I am a lifelong resident of the 57th Assembly District and a public policy professional that pursued my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Political Science and Public Policy. I have worked for nonprofits advocating for legislation advancing the expansion of utility-scale, renewable energy; for state legislators to provide information and resources to nonprofits, small businesses, community organizations, and residents; and, for city governments to provide constituents with assistance with local projects and programs.

I have dedicated my life as a public servant and policy professional with one goal in mind: making government easy to understand and navigate. I believe that being civically engaged is more than voting, it is understanding the ins and outs of the policy process and how we must work together to make policy that works for everyone. It is about conducting good outreach, being transparent, and arguing the costs and benefits from a data-driven approach that does not ignore the living experiences of communities that lack resources.

Policy and politics can feel frustrating at times, but by being clear, concise, and transparent, we can work to establish a platform and support communities to bring tangible change.

As a son immigrant parents, I have experienced first hand how hard work and commitment can get you ahead in life. I have learned that you have to meet life’s challenges head on and not take no for an answer–that there is always another way. This pandemic, however, has shown us that sometimes finding another way can feel virtually impossible. What I have learned these past four years is that when our communities come together and value one another, we can get through the most difficult times. That by helping each other we build the bonds that unite our community. As a delegate for Assembly District 57, I want to continue to lift up our diverse community and its vision for the future, not through words but through action. We must build on the opportunity that the future holds for us and we must remain resilient in the face of uncertainty, but we must do so by lifting each other up and finding solutions together. The issues are clear: evictions, food insecurity, loss of jobs, all these will be with us as we enter into 2021. It will take leadership to advocate for positive change with so many competing priorities; it is a challenge I am more than willing to take on. By supporting me and the Democrats United slate for AD 57 we will prevail.

My name is Christine Helen Salazar (pronouns she/her) and I am running for AD 57 DSCC Delegate. I have been a resident of Hacienda Heights for over 20 years, a parent of 2 children, a Community Activist, Co-Founder of the grassroots movement #HLPMovement, and now, newly elected Board Clerk and Area 3 Trustee of the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District.

For the past 2 years, I fought hard for community voices to be heard. And the one thing I learned (by experience) is that it’s hard to get in front of local representatives. Being accessible is key for any local official – how else are you going to represent your constituents to the best of your ability?

As a Trustee for my school district, I will be making good on that by having Monthly Virtual Town Hall Meetings.

But I want to take it a step further – running to represent my community in the California Democratic Party – 57th Assembly District.

It’s essential to elect delegates that are not only willing to represent everyday people, but also work to change and seek progress within it’s own party. Change is always happening and we all need to work together to make sure the people in power work for the people. We need to make sure we take Big Money out of politics, local officials should be representing the people and not special interests groups or corporations. We need to push for progressive policies for the benefit of all, for the future of all.

And it starts with electing delegates that not only can stand up for their communities, but help raise them up.

I hope I can count on your support!

I am a California native and the proud daughter of an immigrant mother from El Salvador. Growing up I never thought the issues in my community had anything to do with politics, nor did I understand the impact community leaders could have in our day-to-day struggles. Although national politics tends to get the most attention in mainstream media, these past few years have shown me the value of staying informed and proactive in state politics. I began my advocacy work by volunteering with Planned Parenthood to ensure access to health care services for residents who could not afford it. Planned Parenthood stepped in when I had nowhere to turn by providing a range of healthcare services including sexual education. For this reason my advocacy focus has been to ensure these services remain available to others by using the most powerful tool I have: my voice. In 2019 I was selected to be part of the National Speakers Bureau of Planned Parenthood as the sole representative for the state of California. I have now had the privilege of sharing my personal story with elected representatives both in Sacramento and in Washington D.C., as well as with a variety of media outlets. This past election, I volunteered with campaigns to elect progressive candidates here in California because I am confident many of our issues can be addressed at the local and state levels. I am asking for your vote to continue the work I am doing to advance progressive values in the party. I believe the Democratic Party needs to build a community of activists who are on the ground in the communities advocating for our values every day, not just in an election year. Joining organizations like DSA-LA has given me the opportunity to learn how to transition from advocate to organizer and I hope to be able to put those skills to use as a representative of our community. As district delegates we will make sure our elected representatives understand community needs take priority over the interests of corporate donors. We need a party that listens to its constituents – one that changes with time and inspires voters.

