The New Deal Slate

Elizabeth Clark

Hi, My name is Elizabeth Clark.  I go by Beth, she/her/hers.  I am Thai American and I am the proud mother of a 14-year-old boy.  My husband is Jamaican American.  I want my son to see tremendous changes in society so that I can feel that he is always safe, always has opportunities, sees a reversal of climate change and sees that everyone has a home.  I am also a teacher and want this for my students and for all children and adults.

I have been a teacher since 2005 and have witnessed overcrowded classrooms, schools without nurses and without counselors, and not enough desks and books for each student. Yet, right across town, there are schools with state-of-the-art equipment and buildings, small student-teacher ratios, quality Special Needs programs, and quality enrichment for all students that meet all student interests. A student's zip code should not determine their quality of education. Every child deserves a quality, top-notch PUBLIC education. These issues have emboldened me during and after our UTLA strike of 2019.  I felt it was time for me to move from the sidelines and become part of the machine to take action.  I am on the United Teachers (UTLA) of Los Angeles House of Representatives, Political Action Committee for Educators, UTLA Steering Committee, and Chapter Chair.  

Now I want to continue to support equity for all bybecoming an ADEM delegate.  It is also the reason why I am running with such an incredible group of individuals on the New Deal Slate.  It is important to have politicians and measures in place that will push for equity in society. I would like to help support the candidates and legislation that will truly create social justice, equity, and opportunity for all.  Let's show all of our children that they deserve the best.

We have encountered a time of opportunity.  Opportunity for change. It is time for us to build a state and a country that gives every person, every child, the right to have housing, food, a living wage,  access to quality healthcare, and access to quality public schools.  Everyone has the right to have access to a free college/university education. This is now the time for everyone to have access and equity, not only a few. There is no reason why some should have so much while so many have so little. Covid-19 has shown the disparities among individuals and communities. It is time we lift up our most vulnerable populations.  

I support Black Lives Matter, a Green New Deal, LGBT+ rights, free quality public education and college, affordable quality housing, a liveable wage, ending homelessness, student loan forgiveness, social justice and equity for all.  I will work tirelessly to serve my constituents to help us meet these goals.  I would be honored to serve you as an ADEM delegate with the New Deal Slate.  

Kyna Collins

My vision for what is possible for public education compels me to act. As a product of the Las Virgenes Unified School District & now a Nationally Board Certified Teacher with a M. Ed. in Leadership & Policy Studies, I believe that educational justice is social justice because the legal implications of policies created at the local, state, & national level are profound on those in public education.

Our decisions will have a serious impact on future generations. We must consider the safety & well-being of our constituents, whether it be issues of education, housing, transportation, climate change, healthcare, immigration status, gun control, LGBQT+ rights, familial leaves, utilities, discrimination, criminal justice, reproductive health, equal pay, or the insidious epidemic of racism. The intersectionality of these issues is as relevant to our community as they are in my classroom.

Trips to Sacramento and DC for educational initiatives such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act have given me policy experience. As an elected leader within United Teachers Los Angeles & the California Teachers Association, I have represented the needs of communities through the Racial Justice Task Force, protected collective worker rights in the Negotiations Committee, & taught anti-racism as the Women’s Coordinator for the Equity Team. Similarly, my continued advocacy has landed me the CTA Human Rights Award & several LGBQT+ grants. As a high school teacher, I’ve sponsored clubs & teams such as Future Democrats of America, GSA Diversify Our Narrative, & Mock Trial. As a participant of the English Learner Leadership & Legacy Initiative & a member of the San Fernando Valley Young Democratic Club, it is evident that I believe in empowering the youth.

Challenges throughout life have only made my voice stronger to fight for a more just society. With Black Lives Matter at Schools, we studied The Combahee River Collective’s “A Black Feminist Statement” which contains words that now define my life’s work & remind me that continuous advocacy is necessary to ensure civil rights for all.

As an advocate for racial & social justice, I know I can represent this community with integrity & passion. As a community member of Assembly District 50 for the last twenty-four years, it would be an honor to represent AD 50 as your delegate. Thank you for your consideration.

