Alex Padilla

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Alex Padilla

Alex Padilla (born March 22, 1973) is an American politician and engineer serving as the junior United States senator from California since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Padilla served as the 32nd secretary of state of California from 2015 to 2021.[1]

Padilla served more than seven years on the Los Angeles City Council, representing the 7th district. First elected in 1999, he was President of the Los Angeles City Council from 2001 to 2006. He then served in the California State Senate for the 20th district from 2006 to 2014.

Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Padilla to the Senate after Harris was elected Vice President of the United States; Harris, as President of the Senate, swore Padilla in on January 20, 2021.

Married to Angela Padilla.

Early life and education

Padilla is one of three children of Santos Padilla and Lupe Padilla, both of whom emigrated from Mexico, specifically Jalisco and Chihuahua, before meeting and marrying in Los Angeles, where he was born. He grew up in Pacoima, Los Angeles, and graduated from San Fernando High School in the northeast San Fernando Valley. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1994. He graduated from the Coro Fellows Southern California Program in 1995.

Early career

After graduation, Padilla moved back to Pacoima and briefly worked as an engineer for Hughes Aircraft, where he wrote software for satellite systems.

Padilla is a former member of the governing board of MIT and president of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), which has a membership of more than 6,000 Latino U.S. officials. He serves as chair of the Los Angeles Leadership Council for the American Diabetes Association, elected in July 2005.

Padilla began in politics as a member of the Democratic Party in 1995, in substantial part in response to California Proposition 187, which excluded illegal immigrants from all non-emergency public services, including public education, but which he felt was motivated by a broader nativism that demonized legal and illegal immigrants alike. His first professional role was as a personal assistant to Senator Dianne Feinstein. He then served as a campaign manager for Assemblyman Tony Cardenas in 1996, Assemblyman Gilbert Cedillo in 1997, and State Senator Richard Alarcon in 1998, all Democrats. All won their respective elections.

Alarcon took Padilla's seat when he left the LA City Council in 2011.

Alex Reza connection

Alex Padilla September 18, 2019.

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Alex Reza was my high school government teacher and is the one who helped me register to vote! #HispanicHeritageMonth #LatinoHeritageMonth

Visiting Reza

Secretary of State Alex Padilla will visit his alma mater—San Fernando High School—on Wednesday, April 20 2016, as part of High School Voter Education Weeks (April 18 – 29).

Secretary of State Padilla will discuss the importance of voter registration and the role young people can play in shaping the future through civic participation. Padilla will be joined by his former High School Government teacher—Alex Reza.

“Mr. Reza was the person who helped me register to vote. Mr. Reza always challenged his students to become active in their communities. We should celebrate all teachers who motivate their students to become engaged and informed citizens.” Secretary of State Padilla said.[1]

Radical staffers

Transition team

California’s U.S. Sen.-designate Alex Padilla has been busily preparing for a swearing-in tentatively set for Inauguration Day, putting together a transition team and hiring key operatives, including veteran Capitol Hill insider David Montes to be his chief of staff.

Montes — the former chief of staff to Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego and staffer to former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada — has a lot in common with Padilla, his new boss. They are both children of immigrants from Mexico — Montes’ late father a former bracero, Padilla’s a short order cook, and their mothers both housekeepers.

Montes, 39, grew up in Southern California, the youngest of three children, and ended up at Harvard and Stanford Law School. Now, in a key role with Padilla, he says he feels a sense of history and of responsibility in embarking on a historic journey with the first Latino U.S. senator in California’s 170-year history.

And “immigration is gonna be a huge issue,’’ Montes told POLITICO.

“Obviously, it's part of his story, and my story — the California story, and the American story.” Padilla will be working hand in hand on that front with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, who said this week that the incoming administration will focus on decreasing wait times to obtain citizenship, granting automatic green cards to protected undocumented immigrants and adding immigration judges to decrease backlogs on court hearings.

