A Slice of Orange: Recent Episodes
Jodi Balma
Urooj talks with City Council Member and current Mayor Pro Tem, Fred Jung, about why he is running for reelection and his views on current issues facing the city of Fullerton.
Website:
https://www.fred4fullerton.com/
fred.jung@cityoffullerton.com
Urooj talks with Matt Truxaw about why he wants to run for Fullerton City Council and his goals if elected.
Website:
https://www.matt4fullerton.com/
Urooj talks with current Board of Trustee Leonel Talavera about his experience on the school board, why he is running again, and much more.
Click the links below for his social media and website.
Website
Facebook Page
Urooj talks with James Cho about why he is running to be on the Board of Trustees for the Fullerton School District, his professional experience in Washington D.C., and much more.
Contact James at:
hello@jamesforfullerton.com
Visit his website at:
https://www.jamesforfullerton.com/
Urooj interviews Fullerton School District Board of Trustees incumbent Hilda Sugarman in this episode.
She is the vice president of the Board of Trustees and president of the nonprofit Fullerton Education Foundation.
Her email is reelectsugarman@gmail.com
In this episode, Urooj Naveed discusses how to get involved with your local government. She offers five easy steps to hep you increase your civic participation.
Jodi overviews the various issues, and measures on the November 5, 2024, Presidential Election.
LAO.ca.gov Proposition Analysis (ca.gov)
Easy Voter Guide: League of Women Voters of California
California 2024 ballot propositions - Ballotpedia
"A Slice of Orange" is back for the November 5, 2024 Presidential Election!
In our first episode of season 5, Jodi provides an overview of this election season. She also introduces our new cohost, Urooj Naveed.
Secretary of State Election Results:
Election Night Results | 2024 Presidential Primary | California Secretary of State
PDI Ballot Tracker:
https://tableau.the-pdi.com/#/site/CampaignTools/views/2024PrimarylMainAVTracker/2024PrimaryElectionTracker-Overview
Orange County: Current Election Results | OC Vote
What happens when a ballot measure is against the law? We find out with a discussion about the Huntington Beach ballot measures with Lee Fink.
Links:
Measures on the Ballot | OC Vote
Huntington Beach resident files suit in attempt to stop possible Voter ID requirement - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
California Attorney General Warns Huntington Beach Against Implementing Voter ID Law (voiceofoc.org)
Judge declines to block Huntington Beach voter ID measure from March primary ballot - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
The descendant of Syrian refugees, Cheyenne was raised by two generations of single mothers who fought to create their version of the American Dream.
Cheyenne overcame generational obstacles to become the first in her family to graduate college, with dual degrees in political science and public policy. She went on to earn her law degree, drawing on her own experiences to defend domestic violence survivors in the Orange County courts.
She then made history as the youngest law clerk for Senator Amy Klobuchar. During her time working with the Senate Judiciary Committee, Cheyenne helped construct the impeachment case against former President Trump and was instrumental in drafting and promoting legislation that advanced progressive causes.
As a policy advocate, she has used her experience to organize grassroots action, draft federal legislation, and advise the White House on the most pressing issues of our time. With her fresh perspective and unwavering public service commitment, Cheyenne has the proven experience necessary to effect real and lasting change at all levels of government.
Links:
https://www.cheyennehunt.com/
At 26, California Democrat hopes to become second member of Gen Z in Congress - ABC News (go.com)
Meet the Gen Z Candidates Running for Congress in 2024 | Teen Vogue
Gen Z marks a new generation of voters and candidates (usatoday.com)
Kim Nguyen-Penaloza made history in 2016 as the first Latina and youngest person elected to the Garden Grove City Council at only the age of 25 and is now running for the 45th Congressional District. Kim is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant mother and Vietnamese refugee father and the first in her family to go to college. Kim recently gave birth to her first child, Penelope Luna Penaloza and seeks to be a voice for working mothers.
Kim Nguyen-Penaloza for Congress (votekimnguyen.com)
Jodi talks with Professor Dan Jacobson, Orange County Superior Court Judicial Candidate on the March 5, 2024, ballot.
About Prof. Jacobson - Dan Jacobson for Judge 2024
Allyson Muñiz Damikolas is an engineer, mom of three, and Tustin school board trustee running for Congress in California’s 40th Congressional District. Rooted in California, her Mexican-American family has a strong military background; her father is a US Marine veteran and her grandfathers fought in WWII. Her mother, a union cafeteria worker, raised four children. Determined to rise from financial instability, Allyson got an engineering degree and joined an environmental consulting firm.
Allyson for Congress
Dr. Nancy Watkins is a retired high school teacher and current associate professor of educational leadership at Cal State Fullerton. She is running for the Orange County Board of Education, Area 3, this March. NancyWatkins4oc.com
Nancy Watkins - Home (nancywatkins4oc.com)
Jodi talks with Tom Campbell, Co-Founder of the Common Sense Party of California.
According to the Public Policy Institute of California's poll, 68% of Californians agree with the statement, "A third party is needed." and the Common Sense Party was created to be that alternative.
Tom Campbell is a former five-term Republican United States Congressman and a former member of the California State Senate. He's currently the Dean of the Chapman University School of Law.
Website: Common Sense Party (cacommonsense.org)
There are three races for Orange County Superior Court Judge on the March 5th Ballot for Orange County Voters.
What are we voting for and why are there so many former deputy district attorneys on the bench?
#3
Jason Baez, Orange County Deputy District Attorney
BAEZ FOR JUDGE
Professor Dan Jacobson, Professor of Law
Dan Jacobson for Judge 2024
#16
Richard Zimmer, Orange County Deputy District Attorney
Richard Zimmer for Judge (zimmer4judge.com)
Binh Dang, Los Angeles County Public Defender
About Binh (binhdangforjudge.com)
#35
Whitney Bokosky, Orange County Deputy District Attorney
Bokosky For Judge » Bokosky for Judge (bokosky4judge.com)
Daniel Kern, Family Law Attorney
Daniel J. Kern for Orange County Superior Court Judge (danieljkernforjudge.org)
"A Slice of Orange" is back for the March 5, 2024 Election.
For our first episode, Jodi gives an overview of what's on the ballot for Orange County voters.
Get informed and engaged before you cast a ballot.
Presidential Primary
United States Senate Primary
Congressional Primary
California Legislature
Assembly and State Senate Primary
Orange County Board of Education
Orange County Board of Supervisors
Orange County Superior Court Judges
Recall – Orange Unified School District
California: Prop 1 Behavioral Health Services Act
Local Ballot Measures (HB, Irvine, Westminster)
Political Party Central Committee Members
Click here to view the PowerPoint slides.
We close out the November 2022 season covering election analyis with Lee Fink.
Lee K. Fink is Chair of the Business Litigation Department for the Brower Law Group. In addition to his experience as a business, employment, and probate litigator, Lee has extensive experience is political law and campaigns and law. He was staff on both Obama Presidential campaigns as a statewide deputy and later voter protection director, a senior advisor for the Hillary Campaign, and a consultant for Stacey Abram’s Fair Fight in 2020. Lee served as outside counsel for several Democratic campaigns in 2022. Lee was also the Press Liaison for John Garamendi for Insurance Commissioner in 2002, worked at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), and has been a volunteer and volunteer leader on numerous campaigns dating back to 1988.
