As the 2026 cycle heats up, The Signal zooms in on local power and federal enforcement. Dino speaks with Downey Council member Mario Trujillo on ICE activity, City Hall protests, and what cities can do—rights education, community alerts, and accountability. Then former Assembly member Wendy Carrillo joins to talk Senate District 26, the Vision Act, and why she says there’s no middle ground left. Aired live on 90.7 FM KPFK Los Angeles on January 24 2026.
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TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
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ANNOUNCER
Go to Kpfk. Org and click make a pledge to join the sustainer circle and help keep Kpfk s important independent voices on your public airwaves. That's Kpfk dawg. Please sign up now.
00:00:16:22 - 00:00:26:07
QUETZAL FLORES
And thanks. This is Quetzal Flores from the band Quetzal, and you're listening to Kpfk 90.7 Los Angeles.
00:00:26:08 - 00:00:37:08
MUSIC INTRO
The whole run by a handful of greedy bankers and CEOs who nobody elected. What can possibly last?
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MUSIC INTRO
I'm going to tell you when I'm upset.
00:00:40:23 - 00:00:41:11
MUSIC INTRO
But you really.
00:00:41:11 - 00:00:46:08
MUSIC INTRO
Only have to remember. Took two words.
00:00:46:10 - 00:01:16:01
DINO
Welcome. Bienvenidos, Los Angeles, to another episode of The Signal. News, information and analysis. I'm your host, Dino. So as we head deeper into 2026 election cycle, much of the public conversation remains focused on national politics and personalities. But the decisions that most directly shape people's lives oftentimes happen here locally and at the state level, often without sustained scrutiny or public explanation.
00:01:16:03 - 00:01:41:03
DINO
Today's episode reflects two of the commitments we have here on the Signal. First, we continue our politics. Tacos and Beer series, where we ask a little bit of everything that involves politics, culture, and those things that give us an opportunity to have a social setting where we discuss the all of the above. This is the space where we sit down, where with political leaders and candidates who are people first.
00:01:41:03 - 00:02:03:23
DINO
I love to say that sly and my producer, Nell, always hear me say that politicians are people too, right? Especially in the political climate that we're in today. We like to sometimes be dismissive. Oh, this guy's another politician. She's another politician. And I'm here to remind folks, no, no, politicians are people, too. So that's part of our goal.
00:02:04:01 - 00:02:36:04
DINO
Now with that said, we also explore how they understand power, responsibility and decision making. We talk politics. We talk community. And yes, we ask the proverbial most important question what taco defines you? The second goal of this program is to create a space for accountability. When public statements by elected officials raise concerns or confusion in the community. Those statements deserve thoughtful response and explanation, and that is part of the focus of today's episode of The Signal.
00:02:36:06 - 00:02:46:02
DINO
Joining me now is Mario Trujillo, a current member of the Downey City Council. City of Downey, representing district five. That's right. Radio. Right.
00:02:46:03 - 00:02:47:20
MARIO TRUJILLO
Citywide. Citywide.
00:02:47:22 - 00:02:52:18
DINO
Citywide. District five. And I want to welcome you to The Signal.
00:02:52:20 - 00:02:55:15
MARIO TRUJILLO
Thank you so much, Armando. Thank you for having me.
00:02:55:17 - 00:03:20:05
DINO
So, Council member, before we get into it, you know, let's let's talk a little bit about your capacity, your experience and what you bring to the city. Decades of experience in public service, education, law. We were just talking about, before we went on the air about your background, as a lawyer. A long time Downey resident.
00:03:20:06 - 00:03:52:23
DINO
A father, an elected official with first hand responsibility for how the city communicates, responds to in moments of public concern. Today's conversation follows comments made, during last week's episode. As you know, Downey Mayor Claudia from Mattei, your colleague, current mayor, came or rather joined us on the air and commented regarding the federal immigration enforcement activity that happened there recently and what the, if any, role the city has.
00:03:53:01 - 00:04:26:10
DINO
And that kind of sparked a lot of conversation on the back end. In fact, I was on the air with her when people were messaging me, you know, expressing concern and yes, she did have some supporters. So let me start off there, Council member, and again, thank you for being here. Walk us through your recollection of what happened during that particular Ice enforcement that led up to the current climate that ultimately resulted in folks protesting at City Hall?