And Padilla also brought on a transition team chaired by long-time Padilla adviser Kristin Bertolina Faust and Michael Troncoso, who led Harris’ transition into the United States Senate four years ago. And his advisers include Sean Clegg, Juan Rodriguez and David Beltran, of SF-based SCRB Strategies, as well as former Newsom communication director Nathan Click.[2]

Strike support

The three-month strike of predominantly female Latina workers at the Jon Donaire ice cream cake production plant in Santa Fe Springs, an industrial area of greater Los Angeles County, has generated an impressive amount of labor, community, and political solidarity.

The strikers demand better pay, respect, and improvement of injurious job conditions that have been rebuffed by Jon Donaire management and Rich Products, Inc., the multibillion-dollar corporation that owns the Jon Donaire brand.

These workers, members of BCTGM Local 37, have maintained a 24/7 picket line since walking off the job on Nov. 3, 2021. Jon Donaire brand ice cream cakes are sold at stores nationwide, such as Baskin Robbins, Walmart, Kroger’s, Ralphs, Von’s, and many other retailers.

The bakery workers’ fierce tenacity has inspired a tremendous momentum of labor, Latina/o, and women’s and immigrants’ rights movement support that is beginning to have a national impact.

Last week, on Friday, Jan. 28, Ron Herrera, president of the over 800,000-member Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, outlined the escalation of a comprehensive campaign to support the strike.

Herrera told People's World: “The Los Angeles labor movement is doubling its support and recommitting to the striking workers of Jon Donaire. Affiliates of the Los Angeles Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, are ready to mobilize and take this fight to the streets.”

Members of labor and community groups are donating funds to a GoFundMe account for Local 37. One such donor is the new leader of the 2.1 million-member California Federation of Labor, Lorena Gonzalez, who recently retired as a state assemblymember to head the state AFL-CIO staff, replacing soon to retire Chief Officer Art Pulaski.

The labor, political, and community support for the striking Donaire workers is going nationwide. On Jan. 12, U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders, Ind-Vt., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., issued a letter urging Rich Corp. to return to the bargaining table “in good faith.” They were joined on the open letter by Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, and Cory Booker of New Jersey.

The senators pointed out that the workers’ average wage is less than $17-an-hour, with work speeds of up to 38 cakes a minute, often with late-notice mandatory overtime leading to shifts as long as 16 hours, while Rich Products has an estimated net worth of over $7.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires index.

At a recent picket line press conference, U.S. Rep. Linda Sanchez announced she had started a petition among other House members in support of the strikers. Sanchez is active in the House Ways and Means Committee and both the Hispanic and Progressive House Caucuses, as well as co-chair of the House’s Labor and Working Families Caucus.

At the press conference, Sanchez told People's World that “the treatment of the workers in the strike illustrates how immigrants and women are often targeted for discrimination on the job.”

In coordination between local labor, political, and community forces with the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, And Grain Millers International Union, leaders from BCTGM’s International organization visited the picket lines during January to gain first-hand knowledge and awareness of the growing support.

BCTGM International Secretary-Treasurer David Woods, in a picket line interview, told People's World that production workers at another Rich Products-operated plant in the Nashville suburb of Murfreesboro, Tenn., doing similar work have a contract that pays $26-an-hour. The workforce is roughly half/half African American and white, male and female, according to Woods.

BCTGM Local 37 International Trustee Kerrie Setters, during a visit to the picket line, pointed out that plants with similar work and BCTGM contracts have higher wages and are more integrated.

Joining the picket line Saturday, Jan. 29, was California State Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, former leader of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and former member of the AFL-CIO Executive Board. She told People's World, “It’s a disgrace how this company is turning back to past discriminatory anti-labor, anti-women practices. It’s a union busting wedge against unionization of a major section of the workforce in one of the national and globally important areas.[3]

C-100 We Rise Together

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WHAT: The rise in anti-Asian hate and violence is horrific and unacceptable. Each day another incident devastates America. President Biden issued a presidential memorandum in January condemning racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against the 21 million Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the United States. But the community needs action.

WHO: United in the same spirit and mission, leaders from ADL, Committee of 100, NAACP and the U.S. Senate will share concerns, experiences and how to move forward. How can we come together to create real change? Join the virtual town hall discussion.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 13 2021 at 8:30pm Eastern

QUESTIONS/CONTACT: Charles Zinkowski, Director of Communications, czinkowski@committee100.org

Meeting CHIRLA

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Korea connections

Amnesty for Illegal Aliens

Alex Padilla addresses event promoting amnesty for illegal aliens. The event was posted on NAKASEC's Facebook page.

