Walk with John Through Assembly District 54

720 Bus Line

The 720 bus is my bus line. It's how I get to work, get into downtown, and oftentimes I find it more reliable than the Purple (D) or Red (B) Line subway.

Check out more about this bus on my Instagram 

Speed Hump at Hoover St. Elementary

During my time at Los Angeles Walks, my team worked with local safe street promotoras on successfully securing a set of much needed speed humps by Hoover St. Elementary. Safe routes to school are a major challenge for so many children throughout this district.

Improving Koreatown Streets Quickbuild

We partnered with local Koreatown parents and safe street promotoras on a project with the City of Los Angeles on quick build improvements. We focused on changes around Hobart Blvd. Elementary School, including sidewalk repairs, more visible crosswalks, and better street cleaning services.

On a walk with Linda McShan, Koreatown community member

Taking care of and empowering our seniors is a major campaign issue. After all, if we serve our seniors, we serve all. Linda McShan is one of those community leaders. A long time advocate, resident of Koreatown, and the host of her own international radio show, Waking Up with Linda McShan.  View the video on Instagram 

Little Tokyo Community Walk

You cannot know a community unless you walk a community. We led a walk through Little Tokyo where we discussed history, development and gentrification, and the future of the community. We also heard your Little Tokyo stories too.

 Highlights of our walk on Instagram 

Chinatown Community Walk

You cannot know a community unless you walk a community. Chinatown, like much of our district, is shouldering the burden of housing development and in the process losing neighbors due to displacement. We had a community walk led by Winnie Fong, a member of the Chinatown Community Land Trust, where we talked about these very issues.

 Check out more about this walk on Instagram 

Pedestrian Plazas

Public spaces are essential for healthy dense communities, especially in places like downtown Los Angeles. Here are some of our favorite and note-worthy pedestrian plazas found across DTLA.

 Check out more about these plaza's on Instagram 

Los Angeles Metro Police Budget

Public safety has also been a challenge on LA Metro and for decades we have relied on the heavy hand of law enforcement as the only solution. Here John testifies at LA Metro, encouraging them to re-imagine safety in our subway systems through things like better lighting, business vendors, and better services. ( Instagram )

Stop the Gondola!

Efforts are underway to build a gondola through Chinatown that no one’s asked for. Claimed as increasing access to Dodger Stadium, the gondola would end up running through Chinatown, possibly displacing residents, and turn the neighborhood into a commercial extension of Dodger Stadium as efforts are underway to develop the gigantic parking lot surrounding the stadium. Learn more by going to  https://www.stopthegondola.org/ 

Also  check out our post on Instagram 

We Got Married!

In April 2024, right outside of the district, I and my partner of over a decade got married at the Grass Room DTLA. We were so blessed to have family, friends, and our team to celebrate with us. It was perhaps one of the best days. It was the first time our parents and families met.

Improving Alameda Street/Union Station Promenade

During my time at Los Angeles Walks, we partnered with the community to inform the City of LA on plans for creating a more safe, multimodal Alameda Street by Union Station. Improvements included things like bus lanes, bike lanes, and pedestrian plazas. Changes like these will improve access to this critical public transit hub, increase ridership, and ultimately, reduce our reliance on cars as a mode of transit to the City's center.

 Post #1 on Instagram 

 Post #2 on Instagram 

It's CicLAvia on Pico Blvd.!

As a pedestrian advocate, creating more vibrant multimodal streets is my and our campaign’s passion. CicLAvia is one of my favorite LA get togethers and is a wonderful open street event where major streets are open to walking, biking and our pets! Check out this one back in April 2023 on Pico Blvd  (Instagram) :

HiFi's Community-Rooted Affordable Housing

Across our district, affordable housing is getting harder and harder to find. Luckily, we have a network of amazing local nonprofits who are building community-rooted affordable housing for long-time residents. One such example is Search to Involve Philipino Americans (SIPA) new mixed use housing that opened in 2022.

Check out more on our  Instagram 

Boyle Heights Meet and Greet

Boyle Heights, a diverse neighborhood in East LA, has a rich history of political activism, particularly among its Latino and immigrant communities. Known for its resistance against gentrification and advocacy for social justice. Like other parts of the district, issues around multilingual access, better public infrastructure, and more affordable housing remain key. Check out a Meet & Greet we hosted.