Lee served in the Obama Administration during both terms, lastly as Principal Deputy Counsel at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He is the Vice Chair of the Democratic Foundation of Orange County and the Lead Counsel for the Democratic Lawyers of Orange County. Lee is a member of the California Democratic State Central Committee (1995-1996; 2003-2016; 2019-Present) and a member of the California Democratic Party Executive Board (2019-Present). Lee ran for Tustin City Council in 2020, finishing fourth (top-3 elected), just 0.65% behind the third-place winner.
Lee received his Juris Doctorate from the New York University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from UC Berkeley. He also clerked for the Honorable David O. Carter of the US District Court, Central District.
We close out the November 2022 season covering election analyis with Lee Fink.
Lee K. Fink is Chair of the Business Litigation Department for the Brower Law Group. In addition to his experience as a business, employment, and probate litigator, Lee has extensive experience is political law and campaigns and law. He was staff on both Obama Presidential campaigns as a statewide deputy and later voter protection director, a senior advisor for the Hillary Campaign, and a consultant for Stacey Abram’s Fair Fight in 2020. Lee served as outside counsel for several Democratic campaigns in 2022. Lee was also the Press Liaison for John Garamendi for Insurance Commissioner in 2002, worked at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), and has been a volunteer and volunteer leader on numerous campaigns dating back to 1988.
Lee served in the Obama Administration during both terms, and lastly as Principal Deputy Counsel at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He is the Vice Chair of the Democratic Foundation of Orange County and the Lead Counsel for the Democratic Lawyers of Orange County. Lee is a member of the California Democratic State Central Committee (1995-1996; 2003-2016; 2019-Present) and a member of the California Democratic Party Executive Board (2019-Present). Lee ran for Tustin City Council in 2020, finishing fourth (top-3 elected), just 0.65% behind the third-place winner.
Lee received his Juris Doctorate from the New York University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from UC Berkeley. He also clerked for the Honorable David O. Carter of the US District Court, Central District.
In this episode of "A Slice of Orange" Dr. Jody Agius Vallejo and Jodi Balma cover the November 2022 Election results as of 11/11/2022 - what happened, what we know so far, and what we're waiting to find out.
https://ocvote.gov/maps/index-test.php#33.6518/-117.7879/10/type=results
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gustavo-arellano-on-l-a-s-lying-sheriff-eyal-press/id492010645?i=1000580371512
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-10-31/column-alex-villanueva-santa-monica
https://fivethirtyeight.com/live-blog/2022-midterm-election/
https://ocvote.gov/results/current-election-results
https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/maps
https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov
https://www.latimes.com/projects/2022-california-election-los-angeles-county-live-results/
https://voiceofoc.org/?s=2022%20Elections
Summary:
Jodi talks to Dr. Jody Agius Vallejo about school board elections, the charter schools in Orange County, and what it all means for our society and public education.
Show Notes:
https://dornsife.usc.edu/cf/faculty-and-staff/faculty.cfm?pid=1022709
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18143161-barrios-to-burbs
https://blog.electkevinkiley.com/kevin-kileys-school-board-endorsements/
https://news.fullerton.edu/2022/10/college-of-education-supports-just-equitable-and-inclusive-teaching/
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/10/us/hillsdale-college-charter-schools.html
https://www.salon.com/2022/03/17/the-far-rights-national-plan-for-schools-plant-charters-defund-public-education/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/22/1776-commission-report-trump-administration-historians
The Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum | K-12 American Classical Education
Summary:
Jodi covers those judicial elections no one knows how to vote on -- retention elections for our appellate and Supreme Court justices. Beyond this election, she covers the history of how they got on the ballot, the one and only election where the voters removed justices from the bench, Justice Janice Rogers Brown, and why we should work to remove them from the ballot.
Jodi covers those judicial elections no one knows how to vote on - retention elections for our appellate and Supreme Court justices. Beyond this election, she covers the history of how they got on the ballot, the one and only election where the voters removed justices from the bench, Justice Janice Rogers Brown, and why we should work to remove them from the ballot.
Jodi and Greg Diamond, Orange Juice Blog discuss the Board of Equalization, District 4 race, and why we both endorse David Dodson over the incumbent. If you live in Orange County, Imperial County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, or San Diego County, this race is on your ballot.
https://www.daviddodson4boe.org
https://ballotpedia.org/David_Dodson_(California)
https://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2022/08/democratic-party-embargo-of-dodson-for-board-of-equalization-support-is-broken/
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/S-F-DA-candidate-wanted-in-Nevada-3199867.php
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/03/08/california-democrats-endorse-convicted-disbarred-slumlord-for-state-office/
https://www.sactopolitico.com/post/california-board-equalization-false-endorsement
https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/news-columns/jane-ann-morrison/stalkers-message-to-garrett-no-comp-no-peace/
Jodi talks with two candidates for Fullerton City Council, Dr. Shana Charles, candidate for District 3 and Fullerton City Councilman Ahmad Zahra, running for re-election in District 5. They talk about what they've learned walking their districts, what they want to do if elected, and how to build civic engagement in Fullerton.
https://www.cityoffullerton.com/government/departments/city-clerk/elections/find-my-district
https://fullerton.granicus.com/player/clip/1543?&redirect=true&h=db870779f84dcfd49b72e6ad09941853
https://www.cityoffullerton.com/government/departments/city-manager-s-office/public-information/fullerton-tv
http://shana4fullerton.com
https://fullertonobserver.com/2022/10/05/district-3-city-council-candidates-answer-questions-on-local-issues/
https://www.ahmadzahra.com
https://fullertonobserver.com/2022/10/05/district-5-city-council-candidates-answer-questions-on-local-issues/
In this episode, Jodi revisits her May interview with Michele Bell. Michele Bell is a commissioner for the Orange County Superior Court, presiding on the Central Panel. Prior to her appointment, she worked for almost fourteen years as a deputy public defender with the Orange County Public Defender's Office. During her tenure there, Bell held an assignment on the Felony Panel Trial Team. She was a former board member of the Thurgood Marshall Bar Association.
Jodi talks with Ronald Baesler about what's at stake in this election, why it's important to be informed and vote for candidates who will protect democracy and uphold our elections.
“The 2022 elections will determine the fate of our democracy. We are lucky that Southern California, including Orange County, has several competitive districts which could tip the balance in Congress and change the fate of our nation. YOUR VOTE MATTERS!” Ronald Baesler
Physicist, retired pastor, and social and economic justice advocate Ron Baesler has led Habitat for Humanity trips to El Salvador, Guatemala, Brazil, Paraguay, Malawi, Vietnam, and Romania. Wherever he goes, he listens to, tells, and writes stories, including five books. Seeing the people's struggle has helped him more deeply appreciate the rights and opportunities we have in this country. He realizes how fragile our democratic institutions really are and believes our democracy is in danger if we're not careful.
https://accountability.gop/report-card/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/interactive/2022/election-deniers-running-for-office-elections-2022/?state=California
https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/
https://ballotpedia.org/California_elections,_2022
https://cavotes.org
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/story/2022-10-04/michelle-steel-jay-chen-campaign-lies
Jodi and Greg Diamond, Orange Juice Blog cover the November election, candidates, and what people need to know about local politics.
Show Notes:
Orange Juice Blog
FULL Fall 2022 Roster of Races & Measures! | Orange Juice Blog
Democratic Party Embargo of Dodson for Board of Equalization Support is BROKEN!!! | Orange Juice Blog
Status of Local Races, Aug. 21 UPDATE! | Orange Juice Blog
Jodi does a deep dive on the California Ballot Measures - covering the Pros and Cons of each, and then giving her own opinion at the end of the episode.
