Villaraigosa Is the Toast of the Gala

More than a thousand people turned out Thursday night to celebrate Antonio Villaraigosa, hours before he becomes the 41st mayor of Los Angeles, at a downtown gala that raised about $1.5 million for an after-school program.

A who’s who of the city’s political, business and development communities filed into the Music Center, where pale purple and white lights illuminated the trees and jazz music played in the plaza.

But it was the cooks, waiters and others working at the event whom Villaraigosa praised first as “the backbone of Los Angeles” in his prepared remarks.

“This is a night for celebration ... in that spirit, I’m going to save my speech for tomorrow,” when he takes the oath of office after a service at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and a walk to City Hall.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” a grinning Villaraigosa said. The podium was set up so that the white tower of City Hall glowed behind him as he spoke.

Officials close to Villaraigosa said Thursday that he would begin making appointments to key city commissions as early as today.

One of those, sources said, would be Mary Nichols to the Department of Water and Power Commission. Nichols is a former California resources secretary and a pioneer of the state’s environmental movement.

At the gala, Villaraigosa talked about the importance of after-school programs, saying, “That’s what tonight is all about.”

The event was a fundraiser for LA’s BEST, an after-school program at 130 public schools. Carla Sanger, chief executive officer of LA’s BEST, said about $1.5 million was raised.

Added to an increase in city funding of $1.3 million and a gift from billionaire Eli Broad’s foundation of $3.6 million, LA’s BEST will be able to expand to up to 10 schools next year, officials have said.

The gala’s master of ceremonies, actor Jimmy Smits, cited the “excitement in the air” and thanked other big donors who gave $100,000 or more: AmeriQuest Capital Corp., DreamWorks SKG, KB Home, L.A. Arena Co., Stephen Bing and Maguire Properties Inc.

“It’s a great way to bring everyone together,” former Mayor Richard Riordan said. “They’ll raise well over twice what I did” for the same program when he was sworn in.

“Tom Bradley would be smiling today,” said Councilwoman Wendy Greuel of LA’s BEST’s founder and former mayor. Greuel was one of many City Council members at the celebration.

About 1,500 people -- the men in tuxedos, women in evening gowns -- attended the gala. Natalie Cole performed.

Villaraigosa’s wife, Corina, wore a shimmery black, backless gown. Their 12-year-old daughter, Natalia, wore a floor-length, light blue dress.

From Washington came Mexico’s ambassador to the United States, Carlos de Icaza, who was mobbed by the Spanish-speaking media.

“It’s no doubt a historic event,” he said. “Living proof that Mexican American communities are integrated into this great country. Antonio Villaraigosa is a leader who will build many bridges between Mexico and Los Angeles.”

Tables were set up on the plaza for a dinner that included shrimp salad, herb-crusted beef, a chocolate raspberry dessert and a dark chocolate replica of the city seal.

Councilwoman Janice Hahn, sister of outgoing Mayor James K. Hahn, said with a bright smile: “This is the place to be tonight. It’s a great gala. We’ve got a new mayor.”

She added that the occasion was “very bittersweet for me,” but she stressed that her brother was fine. “I need a sign,” she joked. It would say, “He’s fine. He’s really OK.”

Even as the gala was about to begin, city workers feverishly prepared for today’s inauguration.

Minutes before 5 p.m., a worker removed the glass plate that announced the office of Mayor James K. Hahn and replaced it with one bearing the seal of the city of Los Angeles and reading in gold: “Office of the Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa.” Workers cleaned and painted the mayor’s office.

Villaraigosa, 52, is notorious for popping out of bed before the sun rises, but everyone attending the gala has to be ready for an early start today, coupled with traffic headaches that are expected to paralyze downtown this morning because of street closures.

Inauguration festivities begin at 8 a.m. with an interfaith service at the cathedral.

Villaraigosa has repeatedly trumpeted his desire to make his administration as inclusive as possible, and in keeping with that goal, the list of participants is so extensive that one political blogger known for his exhaustive coverage of City Hall events declined to print it, saying that it was “too long even for me.”

Somehow, the hourlong event is to include a Buddhist meditation chant, readings from Sikh and Hindu scriptures, a processional by the Gabrielino-Tongva tribe as well as readings by a rabbi, a Greek Orthodox priest and others.

After the service, Villaraigosa and his family, along with religious leaders and dignitaries, are expected to walk down Temple Street to City Hall for the inauguration.

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony is to give the invocation. Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is to administer the oath of office to the 41st mayor.

Virtually every elected and government official in Los Angeles is expected to attend. But they may be overshadowed by the likes of former Vice President Al Gore, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver, along with the mayors from Atlanta, Washington, Chicago and San Francisco.

Several Mexican government officials are also expected, including De Icaza.

Both New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his election opponent, Fernando Ferrer, are coming. After the festivities, Bloomberg and Villaraigosa are scheduled for a mayor-to-mayor chat.

In addition to Nichols, a person reportedly being considered for the DWP Commission is William Burke, the president of L.A. Marathon Inc. and husband of Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke.

Nichols was a member of the DWP panel from 1983 through 1985. She was removed from the California Coastal Commission last year by Schwarzenegger

For the Police Commission, sources said, Villaraigosa probably will appoint John Mack, who retired Thursday as president of the Los Angeles Urban League, and reappoint attorney Alan Skobin, a Hahn appointee to the panel.

Times staff writers Patrick McGreevy and Jeffrey L. Rabin contributed to this report.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Villaraigosa inauguration

Events schedule

8-9 a.m.

Interfaith service, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

9-9:30 a.m.

Procession on Temple Street to City Hall

10-11 a.m.

Inauguration ceremony, South Lawn of City Hall

- Presentation of the Colors: California National Guard

- Opening: Mistress of Ceremonies Maria Elena Salinas, Univision

- First African Methodist Episcopal Church Choir: “It’s Already Done”

- Pledge of Allegiance: Antonio Villaraigosa Jr. (son), Natalia Fe Villaraigosa (daughter) and Isela Silva (granddaughter)

- National Anthem :Guest

- Invocation: Cardinal Roger M. Mahony

- First AME Church Choir: “Lift Every Voice and Sing”

- Oath of Office: City Controller Laura Chick by Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown

- Oath of Office: City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo by Warren Christopher

- Oath of Office: City Council members by City Clerk Frank Martinez

- Oath of Office: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa by Judge Stephen Reinhardt, U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

- Inaugural Address: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

- Guest and First AME Church Choir: “America the Beautiful”

- Benediction: The Rev. Cecil “Chip” Murray, retired First AME Church minister

- Closing: Mistress of Ceremonies Maria Elena Salinas

11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Reception, Main Street between 1st and Temple streets

- Musical entertainment: Yari More Salsa Orchestra ,Kinnaro Taiko Ensemble, Niari Armenian Dance Group, Susie Hansen Latin Band, Francis Awe and the Nigerian Talking Drum Ensemble ,Pacifico Dance Company, Hannollim Poongmul Korean Drum Ensemble, Masanga Marimba Ensemble

Street closures

- Main Street between 1st and Temple, from 5 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

- 1st Street between Spring and Main, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

- Temple Street between Grand and Spring, from 8:40 to 10 a.m.

- Spring Street between 1st and Temple, from 8:40 to 11 a.m.

Parking

Shuttle bus service to inaugural events will be available from parking lots at Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 Grand Ave., and at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St.

Sources: City of Los Angeles; office of Mayor-elect Antonio Villaraigosa

Los Angeles Times