Event Description

The 2026 Luskin Summit, Building Power Through Local Solutions, will examine how California communities can build power to address vulnerability through locally driven policy action that advances equity and well-being. The Summit will emphasize that lasting change comes not from one-size-fits-all approaches, but from empowering local governments, institutions, and communities to shape solutions that reflect their needs and strengths.

Grounded in UCLA Luskin’s commitment to tackling society’s most urgent challenges, the Summit will explore how vulnerability is shaped by policy choices—and how power can be built through collaboration, accountability, and strategic action at the local and regional levels. Conversations will focus on how communities can leverage policy tools, data, and partnerships to translate broad goals into concrete, on-the-ground outcomes.

UCLA Luskin faculty and researchers will join policymakers, nonprofit leaders, and community partners to analyze the systems that influence everyday life and to identify opportunities for reform. This year’s discussions will examine the local implementation of SB 79, California’s new housing development law; community-centred responses to environmental challenges such as plastics and mega-events; strategies to strengthen transit safety; and approaches to addressing market concentration and intergenerational inequities—highlighting how building power locally can produce durable, equitable solutions across California.