In October 2021, Alex Padilla joined Adriano Espaillat and Joaquin Castro announced the "Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act," which would redefine "conviction" in order to make illegal aliens convicted of a crime to have less barriers to citizenship.[4] The bill is supported by organizations that promote illegal immigration such as National Lawyers Guild and NAKASEC. See full list below.

Press release verbatim:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representatives Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) announced the introduction of the Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act, which would remove certain barriers to naturalization and citizenship, and prevent the unfair removal of immigrants based on a previously dismissed or pardoned conviction.
The bill would ensure that past criminal convictions that have been expunged, vacated, or pardoned by the sentencing court, would not block immigrants from a path to naturalization or weigh against an immigrant in removal proceedings. In the Senate, the Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act is co-sponsored by Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-N.Y.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.).
“For far too long, our immigration laws have put the American Dream further out of reach by making it nearly impossible for immigrants, especially those with resolved convictions, to become citizens. We can no longer turn a blind eye to them,” said Senator Padilla. “We must ensure that our immigration system is fair and that a previously dismissed or pardoned conviction neither prevents an immigrant from being able to naturalize nor factors into any removal decisions.”
“Our immigration system is broken. And for far too long, our nation’s immigrants have been unjustly denied a legal pathway to citizenship and still face deportation due to criminal convictions that have been pardoned, adjudicated, or suspended. This is unfair, unjust, and unacceptable,” said Congressman Espaillat. “No one deserves to be ostracized for their troubled past or a conviction that’s been thrown out – and no one should be denied their chance at the American Dream because of it either. It’s my hope that by passing this bill, we can begin to rebuild this country’s immigration system from the ground up, making it more equitable and accessible for all who call this nation home.”
“Immigrants should not be barred from naturalization and risk deportation because of a past criminal conviction that is no longer valid in court,” said Congressman Castro. “Unfortunately, our nation’s immigration system is deeply broken and often makes it more difficult rather than helpful for immigrants to obtain a legal pathway to citizenship – Congress must pass reforms. This bill takes critical steps to prevent unjust deportations and help aspiring new Americans pursue their dreams.”
“The United States immigration system imposes the harsh penalty of detention and deportation as a second punishment for people emerging from the criminal legal system, destabilizing families and communities. This injustice is even more pronounced when the underlying conviction has been vacated or pardoned or otherwise erased in the criminal legal system yet remains valid for immigration purposes. We applaud the introduction of the Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act, which would ensure no one is deported from their loved ones because of a conviction or sentence no longer recognized by the criminal court,” said Heidi Altman, Director of Policy at National Immigrant Justice Center.
“The INA’s broad and distorted definition of ‘conviction’ has resulted in unjust and deeply harmful immigration repercussions for countless people, further fueling this country’s cruel detention and deportation machines,” said Sirine Shebaya, Executive Director of the National Immigration Project. “The National Immigration Project is proud to endorse the Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act because it is a critical step in ensuring immigrants are able to benefit from criminal justice reform, have a second chance at rebuilding their lives after contact with the criminal legal system, and ultimately receive fair and humane treatment in the United States.”
Specifically, the bill amends the definition of “conviction” in the Immigration and Nationality Act to “a formal judgment of guilt of the noncitizen entered by a court,” and excepts the following circumstances from being considered a conviction:
An adjudication or judgment of guilt that has been dismissed, expunged, deferred, annulled, invalidated, withheld, vacated, or pardoned by the President of the United States or the Governor of any State, Any adjudication in which the court has issued a judicial recommendation against removal, an order of probation without entry of judgment, or any similar disposition, A judgment that is on appeal or is within the time to file direct appeal.
This bill would apply retroactively to any conviction, adjudication, or judgement entered before, on, or after the enactment of this bill. The bill also establishes that the grounds of inadmissibility and deportability do not apply to an immigrant with a criminal conviction if, after having provided notice and an opportunity to respond to the prosecuting authorities, the sentencing court issues a recommendation to the Secretary of Homeland Security that the immigrant not be removed on the basis of the conviction...
The Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act has been endorsed by the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, National Immigrant Justice Center, National Immigration Law Center, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), Center for Constitutional Rights, America's Voice, Immigration Hub, United We Dream Network, Public Counsel, Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Immigrant Defense Project, Capital Area Immigrants' Rights Coalition, Legal Aid Justice Center, Make the Road New York, The Bronx Defenders, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, Tahirih Justice Center, Freedom Network USA, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, National Partnership for New Americans, #DetentionKills, AIDS Alabama, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, La Resistencia, United Stateless, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Jobs With Justice, Lights for Liberty, Haitian Bridge Alliance, Immigrant and Non-Citizen Rights Clinic, CUNY School of Law, StoptheDrugWar.org, Wayne State Asylum & Immigration Law Clinic, Hispanic Federation, Migrant Center for Human Rights, Quixote Center, Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC Law), NC Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Alianza Americas, Drug Policy Alliance, National Network for Immigrant & Refugee Rights, Unidad Latina en Accion CT, Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Mennonite Central Committee U.S., New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), The Advocates for Human Rights, Washington Defender Association, Immigrant Justice, Ministry Team of Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, Government Information Watch, Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, Bethesda Presbyterian Church, Families for Freedom, Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence, Presente.org, UNITED SIKHS, PG Change Makers, Louisiana Advocates For Immigrants in Detention, Battered Women's Justice Project, Center for Disability Rights, Takoma Park Mobilization – Equal Justice, Jewish Activists for Immigration Justice of Western MA, Muslim Voices Coalition, Comunidad Latina De Hawaii, Hawai'i Coalition for Immigrant Rights, New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence, RISE, Doctors for Camp Closure, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), Arab American Association of New York, Connecticut Shoreline Indivisible, Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center, Committee on National Legislation, Women Watch Afrika, Jetpac Resource Center, African Communities Together, Just Neighbors, The Public Defenders Coalition for Immigrant Justice, Center for Victims of Torture, Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Bridges Faith Initiative, Mainers for Accountable Leadership, Advocating Opportunity, Standpoint, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), Adelante Alabama Worker Center, Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants, Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Immigrant Justice Network, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Church World Service, Just Futures Law, Americans for Immigrant Justice, Immigrant Legal Defense, UnLocal, ISLA: Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy.

