The 39-year-old urban planner, homelessness activist, and mother of five-year-old twins is running for Los Angeles City Council in the Fourth Districtwhich includes parts of Koreatown, Hollywood, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and many other swathes of L.A.s sprawling metropolis. Nithya Raman vs. David Ryu: The Race for LA City Council District 4 A Los Angeles homeless man has been captured on video hurling his own feces at a business owner, who blasted city officials for "not caring" about the growing transient crisis. How New Mexico went from battleground to blue, Meet the Dodgers double-A rotation, the epitome of their ridiculous pitching pipeline, Column: Hollywood is on strike because CEOs fell for Silicon Valleys magical thinking, Are these trendy restaurants gentrifying Glassell Park? Nithya Raman, an urban planner from India in her first run for public office, defeated one-term incumbent David Ryu, in part through the campaign efforts of the DSA's local chapter, . How New Mexico went from battleground to blue, Meet the Dodgers double-A rotation, the epitome of their ridiculous pitching pipeline, Column: Hollywood is on strike because CEOs fell for Silicon Valleys magical thinking, Are these trendy restaurants gentrifying Glassell Park? The @nithyavraman win makes me feel so hopefully for this city. Ryu described himself as both a reformer and a progressive, having run against an establishment candidate in 2015. Related Topics Los Angeles Los Angeles County California United States of America North America Place comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment More posts you may like. All shes doing is saying shes in alignment with the will of the people whove completed this survey, Abdullah said. Ryu won the primary election by four. On Wednesday afternoon, Raman had not declared victory, and Ryu had not conceded. While she agreed that many voters were angry and frustrated, she said they were ultimately sending a positive message in her race against Ryu. City Council Candidate Does Not Support BDS But 'the Right of Public LOS ANGELES, CA The battle for Council District 4 between David Ryu and Nithya Raman is finally coming to a close as voters make their voices heard. Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman announced the start of her reelection campaign Monday for Council District 4. We did fundraisers, literature drops. Very little, meanwhile, was going toward services, outreach, treatment, and other effective paths to stable housing.. One of those younger supporters was Miranda Hart, a 26-year-old commercial actress who watched as her friends phone banked for Raman and volunteered on her campaign. Gavin Newsom pledged to fast-track hundreds of billions of dollars worth of construction projects throughout the state, including a pair of large water endeavors that have languished for years amid permitting delays and opposition from environmental groups. But I dont believe in blowing it all up, she said. Nithya Raman, an urban planner from India in her first run for public office, defeated one-term incumbent David Ryu, in part through the campaign efforts of the DSAs local chapter, which is heavily populated by young Jews drawn to her policy positions as an extension of values they say they learned early in their lives. With degrees from Harvard and MIT, she returned to India, working on issues related to slum dwellers and low-wage workers fighting for such necessities as running water, toilets, protection from evictions and better working conditions, according to her . I know the culture there can make it very difficult to speak up for what you believe.Thank you to the hundreds of current and former city employees who have taken this courageous stand advocating for a People's Budget. Beyond that, said Raphael Sonenschein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles, Ramans victory is likely to encourage other progressives to run for the Council in two years. The department needs more oversight, she said, and must embrace reforms that address systemic racism. "The expertise, leadership and fresh perspective Nithya has brought to City Hall has expanded what's possible in L.A.," Harris-Dawson said in a statement. She joined the newsroom in 2016 and previously covered City Hall for the Los Angeles Daily News. Bass described Raman as a "perfect example" of the type of person who should run for public office, and added that Raman is a "vital partner" in moving the city of L.A. in a new direction on homelessness. After having twins and turning her efforts to neighborhood issues, she decided to run for the City Council, focusing on homelessness. Raman accused Ryu of misrepresenting her position, saying she signed the petition because she supported the extensive effort to gauge the publics views on city spending. Hosted by Steve Chiotakis Oct. 12, 2022 Politics "I am looking at opportunities that the council has to restore trust and faith at this moment when we have really shaken the people's faith in those of us who are in City Hall right now." says Councilwoman Nithya Raman. Were happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Theres so much energy around her. Hollywood Turns Its Attention to Los Angeles City Council Race - Variety Nithya Raman Wins Los Angeles City Council Seat - Variety Nithya Raman Equity Sales Associate at Evercore . Officials kept it quiet, California leads the nation in gun violence research. What they dont want is to be racially profiled. Now, theyre not open to people more progressive. I just dont have a lot of data right now.. Her campaigns housing platform is organized around providing social services, rent relief, and affordable housingall programs that should seem commonsense but are a contrast with the L.A. City