—someone who was active in organizations like CACA, Chinese American Citizens Alliance, and small business organizations, Chamber of Commerce—he characteristically was very outspoken about how unfair it was that Chinese restaurant owners and deli owners had to pay these fines. He would bellow about how unfair it was—Chinese people have been eating roast ducks this way for eons, and you don't hear about Chinese people keeling over and dying because of the bacteria growth. But, you know, this was the state law and this was the county enforcing it. So, I was part of a local effort to deal with this by changing the state law, which was vociferously opposed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and other local health departments. But also there was support on the other side in terms of lots of restaurants and Chinatown organizations supported it. Restaurants put out petitions for their customers to sign showing that there's public [support], and this was a way of engaging part of the population that normally didn't get involved in politics and had no experience working on bills. And so, for my part, I think at the time I was based in Sacramento. I worked in Sacramento and in Los Angeles for Senator Roberti. But one thing that I did was, I literally drove a cooked duck from—there used to be a non-profit organization that was in San Francisco, Chinatown. It was a training program for Chinese restaurant chefs. And they roasted a duck, which I then personally drove from San Francisco Chinatown to the food labs at UC Davis, where there was some sympathetic researcher who agreed to do some kind of scientific test to measure hour by hour the growth and the level of bacteria that could be submitted as evidence in a public hearing.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=888.95,1052.02"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/31","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Right.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1052.02,1053.06"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/32","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e But the bill was actually—Roberti was the majority leader, which meant he was the author of many bills and many subjects, including many that were extremely complicated and time consuming. He didn't really feel the need to be the author of this bill. That is, he didn't really feel the need to get the political credit for doing this. And Art Torres was the state senator; Chinatown was in his district, and he loved the idea of being the author of the bill. So Torres became the author. Roberti really didn't have to do very much because—I could be wrong about this, but my recollection is that the legislators cared more about removing what they viewed as the inequity of this regulation than they did about the protestation of the public health officials that this was a bad idea. And so my recollection is the bill passed relatively easily. And then there was a banquet at, I believe, at Golden Dragon restaurant in LA, Chinatown, with the community celebrating the passage of the bill. And the man who was the director of the LA County Department of Public Health, you know, to be a good sport, he showed up for this celebration dinner. But he did say publicly that he didn't care what the law said, but he would never, ever, ever eat roast duck that had been sitting at room temperature for hours.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1053.06,1155.5"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/33","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Well, how did they square the lab results?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1155.5,1160.14"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/34","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e I think you could pick or choose which lab results you wanted to cite, because there could have been other lab results showing that with various kinds of food, that bacteria grow at a certain rate. So I think that even though we had this evidence from the UC Davis lab, they—the public health officials—probably had other evidence to support their food regulation standards.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1160.14,1199.68"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/35","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Wow. I had not realized that they were fining the restaurants and the butcher shops.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1199.68,1205.04"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/36","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yes.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1205.04,1205.44"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/37","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Because the only thing I read about it was the LA Times coverage of it, where they talked about the department bleaching the ducks and throwing them out, basically.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1205.44,1213.12"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/38","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Well, no, I specifically remember the owners, whether it's restaurant or deli owners, were vulnerable to receiving citations. In other words, like a parking fine. It was kind of a nuisance, and it probably meant that they had to throw out anything that was there any roast ducks that were there while the inspector was there. But then they went back to doing it the same way, because this is how roast ducks were produced. So it was like this endless cycle, and I think many of the restaurant and deli owners accepted it as part of the cost of doing business. In other words, you can't do anything about it. You can't stop the county from sending their inspectors. You can't fight the fines. So just pay it. But then go back and, the next day, roast ducks again and then months later, the inspector would show up again and they could get another fine. So the fine was not severe enough to put them out of business, but it was severe enough to cause loss of merchandise and things like that. I'm sure that the restaurant and deli owners thought, This is so stupid, but we have no way out, you know. So, the business owners felt like they were helpless. There's nothing they can do. The government doesn't care about us. And the government sends these inspectors, and we can't refuse to pay these fines. So in a way, it was kind of a case study of immigrant-owned businesses, people who are sort of on the edges of mainstream society, being vulnerable to official practices that seem arbitrary and unfair. But the owners were helpless to do anything about it.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1213.12,1333.55"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/39","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Right. What was your recollection of getting the assignment to pick up a duck and ferry it over to Davis?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1333.55,1339.75"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/40","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e No problem. I just did it. You know, staff members of legislators do all sorts of things like that. They do whatever is required, as long as it's legal to get the job done. And so the assumption was this lab study would help; otherwise, without it, the pro-regulation side would be able to say we're not against the Chinese restaurant owners, we just want to protect the public health. And look, here's all this evidence showing that you've got this preventable danger as a result of allowing the restaurants and delis to sell their ducks this way. So if we hadn't done it, then there might not have been any evidence showing another side.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1339.75,1393.81"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/41","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Right, right. As far as you know—again, I know you were an aide, but do you know if there were any actually complaints from customers about food poisoning or getting sick?