1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: Look already, Ola La, I'm Viosa and I'm Mala. Today 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 1: we have an interview with Senator Sasha Renee Betiz of 3 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: Ahambra Enjoy. 4 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 2: Just got sworn in. This is your first year in office. 5 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 2: Yeah as a senator. You were the mayor of Alhambra previously, 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 2: But as a California State Senator, where is your drive 7 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 2: to work? At one hundred and fifty percent coming from? 8 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:31,159 Speaker 3: I feel this deep sense of responsibility I think to 9 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 3: my community, right. I mean, you know, I've been in 10 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 3: the SGV my whole life, right, and I think being 11 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 3: a kid that's that's from my community. And seeing the 12 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,840 Speaker 3: pain that we just went through with the fires, and 13 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 3: seeing the pain that folks are going through now with 14 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 3: this new federal administration, and having people approach me and 15 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 3: say I'm depending on you and I'm scared about what 16 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 3: this moment presents, really drives me to want to do more, 17 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 3: to do every thing I can. I work seven days 18 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 3: a week, NonStop, and I also love what I do, 19 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 3: like very deeply, so it doesn't feel like work. Today 20 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 3: is supposed to be my day off. I worked all 21 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,479 Speaker 3: day and I feel a real deep sense of commitment 22 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 3: to the work. 23 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: And tell us about the district you represent, the San 24 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: Gabriel Valley and tell us about who your constituents are 25 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: for anyone not familiar with that area. 26 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, So the SGV is a place that is so 27 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 3: special to my heart, right outside of the City of 28 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:38,960 Speaker 3: Los Angeles. That includes communities like al hambram Honree Parks, 29 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:45,199 Speaker 3: and Gabriel, Rosemead Temple City that are predominantly API. You'll 30 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 3: hear researchers sometimes refer to it as an Ethno burb 31 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 3: because you have API folks that have basically created a 32 00:01:55,640 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 3: suburb that is almost entirely you know, diverse, right, rather 33 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 3: than kind of when you think about these suburbs, I 34 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 3: think people tend to think of white folks, and this 35 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 3: is a predominantly Asian American Pacific Islander community. And then 36 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 3: you have the northern part of my district, right Altadena, Pasadena, 37 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 3: which has recently gained a lot of tension, that has 38 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 3: this huge historically black community. You have Latino communities all 39 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 3: throughout parts of Pasadena, parts of Glendale, even parts of Alhambra, 40 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 3: and in Glendale a huge Armenian community, one of the 41 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 3: largest actually in the entire nation. So my district is 42 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 3: one of the most diverse in the state. It's also 43 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,399 Speaker 3: one of the only districts that does not have one 44 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 3: single racial majority. We're made up of a lot of 45 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 3: different folks and I think that's what makes you know 46 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 3: the area, the San Gabriel Valley so unique. 47 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: Absolutely, And I want to remind our listeners that we 48 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,919 Speaker 1: had a guest Bianca maboute Luis who talked about Ethno 49 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: Burbs and this is maybe during season nine, So I 50 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: just want to kind of call back to that because 51 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: you mentioned. 52 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 2: It per book Unassimilable. Yes, yes, and very much writing 53 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 2: about the retention of culture and language in the San 54 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 2: Gabriel Valley. 55 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 3: Oh, I love that. 56 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, and how assimilation has not been the goal or 57 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 2: the driving life force for those communities there. So I'm wondering, 58 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 2: let's go back recap for our listeners. We did an 59 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: interview with you during the pandemic when you became the 60 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 2: mayor pro tem of al Hambra. Tell us about becoming 61 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 2: mayor of Alhambra and then how that led you in 62 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 2: one way or another to now you're holding office as 63 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 2: California State Senator. Yeah. 64 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's it's crazy because that feels like eons ago 65 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 3: now first running for office. You know, when I ran 66 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 3: for the City of Alhambra to run for council, it 67 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 3: was really at a point in my life when I 68 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 3: think I felt really fed up and really angry. To 69 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 3: be perfectly honest, I had just lost, you know, my 70 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 3: cousin who had passed away after being chronically homeless for 71 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 3: most of his life and the year before, and I think, 72 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 3: through going to therapy and really reflecting on what that 73 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 3: meant and the frustration I felt with the system, I 74 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 3: came out of that saying, you know, I'd want to 75 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 3: step out from being behind the scenes. I had worked 76 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:27,840 Speaker 3: in policy my whole life, and I want to start 77 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 3: being the decision maker because I felt like those voices 78 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 3: weren't represented at the table. And I saw the homelessness crisis, 79 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:38,479 Speaker 3: and I felt like it was so clear to me 80 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 3: what was coming now. I could have never predicted that 81 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 3: a pandemic was on its way that was certainly going 82 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 3: to exacerbate the situation, and that's exactly what ended up happening. 83 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 3: And so I started running in twenty twenty, and we'd 84 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 3: go into shutdown mode, and all of a sudden, I 85 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 3: have hundreds of people contacting me through my website saying 86 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 3: I don't know how I'm going to pay my rent, 87 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 3: I don't know how I'm going to pay for food. 88 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 3: And it was like this shocking moment. I think I 89 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 3: had prepared myself for people attacking me and calling me 90 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,039 Speaker 3: like me names, and I realized that that doesn't bug 91 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 3: me at all. But when somebody looks you in the 92 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 3: eye and says I'm depending on you because I don't 93 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 3: know what's going to happen next, and I'm scared who 94 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 3: that hits in a different way, and I suddenly felt 95 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 3: I think that sense of responsibility I was talking about earlier, 96 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 3: of like I don't just want to do this, I 97 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 3: need to do this, and it just really kind of changed. 