• Obtener Ayuda
  • Օգնություն ստանալ
  • 获得帮助
  • Cần trợ giúp
  • 도움 요청하기
  • Получите помощь
NLSLA
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Our Work
    • Our Staff
    • Our Board
    • History & Milestones
    • News & Press
    • Financial Information
  • Our Services
    • Healthcare
    • Housing
    • Domestic Violence / Family
    • Public Benefits
    • Immigration
    • Clean Slate Initiatives
    • Workers’ Rights
    • Medical-Legal Partnerships
    • Self-Help Centers
    • Disaster Assistance Project
    • Consumer Debt & Bankruptcy
    • Education Rights
    • Legal Workshops & Clinics
    • Apply for Help
    • Resources & Referrals
  • Get Involved
    • Donate
    • Pro Bono / Volunteer
    • Fundraising Events
    • Careers
    • Post-Law School Fellowship Opportunities
    • Outreach & Events
    • Partners
    • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Get Help
    • Obtener Ayuda
    • Օգնություն ստանալ
    • 获得帮助
    • Cần trợ giúp
    • 도움 요청하기
    • Получите помощь
  • Click to open the search input field Click to open the search input field Search
  • Menu Menu

Statement on the Los Angeles City Council

October 14, 2022/in Press

It is infuriating to learn that the people on whom we depend to unite us are, in fact, seeking to divide us. So when audio surfaced of Los Angeles City Council members openly discussing race as a zero sum game while making abhorrent, racist remarks that pit our communities against one another, we were heartbroken.

In the course of a horrifying conversation about redistricting, some of our city’s most prominent Latinx leaders made remarks that were anti-Black, anti-Indigenous, anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ. They used harmful racist tropes that have been used for centuries to dehumanize and oppress people of color. And they made it clear that we have a lot of work to do if we are to dismantle systemic racism in Los Angeles.

NLSLA has engaged in racial justice work since its inception in 1965. Several years ago, NLSLA made more explicit its commitment to fighting to address the racial dimensions of poverty, and began the hard work of looking internally at how the biases within each of us impact our work. The leaked conversation from City Hall makes it clear that this kind of work is critical if we are to truly move towards inclusion and equity in Los Angeles.

NLSLA is a diverse organization. Our leadership team is Latinx, Black, Asian American, White, and mostly female. We serve communities that reflect the rich diversity of Los Angeles County, and we do so proudly. In the face of these disheartening revelations, we will strengthen our commitment to the people we serve, and we will move forward with resolve and with hope.

Because, in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

With love and light, and ever in solidarity,

 
Yvonne Mariajimenez, President & CEO  |  Esteban Rodriguez, Board Chair

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on X
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail
http://nlsla.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/NLSLA-logo-tag-drop-enfold-600x296.png 0 0 Madison Eckardt http://nlsla.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/NLSLA-logo-tag-drop-enfold-600x296.png Madison Eckardt2022-10-14 13:42:412022-10-14 13:42:41Statement on the Los Angeles City Council
Back to News

Latest News

  • Left in the Ashes: Tenants Sue Pasadena & LA County Over Eaton Fire Aftermath FailuresMay 23, 2025
  • Tenants sue over ashMay 22, 2025
  • NLSLA and Morrison Foerster LLP Sue LA County and the City of Pasadena for Failing to Protect Fire-Displaced Tenants from Toxic Conditions Following the Eaton FireMay 22, 2025
  • NLSLA Sues LADWP Over Unlawful Policy That Forces Tenants to Pay Landlords’ Utility DebtsMay 5, 2025
  • Black Mothers Deserve Better: Ending the Maternal Health Crisis in Los Angeles and BeyondApril 22, 2025

News Categories

  • Client Stories (12)
  • Events (1)
  • Helpful Articles (2)
  • News (83)
  • Press (45)
  • Registrations (2)

Get Help

General Legal Assistance
800-433-6251
Apply online

Health Consumer Center
800-896-3202

Self-Help Legal Access Centers
View locations, hours, services.

More Info

Get Involved

Donate
818-291-1790

Volunteer
800-433-6251

Join Our Team
818-291-1762

More Info

Stay Informed

Get occasional updates from NLSLA about our latest victories, upcoming events and more. We promise not to share your information or flood your inbox.

Subscribe

Connect

linkedinfacebookinstagram

Our Partners

LSC-Logo

Please let us know if you have any suggestions for improving this website:

  • Obtener Ayuda
  • Օգնություն ստանալ
  • 获得帮助
  • Cần trợ giúp
  • 도움 요청하기
  • Получите помощь
Scroll to top Scroll to top Scroll to top