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1393.81,1403.69"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/42","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Didn't know of any. But then probably the other side would have said that's only because—","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1403.69,1411.49"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/43","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e \"We did our job.\" Yeah.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1411.49,1412.59"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/44","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e That, or you don't hear about the cases where somebody got sick.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1412.59,1420.43"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/45","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. Right, right. You know, that law set a precedent for similar laws that passed later on for other types of food that didn't adhere to the health and safety code.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1420.43,1433.31"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/46","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e I'm not surprised.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1433.31,1434.31"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/47","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. Like, rice noodles that need to be fermented. Well,","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1434.31,1438.47"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/48","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e but, you know, the Torres bill—I don't remember exactly what the language was in the bill that did pass, but Irvin Lai wanted to actually broaden the list of covered foods beyond roast duck to other things that also were the subject of citations from public health officials. Like certain forms of dim sum, or some of the other barbecued foods. But I remember we had some kind of argument about that—that the roast duck language was very easy for legislators to understand. If you start to broaden this to other categories of food, especially if it's dim sum or other kinds of Chinese food, then we're going to have to get into all these complicated explanations for these legislators who may not know what you're talking [about]. Everybody sort of knows what roast duck is, but when you start talking about cheung fun or other things like that, how are you going to explain it, what are you going to do? Are you going to bring samples? And so I think we tried to limit it, but it could be that the law included references to other kinds of food. I don't remember, but I do remember we argued about it, and I think the inclination was stick with something as simple as possible in order to get this through.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1438.47,1530.67"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/49","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Wow, that is very funny. I became familiar with with this bill, because there was a controversy in Little Saigon about the rice cakes that are served during Lunar New Year, because if you refrigerate them, which technically you're supposed to do, you have to follow the health code. They just become really hard. They're not chewy anymore. I mean, they're rice cakes, right? And so all these Vietnamese delis would just leave them at room temperature, and of course, they would get hit for the same reason. And so there was this big controversy about what can we do? Like, is the department just not culturally sensitive? And all the inspectors on the record said some less than sensitive things about being an American, 'this is the way we do it here.' But it kind of went through the same process of—","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1530.67,1574.19"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/50","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e So was there a bill?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1574.19,1575.11"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/51","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e I think there is an exemption just for rice cakes.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1575.11,1577.51"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/52","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Only rice cakes.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1577.51,1578.43"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/53","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e I think Korean types of rice cakes as well are exempted from certain time and temperature requirements.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1578.43,1585.03"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/54","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Wow. Sounds like a parallel to—","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1585.03,1589.88"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/55","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Very much so. And I think that was very much an inspiration for later legislators and activists to lobby on these foods' behalf.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1589.88,1598.12"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/56","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Well, amazing.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1598.12,1600.24"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/57","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e That was amazing. What an amazing story. When you were elected to city council, one of your initiatives was to try to legalize street vending.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1600.24,1612.08"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/58","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Right.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1612.08,1612.6"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/59","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e And can you talk a little bit more about how that came about? I read that you were in New York for the Democratic National Convention. Yes.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1612.6,1621.36"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/60","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e It came directly out of my experience of going to the Democratic National Convention in summer 1988 and noticing that there were both street vending and outdoor dining opportunities that were not legal in Los Angeles. And part of this appealed to my urban planning background and thinking that the public environment in Los Angeles suffers from our outdated restrictions that made it not impossible, but difficult for both vending and restaurants on the sidewalk. So that was the origin of it, and it didn't have much to do with food in my mind, although food vendors were among the the beneficiaries. But this wasn't really the main motivation. The motivation had to do with the impact it could have on the vitality of street life. And so that's what led to it. And then it turned out that many or most of the illegal vendors in Los Angeles were Salvadoran or Nicaraguan or Central American vendors. And so we had to interact with these associations, the existing associations of street vendors. So what started out as more of an urban planning issue to me became a business regulation issue involving interacting with the Latino vendors, many of whom didn't speak English. And just like the Chinese restaurant owners put up with a certain level of regulation, but as immigrants, as people who didn't speak English, many of them just accepted it as the cost of doing business and didn't know what to do about it. So I started this as a city council motion, but ultimately the first version of a street vending program didn't pass the city council until I was already out of office. And Councilman Mike Hernandez picked it up after I left office in 1993. And I think the city council ended up adopting some kind of limited ordinance around 1994 or 1995.