The City Council Wednesday unanimously confirmed Domenika Lynch as general manager of the Department of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, making her the first Latina to lead the department.
Mayor Karen Bass nominated Lynch in July following the retirement of Arturo Chavez earlier this year. Assistant General Manager Edgar Garcia has been serving as interim GM.
According to the mayor’s office, Lynch will begin Oct. 20.
The department oversees El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument in downtown Los Angeles, an early pueblo or town established as a farming community in September 1781 by some 44 settlers of Native American, African and European heritage, according to the city’s website.
The site serves as a living museum, attracting two million visitors annually. El Pueblo is also home to Olvera Street, where visitors can visit restaurants and shops, and Plaza de Los Angeles, the oldest plaza in California, among other historic attractions.
Prior to the vote, City Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado urged her colleagues to vote in favor of Lynch, citing her “wealth of knowledge” that will help restore the monument.
“She brings a lot of optimism to this department, and the vision to make sure that not only is it commercially sustainable, but it also supports the rich history that it has,” Jurado said.
Lynch said El Pueblo is part of her own L.A. story. She said she often visited the area as a child in the 1980s and later as a University of Southern California student in the 1990s.
“It was a bustling marketplace where people went to create memories to really enjoy the ambience, celebrate family, food, and culture,” Lynch said. “It’s the kind of place that made you feel connected to the city of Los Angeles, and for me, it’s an opportunity to come back and tap into those memories and make it a place of belonging.”
Lynch serves as executive director of the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program.
Previously, she was President and CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, a national nonprofit dedicated to developing the next generation of Latino leaders, and as executive director of the University of Southern California’s Latino Alumni Association.
A USC alumna, Lynch began her career at Univision, writing in both Spanish and English about college access, financial aid and scholarships. Her professional background also extends into the corporate sector, with a leadership position at Bank of America and as a member of the Bank of America National Community Advisory Council.
“When I was hired at Aspen, we brought together different city leaders to think through what strategies could be deployed to maximize federal investments and to help build back the small business community,” Lynch said. “The experience around events and fundraising — that’s what I’m excited about because there are some really key things that we have to do.”
In recent years, El Pueblo has lost foot traffic and business due to the coronavirus pandemic, among other challenges.
“My vision is that El Pueblo becomes a campus of connection,” Lynch said. “I’m excited to work with the merchants, with the cultural leaders, with the civic community and so many of you here to ensure that we’re part of that reinvestment and re-energizing of El Pueblo.”
She asked each council member to visit El Pueblo once a month to break bread with the department, adding “your district has a tie to El Pueblo, let’s discover that together.”
Bass thanked the council for approving her nominee and said she is confident Lynch will prepare El Pueblo for major events such as the World Cup and Summer Olympics.
“El Pueblo is not only the birthplace of Los Angeles, but a cultural anchor with restaurants and small businesses right in the heart of downtown Los Angeles,” Bass said in a statement.
“Especially during this challenging time for immigrant communities, El Pueblo needs a leader who can marshal the resources needed to both preserve its history and also activate the living, working business hub and event space,” Bass added.