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Los Feliz Votes
Name | Office | Statement | |
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ANTHONY DAVANZO | Community Interest Representative, Recreation | I've lived in Southern California my whole life. This place is special to me: the sun, the outdoors, the ability to do what you want as the weather invites you to do it; all of these things aren't qualities you can find in just any place. I want to help empower our community to enjoy that ability to be outside, to do things that they find interesting. Whether it's art, sport, or simple evening strolls, I believe that recreation can have a powerful impact on our community to build relationships, to enjoy our common space, and to learn and grow together. | |
IAN PHILLIPS | Community Interest Representative, Recreation | 365 days a year, rain (little that there is) or shine, I hike, lead volunteer work as a board member of Friends of Griffith Park, or commute by bicycle on the streets and paths of Los Feliz. My dedication to recreation stems from an active childhood spent outdoors and this passion has only grown in the past five years that I have been a resident either in, or adjacent to, this neighborhood with its many parks, facilities, streets with beautiful views, playgrounds, and public spaces. Recreation in a time of crisis is a necessity, as so many of us are experiencing pain and need respite from the continuing toll of the pandemic. Safe and science-based approaches to getting people back to public spaces are essential to helping all Angelenos weather the months ahead of us. I would love to lead our Recreation Committee and work jointly with government, non-profit, and civic groups to provide free and equitable access to our considerable public resources. Thank you, see you on the trail! | |
MEGGAN ELLINGBOE | Community Interest Representative, Recreation | For the past three years, it's been an honor to serve as your Recreation Rep. Fostering recreation opportunities through green spaces and programs enhances our quality of life and helps us connect with each other. Now more than ever is it important we ensure access to Griffith Park in a safe, inclusive way. Pre-2020, we installed new playgrounds in Griffith Park and we organized a bike-in to CicLAvia. Now we must continue advocating for smoothing potholes on the fire roads, continued maintenance of tennis facilities, improvement of the pool off Riverside, and support the DASH Observatory route and the Parkline when those services can safely return so we can reduce traffic in the park. We must also find ways to create more space for people to recreate closer to home whether that's through improving the Slow Streets program and working with City leaders to find space for pocket parks or a rec center so all generations can benefit from a local community meet-up space. | |
KYMBERLY MURPHY | Community Interest Representative, Recreation | Having grown up in Los Angeles, I know firsthand the great importance that recreational and green spaces serve in the everyday lives of Angelenos. As a five-year resident of Los Feliz and an avid cyclist, swimmer, and runner, I take advantage of our local recreational spaces on an almost daily basis. I am running for this position to improve community outreach and to help foster a sense of ownership of these recreational spaces amongst the Los Feliz stakeholders. It is my goal for all of our community members to have the resources to understand how to utilize these spaces and programs. In my professional life, I am a Director of Operations for an entertainment/technology company, and it is my hope to blend my operational experience with my passion for my community to help advocate for the folks living and working in Los Feliz. | |
STEVEN MACCARTHY | Community Interest Representative, Public Health and Safety | Hello – My name is Steve MacCarthy and I am a candidate for the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council. Neighborhood Safety is usually not a concern until something goes wrong. I believe we are far better off anticipating what can go wrong as opposed to reacting to it.
I have resided in what is now District 4 for 35 years. My wife Margaret and I raised two sons here and they walked to school every day from our home. Margaret and I will have been married for 40 years in March.
My principle concern is in the area of having safe neighborhoods. I want to work in cooperation with the Homeless Committee to address issues of sanitation at the Homeless Encampments in District 4. I want to see better street lighting, and reduced speeding on our side streets. We have areas where there are inadequate or no crosswalks and pedestrians risk their lives just trying to cross a busy street. My neighbors and I already actively participate in conference calls with Councilmember Raman’s staff on these issues on a biweekly basis. Our conferences include members of LAPD and the City of Los Angeles Prosecutor for our area. I believe this is the type of communication and coordination that will eventually bring results.
