CommentsPOLITICS-As the country’s most influential voting powers, black women make up less than 5% of all state legislators,
with a deep underrepresentation in California, as there are only two black women who represent in the assembly, and one black woman in the senate, out of 120 state representatives total (Senate & Assembly). These are the black women candidates running for the 54th Assembly District Special Election. (Photos above: Dallas Fowler, Cheryl Turner, Heather Hutt.)
Dallas Fowler:
Dallas Fowler was born and raised Los Angeles and has served the community of the 54th district for over a decade. She attended Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University – Tallahassee and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, completing her final semester of finance study at UCLA. Dallas continued her education at Turner School of Construction Management. She currently serves as the President and Board Chair of the African American Art Museum within the 54th district. Dallas has served in Mayor Eric Garcetti’s cabinet as a commissioner on the LAPD police permit review board, as well as the commission on the status of women. She has contributed her time and talent on over 20 publicly funded projects and business developments for major general contractors. Dallas Fowler became a democratic activist to increase voter participation when she experienced racism and voter suppression in 2000. Her goal in eradicating voter suppression is to ensure free, fair and accessible voting through which the voice of every person can be heard. Dallas Fowler is a former California Democratic party Delegate, and a progressive, as she was also a Bernie Sanders Delegate. She received the honor of being named the CDP Democrat of the year in 2017. Ms. Fowler presents with hands-on experience in local and state government, small business, construction and media/entertainment. She is an advocate for clean renewable energy, clean water and ecological restoration. She is also an advocate for human rights, women’s rights, diversity, livable wages, single payer health care, environmental justice and race relations. She supports reparations and criminal justice reform. www.dallasfowler.com
Cheryl Turner:
Ms. Turner is a lifelong resident of Los Angeles. She earned both her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Southern California (USC). She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, as well as the Blackstonian Pre-Law Honor Society.
Ms. Turner practices law with an emphasis on civil rights, consumer rights, business tax, real estate, transportation and law. She was appointed by Governor Newsom to the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians where she works to ensure and enforce educational requirements, standards of practice, and by educating consumers about their patient rights. Cheryl was selected by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to serve on the Los Angeles Convention and Exhibition Center Authority as a Commissioner, where she eventually rose to the rank of Vice-President. She is the current President of the 21-member board of directors of the Apartment Owner’s Association of Los Angeles County. Ms. Turner has assisted numerous small, woman, minority, and disabled veteran-owned companies with procuring government contracts. She is an advocate for students, seniors and universal health care for all. She is also advocate for house the homeless. www.cherylturnerforassembly.com
Heather Hutt:
I have reached out to interview this candidate and have not received a response. I haven’t had the opportunity to actually hear Ms. Hutt speak on her platform, as she has been absent from many of the club and community meetings. In the attempt to ask questions during her rally given by Maxine Waters, I was also denied any answers. Nevertheless, based on her website, I have learned that Heather Hutt resides in Los Angeles. She is a California Democratic Party (CDP) Delegate and former Treasurer of the CDP Black Caucus. According to her website, she launched the Clean-Air Clean Water campaign in the City of Los Angeles, as well as the VOTE-LA campaign. She launched AB109 which allows for current non-violent, non-serious, and non-sex offenders, who after they are released from California State prison, are to be supervised at the local County level. Ms. Hutt is a former employee of then senator, Kamala Harris, and she is also the first black U.S. Senate State Director in the history of California. I do wonder why VP Harris has not endorsed her. Maybe they don’t share the same views on political issues. Heather does not support single payer healthcare and therefore, she could not possibly be a progressive candidate. www.heatherhuttca.com
In the words of Senator Sydney Kamlager-Dove
“Black women are really good at representing everyone. When Black women win, everyone wins”
In the words of Congress woman Karen Bass
“Women who do the work should be given the authority to lead, and I think that’s true across the board for all women,”
(Diedra M Greenaway, MS/MBA, Retired Department of Defense, Retired State of California Employee, Retired APC Union CSUN, Retired elected Official of the City of Los Angeles, TRUE PROGRESSIVE)
-cw