 Check out more on Instagram 

Oil industry and its impact on Montebello

Los Angeles County continues to be home to the largest urban oil field in the nation. Whether its leaking oil wells, industrial warehouses and truck stations, and major freight traffic - it is our neighborhoods that suffer. And leaking oil wells have been a persistent problem in Montebello. During my time at the American Lung Association and at Los Angeles Walks, I worked with communities living beside oil and gas refineries and wells to fight for cleaner air, better public infrastructure, and holding polluting corporations accountable.

Boyle Heights Bike Ride

Assembly District 54 is the urban core of our region, busy with commuters, traffic, and movement. That’s why I’m such a strong supporter for more bike infrastructure, which helps reduce our reliance on cars and is a preferred mode of mobility for so many working class Angelenos. In July, we led a community bike ride from Boyle Heights, to Chinatown, to Downtown, and back.

 Check out more on Instagram 

Better Commuter Rail

Our district is home to major job centers and as a result, our streets and rails are busy with commuters. Many of the stations in our neighborhoods are critical stopping points for so many travelers. It’s imperative we have a robust city transit that is connected to a reliable intercity transit across LA and other neighboring counties. That means having Metrolink stations that are safe, dignified, and easy to access. For years, I’ve worked with various transit agencies on improving access and reliability of service. I will do the same as an Assemblymember.

Better Air Quality

Most of our district breathes the worst air in the nation. From freeway pollution to leading fumes from neighboring industry, our community health is on the line. At the American Lung Association, I’ve fought for more stringent air quality standards and phasing out of polluting industries near residential homes. Communities like Vernon find themselves at such a crossroad.

Photo Credit:  https://laist.com/news/politics/city-of-vernon-history-corruption-reform-city-hall-government 

6th Street Bridge Takeover

Too often we build infrastructure around cars, forgetting to prioritize the movements of those walking, biking, and taking public transit. The Sixth Street bridge is a prime example of how through small changes, we could create public infrastructure that works for all.

 Check out our video here.  

Racist Freeway Expansions in Boyle Heights

Ever go to Hollenbeck Park and wonder why a freeway runs right through it?  Racism played a huge role in determining where our nations freeways were built, both nationally and in Los Angeles. This includes Boyle Heights where nearly 10,000 people were displaced from the construction of the 5, 10, 60, and 101 freeways in the 50's and 60's.  https://eastlainterchangefilm.com/   https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2021-11-11/the-racist-history-of-americas-interstate-highway-boom 

Small Korean American Businesses

Like many Korean American immigrants, my family built roots in Los Angeles by starting small businesses. In particular, LA’s fashion district was where many of my aunts and uncles built small businesses that supported our family’s next generation. Small immigrant businesses are the backbone of our district.

Montebello Community Plan

The City of Montebello recently approved the 2040 Citywide General Plan, the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan, and the Citywide Bicycle Master Plan. These plans promise to bring improvements to resident's quality of life and provide new mobility options through a network of new bicycle facilities.  https://www.whittierdailynews.com/2024/04/16/montebello-approves-major-land-use-plans-to-guide-development-quality-of-life/ 

Meat Rendering Factory Produces Noxious Air

After years of resident complaints about terrible smells coming from the Baker Commodities meat rendering facility, the AQMD temporarily shut down the facility citing air quality concerns. A lawsuit between the two was settled in May 2024, and the facility will no longer be used to render meat products.  https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/rendering-plants-odors-southeast-los-angeles-vernon-aqmd-complaints   https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/baker-commodities-air-quality-settlement-aqmd-rendering 

 Photo Reference 

Exide Battery Leak

For nearly a century, this battery recycling plant has been polluting the local community with toxic levels of lead and arsenic in the air.

Though the plant closed in 2015, it is estimated that upwards of 10,000 homes surrounding the plant may have been exposed.

Despite cleanup efforts beginning after the plant's closure, results of the state-led program have been underwhelming and residents continuing to question it's effectiveness.

Read more about the issues in this LA Times article from 2023:  https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-02-10/exide-lead-cleanup-leaves-fear-and-frustration-in-its-wake 

 Photo Credit 

Boyle Heights Streets are Dark

Copper wire theft has affected many communities in Los Angeles, including in Boyle Heights. Efforts to replace stolen wires and prevent future theft have been costly and slow to implement  https://boyleheightsbeat.com/why-are-so-many-boyle-heights-streets-in-the-dark-authorities-decry-vandalism/ 

Photo by Andrew Lopez for Boyle Heights Beat