You've seen the waves of anti-LGBTQ+ hate in Florida and other places, but did you know it is happening right here in Greater Los Angeles? For the past few years, anti-LGBTQ+ hate has been growing, thanks to the influence of Proud Boys, J6 insurrectionists, and right-wing provocateurs with groups like LibsofTikTok and Gays Against Groomers.  And now, two of the leaders of the anti-LGBTQ+ movement, which has been terrorizing parents, students, teachers and school officials, are running for seats on the Glendale School Board.

In this episode, Mike talks about what has happened over the past few years with parent Angie Givant, teacher Alicia Harris and LGBTQ+ activist and GUSD alum Erik Adamian. And then later in the show, Angie and Alicia will join me to talk about the dynamics and the particulars of the school board race.

Further Information

GUSD Parents for Public Schools website
GUSD Parents for Public Schools  twitter
GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society

WNLA: Who is Really Behind the Anti-LGBTQ+ protests in LA? (June 12, 2023)
Guardian: ‘Chaos campaign’: how an Armenian enclave became the center of an anti-LGBTQ+ battle
Daily Beast: How Far-Right Extremists Are Targeting Pro-LGBT Schools
Glendale News-Press: Advocates Denounce Hate Speech, Harassment Across GUSD

The Real Jordan Henry: Extremist in Glendale
The Real Aneta Krpekyan

What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin, in partnership with LA Forward.

The last in my series of 2024 primary election candidate spotlights: Heather Hutt

Since 2020, L.A.'s 10th council district has had a revolving cast of councilmembers, both elected and appointed. The City Council appointed Heather Hutt to fill the post in September 2022. She is now running to represent the district as its elected councilmember.

Before serving on the council. Hutt served in senior roles for several public officials, most notably as state director for then-US Senator Kamala Harris, chief of staff to Councilmember Herb Wesson, and district director to state Assemblymember and Senator Isadore Hall. She has the endorsement of Mayor Bass, the council’s progressive bloc, and also the council’s most conservative members. She was born and raised in the 10th district – and she is also a single mother to 3 sons that she raised in the 10th district.

She and I served together on the council for about 90 days at one of the most politically tumultuous times in modern LA history.

Her website is here: https://www.heatherhutt.com/

What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin, in partnership with LA Forward.

Since 2020, L.A.'s 10th council district has had a revolving cast of councilmembers, both elected and appointed. Now, voters finally get to choose a permanent, voting representative on the council.There is a big and impressive field of candidates   – and on this episode I talk with Reggie Jones-Sawyer.

An Assemblymember representing South Los Angeles since 2012, Jones-Sawyer revived the chamber's Progressive Caucus and has chaired the Public Safety Committee, where he was pushed major legislation to reimagine public safety and promote alternatives to incarceration. Prior to his election to office, Jones-Sawyer was an officer with the Los Angeles County Democratic Party. He served for several years in various capacities for the City of Los Angeles, including as deputy mayor, an assistant general manager, and director of real estate.

You can find out more about his campaign here: https://www.reggieforla.com/

What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin, in partnership with LA Forward.

The elections are here -- and in the City of Los Angeles, seven of the 15 council seats are on the ballot, and five of them are pretty spirited. Mike is joined by journalist and political strategist Jasmyne Cannick and Democratic Party activist and former council candidate Marco Santana to discuss what's at stake, break down each of the races, and dish a bit.

Some context on the elections:

Council District 14: Your guide to the L.A. City Council District 14 race (LA Times)
The Seething Anti-Blackness of Kevin de León
Council District 10: Laist Coverage
Council District 12:  Ethics Showdown in District 12 City Council Race
Council District 4:  LA’s Corporate Class Wants to Reverse Progressive Gain
Council District 2:  LAist Coverage

What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin, in partnership with LA Forward.

Jillian Burgos is an essential healthcare worker, and a small business owner. She graduated from Emily’s List Ignite Change Fellowship and Los Angeles Democrats inaugural TAP Academy and now a 2023 New Leaders Council fellow. Jillian ran for office and was elected to the NoHo Neighborhood Council as the Arts Organization Representative. Shortly after she was appointed as Treasurer, Chair of the Outreach Committee and Housing and Services Committee. Since then she has created a Tenant Rights Workshop in partnership with The City of Los Angeles, Abundant Housing LA and SAJE, helped pass several Neighborhood Purpose Grants that fed many of NoHo’s Unhoused, and brought mental health services and mentorship to schoolchildren with PESA.

