“My mom was very involved in the community; wherever there were volunteers needed, she was there. I learned from her that if we do something, it should aim to have a positive change in the community.”
Few things can be discussed with Sade Elhawary that she hasn’t experienced. The daughter of a Guatemalan mother and an Egyptian father, she grew up in Los Angeles knowing she was different. Her neighborhood was Latino, like her and her mother. But she also knew deep down that she was Arab and had dark skin.
“There was confusion, but all those identities blended over the years into who I became. A girl and then a woman genuinely interested in my education, but also in social causes,” says the current candidate for the D-57 Assembly in California.
On November 5, she will face Efrén Martínez, a long-time activist in that district.
“Domestic violence was prevalent in my home. My dad had a temper. My mom worked a lot, and I used school as an escape from that environment,” she says. “My mom was very involved in the community; wherever there were volunteers needed, she was there. I learned from her that if we do something, it should aim to have a positive change in the community. That is my goal in this election—to reach Sacramento and build an agenda with other politicians and the governor that will impact our community. The majority of our district population is Latino and African American. Issues like education, housing, crime, and jobs are present in the community. We need to propose real solutions so it doesn’t just remain words.”
Her Muslim heritage was not something she actively practiced.
“My father and his family didn’t really practice. Even less so after 2001, after the terrorist attacks in New York,” she adds.
Her involvement with the Latino community soon expanded to include the Black community. She witnessed the injustices and challenges faced by both groups, which gave her a broader understanding of the social dimensions of racial and discriminatory issues.
Her versatility and open-mindedness were shaped during her formative years. As a child, she played Scrabble, checkers, Monopoly, and other board games that stimulated her imagination.
Her involvement with the Latino community soon expanded to include the Black community. She witnessed the injustices and challenges faced by both groups.
From sports, she learned discipline and teamwork. Meanwhile, her mother engagement with social organizations, taught Sade the importance of community.
“My mom worked at Women at Work, where she developed the Adelante Mujer Latina program. She didn’t want to stay at home, since she didn’t have the opportunity to study, she saw another way to make a difference,” Sade says.
The current candidate embraced the challenge of finding a path to success through education.
After studying in local public schools, she received her bachelor’s degree from UCLA and her master’s from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Sade joined the faculty team that founded and created the curriculum for the Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice. She helped create the Fremont High School Wellness Center, a health clinic aimed at addressing health disparities in local neighborhoods. She also played a role in winning the School Climate Bill of Rights, a resolution aimed at reducing racial profiling in Los Angeles schools.
“I know what it takes to achieve change. And although I know it can be confusing, my commitment is to my diversity and the community in general. Now that we are campaigning, my mom has to go door to door to tell people that I am Latina. My name doesn’t sound Latino to them, and they have their doubts, but once they see my mom, they are convinced,” she says.
Although as a child she wanted to study medicine, later she considered becoming a social justice lawyer or an engineer. But social activism captivated her.
“That became clear to me when I attended UCLA. I got heavily involved in the Black community and the diaspora. There were few minorities on campus, and through our struggle, we improved,” she adds.
This experience solidified the different parts of her identity.
This candidate feels she has the capability to help the D-57 community.
“I have done a lot of work in education; I am a social advocate. The current mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, is my mentor. I am a social fighter serving my community. Our community shouldn’t just hope to find jobs; we want good jobs, well-paid jobs. We want quality health services. Many have treated mental health as just another service, but that’s not the case—we need to offer mental health care because many other problems stem from it,” she says.
For her, the effort must be collective; she believes that the efforts of one person alone won’t bring about change.
“We must all work together; yes, the Olympics are coming, so we should all benefit together and protect our communities. We need to change the narrative and not view minorities as something extra.”
District 57 encompasses neighborhoods such as Downtown Los Angeles, Florence, Skid Row, Harbor Gateway, West Adams, South Los Angeles, Southeast Los Angeles, University Park, and Watts.
The Downtown Los Angeles area is home to the Fashion District, LA Live—the iconic venue for the Los Angeles Lakers—and Expo Park with its world-class museums, educational and sports facilities, and entertainment venues like the Coliseum, the California Science Center, BMO Stadium, and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art (launching soon).
The district also includes Historic South Central, celebrated in its heyday as a bustling jazz scene and the “West Coast Harlem,” with numerous eateries, music venues, and nightclubs, including the Dunbar Hotel—where jazz luminaries such as Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald stayed when they visited Los Angeles.
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