Over the past year I have been active on an Ad Hoc Committee of the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council (LFNC) in an attempt to restore safety to our street and the District as a whole. While the positions on LFNC are on a volunteer basis, they are a vital link to the residents of our District neighborhoods. It is through the work/recommendations of our committees that the LFNC can make concrete recommendations to our City Government. | |
DANNY ROCCO | Community Interest Representative, Public Health and Safety | Danny Rocco (Public Health and Safety Rep., Candidate): I’m a proud member of the DSA and CORE. In solidarity with my running mates, I will advocate for, educate and activate our beautiful neighborhood toward a more inclusive and progressive future. As the Neighborhood Council is a volunteer body, we have certain limitations on what we can do. City Hall gives the NC a budget of about $30K. My personal ambition is to make sure that Los Feliz uses this money toward one important initiative annually, like extending my predecessor Mike Hain’s “oximeters program," or going in on two smaller but equally impactful initiatives, like extending Covid PPE to the homeless and/or supporting organizations that already have more access to resources. What we don’t have in money we have in people-power. Let's strengthen committee participation! My hope is that with a slate of like-minded progressive citizens, we can create a united front to lobby City Hall and make real systematic change for Los Feliz - and LA - over all. Join us! www.losfelizforeveryone.com // @dwrocco617 | |
REBECCA NEUREN | Community Interest Representative, Public Health and Safety | After working in the restaurant industry as a chef for almost 10 years, I was laid off at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. I quickly changed gears and began a masters in Environmental Science and Engineering. As I pursue this degree, I am quickly becoming an expert in the field and an advocate for my friends and neighbors as we fight for clean, air, water and a healthier Los Feliz. As a resident of Los Feliz for over 10 years, I believe the strong sense of community here is what sets us apart from other ares of town. I care deeply about making our neighborhood, and the city around us, the best that it can be. If this pandemic has taught us anything— it is that having a good plan, and being nimble enough to deviate from that plan, can literally save lives. As a community we can do better disaster preparedness. I believe that keeping all residents involved, informed, and educated will lead us to cleaner, better, and more sustainable choices and a healthier future. | |
ERICA VILARDI-ESPINOSA | Community Interest Representative, Education | Hi, I have been the Education Committee chair for the last three years. I decided to run for this position to help all of our schools in a broader way than just the parent organizations. I love working with our educators, schools and shareholders on improvements, workshops and graduations celebrations. Currently we have a very ambitious project in the works to get water bottle filling stations into all of our schools and that is the number one thing that keeps driving me to chair this committee. However as I became involved in the Neighborhood Council I released how many committees and interests overlap. I am currently the LFNC treasurer and working with the Environmental Affairs and Cultural Affairs Committees to bring more projects and improvement to our beautiful neighborhood. I love being a part of the Los Feliz community and being part of the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council allows me to advocate for your amazing ideas on a bigger scale and actually get some of them done! | |
CÉLINE VACHER | Community Interest Representative, Business | I've had the pleasure of serving as the LFNC's Business Rep for the past 3 years. As the owner of a boutique on Vermont Ave for almost a decade, I've forged some wonderful relationships with fellow Business Owners in the neighborhood, which is what inspired me to run for this seat back in '18. One of my main goals was to bridge the gap between the work of the Neighborhood Council and that of the Los Feliz Business Improvement District. Today, after working on numerous projects together, such as the '19 Holiday Market, the relationship between the LFNC and the BID is stronger than ever. Another project dear to my heart is the installation of permanent string lights throughout the village. If elected for a second term, I'd love to see that project through to completion along with reviving our beloved farmer's market. Our local businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic and need the support of their community more than ever. I would be honored to have the opportunity to represent them. | |