98 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:43,839 Speaker 3: I think everything for me and my campaign just became 99 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 3: about mailers and other things, but answering people's questions that 100 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 3: they had about tenant protections and learning all these different 101 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 3: county and city and state laws that were getting passed 102 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 3: so that I could better interpret to people the law. 103 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 3: So i've and then I and I defeated the incumbent 104 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 3: by sixty points. I mean, it was crazy, so to 105 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 3: come out on the other side of that, and you know, 106 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 3: and then to be in office and to be delivering 107 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 3: for my community. And then all of a sudden we 108 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 3: had the redistricting process happen and All Hambra got moved 109 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 3: into the Senate district and people started talking with me 110 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 3: about running for Senate. And I will be honest with you, 111 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:28,280 Speaker 3: I was like, these folks are not going to vote 112 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:31,280 Speaker 3: for me. I was like some you know, little brown 113 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 3: renter girl from all Hambra, Like this is not They're 114 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 3: not going to want to elect someone like me. And 115 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 3: this group called Close the Gap, who's dedicated to electing 116 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,799 Speaker 3: women to office. They just kept on trying to convince 117 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 3: me for almost a year, and they sat down and 118 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 3: they'd show me data, and they'd bring me and sit 119 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 3: me down to lunch and have me talk to consultants. 120 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 3: And I was just like, I don't think that this 121 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:57,840 Speaker 3: is viable. And then I left to Chile and was 122 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 3: in South America for a month and I just sat 123 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 3: down and I thought about it, and I thought, if 124 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,119 Speaker 3: I don't try to do it, I'm going to wonder 125 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 3: for the rest of my life what would have happened. 126 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: Well, that's amazing. So what would you say, was like 127 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: the deciding factor for you? Was it the months of 128 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 1: like being courted, having this moment of like what if, 129 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: Like was there more to it? 130 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 3: I think I knew that there was still a lot 131 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 3: of work to do at the state level. My background 132 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 3: is actually in state policy, Like that's where I started 133 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 3: doing a lot of my policy work, and there were 134 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 3: so many things that I saw coming. I think the 135 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 3: homelessness crisis was still something that I saw that there 136 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 3: needed to be work done at the state level. But 137 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 3: then you know, all of a sudden, from two point 138 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 3: zero started to come right and what was that going 139 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 3: to mean? You know, for the state of California to 140 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 3: need to act as the resistance once again. And I 141 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 3: think I really kind of felt like, Okay, I wanted 142 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 3: to be a part of that no matter what happened, 143 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 3: especially with the threats to education. I've worked in the 144 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 3: education space for so long. Into immigration, there was so 145 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 3: much that they wanted to do. 146 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: There, don't go anywhere, lookomotives, We'll be right back. 147 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 4: And we're back with more of our episode. 148 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 1: I'd love to take advantage of having you here and 149 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: have you like debunk things we see online about the 150 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: homelessness crisis in California, specifically in La County. 151 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 3: Look, I think the homelessness crisis has really been something 152 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 3: that's been created over time with a multitude of kind 153 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 3: of bad policy decisions. Right, we slowed down on building housing. 154 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 3: I mean that is really I think the crux of it. 155 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 3: And when we slowed down on building housing and suddenly 156 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 3: we had a housing shortage issue, but so many people 157 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 3: still wanting to move to California, it drove up rent 158 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 3: prices drastically. And the challenge that we're now facing is 159 00:08:56,160 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 3: we've invested so much money into resolving homelessness, but we 160 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,479 Speaker 3: have a constant stream of folks that are falling into homelessness, 161 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 3: and we really have no safety net to protect those 162 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 3: folks that are right on the edge of poverty. You know, 163 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 3: I was reading a study the other day and something 164 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:18,839 Speaker 3: like ninety two percent of folks that are homeless said 165 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 3: that if they had just been given a housing voucher 166 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 3: for one month's rent, that that would have prevented them 167 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 3: from falling into homelessness. And so we have more and 168 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 3: more people that are right there at the line because 169 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 3: California's frankly become unaffordable and it's difficult for anybody to 170 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:39,960 Speaker 3: live here. So it is a constant challenge that we're 171 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,559 Speaker 3: in that as we're trying to house the current folks 172 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 3: that are currently facing homelessness, we have this new stream 173 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 3: of folks that are constantly falling into this situation. And 174 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 3: now you know, the state is trying to rush to 175 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 3: build more housing, is trying to rush to make sure 176 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 3: that that process is streamlined. At the l local level, 177 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 3: you have a lot of local cities that have refused 178 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 3: to build new housing, refuse to build permanent supportive housing, 179 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 3: and this has now become a crisis of multiple proportions. 180 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 3: So it is it is going to take time. And 181 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 3: I think that that's also the hard part. And even 182 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 3: when we do start to make a measurable difference, because 183 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 3: we're not doing anything to fix this pocket of folks 184 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 3: that are constantly living on the edges, it's like an 185 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 3: unresolvable issues. So you have to have a multifaceted approach. 186 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 3: And you know, that's what I've been really focused on, 187 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:40,559 Speaker 3: is us trying to address just that. I think when 188 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 3: we see on TV visually, the folks that are most 189 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 3: interface and we see on news cycles about this is 190 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 3: people that have addiction issues, right a mental health issues. 191 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 3: Those folks need a whole different set of supports, whether 192 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 3: it's through you know, Ala County DMH or you know 193 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 3: Dragon Alcohol rehabilitation services. But most people who we don't 194 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 3: often see on the streets, they're often living in their cars, 195 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 3: they're sleeping on people's couches, and are families that are 196 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 3: doing this. Those are the folks that you know, with 197 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:17,200 Speaker 3: a little bit of economic support, we could go and 198 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 3: get them back into housing and make sure that they're 199 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 3: not falling deeper into homelessness. 