00:04:26:12 - 00:05:05:08
MARIO TRUJILLO
So on on this Saturday, with our umpteenth, operation by ice of of their enforcement policies, their current enforcement policies, we finally saw a video that really distinguish made a distinction for the community. This was no longer an undocumented worker issue that now we had legal permanent residents. And in several cases, have we seen across the country U.S. citizens being impacted by these, immigration enforcement operations.
00:05:05:12 - 00:05:33:01
MARIO TRUJILLO
We saw, the fact that we had two men who were just working, being basically almost kidnaped by these, so-called Ice officers. So it's good to hear that the mayor finally acknowledged the shift and the fact that she's now calling it for what it is, which is, racial, identification is based on the color of someone's skin based on accent.
00:05:33:01 - 00:06:02:08
MARIO TRUJILLO
So it's good to hear her acknowledge that because I had called her out on her silence, being complicit. I said that her silence was complicity. And she went on to defend her silence, by the way. And on a podcast with former Republican Maia mayor Mario Guerra, her, mentor, if you will. They actually said that sometimes silence was the answer, and I was, offended even more that they would minimize the severity of what was going on.
00:06:02:08 - 00:06:10:22
MARIO TRUJILLO
Then I was sounding the alarm, the red alarm back in June, and they weren't listening. So it's good to hear they're listening.
00:06:11:00 - 00:06:38:01
DINO
Now, interestingly enough, and, you know, a bit of sad news to report as we went on the air and you and I touched on it, a few minutes ago. We started seeing the videos coming out of Minneapolis, southern Minneapolis, where yet another, individual has been murdered. I saw a video in which, 5 or 6 agents were standing around an individual, a white male.
00:06:38:03 - 00:06:55:06
DINO
One account says he was in his 30s. Another one said he was in his 50s. I will know soon enough. Who was brutally shot multiple times. He has, passed away and.
00:06:55:08 - 00:07:18:20
DINO
The immediate response, of course, is here we go again. Right. I mean, just weeks ago, another white woman also was killed at the hands of federal law enforcement. And one of the things that has come up in this situation here at home, or in your case at Downey, is what is a local government to do in a situation like this, right?
00:07:19:00 - 00:07:35:14
DINO
Yeah. Federal agents acting with impunity. And there are those, including mayor, for no matter who say, hey, this is a federal thing, we cannot intervene. We cannot essentially do anything about it. What say you to that?
00:07:35:16 - 00:08:04:22
MARIO TRUJILLO
First, I want to acknowledge and be careful of how I'm framing my position. It's to a certain extent, a large extent. I agree with mayor from, that at the municipal level. Okay. There's not much more we, can do. She keeps telling us about what cities cannot do. We know that we cannot legally intervene. But the conversation cannot end there.
00:08:05:00 - 00:08:35:14
MARIO TRUJILLO
The city can educate, and we can help our communities organize. As I have been part of, this last week, we now, have launched a community led effort, for our community to organize an alert amongst themselves. So I agree with, counsel for meta. Councilwoman. I'm sorry, mayor, for meta of what cities can't do, but we can't hide behind these, procedures and the possibility of litigation.
00:08:35:15 - 00:09:04:11
MARIO TRUJILLO
I mean, in my conversations with, the city manager, and I understand his point. We have to be careful that our federal funding perhaps is not lost. And that there might be litigation coming against us. But we are our primary responsibility, elected officials, is to protect the public. Every survey, every time you question our constituents, the number one thing they expect from us is protection of their families, of their property.
00:09:04:11 - 00:09:29:15
MARIO TRUJILLO
And here we have a community that feels like we are failing them. So here's what cities can do. We can do use education for community protection. I don't think that's interference. Local governments can support, education on constitutional rights. We can leverage existing neighborhood watch groups to help them notify each other and alert each other about any type of harm.
00:09:29:21 - 00:09:44:18
MARIO TRUJILLO
This is not obstruction. It's harm reduction. It's public safety. So I want to hear about what things she can do. But a big distinction that I want to make here, Dino is.
00:09:44:20 - 00:10:02:04
MARIO TRUJILLO
Far and apart from when the cities can do. And I understand she may be taking some of what I'm saying personally. And that's because she's in a uniquely positioned, she has a platform as the president of a national organization, and I keep bringing up Partizan politics.
