Morning Brief: Guaranteed Basic Income, Reparations, And Vegan Hot Dogs

Good morning, L.A. It’s July 26.

This week, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors will vote on whether to test out a program that offers guaranteed basic income for a small number of low-income Angelenos.

The plan would provide 150 L.A. County residents between the ages of 18 and 24 with a monthly check for approximately $1,200 a month. The board moved to examine the possibility of such a program in May.

“It’s a faith and belief that families will always do what they can, and put their children first,” said Supervisor Holly Mitchell at that time. “This assumption that we should trust [families in poverty] less than any other income group is a problem.”

The vote comes at a time when guaranteed basic income is very much in the news, particularly in Southern California. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti included a pilot program proposal in his budget, in which 2,000 Angeleno families at or below the federal poverty line would receive $1,000 a month for one year, no strings attached.

Long Beach recently announced a pilot program that will give $500 a month to 500 single-parent families within the city’s lowest-income zip codes beginning at the end of the year.

And last week, the California legislature unanimously approved a statewide guaranteed income program — the first of its kind in the United States. Through the program, city and county governments can apply for a portion of the $35 million designated by the state.

It’s not clear how the state program would factor in to L.A. City or County’s proposed pilots.

Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A., and stay safe out there.

What Else You Need To Know Today

• Local Japanese American activists are calling for reparations for Black Americans.
• An emergency shelter for unaccompanied migrant children at the Long Beach Convention Center closed its doors two weeks ahead of schedule — which is good news.
• The author of a plan that would have kept tuition rising in the UC system has changed their tune, and hopes students will speak out.
• Thrills and nostalgia won out at the box office this weekend.

Before You Go ... Vegan Food + L.A. Sports

The new plant-based Dodger Dog from Field Roast.

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Courtesy of Greenleaf Foods

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Vegan and plant-based food is having a moment in Los Angeles.

Yes, it’s been happening for a long time, but the city is now seeing a surge in creative plant-based restaurants, and many eateries that aren't fully vegan or plant-based are adding substantial offerings on their menus.

But perhaps the most telling harbinger of change is the entrance of plant-based protein into the world of L.A. sports.