New Los Angeles City Council Needs To Make Hiring Black Staffers A Priority

Five people are set to be sworn-in as new L.A City Council members Dec. 12, along with a new City Controller.

This new city council is being called one of the most “diverse” councils Los Angeles has seen. None of the newly elected officials, are Black men or women.

These L.A City Council members include Eunisses Hernandez, Katy Young-Yaroslavsky, Traci Park, Hugo Soto-Martinez and Tim McOsker.

As of 2020, the L.A City Council receives an annual salary of over $160,000 per year, which is among the highest council salary for any city in the U.S.

Kenneth Mejia was elected as the new City Controller and Karen Bass will be the new Mayor.

The City of Los Angeles loves to be portrayed as a sort of liberal and “progressive” utopia, yet the people elected to represent L.A constituents, do not commit themselves to hiring Black people on their staff.

Eunessis Hernadez, who was recently elected to represent District 1, announced a few of her own staff picks. So far, none of the roles picked by Hernandez include Black men or women.

Ivette Serna – Chief of Staff

Raised in District 1. Currently serves as the Deputy Director of Legislative affairs for CM Raman. Prior to that was part of City Controller Ron Galperin’s Government Affairs team.

Helene Rotolo – Deputy Chief of Staff

Volunteer for Bernie Sanders 2016 Presidential campaign. Earned her Masters in Public Administration from CalState Long Beach in 2017. Began working for the City as an intern for Eric Garcetti and worked as a Planning Assistant with the Department of City Planning Development Services Center.

Meghan Choi – Senior Advisor

Served as the campaign manager for CM Hernandez “She has been instrumental in changing the political landscape in Los Angeles! She comes from a background of electoral and community organizing addressing concerns of immigration, housing and the environment,” according to social media materials.

Mejia announced one Black man among several other very important staff positions in a press release earlier today.

Although there are still more positions to be announced by Mejia and the city council members, one or two Black people will not cut it anymore for “diversity and inclusion.”

Mejia’s recent announcement for staff picks include:

Jane Nguyen -Chief of Staff

Mejia’s campaign manager. Co-founded homeless advocacy group K-Town For All and was the 2020 UCLA Activist in Residence.

Rick Cole – Chief Deputy Controller

Former L.A Deputy Mayor for Budget and Innovation and Mayor of Pasadena. Cole will be responsible for the day-to-day functions of the Controller’s 160 employee’s. He was also the Mayor of Santa Monica and teaches urban policy at Occidental College and Pepperdine University.

Sergio Perez – Chief Accountability and Oversight

Currently Inspector General for the Department of Water and Power. Previously served as the Executive Director of Orange County’s Oversight Commission.

Kyler Chin- Director of Technology and Innovation

Joined the Mejia campaign at 17 years old and built Mejia’s website and public resources. Director of Sunrise Movement Orange County.

Diana Chang – Director of Communications

Worked in marketing, communications and outreach in entertainment and media for 13 years.

Michael Sheer – Director of Research and Governmental Affairs

Controller of the Miracle Mile Democratic Club and has worked as a writer in film. He joined the Mejia campaign and helped with voter outreach.

Shekinah Deocares – Director of Community Engagement

Assisted in voter outreach for Mejia campaign

Jacky Rodarte – Executive Aide

Director of Latinx Outreach and Office Manager for the Mejia Campaign

Rahoof (Wally) Oyewole – Chief Financial Officer

23 years of service working for both the City and County of Los Angeles in accounting and auditing roles. He started off working for the County Auditor Controller in the Audit Division. Recently served as Departmental Chief Accountant for the Los Angeles City Employee’s Retirement System (LACERS). A CPA with CISA and CIA certifications.

Vincent de Vera – Executive Aide

Volunteer with Best Friends Animal Society and L.A Animal Services, and served in Voter Outreach and as an office manager for Mejia. An auditor in the private sector for four years and is currently studying to be a CPA.

Some L.A City Councilmember’s do not currently have any Black people on their staff, including Council President Paul Krekorian.

Many politicians tried to create a divide between themselves and those caught on the leaked audio with former Councilwoman Nury Martinez, by publicly condemning them.

This may increase their public support, however, it does nothing to change the institutional racism and anti-Black experiences imposed on Black Angeleno’s.

Providing job and economic opportunities to Black people in Los Angeles should not fall solely on the shoulders of Black politicians, businesses or people.

Black politicians and people always make it a point to address and include various communities, without the same effort by other “people of color” who tend to focus solely on the needs of their community and racial group.

District 8, 9 and 10 which are represented by Black council-members have done a good job of including Black people on their staff.

Councilwoman Nithya Raman in District 4, has made an effort in offering employment opportunities to Black Angeleno’s. In 2021, Raman named a Black woman as her Deputy Chief of Staff and District Director, along with her Government Affairs Liaison.

Lindsey Horvath, who was recently elected to the Board of Supervisors, has not announced any staff picks and instead shared to her social media that her office is hiring for several positions.

Horvath previously served on the West Hollywood City Council.

A message to the incoming Council members and elected officials: make it a priority to offer Black people job opportunities on your staff and involve Black Angeleno’s in your district events and programs in 2023.

Solely condemning the words of Nury Martinez and those on the leaked audio means very little, if there are no actions or involvement in anti-racism work to address the needs of Black Angeleno’s.

Make Diversity Equity and Inclusion really mean something for Black people in Los Angeles. As opposed to it simply being a smoke screen to hide behind, for the benefit of yourself, and your networks in Los Angeles.