I am a life long public servant. I have served my community as an elected official since 2009. My professional career in service to the public began in 1997 as a peace officer. I am excited about the opportunity to work alongside leadership that is both diverse and united. I have earned my role as a leader, I serve with integrity and passion for doing what’s best for the people. We have many challenges ahead. I am committed to being part of the solution and respectfully ask for your AD vote.

My name is Louis Reyes, and I am running for the CDP delegate of the 57th AD because I want to use my experience and expertise to build party unity and advocate for social justice, equity, and environmental policies. As your delegate, I want to be a voice for the voiceless and serve as a mentor for new and upcoming activists.

A son of Mexican immigrants, I have called Whittier home for 29 years. Now, along with my wife and two children–four generations of my family live in the greater Whittier area.

I attended Rio Hondo College, where he served as AS President and Student Trustee, becoming a student activist and working on campaigns. I then transferred to the University of Southern California, graduating with a degree in public policy and management and served as the President of the USC Democratic Club. In 2000, I was elected CDP Regional Director right while still at USC and was the youngest Party Executive Board Member at that time. I served in that leadership capacity for six years.

Since then, I have been a community organizer and advocate. I was a founding member of the Whittier Latino Coalition that supported council districts and increasing civic participation. I also served on the California Latino Caucus Institute board, Plaza de la Raza Child Development board, and, most recently, the Sustainable City board’s treasurer.

I have executive and legislative experience working for the government and have worked for both the California Assembly and State Senate, representing the greater Whittier area in a management capacity.

For the last ten years, I have owned a communications consulting firm that provides communications, marketing, digital media, campaign management, and community engagement services. My clients include Labor unions, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and elected officials.

I ask for your vote and support of the Democrats United slate endorsed by our local Democratic Congresswomen, State Senator, Assemblywoman, and County Supervisor.

My name is Josefina E. Canchola, a long time resident of Santa Fe Springs. I have worked in the field of Higher Education and K-12 for nearly 30 years. I have also worked in the area of Community Relations for a local government agency in the Inland Empire. I am a single parent raising a 16 year old daughter, a 10 year old son and a toddler for whom I have legal guardianship of since she was 6 months old. I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from the University of California, Riverside and a Masters in Management Degree from The University of Phoenix.

I have proudly served my community for over 40 years volunteering in areas of women’s issues, Educational equity, community building, youth leadership development and social justice. I take pride in giving back to my community by actively taking part in efforts that promote positive change. Such efforts have allowed me very distinct recognitions such as receiving The Elenor Roosevelt Democrat of the Year Award for the 57th District, President Barack Obama’s Volunteer Service Award, Hispanic Lifestyle’s Women of Influence Award and the University of California, 57th Assembly District Woman of the Year Award and the University of California, Berkeley Chancellor’s Staff Community Service Award, amongst others.

What I can bring to the role as delegate is experience. I have served as a delegate three times prior, once as an elected representative and twice as an appointee of former California Assembly Leader Ian Calderon. I also bring a deep understanding of how California government functions and as a long-standing advocate for issues that are important to my community like Education, availability of resources and area representation on relevant issues. Most importantly, I bring my desire to serve my community with passion and dedication.

Tammy Ortuno is a native of La Puente, where she has had the privilege of experiencing what it means to live in a small community where everyone is bound by a common desire to lead a life of purpose and dignity. It was precisely those values and lived experiences – from the school systems that offered early college education programs to softball games at the local elementary school field – that shaped the resilient woman she is today. But Tammy’s worldview was also formed by overcoming those challenges that come with living in a low-income community surrounded by gang activity, substance abuse and mental health issues. It was through these life lessons that she decided to make it her lifelong mission to serve underserved and underrepresented communities.

Tammy attended local public school and went on to work at Children’s Hospital of Orange County as an inpatient pharmacy technician to then becoming the first college graduate in her family, graduating with her bachelor’s from Cal State LA and then with a Masters from UCLA. Tammy works for the Mayor of Los Angeles where she has established homeless initiatives and created a career pipeline for South LA residents. Working in a big city like Los Angeles propelled Tammy’s desire to correct the deep imbalance in access to key resources that smaller cities like those in District 57 don’t always have – be it basic infrastructure repairs or resources to help residents thrive in the new global economy. For this reason, Tammy has chosen to run as a delegate for Assembly District 57.