If you haven't listened to the Quick Review of the Ballot Measures, we encourage you to start with that episode from September 13, 2022.
https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.listennotes.com%2Fpodcasts%2Fa-slice-of-orange%2Fballot-measures-YDWarnsXt5x%2F&data=05%7C01%7C01915843%40fullcoll.edu%7C7c6fd704669048faff3508daa3c4a7ec%7Cf8b4752f8a294d0e97b5f7428505ab38%7C1%7C0%7C638002362286281290%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=2Ehr%2BWBcmcZq20nlIaANvOhIDo63QTT9OCby6JCE6SE%3D&reserved=0
https://ballotpedia.org/California2022ballot_propositions
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Propositions
Jodi talks with Michelle Bernier, Candidate for La Habra City Council.
Show Notes:
Home (michellebernier4lh.com)
Sep 28, 2022 League of Women Voters Candidate Forum - La Habra, CA (swagit.com)
Planning Commission | La Habra, CA - Official Website (lahabraca.gov)
Project Overview | La Habra, CA - Official Website (lahabraca.gov)
Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight | TED Talk
About Us - The Whole Child
Jodi talks with Kathleen Treseder, Candidate for Irvine City Council, about climate change, fungi research, deforestation in Borneo, #MeToo UCI, and her experience as a political candidate.
Dr. Kathleen Treseder is a UCI Professor, non-profit founder, justice advocate, community leader, and mother, who is committed to building a bright future for Irvine.
Dr. Kathleen Treseder is the Howard A. Schneiderman Endowed Chair and Professor of Biology at the University of California, Irvine. For thirty years, she has led an internationally recognized research program and educated the next generation of scientists and college graduates. Kathleen Treseder worked her way through college and graduate school, earning an Honors Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from University of Utah and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Stanford University.
In 2017, Dr. Treseder became a leader in the fight to make UCI a safer place for women, and has since founded and funded the Treseder Randerson Fund to support women and marginalized groups in Orange County.
Dr. Treseder is also known for her local environmental leadership combating climate change and pollution. Kathleen co-founded OC Clean Power, a grassroots organization of over 30 non-profits, businesses, school organizations, and faith groups. With her leadership, they successfully lobbied Irvine, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, and Buena Park to found OC Power Authority, one of the largest renewable energy programs in California.
https://www.kathleentreseder.com
https://theliberaloc.com/2021/05/17/dr-kathleen-treseder-to-kick-off-campaign-for-irvine-city-council/
https://faculty.sites.uci.edu/tresederlab/an-open-letter-about-sexual-harassment-and-retaliation-at-uci/
https://faculty.sites.uci.edu/tresederlab/an-open-letter-about-sexual-harassment-and-retaliation-at-uci/
https://www.ocweekly.com/a-dozen-uc-irvine-professors-express-himpathy-toward-disgraced-colleague-francisco-ayala/
https://www.cityofirvine.org/environmental-programs
https://crimesurvivors.org/survivor-resources/#first-steps
https://wwf.panda.org/discover/knowledge
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-diamond-age-or-a-young-ladys-illustrated-primer
Jodi talks to PYLUSD Trustee Carrie Buck who is running for re-election this November.
Board of Trustees President, Carrie Buck has served as a member of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District Board of Education since 2010. She also serves as the Vice President of the Orange County School Board Association. In 2022, she was appointed by the California State Superintendent to the Child Nutrition Advisory Council that provides proactive leadership for the enhancement of the health and nutrition education for California’s youth.
Carrie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Services from California State University, Fullerton. Prior to her election to the Board, she worked as an instructional assistant in special education for the District. She became involved in her children’s schools while serving on the PTA and School Site Council, and as the school’s representative to the Superintendent’s Community Advisory Council. Carrie has three daughters, two who graduated from PYLUSD and one currently attending PYLUSD schools.
In 2021, Carrie was the recipient of the Orange County School Boards Association Marion Bergeson Award, recognizing board members who promote and enhance public education through their leadership and community service. She received the California State Senate 29th District Woman of the Year recognition in 2020. She was recognized by the California Legislative Assembly for leadership and dedication benefitting young women of North Orange County.
Carrie enjoys visiting the schools in the district and seeing the students and teachers. She attends activities and visits classrooms at all 34 schools regularly.
On this episode of "A Slice of Orange" Jodi talks with two candidates for Fullerton School Boards: Lauren Klatzker, Fullerton Joint Union High School District Trustee (Area 4) and Ruthi Hanchett, Fullerton School District (Area 4)
Lauren Klatzker has worked for over 18 years as an educator. During those years she has been a special education teacher, school counselor and is currently the Coordinator over special education, supporting the teachers and programs in a local district. She's also a parent raising three extraordinary boys -- age 19, 17, and 12 -- in this community. She currently serves on the FJUHSD Board as Board President, and has an in-depth understanding of how FJUHSD operates, how money is allocated, and how our schools need to grow and change to meet the demands of modern life and modern learners -- and most importantly, she is ready to continue to put my background and experience to work for our kids and our community.
Ruthi Hanchett is running for the Fullerton School District Board of Trustees because she loves our kids and our community. Teaching and advocating for children's rights and well-being for the last 20 years has given her the experience, skills, and wisdom to make a difference in our community.
Show Notes:
https://www.laurenforschoolboard.com
https://ruthihanchett.com
Live2Free student anti-human trafficking club: https://live2free.org
Vanguard University Global Center for Women and Justice: https://www.gcwj.org
Video on how to prevent child sexual abuse from a series called 'Smart Mamas Safe Kids': https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=U7g3uWp7PnE&themeRefresh=1
Stephanie Wade is a former Marine Infantry officer, environmental activist and educator who left her public school teaching career in January of 2017 to take a leading role in organizing Swing Left in Los Angeles and then, as the Director of Volunteers for the Cisneros for Congress Campaign, was a part of Orange County's ‘blue wave’ election of 2018. She followed Cisneros into office and for two years served as his Veterans Liaison and Field Representative. She was one of the first out-trans women to serve on a congressional staff and held a particularly prominent role in supporting the congress member’s legislative work on the Veterans Affairs and Armed Services Committees. She currently serves as Veterans Policy Advisor to Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley with a portfolio that includes veterans homelessness and LGBT equity. In addition to her work as an aide to elected officials, Stephanie has been quite active in Democratic, LGBTQIA and veterans advocacy, serving as a President of the Orange County Veterans Democratic Club, a Founding Member and Co-Chair for the Lavender Democrats of OC, as a Member of the Board of Advisors for the Equality of California Institute and as a county appointee to and the Vice Chair of the Orange County Veterans Advisory Council. She is particularly proud to have successfully lobbied the County Supervisors to support reforms that will make it possible for LGBTQ veterans to upgrade and correct bad conduct discharges that were given because of past prohibitions on gender identity or sexual orientation. She is the proud mom of a 11 year old girl and a 25 year old son, both of whom are staunch progressives, feminists and LGBT allies. She likes cats, surfing and equity!
