2022 Election Watch: California, Iowa, Montana and New Mexico
Summer is heating up and primary season is coming in hot. Check out these 46 Run for Something endorsed candidates that are on the ballot Tuesday, June 7th. Check to see if any of them are in your area and volunteer to help Get Out the Vote. We need all hands on deck to support these young, diverse progressives.
CANDIDATES
CALIFORNIA
James Hsuchen Coleman
California Assembly, District 21
James Coleman is a council member for the city of South San Francisco. James was born and raised in a working class family. His father was a Fed-ex worker, and his mother is a Taiwanese immigrant who works as a lab assistant at Kaiser. When James was 5, his father suffered a traumatic injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down, and his mother had to work two jobs to make ends meet. Growing up working class profoundly shaped his values. At a young age he experienced what it was like to fall through the cracks, and growing up he wanted to make sure that our government and our medical system worked for all of us, and not just the wealthy few.
In 2020, James saw how COVID disproportionately wreaked havoc on South San Francisco’s working families, in housing, healthcare, childcare, and our education system. He saw how the public health crisis of police brutality was not just a distant injustice with the murder of George Floyd, but a real and present issue in his own community with the killings of Derrick Gaines and Chinedu Okobi. And James successfully ran for city council to bring about the change and justice he wanted to see in his hometown, unseating an 18-year incumbent and becoming the youngest and first openly LGBTQ+ council member ever elected in the city. Now James is running for State Assembly with a clear purpose — Sacramento can’t just work for the wealthy and well-connected. It has to work for everyone.
Alex Lee
California Assembly, District 24
Alex Lee is the State Assembly member representing California’s 25th District. Alex is a progressive Democrat who serves on the Assembly Committees on Budget, Education, Privacy & Consumer Protections, Public Safety, and Transportation. He has a proven track record working on the affordable housing crisis, healthcare for all, and reinvesting in our schools & social services.
Prior to his election in 2020, he served as a Legislative Policy Advisor in the California State Senate and Assembly. Alex has called the South Bay home for his entire life. His family arrived in California when they migrated from Hong Kong. They found a new place to call home in Silicon Valley, welcomed by the bountiful opportunities and a strong Asian community.
In 2020, an election unlike any other, Alex’s grassroots campaign made history. Despite not taking any corporate, police union, or fossil fuel campaign dollars and despite being outspent 15 to 1, he won the Assembly race to represent nearly half a million Bay Area residents in his home community. He has the honor of serving as the youngest state Asian American, first openly bisexual, and first Gen-Z legislator state legislator in California history.
On day one of Alex’s first term in office, he challenged the entrenched special interests that block progress. He remains committed more than ever to make the systemic, bold changes we deserve to combat one of the greatest issues facing the Bay Area: the housing affordability crisis.
Jon Wizard
California Assembly, District 30
Jon Wizard is a lifelong public servant who has worked as a firefighter, dispatcher, and police officer in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo Counties. After an injury in the line of duty, Jon transitioned to public policy, first serving on the Monterey County Planning Commission and then the Seaside City Council. Following his transition from public safety, Jon worked for Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay and now serves as the policy director for the Campaign for Fair Housing Elements. There, he oversees the campaign’s work to support local residents and elected officials in shaping their community’s long-range housing plans.
In the California State Assembly, Jon will work to bring greater attention and state action to the shared water shortage throughout the district, support offshore wind infrastructure to ensure a future powered by clean energy, grow the skilled trades to support a green economy, and create more tools to empower cities and counties in approving more homes and combating homelessness. As someone who is also a parent of young kids and who has aging parents, Jon will focus on expanding access to childcare so that parents don’t have to abandon careers to raise a child, implement the Master Plan for Aging so that seniors are better supported as they enjoy their hard-earned golden years, and work with educational leaders to increase school funding and to end the scourge of youth homelessness by ensuring every student has safe and decent housing.
Christy Holstege
California Assembly, District 47
Christy Holstege works as a civil rights attorney and community leader and currently serves as the Mayor of Palm Springs. She was first elected to serve on Palm Springs City Council in 2017 as part of the first all-LGBTQ city council in the country. Christy was re-elected in a landslide in 2020, serving as the city’s first ever female mayor, the city’s first millennial mayor, and the first openly bisexual mayor in America.
As an attorney, Christy has represented hundreds of local residents, often helping people facing the most serious issues of their lives: tenants facing eviction, victims of discrimination losing their livelihoods, disabled clients thrust into poverty, domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, low-income workers, local non-profits and businesses, homeless clients, LGBTQ clients, seniors, veterans, Spanish-speakers, and minority groups seeking legal advice and assistance.
Christy earned a Juris Doctorate from Stanford Law School and a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from UC Santa Barbara. Christy is proud to live in Palm Springs with her husband Adam Gilbert, a small business owner and third-generation resident of Palm Springs, their new baby Aden born in October 2020, and their dogs Ollie and Layla in a home that their family has resided in for over 50 years.
Louis Abramson
California Assembly, District 51
Louis Abramson is a scientist and organizer in Los Angeles. He is running to address California’s existential housing and homelessness crises, which intersect deeply with climate change and mental health reform. In volunteering for his community, he has helped mothers with three-month-old babies, honorably discharged trans veterans, and seniors with broken bones get off the street. None of those stories has a place in California, but Louis believes that more will become true every day unless Sacramento steps-up.
Louis earned his PhD in astrophysics from the University of Chicago in 2015 and was elected to the Central Hollywood Neighborhood Council in 2019. He is the founder of the Hollywood Chapter of the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition and sits on the boards of nonprofits dedicated to ending food-insecurity and homelessness in Hollywood. During the pandemic, Louis’ work to feed seniors and count unhoused Angelenos was featured in the LA Times. If elected, he will be the third renter and the only professional scientist in the California State Assembly.