K. Latrice Gwin

I am K. Latrice Gwin, a proud lifelong Democrat, Los Angeles County born and bred, and a current 15 year resident of Mid City. I am a seasoned and experienced benefits communication specialist. I partner with public and private sector entities to educate their employees on their benefits options to make an informed decision for themselves and their families.

In 2018, I founded the United Empowerment Foundation. Our mission is to provide comprehensive, family-centered, community-oriented resources that support and enable children and their families. Through this foundation, I live out my passion for serving others.

I am fully engaged in my community and it's progression. I chair the Community Engagement Committee, an agency that provides culturally relevant, community-based services to children and families that preserve the family, prepare foster youth for successful emancipation, and strengthens the community.

I am a proud single mother of two. My daughter is an Airman serving our great country in the United States Air Force; my son is a sophomore in high school. Through these uncertain times, I am committed to keeping our family safe and healthy.

Your support will help cultivate the new leadership and ideas we need to re-imagine a more inclusive vision for 2021 and beyond. I am committed to doing the work in the California Democratic Party by working on the following issue areas:

• Affordable housing and homelessness

• Social justice and equity

• A sound and responsible COVID-19 response

• Rebuilding our economy

• Protecting our seniors

• Closing the wage gap

• Empowering youth and young adults

I'm a proud member of the New Frontier Democratic Club and the Black Women's Democratic Club. I am prepared and equipped to represent Democrats of the 50th assembly district within the California Democratic Party. I humbly ask you to support me K. Latrice Gwin and the New Deal Slate, and together we will build the party we all want to see.

Jennifer Miner

My name is Jennifer Miner, and I’d be honored to be a delegate for my assembly district. I moved to LA from NYC in 2003. While my kids were young (they are in college now) I worked as a travel writer and was thrilled to introduce them to different parts of the world, their cultures, people, history. This all changed in 2016 when I was shocked out of my complacency by the election results. I quit almost immediately and decided to change my life. Since then, I have joined Grassroots Dem HQ and Heart of LA Democratic Club, taken my family with me to marches, and once my daughters were in college, taken friends with me to marches. I organized a rally for the US Post Office (MoveOn helped a lot!) as well.

Before the pandemic, I organized and hosted several fundraisers in my home for politicians such as Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI) and Senator-Elect Mark Kelly (AZ). I continued to do these online since then, hosting and cohosting many, many “zoomraisers.” These included events for Ted Lieu and more afield candidates like Lauren Underwood, and Sara Gideon, Jaime Harrison, and others that sadly didn’t win their races.

In 2017, I became a founding member of a hyperlocal activist group, One Monday at a Time. We are currently writing postcards for the Georgia Senate runoffs. I’m also an active member of our Future Now Fund group, Red to Blue.

Back when I lived in NYC, I worked as a counselor (I have an MA and MEd in Psychology and was close to a doctorate). I worked with dually diagnosed homeless people and, later, formerly homeless people in Section 8 housing, along with being a counselor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice while in grad school. Something that has struck me, since the move to Los Angeles, is how much better NYC is in terms of planning and funding for the cities’ homeless populations. We donate to Jovenes here, which works to help young homeless people find safe and secure housing. I’d love it if LA could emulate NYC’s plans to reduce homelessness; it’s multifaceted but rooted in law, not just relying on nonprofits. Last, I was invited to join the board of the California League of Conservation Voters, and I will become said board member soon.

I now have many activist contacts, associates, and dear friends in my district and in wider Los Angeles. To be a delegate would be an amazing feather in my relatively newfound activist cap!

Lenée Richards

Hi, I’m Lenee Richards and I’ve lived in the Mid-City/Miracle Mile neighborhood of Assembly District 50 for five years. For me, the opportunity to serve as a Delegate is about ensuring we are more accessible and accountable to the diverse communities that make up the Democratic Party. 