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1621.36,1787.86"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/61","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e What was your original vision? Because what ended up passing was just the creation of special vending districts.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1787.86,1795.62"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/62","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1795.62,1796.38"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/63","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Was that your original vision, too?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1796.38,1798.86"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/64","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e I think that we quickly realized that we wouldn't be able to pass a citywide ordinance and that there would need to be some way of scaling it down to something more like a pilot project basis. In other words, defining certain geographic areas, exempting certain locations, you know, for example, not being able to sell hot dogs in front of a sit-down restaurant that also served hot dogs. In other words, protecting rent-paying businesses from unfair competition. And that there would be certain areas that would be more tolerant of street vending activity more than other areas. But remember, the ordinance didn't pass while I was there. So I think that we didn't get very close to getting to that level of detail.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1798.86,1853.6"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/65","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. Did you anticipate that it would be that difficult to pass?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1853.6,1862.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/66","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e I don't think I had any sense of how hard it was going to be.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1862.0,1865.44"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/67","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. So you were you surprised by that?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1865.44,1867.68"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/68","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Well, many of the motions that I introduced as a council member were hard to pass. I remember my general attitude at the time was just because there isn't the support yet to enact an ordinance doesn't mean it's not worth doing. And so, we had various proposals at different in a range of feasibility, or matters that we knew were going to take a lot of time, require a lot of negotiation. One of the first controversies that I was involved in after being elected to the city council in a way set the stage for the street vending ordinance. And as an example of how things happen, I introduced the first resolution in the LA City Council declaring Los Angeles a sanctuary city.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1867.68,1928.37"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/69","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e That's right, yeah.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1928.37,1929.41"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/70","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e And this was because it was a campaign promise I made in 1985 when I ran for the city council. Somebody asked me if I would support declaring Los Angeles a sanctuary city. And I said yes because I wanted to get the support of this organization, not realizing what a political firestorm it was going to be. And then after I was elected, this man came back and said, 'Well, you made this promise. Are you going to do it?' And I said, 'Well, yes, if I made the promise, I'm going to do it.' And not realizing how controversial it would be, how much negative publicity it would draw, how hard it would be to get seven other members of the city council to support this. Although, having served my apprenticeship, working for Senator Roberti for eight years, I learned how to count votes. And after a number of months, I was able to line up eight votes on the city council to pass the sanctuary resolution, even though it was really purely symbolic; that is, it didn't really change any policy. It was more of a public statement, a controversial statement. But in a way, it showed me how to get difficult things done, but it also showed me sometimes these things are very challenging in terms of, you have to use persuasion to persuade somebody who doesn't look at the world the same way you do and get them to commit to support what you think is the right thing to do. So I had already gone through that. As I recall, the street vending ordinance did not come along until I think sometime in my second term. But I had already gone through this sanctuary resolution with some of the same players, especially the Central American immigrant rights groups who later would also play a role relating to the street vending issue. So I had that in my background. But because, unlike the sanctuary resolution that was primarily symbolic, the street vending ordinance was more difficult because it was not symbolic. It was actually going to have a tangible effect on the vendors, their customers, the businesses on the street. So that made it more complicated.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1929.41,2093.11"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/71","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Interesting. Was there a lot of public support for it, at least in your district? Was there a lot of public support for street vending?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2093.11,2099.23"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/72","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e If you mean support from somebody other than vendors? Mm-hm.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2099.23,2104.23"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/73","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e I would say very little, very little interest. I mean, when you're a councilman, it's just like being a state legislator: You can introduce a bill, you can introduce a council motion on anything. And for some things, there will be a lot of popular support or a lot of public interest or media interest. But for many, if not most, of the motions that a council member introduces, there's a little to zero interest. And so, I think that while there may be some council members who prefer to dedicate their energy to things that more people are going to notice or support, or there could be the other approach, too, that is, avoid publicity. Don't do anything that gets public attention. Just stick to things that are more nuts and bolts and non-controversial. There are different ways of being a council member. My recollection is there was very little public attention, with the exception of business owners who felt threatened by street vending and the supporters of the vendors, many of whom were not citizens or were not legal residents.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2104.23,2197.02"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/74","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Right. So how did you feel about the last few years when it has finally [been legalized] .","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2197.02,2202.18"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/75","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Well, sometimes I feel as if this is an echo of things that I experienced in the '80s and '90s.