On October 9th, a leaked audio recording of the Los Angeles City Council would make headlines nationwide, prompting President Joe Biden to call for the resignation of the Democratic party leaders involved just weeks before an important midterm election.
Council President Nury Martinez, Councilman Kevin de León, former councilman Gil Cedillo, and LA County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera, were the four party members involved in what is now being called a “scandal.”
Recorded on October 2021, these four leaders met to discuss redistricting and maintaining their voting power over “Latino districts,” while making harmful and racist remarks toward Black and Indigenous people. This recording and scandal unveiled a historical problem that has plagued cities across America since the segregation era. The only thing that’s changed since is the way the ruling class has used identity politics, the very thing that united us during the Civil Rights era, to pit racial groups against each other.
After speaking with Steve Teixeira, a veteran of the Civil Rights era, it is more clear than ever that “this is not a city scandal, so much as a crisis.” A crisis for those being affected by inequality, and a crisis for those who want to keep control over us. We are moving closer to a future that no longer provides basic needs for anyone, so it has become more important now than ever for the ruling class to turn our so-called leaders, people who talk like us and look like us, to keep us in line. But, as Teixeira explains, gone are the days of “social bribes” and it’s getting harder for the ruling class to pit people against each other when no one’s needs are being met—housing, healthcare, jobs, etc.
They are using our so-called leaders to divide us based on race, and shift our focus from our common struggles to weaponizing identity politics. Despite their efforts, people are growing tired of leaders who use identity as a way to harm rather than deal with the problem of inequality. However, this does not mean we should disregard identity altogether, but rather “allow our needs to lead and let our identities fuel that,” as Teixeira lays out. Only then can we begin to look at the big picture—we’re all in crisis, and we need to come together to fix the lack of basic human rights.
Now that elections are coming up, people are feeling the betrayal from their leaders and their own party, and asking where do we go from here? Despite the horrible events that transpired in the city of Los Angeles, and are probably happening behind closed doors in cities across America, hope is not lost. Steve Teixeira points out that there is a way out of this crisis. We saw it during the California primary election that took place on June 7th, when community activist and first-time runner, Eunisses Hernandez defeated long-time incumbent, Gil Cedillo, in the race for District 1. Hernandez was able to see the bigger picture: that we’re all in need. She was able to make everyone feel included in her fight for equality, something Cedillo failed to do during his time in office.
We need to get behind leaders who include everyone in their fight for basic needs. So, this election season look to the leaders who stay away from divisive language or weaponize identity politics to get ahead. It’s difficult to trust someone who makes such promises, but we also hold the power to hold these leaders accountable. We saw it during the race between Hernandez vs Cedillo.
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