2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember Sade Elhawary, Coalition Builder and Social Justice Champion

December 22, 2025

California Assemblymember Sade Elhawary, who represents the 57th Assembly District in Los Angeles, reflects on her inaugural year in the state legislature as an educator and social justice advocate. The daughter of Egyptian and Guatemalan immigrants, she previously worked at Community Coalition and co-founded the Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice before entering office. During her first legislative session, Elhawary focused on building coalitions between community members and policymakers, particularly working on foster youth legislation informed by her experience as a foster parent to a Black daughter.

Who is affected

Black Californians, including Black immigrants (both Latino and non-Latino)
Foster youth, particularly Black children in the foster care system
Elhawary's foster daughter, Makailah
System-impacted individuals (people affected by the justice system)
Communities in California's 57th Assembly District, including Exposition Park, South L.A., and Downtown Los Angeles
South Central Los Angeles residents

What action is being taken

Building coalitions between community members, service providers, and legislators
Working on legislation to strengthen the Foster Youth Bill of Rights and improve transition processes for youth moving between homes
Organizing cross-house conversations between senators and assemblymembers about the budget and shared priorities
Hosting Impact to Action and Impact in Action events that bring system-impacted people to Sacramento to advocate for legislation

Why it matters

This matters because Elhawary represents an organizing-focused approach to legislation that centers community voices, particularly those of Black Californians and other marginalized groups who are often overlooked in policy discussions. Her work on foster youth rights directly addresses systemic issues affecting Black children who are disproportionately represented in the foster care system. Additionally, her focus on building coalitions and bringing transparency to the legislative process addresses public distrust in politics while ensuring that Black immigrant perspectives are included in policy conversations, especially as federal DEI programs face cuts.

What's next

Shift the narrative around revenue generation, specifically regarding taxing wealthy individuals
Change public understanding of public safety to move away from tough-on-crime approaches
Develop communication strategies to educate the public and change perspectives on these issues
Increase civic engagement in ways that benefit rather than harm communities

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint