[Meet the Candidates: John Yi]
“We need to hold the incumbent’s incompetency accountable.”
John Yi, candidate for State Assembly District 54, has characterized this election as about delivering a blunt report card to LA’s Democratic mainstream. He emphasized “change,” saying Latino-based Koreatown has suffered the worst in terms of housing, environment, affordability, and infrastructure.
A graduate of the University of Michigan and Georgetown University (MA), where he studied political science and Russian studies, he has worked in nonprofit organizations. He explained his candidacy by saying that when he returned to his hometown, he saw a depressing reality of Koreatown.
The following is an edited excerpt from the interview.
-There are two candidates aside you in the race, a Republican and a Democrat?
“There are two Democrats and one Republican, including myself and a Latino candidate. The Republican candidate is running for the second time. We need about 36,000 votes to advance to the primary in March.”
-Why are you asking for accountability, and what specific kind of accountability are you seeking?
“Koreatown is home to one in four evictions in L.A. and has the fifth highest eviction rate in the city. I’m holding my opponent, Mark Gonzalez, accountable for letting things get this bad as Chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party.”
-Your opponent has reportedly raised $600,000 in campaign funds.
“That’s right. My team is at $90,000. But look at the donations. Unlike my team, which is truly grassroots, my opponent is getting huge donations from unions, corporations, and political committees. Imagine who has more freedom to work.”
-You recently walked and talked with constituents in the district. What have you heard?
“I heard a lot of stories about the streets being dirty, cars driving fast, and feeling unsafe. There was also a lot of talk about how the number of homeless people is not decreasing as much as we thought. There was a lot of desperation that there would be no solution without a political change.”
-Why do you think homelessness is not being addressed?
“It’s simple. Without further consideration, state funds should be used to keep people from being evicted from their homes. If needed, state funds should be used to pay for utilities and, if necessary, housing. It’s much easier to prevent people from becoming homeless. It’s too late if they’re already on the streets.”
-Anything to focus on before the primary election?
“Of the 330,000 registered voters, half are Latino, about 25% are Asian, and half of the Asian voters are Korean American. The rest are white. It’s a very Asian-dominated district with a high voter turnout. Housing, transportation, and senior issues are the top concerns, which are also of interest to Latino residents. The key is to organize events and walks, especially in the Asian community, and to increase the frequency and depth of contact.”
-You also speak Spanish. Do you place particular emphasis when communicating with Latino residents?
“My opponent may be from the same background, but I’m emphasizing that he’s running on a ‘party’ slogan and I’m running on a ‘policy’ slogan. At the same time, I emphasize that if we want LA to move forward, we shouldn’t vote based on skin color, but on policy. Of course, I’m saying the same thing to Korean American voters.”
-On what help is needed now?
“We absolutely need volunteers to go out and meet with voters, and we’re desperate for financial support. We need to come out of the primary strong to be competitive in the general election. Any help would be great. Please get involved and vote by mail and early voting.”
BY BRIAN CHOI, JUNHAN PARK [ichoi@koreadaily.com]
