Courage California endorses Sade Elhawary for State Assembly to put AD-57 on the right track for progress.
Elhawary’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-57 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Elhawary has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Planned Parenthood, Smart Justice California, California Environmental Justice Alliance Action, California Environmental Voters, California Democratic Renters Council, Equality California, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions like AFSCME, California Labor Federation, California Federation of Teachers, California Nurses Association, and SEIU. She has also been endorsed by elected officials like Mayor Karen Bass, LA County Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis, and Assemblymembers Mia Bonta, Akilah Weber, and more.
Electoral history: Elhawary has not run for office previously.
Top issues: Housing, education, youth workforce development, community safety, healthcare, reproductive rights, protecting immigrants, and equality.
Governance and community leadership experience: Sade Elhawary is a community organizer and an educator, which she does because hopes to dismantle systems of oppression and improve outcomes for women and youth of color. In her current role at Community Coalition, she focuses on youth and community engagement, and helped build the Center for Community Organizing. Elhawary helped organize and pass the School Climate Bill of Rights to reduce racial profiling in Los Angeles schools, as well as the CRISES Act, which provided for community teams to respond to non-violent emergencies rather than police. She also served as Youth Engagement Campaign Manager on Karen Bass’ mayoral campaign. As a Black Latina, Elhawary is committed to creating lasting Black and Brown solidarity.
Other background: Elhawary is from Los Angeles. She is the third generation of her family to live in this district, and raised a foster daughter from the district. Elhawary earned her BA from UCLA and a master’s in education from Harvard, and was a history teacher and college counselor to high school students. She helped launch the Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice in Brooklyn, New York.
The Race
Primary election: There are 5 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Sade Elhawary (D), Efren Martinez (D), Greg Akili (D), and Dulce Vasquez (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Elhawary’s campaign has raised $354,133 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police.
Opposing candidate: Democrats Efren Martinez, Greg Akili, and Dulce Vasquez
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Martinez’s campaign has raised $326,621 and is funded by corporate PACs and the real estate industry. He has also accepted more than $25,000 from police lobbying groups and the fossil fuel industry respectively. Vasquez’s campaign has raised $166,199. Akili has raised $68,710.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 57th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.
Voter registration: 63% Democrat, 7% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 57% Latino, 4% Asian, and 30% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-57 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 73 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 69 points.
The Position
State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a two-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the state Senate or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.
Courage California endorses Sade Elhawary for State Assembly to put AD-57 on the right track for progress.
Elhawary’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-57 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Elhawary has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Planned Parenthood, Smart Justice California, California Environmental Justice Alliance Action, California Environmental Voters, California Democratic Renters Council, Equality California, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions like AFSCME, California Labor Federation, California Federation of Teachers, California Nurses Association, and SEIU. She has also been endorsed by elected officials like Mayor Karen Bass, LA County Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis, and Assemblymembers Mia Bonta, Akilah Weber, and more.
Electoral history: Elhawary has not run for office previously.
Top issues: Housing, education, youth workforce development, community safety, healthcare, reproductive rights, protecting immigrants, and equality.
Governance and community leadership experience: Sade Elhawary is a community organizer and an educator, which she does because hopes to dismantle systems of oppression and improve outcomes for women and youth of color. In her current role at Community Coalition, she focuses on youth and community engagement, and helped build the Center for Community Organizing. Elhawary helped organize and pass the School Climate Bill of Rights to reduce racial profiling in Los Angeles schools, as well as the CRISES Act, which provided for community teams to respond to non-violent emergencies rather than police. She also served as Youth Engagement Campaign Manager on Karen Bass’ mayoral campaign. As a Black Latina, Elhawary is committed to creating lasting Black and Brown solidarity.
Other background: Elhawary is from Los Angeles. She is the third generation of her family to live in this district, and raised a foster daughter from the district. Elhawary earned her BA from UCLA and a master’s in education from Harvard, and was a history teacher and college counselor to high school students. She helped launch the Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice in Brooklyn, New York.
The Race
Primary election: There are 5 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Sade Elhawary (D), Efren Martinez (D), Greg Akili (D), and Dulce Vasquez (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Elhawary’s campaign has raised $354,133 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police.
Opposing candidate: Democrats Efren Martinez, Greg Akili, and Dulce Vasquez
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Martinez’s campaign has raised $326,621 and is funded by corporate PACs and the real estate industry. He has also accepted more than $25,000 from police lobbying groups and the fossil fuel industry respectively. Vasquez’s campaign has raised $166,199. Akili has raised $68,710.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 57th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.
Voter registration: 63% Democrat, 7% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 57% Latino, 4% Asian, and 30% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-57 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 73 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 69 points.
The Position
State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a two-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the state Senate or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.