I first got involved in the Democratic Party as a co-founder of the Black Los Angeles Young Democratic Club. Since then I have worked for progressive organizations and candidates, including Planned Parenthood Los Angeles and most recently, Holly Mitchell for County Supervisor 2020, where I served as the campaign manager. 

I am proud to be part of The New Deal Slate and with your support, look forward to advocating for the following priorities: racial and gender equity, environmental justice, investing in alternatives to incarceration and criminal justice reform, universal healthcare, affordable housing and more. 

I would be honored to have your support. Please vote for me and the New Deal Slate for AD 50. Thank you.

Pamela Sparrow

I am honored to serve our nations’ Veterans by managing one of their in-house clinics in West Los Angeles. Where I was presented a State of California Award in September for exceptional service during this Coronavirus Pandemic.

As a member of Foundation Fighting Blindness and Special Olympics, where I severed as a delegate to South Africa during the World Games here in Los Angeles, I continue to advocate for those of us with disabilities to have full access to independence through education, transportation, healthcare, training and sustainable employment.

I am a transplant Californian who has organizing in her blood. Growing up on the eastern shores of Virginia trailing behind my grandmother who secured sidewalks and streets lights for our neighborhood, I learned the importance of standing for those who either cannot, will not or are fearful to rise up and fight for themselves.

It is this foundation and tenacity of spirit that allowed me to serve as the Deputy Travel Director for the Obama | Biden re-election team in 2012 escorting over 10,000 volunteers to Nevada and as an Organizer (Las Vegas) and Regional Field Director (Inland Empire) for Secretary Hillary Clintons’ 2016 bid to be this nations’ first female President. 

Where in San Bernardino | Riverside Counties we turned out the largest percentage of first time voters for the primary in California.

I believe in equality, freedom of speech, full access for all and the right to live and choose the life you want for you and those that you love, no matter who that might be…

I am a proud Democrat active in the Black Women’s Democratic Club, West Los Angeles Democratic Club, New Frontier Democratic Club and Stonewall Democratic Club.

In addition, I serve on the People’s Council for the 37th Congressional District and volunteer with Team TO Resist and Rise. I traveled to Georgia to support Stacey Abrams and to Arizona to turn it blue this past November campaigning for now Senator Mark Kelly and the Biden | Harris team. 

Never quiet, I traveled to Georgia to campaign for Reverend Warnock and Jon Ossoff to take back the Senate. 

We are a diverse nation ever changing and I would like to see that represented in Assembly District 50.

I welcome your support and look forward to representing you!

Jessica Yas Barker

I was born and raised in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, and the melting-pot communities where I grew up shaped me into a curious and empathetic teenager. When my family moved into a significantly less diverse, less accepting neighborhood north of LA County, I experienced a jarring culture shock that influenced the way I felt about race, religion, and social justice for the rest of my life.

Since then, I have worked and volunteered on progressive campaigns throughout my teens and twenties, eventually landing my first real-world “gig” as a labor union organizer for healthcare workers in LA. This job taught me a deep respect for the work of community organizers and advocates, which I have used to push for changes around issues I care about, including homelessness, immigrant rights, gender equality, and access to quality education- including the arts.

I have been lucky enough to find a second family in the Democratic Party, serving two years as the San Fernando Valley Young Democrats’ President, during which time our club took leadership in pressuring local elected leaders to be responsive to the communities they served and to improve their policy positions when necessary. When I came forward in 2017 with my #MeToo story, I was relieved to receive immense support and allyship from the people I have come to know since joining the party at 18 years old. I now serve as a founding board member of Work Equity, a 501c3/501c4 working to build a national network of survivors of sexual harassment and assault through grassroots organizing.

Today, it is time for Democrats to take inventory of what it means to be progressive. We must remind Americans and leadership who we are fighting for and ensure that our actions affirm our platform. If elected as a delegate, I will work to build consensus among stakeholders and defend some of our most fundamental values: commitment to cultural equity across all genders and sexual orientations, accessible and affordable health care and educational opportunities, and policies that protect sustainability and environmental health for many generations to come.

