To Whom It May Concern:

I will be running for a second term to serve on the West Los Angeles Sawtelle Neighborhood Council (WLASNC). Unlike last time — when I ran in 2016 with the slate Sawtelle Six — I will be running as a solo candidate.

Since the beginning of my term, I have served as the vice chair of WLASNC. I also serve as chair of the Outreach Committee. Our council went through a restructuring and we have slowly grown into a strong and functioning board.

With a second term, I intend to expand the outreach of the Neighborhood Council in these challenging times. We need more voices involved in local decisions. I also wish to continue representing the best interests of Sawtelle Japantown, from its history to the future.

Voting takes place June 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West L.A. Civic Center/Farmers Market.

I founded Giant Robot as a photocopied and stapled zine in 1994 and grew the publication until late 2010/early 2011. Giant Robotmagazine reached a multiracial audience interested in Asian popular culture and became known as the premier magazine in the field.

I built on the success of Giant Robot?with stores and galleries in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. I have curated over 300 exhibitions not only at Giant Robot but also at museums and galleries across the country. Currently, I own and operate the Giant Robot store and GR2 Gallery in Los Angeles, which continue to offer pop culture goods and hold art exhibitions.

I hold a degree in East Asian studies from UCLA and currently serve as a board member on the West Los Angeles Sawtelle Neighborhood Council.

For more information, please visit www.ericnakamura.com.

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