LOS ANGELES — In a defining moment for LA’s Council District 14, lifelong resident and small business owner Memphis Perez watched as a new era of leadership began, marked by the victory of newcomer Ysabel Jurado over incumbent City Councilman Kevin de León.
Perez, who grew up in the district's heart, expressed optimism for a new direction in local government.
“We’re looking forward to better times, you know — to more support for small businesses and tenants because that’s what we need. We need hope,” said Perez, whose vote signified a push for change.
De León, a career politician representing the district since 2020, conceded the race on Friday, congratulating Jurado and acknowledging the will of the voters.
“While the results of this election did not go our way, I respect the decision of the voters and our democratic process,” he said in a statement.
Jurado’s campaign was fueled by her background as a tenant rights attorney and first-time candidate.
Endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, she ran as a progressive alternative, promising to prioritize the voices of often-overlooked residents.
“As she tries to represent the entire community, which she should be able to do, she’ll face the challenge of finding a balance in a conservative-leaning area,” said Luis Alvarado, a political analyst. “The question is how far she can go in implementing her policies and ideology.”
Jurado shared her vision with Spectrum News days before the election, emphasizing her commitment to the people.
“I’m going to visit every neighborhood on a listening tour. What we heard on the campaign trail is that people feel forgotten and unheard, and I think that’s been lost in our local government system. It’s time to bring that back.”
Jurado, the first woman and person of Filipino descent to represent the district, has made history, reshaping the narrative of District 14, including communities like Downtown LA, Boyle Heights and Northeast LA.
She steps into a role that has long been held by Latino men, with Boyle Heights and El Sereno not seeing a Latino council member for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Richard Zaldivar, a lifelong resident and nonprofit leader in the district, hopes Jurado’s victory will promote unity over division.
“It’s really about building relationships through respect and dialogue. We have enough confrontation in this country—probably even more to come. We don’t need that in our council district. We need a safe space for all of us in the community.”
As District 14 turns the page, community members like Perez and Zaldivar hold high hopes that Jurado’s leadership will reflect the needs of a diverse and evolving constituency and bring transformative solutions to their neighborhoods.