"Pathway to Citizenship"

September 14 2021 Washington, DC — Yesterday, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) joined impacted individuals and immigration advocates to call on Congress to provide a pathway to citizenship as part of the budget reconciliation process.

“It’s past time for Congress to deliver the stability and security that immigrant families deserve,” said Senator Padilla. “We have a moral obligation to the millions of DACA recipients, TPS-holders, and essential workers who have risked their own lives every day working during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m proud to stand with the bipartisan majorities across the country that support passing much-needed reforms on immigration now.”

Arisaid Gonzalez Porras, a DACA recipient and DMV Campaigns Manager for United We Dream, joined Sen. Padilla in his call to action.

Sergio Gonzales, Executive Director of Immigration Hub: “The House Judiciary Committee has taken a historic step in passing legislation that will provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, farm workers, and essential workers.

Greisa Martinez Rosas, United We Dream and United We Dream Action Executive Director: “After decades of inaction, Democrats – President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Senate Majority Leader Schumer– can make a meaningful difference in the lives of undocumented people and millions of families across the country".

John Kim, Digital Organizer, NAKASEC: “1 out of every 7 Asian immigrants is undocumented, and we make up over 16% of the undocumented immigrant population. We need permanent solutions NOW. ”

Patrice S. Lawrence, Co-Director, UndocuBlack Network: “Black undocumented community, other advocates and attorneys brought the lifelines (DACA/TPS/DED) as far as we could take them.”

Giev Kashkooli, National Political and Legislative Director, United Farm Workers: "Farm workers feed us. And during the pandemic farm workers did not ask if they were harvesting for Democrats or Republicans – they fed all of us."

