By: Amen Oyiboke, Staff Writer  

 

Bobbie Jean Anderson, a 25-year South Los Angeles resident, continues to build

 

community awareness of economical issues that affect District 8 residents.

 

As a political and community activist, Anderson has seen her fair share of ups and downs in the

South LA region and now wants to impact change by running for City Council.

 

“Over a span of 17 years I’ve been involved with city work as a volunteer, so I’m

 

uniquely aware of what goes on in the city and in city council,” Anderson said.

 

She graduated from Fremont High School and after completing a course of study at

 

Downey Court Reporting School she was certified by the National Shorthand

 

Reporters Association as a certified shorthand reporter.

 

 

 

She retired after 40 years of service with the County of Los Angeles-25 years in the Public Defender’s Office having

lead pilot programs including the establishment of an on-the-job training and internship program that developed high school students

for long-term careers with the Public Defender’s Office. She is looking to take District 8 into new heights by following through

with plans that serve the district through economic, environmental and social needs.  

 

“I’m running because I’ve lived in the district for over 25 years and have been active

 

in the district. I’ve worked with various community entities within the district and

 

the city at large.

 

 From city commissions to the newly police permit review panel in ’93, which I was appointed by [Tom] Bradley,

as a result of activism I was involved in after the civil unrest of ‘92,” Anderson said.

 

As a long-time community advocate, Anderson has experienced the ins and outs of

 

community development. In 1989, when Caltrans was set to start a freeway

 

expansion that would cause local residents to relocate, Anderson began a door-to-

 

door campaign.

 

“They were at the point where they were going to actually do the work to widen the

 

freeway. So, I got elected officials to help us, like Congresswoman Maxine Waters,

 

and 150 of the soon to be affected homeowners,” she said.

 

After two years of organizing attempts of change for the homeowners, then

 

Governor George Deukmejian issued a moratorium that forced Caltrans to meet

 

with the homeowners and give each affected resident relocation costs and market

 

value for their homes.

 

Throughout the years Anderson worked alongside Congresswoman Waters and

 

Councilmember Bernard Parks on redistricting for the city. She was appointed by

 

Parks to the Redistricting Commission in 2012 to what she says was an attempt to

 

preserve assets for the eighth district.

 

“I think what really wetted my appetite to be on the other side of city works was

 

being a part of the redistricting commission for the city. That was so polarizing and

 

so disappointing as to how it played out for redistricting. We lost a lot of our

 

economic engine in the eighth district to the tenth district. I went to all 15 city

 

council meetings and got to see the contrast of how city money was spent in other

 

districts compared to South Los Angeles and you find out we’re on the lowest totem

 

pole of everything,” Anderson said.

 

She hopes to tackle issues in the community dealing with safer and cleaner

 

neighborhoods, grassroots community involvement, after school programs for the

 

youth and law enforcement accountability in the area. However, one of Anderson’s

 

biggest goals is job creation for the area. District 8 in the county of Los Angeles is

 

the most diverse and populated district of African American residents in the city.

 

Yet, it employs the fewest number of people according the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.

 

“The eighth district has a big issue with unemployment. We had anchor stores and

 

everything that we needed, but once the riots happen everything was gone. I think

 

that trying to do something to attracted businesses back will really help with

 

economic growth. We have to attract them back to the district with some type of incentives.” Anderson said.

“Businesses are looking for new places to go now and I think we have a great area for them to grow and build their businesses.”

 

Anderson is a long-time labor activist with SEIU 660 Local 721. She is also a five-

 

term member of County Central Committee and served as the treasurer of the

 

African American Caucus of the California Democratic Party. She has supported and

 

worked with Democratic Presidential nominations of President Bill Clinton, Vice

 

President Al Gore, Senator John Kerry and President Barack Obama.

 

Her key endorsements include: Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Councilmember

 

Bernard Parks, Councilmember Gil Cedillo, Chair ofLA County’s Democratic Party

 

Eric Bauman, Councilmember Jan Perry, Los Angeles County Democratic Party, SEIU 721, New Frontier Democratic Party,

Stonewall Democratic Party and LAAAWPAC.

 

Primary nominating elections are set for Tuesday, March 3. Both Anderson and

 

candidate Marqueece Dawson will be in the running for District 8 representation.

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