00:10:02:04 - 00:10:22:10
DINO
Sure, sure. And just, soap for the audience, so that the audience fully understands you're talking about. And this is a question that we did ask her here. The National Association of Latino Elected Officials, which is the nation's, I believe, the largest and oldest, organization of its type that brings together Latino elected officials from across the country.
00:10:22:12 - 00:10:41:15
DINO
And you know, indeed, I've attended some of those events, not as a politician, but rather as an advocate and journalist. And so how is it that that organization, that national platform, can serve as, at the risk of asking an obvious question. So how does it how does that help?
00:10:41:17 - 00:11:05:14
MARIO TRUJILLO
Mayor format, needs to be clear on whether she believes that accountability needs to be had at the federal level or at the state level. In her interview with you on the podcast, when asked what what else can be done, she keeps giving us what I think is a dead end answer. Her proposed course of action is that we focus on changing legislation at the state level.
00:11:05:16 - 00:11:27:06
MARIO TRUJILLO
I could easily say that mayor for mayor is not a good Californian. Or perhaps she doesn't understand that at the federal level, they're not listening to California. So to me, it's a dead end answer. And I would expect more from mayor from and a mayor from. It is very intelligent. She's a strong woman. She's a trained journalist.
00:11:27:06 - 00:11:49:15
MARIO TRUJILLO
And this is why I worry about her giving us just lip service and saying or doing the minimal. Because I haven't even heard her say that we need to hold the federal administration accountable. She hasn't been cleared around as she dances around this notion that this is a state problem, that that's been created. Right? Well, that's not the answer.
00:11:49:15 - 00:12:13:02
MARIO TRUJILLO
She this is a federal issue, and they need to be held accountable. And she won't even speak up. She won't even make demands at that level. So I believe she's a compromise mayor. I believe that for these times, she's not the leader that my city needs, especially in her unique position. Next week, she travels to the Conference of Mayors.
00:12:13:02 - 00:12:14:23
DINO
Armando, she did share that with us.
00:12:15:00 - 00:12:31:20
MARIO TRUJILLO
I would expect that is the president of La Na Leo. Traveling to the Conference of Mayors. One of the immediate things she's going to do is try to organize mayors across America whose communities are being impacted, like Downey's, and terrorized by these Kidnapings to say these tactics are not right.
00:12:31:22 - 00:13:00:14
DINO
You know, I'm glad you bring this up about so this issue just for the so that our audience understands what you're referencing and what the mayor referenced last week and I believe we touched on it then, is the fact that there state legislation in the past that has, been drafted and approved that prevents, according to her, cities from participating or collaborating with federal law enforcement around immigration enforcement.
00:13:00:16 - 00:13:05:04
DINO
That's what you're referring to with regard to her position, if I understand correctly.
00:13:05:05 - 00:13:17:23
MARIO TRUJILLO
Yes. Which I totally disagree with. I think it's disingenuous, genuine for a mayor to say that the federal government doesn't have a way of fighting dangerous criminal. They're called databases, right?
00:13:18:01 - 00:13:49:18
DINO
Okay. Fair enough. You know, one of the things that struck me and I got to, you know what struck me? What maybe bothered me, about that interview. And as much as I wanted to give her an opportunity to to. And I think I did achieve that. And given her position, what I did notice is how quick she went to the standard talking points and in particular, this idea, this notion that this is a matter of public safety.
00:13:49:23 - 00:14:23:21
DINO
We're here to get the criminals, the criminals, the criminals, the criminals. Indeed, she shared that point of view on multiple occasions. And as somebody who's worked in broadcasting and then, this type of, media, communication strategies, I get it, you know, talking points are standard from the local nonprofit to government officials. What struck me, though, is that on the one hand, some have made an effort to disassociate themselves directly with what's happening at the federal administration level.
00:14:23:23 - 00:14:53:07
DINO
You know, on the other hand, they then turn around and continue to use the narrative as if somehow by disassociating and not saying names directly or not, you know, condemning the actions of the Trump administration or the federal agencies. Instead you say, well, but again, this is a public safety issue. We want criminals off, and yet we know 70, 80% of the folks, Latinos in particular, that have been detained, arrested, have no criminal.
00:14:53:10 - 00:14:55:02
MARIO TRUJILLO
Zero contact with law enforcement.