The event was held in conjunction with “Inside Out 11M” – a nationwide, participatory art initiative launched by the award-winning artist JR in partnership with Emerson Collective, to create a portrait of America that includes immigrants and the descendants of immigrants alike.[5]

Korean Resource Center

On September 27th 2016, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, alongside the Korean Resource Center (KRC), LA Youth Vote and NextGen Climate held a kick-off press conference at John Francis Polytechnic High School in Sun Valley as part National Voter Registration Day (NVRD), a nationwide, nonpartisan effort to register hundreds of thousands of voters across Southern California. Embraced by a host of celebrities, bipartisan elected officials and organizations, NVRD leverages the collective impact of thousands of community partners, including hundreds of our youth leaders across Southern California.

"Our democracy is stronger when the largest number of people participates in elections, and in this critical year we must make sure everyone has a voice,” Tom Steyer, Founder of NextGen Climate, said. “That’s why I’m proud to partner with National Voter Registration Day: a nationwide effort to register, educate, and mobilize as many voters as possible. We must ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote has a chance to register and vote on November 8."

Over 80 students registered to vote at the kick-off event, and hundreds more are to follow at nine other school registration events organized by KRC this week. To date, KRC has registered over 4,500 voters, most of them young voters under the age of 25. “Our communities and our families are showing up in this election – there is historic level interest by our communities to participate in the political process. Currently, of all eligible youth voters from ages 18 to 24, 48% were unregistered to vote in 2014. By registering and turning out in record numbers to vote, we will change the tide on how young people participate in the political process and how our ideas can become solutions to our community’s challenges", said Jonathan Paik, Campaign Manager at the Korean Resource Center.[6]

Meeting radical immigration groups

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), the largest immigrant rights organization in California, applauds U.S. Sen.-designate Alex Padilla's proactive effort to meet virtually with immigrant rights leaders before heading to Washington, D.C. this Tuesday, January 5, 2021. During the meeting, Padilla heard about the various needs of immigrants in the state, specifically humane immigration reform and an end to mass immigrant detention and deportations. Padilla, a son of immigrant workers, has often commented on how his parents' immigrant experience, and his work in Los Angeles and California government, informs his policies.

Mr. Padilla discussed the community's priorities with local, regional, and national immigrant rights leaders in a Biden-Harris administration. Relief for immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic heads the list.

Please attribute the following statements to U.S. Sen.-designate Padilla:

“The last four years have been traumatic for immigrant communities, but finally, there is light at the end of the tunnel. We have a moral imperative to swiftly reverse the cruel policies of the Trump administration that tore apart families, destroyed our asylum system, and dimmed the beacon of hope that this country represents.

"Among my priorities will be encouraging naturalization for eligible immigrants and finding permanent protections for the 11 million undocumented immigrants living, working and enriching the United States of America. I look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders, advocates, my Senate colleagues, and the Biden-Harris administration to get it done.”

Please attribute the following statements to Angelica Salas, CHIRLA executive director:

"Sen.-designate Alex Padilla's life experiences and professional trajectory give him the necessary foundation to tackle just immigration reform and an end to immigrant detention and deportations. He can help bring real relief to our battered, suffering community. We support Padilla as the next champion for California and for immigrants.

"As we emerge from years of relentless attacks, invisibility and suffering, all while actively carrying out essential contributions, we look forward to working with Padilla as we take our rightful place in this society that we call home.

"California's YES to Immigrants Forward immigration reform and justice campaign, in alignment with the national We are Home campaign, will join forces with this tireless advocate to forge the progressive change our nation needs and deserves."

The organizations participating in Tuesday's meeting were:

National Nurses United Endorsement

On June 26, 2021, National Nurses United endorsed Alex Padilla. From their announcement:[8]

