On September 16th, at Part 1 of our 2020 Endorsement Meeting, we voted to support the recommendations of LACDP for our local endorsements via consent calendar. However, 3 races were removed from the consent calendar for further consideration. These were LA City Council District 4; LA County District Attorney; and LA County Board of Supervisors District 2. We recessed the meeting in order to reach out to the candidates for these seats to give them an opportunity to tell our membership more about their goals for the community. As of 9/23/2020, here are the candidates who have completed our Candidate Information Worksheet to be considered at Part 2 of the endorsement meeting to be held Sept 30th, 2020 at on Zoom. You can click here for information on how to access the meeting.
Please note that we have not received any response from either candidate for LA County District Attorney.
LA City Council District 4
Nithya Raman
L.A. City Council District 4
Ballot Designation:
Homelessness Nonprofit Leader
Educational Background:
BA, Harvard College
Masters in City Planning, M.I.T.
Biography:
Nithya Raman is a Harvard and MIT trained urban planner. She’s fought to increase resources for slum-dwellers in India, founded a homelessness services nonprofit in Los Angeles, and served as the first executive director of Time’s Up Entertainment, an organization that grew out of #metoo activism. She lives in Silver Lake with her husband and twin preschoolers. She is currently a candidate for Los Angeles City Council in District 4, who has advanced to the November runoff with one of the strongest showings against an incumbent in LA history, thanks to the support of hundreds of volunteers.
Website: nithyaforthecity.com
Facebook: facebook.com/nithyaforthecity
Instagram: @nithyaforthecity
Twitter: @nithyavraman
David Ryu
L.A. City Council District 4
Ballot Designation:
Los Angeles City Councilmember
Educational Background:
David attended the Bravo Medical Magnet High School in East Los Angeles and went on to UCLA for his B.A. and then to Rutgers University to pursue a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration.
Biography:
An immigrant who overcame poverty and discrimination, David Ryu has spent decades on the frontlines of change – as a nonprofit leader, deputy to County Supervisor Yvonne Burke, and director at Kedren – the largest mental health and homelessness services center in South LA. As our Councilmember, David has authored groundbreaking laws to end corruption and homelessness, and protect us from the impacts of COVID.
Website: davidryu.com
Facebook: facebook.com/davidryu4u
Instagram: @davidryu4u
Twitter: @davidryu4u
LA County Board of Supervisors, District 2
Holly J. Mitchell
L.A. County Board of Supervisors, District 2
Ballot Designation:
State Senator
Educational Background:
University of California Riverside
CORO Foundation fellowship
Biography:
I am a third-generation native Angeleno, the proud daughter of career public servants who instilled in me a passion for service. Throughout the span of my 30+ year career I have remained focused on strengthening communities so that all Californians can thrive. I have gained expertise in creating policy and budget solutions for complex challenges that impact the day-to-day lives of residents. I have served in the California State Legislature since 2010. For the past four years I have served as Chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee where I helped shepherd four state budgets, each totaling over $200 billion.
Website: HollyJMitchell.com
Facebook: facebook.com/Holly4LACounty
Instagram: @HollyJMitchell
Twitter: @HollyJMitchell
Herb J. Wesson, Jr.
L.A. County Board of Supervisors, District 2
Ballot Designation:
Los Angeles City Councilmember
Educational Background:
B.A. History, Lincoln University (PA)
Biography:
I was born in a segregated Cleveland, Ohio into a family of two working-class parents, who taught me from an early age the power of a good education, the dignity of hard work, and the importance of giving back to the community. Throughout my life, including over 40 years in the Los Angeles region, I’ve taken these lessons to heart and have dedicated my life to advocating for the most vulnerable – lifting up financially struggling families, veterans, homeless men and women, and other disadvantaged groups.
I served as the President of the L.A. City Council from 2011 to 2020 and have represented District 10 since 2005. I’m the first African American to hold the position of Council President in the City’s history. During my tenure, I have presided over monumental policy initiatives making L.A. a better place to live, work and raise a family. Not only have local policies —which include raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2020, consolidating city elections to increase voter turnout, bringing the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic Games to Los Angeles, investing over $200 million in South LA cultural and parks facilities, and ensuring a social equity program for the cannabis industry— positively affected local residents, but in many cases the city’s actions have spurred state and national response as a model for similar policies.
Previous to my election as Councilmember, I served as the 65th Speaker of the Assembly from 2002 to 2004, becoming only the second African American to do so, and represented the 47th Assembly District from 1998 to 2004 which included the City of Culver City. I have been happily married to Fabian Wesson for more than 38 years and am the proud father of four sons- Douglas, P.J., Herb III, and Justin. I am a grandfather to four grandchildren- Patrick, Maileah, Tatyana, and Lincoln.
Website: wessonforsupervisor2020.com
Facebook: facebook.com/herbjwessonjr
Instagram: @HerbJWesson
Twitter: @HerbJWesson