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2202.18,2210.7"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/76","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Wow. Yeah. When I was looking at a lot of the news coverage of your motion and the reaction, at least, again, from the business owners who were quoted and things, it really did feel like an echo of so much of the same things we heard in last five, six years as well, when there was the most current push, which finally did happen. So I was just really struck by the parallels. But","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2210.7,2235.4"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/77","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e also a lesson I learned was that— I recognized back then that part of the significance of me being the prime advocate for something like street vending or the sanctuary resolution was the fact that I'm an Asian American, not a Latino. And I thought that there was a kind of subtle message that this is more than a race issue, or race is only secondary here, and that it's possible for somebody with a different ethnic background to see the value or the positive advantages of a particular action. Because otherwise, there is a tendency in Los Angeles and in other cities for political issues to be interpreted in the form of political shorthand of saying, Well, they're doing that because it's good for African Americans, or it's good for Asian Americans, or it's good for Latinos. And for me, as a representative of a polyglot, diverse district, I thought it was important to try to cross over these racial lines. The same thing happened when, just a couple years later, in 1992, I became more and more vocally involved in criticizing the police department relating to the Rodney King beating and the actions during the 1992 riots. And then I was the first member of the council who called for the chief of police to resign after he made statements condoning the Rodney King beating. And I thought it meant something if it was me, a non-African American, who was in the lead on this issue. I think some members of the African American community and some of the LAPD reform advocates I think recognized that it was good to find a way to get this beyond the racial prism. I think this also, in a way, dates back to my involvement with street vending and the sanctuary issue.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2235.4,2393.12"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/78","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Wow. That's a lot. I know it passed after you left office—when you left office, did you have a sense of whether or not it would actually go forward? Did you think that it was possible it would just kind of fizzle out?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2393.12,2416.53"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/79","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e I didn't know.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2416.53,2417.13"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/80","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e You didn't know.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2417.13,2419.81"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/81","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. Because there were a lot of things that we left in mid-air. And the ability of a former elected official to influence what goes on rapidly diminishes. And so I just went on to other things and didn't stay involved with a lot of the things that happened.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2419.81,2443.33"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/82","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e I see. I realized that we should probably say, for the record, what neighborhoods you represented. Would you mind saying what your district covered? Sure,","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2443.33,2450.684"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/83","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e although the lines changed. But I started out with the district that included Hollywood, parts of the Hollywood Hills, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Echo Park, and a little bit of northeast Los Angeles, Elysian Valley and Atwater [Village]. And then after 1986, when the lines were redrawn, I lost some of the southern areas and the district moved out to the San Fernando Valley, with parts of Studio City, Sherman Oaks, more of the Hollywood Hills going west to Franklin Canyon. So the district changed a bit. In 1986, while the lines were up in the air, a majority of the council members picked me as the low man on the totem pole, literally changing my district dramatically in response to a Justice Department lawsuit requiring the council to draw a new Latino district. So they drew my house here into a new Latino district that later was represented by Gloria Molina. But it was a district that ran from Pico-Union to Chinatown to Mount Washington and a little bit of Silver Lake. So for about six weeks, I represented this Latino-majority district, including Chinatown, and I actually was able to start some things in Chinatown. But then, due to this twist of fate, my council colleague Howard Finn, an older man, literally dropped dead of a heart attack on the floor of the council, thus opening a council seat. And it meant that after six weeks, suddenly the council had another opportunity to redraw the lines and get out of the criticism that some of them had gotten for putting me into this Latino district. In other words, it would have resulted in a battle between an Asian American incumbent and very likely Latino challengers fighting over a newly drawn district. But with Howard Finn dying, that meant that a new district could be drawn without an incumbent. So suddenly, the lines change dramatically again, and I got back most of my old district, plus going further into the Valley and to the west.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2450.684,2624.87"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/84","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Oh my gosh. That also is a lot. Providence, works in very strange ways.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2624.87,2633.35"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/85","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yes. Right.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2633.35,2634.07"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/86","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e So part of your district was Hollywood. And so I want to ask you about the Hollywood Farmers' Market. What I understand about it was, it started in 1991. Is that something that had been on your radar? How did you come up with the idea to start a farmers' market?