200 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 2: It's the classic putting a band aid on a leak, right, 201 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 2: it's just not stopping the leak. Yeah, And it's just 202 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 2: such a multi layered issue. And I think in LA, 203 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:40,200 Speaker 2: especially if you're out and about, you can see when 204 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 2: someone is like newly homeless, like they just you know, 205 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 2: lost their housing. And I'm curious too about the folks 206 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 2: that maybe you heard from back when you were starting 207 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:55,199 Speaker 2: to campaign. 208 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 4: If you ever hear follow ups. 209 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,719 Speaker 2: From those folks, like folks who are struggling, folks who 210 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 2: are looking looking for help and support with housing, with rent, 211 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 2: what have you, What is that feedback loop, like do 212 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 2: you hear from them again? 213 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 4: Do you follow up with them? 214 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 3: Like? What does that look like, yeah, a lot of folks, 215 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 3: I'll run into them again, or I'll go check on them. 216 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:19,719 Speaker 3: There was one family in particular that I got very 217 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 3: involved with when I was running for city council, and 218 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,839 Speaker 3: they were in a situation where their landlord had intentionally 219 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 3: shut off the power and shut off the water in 220 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 3: their building in order to try to force them out. 221 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:36,440 Speaker 3: Because if you remember, at the time, we had very 222 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:39,199 Speaker 3: heavy protections in place, right, so if you weren't able 223 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:42,719 Speaker 3: to pay your rent, you were basically held harmless. You 224 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 3: couldn't be evicted. And so this landlord was essentially doing 225 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:49,960 Speaker 3: these illegal practices to try to force out the tenant. 226 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 3: And the tenant that was there was a mother and 227 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 3: her husband. Her husband was struggling with some major health 228 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 3: issues along with her children when was in high school 229 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 3: and another was in elementary school, and it was I mean, 230 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 3: it was just shocking and unacceptable what was happening. So 231 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:14,439 Speaker 3: we reported the landlord to the Department of Public Health 232 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 3: because it's a public health violation to do that. And 233 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 3: I saw them, gosh, not too long ago, I want 234 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 3: to say, like five or six months ago, and they 235 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 3: had shared with me that they weren't living there anymore 236 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 3: that they moved into another location. They obviously got tired 237 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 3: of dealing with this person that was being very antagonistic 238 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,559 Speaker 3: towards them. But one of the things I think that's 239 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 3: really important to me is when I go through that 240 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 3: process with somebody, is to really educate them around their rights, 241 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:43,080 Speaker 3: right and empowering her as the mother as well as 242 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 3: her as her two children to understand that they have 243 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 3: rights and protections in that moment, and you know, in 244 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 3: talking with her, that's what she was sharing with me. 245 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 3: You know, I really appreciated you just empowering me to 246 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:57,199 Speaker 3: know that I have rights. I can fight back, right, 247 00:13:57,360 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 3: I don't have to just accept what they're telling me. 248 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 3: I have protections too. So it's you know, it's tough. 249 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 3: I think we tried to do our best to help 250 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 3: folks out. But you know, even in that situation, they've 251 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 3: moved to a place that's now smaller, and maybe it's 252 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 3: it might be tighter quarters, but you know, when when 253 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 3: you're dealing with the landlord that's that aggressive and antagonistic, 254 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 3: it's just it's not a healthy place for someone to live. 255 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 2: So before we stepped into the studio, we were talking 256 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 2: about the fact that almost immediately after you got sworn 257 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:35,160 Speaker 2: into office, the wildfires. 258 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 4: The fires took place here. 259 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:40,760 Speaker 2: In LA and you were on the ground immediately and 260 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 2: working in the community. And I'm wondering what that introduction 261 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 2: was like for you, you know, to this office and 262 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 2: having this huge disaster take place right away and just 263 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 2: hitting the ground running. 264 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 4: What was that experience like for you? 265 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 3: It was so overwhelming. Oh my gosh, January was one 266 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 3: of the hardest months of my life. I don't think 267 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 3: I've ever experienced anything more more challenging. Oh my goodness. 268 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 3: I started on January sixth, and the legislature and Sacramento 269 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 3: and the fires happened on the evening of January seventh, 270 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,360 Speaker 3: and so you know, when I got that phone call, 271 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 3: I didn't sleep that night. I was up until four 272 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 3: in the morning in the office, and then I went 273 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 3: back to my apartment. I napped for twenty minutes, and 274 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 3: then I took the first flight back to LA And 275 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 3: it was just like not knowing what I was walking 276 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 3: into the bizarre nature of seeing a community that I 277 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 3: know in love on fire. And then when I got 278 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 3: back here on January eighth, we went to go and 279 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:44,760 Speaker 3: see the area and much of it was still on fire, 280 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 3: so that was also bizarre too, because we couldn't get planes, 281 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 3: you know, up into into the sky of helicopters rather 282 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 3: to put out the flames because the winds were still 283 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 3: very high at that point. But it was it was 284 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 3: just so overwhelming and bizarre, and I think I just 285 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 3: didn't really have a moment to process it, because if 286 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 3: I think I would have processed it, I would have 287 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 3: freaked out. So I just had to do it, and 288 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 3: that was just it. I just had to jump right 289 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 3: in and not think about it and be like, I'm 290 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 3: this is work, I'm working, and let me just focus 291 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 3: on on delivering for folks. 292 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 2: Don't go anywhere, Lokamotis. 293 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:23,119 Speaker 1: We'll be right. 294 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 4: Back, and we're back with more of our episode. 