Culture as Infrastructure: Land Stewardship & Planning Tools Preserving Cultural Neighborhoods.

Ricardo Pozos is an Associate Planner. Ricardo supports public and private sector clients in community planning, land use planning, entitlements and permitting. He advises clients on long range planning efforts as well as developer led projects through all phases of the entitlement and approval process to ensure compliance with the regulatory process. His background in community outreach and facilitating meetings involving complex planning initiatives while involving several stakeholders with competing interests makes him a key player to achieving a successful outcomes.

During his 25-year tenure at Little Tokyo Service Center, Takao Suzuki has served in multiple roles, including community organizer, project manager, real estate director, and community development director, before being appointed Co-Executive Director in 2025. He currently serves on the board of the Little Tokyo Community Impact Fund, Esperanza Community Housing Corporation, and Mercado la Paloma, Inc., and sits on the Affordable Housing Advisory Council of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco. He also serves on the Housing Advisory Committee Member of the Los Angeles County Development Authority as an appointed Housing Commissioner for the Los Angeles County Supervisorial District 1. He holds a B.A. in Social Work from the California State University of Los Angeles and a M.A. in Urban Planning from the University of California of Los Angeles.

Alfred Fraijo Jr. is the founder and CEO of the Somos Group. He founded Somos to spearhead innovative projects for clients that require multi-disciplinary expertise in planning and law with the goal of reimagining urban placemaking. He specializes in managing the design and permitting of complex development projects for government and private-sector clients. Under his leadership, a team of planners and lawyers have developed some of the most transformative planning and research projects in urban communities, spanning commercial, residential, hospitality, and healthcare sectors. Prior to starting his own firm, Alfred was a senior partner at Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton, LLP, where he led the Real Estate and Land Use Practice team in Los Angeles and served on the firm’s Executive Committee. He serves on the Board of Homeboy Industries and is the founder of Inclusive Action for the City Inc. Alfred has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a J.D. from Loyola Law School.