By Dianne Anderson

Andrea Rosenthal Seeks 39th Assembly Seat

Gone are the days when the economically challenged community, commonly synonymous with people of color, would flock up the hill in search of better prices on rent or good grabs for first-time homebuyers.

In Andrea Rosenthal’s day job in housing affordability and emergency rental assistance programs, she sees the depth of need and the unhoused in the newly drawn 39th Assembly District.

“I know people that are paying the same in rent as a mortgage payment,” she said. “It’s finding ways to get a down payment for first-time homebuyers so the money they’re spending is going to a mortgage and not their rent every month.”

She said building more housing means more job creation. Improving the transportation system and infrastructure also means more job creation. She feels there are plenty of resources available, such as the county and city housing supply from existing government properties that are usable.

By working closely with local governments, she said one solution is lowering building fees, streamlining reports from cities and counties on available land, and then find ways to make it accessible to the community.

More money is being spent to address the unhoused lately, but she feels more attention on prevention is needed, as well as strengthening the middle class to sustain the local economy. Creating good paying jobs and workforce development in Victorville is a start as it represents one of the longest commutes to work in the country.

With Rosenthal’s background in early education, she also wants to see increased after school programs and affordable childcare, as well as programs to remove financial barriers that keep students out of higher education.

“For our Black students in our K-12 schools, there’s a big drop off in the achievement level and missed opportunities. We are going to get at some root issues,” she said, noting that getting social workers and intervention workers on campus can address the basic needs.

Statewide on the campaign trail, she is also watching other Assembly members bring back good sized checks to their communities to address things like transitional housing, parks for more green space or workforce development.

“They’re helping members of other regions of L.A. County because they are fighting to get funding for other places, and we’re not getting it here,” she said.

There is $97.5 billion in surplus funding coming down from the state of California for those that put in the effort. If elected, she wants to bring some resources back home.

“A lot of it is going to be working with partners in the community and working with the city to find programs to pull that money into, going up there advocating for that specifically,” she said. “I’m already talking to members and organizations about those ideas.”

The district, which encompasses Adelanto, Hesperia, Lancaster, Palmdale, and parts of Victorville, has the sixth highest voting age Black population in the state, she said.

“Given our demographic, we are an area where climate justice is a really big issue. We’ve seen the warehouses impact our community, for me it’s going to be about working at all levels,” she said.

She has received strong support from labor and environmental groups. A few of her numerous endorsements are Black Women for Wellness, California Legislative Black Caucus, California Labor Federation, California Federation of Teachers, California Nurses Association, Sierra Club California and SEIU California State Council.

Dejonae Shaw Seeks SB County District 2 Supervisor Seat

As a nurse, DeJonaé Shaw said she has seen the impact of the pandemic on the community firsthand, and was proud to join her co-workers to fight to keep people in San Bernardino County safe from COVID-19.

“As County Supervisor, I’ll work even harder to make sure working families get a bigger piece of the economic recovery, treat the housing, mental health and homeless crises like the emergencies they are, and make our neighborhoods safer,” she said.

Shaw said that she understands the importance of economic stability and good paying jobs. The Second District includes Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, and northern Upland.

Among her many supporters, Shaw is endorsed by San Bernardino County Democratic Party National Union of Healthcare Workers, I.E. United, California Nurses Association, Corey Jackson, Riverside Board of Education Member and Chair of California, Democratic Party Black Caucus, Tustin Councilwoman Letitia Clark, State Assemblymember Eloise Reyes, and U.S. Congressmember Pete Aguilar, to name a few.

She said that the odds were stacked against her growing up, but she helped raise her siblings and put herself through school to become a nurse.

She also started her own business.

“I still believe my calling in life is to help others get ahead. I know firsthand the challenges that working people in San Bernardino County are facing to reach the middle class. As County Supervisor, I’ll continue fighting for a stronger economy for working families.”

To learn more, see www.andreaforassembly.com
and https://www.shawforsupervisor.com