Louis lives in Hollywood with his partner Dr. Lindsay Young, a USC health communications professor.
Fatima Iqbal-Zubair
California Assembly, District 65
Fatima Iqbal-Zubair is running for State Assembly in District 64 in South Los Angeles, one of the most impacted districts in CA. She is a teacher from Watts, an immigrant, a mother to a son with special needs, current Executive board member for AD64 and Southern California Vice Chair of the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party.
Fatima decided to run in 2019 because her experiences and organizing particularly in education, environmental justice, housing and more led her to want to understand how well her representatives were acting on these and other issues. She was deeply saddened to find out the current representatives’ record, which was misaligned with what activists in the district have been fighting for, for decades. Fatima’s district has 25% of California’s oil and natural gas refineries, with many drilling sites being close to schools and homes.
Fatima wants to bring bold progressive change to California, that’s why she is the only candidate in the race that does not take money from corporations, police or real estate executives, is 100% grassroots funded, and received an endorsement from Bernie Sanders, among other coveted endorsements, in 2020. Fatima was the incumbent’s biggest challenger he’s had since he took office in 2014. Fatima is ready to win this in 2022 for the people of South Los Angeles who helped her receive almost 41% of the vote in 2020.
Bulmaro “Boomer” Vicente
California Assembly, District 68
Bulmaro “Boomer” Vicente was born and raised in Santa Ana. He is the proud queer son of Oaxaqueños immigrants. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2017, where he majored in Political Science and Public Policy.
After graduating from UC Berkeley, Bulmaro returned to Santa Ana and got involved in local issues around housing, immigration, and police accountability. Now, Bulmaro is running for State Assembly in California’s 68th district to fight for his Orange County community. With a strong track record of advocating for issues and winning against the odds, he will fight for affordable housing, economic justice, criminal justice reform, and equitable coronavirus recovery. He is running a grassroots, corporate-free campaign.
Paula Villescaz
California Senate, District 6
Paula Villescaz is a public servant and an advocate, with extensive experience in the fields of education, health care and emergency response. She was elected to the San Juan Unified School District Board of Education in 2016 and served two consecutive terms as president of the board during the pandemic. Paula is a first-generation high school and college graduate and she personally knows the impact that a good school, good teachers, and good counselors have on a student’s chances to become a successful adult. In her first term on the SJUSD Board, she led the passage of Measure P, a $750 Million bond, and the largest K-12 school bond on the ballot in 2016. Additionally, she increased access to rigorous academic programs for all students, and increased the number of counselors, social workers, and other direct student supports to improve outcomes for students. Paula also served 3 years as Assistant Secretary for the California Health and Human Services Agency, where she led statewide COVID-19 efforts and expanded access to health and human services programs. In this work she was on the front lines of supporting public health departments, schools, and communities to address challenges due to COVID-19. As Assistant Secretary, she prioritized equitable administration of key health and human services programs to reduce health care disparities. Paula is running for state senate to protect, defend, and improve public education, to increase access to high-quality health care, and to ensure a full COVID response and recovery for her community.
Aisha Wahab
California Senate, District 10
Before she could tie her own shoes, Aisha Wahab was placed in foster care after her father was brutally murdered, a case that remains unsolved, and her mother died at an early age.
Born in New York City to Afghan refugees who fled to the United States in pursuit of safety, Aisha was adopted by a family in Fremont, Aisha is one of the lucky few. Her family raised her with the values of hard work, perseverance, and community service. She grew up in Fremont, graduating from Kennedy High School, Ohlone College, received her B.A. from San Jose State University, and an MBA from CSU East Bay.
Like so many Californians, Aisha knows what it’s like to feel squeezed by housing costs, healthcare premiums, and student loan debt. Aisha ran for Hayward City Council in 2018 to upend the status quo and amplify the voices of seniors, women, children, and working families. She won her race and became the first Afghan-American woman elected to public office in the United States.
Aisha is running for State Senate because no one should have to get lucky to achieve the California dream. With investments in public education, a robust social safety net, and policies that support small businesses, that dream can be accessible to all of us.
Bryan Osorio
California Senate, District 16
Bryan Osorio is the Mayor of the City of Delano and a candidate for California’s State Senate District 16. As the son of immigrants, Bryan’s first-generation experience has served as motivation for his community involvement and advocacy. Bryan recognizes how families and individuals in the Central Valley are often overlooked in Sacramento. We have big issues but small solutions to our economic problems, poor air quality, water contamination, lack of youth opportunities, low educational attainment rates, lack of affordable housing, poor infrastructure, and public health disparities. Bryan believes in a healthy and sustainable future for the Central Valley, and he has fought and will continue to fight for progressive policies to ensure the Central Valley is a home our families can thrive in. Bryan is running for State Senate to bring a progressive voice to Sacramento on behalf of the Central Valley.
Devin T. Murphy
Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder
Devin T. Murphy is running for Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder because he believes we must fight for the survival of our democracy. Devin is a social entrepreneur, civic technologist, and serves as Mayor Pro Tempore for the City of Pinole. Devin is the product of a union worker and small business owner, and understands the value of hard work. As a child, he watched his mother, a social worker, advocate for the needs of vulnerable children, seniors, and families across California. This instilled in him early the values of service and making your voice heard when it comes to doing what’s right.
Devin’s work in democracy reform began at age 16 before he was able to vote. He pursued higher education at UCLA, where he was elected as Student Body President. Devin has spent his professional career advocating for climate justice, democracy reform, tech equity, equitable development, and criminal justice reform. In 2018, he was selected as a Technology & Democracy Fellow by the Harvard University Ash Center for Democracy Governance & Innovation to explore technology’s role in advancing democratic institutions and help Americans‚ especially young people‚ build crucial technological skills. In November 2020, he was elected to the Pinole City Council, receiving the highest number of votes in Pinole’s history. He received DFA’s endorsement. Since being elected, Devin has championed participatory budgeting, strategic planning centered around equitable economic development, and regional climate action. Beyond his public service, Devin leads a team of technologists who work with government agencies and non-governmental organizations to help communities navigate social safety net programs, voting, and COVID-19 vaccination and testing.
