As Ysabel Jurado welcomed me to her staff appreciation gathering last Saturday, I anticipated entering a celebratory atmosphere.
With a lead in the District 14 City Council primary, surpassing the incumbent Kevin de León and well-funded Assemblymember Miguel Santiago, Jurado, a 34-year-old tenant rights attorney, was on the verge of a significant upset. Her victory seemed within reach, with approximately 3,400 ballots left to be counted countywide.
A potential win for Jurado would mark a series of firsts: the first person of Filipino descent on the council, the first non-Latino representing the Eastside district in nearly four decades, and the first openly LGBTQ+ member. She was the second woman to advance this far since Gloria Molina in 2015.
Should Jurado secure her place in the November runoff and prevail over De León, she would join Nithya Raman, Hugo Soto-Martinez, and Eunisses Hernandez on the council, forming a progressive bloc with considerable influence over city affairs.
However, the scene at the community room in Tokyo Villa, where Jurado’s staff gathered, was not grandeur but rather simplicity and joy. Jurado, wearing mom jeans, a bright yellow sweater blouse, and clogs, busied herself as her team arrived.
She laid out refreshments, including black-and-white cookies and carnitas, and set up games like Uno Attack. The room was modestly adorned with balloons, confetti, and a banner reading “Break The Curse,” echoing the campaign’s call to end the district’s history of corruption and controversy.
As the evening unfolded, Jurado’s staff shared stories from the campaign trail, reflecting on the positive impact of her candidacy. Albert Orozco, a 22-year-old field organizer, recounted his mother’s Pozole Night event, praising Jurado’s genuine engagement with the community.
Milagros Montalvo, Jurado’s scheduler, spoke of her initial skepticism towards politicians and how meeting Jurado had dispelled that distrust.
Among the attendees, 68-year-old Eliseo Oliva, a Salvadoran immigrant and longtime political canvasser, highlighted Jurado’s commitment to listening and connecting with constituents.
Jurado expressed gratitude for her team’s hard work and dedication in a heartfelt toast. She emphasized the importance of perseverance and urged everyone to prepare for the challenges ahead.
“As we continue on this journey, let’s keep manifesting our goals and stay focused on the work ahead,” Jurado said, ending with a quote from the Netflix reality series “Love is Blind.”