RIC TORRES | District Representative E | I have lived in the Franklin Hills (next door to Bruce Carroll) for 55 years. My two college aged kids and I have graduated from Franklin Avenue, King Middle School and Marshall High School over that time. I attended UC Berkeley and Loyola Law School and presently run the production shingle for nationally syndicated cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz. Our District E needs strong neighborhood advocates who have seen generations of lingering problems that need to be solved. I’m happy to dedicate some of my time to make that happen. | |
MOLLY PRATHER | District Representative E | As a proud member of DSA, I believe true local representation matters. In solidarity with my running mates, I will fight for a more inclusive and progressive Los Feliz that reflects the current needs of its residents, especially as we continue navigating the pandemic. As District E Representative to City Hall, I will advocate for rent relief and small business protections, ending all Care+ sweeps, expanding rent stabilization in LA, and providing housing solutions through reducing funding for LAPD. I’m committed to building community through better educating our neighbors about services, best practices, and public safety resources that can reduce our reliance on LAPD. Together, we can create highly impactful, systemic change that will benefit both our neighborhood and Los Angeles as a whole. Please join us at Losfelizforeveryone.com! | |
MISTY LEGRANDE | District Representative D | It has been an honor to serve as the District D representative this past term! I feel incredibly fortunate to be in a position to create impactful change in the community I love so dearly. In all of my community work, I strive to keep equity and accessibility at the forefront: initiatives to increase the number of green spaces, playgrounds and recreational opportunities in our community, improving amenities and programs in our local public schools, supporting affordable housing initiatives, and outreach and service initiatives with other local organizations and businesses that improve the quality of life of our community and its neighbors. I look forward to continuing my commitment and investment to Los Feliz and its future, to the betterment of the lives of my family and yours. I thank you for your support and thank you for your participation in Los Feliz Votes! | |
AIDA ASHOURI | District Representative C | During this pandemic, we must support our small businesses, take care of our community members that are in need, and ensure that Los Feliz continues to be a place welcome to all. I have already worked extensively to make LA a better city. At the LA City Attorney’s Office, I advised the City Council on a legal assistance program for immigrants, drafted an ordinance banning religious registries, and worked to protect domestic violence victims. I enjoy public service and volunteer in the community with the Food Bank, Reading to Kids, and Schools on Wheels. I am currently on three committees on the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council, and have organized clean ups, proposed sidewalk gardens, and provided input on environmental reviews of city developments. As a first-generation immigrant, raised by a single parent, I know how to make a difference in spite of hardship. Vote for Aida for District C Representative! | |
DOROTHY CARONNA | District Representative C | I have been a resident of Los Feliz for many years and understand the problems that my fellow residents are facing. From high rents that are nearly impossible to meet, to stagnant wages that cannot meet basic needs. We are seeing more and more homeless encampments set up in our own streets. The pandemic has shuttered many small businesses who need help in order to survive. My priorities would be helping residents who are struggling the most financially, and helping small businesses get back up on their feet by giving them the funds they need to get through this. What sets me apart from my fellow candidates is my plans to immediately address the financial needs of the members of our community. | |
LANE MCFADDIN | District Representative C | As a proud member of DSA and a volunteer on the Nithya Raman campaign, I have seen first hand what progressive organizing in LA can achieve. In solidarity with my running mates, I will advocate, educate and activate our beautiful neighborhood toward a more inclusive and progressive future. I have no delusions about what the Neighborhood Council can actually accomplish. City Hall gives us a budget of $40K. I hope to utilize this budget to impart real, substantive change through smart, targeted programs such as Covid PPE for unhoused and low income neighbors. What we lack in money we have in people-power. I will inspire us to make collective change through active participation. Through not just this council, but councils in closeby neighborhoods, progressives can push real systemic changes, in our neighborhood and beyond. Join us!
Losfelizforeveryone.com | |
JASEY CROWL | District Representative C | As a District C resident of 12 years my focus is to help neighbors and businesses connect and thrive. Los Feliz is my first and only home in LA and I will work to serve all of its stakeholders.