The City of La Puente does not have delegate representation and it is imperative for the city to have a seat in the democratic process that will amplify the community’s concerns. Our communities are facing dire issues with some families just one paycheck away from being homeless or already experiencing homelessness. Tammy wants to push for support programs that prevent homelessness and lift at-risk families and working-poor families out of poverty. Tammy will continue to encourage the sustainable growth of small businesses, and work to close our opportunity and achievement gaps just as she has for residents in the City of Los Angeles. La Puente deserves a representative who has an acute understanding of the community’s needs. Tammy knows what it takes and will work tirelessly to make it happen. Tammy will be that representative.

Ellen Gervase is a retired Special Education teacher and current Chair of CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing Committee of Credentials. In addition, she consults in several school districts to facilitate successful co-teaching relationships between general educators and special educators and is a member of CA Secondary Literacy Partnership.

Gervase is eager to stand up for a better and fairer future for all Americans and empower grassroots voters to become actively engaged in the democratic process.

I humbly request you vote Ellen Gervase to represent you in the 2021 ADEM election. Thank you for the opportunity to represent you and serve Assembly District 57.

Latina, feminist, activist, teacher, advocate and democrat… these are words that I use to describe myself. Each one a part of me and I cannot be one of these identities without being all of them at once.

These times call on all of us to step up and do what we can to make the California Democratic Party relevant and responsive to the needs of the people. This is a time like no other and the Party needs to be prepared to bring forth candidates, a plan, and a platform to address the critical needs of Californians.

The pandemic has placed a spotlight on the inequities we face in healthcare, elder/childcare, education, safety in the workplace, and in many other areas. We cannot put off addressing these issues, it is literally a matter of life and death. NOW is the time to get to work! I am committed to working with my fellow citizens in AD57 and California Democrats to make people a priority and find solutions to address the challenges before us.

I am someone who stands up, speaks out, builds relationships and works well with others. I believe in union and know the power of solidarity. I am here for the people of the 57th AD and will work hard on your behalf. I believe that my background and experiences have prepared me for this moment in time, I am ready to be your voice in the California Democratic Party.

I respectfully ask for your vote.

Margie Granado

United Democrats Assemble!

•Born in El Salvador To Chinese Parents

•Public Education & Community Leader; School Board Member & Presenter; Trial Attorney For Over 20 Years; USC Law School Graduate; Parent to a High School Freshman Daughter

•School Board Member/2-Time President, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District (HLPUSD)

•Board of Directors, California School Boards Association (CSBA)

•Delegate, California School Boards Association (CSBA)

•Board of Directors, CIF (California Interscholastic Federation)

•Assembly District Delegate (AD-57) (2018-20)

•Expert On Helping Students Apply To College (2012-2020)

•AD 57 Annual College Fair Workshop Lecturer On Mastering The UC Application (2012-2020)

•Donated More Than 100 Academic Scholarships To Every High School, Every High School Band, and Every Middle School in HLPUSD

•Donated More Than 1,000 Musical Instruments to HLPUSD

•Donated Art Scholarships To Every High School, Every Middle School and Every Elementary School in HLPUSD

•Donated School Supplies to Teachers

•Donated School Supplies, Backpacks and Food Supplies to Students

•Kiwanis Club Member

•Lions Club Speech Contest Instructor

•Former Law Professor–Mt. SAC & Rio Hondo Community College

It would be a Privilege and Honor to have Your Support!

My name is Stephanie Terrazas and I have been a resident of Hacienda Heights for over 15 years. I am running to be elected for Assembly Delegate in the 57th Assembly District.

As the daughter of working class parents, I became a witness to the flaws of our socio economic system. A system that benefits the few and not the many. Because of this I wanted to make sure people like my parents had a voice within our political system.

I became a volunteer for the Bernie Sanders campaign, I phonebanked, canvassed and organized volunteers. I also became active in my Union, participating in strikes so that we can obtain a fair contract. This is where I learned that participation and working together pays off.

I am now a proud member of the Progressive Caucus and the Veterans Caucus, DSA, Executive Board Member of United Democrats of San Gabriel Valley Democratic Club, member of Whittier Our Revolution and Whittier Democratic Club. In 2017, I became an elected Delegate and a 2020 Bernie Delegate. Currently I am a District Leader for National Nurses United organizing for Medicare For All.

