To celebrate International Friendship Day last week, the City of Los Angeles launched the brand-new “Just Say Hello” campaign. It’s the newest chapter in the LA For All initiative aimed at promoting inclusion and combating hate. The campaign continues the work of LA Civil Rights Department “to advance belonging, inclusion, and anti-discrimination” across Los Angeles.
“In the face of rising hate and fear — especially in immigrant communities — ‘Just Say Hello’ is about choosing connection over division,” said Capri Maddox, Executive Director of the LA Civil Rights Department. “We’re reminding Angelenos that a simple greeting can be a powerful first step to healing, safety, and understanding throughout our communities.”
Los Angeles has always been a vibrant, multicultural city shaped by people from all corners of the globe. According to the latest information from the U.S. Census Bureau, 56.3% of Angelenos speak a language other than English at home. On the other hand, about 43.7% of L.A.’s population speaks only English at home.
Created to inspire kindness and connection among Angelenos, the campaign features posters and visuals now displayed across 80 digital bus shelters and throughout LAX terminals. The messaging appears in 11 different languages, reflecting the city’s cultural diversity.
The “Just Say Hello” campaign appears in the following languages:
- Russian: Привет (Privet)
- Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 你好 (Nǐ hǎo)
- Korean: 안녕하세요 (Annyeonghaseyo)
- Spanish: Hola
- Croatian: Pozdrav zdravo
- Italian: Ciao
- Japanese: こんにちは (Konnichiwa)
- Thai: สวัสดี (S̄wạs̄dī)
- Cambodian (Khmer): សួស្តី (Suŏ sdei)
- Vietnamese: Xin chào
- English: Hello
Angelenos and visitors to the City of Angels are encouraged to “break barriers” and “build bridges” by simply saying hello to fellow Angelenos. They’re also invited to spread the love by sharing photos and personal stories across social media by using the #JustSayHelloLA tag.
The campaign’s message is simple but powerful: “L.A. is for everyone. So, Just Say Hello to your fellow Angeleno.”