CONTACT
Kacey Bonner: kbonner@chromacollaborative.com

When City Council Members Nury Martinez, Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León, along with LA County Federation of Labor leader Ron Herrera were caught espousing anti-Black, anti-indigenous racism and bigotry while plotting a redistricting scheme to disenfranchise Black voters, we Angelenos made our voices heard. In the wake of this discovery, numerous organizations, civil leaders, politicians, and concerned constituents issued statements and flooded City Hall condemning these actions and calling for resignations from everyone involved. While Martinez and Herrera have heeded this demand, Cedillo and de León continue to resist the will of the people, and in doing so, hold up important business in front of the Council. STAND LA released a statement and a promise: “We are committed to partnering with all those struggling for racial justice to be the backbone this city needs and deserves.” Today, we back up our promise and stand with Angelenos of all races and ethnicities to demand that no Council business be conducted until Cedillo and de León resign their seats.

This is a defining moment for Los Angeles. It requires us all to examine our values and decide whether we will be on the right side of history. That is why we have called for a cancellation of the Planning and Land Use Management Committee meeting scheduled to take place tomorrow, October 18th, where the historic ordinance that will phase out oil drilling across the city and serve as a step forward for racial and environmental justice is on the agenda – effectively calling for a pause on almost 10 years of advocacy. While this meeting is a critical step in the process of getting this ordinance passed and making neighborhood oil drilling a thing of the past, we believe that values of racial justice and solidarity require bold action.

As a coalition that has successfully brought together Black and Brown communities to fight for environmental justice, we are encouraged by this moment of Angelenos coming together and standing firm in the demand for accountability. Like others across the city, we are choosing to act in solidarity with Black-led organizations and movements who are saying there will be no “business as usual” as long as Cedillo and de León remain on the City Council. We call on all our allies to do the same.