"National Nurses United (NNU), the largest union of registered nurses in the United States, today announced its endorsement of Alex Padilla for U.S. Senate in California.
“Nurses greatly appreciate Senator Padilla’s advocacy on the Covid-19 pandemic, listening to nurses on how to slow the spread of the virus and prevent unnecessary death and suffering,” said Deborah Burger, RN and a president of NNU. “He was a leader in the successful passage of the American Rescue Plan, which has been a tremendous benefit to tens of millions of working families, as well as a staunch champion for the recently issued OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard in health care workplaces that will help to protect the lives of health care workers and their patients.”
“In addition to his support for an effective pandemic response, Senator Padilla has stood with nurses and other workers by cosponsoring the PRO Act, the Veterans Administration Employee Fairness Act, and other vital legislation important to working people,” Burger continued.
“Covid-19 has put a spotlight on our broken health care system, where we saw millions of people lose their health insurance with the loss of their jobs in the past year,” added Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, RN and a president of NNU. “Senator Padilla understands the permanent solution to our health care crisis is guaranteed health care for everyone through a Medicare for All system.”
“Through his lengthy career, Senator Padilla has shown he is a great leader for the people of California,” Triunfo-Cortez continued, “and registered nurses are proud to stand with him.”
"I'm honored to have the endorsement of National Nurses United,” said Senator Alex Padilla. “As we emerge from this pandemic, we have nurses to thank for the countless lives they saved through their commitment to serving others. The pandemic has also brought a renewed urgency to expand affordable and accessible healthcare for all, and to ensure nurses can count on the support they need. I look forward to continuing our fight on behalf of nurses in California and around the country, and to ensuring quality healthcare for all.”

Voting Rights Panel

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Ashlee Marie Preston July 2020.

I’ll be speaking on a voting rights panel for the California Democratic Party, Saturday night along with CA Secretary of State, Alex Padilla, Kat Calvin, Anthony Thigpenn— moderated by Grace Parra.

Voting Rights Forum

Friday, May 20 @ 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 2016: Voting Rights Forum in Los Angeles. CAPAC Chair Judy Chu, along with CHC Chair Linda Sanchez, and Reps. Lucille Roybal-Allard and Karen Bass will be hosting a voting rights forum in Los Angeles on May 20th from 10 am - 12 pm, at the East Los Angeles College. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Stewart Kwoh from Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA will also be participating in the event.[9]

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Sandra Perez, National Director of Civic Engagement – NALEO Educational Fund; Sean Dugar, Western Regional Field Director for the NAACP Western Region I; Scott Svonkin, president of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees also participated.

"Latinos Need Barack Obama"

Rep. Linda Sanchez posted an article on the Huffington Post blog September 17, 2012, co-signed by several leftist California activists, and legislators, supporting Barack Obama for president;

We support comprehensive immigration reform and we believe President Obama is on the right track. He favors an immigration policy that rewards hard work and responsibility and lifts the shadow of deportation from young people who were brought here as children, through no fault of their own, and grew up as Americans. And given congressional inaction, the President and the DHS implemented a stop-gap measure that temporarily lifts the shadow of deportation from DREAMers.

The economic recovery is not yet complete, but we recognize President Obama's work to help our communities. From the Latina back in school thanks to expanded Pell Grants to the family that can now afford health care for their child with a preexisting condition, all Latinos need a leader that will stand by his word and respect their pursuit of the American Dream.

Sadly when Mitt Romney speaks to Latinos today he will not answer our Grito de Verdad y Liderazgo because he stands on the wrong side of every Latino voter priority. Latinos know that what we need is a President who will lead our community with respect and value our contributions and that the contrast between Romney's campaign rhetoric and four years of action from this administration is clear: the man we need to lead us is Barack Obama.

Los Angeles Women's march

The Women's March on Washington took place in January 2017, with sister marches also being held all over the country in support of the march. Thousands of people" are gathering and participating in the Los Angeles march, with countless celebrities joining in as well". One of the organizers was Emiliana Guereca'

Speakers

Democracy Alliance, Fall 2017

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Clinton supporter

In 2016 Hillary Clinton could count on endorsements from virtually all of the state's prominent Hispanic politicians, including former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Secretary of State Alex Padilla and U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra, who heads the House Democratic Caucus. This past week, she added Dolores Huerta, a co-founder of United Farm Workers, to her list of Hispanic advisers.

Longtime labor leader Eliseo Medina, another newly enlisted Clinton adviser, told reporters that the campaign was working to boost Hispanic turnout.

"We need to do better, especially among our young people," Medina said.[11]

League Of California Cities - Latino Caucus

John Russo's Presidency was also a major step toward greater integration of the Latino Caucus into the overarching structure of the League. His appointment of the new Board Members, two of whom were members of the Latino Caucus, eventually led to the League of California Cities electing its first ever Latino President. Then-Los Angeles City Council President, later CaliforniaState Senator, Alex Padilla led the League from 2004-2005. He had been a member of the League Of California Cities - Latino Caucus since 2002, since his election to city council.