Elen Asatryan
Glendale City Council, At-Large
Elen Asatryan is a community organizer, and a small business owner who has invested a majority of her life into Glendale and its challenges. Her involvement in her community began over 20 years ago in middle school, when she took to the School Board and then City Council to address discrimination issues at her school and in her city. At age 16, she volunteered on her first campaign, and by age 19, successfully served as campaign manager for a local election in Glendale. These experiences paved the way for a long career leading successful political campaigns and grassroots movements.
Some of Elen’s accomplishments include: ensuring equal access and representation at government entities; creating public policy fellowship and internship programs for students; establishing the Glendale Domestic Violence Task Force; and expanding green space and access to programs for low-income and marginalized communities.
Elen’s commitment to her community and civic engagement, in general, is evident in the years she has dedicated to serving on various boards of local and regional organizations including: chair of the City of Glendale Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission, board member of the Glendale Youth Alliance, Glendale Community Police Partnership Advisory Committee, LA County Voter Outreach Committee, and many more. She is currently an elected member of the LACDP as well as a DSCC member. Elen served as Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America — Glendale, then the Western Region, a grassroots public affairs organization devoted to advancing issues of concern to the Armenian-American community.
Cassandra Chase
Lakewood City Council, District 5
Cassandra is the daughter of Caribbean immigrants whose parents taught her the value of service and modeled the importance of being civically engaged. Born and raised in Lakewood, Cassandra Chase has worked diligently throughout her career to bring needed resources to her community and ensure a brighter future for our youth.
She is a business strategist and social entrepreneur who works to provide marginalized groups the opportunities and access they need to succeed. Through initiatives in education, leadership, and entrepreneurship she co-creates solutions that support under-served communities grow and thrive.
Professionally, she oversees a civic engagement nonprofit and is a co-founder of an education based organization that empowers the next generation of leaders through literacy and leadership programming. Cassandra is also a small business owner of a consulting firm that provides business development services to other small business owners.
Cassandra is running to serve Lakewood as its first city council member to live in East Lakewood. She centers wellness, community and collaboration. As Lakewood’s next city councilwoman she will work to address the needs of the community by investing in infrastructure, expanding access to parks and increasing transparency in local government.
Marina A. Torres
Los Angeles City Attorney
Marina Torres is a federal corruption prosecutor, a former Obama alum, and a first-generation child of formerly undocumented parents from Mexico.
She is running to be Los Angeles’ first female (and Latina!) City Attorney.
Marina’s identity and upbringing have informed her values, guided her career as a federal prosecutor, and differentiate her from her opponents.
Like many Angelenos, these issues aren’t abstractions to her — they’re lived experiences. Before she ever stepped foot in a courtroom, she grappled with the challenges of growing up in poverty, having incarcerated and homeless family members, as well as the looming threat of deportation.
She is a proud graduate of Stanford Law School and UC Berkeley, and spent a year as an AmeriCorps fellow in the fields of Illinois defending migrant farm workers against workplace abuses. She served as a political appointee under President Obama, where she was part of the team that crafted and helped implement the DACA program. As a federal prosecutor, Marina fights against corrupt public officials, tracks down money launderers and takes down international drug cartel rings. Her experience and tenacity makes her the most qualified candidate to tackle LA’s issues head-on.
Jimmy Biblarz
Los Angeles City Council, District 5
Born and raised in West LA, Jimmy is an educator, policy expert, and housing advocate. Shaped by his own experience with housing insecurity and eviction, Jimmy centers empathy and compassion in his approach to the homelessness and housing crisis. He is running for Los Angeles City Council District Five to get to the heart of these issues — no more short term fixes for lasting problems.
Jimmy earned his JD at Harvard Law School, and is currently finishing his PhD in Sociology and Social Policy. While at Harvard, Jimmy worked at the LA Public Defender’s Office, and fought the Trump administration’s cruel immigration policies and racist voter disenfranchisement efforts with Protect Democracy. Inspired by the progressive wins in Los Angeles in 2020, Jimmy decided to take on the fight himself.
Like much of his district, Jimmy is a renter, union-member (UC-AFT), and proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. He lives with his partner Harry, in Beverly Grove. He works as a faculty member at UCLA Law School. If elected, he would be the youngest member of the LA City Council, and the first LGBTQ+ member to represent District 5.
Dulce Vasquez
Los Angeles City Council, District 9
Dulce is a formerly undocumented Mexican-American immigrant, educator, and community leader who is running for Los Angeles City Council in District 9. If elected, Dulce would be the first Latina to represent the district and would be the youngest member currently serving on council, ushering in a new generation to City Hall.
Dulce is running in one of the poorest districts in the entire city. She’s running to increase access to housing, provide better access to public transportation, and to support small businesses and entrepreneurs of color. Dulce pledges to bring bold, new leadership to make Los Angeles a more liveable and equitable city for everyone and to bring transformative, progressive policies to the local level.
Hugo Soto-Martinez
Los Angeles City Council, District 13
Hugo is a lifelong Angeleno who grew up in South Central to immigrant street vendor parents. When he was 14, Hugo’s father sustained a back injury that left him disabled for life. Soon after, his mother left street vending and found a job working as a janitor at LAX and has been an active member of SEIU-USWW for over 20 years. For the first time they had quality health insurance, and her union wage helped stabilize the family in ways Hugo cannot begin to describe. As the second oldest, Hugo began working at a non-union hotel at the age of 16 to help make up for his father’s lost income and pay his way through college. A few weeks before graduating from UC Irvine, UNITE HERE Local 11 started a non-union organizing drive. While Hugo was in the process of multiple job interviews and prepared to go to Law School, he dropped everything and became heavily involved to win the union. A few months later Hugo and his coworkers won their first contract that included life-changing wage increases, family health insurance, a pension, respect, and most importantly a permanent vehicle to fight for change in the union itself. Hugo has been with the union since that victory. Outside of his work with UNITE HERE Local 11, Hugo also participates in his local neighborhood council and volunteers with SELAH to address the homelessness crisis, with the DSA-LA Labor and Electoral Politics committees, and oftentimes collaborate with other grassroots groups.