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2634.07,2652.85"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/87","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e It was a combination of factors. One is that there was a city funded program in Hollywood that was promoting business facade improvements; in other words, providing funding to upgrade or improve the facades of small businesses on Hollywood Boulevard, run by a woman named Pompea Smith, who happened to be an immigrant from Italy who had grown up in a town where there had been farmers' markets. The Santa Monica Farmers' Market already existed; I think it started sometime in the late 1980s, and it was a big success. But otherwise, there were not a lot of certified farmers' markets and the state programs encouraging farmers to sell directly—many of the programs that later came into existence did not exist at that time. But, there was definitely a rising level of consumer interest in buying directly from farmers. So Pompea had the idea of starting a market in Hollywood. It was necessary to find a location where a weekly market would not interfere with existing business. So that intersection around Selma and Ivar was literally almost dead on Sunday mornings. And so it was possible to avoid conflict with Santa Monica market on Saturday and have a market in a different geographic area that that was pretty far from Santa Monica. And also, frankly, from my point of view, while I didn't have any particular connection to farmers market traditions, it was in a way related to that same way of looking at the world that led me to get interested in street vending. In other words, another way, through temporary activity, of activating streets like New York and many other cities. They already knew that lesson. But at that time, there were not very many farmer's markets in Los Angeles. So as a council member, I could help by getting the permits for closing the street, getting free parking for customers in the city-owned parking lot where the parking structure now is on Vine Street and other ways of basically accelerating the approval process. I don't think there was any other farmers market other than the original farmers market on Third and Fairfax, but in terms of the proliferation of markets, that did not come until later. So running this market, starting this market in Hollywood was a big step in terms of showing it was not just some sort of niche operation in Santa Monica, and it was later reflected in terms of the diversity of farms. The Hollywood market is much larger than the Santa Monica market, so there was more room for expanding, and attracting farmers who didn't have a chance to sell through the Santa Monica market. And the customer base is very different. The prices tend to be a little bit lower in Hollywood. And the customers tend to be more diverse, more immigrants, more senior citizens, people on fixed incomes coming to the market for reasons other than why people go to the Santa Monica market. So I think we stumbled into something that now has gone on for so many years.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2652.85,2907.56"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/88","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e I know, it's amazing. I read an article where the Times that it was pretty successful from the start? Did you feel that way as well? Yes.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2907.56,2919.36"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/89","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e And another difference between SEE-LA and the Santa Monica market is that Pompea figured out a business strategy to enable the revenue generated by the Hollywood market to subsidize farmers market operations in other neighborhoods that could not generate the same kind of business activity. So in a way, it was like an internal subsidy that enabled other markets and also some of the nutrition and other food programs that SEE-LA ran at the time. But it's always a bit of a struggle, because it's difficult for the nonprofit entity to make choices. And by choices I'm referring to whether the Hollywood market is generating enough revenue to enable other markets essentially to run in the red. They're money losers. But how much money can the organization afford to lose? And there are frequent pressures to close some of the smaller markets, unless either the city comes up with more money for subsidy, or private fundraising efforts, or grant writing, or some way of economizing. But it's a struggle, accentuated by the fact that I think the Hollywood market has faced more competition from other markets. So I think that there are times when the Hollywood market is not generating as much revenue as it used to, you know, based purely on the percentage that the organization—now called Food Access LA—earns from the gross sales of from the market.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2919.36,3043.75"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/90","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. Because there was recent coverage about the Hollywood market.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3043.75,3046.11"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/91","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. And some people got scared, because I think one of the email messages that came out from the Food Access LA staff implied—","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3046.11,3056.59"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/92","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e It did! I thought it was in danger of closing.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3056.59,3058.45"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/93","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Many people interpreted—and then, even though I'm not on the board of Food Access LA, a lot of people reached out to me to say, Hey, is the Hollywood market closing, because I got the email. I think the Hollywood market is not in any danger, but it's more the traditional business model of the Hollywood market being successful enough to subsidize other markets: Can that still survive? I'm not sure.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3058.45,3088.57"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/94","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. Did you anticipate the market would be as successful as it was?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3088.57,3093.49"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/95","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e I mean, I had no idea. I had no idea what was going to happen.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3093.49,3098.13"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/96","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Was it hard to attract farmers? So you said that the farmers who couldn't have a space in the Santa Monica market, they were happy to have a space in the Hollywood market. So generally, it wasn't difficult to find farmers to come.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3098.13,3109.81"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/97","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e No. Although, at the time, farmers' markets were still a relatively new concept. So I think some farmers had to be talked into it or persuaded to come. Eventually I think some farmers realized, well, this is a really good business opportunity for them. But this doesn't apply to all farmers. I think for some, it's like a boutique that builds their brand identity. Although I'm sure making money is important too, but also that it's marketing, or a way to get their name out there that helps other parts of their business. But then there are others, farmers who I think are very dependent on doing well in the market. So a farmers' market represents different things to different farmers.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3109.81,3173.59"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/98","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. And I would imagine so much of that has changed over time as customers start knowing farmers as well. So it means something when it's on the menu that someone has, you know, Weiser Farms melons or something.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3173.59,3184.61"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/99","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Right. Although, you know, I've noticed that there doesn't seem to be quite the same level of farmer awareness among Angelino restaurant customers as in some other cities, where I have seen little table top signs, saying, we get our potatoes from X. You see that a little bit, but not very much.