The 16 candidates competing for three seats on the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) Board of Trustees are campaigning on a platform of reform, with nearly all agreeing that the nation’s largest community college system must do more to support students struggling with basic survival. As the district manages a massive $5.3 billion bond-funded construction program, candidates are debating how to best serve a student body that is predominantly low-income and frequently forced to choose between tuition and basic necessities.
The LACCD spans 900 square miles, including the city of Los Angeles and neighboring municipalities such as Burbank, Culver City, and Montebello. Its seven-member board oversees a nearly $10 billion annual budget and is currently tasked with revitalizing aging campuses and developing new student housing. The board members are elected to at-large seats, representing the entire district rather than specific geographic zones.
In the race for Seat 2, incumbent Steve Veres is seeking to maintain his position against three active challengers: writer Robert Payne, business owner Kristina Irwin, and educator Adriana Cabrera. A fourth challenger, Roy Payan, remains on the ballot but has suspended his campaign. Veres, who has served multiple terms, serves as a policy advisor for state Senator Maria Elena Durazo. He has secured the backing of the Los Angeles Democratic establishment, including Mayor Karen Bass and the county Democratic Party.
Veres has pointed to his 13-year tenure as a period of expanded job training and improved graduation rates. He has also championed initiatives providing discounted food and emergency shelter for students. His campaign is heavily supported by the district’s faculty and staff unions; campaign finance records indicate that a committee sponsored by the faculty union spent approximately $150,000 on slate mailers for Veres between September 20 and October 17. In contrast, his challengers—Payne, Irwin, and Cabrera—have reported no campaign contributions in recent filings.
Seat 4 is an open race as incumbent Sara Hernandez steps down to pursue a seat in the state senate. Among the seven candidates, Darryn Harris has emerged as the most well-funded contender. Harris, a government affairs officer for St. John’s Community Health and an instructor at Santa Monica College, has earned the support of six current LACCD trustees and various labor unions.
The Seat 4 field includes a diverse range of backgrounds: former board member and environmentalist Nancy Pearlman, therapist Adam Bruno, healthcare specialist Elaine Alaniz, sign language interpreter Priscilla Umana, and fire department employee Isidro Armenta. Candidate Jason Aula, a business owner, has drawn attention for a series of unconventional press releases and questionnaire responses that included references to the Chinese Communist Party and cannibalism.
The contest for Seat 6 has become the most politically charged race of the cycle. Incumbent Gabriel Buelna is facing a significant challenge from Randall Winston, who serves as the deputy mayor of infrastructure and climate resilience under Mayor Karen Bass. In a notable shift, the district’s faculty union, AFT Local 1521, declined to endorse the incumbent Buelna, instead backing Winston. Union president James McKeever stated the executive board sought a “different direction.”
Winston’s candidacy has not been without controversy. Rivals Buelna and Tonia Arey, a realtor also running for Seat 6, have accused Winston of misleading voters regarding his professional background. Winston listed “architect” as his occupation on the ballot, despite his primary role in the mayor’s office. While Winston is a licensed architect, he admitted he does not practice day-to-day but argued the title “resonates the most” with his professional approach.
Furthermore, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office blocked Winston from using the title “educator” on the ballot. Winston had claimed the title based on a forthcoming adjunct appointment at West L.A. College and past mentoring at UCLA, but the registrar determined he did not meet the qualifications at the time of filing. Buelna, meanwhile, retains support from some faculty leaders who credit him with pushing for state legislation that allowed students to take courses in languages other than English, broadening access for non-native speakers.
Also running for Seat 6 is community college professor Roberto David LaCarra and realtor Tonia Arey. Arey has been endorsed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and has made transparency regarding the district’s multi-billion dollar budget a central pillar of her campaign.
Regardless of the individual victors, the next board will be forced to reconcile the district’s ambitious construction goals with the immediate needs of its students. The 2022 voter-approved $5.3 billion bond is intended to modernize campuses, but candidates remain under pressure to ensure those funds also address the housing and food insecurity that often prevent students from completing their degrees.
