Ever since immigrating to the United States from El Salvador, State Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo has always had meaningful memories of growing up in the Eastside – from watching La Sirenita at the former movie theater on 1st and St. Louis to reading Archie en español from the magazine stands on Soto.
Now the 43-year-old hopes to become a city councilperson for the district where she grew up.
The first-gen, now El Sereno resident, went to Roosevelt High School, took classes at East LA College, and eventually transferred to Cal State LA to finish her degree. After earning her Master of Journalism degree from the University of Southern California, Carrillo began to produce and host her public affairs radio show, Knowledge is Power, on Power 106.
Hosting politicians and holding discourse with the community in a forum-like setting inspired Carrillo to run for office after the show was canceled in 2016. She was elected to represent California’s Assembly in 2017 and has since been a proponent of community health, and worker’s rights and has fought for economic, racial, and social justice.
Being a state legislator, the Democrat said she plans to bring her experience and connections from the state level and apply them to the city level.
“Karen Bass recently went to Washington D.C. and told the press, ‘I know everyone in DC and I’m going to bring those resources back home.’ I feel the same way. I know everyone in Sacramento and I know where the resources or the funding is to bring those resources back to Los Angeles in particular,” Carrillo said.
As of September, Carillo has reportedly logged $180,761.87 in campaign contributions, surpassing all other CD 14 candidates except Miguel Santiago, who had raised $359,848.17.
She said she’s currently closer to $230 thousand, with a goal of half a million dollars in political fundraising.
“A lot of my support is just grassroots support. It’s the same level of support that I received when I first ran for Congress when I didn’t have big endorsements or anything like that,” Carrillo said. “And when I ran for Assembly, it was just regular, everyday people that were helping out.”
SHAKING UP CD 14
Considering the leaked racist audio-recording scandal that shook the Los Angeles political landscape a year ago, Carrillo said that Kevin de León should heed calls to resign. And if he refuses to step down, Carrillo said she will challenge him until he does.
“This is my neighborhood. This is where I have roots. This is where I grew up. To see a lack of accountability with our current councilmember, the calls of resignation and the call from the President of the United States to resign, and the audacity, I would say, even the ego, to stay in office, says a lot more about him than it does our community,” Carrillo said.
But despite her being critical of the incumbent in office, Carrillo has become embroiled in a fresh controversy of her own this Fall.
In the early morning hours of November 3, Carrillo was arrested by the LAPD on suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing into two parked cars near Highland Park. Carillo was charged with two misdemeanor DUI counts, driving under the influence and driving with a 0.08% blood alcohol content, according to the City Attorney’s Office.
Carrillo acknowledged the incident by releasing a statement saying she accepts responsibility for her actions, apologized to her constituents, family, and staff, and intends to seek the necessary support.
It’s not the Assemblywoman’s first incident of misconduct. In 2020, Carrillo was reprimanded for inappropriate behavior, including non-consensual hugging and kissing, while her former Chief of Staff was reprimanded for making sexually inappropriate comments. That same Chief of Staff, George Esparza, was a longtime assistant to former CD 14 Councilman, José Huízar, whom Carrillo also worked with in the past.
Carrillo could not be reached for comment or a follow-up interview with Boyle Heights Beat reporters, but is continuing her campaign.
“This is my neighborhood. This is where I have roots. This is where I grew up. To see a lack of accountability with our current councilmember, the calls of resignation and the call from the President of the United States to resign, and the audacity, I would say, even the ego, to stay in office, says a lot more about him than it does our community.”
wendy carrillo
If voters can look past Carrillo’s checkered past and vote her into office, she says she will step up and be more involved than the current administration.
“We need a fighter and we need somebody that’s from here to be able to finally have a new day for our community. And most importantly, I think, be a partner to Mayor Bass, which she has not had,” Carrillo said, referencing the current CD 14 representative’s removal from committee leadership.
“He has no power,” Carrillo continued. “And pretty much a very dismal relationship with the Mayor’s office, which ultimately limits the resources that come to our community.”
If elected to represent CD 14, Carrillo hopes to further lead within city committees that help Los Angeles function, plan, and build better. She says housing, infrastructure, and transportation are important issues that should be prioritized alongside citywide social issues.
Considering Carrillo’s political experience, Eastside roots, and Spanish fluency, she’s confident that she’s fit for the role to represent the district. She takes her grounding in politics and seven years serving her constituents as an Assemblywoman and hopes to apply it all to CD 14 and beyond.
“I love my job in the assembly and I think I’m effective in it because I’ve never approached any of my decision-making with how does this impact my next move? I operate with the idea of, what an incredible opportunity to serve. And I love what I do.”