These past four years I have met activists and party leaders who have passed on their knowledge and have shared their experiences. With their help I’ve been able to help bills such as Medicare For All, gain notoriety and approval by some of our elected officials. Some of the campaigns I have worked on were Proposition 61, Drug Price Standards (2016), SB 562- Single Payer Healthcare California and Proposition 10, Local Rent Control Initiative (2018), Medicare For All Act 2019 H.R. 1384 (2019) as well as local, state, national and Presidential campaigns.

As your elected delegate, I will continue to push for reform and support issues like Medicare For All, Housing Rights, A Living Wage, Women’s rights, Social Justice Reform, Fracking Ban, Workers Rights and Deported Veterans. As well pertinent local issues such as Tenants Rights and the Quemetco Contamination issue.

Please elect me to represent you as a Delegate for the 57th Assembly District.

We are all in this together.

Stephanie Marie Terrazas

Hacienda Heights

My name is Annabella Acosta and I am running to become a delegate for Assembly District 57. I am a progressive who is passionate about social justice and human rights. My love for politics and advocacy began at a young age. In high school, I was the founder and president of my school’s Human Rights and Social Justice club where we would discuss and organize to fight oppression within our communities. When I started college at Chapman University, I joined other advocacy organizations and clubs aimed to bring awareness to marginalized groups. The issues that I am most passionate about are racial justice, housing and resources for the homeless, climate change, LGBTQIA+ rights, gender equality and reforming the criminal justice system. As a queer Latina, I believe it is important for individuals such as myself to be represented in politics to ensure that our voices are heard.

I am humbly asking for your vote as it would be an honor to represent the communities within AD57 as a delegate. Should I be elected, I pledge that I will push for more inclusive and progressive policies so the California Democratic Party is one that represents and looks after its people.

I first got involved with the California Democratic Party in 2017 after Trump’s election, as I wanted to learn firsthand what this party was about. From volunteering to run the ADEMs election in my district to my recent job with the DNC, I’ve been privileged to work inside every aspect of this party from local to national levels. I’m especially proud of the work I’ve done with the California Young Democrats to uplift young candidates and activists across the state, namely in my adopted Orange County where I am actively involved in my Vietnamese community.

But I’ve learned through 4 years of political organizing in a purple district, it isn’t enough to simply elect Democrats in itself. Our “blue” state and safe districts don’t mean anything for people who are consistently marginalized outside the contours of the political parties, especially those who are vulnerable to eviction, gentrification, and deportation. It is my work with advocacy groups who’ve prioritized tenant and immigrant rights that have shown me how much further we have to work to make these voters matter.

Some of the issues and campaigns that I’ve been most proud to have publicly support and organize for over the past 4 years are the 2018’s Prop 10 (Repeal Costa-Hawkins Act to support rent control), defending the sanctuary state (SB 54) policy at SoCal’s city councils in 2018, 2020’s Prop 15 (commercial property tax reform) and Prop 16 (repeal anti-affirmative action ban).

In 2021 and beyond, we have a crucial opportunity to continue fighting for those issues while prioritizing the intersections of health care justice and environmental policy. This vicious pandemic has exposed the underlying inequities of our political and economic systems, and only bold progressive legislation backed by courageous elected officials can make our votes matter.

As an ADEM, I promise to only endorse and elect candidates and party officials who understand how high this mountain goes towards justice. Inclusion of historically marginalized communities, humility and transparency of our faults, and a commitment towards a more radically progressive party will continue to be my guiding principles in this work.

Whether or not I win your vote, I pledge to continue the work to build our progressive movement. Please connect with me (Twitter- timothy_phan, IG – timothyvphan), thank you for your time.

I chose to run for ADEM-57 because I want to be a part of the positive change happening in our neighborhoods, our communities and our district. I believe we have a responsibility to ensure that we always strive to achieve what is best for our community. To guarantee we have the best leadership possible who can help us all get through these extremely difficult times. It’s no secret that this year has been riddled with unforeseen circumstances. As a full time student who became unemployed due to Covid-19, I know first-hand how trying these circumstances have been. It’s important we strengthen our connection with one another as we see out the end of this pandemic and seek to establish new norms that will better protect both ourselves and our neighbors. We must also unify to carry on the fight against climate change which is one of the main concerns currently facing not only our district but the world itself. My name is Alexis Rios and as a candidate for ADEM-57, I humbly ask for your vote.

