After graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in political science, Imelda Padilla, a first-generation college student, figured she’d return to Los Angeles, work a few years, then enroll in law school.
But life had other plans.
After years as a community organizer – a passion she discovered after interning with Service Employees International Union in college — and after earning her master’s degree in public administration from Cal State Northridge, the 35-year-old Sun Valley resident is vying for the L.A. City Council District 6 seat. The seat has been vacant since October when former Council President Nury Martinez resigned amidst broad condemnation over her role in a racist audio leak scandal.
“It was a lot of people telling me … ‘You know how to fundraise. You know the district. And we’ll support you,’” Padilla said. “Once I was able to say I have community people calling, labor people calling, donors calling, I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll try it.’”
Padilla led the vote count in last month’s primary election, as one of seven candidates on the ballot. She, along with Marisa Alcaraz, a top aide to current Councilmember Curren Price, face each other in the June 27 runoff election. The county registrar’s office has begun sending out vote-by-mail ballots to registered voters in District 6.
Although this is Padilla’s first time running for a seat on the City Council, it’s not her first foray in seeking local office. In 2017, she was runner-up in an L.A. Unified school board race.
Like her race for the City Council seat, Padilla said she jumped into the school board race after supporters encouraged her to throw her name in the ring. After that loss, Padilla said she passed on two chances to run for office at the state level.
“I’m not interested in going to Sacramento. It’s just not in my heart,” Padilla said. “It’s not about being a politician. It’s about me wanting to do the work of local governance.”
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