By Cal State Long Beach alumna Lena Gonzalez has set her eyes on a seat on the city council as she looks to improve public safety by starting with the small details.
Gonzalez said that if she is elected to Long Beach’s First District Council, she would ensure that important upkeep tasks, such as keeping streetlights lit and sidewalks paved, are carried out.
“I know that [CSULB] students live in the first district, so it’s making sure that when they get off the bus, there are lights,” she said. “They are very small fixes, but they make a really big difference.”
Gonzalez, 32, who graduated in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in political science, has been working as Long Beach’s first district field deputy since leaving CSULB.
While enrolled at The Beach, Gonzalez said she bypassed student government and instead mentored at-risk youth in an Orange County juvenile hall. She also worked with Corazon.org, an organization that builds houses, gathers supplies and supports education for families in Mexico.
Though Gonzalez wasn’t involved in government work while in college, she said working with people has always been important to her.
“I’ve always known I wanted to get into public service,” she said. “I have always had that inherent characteristic to help people and be a resource. Assisting people, but also educating people on how they can help themselves.”
During Gonzalez’s senior year at CSULB, she interned for then-First District Field Deputy Robert Garcia’s campaign for Long Beach vice mayor, an election Garcia went on to win.
After graduating in 2009, Gonzalez was offered Garcia’s old position. She has now held that spot for the past four and a half years.
“My education at [CSULB] in political science, after graduation — it opened up a lot of doors for me,” she said. “It made me think more of a leadership role than a behind-the-scenes role.”
Between 2009 and 2012, Gonzalez also served as the secretary of the Long Beach Democratic Club for one year, vice president for two years and president for one.
Gonzalez said that her time spent working in the community has taught her the ins-and-outs of the district, something that she thinks gives her an edge over her competitors.
“I have been in the community for a long time, so I know all of the community leaders,” she said. “I’ve worked very closely with them. I know all the city departments, and I know the way the community works.”
Gonzalez said that if elected, she hopes to improve the local economy, as well as make first district communities more accessible. She said that after four years working the district, she also wants to focus safety efforts on “trouble spots,” or areas in the district that see high crime rates.
She also said that she wants to move forward with Long Beach’s economic development.
“We’ve really revitalized the downtown area, and I want to continue on that, especially the west side,” she said. “The west side is very industrial, and the people there have been there a long time and bring in a lot of money.”
Gonzalez said she would pursue legislation to bring in outside investment and make it easier for west side businesses to grow.
With her experience working in the community, Gonzalez said she is ready to take a step up to the plate in city council.
“When I came to Long Beach, I thought I was going to be here for a long time, but I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do,” she said. “But after everything that I’ve done, I know now. This is my time to run, and this is the time that’s mine.”
Gonzalez will be up against two other CSULB alumni, Ricardo Linarez and Jason Aula, and another candidate in running for the Long Beach’s First District Council seat next April.