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3184.61,3215.93"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/100","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Interesting.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3215.93,3216.81"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/101","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e And were you around when SEE-LA tried to branch into owning and operating a seven day a week indoor market or store? A farm store?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3216.81,3229.73"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/102","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e No, I don't think so. When was that?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3229.73,3233.58"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/103","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Well, the idea was, when the space that was a Borders bookstore and then a drugstore, and now I think it's still empty. You know, the corner place at Vine and Sunset on the northwest corner?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3233.58,3253.18"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/104","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah, yeah, yeah.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3253.18,3254.5"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/105","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e That space.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3254.5,3255.18"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/106","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Oh, no, I did not know that.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3255.18,3257.14"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/107","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e I think that the owner of that building has had a hard time finding a regular, long term tenant. So at one point, modeled on what some other farmers markets and other cities have done, when I was still the chair of the board of SEE-LA, we tried to negotiate with the owner of that space to let us try to operate. But it required negotiating both with the building owner, who was skeptical, and with farmers. By this time, farmers were used to coming out to Hollywood on Sunday. Also there were negotiations that sometimes went on where SEE-LA would allow a farmer into the Hollywood market on Sunday if they also sold tomatoes in Watts or somewhere. Farmers tend to be less willing to sell in some of the smaller markets because they don't make as much money. But they really want to be in Hollywood because they know that they can do well there. So sometimes SEE-LA used to have to negotiate and say, Well, if you'll do Crenshaw, we'll let you into Hollywood, or this or that. So it was sort of the same thing they had to go on with, Hey, would you be willing to participate? And the idea to be something in Hollywood sort of like Grand Central Market, so it could have included some prepared food. But the idea was to be primarily a place to sell. It never came together even though Pompea spent a lot of her time trying to figure out how to do it. Do you know about The Farmer's Kitchen? I","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3257.14,3367.38"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/108","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e do know about The Farmer's Kitchen, yes. Yeah.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3367.38,3369.46"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/109","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e I just was talking to the architect who was the designer of the space, and I was talking to this local business, the owner of Crossroads of the World, who we persuaded to give a grant. He gave money to support The Farmer's Kitchen, and he's now 99 years old. He still owns Crossroads of the World. And he asked me just a day or two ago, Whatever happened to that space? He remembered he gave money for that. And I had to tell him, unfortunately, Farmer's Kitchen didn't work out. But there is, I think, some kind of juice?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3369.46,3405.18"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/110","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yes, I think there is something a little cafe-ish, juice shop there now?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3405.18,3411.36"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/111","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. People line up to get juice. Anyway, so I used to be involved on a volunteer level with lots of these little things where we sort of tried to build on the success of the Hollywood Farmers' Market. They sometimes didn't succeed.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3411.36,3429.52"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/112","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Okay. Some of these things are just really kind of ahead of the time, because I think about Cookbook market, for example. And that's what that's what they do, they bring in farmers market produce, and you can stop in any day of the week. And if you miss the Sunday market then you potentially you could find something there.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3429.52,3446.68"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/113","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. But I think cookbook stores are kind of risky. I mean, that long time store on Third Street eventually went out of business. Who's the man at the cookbook store?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3446.68,3473.22"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/114","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e The person who used to own it or...?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3473.22,3475.1"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/115","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3475.1,3475.86"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/116","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e I forget his name. Now it's owned by Jon and Vinny, but I forget who—. You","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3475.86,3480.06"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/117","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e mean the cookbook store?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3480.06,3481.22"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/118","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. Oh! Now Serving.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3481.22,3483.26"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/119","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. Now Serving.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3483.26,3484.3"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/120","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Now Serving.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3484.3,3485.38"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/121","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. Anyway—","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3485.38,3487.22"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/122","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Ken.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3487.22,3487.7"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/123","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah.  I think running a cookbook store is challenging.