‘This is a women-led movement’: How Ysabel Jurado emerged as the top candidate in Council District 14 race

Ysabel Jurado was confident in her campaign, but she couldn’t help feeling surprised as she saw the results putting her at first and ahead of incumbent Kevin de León in the District 14 City Council primary.

“I thought we’d be in the top two and so being first is an exciting thing,” Jurado told Boyle Heights Beat. The Highland Park native ran against notable local politicians, including De León, and state Assembly members Wendy Carrillo and Miguel Santiago.

The ballot count continues until April 5, and Jurado will likely face off against runner-up De León in a runoff election this fall since neither secured 50% of the vote.
Jurado has never served in political office, but she’s considered the go-to progressive candidate and garnered endorsements from local elected officials, such as L.A. Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, and organizations like the LA Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America. 

If elected, Jurado will be the first woman and first person of Filipino descent to represent the Eastside district. Her presence will mark a significant shift in a district that’s been represented by male Latino leadership since Richard Alatorre won the seat in 1985.

Eva Garcia, a housing justice advocate, campaigned for Jurado and said it was initially difficult to convince Boyle Heights’ primarily Mexican residents that Jurado was a viable choice. Voters started to connect with Jurado after seeing her consistently show up in person, she said. 

“We had people in Boyle Heights tell us, ‘The people here are accustomed to voting for men first and Latinos, second.’ But ultimately, we saw a beautiful response. I knocked on doors and talked to the community, but Ysabel did the work, too,” Garcia said. “For many, it was weird to see the candidate knocking on doors and talking to the community, and I hope she keeps those values.”

Campaigning every week presented its fair share of challenges for Jurado, who had to balance her roles as a mother, lawyer, and candidate.

“Being a mom and doing all the other things is always a struggle,” Jurado said.

Jurado walked the streets of the Eastside with eager volunteers every week, knocking on residents’ doors and hearing about their struggles to make ends meet. It’s an experience she resonates with as a single mother living with her father.

“With all the struggles I’ve gone through, I have the lived experience,” she said.

Elsie Garcia, a lead organizer for “Boyle Heights Vota” who is of no relation to Eva Garcia, participated in the campaign. Initially founded as “Boyle Heights for Bernie” in 2019, the grassroots organization supports local political campaigns with progressive ideals. Like Jurado, she believes consistent doorknocking and speaking to a wide range of residents was the key to their success.

“A lot of the focus we did at ‘Boyle Heights Vota’ was talking to anybody we can speak to in our community, walking down Cesar Chavez [Avenue] and speaking to mariachis, elders,” she said. “We also tried to create momentum on social media and hit all the target demographics of our community. I think a lot of youth and young voters in their 30’s also identified with her [Ysabel].”  

To Elsie Garcia, who canvassed Boyle Heights with many other women volunteers, it became clear that women’s involvement was a driving force in Jurado’s campaign. 

“Women have been the ones who are leading the momentum. There have been men who have been great and supported us in many ways, but this is a women-led movement,” she said.

Eva Garcia agrees. “We are chingonas,” she said.

Elsie Garcia is from Boyle Heights and believes Boyle Heights voters showed up for Jurado because of their frustration with decades of scandals associated with past Latino leaders with neighborhood ties.

De León is currently barred from participating in city commissions due to a leaked recorded conversation that showed him and other Latino councilmembers making racist remarks. José Huízar, De León’s predecessor who grew up in Boyle Heights, was recently sentenced to 13 years in prison for racketeering and tax evasion. Alatorre, the lauded councilmember who was one of the first politicians to successfully mobilize the Latino vote in Boyle Heights, pleaded guilty in 2001 to felony tax evasion.

“Folks on the Eastside are very proud [of where they’re from], and especially in Boyle Heights, but what we’ve learned is it’s no longer enough. Like ‘Oh, you’re from Boyle Heights. I’m gonna vote for you.’ Or, ‘Oh you’re Latino, I’m going to vote for you,’” Elsie Garcia said. “It’s not enough.”