Stephanie is on the November 8, 2022 ballot running for Seal Beach City Council District 3. She has been endorsed by the Seal Beach Democratic Club, the Democratic Party of Orange County, Congressmember Katie Porter, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, Huntington Beach Councilmember Kim Carr, and General Ricardo Aponte, USAFRet, among many others. Those who would like to contact her may do so atwade4oc@gmail.com and those who would like to contribute to her campaign may do so at:https://bit.ly/3TjhM15
https://www.wadeforsealbeach.com
https://www.surfrider.org
https://swingleft.org
https://sisterdistrict.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shōgun_(novel)
A quick overview of the 7 ballot measures on the California ballot that covers gambling, reproductive rights, flavored tobacco bans, higher taxes to buy electric vehicles, funding arts education in our schools -- and, of course, a question about regulating dialysis clinics.
https://ballotpedia.org/2022ballotmeasures
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Propositions
The rules of the game matter in elections so today we take a look at the rules of local elections. How someone can win when a majority of voters voted for someone else and whether Anaheim should move their mayor's race to the June primary. We dive into the history of the California Voting Rights Act of 2001, professional plaintiffs who are using lawsuits to get rich, and the pros and cons of district elections compared to at-large elections.
https://lccrsf.org/wp-content/uploads/2014CVRAFact_Sheet.pdf
https://voiceofsandiego.org/2017/12/18/voice-year-kevin-shenkman/
https://www.breitbart.com/local/2017/05/08/kevin-shenkman-ending-democracy-as-we-know-it-in-southern-california/
https://www.latimes.com/local/abcarian/la-me-abcarian-shenkman-voting-20170514-story.html
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/cypress-faces-a-potentially-expensive-lawsuit-after-declining-to-switch-to-district-elections/ar-AAZNPKt
https://voiceofoc.org/2022/03/will-breas-century-old-election-system-be-nixed-residents-fight-switch-to-district-voting/
https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/entertainment/story/2022-04-19/brea-backtracks-on-district-elections-opens-itself-up-to-litigation
https://irvinewatchdog.org/2021/04/10/kevin-shenkman-served-irvine-with-a-letter-will-district-elections-be-coming-to-irvine/
https://voiceofoc.org/2022/08/more-orange-county-cities-resist-calls-to-switch-to-district-elections/
In this episode, Jodi reviews the list of candidates appearing on this year's November ballot.
https://www.ocvote.gov/candidates/candidate-filing-log-with-statements
https://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2022/08/status-of-local-races-updated-aug-11/
In this episode, Jodi gives an overview of what to expect on the November ballots.
https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections
https://ocvote.gov
https://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2022/08/democratic-party-embargo-of-dodson-for-board-of-equalization-support-is-broken/
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/S-F-DA-candidate-wanted-in-Nevada-3199867.php
In this episode, Jodie goes over the current results of the June 2022 Election
https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov
https://politicaldata.com/2022-primary-ballots-returned-tracker/
https://ocvote.gov/results/current-election-results
https://ocvote.gov/results/whats-left-to-count
https://ocvote.gov/maps/index-test.php#33.6518/-117.7879/10/type=results
As we close out our candidate series for the June 2022 election, we encourage all Orange County voters to visit ocballotguide.com and listen to the episodes with past candidates and ballot recommendations.
In this episode, Jodi talks to Rick Foster, candidate for Orange County Assessor. Foster wants to make it easier for first-time homebuyers to realize their dream of ownership, help seniors, veterans, and disabled people receive tax savings for which they qualify, ensure nobody pays more than required, and educate the public on tax savings programs. He believes in efficiency, innovation, integrity, and transparency.
https://ocballotguide.com
http://rick4ocassessor.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Salinger
https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/44901
https://www.becomingmichelleobama.com
In this episode, Jodi shares information and insight on the candidates of the judicial races for the June 7, 2022 Election.
https://ocballotguide.com
https://cavotes.org
https://ocvote.gov
https://voiceofoc.org
https://www.ocregister.com
https://www.ocweekly.com
https://www.orangejuiceblog.com
The series on Judicial Candidates for the June 7th, 2022 Election continues with Superior Court Commissioner Michele Bell. Michele Bell is a commissioner for the Orange County Superior Court, presiding on the Central Panel. Prior to her appointment, she worked for almost fourteen years as a deputy public defender with the Orange County Public Defender’s Office. During her tenure there, Bell held an assignment on the Felony Panel Trial Team. She was a former board member of the Thurgood Marshall Bar Association. Learn more about why she's our choice for Seat #30 on your ballot.
https://ocballotguide.com
https://www.amazon.com/Talk-Little-Kids-Will-Listen/dp/150113163X/ref=asc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WxvUFzrMDc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXlNkUa_6E0&feature=youtu.be
https://www.law.uci.edu/about/public-service/public-interest/community-programs/pop/
https://www.ocbar.org
https://www.meitsang4ocba.com
In this episode, Jodi shares how to be an informed voter and explains what's on your ballot for the June 7, 2022 Election, including an overview of the candidates as well as her endorsements.
https://ocballotguide.com
https://www.ocvote.gov
https://cavotes.org
https://voterguide.sos.ca.gov
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/10/us/hillsdale-college-charter-schools.html
https://www.ocregister.com/2022/04/29/judge-temporarily-bars-tim-shaw-from-his-orange-county-board-of-education-seat/
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/coronavirus/orange-county-board-of-education-sues-governor-over-schools-reopening/2404687/
https://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2015/02/brea-councilman-steve-vargas-accused-of-stealing-1570-intended-for-veterans-charity/
https://www.ocregister.com/2015/07/20/brea-vfw-post-will-be-paid-5125-after-appeal-dropped/
In this episode, Jodi shares how to be an informed voter and explains what's on your ballot for the June 7, 2022 Election, including the three types of electoral rules used to determine the winners and who advances to the November Election.
https://ocballotguide.com
https://cavotes.org
https://ocvote.gov
https://voiceofoc.org
https://www.ocregister.com
https://www.ocweekly.com
https://www.orangejuiceblog.com
https://orangecountydemocrats.com
https://ocgop.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW5wOXijJjE
https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-judge-scott-steiner-reelection-win-20160608-snap-story.html
Continuing our judicial candidate series, Jodi talks to OC Superior Court Judge candidate, Ray Brown.
Ray Brown is an experienced attorney certified by the State Bar as a specialist in civil trial advocacy with many awards. Many noted his professional demeanor that is perfectly suited for the bench. He approaches the law with reverence and respect. He will serve with humility, impartiality, and decorum to provide fairness and ensure that Orange County courts deliver equal justice under the law.
Our Orange County Superior Court is larger than just criminal trials. The incumbent judges are over-represented by the professional experience and background of prosecutors from the OC District Attorney’s Office. Having judicial candidates with diverse backgrounds should be something voters consider. Ray Brown has extensive civil trial experience and will bring that perspective to the OC Court.
We think you'll understand why Brown earns our endorsement for Seat #21.
On this episode, Jodi speaks about all things you should know about the incoming ballots you'll be receiving! She speaks with Kathy Heard, a redistricting commissioner on the board of education and an educated local politics resource. Listen to learn how you can prepare your vote for the upcoming election!
Dr. Al Mijares was appointed as Orange County superintendent of schools in August 2012 and elected to full terms in 2014 and 2018. He previously served for six years as vice president of the College Board, where he worked to expand the high school-to-university pipeline as part of an effort to promote college readiness and success for all students.