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3487.7,3501.86"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/124","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah, I was thinking of another produce shop. It's actually also called Cookbook, which is very confusing. Oh,","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3501.86,3505.78"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/125","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e yeah! I know that place on Larchmont and over here in Echo Park.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3505.78,3510.1"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/126","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Echo Park. Yeah. Right. So they carry farmers market produce. I don't want to take up too much of your time, but one last question, if you don't mind.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3510.1,3528.31"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/127","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Sure.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3528.31,3529.95"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/128","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e After you're working in the city council, your food policy work after that. Because I know you continued working with SEE-LA and I think you were also part of the LA Food Policy Council?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3529.95,3544.39"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/129","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Oh, no, I wasn't really actively involved.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3544.39,3547.59"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/130","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e Okay. Was there any other policy work that you wanted to touch upon after you left office? Nothing.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3547.59,3552.67"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/131","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Nothing that's really food related. Life has gone on and I've done other things. And I still go to the Hollywood market almost every Sunday. But I don't think there's really been any other food-related activity that I've been involved in.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3552.67,3571.15"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/132","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e But I think I've always found it very interesting the way you connect your urban planning, and that it also just happens to include a lot of these food policy things, because we are talking about public spaces and private spaces. It's not something that you necessarily anticipated in a lot of ways, but how do you see these two things in tandem?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3571.15,3594.45"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/133","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Well, to me, food is not an abstract subject, whether it goes back to my childhood and growing up in a family that was in the produce business to watching and observing the involvement, the impact of food on the physical environment. Just something I've always been interested in. And after leaving politics, I started cooking more. So I mean, I've always been eating, but not always cooking. And so that's been something different too.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3594.45,3635.37"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/134","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e That's fun.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3635.37,3636.41"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/135","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. That's","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3636.41,3636.97"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/136","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eTien Nguyen:\u003c/strong\u003e great. That's a great way to end it, actually. Perfect.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3636.97,3641.37"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/transcript/87405/annotation/137","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Woo:\u003c/strong\u003e Okay. Well, thank you fo","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3641.37,3643.87"}]},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Auto-generated Index (2025-09-26 19:02:18) [Index]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/138","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Introduction and Family Background","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=0.0,89.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/139","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Michael Woo introduces himself, sharing that he was born in Los Angeles in 1951 and is the first member of his generation born in the United States. He describes his family's roots, with his father immigrating from Guangdong, China, and his mother growing up in Stockton, California. Wu explains how his family's wholesale produce business in Los Angeles played a significant role in his upbringing, exposing him to stories about farmers, markets, and the importance of food in their lives.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Synopsis"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=0.0,89.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/140","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"The Chungking Produce Company and Chinese Produce Networks","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=89.0,322.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/141","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Woo details the operations of the Chungking Produce Company, which combined conventional produce wholesaling with a specialization in Chinese vegetables. The company built relationships with Chinese American farmers in California, sourcing specialty crops like bok choy and distributing them to Chinese markets and restaurants across the country, even airfreighting produce to the East Coast. Wu highlights the network of Chinese growers and the evolution of the produce business as new immigrant groups entered the industry.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Synopsis"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=89.0,322.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/142","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Impact of Family Business on Personal Outlook and Career Choices","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=322.0,437.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/143","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Growing up surrounded by the produce business, Woo became aware of the complexities involved in bringing food from farm to table. Although his family's business provided stability and supported his education, Wu chose not to follow in their footsteps, noting a common pattern among immigrant families where the next generation pursues different careers. He also mentions his family's involvement in founding Cathay Bank, reflecting on their hopes for his future and his own lack of interest in banking or produce.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Synopsis"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=322.0,437.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/144","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Political Awakening and Family Political History","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=437.0,684.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/145","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Woo describes how the social and political climate of the 1960s, including the civil rights movement and anti-war activism, inspired his interest in politics. He recalls his early involvement in demonstrations and campaigns, contrasting his progressive views with his family's conservative Republican leanings. Wu shares a personal story about his mother writing to Senator Nixon for help with immigration, resulting in a successful private bill and a memorable exchange of gratitude, illustrating the tangible impact of political action on his family.