Bryant Odega
Los Angeles City Council, District 15
Bryant is an educator, climate justice activist, and working class renter running to represent the residents of Los Angeles City Council District 15. A lifelong Harbor Gateway resident, Bryant was born to hard-working Nigerian parents, his mother a home health nurse and father a taxi cab driver. He experienced family hardship after his father was detained by ICE and ultimately left the country back to Nigeria when he was almost 8 years old. His mother instilled into him the importance of education which helped him become the first in his family to graduate from college at UCLA with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a minor in Labor and Workplace Studies. Bryant has been on the frontlines of education equity and climate justice. He creates and leads enrichment programs that build character and healthy lifestyles for elementary school students. He’s also been fighting to halt climate disaster and create a sustainable society as an organizer with the Sunrise Movement. Bryant is running because we need more elected officials who are committed to tackling the crises working families face with the scale, urgency, and compassion required. District 15 has one of the highest rates of pollution and poverty in Los Angeles. Bryant is fighting to make Los Angeles a sustainable and livable city for all by fighting for a bold Green New Deal, Housing for All, and a Living Wage.
Thomas Allison
Los Angeles County Superior Court, Office 151
The foundations of justice are found in a balanced, impartial, and fair system that maintains the dignity of the people and the integrity of the system.
Currently, Thomas serves as a volunteer temporary judge. When people come into his courtroom, they appear in front of someone born in poverty, who experienced homelessness as a child and adult, and has been a victim of domestic violence. His life experience, legal experience, legal knowledge, and community service prepares him to be an excellent judge.
Thomas uses his diverse legal experience to help make balanced decisions. His trial experience and practice in family, criminal, civil litigation, and landlord-tenant make him the best-prepared candidate to take on any judicial assignment.
His experience as a legal professor at two community colleges, a university, and a law school prepare him to communicate complicated laws and legal decisions to people without experience in the law.
Thomas will use his knowledge from studying public administration at master’s and doctoral levels to ensure his decisions are fair and balanced for all involved.
Finally, his years of community service, providing more than 75 free legal clinics and more than 100 community engagement and education programs, informs his empathy and commitment to maintaining dignity throughout the Court process.
Thomas is committed to justice, devoted to law and is the best candidate for Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, office 151.
Lindsey Horvath
Los Angeles County Supervisor, District 3
Lindsey Horvath is someone who can rise to the challenges of the moment while tackling chronic issues. Her city enacted the strongest minimum wage and worker protections in the country while simultaneously being named the most business-friendly city in Los Angeles County during her time as Mayor. She initiated the city’s Aging in Place strategy, and she used community-based, culturally-appropriate, and locally-trusted solutions to address the homelessness crisis by connecting unhoused people with permanent housing and supportive services. Lindsey is ready to put her skills to work for people who are struggling in the 3rd District on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Lindsey Horvath was the longest- serving Mayor of West Hollywood, leading the city in 2020 and 2021. She was elected to the West Hollywood City Council in 2015, and previously served from 2009 to 2011. She serves the Los Angeles County region in a number of roles, including: Immediate Past President of the California Contract Cities Association (CCCA); Board Member for CalCities (formerly the League of California Cities); Board Member for the National League of Cities (NLC); Immediate Past President of Women in Municipal Government (WIMG) for the National League of Cities; and Executive Committee Member and Legislative & Regulatory Chair for Clean Power Alliance of Southern California.
Anna Slotky Reitano
Los Angeles Judge of the Superior Court, Seat 60
Anna Slotky Reitano’s background is in public service, representing the most vulnerable members of the Los Angeles community. As a trial attorney, Anna is in the courtroom daily. Her experiences in front of predominantly white, male judges with a background in prosecution highlighted a need for diversity on the bench. As a mother of two young children and a deputy public defender, Anna would bring a fresh perspective to judicial decision making. Anna is committed to ensuring fairness and justice for all, without bias based on income or education. Anna will treat all parties, victims, witnesses, and court staff with dignity and respect and promote equality from the bench.
Anna is the only candidate for Judge of the Superior Court Seat 60 who has experience using current laws to promote public safety through preventative measures. She has extensive experience working with social workers, finding mental health and rehabilitation programs, tackling housing insecurity, and fighting for access to services. A judicial officer must stay current on the latest changes in the law, including an understanding of how the law has historically been used to exclude persons through systemic racism and classism. Anna is committed to using her position on the bench to embrace new laws seeking to make the judicial system more fair and equitable.
Rex Richardson
Mayor of Long Beach
Long Beach provided Rex Richardson with an opportunity to put down roots and build a family. He bought his first home in North Long Beach, married his wife on the waterfront, and held his daughters for the first time at Long Beach Memorial Hospital. He’s spent every day making Long Beach a better place to live, work, and play for everyone. After serving as the Student Body President of Cal State Dominguez Hills, Rex Richardson became a community organizer with SEIU Local 721, helping blue-collar workers in South Los Angeles County. At age 25, he began serving as Chief of Staff to Councilmember Neal, where they brought neighborhood, labor, business, and clergy leaders together to improve economic conditions in North Long Beach.