295 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 1: That raises me to my really basic question that I 296 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: have for you, because I think, like, as I go 297 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: deeper into my career here with look at Dora and 298 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: just being somewhat someone that's online and like very politically 299 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 1: informed and tries to be really informed, there is a 300 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 1: basic misunderstanding of like civic engagement and what elected officials 301 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: can do and what they should do. So I want 302 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: to ask you just a really basic question like what 303 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: does a state senator do? Cause I feel like people 304 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 1: might not even know what that is. You know, what 305 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: does she What does the state center actually do? 306 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 3: So we write laws for the state of California. To 307 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:09,919 Speaker 3: put it very simply, So anything that happens at the 308 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 3: federal level, you know, I am not a US senator, 309 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:18,119 Speaker 3: so I have no jurisdiction over that. You know people 310 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 3: have messaged me about like impeaching the president. That is 311 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 3: not something that I have any jurisdiction over. So when 312 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 3: we write laws, it is specifically for California and impacting 313 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:33,119 Speaker 3: all of California. So like a local city council member 314 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 3: or a local mayor would be writing laws specifically for 315 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 3: their city or their town, and for us, we have 316 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 3: to think statewide whenever we're working on something and doing something. 317 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 2: No, I think that's really important basic explainer for anybody, right, 318 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 2: for anybody, so that you know where to go. Yeah, 319 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 2: when you do have an issue, you save yourself the 320 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,959 Speaker 2: run around and go directly to the person, the office, 321 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:00,439 Speaker 2: the department that can do something for you, right, that 322 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 2: can handle. 323 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:01,520 Speaker 4: What you need. 324 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 2: Before we came into the studio, you were talking about 325 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 2: a bill that you recently presented. Can you tell us 326 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:09,640 Speaker 2: more about that for our listeners. 327 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, so, as you know, you know, Elon Musk, Trump 328 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:22,200 Speaker 3: Doge have been just on this craze cycle of cutting 329 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 3: everything and so many of the life saving services that 330 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 3: we depend on, whether it's been Medicaid, you know, social Security. 331 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 3: They're now talking about eliminating the Department of Education, They're 332 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:36,879 Speaker 3: talking about eliminating FEMA. And you know, I have heard 333 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 3: from so many of my constituents that they want for 334 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:44,199 Speaker 3: me to fight back. You know, we're the state of California. 335 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 3: We're the most powerful state in the nation. We can't 336 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 3: allow this to happen. We give more of our federal 337 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:53,640 Speaker 3: tax dollars to the federal government than we receive back. 338 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 3: So I've introduced a bill to withhold federal funding should 339 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 3: the administration continue to cut life saving services. And part 340 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 3: of the reason why I'm suggesting that we go that 341 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 3: route is because at some point we're going to need 342 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 3: to backfill those services, whether it's Medicaid, whether it's Social Security. 343 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 3: I mean, this is presenting real policy and budget questions 344 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:22,919 Speaker 3: that we're now having to deal with, and it is 345 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 3: about time for us to say no more. If you 346 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 3: want to continue doing this, then we're going to have 347 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 3: to hold on to our dollars because we have to 348 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,959 Speaker 3: continue to provide those services to our constituents to make 349 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 3: sure that people are staying alive. And you know, this 350 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 3: is my form of saying enough is enough. And what 351 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 3: I've heard from my constituents is they're like, we don't 352 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 3: know what we want you to do, but please just 353 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:46,919 Speaker 3: do something. 354 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 1: So yeah, And I have a follow up question to that, 355 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,679 Speaker 1: because my lingering question, as all of the cuts have 356 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: been made at the federal level, is how does that 357 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,199 Speaker 1: not affect like unemployment at the state level, And is 358 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:02,719 Speaker 1: that something that you're also seeing and maybe like with 359 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:05,640 Speaker 1: one of the implications of like then the budget constraints, 360 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 1: or then how does this fill out into or spill 361 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: over into the state of California. 362 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,919 Speaker 3: Oh, my gosh, absolutely, I mean that is part of 363 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 3: what is driving If you've seen some of the news recently, 364 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 3: the County of La is facing a budget crisis, the 365 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 3: City of La is facing a budget crisis. If you 366 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 3: saw you know, headlines just a couple of months ago, 367 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 3: right after the fires happen, the state government invested two 368 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 3: point five billion dollars into the La wildfires, both Palisades 369 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:36,880 Speaker 3: and Eton. And what that helps to cover is all 370 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 3: of those fire trucks you saw coming from all over 371 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 3: the state of California and even outside of the state. 372 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,680 Speaker 3: Those firefighters need to get paid for their time, all 373 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:48,199 Speaker 3: the resources that were used, whether it was city or 374 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 3: county resources. That's to help cover and foot the bill 375 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 3: for that. We're depending on FEMA to reimburse us for that. 376 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:57,400 Speaker 3: So if you were to eliminate that department, if we're 377 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 3: not to not receive those dollars, that has huge impact 378 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 3: on the state budget. So many of our local communities 379 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:08,200 Speaker 3: depend on Medicaid for example, you know, cutting that that 380 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 3: cuts those folks out of health care. These are huge, huge, 381 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 3: huge items, and you know, we have multiple lawsuits moving forward. 382 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 3: The attorney generals joined together with other states to sue 383 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:25,800 Speaker 3: the federal government. But if any of these things were 384 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 3: to go through and continue moving forward, we are going 385 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 3: to be in a real, real crisis. And I really 386 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 3: want to emphasize that. My hope is that you'll have 387 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,920 Speaker 3: other states begin to speak up and say we can't 388 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 3: do this. I mean, if they're to eliminate FEMA, it's 389 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:44,360 Speaker 3: not just California that takes the hit. Kentucky just went 390 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:46,919 Speaker 3: through one of the biggest floods that they've seen in 391 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 3: the last twenty five thirty years. Their folks are relying 392 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 3: on FEMA too, So it's not just a California issue. 