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Synopsis"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=437.0,684.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/146","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Early Political Experience and the Roast Duck Bill","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=684.0,1199.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/147","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Woo recounts his first political job as an intern for State Assemblyman David Roberti, which introduced him to grassroots politics. He later worked as a legislative assistant in Sacramento, where he became involved in the 'roast duck bill.' This legislation aimed to address unfair health regulations that penalized Chinese restaurants for traditional food preparation methods, highlighting the challenges immigrant business owners faced with government regulations.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Synopsis"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=684.0,1199.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/148","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Details and Impact of the Roast Duck Bill","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1199.0,1600.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/149","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"The discussion explores the enforcement of health regulations on Chinese restaurants and delis, including fines and the disposal of food. Woo describes his role in gathering scientific evidence to support the bill, the legislative process, and the community's response. The bill set a precedent for future exemptions for culturally significant foods, such as rice cakes, and illustrated the broader issue of immigrant businesses navigating regulations that did not account for traditional practices.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Synopsis"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1199.0,1600.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/150","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Street Vending Legalization Efforts in Los Angeles","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1600.0,1853.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/151","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Woo discusses his initiative to legalize street vending in Los Angeles, inspired by his observations of vibrant street life in New York. He saw the potential for street vending to enhance urban vitality and recognized that many vendors were Central American immigrants who faced regulatory challenges. Woo describes the process of introducing the motion, the need to balance the interests of vendors and established businesses, and the eventual passage of a limited ordinance after he left office.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Synopsis"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1600.0,1853.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/152","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Political Challenges and Sanctuary City Resolution","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1853.0,2443.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/153","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Woo reflects on the political difficulties of passing progressive ordinances, such as street vending legalization and the sanctuary city resolution. He describes the process of building coalitions, counting votes, and navigating controversy, especially when issues intersected with race and immigrant rights. Woo emphasizes the importance of cross-racial advocacy and the symbolic and practical impacts of his efforts, noting the parallels between past and recent debates on these issues.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Synopsis"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=1853.0,2443.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/154","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"District Representation and Redistricting","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2443.0,2634.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/155","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Woo outlines the neighborhoods he represented on the Los Angeles City Council, including Hollywood, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Echo Park, and parts of the San Fernando Valley. He explains how redistricting, driven by demographic changes and legal requirements, altered his district boundaries multiple times, even briefly placing him in a Latino-majority district. These changes affected his political career and allowed him to initiate projects in new areas, such as Chinatown.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Synopsis"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2443.0,2634.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/156","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Founding the Hollywood Farmers Market","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2634.0,3043.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/157","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Woo describes the origins of the Hollywood Farmers Market, which began in 1991 as a collaboration with Pompeia Smith, who brought experience from Italy and was inspired by the success of the Santa Monica market. The Hollywood market was strategically located to avoid business conflicts and quickly became a success, attracting a diverse customer base and providing new opportunities for farmers who could not access other markets. Woo's urban planning perspective saw the market as a way to activate public space and support local food systems.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Synopsis"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=2634.0,3043.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/158","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Growth, Challenges, and Innovations in Farmers Markets","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3043.0,3571.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/159","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Woo discusses the business model of the Hollywood Farmers Market, which used its success to subsidize smaller, less profitable markets and nutrition programs. He addresses the challenges of maintaining this model amid increased competition and fluctuating revenues. Woo also recounts attempts to expand into a seven-day-a-week indoor market and the Farmer's Kitchen, noting the difficulties of sustaining such ventures and the ongoing need for innovation in local food access.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Synopsis"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3043.0,3571.0"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/160","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Reflections on Food, Urban Planning, and Personal Life","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3571.0,3646.22933"},{"id":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322/index/90284/annotation/161","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Woo reflects on the deep connections between food, urban planning, and his personal journey. He notes that food has always been a tangible, integral part of his life, from his family's produce business to his work in shaping public spaces and food policy. After leaving politics, Woo found new enjoyment in cooking, continuing his lifelong engagement with food in a more personal way.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Synopsis"]}}],"target":"https://lapl.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2367/collection_resources/163841/file/298322#t=3571.0,3646.22933"}]}]}]}