LOS ANGELES NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION TO FEATURE "AM I NEXT" CIVIL RIGHTS CAMPAIGN, SPONSORED BY CCF

Images of Angelenos supporting those taken in federal immigration raids will be projected onto Hall of Records building during NYELA.

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A major civil rights campaign using art to raise questions about federal immigration enforcement will take the stage at NYELA, the massive annual New Year's Eve celebration in Gloria Molina Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles. 

The "Am I Next" campaign will project images of everyday Angelenos onto the Hall of Records as they pose the unsettling question of whether they, too, could be taken in immigration raids that have detained tens of thousands of people — including U.S. citizens — this year. 

The installation reflects NYELA's 2026 theme, "The Power of One." At a moment of heightened uncertainty—when questions of safety, belonging and civil rights feel immediate and under threat for many communities—the projection offers a moment of pause, solidarity and presence in a larger public gathering.

Echoing the belief that change begins with one person and one act, the installation invites viewers to reflect on the stakes of the present moment and to recommit to core American values of due process, equal protection and dignity for everyone.

"NYELA and Am I Next reflect the Los Angeles community we know and love—shaped by people from everywhere and bound by a shared belief in fairness," said Lucas Rivera, project director of Am I Next. "The 'Power of One' speaks to something deeply Angeleno: that each of us matters and that dignity and due process begin with recognizing one another's humanity."

The California Community Foundation, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes and the Japanese American National Museum — institutions committed to public reflection and democratic values — began projecting illuminated images of Angelenos and brief descriptions of those taken on their buildings in November. The installation will continue into the new year, expanding to sites across Los Angeles. 

NYELA is known as the largest free New Year's Eve celebration on the West Coast, attended by thousands of Angelenos. The event features live music on two stages, musical performances, interactive art installations, food trucks and the climactic midnight countdown show projected onto L.A. City Hall. 

For more information, visit aminextla.org.

Media Contact
Lucas Rivera
267-788-4294
[email protected]

SOURCE California Community Foundation