In 2021, let us remind the country who we are in this state. California Dems must guide the principles of the Party at-large- one that stands for inclusion, fairness, equality, compassion, and empathy. We will lead together because we are stronger together.

Michael Barth

As a delegate, I hope to build on the work I’ve done as a Young Democratic leader l to support progressive policies and build up platforms against harassment and police money influence in politics. I have a concrete record of furthering these goals as former President of the San Fernando Valley Young Democrats. Whether it came to standing up to former party leaders and legislators who abused their status or rethinking paradigms on racial justice and demanding an end to tolerating police union campaign contributions from the campaigns we endorse, I was proud to join and lead with other young activists in pushing the envelope.

I’ve also been proud to work as a Field Organizer for Elizabeth Warren’s 2020 campaign and carry the flag for her message of big, structural change in the LA area while engaging in the essential fieldwork and volunteer building that strengthens our whole party. After Sen. Warren’s campaign ended, I took to heart her message to keep seeking righteous fights by co-authoring a statement with dozens of other Warren staffers to declare our new support for Bernie Sanders’ campaign in an act of progressive solidarity. And of course, while disappointed with those losses, I continued to act as a team player by organizing with the United Democratic HQ to fight for Joe Biden and our House Democratic majority.

In my activism, I try to keep myself grounded in the communities and people we serve. As a new attorney who’s worked in legal aid settings to advocate for low-income workers who have struggled with wage theft and consumer fraud, I carry those stories with me as well.

I humbly ask for your support.

Jasson Crocket

My name is Jasson Crockett, and I am running to serve as a delegate on behalf of AD50. I moved to Los Angeles over a decade ago to follow my passion of working in and on behalf of marginalized communities. I became a case manager with the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, where I helped at-risk youth and young adults earn their high school diplomas, and pursue post-secondary education, a meaningful trade or career, or some combination of the two. From there, I joined the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF), a national organization that provides lending and advisory services to mission-driven organizations. NFF allowed me to leverage my finance background for the good of nonprofit organizations across Los Angeles City and County, as well as other parts of the state and country. 

After several years at NFF, I joined Mayor Garcetti’s Office of Economic Development, where I am currently Director of Community Business, and manage business development for several key industries, including healthcare, tech, and sports. Our team brought an equity lens to our work with the private sector, which is why we started PledgeLA in partnership with the Annenberg Foundation, working to make L.A.‘s growing tech ecosystem a model for diversity and inclusion. PledgeLA has since created mentorship and internship opportunities for women and students of color interested in pursuing careers in tech and is in the process of launching a fund for founders of color. In response to the murder of George Floyd, I was part of the team that launched Mayor Garcetti’s RENEW Initiative (Racial Equity for Newly Empowered Workplaces), bringing leading companies throughout L.A. to the table to identify ways they can work to increase access to growing career fields for black and brown Angelenos, as a means of redress for years of racist policies that have coupled with police brutality to create suppress the potential of too many. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I have worked to support the small business community by helping them connect to state and local resources, navigate re-opening protocols, assess their PPE needs, and access pro-bono legal services. My team launched L.A. Optimized to help small businesses digitize, allowing them to keep their doors open during the pandemic. As the Mayor’s liaison to the healthcare industry I have worked closely with hospitals across the entire duration of the pandemic to assess their needs and gaps. I also worked alongside colleagues to raise funds to provide cash assistance to low-income Angelenos. 

With Cities, Counties, and the State facing unprecedented fiscal challenges, it is imperative that we continue to champion progressive causes; that we protect the most vulnerable among us from falling by the wayside as a result of the pandemic; that we keep eviction protections in place until the pandemic has fully subsided; that we double down on our commitment to reevaluating the role police play in society; that we uphold our promises to students and teachers, even among budget shortfalls. 

I have dedicated my professional career to service, and civic engagement. I am a member of the L.A. County Young Democrats, Black L.A. Young Democrats, Stonewall Democrats, and New Frontier Democrats. I would be proud to champion these causes in representing AD50. 

