Days before the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is set to officially open its doors, a different kind of public display took place outside its new Exposition Park location. Protesters from the Fair Games Coalition gathered, many wearing Jedi robes and Jar Jar Binks masks, wielding lightsabers. The group, fighting for stronger worker protections during major sporting events, made their presence known across from the museum with loud horns, drumming, and chants of “Sí se puede.”
The protest specifically targeted Mellody Hobson, who co-founded the billion-dollar museum with her husband, George Lucas. Hobson recently resigned from the Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee, LA28, with reports citing the demands of running the Lucas Museum as her reason. However, the Fair Games Coalition asserts that her resignation was a response to their requests for a meeting to discuss their concerns. Protesters gathered at the museum’s private opening party on Saturday night to highlight these issues.
Jessica Durrum, director of the Fair Games Coalition for the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, explained the campaign’s goals. Durrum stated they launched their efforts with "real, reasonable demands," adding that if the Olympics are coming to town, the group wants "lasting benefits for our communities."
The Fair Games Coalition, comprising over 80 organizations including United Teachers Los Angeles, National Union of Healthcare Workers, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770, and United Farm Workers, formed to advocate for improved labor conditions during large-scale events such as the Super Bowl and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Ahead of these events, the coalition is asking for employers to provide union and living wage jobs, funding for 50,000 units of housing for working families, a moratorium on short-term rentals, and protections for immigrant workers.
For many Southern Californians, the rising cost of living is a constant worry that major events only exacerbate. Gladys Avyla, a member of Unite Here Local 11, has worked as a cleaner at the W Hotel in Hollywood for 14 years. Several years ago, high rents in L.A. forced her to move to Victorville. Avyla expressed concern that upcoming major sporting events would further drive up living costs while her workload increases. She stated that rent and "everything is expensive," making "it’s hard living here." Avyla emphasized the need for a wage increase for the Olympics, noting that workers "aren’t treated like human beings."
The Rev. Gary Bernard Williams from St. Mark United Methodist Church, a coalition member, criticized Hobson’s departure from the LA28 board, seeing it as a way to "hide your head in the sand." Williams affirmed that the coalition is "not giving up," pointing out that Hobson "still has clout and still has a lot of power" in Los Angeles with the Olympic Committee. He voiced concern that significant funds would flow "at the top," with "very little money" reaching the workers who need it most. The LA28 board, a 35-person body led by Casey Wasserman, is tasked with planning and executing the upcoming Games.
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art itself has faced its own challenges beyond the protest. George Lucas's search for a permanent home for his museum spanned over two decades, involving land disputes in Chicago and San Francisco before settling in L.A.’s Exposition Park. The museum, which seeks to challenge traditional art hierarchies by showcasing commercial art, comics, and pop culture alongside works by artists like Frida Kahlo and Vincent van Gogh, is also currently facing a lawsuit from a contractor alleging unpaid work. This legal action has brought renewed attention to the land deal provided to the museum by the state of California.
The Fair Games Coalition has seen some success in its efforts. During this year’s World Cup, which hosted several games in L.A., Unite Here Local 11, representing workers from dishwashers to bartenders at SoFi Stadium, reached a tentative agreement with food-service operator Legends Global just days before the first match. Pastor Bridie Roberts, community organizing director at Unite Here Local 11, credited the Fair Games Coalition's support as beneficial during those negotiations. Roberts highlighted the daily struggles of their members to make ends meet while major tourism companies stand to profit billions from these events. She asserted that the games "have potential to bring real outcomes for working people," but only "if we fight for them."
LA28 and the Lucas Museum did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the protest or the coalition’s demands.