In 2014, Rex won his City Council race with 73% of the vote and made history as the youngest member to ever serve. As the Councilmember representing North Long Beach, he has seen the power of residents uniting to create change from the ground up. He’s running for Mayor to bring this same spirit of unity and inclusion to ensure every person and neighborhood is provided the resources they need to thrive. Rex will work to deliver the resources our residents need to thrive with three major areas of focus:
-Navigating an equitable COVID19 recovery
-Addressing the root causes of homelessness
-Creating safer and healthier neighborhoods
Rex is prepared to lead Long Beach as its next Mayor and create a city where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Helen Tran
Mayor of San Bernardino
The daughter of Vietnamese refugees in search of the American Dream, Helen Tran was born in San Diego, CA and has lived in San Bernardino, CA since age 6. She graduated from Cajon High School in 2000. Helen is the first person in her family to graduate from college and received a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies with a minor in Education from the University of California at Santa Cruz.
With a lifelong passion for civic engagement, Helen began her career as an organizer for candidates for local, statewide, and Congressional offices. As a teenager at Cajon High School in 1999, Helen walked into a campaign office with her fellow Key Club members to volunteer. By the time she left for college, Helen had become a canvass director. After working throughout Southern California as an organizer, Helen moved back to San Bernardino in 2006 to be closer to her family. In 2006, Helen began working for the City of San Bernardino as the Executive Assistant to the Director of Human Resources. Ten years later, Helen became the youngest Director of Human Resources for the City of San Bernardino. She persevered through challenging political climates in City Hall, the financial crash in 2008, the dissolution of the City’s redevelopment agency, a newly adopted City Charter in 2016, and bankruptcy. Helen faced the City’s challenges head-on, and never stopped looking forward to what San Bernardino could be, while so many others focused on what it had been.
Alton Wang
Pasadena City College Board, Area 7
Alton Wang knows that public education, particularly our community colleges, opens doors. Pasadena City College played a key role in his family’s immigrant story, providing opportunities for both his parents when they came to America. Alton was educated in Arcadia’s local public schools, and is running for the Pasadena City College Board of Trustees to ensure that these doors can continue to be opened for future students and families as they were opened for him and his family. As an organizer, he drove record voter turnout among Asian American communities in California and across the nation to increase our political representation. As a policy advisor, he worked to ensure that all immigrants have the opportunity to succeed in America. Today, he advocates for expanding voting rights and fairer representation to guarantee that all Americans can access their right to vote. As a Trustee, Alton will pioneer a new vision for PCC that builds the college into one that is ready for our stronger future.
Brandon D. Lamar
Pasadena City Council, District 3
Brandon is a non-profit executive and social justice advocate running for Pasadena City Council District 3. Focused on upward mobility and system transformation, he has worked hard on the front lines of public safety accountability, affordable housing/ rent control, immigration rights, workers’ rights, and the advancement of equality and equity for all who live in Pasadena.
Brandon is running to make long-term affordable housing a reality and remove barriers working families experience. He is a strong advocate and champion for rent control.
Brandon has advocated and co-organized community efforts for the creation of the Community Police Oversight which was a community-based solution for police accountability. He has also worked across the United States on community-based strategies to help lower crime.
Amanda Cofran
Placer County Clerk/Recorder/Registrar of Voters
Amanda Cofran is running for the Placer County Clerk Recorder Registrar of Voters. She is a United States Air Force combat veteran, currently works for Oracle as an IT Business Analyst and previously worked for the Federal Government in Human Resources and Equal Employment Opportunity with responsibilities over budget and records management. Amanda knew she needed to run when she noticed that over the last 35 years only 3 people had ever held this position, and a woman had not been in this office in over 30 years. When talking to constituents, many did not know the Clerk Recorder Registrar of Voters was an elected position.
Amanda Cofran is ready to get to work for Placer County improving our data security against attacks foreign and domestic. She knows how critical this office is with responsibilities over our vital records, historical documents and elections. Ensuring the security and integrity of operations is vital. Amanda also will improve the transparency of elections to boost voter confidence in our election results. Finally Amanda cares about the community and will work to improve efficiencies in outreach programs and accessibility to office services. She will ensure we keep a satellite office open for rural communities when the main office relocates; She promises to revamp online services to improve accessibility for all of our community members; and Amanda will take care of the current employees by meeting their needs allowing them to have flexible work schedules so they can balance work and home life. Amanda Cofran will do what the incumbent has failed to provide: security, transparency, integrity and community.
Caity Maple
Sacramento City Council, District 5
Caity Maple is community advocate and candidate for Sacramento City Council, District 5. Maple spent her early career advocating on policy issues in the state Legislature and is most well known for her work on animal welfare and improving access to medical cannabis.
She is a small business owner and has been active in her local community for many years, including co-founding the nonprofit Solidarity of Unhoused People (SOUP) which serves unhoused residents in Sacramento. Maple has previously been the Vice President and Fundraising Director for the Fem Dems of Sacramento, Gubernatorial Appointee to the 52nd Agricultural District, and a Commissioner for the Ann Land & Bertha Henschel Memorial Funds Commission. She is currently a founding board member to the nonprofit WomenUp and the UC Davis Capitol Alumni Group, serves on the board of Wind Youth Services, and is a contributing editor for Sacramentality.com. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Davis.
Duke Cooney
Sacramento County Board, District 2
Duke Cooney lives in South Sacramento with his partner and daughter. He is a graduate of Sacramento State University, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Performing Arts Degree in Dance. While in college, Duke founded a fraternity for Gay/Biexual/ and Transgender men. Upon graduation, he began his career in public service. His early legislative roles within the California Assembly and Senate allowed him to influence solutions for issues ranging from disability rights, to fair wages for inmate firefighters and other workers. He currently works as a Policy Associate with Conservation Strategy Group, fighting for greater funding to support the environment and urban wildlife connection. Duke is in his last year of a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) program at McGeorge School of Law, concentrating in Trial Advocacy and Capitol Lawyering.