Council's less-than-compassionate approach toward the citys homelessness crisis. L.A. Councilwoman Nithya Raman announces reelection campaign How are we going to feel safe about our progressive values when structures are moving from center to right? Jackie Lacey. We find time to catch up on a Saturday morning, but before we do, she sends a question through her communications director: Will our interview be recorded for public consumption? In 2013, she joined her husband in Los Angeles and worked in city government. Nithya Raman's victory says about the next generation - The Forward Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, From a one-way flight to sleeping in a parking lot: Diary of a California dream gone sour, A politicians downfall reveals a Disney exec and a secret cabals power over Anaheim, It hit 120 degrees in this California town. Los Angeles City Council candidate Nithya Raman, who is seeking to unseat incumbent David Ryu, says L.A. needs to rethink how it provides public safety. In another contest, former San Francisco Dist. Pulled Off the Marketing Campaign of the Year, Voice Actors Decry AI at Comic-Con Panel: 'We've Lost Control Over What Our Voice Could Say', The Real Meaning of Barbenheimer: If You Build Exciting Movies, They Will Come. In her race against Ryu, Raman offered a detailed progressive policy platform, calling for the creation of a network of homeless access centers, arguing for the LAPD to become a much smaller armed force and promoting a rent forgiveness plan that would deliver cash reimbursements to small landlords and tax credits to larger ones. What I found in my research shocked me, she said on her campaign website. State Sens. The idea of people not profits, and welcoming the stranger resonates with us.. Raman was elected to represent the Fourth District in 2020 after. Ryu was first elected five years ago, becoming the first Korean American on the city council. Nithya Raman seeks reelection to LA City Council with a bevy of backers including Mayor Bass and ex-Mayor Villaraigosa. State Sens. This wasnt about David Ryu. Is that long enough? Yaroslavsky, the former county supervisor, said Raman was a strong candidate with a powerful movement behind her. Raman was elected to represent the Fourth District in 2020 after defeating incumbent David Ryu. Click to reveal See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs. Democratic-leaning as it is, Los Angeles moved a bit further to the left last week as young Jewish progressives joined like-minded activists to help a candidate supported by the Democratic Socialists of America win a seat on the 15-member City Council. dailynews. The councilwoman may lose 70 percent of her district if a controversial redistricting plan moves ahead By Jason McGahan -. Benjamin Oreskes covers state and national politics for the Los Angeles Times. On Wednesday, activists pointed to all three races and said L.A.s political leaders can no longer dismiss those fighting the status quo on homelessness, public safety and other issues. Nowhere in California will a voter who refuses to wear a mask be turned away, election officials said. Bonin, a Ryu supporter, also defended Ground Game L.A., saying that organization had distributed food and done other good work in his Westside district. Kamala is a cop, the group wrote on Twitter. Nithya Raman - Ballotpedia L.A. City Council race is now a proxy fight between establishment and leftist Democrats, with figures such as Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton weighing in. A Raman victory, he said, could prompt other council members to tack further to the left on such issues as public safety, rent forgiveness and the environment. But now the entire field is at risk, Cities thirst nearly killed these California lakes. Hugo Soto-Martinez and Eunisses Hernandez this year join fellow progressives Nithya Raman and Marqueece Harris-Dawson. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7ec4e7cfbf8d3686 Nithya Raman has won a fiercely contested race for Los Angeles City Council, beating incumbent council member David Ryu. Ramans campaign previously hit Ryu over his support from the Police Protective League, the LAPD union that spent nearly $45,000 supporting his reelection earlier this year. He captured 44.7% of the vote in the March primary, while Raman came in second with 41.1%. Five years ago, when Ryu won his seat, the district race drew around 24,000 voters, with turnout registering at around 16%. Nithya Raman (@nithyavraman) / Twitter Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Ryu, in turn, racked up endorsements from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as the countys Democratic Party. Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former L.A. controller Wendy Greuel, former Councilman Mike Bonin and LAUSD Board President Jackie Goldberg also endorsed Ramans reelection. Raman, who won the endorsement of the U.S. Senates most prominent progressive Bernie Sanders of Vermont campaigned for more effective solutions to homelessness, more affordable housing, police reform and sanctuary protections for the city. Peoples Budget L.A., a coalition convened by Black Lives Matter-L.A., also says its ultimate goal is the abolition of police and prisons. She accused Ryu of fear mongering on the issue of police reform, saying she has no intention of getting rid of the LAPD. For lots of Jews, DSA is a place for our progressive values.. Nithya Raman with her canvas team in February Image by Facebook. The Police Protective League, the union representing most LAPD officers, commissioned a poll in August that found that only 13% of L.A. residents favor a reduction of 90% or more in police spending. The petition, signed by current and former city employees, called on the council to reallocate law enforcement funding as spelled out in the Peoples Budget, which surveyed the spending priorities of nearly 25,000 Angelenos. 