Meet Traci Park, Candidate For LA City Council District 11

VENICE, CA — Traci Park is a municipal and business attorney living in Los Angeles City Council's 11th District and vying for the open seat vacated by Mike Bonin, who opted to not seek re-election after the recall against him failed to qualify with enough votes.

Park is up against seven others looking to represent Venice, Mar Vista, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Ladera, Del Rey, Playa del Rey, Westchester and West Los Angeles/Sawtelle.

Learn more about Park and her goals for the 11th District:

Age (as of Election Day)

46

Position sought

Los Angeles City Council

District number, if applicable (i.e., 3rd District, 10th District, etc.)

District 11

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My mother and stepfather are both retired school district employees. My mother was active in the California School Employees Association (CSEA) for 31 years, serving as an officer for more than 20 of those years, including 11 years as the Chapter President. Both of my uncles and my father, a U.S. Army Veteran who passed away in 2005, worked in Los Angeles for General Telephone Electric and were active members of Communications Workers of America (CWA). I am also proud to live in an International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) household.

Education

BA, Johns Hopkins University; JD, Loyola Law School

Occupation

Municipal and business attorney

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

TraciPark.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I love the City of Los Angeles, especially the communities on the Westside. But, as a resident of Venice Beach, I’ve had a front row seat to the humanitarian and public safety crises unfolding on our streets. I also see the pollution and degradation of our local waterways, parks, wetlands, and ocean. For too long, we have been without effective leadership, and we've lacked an ally at City Hall willing to advocate for the residents and businesses on the Westside. So, when local stakeholders asked me to take on the incredible challenge of running for the District 11 seat, I realized I needed to answer the call.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the only candidate who stepped up to run against the incumbent and challenge his failed policies and leadership, before it seemed like there might be a successful recall effort, and long before he dropped out of the race. I am the only candidate who has conducted a town hall in every neighborhood in the District, and I've done over 100 community meetings over the last 11 months of my campaign. And, unlike other candidates, I was not recruited by consultants, special interests, or City Hall insiders. Rather, neighbors and business owners here on the Westside asked me to run because they needed help and wanted a change. I was happy to answer that call for help.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

For too long, our current elected representative has ignored constituents and advocated for his own agenda at City Hall. He refuses to meet with community members, he ignores the hard work of neighborhood and community councils across the District, and he rules by mandate, not consensus. He does not share the key values of our costal district: keeping neighborhoods and businesses safe, protecting our beaches and parks, or supporting the small businesses that provide jobs for residents and revenue for the City. His disastrous policies have caused lasting damage to the neighborhoods and businesses of the Westside.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

There are so many issues that I care about: economic recovery and supporting small businesses, protecting our environment, restoring public safety, investing in infrastructure, improving municipal services, and working collaboratively with communities to address their concerns are just a few. You can read more about my priorities here: https://tracipark.com/todo/

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I've spent two decades counseling public and private sector clients about complex legal and policy issues, and I regularly work with city leadership, including elected and appointed officials, department heads, police and fire, and public sector unions. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I was called upon to help dozens of cities and businesses navigate the maze of ever-changing government guidance. My team and I helped city workers transition to remote work while maintaining continuity of municipal services, worked with unions to roll out new safety policies and protocols, and helped businesses stay open and avert hundreds of layoffs. My decades of experience working on cutting-edge issues across public and private sectors will translate well into a policy-making role on the City Council.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

"Surround yourself with people who inspire you and make you better." I've been very fortunate to be mentored and motivated by people who challenged me to work hard and take on big things. I know this advice will serve me well as I step into a new role on the LA City Council.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am fully committed to working with communities across CD-11 to design policies that are responsive to their needs. I intend to restore what it means to be an elected "representative" of the constituents in this district - my plan is to go to City Hall and advocate for the changes that the residents and stakeholders of our district are asking for!