The Uniquely American Story of Antonio Villaraigosa, the 41st Mayor of Los Angeles

Antonio Villaraigosa is the 41st mayor of Los Angeles and arguably the most impactful Latino elected official in American history. In this conversation, he talks his roots as blue-collar kid in East LA, how public schools offered him a second chance after early struggles, cutting his teeth as a union organizer and in the civil rights and farm workers’ movements, his rapid ascent from freshman legislator to California Assembly Speaker over three years, how his 2001 mayoral loss set the stage for a 2005 win and two successful mayoral terms, the 2018 race for Governor, his current role as Infrastructure Advisor to the state and Governor Newsom, and much more from one of the most unique stories in American politics.


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IN THIS EPISODE…

Overcoming struggles growing up in East LA…

The issues and political struggles that first engaged him…

Cutting his teeth in union organizing and the civil rights, anti-war, and farm workers’ movements…

His path from activism to running for office himself in 1994…

His path from a freshman legislator to Assembly Speaker in 3 short years…

Lessons from his mentor, iconic CA Speaker Willie Brown…

Highlights of his time as Assembly Speaker…

The decision to run for mayor in 2001…

The difference in his 2001 mayoral loss and 2005 blowout win…

The 4 core areas of his focus as mayor…

His leadership style that led to not losing a single vote to the city council in 8 years…

On whether the job of mayor has become harder over the last few years…

Looking back of the 2018 Governors’ race and why Southern California Democrats have a hard time winning statewide…

Other positions and races he’s considered from US Senate to President Obama’s Transportation Secretary…

How mayors across the country network and share ideas…

His approach on tackling big issues facing American cities…

His current role as an Infrastructure Advisor to Governor Newsom…

AND 7th & Broadway, 224 languages, the ACLU, a million trees, Actum, affirmative action, America Fast Forward, Aztlan, Xavier Becerra, Tom Bradley, Boston Consulting, Cathedral High, Cesar Chavez, cheap red wine, Richard M. Daley, Manny Diaz, dog whistles, finding the bathroom, firebrands, freshman football, the Griffith Observatory, Jim Hahn, Kamala Harris, the Hollywood sign, Delores Huerta, Herman Katz, Martin Luther King Jr, the LA Times, the MEChA movement, Measure R, Mt. Baldy, Gavin Newsom, Rosa Parks, quixotic efforts, Simon Rodia, Roosevelt High,  Edward Roybal, SEIU, the Santa Monica Freeway, streamlined permitting, United Teachers of LA, the US Conference of Mayors, the USEOC, the Watts Towers, Pete Wilson…& more!