In his seven and a half years of service, Padilla led as Council President for four and a half years and, in 2001, as Acting Mayor of the nation’s second largest city during the September 11th crisis. During his time on the Council, he joined up with the League of California Cities-Latino Caucus and quickly became involved as a Board Member. The Caucus by that time had undergone significant organizational growth and was achieving a stronger presence inside the League of California Cities, among members of the California State Legislative Latino Caucus and with the private sector.

For Padilla, “it was a great network” that allowed him “to work with folks at the League of [California] Cities and tap their experiences with cities throughout the State.” He seized opportunities, learned from others and from his own experiences, and eventually was elected to serve as Latino Caucus President.

Then-President Padilla also recognized the need for the Latino Caucus to reach beyond the usual League of California Cities events. With the help of the Board, he initiated Regional Networking Events throughout California for Latino leaders who might otherwise not have the opportunity to attend League or Caucus events. As he sees it, “there are a lot of Latino local elected officials who cannot necessarily afford the League of [California] Cities’ dues or the conference fees. So instead of trying to push the local elected officials to the League of [California] Cities’ events, we tried to bring the League of Cities-Latino Caucus to other parts of the State.” “While being elected to office is worthy of recognition and celebration,” he says, “it’s what we do with the opportunity that is ultimately moving our community forward or not.”

Padilla decided to do with the opportunity what seemed a logical next step for a vibrant young leader: he took it to a higher level. In 2005, Alex Padilla became the first Latino President of the entire League of California Cities, giving him the unprecedented ability to bring local government issues impacting Latinos to a statewide platform while working side-by-side with other mayors and city council members on issues of importance to all Californians.

Under his leadership, the Latino Caucus began to play a closer role with the League because, as Padilla asserts, “it’s a platform of issues that reflect the entirety of California, so it doesn’t tend to stray too much from the League of California Cities’ agenda. But again, what the Latino Caucus brings is the unique perspective of either Latino elected officials or the Latino communities that we represent or a combination of both.” By this time, he clearly understood that Latino issues were California’s issues, and took the opportunity as President to lead by example.

Alex Padilla eventually stepped down from his role in local government only to become Senator Padilla in 2006.[12]

Durazo/Padilla relationship

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Labor support

1999: In the city elections, Labor throws its weight behind Alex Padilla, the now city council president, for a San Fernando Valley seat.[13]

Maria Elena Durazo's labor union helped Padilla win his first race.[14]

Comision Femenil San Fernando Valley

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Comision Femenil San Fernando Valley traditionally swears in its new governing officers with a festive and celebratory event. New officers are installed while outgoing officers are acknowledged for their contributions. Often San Fernando Valley government officials have been present for the Installation ceremonies. Featured from left to right in this photograph are some of the outgoing officers from 1998-1999: Maria Reza, Laura Casas-Frier, Karin Duran, and Martha Garcia-Jimenez. In the center is Alex Padilla.

In the early 1970s, one of the leading national Chicana activist organizations, Comision Femenil Mexicana Nacional (CFMN), was created in Southern California. The focus of CFMN was to raise awareness of political and social issues that affected Latina women on a national level. CFMN felt that the role and well-being of Latinas were being left out of discussions taking place from the wider context of the Chicano movement.[15]

References

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  1. ↑ [1]
  2. ↑ [2]
  3. ↑ [3]
  4. ↑ Padilla, Espaillat, Castro Introduce Landmark Bill to Remove Barriers to Citizenship (accessed July 22, 2022)
  5. ↑ https://theimmigrationhub.org/senator-padilla-immigration-advocates-we-need-pathway-to-citizenship]
  6. ↑ [4]
  7. ↑ [5]
  8. ↑ National Nurses United Endorses Alex Padilla for U.S. Senate (accessed July 22, 2022)
  9. ↑ [6]
  10. ↑ [7]
  11. ↑ [8]
  12. ↑ [9]
  13. ↑ [10]
  14. ↑ [11]
  15. ↑ [12]
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