2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas – an Advocate for Jobs and Justice

December 17, 2025

California State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, who represents the 28th Senate District in Los Angeles, reflects on her legislative work in the past year focused on worker protections and supporting Black communities. A former journalist and labor organizer, she successfully passed bills addressing wage discrimination and theft while establishing California's first Black cultural district in South Los Angeles. Despite these victories, she expresses frustration over the rapid rollback of diversity and equity initiatives by corporations and government entities.

Who is affected

Working families and workers in California
Black Californians and Black communities in Los Angeles
People experiencing homelessness
Residents of South Los Angeles and the cultural district area
Baldwin Hills community members in wildfire-prone areas
Film and television industry workers
Recipients of Medi-Cal and food benefits
Minority-owned businesses

What action is being taken

Fighting federal budget attacks and Trump Administration policies
Distributing worker-rights information through the California Worker Outreach Project (established by SB 648)
Tracking jobs by ZIP code in the film and television industry
Building coalitions across local, county, and state levels
Educating and registering voters (as demonstrated in the Proposition 50 campaign)

Why it matters

The work matters because Black communities face disproportionate challenges including higher rates of homelessness, incarceration, and health problems, and are particularly vulnerable during economic downturns. With federal rollbacks of diversity and equity programs and anticipated cuts to critical social services, state-level protections become essential for preventing Black communities from sliding deeper into economic crisis. The establishment of cultural districts and targeted economic policies provides concrete mechanisms to preserve community assets during gentrification and ensure that Black Californians benefit from economic growth rather than being displaced by it.

What's next

Preparing for a difficult budget year in 2026 with anticipated federal cuts
Pushing the state to backfill federal funding cuts to Medi-Cal, food benefits, DEI programs, and minority-owned businesses
Advancing an economic-justice agenda focused on safety-net protections, contract access, and targeted local hiring
Implementing policies to create economic stability and opportunity for Black communities
Continuing coalition-building efforts to protect civil rights gains

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