393 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 3: It is all of us. 394 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:57,080 Speaker 1: Right. And then with the changes of the climate crisis 395 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 1: that we're in, we can only expect more natural disasters 396 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: in across the nation. 397 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 3: Yes, yeah, absolutely, We're in March. Well, we're now about 398 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 3: to enter into April. Think about that. I mean, we 399 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:12,439 Speaker 3: still have several months of the year left. And that 400 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 3: is the scary part is we could be in for 401 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,879 Speaker 3: more climate disasters, more natural disasters that we don't know 402 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:20,879 Speaker 3: that are coming, and it might not be California. It 403 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 3: could be another state. 404 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:28,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. The bill that you've presented about withholding federal funding 405 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 2: and to be clear, this is funding that California pays 406 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 2: to the federal government. Yes, it's not the other way around. Yes. 407 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 2: Have you gotten good feedback on this bill? Have you 408 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 2: gotten pushed back on this bill? What has the response 409 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 2: been after you presented it? 410 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 3: So we introduced this four days ago, so it's still 411 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:50,360 Speaker 3: relatively new. But I have talked with some constituents about it, 412 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 3: because I've spoken to a couple of groups over the 413 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,920 Speaker 3: last several days, and the response that I've gotten from 414 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 3: constituents is overwhelmingly, this is the exact direction and that 415 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:03,120 Speaker 3: we want to see are elected officials going, We want 416 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 3: to know that these critical services are going to be covered, 417 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:09,199 Speaker 3: if not for me, then for my friend, my neighbor, 418 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:12,399 Speaker 3: my family member. And this is a kind of response 419 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 3: that I think folks need in this moment. 420 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 1: So earlier you shared that there is not necessarily a 421 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: consensus between the Democratic Party and maybe a certain stance 422 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: that Democrats should be taking right now, but you're taking 423 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: a clear stance right and it's a pretty big one. 424 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: You're saying, like, we're going to withhold our federal dollars 425 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 1: that we pay to the federal government. Is that something 426 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:38,639 Speaker 1: that you think could be a model? And also like 427 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: what could like if you could waive a magic wand 428 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: what do you think the Democrats should be doing or 429 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:45,119 Speaker 1: could be doing differently? 430 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:49,119 Speaker 3: So, oh, my goodness, so many things. And let me 431 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:51,400 Speaker 3: also say too, I think one of the things that's 432 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 3: really interesting about this moment is Democrats have suffered one 433 00:23:56,960 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 3: of the biggest losses that we've seen in some time 434 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,160 Speaker 3: right in this election, and so you see the party 435 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,119 Speaker 3: kind of struggling to figure out, like where do we 436 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 3: go in this moment? And so, you know, my ideas 437 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,360 Speaker 3: and the thoughts that I have could be very different 438 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 3: than any single one of my colleagues. But I'm of 439 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,960 Speaker 3: the perspective that, you know, this moment is calling upon 440 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 3: us to fight back. I really love seeing what AOC 441 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 3: and Bernie Sanders are doing, traveling across the country, going 442 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 3: to red states, rallying folks and calling out what is happening. 443 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:32,119 Speaker 3: I think that's something that's so critical for us to 444 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:34,199 Speaker 3: do in this moment as Democrats, is for us to 445 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 3: be truth tellers and to say that you have billionaires 446 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 3: that are coming in and trying to buy and purchase 447 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:44,439 Speaker 3: our government. That's what this is about at the end 448 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 3: of the day. And these cuts are being made to 449 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 3: give them bigger tax cuts. You had FAA employees be fired, 450 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 3: and now Starlink is being considered. Elon Musk's own company 451 00:24:56,520 --> 00:25:00,640 Speaker 3: is being considered to backfill that, like he basically set 452 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 3: it up so that he could sign another contract with 453 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 3: the federal government. That's insane. We're watching these things happen 454 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,359 Speaker 3: in real time. You have the President of the United 455 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 3: States doing a car show for Tesla on the White 456 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:21,679 Speaker 3: House lawn. This is unacceptable. These folks are treating our government, 457 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:25,280 Speaker 3: our federal government, like their own personal piggy bank, and 458 00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 3: as somebody that's a renter, as someone that's working class 459 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:32,160 Speaker 3: that grew up in a union household. How I feel 460 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 3: about it is hell no. We have to fight back 461 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 3: and call it out and push back on them. Why 462 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 3: would we allow for democracy to unravel before our very eyes? 463 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:45,399 Speaker 3: I mean, it is absurd to me. And when I 464 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:49,960 Speaker 3: talk to my voters that is how they feel. They 465 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 3: feel just as infuriated as I do. And I'll be honest, 466 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,679 Speaker 3: even folks that are independent and even some Republicans. So 467 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 3: that is my perspective. I think we need to get 468 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 3: out there. We need to go to conservative areas, and 469 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 3: we need to be who we've always been. The Democratic 470 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 3: Party seems to be trying to find its sole. We 471 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 3: know who we are. We are the party of the 472 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:15,440 Speaker 3: working class. We are a diverse party who invites everyone 473 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 3: in and when somebody doesn't fit at our table, we 474 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 3: make it longer and we bring another seat. We do 475 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 3: not cut people out and demonize people in order to 476 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:29,199 Speaker 3: get results. We can get results without demonizing people. So, 477 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:34,359 Speaker 3: you know, I'm so frustrated and enraged in this moment, 478 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 3: and I think that that's what folks want us to capture. 479 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 3: They want to meet us, to meet that energy and 480 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 3: to fight back for them. 481 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:47,560 Speaker 2: Beautiful and all that note, Right, Like, let's talk about immigration, 482 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:52,159 Speaker 2: because talk about demonizing people and blaming people for problems 483 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 2: and misplacing blame. Right, Let's talk about immigration and what 484 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:00,680 Speaker 2: you're seeing on that side of things in office. 