DeJonaé Shaw
San Bernardino County Supervisor, District 2
DeJonaé Shaw is a Licensed Vocational Nurse, small business owner, and community activist running for election to the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors District 2. DeJonaé grew up fast due to her mother’s drug addiction, and mental health issues. She rose above the negative influences that surrounded her to become her siblings’ protector. She took on parenting roles as a child to make sure her brothers and sisters were fed and succeeded in school.
DeJonaé knows a strong education and hard work, create opportunities to build a better life. San Bernardino County is her home. As a lifelong resident, she knows that together, we can work to bring true equity and opportunity to our communities, where families can thrive, small businesses can succeed, and where we all prosper.
Dr. Joel Day
San Diego City Council, District 2
Dr. Joel Day’s roots in San Diego District 2 run deep. His grandfather ended his service in the Navy here in San Diego after WWII. Joel met his wife, Lauren, in college at Point Loma Nazarene University. Their two sons, Bobby and Wesley, are the 4th generation of their family to call Clairemont home. And as a family, they attend First Church in Point Loma.
Having earned his PhD in International Politics and Comparative Government from the University of Denver, Joel has established himself as a leader and educator. He is a professor of public policy at UCSD, teaching international best practices of governance, and providing a foundation upon which to solve San Diego’s most pressing challenges like homelessness, housing affordability, and climate change.
Joel’s experience as a department director for the City of San Diego means he knows exactly which levers of city government must be pulled to get results. At City Hall, he managed community engagement, public safety operations, and led policy changes on police oversight. In early 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Joel stepped up to lead the city response — focusing on providing our vulnerable neighbors with healthcare, getting folks off the streets and into shelter, protecting critical city infrastructure, and extending support for struggling families.
Joel is committed to public service, to raising the standards of our city, and to ensuring working families have the same foundations of opportunity that allowed him to give back as part of a new generation of leadership.
Kent Lee
San Diego City Council, District 6
Kent Lee is a community-minded civic leader, father, husband, and first-generation Asian American who is running to serve on the San Diego City Council to represent District 6. He is running to advocate for equity and inclusion, housing attainability, and strategic infrastructure and public transit improvements.
Through the tireless efforts of BIPOC organizers, District 6 is now composed of over 40% Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community members and is considered the AAPI empowerment seat. As a son of immigrant parents who came to the United States from Vietnam and Burma, Kent’s life has been driven by a commitment to service and community.
With over 15 years of nonprofit leadership experience both professionally as well as a volunteer with multiple nonprofit organizations in San Diego, Kent is deeply rooted in the communities while having the experience and knowledge needed to successfully serve all residents of the district. Kent is a 15-year resident in the district where he currently lives with his wife Phuong, children Oliver (2) and Alynna (4), and their dog Lucky.
Joanna Rauh
San José City Council, District 3
Joanna Rauh is running for San José City Council, District 3. As a working mom, she wants to raise happy kids in a clean, safe, and thriving downtown San José, and to make sure that, when her kids are grown, they can afford to live there. Homelessness, public safety, and affordability are complicated problems and the solutions require collaboration and coordination among a broad spectrum of people and organizations. Joanna’s spent the last 15 years of her career leading negotiations, bringing people and organizations together, to overcome their differences and find solutions to complicated problems. She lives in the Vendome neighborhood with her husband and three children, just a few blocks away from where her great-parents lived when they immigrated to San José over 100 years ago.
Noelia Corzo
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, District 2
Noelia is a leader who understands her community, challenges the status quo, and delivers better outcomes. Her district elected her twice before to lead San Mateo County’s largest school district. Noelia is a single mom, a renter, a housing justice and immigrant rights advocate, and a law enforcement accountability advocate. As San Mateo-Foster City School District Board President during COVID-19, Noelia led her community through unprecedented times. As a social worker for people with disabilities, Noelia supported families of all incomes and backgrounds to connect them to services. Her experience has given her insight into her county’s safety-net services and where improvements must be made to make local government work for all residents in San Mateo County.
Sajid A. Khan
Santa Clara County District Attorney
Sajid A. Khan is a San Jose native and first-generation Muslim, Indian-American public defender and outspoken civil rights advocate running for Santa Clara County District Attorney.
Sajid has been a public defender for over 14 years. Sajid has fought for people’s constitutional rights and against systemic racism and mass incarceration, handling every type of case from low-level misdemeanors to death penalty litigation. Through these experiences, Sajid has learned the criminal legal system inside and out.
He is running for Santa Clara County District Attorney to build a justice system that protects the safety and dignity of all people in the place he’s called home his entire life.
Sajid believes Black Lives Matter and will fight the status quo of systemic racism and mass incarceration that fails to keep our communities safe.
As District Attorney, Sajid will invest in mental health services and other alternatives to incarceration that are proven to prevent violent and property crimes.
Sajid will honor survivors and address the root causes of crime to alleviate suffering, heal our community, and reduce recidivism.
Sajid will be an independent DA that holds police accountable when they violate the law.
When elected, Sajid will be the first person of color to serve as Santa Clara County District Attorney in the 172-year history of the office.
IOWA
Tavis Hall
Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors, At-Large
Tavis is a proud product of the Cedar Valley. where he learned the values of hard work & service from his parents. From going to ball games at Riverfront Stadium as a kid to working professionally to promote the small businesses that help define his community, he feels truly blessed to have Cedar Valley roots. My perspective was molded by a community dedicated to neighbors, forged by hard work & always ready to come together to improve the fortunes of future generations. My passion for the Cedar Valley is what has inspired me to run for County Supervisor. Other Iowa communities are having success when residents, city government and county government are all working together. We can definitely do more. I want what’s best for this place we’re blessed to call home and I’m ready to help make great things happen for the Cedar Valley and Black Hawk County.