Aaron Ordower

I am an urban policymaker and political activist dedicated to finding solutions to the climate crisis and expanding access to affordable housing.   A Santa Monica native, I am running for ADEM to ensure the California Democratic Party reflects the progressive values of our district and that the party welcomes diverse voters into its ranks.

Young Californians are mobilizing in unprecedented numbers against racial injustice, the climate crisis, and for tenants’ rights.  It is time for the California Democratic Party to embrace these values, earn the trust of our youth leaders, and work together for a fairer, healthier, and greener State.

I have worked at all levels of government to advance a Green New Deal.  As environment and housing senior policy deputy for Los Angeles Council District 2, I develop policies to reduce our region’s dangerous reliance on fossil fuels, protect frontline communities from harmful pollution, expand access to affordable housing for working families, and create good paying, green jobs.  There is far more to do in tackling the climate crisis and bold action is needed across the State.

I have volunteered on more than a dozen local, state, and federal elections.  I worked as a field organizer on the 2016 general election, I spent a month doing voter protection work in North Carolina this Fall and just returned from canvasing to win the Senate in Georgia.  I am a member of the Sierra Club, the Climate Reality Leadership Corps, a Switzer Fellow for Environmental Leadership, and a member of Coro’s Lead LA initiative.  I have a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA and a BA from UC Berkeley.  I am a proud Jew and member of the LGBTQ community.

Mike Rose

Watch my video candidate statement here: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CI9Rxr6h0jr/

My name is Mike Rose and I’m a 27 year old political organizer in Hollywood. I’ve spent the last year volunteering on Nithya Raman’s City Council campaign and Bernie Sanders Primary Campaign.  I organized the first West Hollywood Canvass for Bernie Sanders in February.  After the primary I volunteered for Nithya’s fundraising team and as the social media organic outreach lead. Our message reached thousands of people across social media platforms and we beat the record for the most money raised for a city council campaign in a single filing period. The results of the primary and general election show that Democrats in AD50 and the state at large support progressive grassroots funded candidates.

Young people will carry this party into the future and we need to invite them into the decision making process. I moved to L.A. in 2012 from a small town in New York to attend Loyola Marymount University.  Since graduating in 2016 I’ve worked as a Freelance Casting Associate Producer on television shows.  As a freelance worker without guaranteed healthcare I know the urgency for Medicare For All.  As a renter I know the urgency for rent control.  As a gay man I know the urgency for LGBT+ rights.  As a young person I know the urgency for a Green New Deal and student loan forgiveness.  We need to support these programs not just because they are morally right, but they are also supported by the majority of voters under the age of 50.  I will never endorse candidates on any level who take funding from the fossil fuel industry, insurance companies, the pharmaceutical industry, weapons manufacturers, real estate companies, or Police PAC money because this is a clear conflict of interest.  

I hope to use my voice to continue to elevate progressive, diverse, and uncorrupted voices in the state like Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Ro Khanna, and Rep. Katie Porter. With major races coming up with the Senate and Los Angeles Mayor in 2022, we need the CA Dems to endorse and support candidates who represent our values and interests and reject corrupt campaign donations.   

David Silva

Hello, my name is David Silva,  I’m running in the ADEM elections in AD50.  I’ve lived in Santa Monica nearly 40 years; my kids attended the Santa Monica school system.   I am from a Farmworker background, my father was an immigrant my mother first generation Mexican-American, I have personally experienced the conditions of farmworker families living and working in poverty in California. I was highly motivated by the Civil Rights and United Farmworkers movements.

Voting Democratic all my life, I have been politically involved on the grassroots community level most of my active years.  I was a founder and organizer with the National Union of the Homeless training homeless people how to advocate for themselves. Training I received through the International Laborers Union.  Supported the National Nurses Union’s  fight for Medical for All (Universal Healthcare) !  Recently marching with BLACK LIVES MATTERS and Sunrise Movements, after the killing of George Floyd,   I participated in a number of local electoral campaigns and both Bernie Sanders Presidential campaigns!