485 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:04,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's oh my goodness, it is a scary time. 486 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 3: I think the thing that's been so frustrating to me too, 487 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:11,399 Speaker 3: is this immigration issue intersects so much with what the 488 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 3: fires did in Alta, Dina, right, because you had this 489 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:18,840 Speaker 3: huge Latino population that was an Altadena. Many of those 490 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:23,040 Speaker 3: folks were undocumented. And so I've lost my home, I've 491 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:27,200 Speaker 3: lost everything, I've lost my job. And then January twentieth 492 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 3: comes and Trump is sworn into office and is trying 493 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 3: to make good on all of his promises to deliver 494 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:37,119 Speaker 3: mass deportations, and so you have folks that are scared 495 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:39,400 Speaker 3: to even ask for help. You know, what we've been 496 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:43,000 Speaker 3: doing FEMA workshops on a regular basis over the last 497 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:47,359 Speaker 3: seven eight weeks now, and we will regularly connect with 498 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:49,360 Speaker 3: folks that are living out of their cars because they're 499 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:52,480 Speaker 3: too scared to get help, even if they are documented, 500 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 3: because maybe they have a family member who's undocumented and 501 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:58,680 Speaker 3: they think that putting themselves on a list might put 502 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:02,639 Speaker 3: their other family member at who doesn't have papers. That 503 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 3: is so heartbreaking to me. And you know, we've seen 504 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:08,960 Speaker 3: just whether it's at our schools. You know, we're seeing 505 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 3: Adya loss, students not coming to school because their parents 506 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:14,639 Speaker 3: are scared to send them. They're scared that their kids 507 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 3: will be taken. They're scared that they might be taken 508 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:19,640 Speaker 3: and their kids might be left at school by themselves. 509 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:25,200 Speaker 3: So it is impacting every fabric of our society, and 510 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:28,480 Speaker 3: even with work as well. You know, I've heard from 511 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 3: folks that work in the ad business. After January twentieth, 512 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:35,680 Speaker 3: they had like half of their workforce just completely disappear. 513 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:38,719 Speaker 3: So we're going to start seeing the ripple effects of this. 514 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 3: We already are. But you know, for the folks that 515 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 3: are not moved by the argument that this is inhumane, 516 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:52,280 Speaker 3: this is also bad economic policy, and it will take 517 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:54,720 Speaker 3: some time, but we're going to start to see the 518 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 3: results of that. 519 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 1: Thank you for providing some of that background in that 520 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: context as to how the fires fascerrated this immigration policy 521 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: that we're seeing at the federal level. The city of 522 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 1: la is also a sanctuary city, but there's also you 523 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,080 Speaker 1: know a lot of back and forth with the federal 524 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 1: government right and wanting to go after sanctuary cities. I 525 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:20,760 Speaker 1: saw that you've also been leading workshops like how is 526 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:24,800 Speaker 1: your office also providing that information for your constituents about 527 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 1: their legal rights, whether they're undocumented or not. 528 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, so we have been having regular Our workshops are 529 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 3: really centered more around the fireed but we do workshops 530 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,280 Speaker 3: in Spanish so that we're able to answer questions that 531 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:41,960 Speaker 3: folks have, you know, around immigration as well. We partner 532 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:44,959 Speaker 3: with Cheerleve really heavily on this, so Cheerless President at 533 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 3: all of the workshops that we've been hosting, and that's 534 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:50,840 Speaker 3: it's you know, been very helpful for folks. I think 535 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 3: we've serviced something like almost a thousand residents over that 536 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:57,959 Speaker 3: time period. We're going to start doing virtual workshops as well, 537 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:00,000 Speaker 3: because we know that's a big need. There's some folks 538 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:03,480 Speaker 3: that have questions around their immigration status or what to 539 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 3: do if ICE does approach. But they feel most comfortable 540 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:10,440 Speaker 3: participating in a virtual format rather than coming in person. 541 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 3: So we'll be doing that as well with the Attorney General. 542 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:16,720 Speaker 2: So yeah, to kind of shift the tone a little 543 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 2: bit as we are, you know, walking through this interview 544 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:21,960 Speaker 2: with you, have. 545 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 4: They been nice to you at the State Senate? 546 00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:28,680 Speaker 2: Like newly sworn in, young, Latina, et cetera, et cetera, 547 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 2: et cetera. Let's have that conversation now, let's have the 548 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:34,320 Speaker 2: representation conversation. Yeah. 549 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean you are the youngest senator in California 550 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: and the youngest woman serving in California legislator. So do 551 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,760 Speaker 1: you like, do you feel that you know what I mean? Like, 552 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:48,360 Speaker 1: is that something that you're feeling when you're walking through 553 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 1: the state capital the halls? 554 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 4: What's tea? 555 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's it is definitely something I feel. I would 556 00:30:56,160 --> 00:31:01,160 Speaker 3: say that my colleagues have all been in credit supportive, right. 557 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 3: I think even if they didn't know who I was, 558 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:07,760 Speaker 3: they kind of had a crash course and figuring out 559 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 3: who I was because I was suddenly ultra ultra present 560 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 3: because of the fires. Right, So they've all been wonderful 561 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:19,160 Speaker 3: and just making sure that I'm doing okay and checking 562 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:21,920 Speaker 3: in and trying to give me the supports that I need. 563 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 3: And our leadership in particular, the President pro Tem of 564 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 3: the Senate, Mike Maguire, has been incredible. I mean I 565 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:32,480 Speaker 3: think he called me almost every day in January and 566 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:34,959 Speaker 3: the evenings, would even just sit on the phone with 567 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:37,600 Speaker 3: me as I cried, and you know, that was just 568 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:40,680 Speaker 3: like really really powerful, and I think I just so 569 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:43,760 Speaker 3: needed that in those moments. And he's been through three fires, 570 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 3: so he really has He represents the North Coast, really 571 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 3: has a strong understanding of what it is like to 572 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:53,920 Speaker 3: go through something like this. But I will say I 573 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:57,680 Speaker 3: think for other folks, right, so as the fires were happening, 574 00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:01,000 Speaker 3: I did so many press conferences I lost count because 575 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 3: there was such this desire for information. But I'd show 576 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 3: up sometimes to a press conference or you know, to 577 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 3: a meeting, and then people look at me and they're like, 578 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 3: it's so great you're here. Where's the Senator, you know, 579 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 3: And I'm like, I'm actually the Senator, And then the 580 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 3: look of like shock and horror on their face, right, 581 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:23,360 Speaker 3: because I'm I'm not an old white guy in a suit, 582 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:26,720 Speaker 3: so it catches people off guard, but I'm so used 583 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 3: to it. I got the same reactions when I was 584 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:33,000 Speaker 3: in Alhambra too, so and it's always it's always kind 585 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:33,600 Speaker 3: of funny to me. 586 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 2: Yeah. 587 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 1: I mean, if I may, you're like a very beautiful, 588 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:39,040 Speaker 1: petite senator with fabulous. 