Sam Wooden
Dubuque County Attorney
Sam Wooden is a trial attorney with more than a decade of experience. A fierce courtroom advocate with a history of handling high-stakes criminal cases, he has also fought for environmental protection, employee rights, and fair housing.
As Dubuque County Attorney, Sam’s top priority will be delivering consistent and equitable justice. He’ll strive to ensure that crime victims have a voice in the courtroom, and work closely with assistant county attorneys, law enforcement, and community organizations. Sam knows there are bad guys, but also good people who make mistakes: He’ll take a hard line on violent crimes, especially those involving weapons, and continue to champion rehabilitative and diversionary programs for non-violent offenders.
Sam and his wife Sarah live in Dubuque with their son, Jasper.
Dr. Megan Srinivas
Iowa House, District 30
Dr. Megan Srinivas grew up in small town Iowa as the daughter of two Indian immigrants. She is an infectious disease physician and public health researcher based in Des Moines, Iowa. Her research focuses on the social determinants of health and using public policy to overcome health inequities. She is leading a NIH-funded study analyzing legislative defunding of family planning health centers in Iowa and works closely with the World Health Organization to improve access to sexual and reproductive health care in resource-limited settings. She also partners with the Iowa Primary Care Association to advance hepatitis C care in underserved populations.
Dr. Srinivas was appointed by Secretary Vilsack as the youngest member on the Iowa State Board of Education. She is an American Medical Association national delegate, an Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity, a board member of Iowa’s National Alliance for Mental Illness, and serves on the Iowa Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission. During fall 2020, Dr. Srinivas chaired President Biden’s Iowa COVID Response Council. She has been an advocate for science-based COVID policies since the start of the pandemic and received InStyle Magazine’s 2020 “Bad Ass Women of the Year,” an award recognizing 50 women making a difference in US healthcare. She was named a National Minority Quality Forum’s 2021 40 under 40 health equity leader. Dr. Srinivas frequently appears on local and national media, including appearances with NBC Nightly News, MSNBC, CNBC, the Associated Press, The Hill, The Guardian, Newsy, and the Wall Street Journal.
Jaylen Cavil
Iowa House, District 36
Jaylen Cavil (he/him) is a community organizer and activist running for the Iowa House of Representatives in District 36. Jaylen’s commitment to social change includes working for various political campaigns, providing resources to underserved and marginalized community members through non-profit work, and leading the Des Moines Black Liberation Movement’s Advocacy team, which focuses on issues impacting Black Iowans at the local and state level.
Jaylen’s activism has taken shape on the ground at protests with community members as well as in the Iowa Statehouse advocating to lawmakers. At the capitol, Jaylen has pushed for legislation that would improve the quality of life for all residents, especially Black Iowans and other racial groups and marginalized people. Jaylen has spent his time advocating for increases in legislative support for public education, cannabis legalization, reproductive justice and is a strong advocate on decriminalization to better address the direct and basic needs of community members.
Jaylen Cavil, alongside community activists, was instrumental in pushing for an executive order in 2020 that granted voting access to tens of thousands of Iowans who were disenfranchised due to felony charges. He also worked towards the passing of A More Perfect Union; legislation intended to increase accountability within Iowa’s law enforcement. Jaylen will continue this activism as an elected official once in the statehouse.
Jaylen envisions an Iowa that prioritizes people over profits and enriches community members with solutions to improve their quality of life.
Tiara L. Mays
Iowa House, District 43
Tiara L. Mays is a candidate for State House of Representatives in Iowa-District 43. She is a mother, scholar, author, advocate and more. A dedicated scholar, Tiara is a graduate from Iowa State University and Purdue University. Tiara has a passion for healthcare, education and economic equity. She has worked several years in managed care contracting. Her interest in healthcare began in 2015 when her son was diagnosed with Autism and Intellectual Disability. As a single mother of twins she quickly learned that navigating the healthcare system to get services for her son would require research, dedication and persistence.
Through her continued advocacy for equity in education and healthcare for our state’s most vulnerable populations, Tiara was recently elected as the 1st woman of color to serve on the Heartland Area Education Agency Board of Directors. She also serves on the Board of Directors for several non-profit organizations: Red Cross of Central Iowa, Investing in My Future, Jungle Vine Foundation. She is also an active leader and member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. In 2022 Tiara was recognized by the Business Record as a Forty Under 40 Honoree for her contributions not only in her career but community as well.
Elinor A. Levin
Iowa House, District 89
Elinor wants to live in an Iowa that we can all talk about with pride, as we do when conversations come up about redistricting and gerrymandering, as she did when telling people that she was moving back in 2016. She wants to see Iowans take responsibility for the water and land that we send downstream and that we will leave behind when we are gone. She wants to ensure that people in this state are safe, well, and supported throughout their lives.
She has to be an advocate for compassion and reason in the forward movement of her community. As a communicator, she is eager to consult with experts to make well-considered decisions that improve the lives of her fellow citizens. Her fundamental belief in progress and community has been challenged and strengthened in the past years, and she firmly believes that she must employ her privilege and education to be a dynamic voice in the state’s decision making going forward.
Andrew Dunn
Iowa House, District 90
Andrew Dunn is an activist, nonprofit leader, and seventh-generation Iowan running to represent Iowa’s 90th House District. Andrew has spent the last decade organizing and fighting to address the most pressing issues facing Iowans, including the gun violence epidemic, threats to public education, the climate crisis, and an increasingly hostile environment for the LGBTQ community. He previously served as Executive Director of March For Our Lives Iowa, where he led statewide efforts to enact common-sense gun violence prevention reforms including universal background checks, mandatory waiting periods, and police demilitarization.
In 2015 he was appointed by the director of the Iowa Department of Human Rights to the State of Iowa Youth Advisory Council, where he served as chairperson and helped secure additional funding for public schools via the extension of the SAVE tax option. He also oversaw Council efforts that now protect LGBTQ minors from being subject to gay conversion therapy from licensed medical professionals in Iowa. In December 2021 he was elected to the Iowa Farmers Union board of directors, an organization dedicated to advocating for family farmers and the implementation of sustainable economic, agricultural, and environmental reforms.
