Several weeks ago, a leaked tape revealed three LA city council members and a local labor leader engaged in racist conversation. Since then, the city has been enveloped in a political crisis. The language used by the council members has been covered extensively and widely condemned. But beneath these conversations lie deep and pressing questions about Latino representation, inter-ethnic relations, and the distribution of political power in Los Angeles. In the wake of this crisis, are we asking the right questions? Who benefits from African American and Latino polarization, and how can we ensure equal representation in the future?
Miguel Santana, President and CEO of the Weingart Foundation, and Gary Segura, Dean of the UCLA Luskin Center of Public Affairs, join Then & Now to discuss the past and future of Latino politics in Los Angeles. From changing demographics to the long history and Black and Brown coalition building, this episode provides insight into what successful politics might look like in the future.