589 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:39,520 Speaker 4: Hair, so. 590 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 1: You know, yeah, I would also be like, wait, this 591 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 1: is our senator. Wait a second, I'm sorry, if I. 592 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:53,960 Speaker 4: May senate, it's time. 593 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:54,760 Speaker 3: I love that. 594 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:56,360 Speaker 4: I love that. 595 00:32:56,600 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 2: I mean, have you had young women ask you for 596 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:03,120 Speaker 2: count soul, for advice about running for office? 597 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:03,440 Speaker 1: Oh? 598 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:05,680 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, all the time, all the time. 599 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 2: What kind of questions do do women have for you? 600 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:11,600 Speaker 2: And what do you tell them? 601 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh. I mean, I everything everything from dating 602 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:21,920 Speaker 3: to balancing, like work life balance to you know, what 603 00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 3: do I do when I'm sitting in a room and 604 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 3: I'm feeling intimidated? How do I go about fundraising? How 605 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 3: do I go about endorsements? What do I do when 606 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:34,880 Speaker 3: someone's man'splaining? I mean, literally everything that you could imagine. 607 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:38,360 Speaker 3: I've been asked, and I'll be honest, I don't always 608 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 3: have like a super great specific answer for all of 609 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:45,800 Speaker 3: those questions. I sometimes I think you just kind of 610 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 3: have to figure it out on your own. But it's 611 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:52,560 Speaker 3: just this crazy process of kind of like trusting your 612 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:55,120 Speaker 3: gut and going through it and faking it till you 613 00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:59,480 Speaker 3: make it and you know and and and then you 614 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:02,600 Speaker 3: just if I if I spent I try not to 615 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 3: spend too much time thinking about the position I'm in 616 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:07,440 Speaker 3: because it kind of freaks me out a little bit. 617 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:10,520 Speaker 3: When I first got elected, you know, I remember I 618 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:12,120 Speaker 3: was sitting in my office and I was typing on 619 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:14,400 Speaker 3: my computer and I heard one of my staff answer 620 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 3: the phone and she went Senator Soshohony Perez's office, speaking 621 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:20,480 Speaker 3: and I heard her do that, and I was like, 622 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 3: oh my god, oh my god, like, oh my god, 623 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:32,239 Speaker 3: so hard. I'm like freaked me with you know, It's 624 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:34,600 Speaker 3: like it just trips you out a little bit. So 625 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:37,319 Speaker 3: I just try to do the work. Sometimes I tell 626 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:41,279 Speaker 3: my chief, like on days when I'm feeling very like 627 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:44,960 Speaker 3: insecure and kind of questioning, you know, just feeling that 628 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:49,640 Speaker 3: sense of and forgetting the word for it. Is it 629 00:34:49,680 --> 00:34:54,239 Speaker 3: imposter I'm feeling imposter syndrome. I like joking me tell 630 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:56,080 Speaker 3: my chief. I'm like in my head, I just tell myself, 631 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:58,200 Speaker 3: like I work for you, like I'm not, you know, 632 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:01,400 Speaker 3: I work for you, and I'm just like I'm not 633 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:05,040 Speaker 3: actually the senator because like it can it's just a 634 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:07,879 Speaker 3: little bit trippy sometimes. I bet, I bet. 635 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:10,399 Speaker 1: And there's two questions that you said you've been asked 636 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:11,720 Speaker 1: that I want to go back to. And the first 637 00:35:11,719 --> 00:35:14,439 Speaker 1: one is about do you ever walk into a room 638 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:17,719 Speaker 1: or have like a bill that you're gonna present and 639 00:35:17,719 --> 00:35:20,640 Speaker 1: feel intimidated? And if you do, you know, is there 640 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 1: maybe like an inner dialogue or like affirmations? What do 641 00:35:23,120 --> 00:35:25,120 Speaker 1: you do when you do you talk to yourself? 642 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:28,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, oh my gosh. And I feel I feel intimidated 643 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:31,279 Speaker 3: all the time. I feel insecure all the time. I 644 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:33,880 Speaker 3: mean human, you know the folks I talk to that 645 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:35,799 Speaker 3: are like I never feel a friend. I'm like, that 646 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 3: is so good for you, that's amazing. I don't I 647 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:45,680 Speaker 3: don't know what that's like, but great, you know. I 648 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:48,640 Speaker 3: I just try to hype myself up. My staff laughs, 649 00:35:48,719 --> 00:35:50,919 Speaker 3: but to hype myself up for things. I'll like play 650 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:55,239 Speaker 3: Doughci or Grilla and love it and we'll just like 651 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:57,480 Speaker 3: sing at the top of my lungs. I also try 652 00:35:57,520 --> 00:35:59,680 Speaker 3: to prep as much as possibly. I think prepping helps 653 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:02,840 Speaker 3: me feel really good, and you know, reading through like 654 00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:05,640 Speaker 3: research and you know, thinking about what I want to 655 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:07,960 Speaker 3: say and kind of like taking notes and giving myself 656 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:10,640 Speaker 3: like a moment to reflect, and that always helps me 657 00:36:10,719 --> 00:36:13,799 Speaker 3: feel like prepared, which I think helps me to also 658 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:18,880 Speaker 3: feel confident. But oh my gosh, I question myself, you know, 659 00:36:19,040 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 3: all the time, So I think that that's just normal. 660 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 1: Batties have bad days too, Yeah, yes, of course, of 661 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:28,160 Speaker 1: course we've all been there. 662 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:28,840 Speaker 4: Yeah. 663 00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:31,040 Speaker 1: Well, it's really affirming to hear that, because you know, 664 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:35,000 Speaker 1: I think there's like our senators, our representatives are like 665 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:38,239 Speaker 1: not superhuman, you know, and I do think there's a 666 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: lot I mean rightfully, so there's pressure, right because they're 667 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:43,600 Speaker 1: representing a lot of people, but at the same time 668 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:47,040 Speaker 1: they're also only human. But you know, also to keep 669 00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 1: with this light tone, I want to ask you now 670 00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:52,399 Speaker 1: about dating, and in the sense like can you date 671 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:56,520 Speaker 1: when you're a state senator? Right, Like the time constraints 672 00:36:56,560 --> 00:36:59,640 Speaker 1: and also the privacy, right, Like, yeah, we don't have 673 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:01,720 Speaker 1: to get into the weeds of like if you're dating, 674 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:04,520 Speaker 1: but like, is it even possible to date right now? 675 00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:09,560 Speaker 3: It's really really difficult, and the schedule makes it so 676 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:14,760 Speaker 3: that it's like just super super challenging. And in addition 677 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 3: to that, I've there are so many guys that get 678 00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:24,080 Speaker 3: very intimidated. I met someone just recently that my friend 679 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:27,160 Speaker 3: had introduced me to and we're having a like conversation 680 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:29,880 Speaker 3: and he was like, oh, so you work for a 681 00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:33,600 Speaker 3: senator and Sacramento. That's so cool. And I was like, oh, 682 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:36,239 Speaker 3: I'm like looking at him, like am I going to 683 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:40,680 Speaker 3: say this? And I was like, I'm I'm I'm the senator. 