Hello Lydia,

Like so many others, I was outraged by what I heard in the recently exposed audio recordings of racist and bigoted comments by three Los Angeles City Councilmembers and a labor leader, all Latino. There is no doubt there should be apologies and accountability for what we should all agree was unacceptable behavior for anyone — especially those entrusted with power.

Unfortunately, it would be disingenuous and dangerous to pretend that a few resignations in Los Angeles will solve the underlying problems exposed in the recordings. Sadly, White Supremacy, anti-Blackness, anti-Indigeneity, colorism, and other forms of bigotry remain pervasive in Latinidad.

As our community grows in size and power, those of us in positions of leadership have a moral obligation to acknowledge uncomfortable truths and take action to create a better future where all people are treated with dignity, respect, and afforded the opportunity to reach their potential and thrive.

We must acknowledge the privileges many of us have.

We must speak out against bigotry — even when we see or hear it coming from elders or family members.

We must act in solidarity and share power with other historically oppressed communities and avoid the temptation of zero-sum thinking that leads to hoarding power “for our people” at the cost of others.

I want a better future for all people, not just some. It’s time for all of us to own our role in creating that future.

With gratitude,

Sean

Joint County City Meeting

On October 3rd, my office along with San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair, Nathan Fletcher convened a historic Joint County – City Housing Summit to address the lack of affordable housing and homelessness in the area. For the first time in over two decades, the County and City discussed the housing affordability crisis and how both legislative bodies can work together to make housing more affordable for San Diegans. 

Together, both the County and the City committed to building 10,000 affordable homes on government and public surplus land by 2030. This action will help us toward accelerating the production of affordable homes so all San Diegans can benefit from the foundational opportunity that stable housing provides.  

Picture: Edgar Ontiveros, Supervisor Fletcher’s Office