Now is the time to heal and move towards transformative change for our diverse communities.
We need heart and we need action to address the moral crises of our times, but I believe we do have the solutions.
Vision for Council
District 10
Homelessness and Affordability
Homelessness is the moral crisis of our time in LA. Through my own lived experience of homelessness and as a Member of Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness, I know how difficult it is to recover from the trauma of not knowing where you will sleep. As the number of unhoused residents has grown by 10% in the City of Los Angeles in the past year, people are falling into homelessness faster than we can house them. We need a City Council that can do the tough work of preventative care – passing policies that stem or halt the flow of vulnerable residents out of their homes and into the streets.
My commitment as a City Councilmember is to invest in whole person care and the social safety net for residents to KEEP them housed. We need stronger tenant protections, increased living wages and access to quality employment, preserve affordable units, build a variety of interim housing solutions, and use the City’s influence in development to ensure housing is truly affordable. I will also increase street outreach efforts to diligently case manage each and every unhoused person in Council District 10 out of homelessness and into the next chapter of their lives.
Economic Justice and Ending Poverty
To improve the quality of life for everyone in Council District 10, we need to fight poverty and not the poor. I will drive toward economic development that generates local, living wage and union jobs, protects worker’s rights, and creates career opportunities for our residents. One job should be enough to live in this city. I will also advocate for expanded anti-poverty programs that provide basic needs, a safety net and financial relief for residents in need.
Additionally, our district is blessed with hundreds of small businesses run by women, immigrants and people of color, who bring services, culture and history to our neighborhoods. I am committed to preserving legacy small businesses and combating displacement of our small businesses through targeted business services.
Reimagining Public Safety and Investing In Neighborhoods
Long-time activist and Los Angeles native Aqeela Sherrills encourages us to reimagine public safety by recognizing that "Safety is not the absence of violence or crime. Safety is the presence of well-being and the infrastructure to support victims and survivors in a healthy way." I believe we can create a society where we can address crime and safety, while moving away from the model that leads with surveillance and incarceration. Instead, we can address disparity and create equitable access to resources as a way to prevent crime. As a community organizer and pastor in the Black Lives Matter movement, I have often called for a new moral imagination for how we can redirect “public safety” resources toward a truly safe community: one that has accessible mental health resources, community safety ambassadors, youth and senior programs, street improvements, healthy food access and gardens, public parks and green spaces. Council District 10 residents deserve consistent and quality city services to make our neighborhoods walkable, vibrant and safe, including street cleaning, traffic calming and more cultural programs for families, youth and seniors.
Democracy, Inclusion and People Power
Council District 10 represents the most diverse communities in the City of Los Angeles. I have built and led diverse multi-ethnic coalitions, and as a Councilmember, I believe every voice should be heard and respected. I view the city’s budget as a moral document, therefore I will invite residents and community stakeholders into a participatory budgeting process to ensure transparency and values of equity, fairness and reinvestment. I will work with city departments, nonprofits, faith communities, labor and community stakeholders to ensure community priorities drive investment decisions for Council District 10.