684 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:43,800 Speaker 3: I don't work for the senator, And like the look 685 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:47,799 Speaker 3: on his face was just like like, you know, just 686 00:37:47,960 --> 00:37:52,440 Speaker 3: totally stunned. And that happens a lot. And then you 687 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:56,080 Speaker 3: get like fans as well, which is like a strange 688 00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:59,719 Speaker 3: thing to navigate. So I don't know. I've joked with 689 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:02,319 Speaker 3: others elected officials that are women who I've met from 690 00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:04,439 Speaker 3: all across the country and we're like, we almost need 691 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:06,480 Speaker 3: like a self help group for this because it is 692 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:08,160 Speaker 3: really really difficult. 693 00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:13,520 Speaker 2: So when AOC was first elected and on the scene, 694 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:17,359 Speaker 2: and you saw the way that the public treated her, 695 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:21,520 Speaker 2: the criticism, the cartoons, you know, the way that she 696 00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:24,719 Speaker 2: was I mean, the racism, all of that, did that 697 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:26,959 Speaker 2: come into your mind at all when you thought about 698 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:28,600 Speaker 2: yourself and this journey. 699 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:30,799 Speaker 3: Yeah, oh, absolutely talk about that. 700 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:31,200 Speaker 2: Yeah. 701 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:35,479 Speaker 3: I was so nervous about that and what that would 702 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:37,399 Speaker 3: be like. And now that I'm here, I could tell 703 00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:41,600 Speaker 3: you that that doesn't really bug me at all. I've 704 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:44,440 Speaker 3: been called every name in the book. When I was 705 00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:47,839 Speaker 3: first selected to council, there was one individual wh used 706 00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:49,880 Speaker 3: to harass me a lot, who's now a supporter, I 707 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:52,600 Speaker 3: might say, which is also very funny, but used to 708 00:38:52,640 --> 00:38:55,400 Speaker 3: call me a little girl all the time. I've had 709 00:38:55,400 --> 00:38:58,840 Speaker 3: people call me a communist and all the curse words 710 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:02,560 Speaker 3: that you can think of, and I don't know, it 711 00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:05,520 Speaker 3: just didn't I don't want to say it didn't phaze me, 712 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:08,080 Speaker 3: but it didn't affect me the way that I thought 713 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 3: it that it was going to. But you know, as 714 00:39:11,680 --> 00:39:15,560 Speaker 3: I mentioned before, just having folks tell me like I'm 715 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:17,960 Speaker 3: depending on you, like I don't know how I'm gonna 716 00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:20,880 Speaker 3: feed my kids, and like I really need you to 717 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:22,840 Speaker 3: help me, and I think that you can help me. 718 00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:26,640 Speaker 3: I think that you have the answer. Oh my goodness, 719 00:39:26,680 --> 00:39:29,799 Speaker 3: that like that weighed on me in a way that 720 00:39:29,840 --> 00:39:33,040 Speaker 3: I didn't anticipate it would. But the hateful comments are 721 00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:34,759 Speaker 3: kind of like, okay, whatever, you. 722 00:39:34,719 --> 00:39:38,520 Speaker 2: Know, yeah, yeah, they come with the territory. It sounds 723 00:39:38,560 --> 00:39:41,520 Speaker 2: like it's part of the job. You almost expect expect 724 00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:43,720 Speaker 2: for it to happen. I'm wondering if there's an issue 725 00:39:43,760 --> 00:39:45,920 Speaker 2: that you really want to work on during your term 726 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:48,960 Speaker 2: that is just like really important to you at your core, 727 00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:51,120 Speaker 2: or maybe something that we don't really think about a 728 00:39:51,160 --> 00:39:52,719 Speaker 2: lot or talk about a lot. 729 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:57,239 Speaker 3: Before the fires happened. I think the two things that 730 00:39:57,280 --> 00:40:03,200 Speaker 3: I was really excited about was working on policy around education, 731 00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:07,920 Speaker 3: so making sure that we're improving, you know, literacy rates 732 00:40:08,239 --> 00:40:10,319 Speaker 3: for black and brown kids, and we're seeing more in 733 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:13,360 Speaker 3: black and brown kids go on to college and to 734 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:18,320 Speaker 3: university and you know, realize whatever their dream career may be, 735 00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:21,480 Speaker 3: and that that was something that was really important and 736 00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:23,719 Speaker 3: special to me. I chair the I'm the Chair of 737 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:28,240 Speaker 3: Senate Education for the Senate, and so it's a huge 738 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:31,480 Speaker 3: committee and I'm really honored to be in that leadership role. 739 00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:35,000 Speaker 3: But that decision was made to appoint me there in December, 740 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:38,319 Speaker 3: so it was right before the fires happened, So that 741 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:41,680 Speaker 3: was really I think a big focus of mine. And 742 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:44,360 Speaker 3: then obviously, you know, life throws curve balls, so this 743 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:49,120 Speaker 3: has now taken precedent, but that's definitely at the forefront 744 00:40:49,160 --> 00:40:52,160 Speaker 3: of my mind as well as the homelessness crisis. I 745 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:56,000 Speaker 3: think the housing and homelessness is going to continue to 746 00:40:56,040 --> 00:40:59,960 Speaker 3: be a huge issue. The rent here in California is 747 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:03,439 Speaker 3: too damn high and it is near impossible for any 748 00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:04,440 Speaker 3: one of us to survive. 749 00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:07,800 Speaker 1: So well, thank you so much, Senator for joining us today. 750 00:41:07,960 --> 00:41:11,839 Speaker 1: This has been such an incredible conversation, and yeah, thank 751 00:41:11,840 --> 00:41:12,640 Speaker 1: you for your time. 752 00:41:13,320 --> 00:41:16,279 Speaker 2: Any parting words for constituents that might be listening. 753 00:41:16,120 --> 00:41:21,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, if anybody needs assistance, if they're looking for help 754 00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:24,319 Speaker 3: or resources, if they have questions, please reach out to 755 00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:28,960 Speaker 3: my office. You can head to our website and there's 756 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:32,359 Speaker 3: a request form directly there. Reach out to me anytime. 757 00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:35,480 Speaker 3: I'm available on social media. All of my social media 758 00:41:35,600 --> 00:41:39,919 Speaker 3: Sacherine Perez and if you send me a message reach out, 759 00:41:40,520 --> 00:41:42,440 Speaker 3: I will do my best to get back to you. 760 00:41:42,480 --> 00:41:46,960 Speaker 3: The official pages are Senator SRP. My team manages those, 761 00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:50,480 Speaker 3: so I'm happy to have folks submit anything that they need. 762 00:41:50,360 --> 00:41:50,839 Speaker 4: There as well. 763 00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:52,600 Speaker 3: We're here to help them serve and that's what we 764 00:41:52,680 --> 00:41:53,480 Speaker 3: do all day long. 765 00:41:53,680 --> 00:41:56,960 Speaker 1: Look at Otter Radio is executive produced by THEOSFM and 766 00:41:57,080 --> 00:41:58,040 Speaker 1: Mala Munios. 767 00:41:58,200 --> 00:41:59,680 Speaker 2: Stephanie Franco is our. 768 00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:03,240 Speaker 1: Producer, story editing by me viosa. 769 00:42:02,960 --> 00:42:04,640 Speaker 4: Creative direction by me Mala. 770 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:08,800 Speaker 1: Look At Radio is a part of iHeartRadio's Michaultura podcast network. 771 00:42:09,040 --> 00:42:11,600 Speaker 2: You can listen to look at Radio on the iHeartRadio 772 00:42:11,640 --> 00:42:13,640 Speaker 2: app or wherever you get your podcasts. 773 00:42:13,880 --> 00:42:16,080 Speaker 1: Leave us a review and share with your prima or 774 00:42:16,120 --> 00:42:17,080 Speaker 1: share with your homegirl. 775 00:42:17,200 --> 00:42:19,200 Speaker 2: And thank you to our lok A motes, to our 776 00:42:19,200 --> 00:42:21,239 Speaker 2: listeners for tuning in each and every week. 777 00:42:21,400 --> 00:42:22,120 Speaker 1: Besitos