POLICY PLATFORM

South Central is a historically Black community with a vibrant and proud history. Central Avenue was once the heart of Black life in Los Angeles and the epicenter of the West Coast jazz scene. Today, that legacy lives on in thriving neighborhoods like Historic South Central, Green Meadows, South Park, and beyond. Yet for far too long, Black Angelenos have been let down by an affordability crisis that is pushing families out of their own neighborhoods, and by a city government that has too often failed to show up for them.

I’m running for City Council in District 9 to help build a safer, more affordable, and better-run city for everyone, because when the Black community thrives, Los Angeles thrives.

South Central has a rich artistic and cultural heritage that continues today. Historic South Central was once known as the “West Coast Harlem,” with Central Avenue as the heart of Black cultural life. The Dunbar Hotel hosted legends like Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald, and that legacy lives on through the annual Central Avenue Jazz Festival.

Artists are the heartbeat of Los Angeles, yet too many struggle to make ends meet in the very city their work helps define. We need a city that truly values creative workers, not just in words but in policy, by making Los Angeles more affordable for artists, using the district’s museums and cultural institutions to expand free and low-cost access for local residents, and bringing film production and good union jobs to our communities.

District 9 has a long history as a stronghold of labor. It was founded as a working class community and as the heart of the city’s industrial sector, and it remains a diverse, working class neighborhood today.

Decades of organizing in the community have made clear which issues have gone unaddressed for far too long. Deindustrialization and disinvestment have drained public resources from the district, leading to aging infrastructure, unaffordable housing, limited green space, and ongoing public safety challenges.

We must work closely with the city’s labor movement to make sure all workers in District 9, both union and non union, are respected, protected, and able to thrive.

Los Angeles has long been a beacon for LGBTQ+ people across the country and is one of the most diverse cities in the United States. South Central, in particular, has a powerful history within the LGBTQ+ movement as a Black and brown community. Council District 9 was home to Club Alabam, which hosted annual drag balls and helped anchor Los Angeles’s historic jazz scene. Our community has long been on the frontlines of building a more inclusive future for queer people.

Today, queer and trans people across the United States are facing an increasingly hostile political climate, with an authoritarian federal administration working to roll back hard-won rights. We must stand up against hate in all its forms and ensure that LGBTQ+ Angelenos, especially youth, trans residents, and communities of color, can live openly, safely, and with dignity.

Our district is home to some of Los Angeles’s biggest economic engines, including LA Live, BMO Stadium, and the Coliseum. These venues generate enormous wealth and attract visitors from around the world. Yet despite hosting some of the city’s most profitable events, Council District 9 remains the lowest-income district in Los Angeles. Too often, our neighborhoods are treated as a playground for the wealthy, while local residents see little of the benefit.

The 2028 Olympic Games will bring global attention and billions of dollars to Los Angeles. We must ensure this moment does not repeat the same mistakes. That means reinvesting Olympic and tourism revenues directly into the communities that make this city run by funding affordable housing, safe and accessible green spaces, and reliable transportation. At the same time, we must ensure workers are paid living wages, have strong union protections, and work in safe conditions.

Public safety means that all of us are safe when walking in our neighborhoods, waiting at the bus stop, going to the park with our families, and sending our children to school. It means having access to fully funded public services, well-maintained streets that are quickly repaired, and public spaces that are properly lit and welcoming. No matter where we come from, what we look like, or how we speak, everyone deserves to feel safe in their city and have a real chance to build a better life for their family.

I believe in a proactive, preventive approach to public safety that invests in what actually keeps communities stable: addressing poverty, expanding access to mental health care, and ensuring safe, affordable housing. Los Angeles already has proven models that work, and we should scale them by strengthening community-based violence prevention, improving police accountability, increasing street and public transit safety, addressing gun violence, and ensuring our neighborhoods are prepared for emergencies and disasters.

South Central has some of the most dangerous streets and longest commutes in Los Angeles. Cracked sidewalks. Faded crosswalks. Cars speeding by with no protected bike lanes in sight. For too many families, simply getting around can feel unsafe.

Everyone deserves to move through their neighborhood safely, whether they are getting to work, school, a doctor’s appointment, or visiting loved ones.

Safe streets will be a top priority, and that starts with how the City invests and plans. That means making public transit reliable, safe, and truly accessible. We must push for full implementation of our mobility plan, add protected bike lanes and bus-only lanes, fix our broken sidewalks and crossings, and make buses free.