BLOG: Why I Support Torie Osborn for 50th Assembly District

I live in the 50th Assembly District and strongly support Torie Osborn for Assembly.  

Here are my reasons:

Torie Osborn is a fighter: Torie is a champion for social and economic justice and a life-long Democrat. Her legacy has been built on 25 years of living and working for social change within the boundaries of the 50th Assembly District.  Just look at what she has accomplished and you will get a great idea of how she will serve our district in Sacramento concerned about cuts to education. Torie is the one candidate I trust to advocate for my daughter and school age children like her who deserve a quality public education and an opportunity to matriculate to quality affordable universities.  Even those without school age children understand the importance of providing a quality education to those who will one day serve our community as doctors, nurses, engineers, health inspectors, lawyers, government staff, advocates and other critical service sector employees. Torie Osborn is going to Sacramento to restore education funding and I believe it is imperative to support her.

LGBT Rights: When Torie Osborn served as the Director of the Gay and Lesbian Center she grew that organization into a powerhouse for LGBT rights. How many candidates can claim co-authorship of the Ryan White legislation in addressing the AIDS/HIV crisis? Only Torie Osborn. At the Gay and Lesbian Task Force in Washington D.C., she provided key leadership in the fight against unfair and unjust policies such as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” In fact, she has been at the forefront of every important struggle for LGBT rights. She is a member of the LGBT community and her personal experience in the struggle for social justice within the community is something she has dealt with every day of her life.

Economic Justice: As someone who works with homeless and low income families throughout Los Angeles County, I can tell you that the number of politicians willing to stand up for underserved communities is too few and far between. We get a lot of lip service, but very few take action. Torie Osborn is the former Director of the Liberty Hill Foundation where she mentored and funded many grassroots organizations designed to empower underserved communities. She understands that lifting all boats requires a groundswell from the bottom-up. I can’t think of anyone more qualified to tackle these issues in Sacramento. She will be a champion for seniors, the disabled, children and low income individuals in desperate need of a voice in Sacramento. In addition, Torie Osborn has pledged to fight against draconian cuts to Adult Day Care Centers.

Renter’s Rights: Even though the 50th AD is one of the wealthiest in the nation, approximately 60% of the constituents are renters. While other candidates were busy soliciting the endorsement of the Apartment Owner’s Association, a group of ruthless lobbyists that have set out to destroy rent control and renter’s rights, Torie Osborn received the coveted endorsement of Santa Monican’s for Renter’s Rights (SMRR). Torie Osborn has shown that she is a champion for the district and those deserving fair representation in government. That is why SMRR and renter’s across the district support her campaign. No one should have to make a decision between paying their rent and getting medicine or buying food. And let’s face it, even homeowners understand that rent control helps to stabilize and enrich the entire community, giving renters more consumer buying power to support local establishments.   

Healthcare: The rising cost of healthcare has left many without access to quality care. People suffer with illness as a result, and some die. Former State Senator Sheila Kuehl represented much of this district for years. As part of her legacy, she championed Single Payer healthcare and mainstreamed the policy in Sacramento. Kuehl supports Torie Osborn as the one candidate she trusts to carry on her legacy for guaranteeing healthcare for all.  That’s good enough for me.

The Environment: Torie Osborn has a reputation as a staunch environmentalist.  She has lived in the coastal town of Santa Monica for decades and understands the importance of protecting our environment.  The only key difference I can think of between her and the other candidates running is the destruction of the Malibu Lagoon.  Torie Osborn has pledged to protect the lagoon from those who want to destroy it to ostensibly save it.  Many key constituencies oppose the Malibu Lagoon project, including the Malibu City Council, environmentalists, the L.A. County Democratic Party, local surfers, and former State Senator Tom Hayden. 

And, the clincher - Torie Osborn has an MBA from UCLA and has managed multi-million dollar budgets.  She has received awards and accolades for her ability to think outside the box and get things done.  Over 500 community leaders have endorsed her for State Assembly, including former State Senators Shelia Kuehl and Tom Hayden. 

Torie is the real deal and the whole package. On policy, leadership, experience and compassion, we just cannot get better than Torie Osborn!

Please join me, my family, and neighbors in voting for Torie Osborn on Tuesday June 5.

The newly formed 50th Assembly District includes West Hollywood, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Miracle Mile, Hancock Park, West Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Malibu and Topanga