The councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez of District 1 in Los Angeles has been an activist her whole life. Today, with federal politics hitting the city, she feels that this is the time to fight.
“Los Angeles is a city of survivors, of immigrants. Pushing policies that protect tenants, protect the separation of families, and protect the homeless, is a priority,” says this councilwoman who is seen as a defender of the community.
She has been a fighter. It was the year 2008, and the recession was impacting the country, hitting working-class neighborhoods the hardest—neighborhoods like the one where now-councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez lived.
“It was very hard, not only for our family but for our friends and neighbors. My mom had to pawn her jewelry and rent out rooms in our house to keep paying for it. It got us out of a tight spot but also put us in a difficult environment,” says the current councilwoman for District 1.
Her principles remain the same.
“We must protect tenants, the people who lost their jobs in the wildfires, many workers in hotels and restaurants, we need to protect them,” she says.
Eunisses has many connections with the immigrant community. Her family is suffering just like thousands of others.
“There is fear, and that is normal, the country is under attack. We must legislate, protect people,” she says.
The councilwoman has been in many battles during her activism.
“Every battle serves to transform us. To find a way to change things. This is one of them.”
For her, Los Angeles is a city that challenges and changes the system, and this time is no different. She was an activist during the first presidency of Donald Trump.
“We always fight, and now more than ever. We have the conditions in the City Council to implement policies, but we need more from the State Senate and Governor Gavin Newsom, but California is strong,” she says.
President Trump’s policies attacking the migrant community have united most California politicians against the supposed mass deportations, one of the main sources of employees in the state.
“We are a state that depends on the immigrant community, we must support them,” she says.
“My mom was very hardworking, but she could only manage to pay the monthly pawn fee to avoid losing the jewelry. When I gave them back to her, I surprised her, so there was a lot of emotion when I handed them over,” she says in a previous interview with Parriva. For her, this fight is personal.
“People are organizing. We must go out and vote, and that’s making a difference. We’ve come out of a disaster with the wildfires, and we’re going to recover. The next fight is against the federal cuts,” she says.
“How do you sleep?” I ask.
The councilwoman replies, “I do a lot of therapy, to forget certain things that are happening and create boundaries. Since last year, it has been very tough,” she says.
One thing stays with me… It’s time for transformation.
“I Don’t Flip-Flop With My Vote and My Decisions, I Don’t Compromise What I Think.’