I’m actively working with other LFNC committees such as Public Health and Safety to expand neighborhood cleanups and increase outreach, and with Education to promote Wellness events for students and families. In the past as an artist and stakeholder, I’ve worked to promote commerce and activism by creating graphics for events, or going door-to-door to collect signatures for affordable housing.
My experiences as a teacher and artist have helped me build relationships with our diverse community, and I have a deep appreciation for what our neighbors have done to make Los Feliz the amazing place it is today to live and work.
We live in a beautiful and vibrant part of Los Angeles, but like many areas in our city Los Feliz is seeing a sharp increase in safety and sanitation issues due to the many existing problems the pandemic has worsened. As your District C rep I'll connect residents with the neighborhood council to make Los Feliz a safer and even better place for neighbors housed and unhoused to call home. | |
J. ANDERSON | District Representative C | It is my sincere belief that in order to create change we must first fully embody the change we hope to inspire. As this past year has laid bare inequalities at all levels and intersections of our local and national communities I have committed to bringing my priorities into closer alignment with the values of honest communication, compassionate leadership, and community service. I hope to be able to bring these values to the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council where I promise to facilitate respectful dialogue, foster a sense of constituent equity, and organize outreach efforts to ensure that voices from every part of our community are heard. In the meantime please join me in supporting our city’s testing and vaccination efforts or in making sure LA is fed with the LA Food Bank. | |
DES SEDAGHAT | District Representative B | Los Feliz is suffering from a rise in vandalism, litter, graffiti, gangs, and a breakdown in district & local government. My name is Des Sedaghat and I know we can do better. My platform is basic: SAFETY FOR ALL, BETTER SANITATION & ACCOUNTABILITY. I seek to represent District B on the Governing Board and currently serve on 3 LFNC committees (Homelessness, Public Health & Safety, Berendo/Lyman AdHoc). I’ve seen firsthand how issues are shamefully skirted by all city officials and it’s time we get results.
I will also tackle the lack of residential parking caused by multiple construction sites, it’s not right that construction workers in CD13 take up hundreds of spaces daily in CD4. Furthermore, having rented in LF for years, I know the extreme importance of rent control. I’ll listen to the concerns of both the housed & unhoused and our most vulnerable residents: the elderly, handicapped & non-English speaking residents who currently lack any representation, yet make up so much of our amazing neighborhood. My working relationship with LAPD’s Senior Leads, Outreach Services & City Council, will help to further neighborhood safety. We will improve our community together.
Los Feliz Deserves Better!
A little extra about me: I'm a Persian American immigrant. It took my family 2 yrs to seek refuge here in California after fleeing a war torn country and I’m forever grateful for that. I also love street tacos, absolutely believe in science & recently adopted a German Shepherd. Professionally, I work as a television editor. | |
JASON CORUM | District Representative B | I am a member of DSA and I am running for neighborhood council as an extension of my volunteer work with StreetWatch LA. In helping my unhoused neighbors with device charging as well as providing water, lunches, and hygiene kits throughout COVID, I’ve seen first-hand the hurdles they face when attempting to access services, the displacement they experience during sweeps, and the NIMBYism they contend with on a day-to-day basis. As the District B Representative, I would advocate for ending all Care+ sweeps, expanding housing security in LA, and providing housing solutions through reducing funds for LAPD. In Los Feliz, I believe that we should educate our neighbors about services, best practices, and public safety resources that will reduce our reliance on LAPD. I believe that if we work together we can create a more progressive LA and a Los Feliz For Everyone. | |
JACOB WASSERMAN | District Representative B | As an urban planner, I am running to make a more equitable, engaged Los Feliz: http://jacobforlosfeliz.com. I'll work for a vibrant Los Feliz open, safe, and accessible to all, especially our most vulnerable neighbors.
