Photo: PATRICK T. FALLON / AFP / Getty Images
For the first time in the history of the city of Los Angeles, six of the 11 Los Angeles Council members will be women while the Board of Supervisors will remain all-female. Also for the first time, the City of Los Angeles will have a female mayor in the person of Congresswoman Karen Bass.
Elected Councilmembers Eunisses Hernández, Katy Young Yaroslavsky and Traci Park will join Councilmembers Mónica Rodríguez, Nithya Raman and Heather Hutt.
“When we all take our seats for session 2022, 6 of the councilors will be women. For the first time in Los Angeles,” Council President Paul Krekorian posted on Twitter.
On the Board of Supervisors we have Hilda Solis, Holly Mitchell, Janice Hahn and Kathryn Barger. Outgoing Supervisor Sheila Kuehl will be replaced by Lindsey Horvath .
“I am very proud that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors continues to be led by five women. We continue to make history!,” said Los Angeles County First District Supervisor Hilda Solis.
“This shows that Angelenos want to see more women in charge to meet the needs of the more than millions of people who call Los Angeles County home.”
Supervisor Solis said it’s no surprise that female legislators introduce and pass laws that address issues related to women and children.
Adding that with Supervisor-Elect Lindsey Horvath winning the bid to represent 3rd Ward residents, this will be even more true when she replaces to Supervisor Kuehl and continue her progressive legacy.
“Women are rising up and I am looking forward to working side by side with other powerful women in this new era of Los Angeles County.”
Supervisor-elect Horvath said she will soon be the youngest woman elected to the Board of Supervisors as the Board of Supervisors will remain a legislative body where all of its members are women who fought very hard to win.
Horvath’s 40 years she was elected as a supervisor for District 3 vacated by Kuehl and encompasses West Hollywood, Malibu and most of the Valley of San Fernando.
“At this moment At a critical moment in Los Angeles history, I am proud to bring a fresh perspective to the Board of Supervisors as a renter, a millennial, and a firm believer that the solutions we seek are rooted in our own communities.”
Former Assemblywoman Patty Lopez said seeing so many women rise to positions as councilmembers, supervisors, and now for mayor with Karen Bass is a great achievement.
“I am very pleased because it costs us double and triple. It’s pretty good that Karen Bass has won the mayoralty. In addition, seeing more and more women reach these elective positions gives hope to others who want to participate in politics.”
The former legislator said that for women who are not part of the establishment (of the ruling class in power) it is more difficult to get into office. “It’s a very big machine that wants women that it can control and obey.”
She remembered when she beat Raúl Bocanegra, two years later, he challenged her and unseated her, only for later, this man had to leave office amid accusations of sexual harassment.
“He was replaced by a woman Luz Rivas who is doing a good job; while Carolina Menjivar will be my senator.” by becoming president of the Los Angeles Council, she had to come out for the mistakes she made with her offensive and racist comments.
“The important thing is that women listen to the community,” said the former legislator who has worked for three decades in social work.
He pointed out that the agenda of women legislators is very different from that of men.
“We are stronger. That’s why I want to encourage more women with a purpose of improving our communities to participate in politics and support each other ”.
Although women have made many advances in politics, there is still much to be done.
The organization California Women’s List reports that in the California state legislature, only 11 of the 38 senators are women, while 80 assembly members, barely 24 they are women. That is to say that only the 32.5% of the legislature is made up entirely of women.