Hi Everyone!

My name is Christian Israelian. I was born and raised in Whittier by my immigrant parents. My dad comes from Armenia, and my mom comes from Indonesia. I am currently a student at UCLA studying Political Science and Geography. I grew up in a working-class community of South Whittier, and I often saw my parents struggle to pay the bills. I know we were not alone in AD 57.

As this country reaches unprecedented levels of inequality, we need bold leaders to stand for workers and not the corporations. Too often, we surprisingly see Democratic officials prioritize the interests of the rich and corporations instead of the working and middle class. Our Democratic party is increasingly adopting a corporatist agenda. Many AD 57 communities need Covid relief immediately, but our government has shown that they prioritize saving the Big Banks over us. During the height of Covid, the Federal Reserve poured 1 trillion dollars a day into the stock market (source: PBS). But working-class families only get $1,200 checks…. We need Democrats that fight for us, not capitulate to the corporations. As a delegate for AD 57, I will only endorse Democrats that support a working- and middle-class agenda. These Democrats cannot take contributions from corporations. The bread and butter issues matter because the issues at the top affect us here in AD 57.

My experience in the community and grassroots organizing is a testament to my values. I was the “Community Chair” at my high school’s ASB, and now I work with various progressive groups in Whittier and at UCLA. I knock on doors and talk to people about pressing local issues such as toxic oil drilling in their community. At UCLA, I called out the University’s unconstitutional ‘field jail’ set up in a baseball stadium (source: NBC). I hope you can entrust me with your vote. I will always have my constituents in mind as I attempt to push the Democrats in the right direction. Please text me if you have any concerns (562-536-2361).

-Christian Israelian

I’m Henry Huerta. I am seeking election as a State Central Committee Delegate and Executive Board Representative with a Slate of Democrats for Justice in AD 57. See link for info

https://www.facebook.com/HenryForCADEM

I’ve worked hard during the past year to build diverse coalitions on behalf of working people, registering new voters and educating young voters on participating in the electoral process. For these efforts, I was recognized as Democrat of the Year by the Los Angeles Democratic Party in 2018. I pledge to fight for working families and not corporate Interests if re-elected. In my youth, I grew up in a farmworker family and marched with Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta in the Salinas Valley, learning the value of organizing for change. I spent over a quarter century working on labor issues with the California State Labor Commissioner’s office and as the past director of Car Wash Workers organizing campaign with the AFL-CIO. I had the privilege of being elected as a National Delegate to the Convention in 2016 and 2020.

I take great pride in having raised two young Democratic Party activists in this community. My daughter was the youngest Democratic Party National Delegate from California in 2016.

I believe in health care for all, equal pay for equal work, increasing affordable housing, ending institutional racism and income inequality, and making sure that we live in a healthy and safe environment. I want to encourage active community participation by families around the issues that affect all of us without the involvement of special interest money.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

A recent graduate from University of California Santa Cruz, I have been around youth organizers and activists for much of my academic career. Being the middle child in a family of five, Whittier has been my home for much of my life. As a member of an immigrant family, I grew up in a working class household.

The bulk of my college education was in philosophy, with a good portion of these courses being in critical gender and race studies. I have found that this education grounds me in my responsibility to my community, as well as provides me with the context necessary to be compassionate to those experiences which I cannot directly relate to. My first year of college in 2015 I joined CALPRIG, a student group with focuses in climate justice and food insecurity. It was through this organization that I finally became aware how capable we, as individuals, are at bringing positive change.

Although I did not continue to work with CALPRIG, I formed bonds with other student leaders and learned from those who not only had more experience, but also those whose priorities were similar to mine. A coalition of people with human sympathy as their goal.

As a proud democrat, I am ready to fight for a community of justice in all forms. I believe that justice for those who are most exploited is justice for everyone. A community that looks after its most vulnerable is a community which helps uplift those who need it, and protects those who are well. What the position of assembly delegate means to me is an opportunity to advocate for equitable policies. Especially in our time of crisis, protecting working class families, fighting for immigrant rights and environmental justice are matters worth addressing. I believe in pushing for what is possible and what is just.