2023 Cond Nast. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In 2017, she helped found the neighborhood outreach program SELAH, which operates access centers providing food, showers, clothes, case management, and other resources to Angelenos experiencing homelessness. Urban planner Nithya Raman ousts incumbent David Ryu in L.A - KTLA 82.192.65.101 But she also rode a wave of discontent, he said. Hart said she liked Ramans focus on homelessness and saw messages flood her Instagram from friends talking up Raman. Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman announced the start of her reelection campaign today for Council District 4 in the election on March 5, 2024. | UPDATED: May 22, 2023 at 2:20 p.m. Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman announced the start of her reelection campaign today for Council District 4 in the election on March 5, 2024. Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter-LA, said Raman signed on to the priorities of the Peoples Budget and the idea that police would be the lowest priority but not any specific percentage. It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. Its disgraceful conduct in this moment, and we deserve better leadership.. Councilman David Ryu speaks during the L.A. County Democratic Party election night watch party at the L.A. This year there were only two. Raman, in an interview, said DSA-LA is neither radical nor divisive, and is only one of several groups supporting her. City News Service is a regional wire service covering Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties. While pro-labor, anti-racist and anti-fascist, DSA has endorsed the BDS Movement, which is widely condemned by Jewish groups as anti-Zionist and antisemitic. The councilwoman serves as the chair of the councils Housing and Homelessness Committee and as a mayoral appointee to the boards of the Southern California Air Quality Management District and the L.A. County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency. City Hall News & Politics Is Nithya Raman About to Lose Her Seat? But as the homelessness crisis kept getting worse, I felt I had to do something. Nithya Raman - Summer Development Analyst Intern - LinkedIn Raman, whose family immigrated to the U.S. from Kerala, India, when she was six years old, got a masters degree in urban planning at MIT, and honed her understanding of large-scale homelessness and poverty while working in New Delhi as an adult. Nithya Raman seeks reelection to LA council with Bass - Reddit The strength and influence of DSA-backed candidates, as well as the progressive movement itself, remains an open question, however. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. DSA advocates for reforms within capitalism that shift more power to working people while reducing the power and influence of corporations. Click to reveal While in Sacramento, Mitchell fought for racial justice measures, bills aimed at ensuring greater transparency on police misconduct and new restrictions on use of force by officers. Were moving into a new era, where a lot more of the citys residents are going to be engaged and aware of City Hall, said Przylucki, whose group phone banked for Raman. I know firsthand how effective she is, both in bringing people safely indoors within her district and in pioneering policies to keep people housed all across our city, Bass said in a statement. Performance & security by Cloudflare. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Their budgets are too high. Atty. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7ec4e7be39ef0438 Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement that she and Raman have "locked arms" to address the city's homelessness problem with urgency. Is Nithya Raman About to Lose Her Seat? - Los Angeles Magazine My opponent has been fundeddirectly and through significant PAC spendingby the police union, which sent out mailers both in the primary and in the general that made it quite clear that hes their candidate. All Rights Reserved. The latest fashion news, beauty coverage, celebrity style, fashion week updates, culture reviews, and videos on Vogue.com. She became the vessel in the campaign for all of those.. Vali Chandrasekaran Nithya Raman Relationship Timeline - Featured Biography (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) By David Zahniser Staff Writer Nov. 6, 2020. She is part of the team that won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in breaking news for reporting on a leaked audio recording that upended City Hall politics. Raman also ran in a year when progressive Democrats were pitted against liberal Democrats in local contests with progressives gaining the upper hand, he said. Head Topics, publish breaking news of all around the world. The contest between L.A. Dist. Those endorsements offered the latest signs that the race has evolved into a proxy fight between establishment Democrats, many of whom favor Ryu, and more leftist groups such as DSA-LA, Ground Game L.A. and Sunrise Movement Los Angeles all of whom have mobilized for Raman and called for abolition or total defunding of the LAPD. Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former L.A. controller Wendy Greuel, former Councilman Mike Bonin and LAUSD Board President Jackie Goldberg also endorsed Raman's reelection. Erin ONeal-Robinson, who co-chairs DSA-LAs electoral politics committee, said Ryu should spend less time checking her groups Twitter feed and more time protecting his constituents, especially those who are homeless. Compared to odd-year elections, turnout was indeed through the roof. More crucially, she launched her campaign just as the city had switched its municipal elections to even-numbered years, coinciding with this years presidential campaign. You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search. Bill Przylucki, executive director of the group Ground Game LA, which campaigned for Raman, said he believes L.A.s elected leaders have long been to the right of the voters they represent. The councilwoman serves as the chair of the council's Housing and Homelessness Committee and as a mayoral appointee to the boards of the Southern California Air Quality Management District and the L.A. County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency. She was able to stake herself out to the left of Ryu in a city and county thats becoming even more left, Guerra said. Raman said in a statement that In just over two years in office she transformed her districts approach to homelessness by doubling shelter capacity; achieved the Fourth Districts first reduction in street homelessness in half a decade in the last homeless count; secured the most significant expansion for renters rights since the Rent Stabilization Ordinance in 1979; and led passage of legislation committing the city to carbon-free new construction. Raman was elected to represent the Fourth District in 2020 after defeating incumbent David Ryu. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Check for a confirmation email, and then you're all set with MyNewsLA.com! I quit my job to do it. Born in the southern India state of Kerala, Raman immigrated to the United States when she was six, living with her parents in Louisiana, then Boston. And it will have negative consequences for Council District 4 and the city of L.A.. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Wolinetz, the DSA campaigner, said Jewish support for progressive candidates is only likely to grow stronger as young Jews look for places of political activism, like DSA, where they can join others who share their political perspective. Gascn was a coauthor of Proposition 47, the bill that reduced a number of felonies to misdemeanors, and led the charge for the expungement of marijuana convictions. @nithyavraman. Newsoms signature move at the California Capitol: Jam the Legislature, A politician allegedly said he wanted to shoot up Anaheim City Hall. Raman, an urban planner who also co-founded SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition, mobilized an estimated 2,000 young and progressive voters to work on her campaign in a rare show of enthusiasm for a city council race. Solis in a statement said she endorsed Raman and looked forward to continuing their partnership. She has scored the backing of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and luminaries like Jane Fonda. November 11, 2020 When urban planner Nithya Raman launched her bid for City Council's District 4 seat, victory wasn't the only thing on her mind. Nithya is the first local candidate I have volunteered for, says Mitra Jouhari, an L.A.-based comedian and homelessness activist. 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So I think those lines have become really stark., Detractors frequently point to Ramans celebrity connections: She was formerly the director of the Times Up entertainment division, and her campaign has mobilized a number of volunteers from TV and film backgrounds. 1:39 p.m. Nov. 5, 2020: This article was updated to reflect that former county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky had endorsed Ryu. October 21, 2020. Raman announced several endorsements as she began her campaign for reelection. Your email address will not be published. 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Solis in a statement said she endorsed Raman and looked forward to continuing their partnership. That a progressive, nontraditional candidate like Raman could come within a few points of winning the March primary speaks volumes about the power of grassroots, issue-focused activism in taking on the City Hall establishment. Its that people are frustrated with the climate that were in.. Average LA County Gas Price Rises for Third Time in Four Days, Southern California Heat Wave to Continue All Week, Heat Wave Continues in Riverside County and Will Last Through the Weekend, Shooting Victims in Rancho Palos Verdes Identified, LA County Board to Consider Advancing Discrimination-Prevention Efforts, Montebello Woman Killed in Hit and Run Near USC, Man Fatally Shot in Perris; Investigation Underway, Brush Fire Burns in Santa Clarita, but No Damage or Injuries Reported, Riverside City Firefighters Knock Down Building Fire, Two Men Killed in Solo Vehicle Crash in Downey, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) By David Zahniser. May 25. But what kind of foods did Jews in the shtetl eat on a regular Wednesday? FOURTH DISTRICT: COUNCILMEMBER NITHYA RAMAN 200 N. Spring Street, Room 415, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Internet: https://councildistrict4.lacity.org E-Mail: contactCD4@lacity.org Main: (213) 473-7004 Mail Stop While votes are still being counted, Raman is in a strong position to unseat Councilman David Ryu, making him the first L.A. council member to be ousted in 17 years. Previously, he covered City Hall, homelessness and wrote the Essential California newsletter. The councilman touted his work pushing for new limits on donations from real estate developers, building affordable housing and providing help to renters in need. Opinion Writer. It was the most fulfilling experience of my life, except for the many times it sucked. The city was spending over $100 million on homelessness and almost 90% of that money was being spent on jailing people experiencing homelessness. 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