“My dad says, ‘From the door outward, you’ll be the vice mayor. From the door inward, you’re still my daughter,’ and we laugh together”.
From a young age, Elizabeth Alcantar had to face difficult challenges. Her parents, originally from the state of Jalisco, Mexico, relied on her to translate for them when necessary. But it wasn’t just about translating; she also had to be the one to deliver bad news.
“That happened when I translated letters informing us that the rent would increase. I would see the worried look on my parents’ faces, thinking about how they would gather the money. That made me angry; I realized it wasn’t fair. I expressed that I did not want to be involved in politics,” says Elizabeth, now the vice mayor of the city of Cudahy.
Her parents settled in Cudahy, a city with more than 96 percent Latino population, hardworking people with limited access to resources.
“I realized that, in reality, the reason was the ZIP code we lived in. Unfortunately, in cities like ours, where most residents are immigrants —not those with money and ample resources—we don’t get much attention,” she says.
“Workers and activists love children on the picket lines. Seeing me singing, marching with signs, shouting slogans made me part of them,” she says.
As a child, Elizabeth Alcantar also witnessed how hard her parents worked and their determination to move forward.
“We never had great resources; we didn’t have a car, always taking the bus. For us, buying new shoes for school meant a trip to K-Mart—PayLess was too expensive for us,” she says.
Her father, Efraín, always worked as a butcher, many years at Ralphs supermarket. Her mother, Adelaida, spent most of her time at home caring for Elizabeth and her two siblings, but she also contributed to the household as a garment worker and seamstress. Elizabeth would accompany her to downtown Los Angeles every weekend to pick up fabrics.
“We lived under a lot of supervision. We were good students, but we had to confront our reality. We didn’t have money to buy a computer or printer, but we always went to the library to use them—nothing could stop us,” she says.
Her father was an active member of his work union. During the early 2000s, one of the most impactful strikes in the supermarket sector occurred, and her father was on the picket lines. And so was Elizabeth, supporting him, learning about the struggle needed to earn deserved benefits.
“It was an experience that stayed with me. A vibration I still feel, a lesson in fighting for justice. Workers and activists love children on the picket lines. Seeing me singing, marching with signs, shouting slogans made me part of them,” she says.
Those strike months were very difficult for the family. There was no income, no medical insurance, but that’s where the resilience of immigrant families came to the fore—they managed to get through the situation.
“My parents wanted to hide the situation we were in from us. My mother tells us now, ‘I don’t even know how we managed,’” Elizabeth recalls.
Those early experiences shaped this woman, who now fights for her community on the same issues.
“As children, we don’t fully understand what’s happening, but we realize something is wrong. I was angry, very angry about my parents’ situation. They worked a lot, very hard. They worried about their children and the community. So why did a little girl has to translate for them, delivering bad news? Why didn’t the lanlord provide contracts in their language, and people to translate in public offices? My parents worked and paid for services and taxes to the government. That’s why I’ve fought for rent control in Cudahy, for services for immigrants to help them navigate this society,” says the vice mayor.
At school, she wasn’t looked as weird for her activism.
“I was in the nerd group,” she laughs. “That helped. Although I also played volleyball and participated in other activities,” she adds.
Always concerned about her community, she set out to be an activist and organizer. She didn’t initially plan to pursue a political career—it all seemed like destiny.
Elizabeth witnessed the struggles her fellow students faced due to their immigration status. Many don’t see themselves as different until they need to apply for scholarships or grants. Then, a word echoes in their minds—they are children of immigrants, many of them undocumented.
“That’s where DACA was born. Many of my classmates weren’t born here, and I saw their surprise and frustration when confronting this situation. But also seeing that many of them prepared to fight, to participate in political life, and make a difference,” she says.
Always concerned about her community, she set out to be an activist and organizer. She didn’t initially plan to pursue a political career—it all seemed like destiny.
“By college, I continued participating in every activity I could, working two jobs to pay my expenses, showing that if we set our minds to do something, we can achieve things—the struggle is the most important thing. I organized workshops at the city’s high school, helping students get scholarships to continue studying. I spread hope. My joy was seeing that 90 percent of the students we reached out to were present. I trust the new generation, with new ideas,” she says.
And then something happened that changed her life. Barack Obama was in the midst of his electoral campaign and had a big event in Nevada. She knew she had to go, to do her part. Her parents, always protective, asked if she was sure about what she was doing, and she reassured them.
“That trip changed my life. I don’t know if my parents know the whole story. Some of my friends decided to cancel the trip, so it was just a stranger and me who decided to still go. When we got there, the energy of the campaign, the presence of enthusiastic and concerned people for social causes motivated me. I met a woman there who told me that without Obamacare, her son wouldn’t have lived, and that’s why she was there, supporting Obama. It impacted me so much and convinced me that this was my path,” she says.
She volunteered at a campaign event for Barack Obama in Nevada. “It changed my life,” she says.
She had always participated in council member campaigns and in other organizations for various causes. Everyone told her to run for a position on the city council, but she wasn’t convinced. Then, in 2018, a position opened up on the council. There were two options: hold a special election or have the council members make a direct appointment. She sent texts to council members asking them not to choose the second option, as it wasn’t democratic—there was about a week and half left until she could register for an election. Then, she received a text from someone close to her saying, ‘It’s time for you to run.’ And that’s how it all began.
“Many knew me; I had helped some with their children’s scholarships. Others had seen me in other council members’ campaigns. It wasn’t hard to gain their support,” she adds.
She won, with strong support from young people. Her first action on the council was to reinstate the city’s crossing guards, whose funding had been cut by the council members.
“I went to the community, gathered about 40 mothers, and took them to the council to testify about how important the crossing guards were for their children. We got the money to keep them working,” says the now 31-year-old vice mayor.
Elizabeth is happy with the way she can continue making changes in the community.
“I have been blessed. I’ve been able to promote improvements in the city. A city like Cudahy struggles a lot; it lacks resources to fix streets and parks, which are so necessary for the youth. I want to improve the quality of life for residents. I know it’s hard to make changes, but I have hope that we will do it, even though it will take time. Now I’ve been able to bring back the soccer and other programs to the city, which has had a big impact on our families,” she adds.
Her biggest supporters are her parents, who see her with pride and help in her campaign.
“They joke about my position in the government. My dad says, ‘From the door outward, you’ll be the vice mayor. From the door inward, you’re still my daughter,’” and we laugh together.
She has so many responsibilities that she often feels overwhelmed and needs to take breaks.
“I’ve dealt with anxiety, which is something i dont hide. To get some rest, I often need to let go and then come back stronger,” she concludes.
