Which Way, L.A.?
Asian-Americans and the Ballot Box in Los Angeles
Chinatown, Little Tokyo and Koreatown are just three of the Asian-American neighborhoods with long histories in Los Angeles and immigration continues. But, despite their numbers, their cultural and economic importance, Asian-Americans have been all but invisible in local electoral politics.
By Warren Olney • • 16m ListenAsian-Americans are part of the fabric of the City of Los Angeles, which often sells itself as a Pacific-Rim metropolis. Asian-American clout in local politics is another story. In Orange County, Orange County, Asian Americans now hold a majority on the Board of Supervisors.
Saul Gonzalez spoke with former Los Angeles City Councilman Michael Woo, the only Asian-American elected to municipal office in Los Angeles. We also here from Alex Cha, a Koreantown attorney and political activist who fought for political redistricting in a way would benefit the chances of a Korean-American getting elected to City Council. (That attempt was unsuccessful.)
Photo: Former LA City Councilman Michael Woo (Saul Gonzalez)
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Warren Olney
former KCRW broadcaster
Christine Detz
Producer, 'To the Point'
Katie Cooper
Producer, 'One year Later'
Saul Gonzalez
Reporter
Fernando Guerra
professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University and director of its Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles
Emily Alpert Reyes
LA Times reporter covering public health