Roots in the Real World

This petition isn’t just about native plants or city policy—it’s deeply personal to me. I want to dedicate this campaign in memory of my friend, Allen.

Allen lived a real, unfiltered life, and he faced tough struggles that a lot of people in our community go through. He wasn’t about polished pretenses, which is why the Humboldt Lily (Lilium humboldtii) feels like the right way to honor him.

This isn't a delicate, manicured garden plant. It’s a native lily that grows out of hard, dry soil, standing tall and enduring against tough conditions. To me, bringing this flower to Long Beach is about honoring that kind of real-world resilience—the strength it takes to keep going, and the memory of the people we've lost along the way.

May our “Lilies” grow strong.

Thank you all for being on this journey with me. Let's keep moving this campaign forward.