Before joining the College Board, Dr. Mijares served for more than 11 years as superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified School District, which received national recognition for successfully meeting the needs of a large and diverse student body. He has also served as superintendent of the Bakersfield City and Coachella Valley Unified school districts and as a principal in the Moreno Valley Unified School District in Riverside County.
Dr. Mijares is treasurer of Comunidad Latina Federal Credit Union, a member of the Board of Trustees for Biola University, a past member of the advisory council of the Tiger Woods Learning Center Foundation, a member of the advisory board of Public Schools for Tomorrow, and former first chairman of the Santa Ana Empowerment Zone board of directors.
He is the recipient of numerous honors, including the American Association of School Administrators Leadership for Learning Award, the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 2005 Educator of the Year Award, the League of United Latin American Citizens’ 2004 Excellence in Education Award, the Association of California School Administrators’ Diversity Award, and the California School Board Association’s Merit Award for Outstanding Leadership.
Dr. Mijares earned his bachelor’s degree in child development/special education from California State University, Northridge. While working in the San Francisco Bay area as a project specialist for physically disabled children in public schools, he earned his master’s degree in social welfare from the University of California, Berkeley. He went on to earn his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California, and he holds several education credentials, including school psychology and school administration.
Al and his wife, Jackie, are the proud parents of five grown sons, all of whom attended public schools and have graduated from college.
Listen as Jodi interviews Marc A. Gibbons, local attorney running for OC Superior Court Judge, Seat 11. was born in Los Angeles and raised in La Mirada. Marc attended Beatitudes of Our Lords Catholic School, Brethren Junior High School, and Servite High School. He was admitted to practice in 2001, eventually opening up his own law office in 2002. He is also a member of the bar of the United States District Court, Central and Eastern Districts of California. Listen as he shares why he is running in the upcoming election.
In this episode, Jodi speaks with OC Board of Education candidate Sherine Smith. Sherine earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership at the University of Southern California, a Master of Science in Education Leadership from Pepperdine University, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from California State University, She has had many jobs in the field of public education, such as deputy superintendent where she had direct oversight of all K-12 schools and programs, including preschools and adult education. Sherine capped her career as the superintendent of Laguna Beach Unified School District. Listen to see why she is a running candidate for OC Board of Education.
Paulette attended and received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Redlands in Communicative Disorders as well as a California Lifetime Teaching Credential. She has worked in public schools as a teacher and later as a speech therapist.
She is a huge believer that all children deserve a quality education. For years, she has been actively involved both professionally and as a volunteer in public education. Being a mother of two young men who attended public schools and she has been an active volunteer with the PTSA groups and in the classrooms. She was also awarded the Above & Beyond Award from the Fullerton School District for her work with children. Her involvement with Science Olympiad, All the Arts for All the Kids, First Five Orange County, and Legislative Advocacy Groups has given her insight into best practices for quality education. Sound fiscal management is a top priority for quality education. It is vital to ensure that all children benefit from an education system that puts the children’s needs first. Children are our future and educating our children is of the utmost importance.
Sunny Park is the first Asian American to serve as Mayor of Buena Park. In addition to serving as mayor, she represents her community on the Orange County Fire Authority and the Southern California Associations of Governments on the Community Economics and Housing Development Committee. She was recently appointed to serve on the Revenue and Taxation Policy Committee for the California League of Cities, API Caucus.
Prior to her election to the Buena Park City Council, she served as a California state commissioner on the California Board of Accountancy (CBA) regulating certified public accountants licensed to practice in California. Ms. Park is the director of the Orange County Korean American Citizens’ League and the Buena Park Noon Lions Club. She is a longtime advocate for inclusiveness and mentorship. She led the city’s 2020 Census drive for complete count with great success. To combat social and racial inequity, she created the Human Relations Committee for Buena Park consisting of 7 city commissioners and has been leading the committee. She led pro-bono legal clinics and mentorship programs as president of Orange County Korean American Bar Association.
She earned her L.L.M. in Tax Law from New York University School of Law, her J.D. degree from Golden Gate University School of Law, and her B.A. degree from Yonsei University. She is a long-time, devoted resident of Orange County, a proud mother to her daughter Lauren, and a loving wife to her husband Eugene.
In this episode, Jodi speaks with Kimberly LaSalle, a candidate running for OC Superior Court. Kimberly has appeared before our courts as an attorney for 25 years. Additionally, she has I served our two largest counties as both a Deputy District Attorney and a Deputy Public Defender for almost a decade. After almost a decade of public service in the criminal law arena, Kimberly entered private practice to raise a family and represent those in need. She advocates for children with autism and other disabilities, including one of her own sons.
Scott Sanders graduated from the University of Wisconsin and Emory University Law School. He is an Assistant Public Defender with the Orange County Public Defender’s Office. He is currently in his 30th years working for the office.
Tony Saavedra is an investigative reporter specializing in legal affairs for the Orange County Register. His work has been recognized by the National Headliner Club, the Associated Press Sports Editors, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association and the Orange County Press Club. His stories have led to the closure of a chain of badly-run group homes, the end of a state program that placed criminals in inappropriate public jobs and the creation of a civilian oversight office for the Orange County Sheriff's Department, among other things. Saavedra has covered the Los Angeles riots, the O.J. Simpson case, the downfall of Orange County Sheriff-turned felon Michael S. Carona and the use of unauthorized drugs by Olympian Carl Lewis. Saavedra has worked as a journalist since 1979 and has held positions at several Southern California newspapers before arriving at the Orange County Register in 1990. He graduated from California State University, Fullerton, in 1981 with a bachelor of arts in communication.
Israel Claustro is a seasoned trial lawyer who has leveraged his unique background, experience and skills to rise to a leadership position within the Orange County District Attorney’s Office – while simultaneously gaining and retaining the goodwill of the criminal justice community – by treating everyone with dignity and respect.
Born in the U.S. to immigrant parents with a third grade education from a small Mexican farming town, and one of 7, Israel grew up very poor in Pomona, California. Experiencing poverty and his parents’ valiant, unceasing efforts to stave it off during his formative years forged within Israel a powerful work ethic along with a resolution to succeed and give back to the community.
Seeking the new challenge of a judgeship, Israel believes his deep experience will enable him to adjust to the role quickly. In addition to his trial expertise, which will help with the nuts & bolts of managing a courtroom, the relationships and reputation for integrity he has built across the legal community – from the prosecutor’s office to the defense bar – will reassure all parties of fairness and independence in the courtroom. Israel’s background and ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds will also help foster trust in the American justice system and demonstrates how our criminal justice system works with everyone’s participation.
Brett Wiseman is a candidate for Orange County Superior Court Judge, Seat 33.
Mr. Wiseman is a member of the Orange County Bar Association and the Association of Business Trial Lawyers with extensive experience in civil litigation handling trial, bench and jury, class actions, arbitration, and before administrative bodies in this state.
He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, San Diego, where he earned his Bachelor of Art in Philosophy and then attended the University of San Diego, where his involvement in the legal clinic programs was recognized with an Advocacy Commendation by the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
Wiseman is admitted to practice before the California Supreme Court; the United States District Court for the Central, Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of California; and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Joe Dane is a Commissioner with the Orange County Superior Court and has been in the criminal division presiding over cases since 2018. He is now running for election to become a Superior Court Judge. Before being sworn in as a Commissioner, Dane was a Deputy District Attorney in both Orange and Tulare County as well as in private practice as a criminal defense attorney.
