For a city with the country’s second-largest Asian American population, L.A. has gone for long spells without a single Asian American on its city council.
In 1985, Michael Woo became the first Asian American elected to the council and was the only one in city history until 2015, when David Ryu won a seat.
In the decade since, the number of Asian Americans on the 15-member council has steadily grown to three: Kevin de Leon, Nithya Raman and John Lee.
Their political ideologies and approaches vary widely, underscoring what community advocates have been yelling from the rafters for forever: Asian Americans are not a monolith.
In November, voters could add a record fourth Asian American council member to the mix.
The latest primary vote tallies that dropped Friday afternoon show a record three Asian American candidates are headed to the runoffs.
Lawyer and community leader Grace Yoo is on track to challenge Council member Heather Hutt to represent the centrally-located Council District 10 encompassing Koreatown, Mid-City and West Adams. Yoo, who’s running in second place to Hutt in the primary, advances to a run-off with the council member. If elected, Yoo would be the first Korean American woman on the council.
Another run-off is happening in the 14th District in northeast L.A., which will continue to have a council member of Asian descent no matter what; the question is who.
The district’s embattled council member de León is squaring off with tenants rights lawyer Ysabel Jurado in a district that includes Boyle Heights, Eagle Rock, and a big chunk of downtown.
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