South Central Neighborhood Council election brings residents to the polls
Christine Trang | 6-28-2010 | Comments |
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Here are the results:Residents voted for eight people in this category.
Candidate/Votes Cast
Jose Lara/182
Martha Sanchez/175
Celina R. Benitez/167
Ron Gochez/164
Clemente Franco/163
Julia M. Wallace/162
Santos Zuniga/152
Cliff Smith/145
Azusena Favela/125
Sergio Juarez/112
Vivian D. Bowers/109
Johnny R. Andrade/108
Lynda S. Wilson/107
Jorge Nuno/102
Carlos A. Martinez/95
Maritza B. Calatayud/67
Manuel Aldana/12
Residents voted for one person in this category.
Candidate/Votes Cast
Diane K. Fernandez/13
Erica Montelongo/11
One hour after the polls opened Saturday, dozens of South Los Angeles residents lined the walls of All People's Christian Center to vote for community members who will sit on the nine-person South Central Neighborhood Council. Listen to some history about neighborhood councils, and learn what board members can expect:
Karen Salazar, a teacher at Animo Justice Charter High school, said it is important to vote because South Central Neighborhood Council will be one of the few neighborhood groups that can actually influence things that happen in local neighborhoods. Salazar said she got involved with community groups, like the Southern California Immigration Coalition and the Association of Raza Educators, "by default."
"Being a person of color in this community, and seeing every single day the way that our people struggle, if you understand that, if you see what is going on, you do not have a choice but to help," Salazar said.
Hear more from Salazar about why it is important to vote:
One candidate, Erica Montelongo, said it is important to vote for a group that can influence the community at a lower level, but she said it is also important to inform youth in the community that there is "more than just the gang lifestyle."
"I learned that there is a lot of negative energy around the community," Montelongo said. "There is a lot of gang activity, a lot of people getting shot, and I just want others in the community to know more about positive things going on around here."
Two South Los Angeles residents also shared what they want in a neighborhood council member and why they voted.
One resident wants a stronger focus on children's programs:
Another resident hopes the neighborhood council will act as a buffer:
The South Central Neighborhood Council covers area from the 10 freeway to Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, located between the 110 freeway and Alameda Street.
Tags: all people's christian center south central neighborhood council south los angeles