I volunteer with the Poor People's Campaign, California Progressive Alliance. Fought against the water privatization effort in South East L.A.  Encouraged by friends and colleagues I decided to get more active with the Democratic Party and participate in the  ADEM elections.

Progressivism is on the rise defending democracy against the far right direction of  Trumpism and the centrist establishment Democrats, who have done very little for the neediest – while enriching the wealthy.  It’s time to elect progressives who will  not accept corporate funds(pack money), not afraid to fight corruption and focus on the basic needs of those struggling to survive!

I’m privileged to be part of the NEW DEAL slate in AD50!

The New Deal Slate is ready to put progressive ideals — like environmental regulation, defunding the police, universal healthcare, Housing as a Human Right among others, into action.

Please vote for me  David Silva and the New Deal Slate in AD50

It’s time for a real progressive change – Thank You

Joshua Smith

Assembly District 50, and indeed all of Los Angeles, is plagued by run away development, gentrification, and displacement. Irrevocable climate change is bearing down upon the region. Meanwhile, our local Democratic-controlled governments are burning over half of their discretionary budgets on wasteful police spending, instead of much needed services for our people. Angelenos of all stripes need help.

I’m running to be an Assembly delegate to represent marginalized, working class, and progressive Angelenos to the California Democratic party.

My goal is to help platform and communicate the priorities of our community’s leading thinkers and social justice organizations.

I’m a former Communications Director of the Democratic Socialists of America, Los Angeles, of Housing is a Human Right, and the recent Proposition 21, Rental Affordability Act campaign. I’ve held field organizing positions with Dan Brotman for Glendale City Council, Unite Here! Local 11, and Central Arizonans for a Sustainable Economy (CASE). My background is in art and media production and PR.

I’d be honored to help represent Assembly District 50 for the California Democratic Party.

Adam Wolman

Having waited in (inspiringly) long lines in Santa Monica to vote in previous ADEMs, I'm excited at the prospect of voting by mail this time — and of submitting myself for consideration.

For the past 11 years I've been VP, Communications for the Palisades Dem Club, having joined the board to stay politically engaged year-round. I'm an unabashed progressive and believe we need FDR/LBJ/Elizabeth Warren levels of sweeping reforms in every corner of American society and policy. I campaigned for both Sanders and Warren in the primaries and voted for one of them, he said diplomatically, then fought all-out for Biden/Harris and (D)/progressive candidates and props in the general.

Though bold solutions are key to remaking — and saving — the world, progress through compromise often beats stagnation through absolutism. That said, holding firm for a just cause can also be strategic. Did I just flip- flop? Nah, just saying that life is full of context-dependent nuances. Best to keep an open mind and treat all people with true kindness and their opinions, if fact-based, with respect.

Vigorous debates are healthy, but intraparty antipathy harms our cause. After all, it's the corporatist, oligarchic, fascistic, plutocratic, kleptocratic, entrenched power structure we're here to battle, not each other.

I've been co-manager of the Westside Dem HQ, co-chair of the PaliDems Political Courage/Human Rights Awards, and a Truman Award recipient. Have called, texted, postcarded, trained, registered, captained a bus, and had doors slammed in my face for campaigns in CA, NV, and FL. Serve as co-chair of the Human Rights Watch L.A. Film Club Committee and on the HRW L.A. Advocacy & Executive Committees. Spent a year as an elected DPSFV E-board member and as an alt to the PP Community Council. Have volunteered with CA Clean Money, Health Care for All–CA, the Center for the Advancement of Nonviolence, and Palisadians for Peace.

When not politicking I'm a creative consultant, having been a TV exec at HBO Digital, Disney/ABC, and MTV. First paid gig post-college was pretty non-Hollywood: speechwriter/lobbyist for MA Citizen Action, a Boston public interest org. Wife’s a comedy writer; our kids are in college in NYC after attending local public schools, and our cats are ruining the furniture.

TMI by now, so thank you very much for reading this, and for considering me to be an ADD.