I served as Los Angeles City Councilwoman for the residents of District 9 which includes Downtown, Little Tokyo, and South LA. During my 12-year tenure I led catalytic projects such as LA Live, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, and the new Police Administrative Building. I brought in $15 billion in investment, $52 million in net new tax revenue for the City of Los Angeles, and approximately 90,000 full-time jobs.
We are bearing witness to our country’s—and the world’s—climate crisis. As one who represented a community that is designated as a “heat island,” I implemented several initiatives to meet the challenge head—on. I am a former board member for the South Coast Air Quality Management District in Southern California, and a leader in building man-made wetlands to reverse the effects of heat islands and protect our aquifers. It is very clear we are in a state of crisis, and time is running out.
We are on the poised at the point of no return. If we do not meet our goals, then our future looks dismal. We must meet our 2030 target reductions for greenhouse gas emissions by 55%, codify carbon neutrality, and work diligently on our clean energy future. Otherwise, we and our r children will suffer dire consequences.