Endorsement: Hugo Soto-Martínez for Los Angeles City Council District 13
This endorsement from the Los Angeles Times is a good opportunity to reflect on the way we elect our city council members and who they are. The district spans two cities, two counties, and nine school districts. The only candidate with the record and experience to do the job is Hugo Soto-Martínez, an incumbent City Council Member from District 13 who is running for re-election. The Los Angeles Times endorsement is important for Soto-Martínez because he is running for re-election, and we must make sure that the voters and city staff and community leaders feel that the district is represented. At the same time, the Times endorsed and promoted two recent council members: Gloria Molina as a candidate for District 2, who is stepping down, and Jovanka Beckles as a candidate for District 5, who is running for re-election. Both candidates were out of the district, and therefore, we need to have a district candidate who has the knowledge and experience necessary to represent the needs, positions, and desires of the residents of Los Angeles City Council District 13.
District 13 encompasses the communities of Hawthorne, Pasadena, Westchester, and South El Monte. The district is located in the Western portion of Los Angeles County, with the communities of South Gate, Westchester Village, and Pasadena in the South Bay and Highland Park to the north. Soto-Martínez was born and raised in Los Angeles County, growing up in Hawthorne and attending Southside High School and Western University. She received her M.B.A. from the University of Southern California and her B.A. from UC Berkeley.
Soto-Martínez has been a community activist for many years. In 2014, she was named as one of the Top 30 Women to Watch in L.A. County by the American City & County magazine. She has been a vocal and active member of several organizations. From 2009-2012, she was the Executive Director of the Campaign to Regulate and Tax Cannabis: she helped to organize the California Cannabis Alliance, the Coalition for a Safe and Responsible Cannabis Regulation, and the California Cannabis Industry Association. In 2009-2010, she served as the Executive Director of the Downtown Partnership. Soto-Martí