As a professional transportation researcher with a UCLA master's in urban planning, having passion for—and experience in—housing, transit, and the environment is literally my job. Building on my background in advocacy for mobility justice and immigration sanctuary, I'll push the City to fix our overlapping crises and make our streets more walkable and our housing more affordable: through Slow Streets, pandemic rent relief, tenants' right to counsel, more homeless services, and zoning reform to end the racist legacy of redlining. I will also work for fair representation, fixing the fact that District B has more stakeholders but the same number of seats as other districts.
As an active member of 4 LFNC committees, I have already passed resolutions on fairer rent rules, fare-free Metro, and responding compassionately to homelessness. I've also worked for the City of L.A. and other cities, so I know how to make change at the city level.
I am proud to be supported by Chancee Martorell, Director of the Thai Community Development Center (title for identification only); Streets for All; and the many neighbors I've talked to and learned from. I love this area, my home for the past 4 years, and would work to bring your voice to the Council. Thank you for your consideration! | |
JAY SAM WASSERMAN | District Representative B | ||
EDWARD STAPLETON | District Representative B | Rev Dr Edward Stapleton JD (he, him, his) is spouse to a restaurant worker; sibling of 4; son of a teacher and an engineer. Stapleton crusades for social justice, and protects the environment. Key issues are: good jobs; universal health care; education; and restoring the twin American dreams of home ownership and starting a small business. Reverend Stapleton believes all people are equal, with diverse perspectives of the Good. Juris Doctor Stapleton fights for justice legally. Commissioner Stapleton co-founded the Green City Awards. Stapleton serves on the Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee. Teacher Stapleton's ESL students achieved the highest literacy scores. Speaker Stapleton preaches California Clean Money. Employee Stapleton serves as Business Relationship Manager at LAX , authorizing 3K good jobs. “As your rep,” Stapleton says, “I'll make government work to solve racism, skyrocketing rents, parking congestion, homelessness, and local problems of ‘We the People!’ | |
JEFFREY MILLER | District Representative A | We all know there is a severe housing shortage in Los Angeles. Many struggle to keep a roof over their heads, and many fail and end up on our streets. The only long-term solution is construction of more housing. Simple arithmetic tells you that if you have 1000 people, but only enough housing for 900, 100 of them are going to live under freeway offramp's, or have to move away, or a couch surf. Rents inflate to astronomical levels. I have been a member of both the PLUM committee and the Housing Committee, as well as its New Housing subcommittee, where we are exploring ways to create more housing. I understand that the Los Feliz neighborhood Council deals with many issues aside from housing, and they are all important, but none is more important than housing. We need creative initiatives to expand the ability to build new housing, and to eliminate the impediments in the approval process that kill so many projects. Business as usual is not going to solve this crisis. | |
DANIEL NEILAN | District Representative A | Los Angeles is a city facing a lot of difficult problems and I firmly believe that the solutions to those problems begin at a local level. In my years living in Los Feliz and in my time volunteering with the LA Food Bank, I’ve seen my neighbors deal with everything from basic traffic congestion to soaring housing prices to the fallout of the city’s mishandling of the homelessness crisis. As the representative for District A, I plan to urge City Hall to address these issues with progressive policies that ensure equitable support and safety for all Los Feliz residents. We need rent relief and small business protections. We need slower streets with better public transportation. We need to provide care for our unhoused neighbors and reduce reliance on LAPD intervention. In short, we need a Los Feliz For Everyone. | |
ERIN TILLMAN | District Representative B | Hi there! My name is Erin Tillman. I have been a resident of Los Angeles for 17 years and have lived in Los Feliz for over 10 years. I strongly believe that it takes leadership and teamwork to make our society work on both micro and macro levels. Working in the field of dating & consent education for over 10 years, I cannot stress the importance of communication and not applying a one-size-fits-all approach to people’s experiences. I’ve also worked in the tv/film industry for almost 20 years. I have witnessed both industries slowly accept that the usual systems are changing. Because people have raised their voices to speak up when they see injustices, things are shifting for the better. I am proud of anyone who has the courage to speak up, especially when it’s not popular to do so. We are all in this together. Allyship and advocacy are everything in today’s society. |
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