Elgin Nelson
As the race for the seat in L.A. City Council’s 10th District shifts into high gear, Pastor Eddie Anderson has scored a key victory in landing a coveted endorsement from the Los Angeles Times. The senior pastor at the McCarty Memorial Christian Church beats out four other candidates including Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer and incumbent 10th District City Councilwoman Heather Hutt.
“The Times [L.A. Times] recommends Eddie Anderson, an ordained minister, and progressive activist with an appealing vision for a safer, healthier, more equitable district and the community organizing skills to make it happen,” the editorial stated.
Referencing his opponents in the race, the Times editorial board characterized Hutt as a thoughtful and capable caretaker; Jones-Sawyer as a champion for criminal justice reform and police accountability; Grace Yoo and Aura Vasquez as past city commissioners with City Hall experience; but concluded that none had Anderson’s vision and on the ground community experience.
Said Anderson, “Within the diverse mosaic of Council District 10, residents have cried out for unity and for leadership that brings care-first solutions to homelessness, jobs that pay a living wage, quality and consistent city services, and economic development that does not displace historically rooted Black and Brown communities. We deserve a leader who will fight with us to heal and improve our communities.”
Anderson is known for focusing on social justice issues such as urban farming, police reform, income inequality, affordable housing, and other community programs. However, the pastor emphasizes addressing poverty as the key to solving homelessness, an issue that has plagued the 10th district which includes Mid-City, Koreatown, Wilshire Center, and West Adams, the site of his church.
“For the last six years, I’ve sat on committees that address Black people experiencing homelessness,” Anderson stated. “And what is clear is that you cannot build your way out of homelessness. We don’t want to talk about that.”
A long-time devotee of civil rights activism, the Morehouse graduate serves as a regional organizer for LA Voice (PICO), a co-founder of Clergy4BlackLives, and a convener and former Co-Chair of the New Poor People’s Campaign in California.