Having made history in the city of Cudahy as the youngest mayor in the 2020, Elizabeth Alcantar, of years, announces his candidacy for assemblyman for the new district 64.
This district covers cities in Southeast Los Angeles including Cudahy, Bell Gardens, Downey, Santa Fe Springs, Norwalk, La Mirada, South Whittier and La Habra.
At 2018 Alcantar was elected as councilor of her hometown and in 2020 she was elected mayor, where she had to prove everything its potential. A week after taking his new position, he had to face Delta airlines, after one of their planes dropped fuel on Cudahy on its way to an emergency landing.
“I was able to get a meeting with the company on a problem that we are still struggling with up to now”, said Alcantar.
A couple of months later the covid pandemic arrived-19 where Alcantar again had to demonstrate his leadership. She said that many of its residents are workers and there was a time when the numbers marked high infections in southeast Los Angeles.
This is because while other areas were receiving tests to detect the Covid- and eventually the vaccines, these were not reaching the southeast, commonly known as SELA (South East LA).
“We advocated for a long time and finally SELA has places to get tested and get vaccinated”, said the mayor.
My story is the story of the district
Alcantar, is the daughter of Mexican immigrants, has two younger brothers and is a tenant in Cudahy.
He said that he is running because he has seen that the communities of SELA, under the new district that was formed after redistricting, have a history similar.
“There are so many problems that affect They help our working families, whether it’s housing affordability or environmental justice, or even the availability of public transportation and fair options for our people to get around,” Alcantar said. “We also have education issues to make sure our public schools are fully funded.”
Alcantar indicated that as a candidate will be dedicated to getting to know the entire district during the campaign.
“I am planning to speak with all the leaders of our community, talk about their needs, listen to them and in general terms better see how we support our families at the state level,” said Alcantar. “As I mentioned, our workers here locally need more support, our immigrant families need more support.”
The mayor said she has noticed when people need help and don’t know who to contact or what number to call to connect with the state government and this is a gap that she intends to close when she arrives at the assembly.
“I think that being a person focused on the values that I have led, not only on the council, but even before, I was very forthcoming with my values and my beliefs. I think that benefits our community in terms of how strong I’ve stayed,” Alcantar said.
Additionally, she said that she is the face of the district, she attended public schools, she has been a tenant all her life and her parents are working class immigrants.
“I think my story is the history of the district in which many of us are first or second generation, or parents who came to this country with the hope of succeeding and several of us are achieving it or pushing to achieve it”, he stressed.
Supporting your candidacy
Daysy Palma, from 25 years old, is a supporter of Alcantar and said that without hesitation, as soon as she can, she will start knocking on doors to advocate for Alcantar.
“I’m so excited! I think the last time I was this excited was when Obama ran ”.
Palma attended the same high school as Alcantar but they never exchanged a word. It was a few years after Palma was in her last year of high school and Alcantar, as a college student, returned to help students fill out their applications on a voluntary basis.
“I am a first generation DACA student and she came to help us with applications because she knew a lot about DACA too,” said Palma.
Additionally, Alcantar was in charge of informing the young people from the community about local politicians and even organized a group to appear at meetings.
“She is very active, she is always doing something,” said Palma.
Diana Colín, another Alcantar supporter, said she has lived much of her life in South Whittier and has seen first hand how this area is not properly represented
“It is an unincorporated area that many people, even those who live within the community, do not know that it does not belong to the city of Whittier”, explained Colín, of 01 years.
He added that this causes many resources to be overlooked as many assume Whittier has it covered when in fact the area belongs to the Los Angeles County and it is up to the Board of Supervisors to advocate for them.
“I think if anyone has a chance to put South Whittier on the map, it will be Elizabeth,” Colin said.
She explained that she is pleased to see how Alcantar has done a great job to make sure that Cudahy is identified on the visible map for elected officials to obtain resources.
“ When we needed to vaccinate our communities, [Alcantar] knocked on doors, talked to small businesses and was signing them up,” Colín said. “So to see elected officials knocking on doors, going to their businesses, speaking their language that is so big and important in a place like South Whittier.”
If she reached the assembly, Alcantar would be one of two younger assembly members. She believes that being young is not a problem but rather an opportunity because she will be able to show everything she can do at her young age.
“I have grown a lot in this time and I will continue fighting more”, asserted Alcantar.