Understand the background of the redistricting process and how it affects your city. Hear Jodi discuss with Jesse LaTour, Jane Rands, and Adrian Meza.
In this episode, Jodi talks with Jessica Cha who is running for the OC Superior Court Judge Seat #28 this year. Earning her B.A. from the University of California, San Diego, and J.D. from the Syracuse University College of Law, Cha is now a private practice attorney who specializes in family law. With over 15 years of experience, she has helped people and families navigate the legal system noting she has a unique perspective of those who come near the judicial system. For her campaign, she hopes to ensure that all who enter her courtroom experience a level playing field. Listen now to learn more about Jessica and her candidacy for OC Superior Court Judge Seat #28.
In this episode, Jodi speaks with julie vue, (she/they) Director of Youth and Education Program. Julie has been with OC Human Relations since Fall 2016. They lead a passionate team who are dedicated to working alongside students, parents, teachers, and administrators in Orange County schools, with the goal to improve school climate and create safe, inclusive, equitable and restorative schools. Julie graduated from UC Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and minors in Gender & Sexuality Studies and Civic & Community Engagement and earned a Master of Arts in Education with emphasis on Social and Cultural Analysis from Cal State Long Beach.
Jay Seidel is a journalism professor and media adviser at Fullerton College. He advises the student publications The Hornet and Antorcha del Sur. The California Journalism Education Coalition named him Journalism Educator of the Year in 2011 and he has been a finalist for Fullerton College Teacher of the Year three times. Prior to becoming a teacher in 2005, he worked for 12 years as a writer and editor for various publications, including the Los Angeles Times and Popular Hot Rodding.
He is also professor and director of the Fullerton Drone Lab at Fullerton College. He has always had a passion for aviation as he was a member of the Civil Air Patrol as a teenager, where he flew gliders and immersed himself in all things aviation. This, coupled with his other passion for visual storytelling is what led him to drones and to create the Fullerton Drone Lab at Fullerton College.
He is a Part 107 certified UAS Pilot and has been flying drones since 2016. He is an AUVSI TOP (Level 3) UAV Instructor and is a member of the FAA’s Safety Team where he is a Drone Pro for Orange and Los Angeles counties. He regularly speaks across Southern California communities about drone safety and drone education.
He wrote the textbook Drones: Training and Applications to Digital Imaging and has been a guest speaker and trainer at a variety of industry workshops and conferences. He is the president of the AUVSI Lindbergh Chapter, which includes members from all areas of autonomous systems from all of Southern California.
He served 12 years in the U.S. Army and California Army National Guard where he worked as an engineer and photojournalist.
He earned his master’s degree in communications from Cal State University, Fullerton, his bachelor’s degree in journalism from California State University, Long Beach, and his Associate of Arts degree in journalism from Fullerton College.
Saskia Kennedy is a third-generation owner of the Fullerton Observer a 43-year-old volunteer community newspaper. With her business partners Jesse La Tour and Matt Leslie, they are dedicated to continuing to inform Fullertonians about the changes to their community. Saskia has owned several businesses and has traveled worldwide. In her spare time, She is an artist and gardener. She is currently returning to school to study film and broadcasting.
Jesse La Tour is currently the editor of the Fullerton Observer newspaper, one of the last remaining independent local newspapers in Orange County. Prior to that, he was co-founder of Hibbleton Gallery, Bookmachine books + zines, The Magoski Arts Colony, and the Downtown Fullerton Art Walk (all of which are, sadly, on hiatus due to the pandemic). He has also taught English composition at Cal State University, Fullerton, and Fullerton College. La Tour enjoys writing about local history, and is working on an in-depth history of Fullerton called “The Town I Live In.” La Tour was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and moved to Fullerton, California when he was seven years old.
Al Jabbar is a candidate for Anaheim City Council, District 3 and currently serves on the Anaheim Union High Board of Trustees. As a Cypress College student, he served on the North Orange County Community College Board as a student trustee.
Jabbar currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff to Supervisor Doug Chaffee, where he has directed more county resources to help Anaheim address health care and transportation needs. He also served Anaheim as a Cultural & Heritage Commissioner for seven years, helping promote the arts and several cultural events within the city.
An active member in the progressive movement, Al served as a board member of the Orange County Employees Association and the Orange County Young Democrats. As the former president of the Sri Lanka Muslim Association of California, he was instrumental in providing aid to Tsunami victims and other relief.
Katie Kalvoda is founder and CEO of G3 Ventures, a nonprofit corporation specializing in impact investments, innovative philanthropy and community advocacy. She is a Board Member of the Sisters of St. Joseph Healthcare Foundation and at Pacific Community Ventures, a CDFI that provides financial support and mentoring services to women and minority-owned small businesses across the United States.
Niosha Shakoori is the founder of ClarusHR, has over fifteen years of experience as an in-house labor and employment attorney, most recently serving as the Chief Employment Counsel for CoreLogic. She provides counseling on HR matters including diversity, wellness programs, employment agreements, corporate culture, retention plans, equity award agreements, non-competes, wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, ADA, and affirmative action plans.
About - Advance OC
Equity Mapping Tools - Advance OC
An Investment Wizard Builds a Nonprofit to Offer Data Solutions for Equity (philanthropy.com)
David Gillanders, Jr is the Executive Director of Pathways of Hope. David is a graduate of Fullerton College, California State University Fullerton (where, along with University of California Irvine, he continues to give back through teaching), and holds a Master of Science from DePaul University. Previous work includes various program and agency leadership roles, including working at Orange County United Way managing investments into anti-poverty programs.
Kara Regan is a passionate social justice fighter. She began her journey of education and experience working in the prison system by working on 3 degrees in Administration of Justice, Psychology and Social Sciences where she studied crime in a socioeconomic, sociocultural and sociological perspective. She uses public platform to bring awareness toward discrimination in the justice system through presentations of research and her experience about prison reform and advocating for public action. She is currently working on degrees in psychological sciences and criminology, law and society at the University of California, Irvine. Feeling restricted at the previous prison outreach organization she worked with, she left to create the Amazingly Complicated Prison Outreach (ACPO) nonprofit organization where she can continue fighting for prisoners on a larger scale by focusing on education for prisoners with a highly educated team in the relevance of education, law, society, crime and psychology.
Jodi is joined by CSUF professor Dr. Matt Jarvis whose research focuses on, among other issues, redistricting.
Jodi got the chance to chat with Christian Esteban, Executive Director of the JOYA Scholars program.
The program aims to inspire and prepare students from families of low-income communities in Fullerton to succeed through higher education. By supporting students through one-on-one mentoring, academic tutoring, educational workshops, parent academy, campus visits, SAT prep, JOYA Scholars come alongside junior high and high school students to fill a relational and knowledgeable gap for students and their families for whom the school can be a confusing and intimidating process to navigate.
Jodi got the chance to speak with Christian Esteban, the current Executive Director of the JOYA Scholars program.
The program's mission is to inspire and prepare students from families of low-income communities in Fullerton to succeed through higher education. When JOYA Scholars began in 2009, not a single high school student from the Garnet neighborhood in Fullerton, CA - aside from Valeria Sosa who became Garnet’s first college graduate in 2014 - was eligible for a four-year university. Today, there are students enrolled at the University of California Irvine, University of California Riverside, and California State University Fullerton. Even more students from the program attend local colleges planning to transfer to four-year universities.
