Asian-Americans and the Ballot Box in Los Angeles

Hosted by Warren Olney Mar. 26, 2015

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.

Asian-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)

Reyes on the Ramsey-Ryu runoff for LA City Council

Credits

Guests:

Saul Gonzalez - host of the California Morning Report
Fernando Guerra - professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University and director of its Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles - @LMU_CSLA
Emily Alpert Reyes - LA Times reporter covering public health - @LATimesemily

Host:

Warren Olney

Producers:

Christine Detz, Katie Cooper