He now resides in Iowa City, Iowa where he studies political science and is an active board director of the River City Housing Collective. When elected, Andrew will work tirelessly to build a Democratic majority, expand transparency in government, and strive to empower all members of his community to effectively participate in policy making.
Grace Van Cleave
Iowa Senate, District 17
Grace Van Cleave is a Small Business Owner, Community Advocate and has served Iowans in many roles including working for Governor Vilsack. She lives with her Partner John and their rescue dachshunds, Maggie and Molly.
Grace is running to give Choice a Voice. In the Iowa Senate she will be a champion for Reproductive freedoms. Economic Justice, especially for families most impacted by the pandemic. Child care and paid leave opportunities for ALL Iowans. Grace is here to help win back Democratic Power in Iowa and fight for justice for Iowa families and making sure small businesses thrive.
MONTANA
Jacob Torgerson
Montana House, District 81
Jacob Torgerson is a 19-year old candidate running for House District 81.
In 2021, Montana’s republican supermajority state legislature trounced the rights of minorities, municipalities, and individual freedoms at large. Jacob is running because he knows he has the energy to go up to the capitol every single day‚ champion the issues of working families, local governments, Women, and LGBTQIA+ folks‚ and fight hard to stop his state’s tyrannical republican supermajority.
Helena needs a fighter now more than ever‚ someone who truly understands the struggles of working people. That is why Jacob is running for House District 81.
Jacob is a gay urban Native American, who grew up in a working-class, blue-collar family of 7. He was born and raised here and is a graduate of Helena’s public schools, as well as an active organizer in the Helena community. Jacob comes from a family of small business owners and is a food service industry employee at a small business. Jacob is also in his second year as a student at Helena College.
As a legislator, Jacob will fight for:
1. Universal Childcare and Pre-K
2. Affordable Housing
3. Protections for LGBTQIA+ Folks
4. A clean and healthful environment for future generations
and so much more.
Jacob knows how much of a battle getting these things done will be, but he has dealt with obstructionists all his life, people who told him to go home early, to stop fighting because the fight looks too hard, or to bruising.
Jacob’s message to those detractors: You don’t get what you don’t fight for, and He is fighting for Helena’s Working families.
Andy Nelson
Montana House, District 98
From a young age, Andy was taught to give back to the community. He has lived by this principle for his entire life; giving back to the communities that raised him, that formed and shaped him, that taught him true morals, values, and what it means to be a Montanan. Andy is ready to work for the great people of this state he’s called home for his entire life, therefore, he is running for Montana State Legislature, House District 98. He is ready, willing, and able to fight with bold and fearless conviction in the Montana House of Representatives. As an out and proud gay man, Andy will be a strong voice for the LGBTQ+ community. As a person who has battled alcoholism and made the conscious decision at a young age to live a life of sobriety, He will advocate for better treatment options for those struggling with addiction, resources, suicide prevention, and access to mental healthcare. As a person who recognizes the many privileges that he’s had, Andy will fight for diversity, equity, inclusion, and for the marginalized communities who are too often overlooked and left out. As a Montanan who wants to see the next generations thrive, he will advocate for our children, for our schools, for our teachers, for affordable childcare, and for kindergarten readiness. As a renter and Missoulian who wants to stay, work and one day raise a family here, Andy will fight tooth and nail to keep Montana affordable.
Zooey Zephyr
Montana House, District 100
Zooey Zephyr is a progressive, bisexual trans woman who has spent her personal and professional life advocating for queer rights.
Zooey was born in Billings, Montana, where she spent the first decade of her life. After graduating from the University of Washington, she returned to Montana to attend graduate school at the University of Montana. Over the last seven years, she has also worked as full-time staff at UM, first in the Biology department, and more recently in the Office of the Provost.
In her work with the university, Zooey has helped programs on campus integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion practices into their faculty requirements. As an activist, Zooey has helped people who have faced discrimination navigate the bureaucratic processes required to access justice, and she has also worked with the city of Missoula, Montana to draft human rights legislation tailored towards making justice more accessible to people who have been discriminated against.
Zooey is running for office because she has seen firsthand the way the rights of marginalized communities are under attack in Montana, and she understands that if you want the legislature to create equitable laws for our communities, you need to have diverse voices in the room where the laws are being written.
NEW MEXICO
Nicole Olonovich
New Mexico House, District 12
Nicole Olonovich is a progressive Democrat from a large Hispanic family that has roots connected to New Mexico, predating statehood. Raised by two loving lesbian mothers in poverty. Nicole has spoken out against for-profit urban sprawl, predatory loans, blue hydrogen hubs, and spoken in support of a healthy environment, voting rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, low-income energy modernization, tenant rights, and access to behavioral healthcare for all populations. She sits on both the New Mexico Solar Energy board and The Green Amendment for the Generations national board.
Nicole recognizes for far too long the folks in her district, of south valley of Albuquerque, have been the forgotten shadow of the economic growth of the city. Her community sacrificed into consuming industrialized zones, urban sprawl, while being left behind and hurting. Reliance on infrastructure that is not just lacking, it is deadly. A lack of sidewalks, stop signs, stop lights, and absent irrigation at levels reprehensible. While other sides of town see economic bloom, her community is a food desert that lacks accessible public transportation, bike paths, lacks access to mental/behavioral health resources, and our children attend underfunded/overcrowded schools. Schools where gun violence can be found at the tips of teens’ fingers but sports, arts, or resources that are needed within the home are absent. It is because of her deep history as a proud Chicana, as a grassroots advocate, as a veteran that she has decided to step up and run for New Mexico State Representative for House District 12.