Jodi welcomed Irvine's Vice Mayor, Tammy Kim, to the podcast, to discuss her historic election to the City Council and to reflect on AAPI Heritage Month as an immigrant from Korea.
Vice Mayor Tammy Kim was elected to City Council in November 2020 in a historic win beating out thirteen other candidates to take first place., with more than 43,700 votes, the highest vote count for any City Council candidate in the city’s history. Tammy is a mother, a nonprofit leader, educator, community advocate, small business owner and former corporate executive.
Jodi is joined by Vincent Tran, Community Engagement Coordinator, VietRISE.
Vincent is a community organizer, a second-generation Vietnamese American, and a lifelong resident of Orange County. As Community Engagement Coordinator for VietRISE, he helps organize Vietnamese residents to defend immigrant rights and housing rights. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, he served as a member of the COVID-19 Community Response team and led a team of Census field staff that contacted and assisted over 5,000 Vietnamese residents to complete the 2020 Census.
Gavin Kane a Member of the Orange County LGBTQ Center Board of Directors.
An Orange County native, Gavin is currently working at California State University, Fullerton for the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. He started at Fullerton College, transferred to UCLA graduating summa cum laude, and is now pursuing graduate studies at California State University, Fullerton.
Jodi got a chance to connect with Gavin to discuss his higher education journey and path to serving his local community through board membership.
Dr. Shana Alex Charles is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health at Cal State Fullerton. She worked as Director of Health Insurance Studies and nine years as a Senior Research Associate at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Dr. Charles's research focuses on expansions of health insurance and its impact on access to care, and underinsurance among those with coverage. She also specializes in political issues surrounding health care reform at both the state and the national levels. Dr. Charles is also an active member of the California Health Benefits Review Program faculty task force, which analyzes the impacts of proposed health insurance benefit mandates for the California state legislature.
Jodi spoke with Dr. Charles to talk about all things COVID-19 pandemic and our local, state, and federal government decisions.
Zoot Velasco is Director of the Gianneschi Center for Nonprofit Research at California State University Fullerton’s Mihaylo College of Business & Economics. There, he hosts the Gianneschi Fellowship in Social Impact Leadership, G3X programs, the popular 501(c)3(b)(s) podcast, research projects, and coaches organizations from Victorville to San Pedro. He is a professor of Business and Marketing at Mihaylo College as well as Nonprofit Management and Leadership at California Polytechnic Institute, Pomona.
Zoot has authored two books: The First Hundred Days: Leading Small non-Profits Out of The Wilderness (Amazon Press) and The History of the Muckenthaler Cultural Center(Arcadia Press). He is a registered historical scholar with the California Humanities Council where he produced two oral history projects. His live event productions include a TEDx conference, major arts events, and community events.
Zoot holds a BA in dance from St. Mary’s College of California, an MBA in nonprofit management from Hope International University.
Dr. Michael A. (Mike) Moodian has served as a faculty member in various capacities at Chapman University since 2007. He codirects Wilkinson College’s Orange County Annual Survey and teaches for the Leadership Studies minor and Integrated Educational Studies major programs.
Mike has written numerous journal articles, book chapters, and commentaries and has been a guest op-ed contributor for newspapers such as the Orange County Register, San Diego Union-Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, Voice of OC, and Los Angeles Daily News. He has presented his research at national and international conferences and has served as an expert commentator on several television and radio programs. Based on his interest in local history, he wrote a short book on the ranch history of South Orange County and North San Diego County titled Images of America: Rancho Santa Margarita (Arcadia, 2010). Mike enjoys speaking to local K-12 and community groups on South Orange County’s indigenous American activity, the Portolá Expedition, Mexican governance of the land, and 20th century ranching activity.
Mike earned a doctorate degree in education from Pepperdine University and a master’s degree in communications and bachelor’s degree in communications and sociology from California State University, Fullerton. He is a former U.S. military reservist.
Jim Box is a life-long public administrator in Orange County. He is currently the Director of Community Service at the City of Buena Park and was previously the Stanton City Manager, having served Stanton for over twenty years. Jim is also an adjunct professor of public administration at Fullerton College.
Jim connected with Jodi to talk about the side of politics that is so often not understood - public administration - and how it impacts every aspect of your communities.
Homeshare OC is a program of Homeless Intervention Services OC that aims at tackling the student housing crisis. The program's innovative approach to student housing not only provides safe and affordable living conditions but also fosters an environment where students can thrive and succeed in their academic pursuits.
Jodi sits down with Carrie, Laura, and Jeanette to talk about housing policy and how college students in America are struggling to achieve their goals.
Lieutenant Commander Jay Chen is a Navy intelligence officer, small business owner, and President of the Board of Trustees for Mt. San Antonio.
He is the first Democrat to throw his hat in the race to unseat Republican Rep. Young Kim in California's competitive 39th Congressional district.
Jay is no stranger to this race. He ran in 2012 against Republican Rep. Ed Royce, which culminated into the strongest showing a Democrat ever produced against the long-term Congressman. His 2012 race is attributed to laying the groundwork for Democrats like Rep. Gil Cisneros' victory in 2018.
Jay recently returned from Kuwait where he was part of an international mission to defeat ISIS.
Jodi got a chance to sit down with Jay to talk about his race and why he decided to run again.
Dr. Calhoun is the first African-American to hold elected office in Fullerton, California.
As a little girl growing up in Fullerton, Dr. Calhoun was bussed from her home school, Maple Elementary to Laguna Road, a school in a more affluent area of the City. She received a strong foundation in academics at Laguna and at the other Fullerton schools, she later attended Ladera Vista Junior High and Fullerton High.
Having that foundation enabled Dr. Calhoun to succeed in higher education, earning her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
Jodi talks with Dr. Calhoun about her trailblazing story, her enduring perseverance, and her time singing with the Red Hot Chili Peppers!
We're back!
To kick off the new year, Jodi interviews Jose Trinidad Castañeda. Jose is a Fullerton native, serves on the City of Fullerton Planning Commission, and has served on the Parks and Recreation Commission and South Coast AQMD Youth Council. Jose played a leading role in the historic election of Democrat Fullerton Councilman Fred Jung, district 1, a historically conservative district.
He graduated from Fullerton College and California State University, Los Angeles, and works in the environmental non-profit sector.
Phil Chen is a Republican member of the California State Assembly, representing District 55. He assumed office in 2016. His current term ends on December 4, 2022. He ran for re-election to the California State Assembly to represent District 55. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Chen previously served as a representative on the Walnut Valley Unified School District Board of Education in California. He was first elected to the board in November 2011 and served until he took office in the Assembly.
Phillip Chen earned his B.A. in communications from California State University, Fullerton, as well as an M.A. in public administration and a doctorate of educational psychology from the University of Southern California.
Chen's professional experience includes working as a health deputy to former L.A. County Supervisor Michael Antonovich and as a Los Angeles County reserve sheriff’s deputy. In 2009, he was recognized as the Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station Reserve Deputy of the Year. Chen also served as a board member for the California Physical Therapy Board. He was also appointed by Gov. Pete Wilson to the Governor’s Office of Criminal Justice Planning.
Fred Jung and Nick Dunlap both recently won seats on the Fullerton City Council in districts 1 and 2, respectively. I got a chance to talk to them about why they ran, their experience campaigning during a pandemic, and what they plan to do when they formally join the council.