You can learn more about her at her campaign website: https://www.jillianforthevalley.com/

What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin, in partnership with LA Forward.

Councilmember Raman has fought for renters, solutions to homelessness, strategies  to combat climate change, and smart, effective programs to promote public safety. She has made significant progress — and now she is being punished for it. Special interests are spending a fortune to defeat her, reverse progress, and kneecap the progressive movement. She joins Mike and Peter Dreier to  discuss their article in The Nation this week, reporting on the campaign against her.  Their article, "Los Angeles Death Match", (the online title "LA’s Corporate Class Wants to Reverse Progressive Gains"), focuses on the combined assault of corporate landlords, the police and firefighters associations, and right-wingers are fighting like hell to defeat her.  She talks about her love for LA, tackling big challenges, and fighting the bullshit.

The Nation: Los Angeles Death Match

Raman's re-election website: https://www.nithya2024.com/

What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin, in partnership with LA Forward.

Since 2020, L.A.'s 10th council district has had a revolving cast of councilmembers, both elected and appointed. Now, voters finally get to choose a permanent, voting representative on the council.There is a big and impressive field of candidates   – and on this episode I talk with Aura Vasquez.

Aura Vasquez is an Afro-Latina Colombian immigrant, community leader, fearless environmental justice advocate, and renewable energy advisor.  She served as a mayoral appointee to the Board of Water and Power Commissioners from 2017 to 2020.  She has served as the  Climate Justice Director for the Center for Popular Democracy. Prior to that, she advocated for state and federal immigrant rights with the PICO Network, fought for the the largest rooftop solar program in the country, and pushed for clean energy as an organizer with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign.  She was elected to the Wilshire Center Koreatown Neighborhood Council (WCKNC) in 2012, where she became the only Latina and only non-Korean American on the board.

You can find out more about her at her campaign website: https://www.auraforthepeople.com/

What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin, in partnership with LA Forward.

NOTE: This interview first aired last summer, before the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas.

With Adam Schiff running for U.S. Senate, his Los Angeles area 30th district congressional seat – which stretches from Burbank and Glendale and Sunland Tujunga down to Hancock Park and West Hollywood – is up for grabs for the first time in twenty years. There is a wide field of candidates running for the seat in next year's election, and we are going to talk with the major candidates, one on one and in-depth, on What's Next, Los Angeles.

In this episode, Mike talks with Nick Melvoin, a member of the member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education since 2017. Before taking office, he was a school teacher in Watts, worked in the Obama White House with the Domestic Policy Council and worked with the U.S. Attorney’s office,

You can find more on Nick at his website: https://www.nickmelvoin.com/

What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin, in partnership with LA Forward.

NOTE: This interview first aired last summer, before the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas.

With Adam Schiff running for U.S. Senate, his Los Angeles area 30th district congressional seat – which stretches from Burbank and Glendale and Sunland Tujunga down to Hancock Park and West Hollywood – is up for grabs for the first time in twenty years. There is a wide field of candidates running for the seat in next year's election, and we are going to talk with the major candidates, one on one and in-depth, on What's Next, Los Angeles.

In this episode, Mike talks with former Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer. Prior to his two terms as the city's lawyer and prosecutor, he served in the California Assembly, where he held the post of Majority Policy Leader. Before that, he served as a member of the Los Angeles City Council and as  Director of Bet Tzedek Legal Services.

More info on Mike here: https://mikefeuerforcongress.com/

What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin, in partnership with LA Forward.

NOTE: This interview first aired last summer, before the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas.

With Adam Schiff running for U.S. Senate, his Los Angeles area 30th district congressional seat – which stretches from Burbank and Glendale and Sunland Tujunga down to Hancock Park and West Hollywood – is up for grabs for the first time in twenty years. There is a wide field of candidates running for the seat in next year's election, and we are going to talk with the major candidates, one on one and in-depth, on What's Next, Los Angeles.

In this episode, Mike talks with Laura Friedman, who has represented the Burbank/Glendale area in the State Assembly since 2016. In the assembly, she is chair of the Transportation Committee, and policy chair of the Progressive Caucus. Prior to her election to the assembly, she was a councilmember and mayor of the city of Glendale.

What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin, in partnership with LA Forward.