The election didn't just end on November 3rd. There are ballots STILL being counted and campaigns are anxiously awaiting those remaining results. Did the type of race those campaigns ran impact their long, drawn-out result? This is just one of the many questions answered in today's episode with Democratic political consultant Steven Sherry.
We're still watching those final mail-in ballots trickle in and get counted but we have a pretty clear idea of who won and what happened on November 3rd. To help triage these election results, I invited onto the podcast Dr. Sarah Hill, a professor at Cal State Fullerton and graduate of California Institute of Technology
Halloween is right around the corner! So, in the spirit of the festivities, I spoke to Gustavo Arellano, features writer for the Los Angeles Times, covering mostly Southern California, and Gabriel San Roman, a journalist who wrote for the OC Weekly in 2006 and later became a staff writer until the newspaper's closing in 2019, and now manages a well-known blog, about some of the scariest politicians in Orange County.
What happens when there's only one person on the ballot? Uncontested seats aren't common, but sometimes you can win a seat without a campaign.
What's that experience like? To find out I spoke with Deana Miller, Brea-Olinda School Board Member, who won her seat in the primary.
We're a week away from the 2020 presidential election and already over 60 million Americans have voted. That begs the question, what does it mean to be an informed voter, and how can young voters learn about the impact of their vote not just for president but for all elective offices and ballot propositions? To help answer that question I spoke to Michelle Majewski who is well known in North Orange County as a government teacher who emphasis local civics.
Beatriz "Betty" Valencia is the last of twelve children and daughter of Antonia and Ricardo. She was born in Mexico City and brought to the United States at the age of six. She often recalls spending the first part of her school year learning the English language and customs. Betty is a seasoned businesswoman, rising the ranks to become Vice President of Operations in the private sector, and is furthering her leadership development as a PhD student in Leadership Studies at Chapman University. She was a candidate for the Orange City Council in 2018.
Neal Kelley is Registrar of Voters for Orange County, California, the fifth-largest voting jurisdiction in the United States, serving more than 1.6 million registered voters. He joined the County as Chief Deputy Registrar of Voters in May 2004. Appointed Registrar of Voters in April 2006 by County Executive Officer, Thomas G. Mauk, Kelley has led the Registrar of Voters’ office through the largest cycle of elections in the County’s 123-year history. In his role as the County’s chief election official, he leads an organization responsible for conducting elections, verifying petitions, and maintaining voter records.
Senator Josh Newman is running for election to the California State Senate to represent District 29. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2020. Josh is a former Democratic member of the California State Senate, representing District 29. He was recalled from the position on June 5, 2018. Ling Ling Chang (R) was selected as his replacement after the Republicans targeted him for voting for the California Gas Tax, for which the GOP falsely accused Josh of being the deciding vote.
These ballot measures are not only spending the most money trying to convince you one way or another but could also change major tax policy and enact criminal justice reform.
Propositions 16, 19, 21, 25 have raised some serious cash and range from instituting affirmative action policies in admissions, and hiring practices are the University of California to repealing Costa Hawkins.
The November 2020 ballot measurers span the gamut. In this episode, we look at measures 14, 17, 18, and 24 to explore their fiscal and legal impact throughout California.
LaShe's life experiences informed her thinking that local government affects the community more directly than distant federal and state decisions – especially surrounding youth development and K-12 education, which is why she decided to run for school board. She currently serves as the Chief of Staff for Orange County Supervisor Doug Chaffee. LaShé earned her Bachelor’s degree at the University of California Riverside and later earned a Master’s Degree in Communication Management from the University of Southern California.
Councilman Moreno represents Anaheim's third district which encompasses much of the North Central region. Before his election to the city council, he served on the school board of 8 years. He is an associate professor of Chicano and Latino Studies at California State University, Long Beach. He has served on the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, the Association of American Colleges & Universities Making Excellence Inclusive project, and the Western Association of Schools & Colleges Student Success Task Force. Dr. Moreno has also served as the president of the Latino community organization Los Amigos of Orange County and on the Anaheim police chief's advisory board and the boards of directors of the Orange County Community Housing Corporation, a housing and education support organization for low-income families, and Orange County Communities for Responsible Development, an organization that promotes the inclusion of working families and immigrant communities in public decision-making.
Tony Saavedra is an investigative reporter specializing in legal affairs for the Orange County Register. His work has been recognized by the National Headliner Club, the Associated Press Sports Editors, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association and the Orange County Press Club. His stories have led to the closure of a chain of badly-run group homes, the end of a state program that placed criminals in inappropriate public jobs and the creation of a civilian oversight office for the Orange County Sheriff's Department, among other things. Saavedra has covered the Los Angeles riots, the O.J. Simpson case, the downfall of Orange County Sheriff-turned felon Michael S. Carona and the use of unauthorized drugs by Olympian Carl Lewis. Saavedra has worked as a journalist since 1979 and has held positions at several Southern California newspapers before arriving at the Orange County Register in 1990. He graduated from California State University, Fullerton, in 1981 with a bachelor of arts in communication.
Not very many people know what a community college district does, let alone what it is! In this episode, we talk to Miguel Alvarez who is running for the board, and details his candidacy, his campaign, and why you should care about who gets elected to your community college board. Miguel is an education policy expert and advocate. He was raised right here in North Orange County and is an alumnus of Fullerton College and UCLA. If elected, Miguel will be the first openly LGBT+ Latinx trustee on the North Orange County Community College District board.
Sharon Quirk-Silva is a mother, teacher, former Mayor of Fullerton, and Member of the California State Assembly.
Sharon has deep ties to Orange County. Sharon came to Fullerton when she was two, was educated in Orange County public schools, and earned her degrees from Fullerton College, UCLA, and CSU Fullerton.
She found a passion for education, serving as a classroom teacher for more than thirty years. Education is a family affair. Her husband Jesus Silva, who is also on the Fullerton City Council, teaches math at Nicolas Junior High School and her four children all attended local public schools.
Lauren is a seasoned public school teacher who successfully earned a spot on the Fullerton Joint Union High School District board--surprising many by beating two well-known candidates by simply out-working them and taking nothing for granted. In this episode, Lauren tells us what it means to be the underdog in a campaign and the power that school board members have in our community.
Ahmad represents Fullerton's 5th City Council district. He made headlines when he shocked the political world with his election to the council, being the first openly-gay elected council member. As if that wasn't enough of a barrier-breaking accomplishment, Ahmad is a doctor, film-maker, and a Syrian immigrant. In this podcast, we talk to Ahmad about his life and what motivated him to run.
Jodi talks to Grant Henninger, a local activist in Anaheim, California who attempted a run for Anaheim City Council from the notoriously conservative Anaheim Hills district. He is active in his community and serves on various city commissions.
We're kicking off this podcast to put local politics in focus. Why North Orange County? Because it all happens here--North Orange County is where both former state Sen. John Briggs--the author of California's Proposition 6, the so-called Briggs Initiative, that would have allowed teachers to be fired for being homosexual and admitting to that fact--was from. But, in the same generation, it is also the place where a gay, Syrian refugee was elected to City Council.
This is a different kind of podcast. We're going to interview elected officials, local commissioners, party leaders, interest groups, and activists on both sides of the aisle. Who is making the decisions and how they arrived there impact your community more than, believe it or not, who becomes President of the United States.
So get ready because we're going to deep dive and peel away the political world of North Orange County, slice by slice. And, of course, we're going to have great stories, good laughs, and lots of fun along the way.