00:14:55:02 - 00:15:15:23
DINO
So around that issue, you know, one of the things that I asked her is, you know, your community scared. Is it maybe that you didn't respond soon enough online or in social media? What do you think should have immediately happened as soon as those raids or those attempted kidnapings happened the day that they did.
00:15:16:01 - 00:15:38:17
MARIO TRUJILLO
We should immediately engage with the community and help them alert amongst themselves, which is what the purpose of the Ice Watch is. It took us a week to do that. I expect that the city under Mayor Sosa to immediately, show leadership and call for an emergency meeting to discuss the fact that these Ice raids, were starting.
00:15:38:18 - 00:16:02:16
MARIO TRUJILLO
I remember the first weekend in June with the car washes, having to go and speak with the business owner. How are you doing? How has this impacted your family? I expected action from this council, and that's what, I wasn't getting. I got silence and I called them out on it because Alice's complicity. Look, Claudia formatted to me as a compromise leader.
00:16:02:17 - 00:16:30:07
MARIO TRUJILLO
She's not the correct leader at this time under the urgency that we're experiencing in our communities. She, is choosing party loyalty. And I believe that's preventing her from doing her job, which is to protect our community. And again, she's uniquely positioned as a Republican MAGA mayor, as a Latina immigrant, as a president of Na Leo, she can make these demands as he changes, at the federal level.
00:16:30:07 - 00:16:48:12
MARIO TRUJILLO
And let's be clear, Claudia, for meta supports these policies. She has an issue with the tactics now, but you can't disassociate yourself with the fact that you support the policies because you don't agree on the tactics. And if you don't agree on the tactics, what exactly are you going to do about it? And I'm asking to use her voice.
00:16:48:13 - 00:17:17:02
MARIO TRUJILLO
It's been two weeks. I see nothing coming out of my Lel. Next week I'm asking for the City of Downey. Consider canceling your membership with my. Leo is there, she says there's nothing she could do because she has no jurisdiction over this federal issue. This. She's clearly neglecting the responsibilities or doesn't realize the power that she has. The platform is the president of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials, and let's talk about not Leo about this.
00:17:17:04 - 00:17:39:12
MARIO TRUJILLO
Let's talk about the fact that na Leo is supposed to be the leading voice on voting rights. Okay? They're supposed to be organizing people to be able to vote, access to voting and immigration reform. Yes, she's done zero on these issues. We've had, a history of na Leo doing what they're supposed to do. And I believe she's paralyzed this board and they've issued statements.
00:17:39:12 - 00:18:02:13
MARIO TRUJILLO
You know what I think about statements, the thoughts and prayers, thoughts and prayers we need more than thoughts and prayers right now. We need action. And she has the ability to do it. She she is giving us her excuses, her rhetoric that all we can do is go to the state level. And I won't buy that. And perhaps she should consider stepping down and perhaps letting our mayor pro tem go at it.
00:18:02:13 - 00:18:06:02
MARIO TRUJILLO
Maybe he can advocate for us directly at the federal level and.
00:18:06:02 - 00:18:12:19
DINO
That and that. Mayor Pro tem, if I remember correctly, is mister or not or this.
00:18:12:19 - 00:18:13:11
MARIO TRUJILLO
Yes.
00:18:13:13 - 00:18:42:10
DINO
So let me let me put you on the spot then, council member and, let me remind you, while we're at it, joining me is, Mario Trujillo, city of, Downey Council District at large five. And, you know, he's here with us today, in part to respond to the discussion we had last week with, City of Downey Mayor Claudia from meta, who commented, on her concerns with any level of intervention.
00:18:42:12 - 00:19:08:13
DINO
Against any law enforcement by the federal administration, particularly as it pertains to Ice raids. And while she did express concern over the tactics being used, Council Member Maria Trujillo is here today in part to respond to that. So let me put you on the spot. Council member. You know, the magic one gets raised, it comes down, and it turns you into mayor.
00:19:08:13 - 00:19:10:13
DINO
What would you do.
00:19:10:15 - 00:19:36:09
MARIO TRUJILLO
Try to organize all the mayors that feel the same way we do, that these tactics are unacceptable. And calling on the federal government to Secretary Nome to do her job correctly. I've never said that Ice needs to be abolished. I'm simply not of that position yet. I do believe there's a need for that federal agency, but we all have a responsibility to do our jobs ethically and most importantly, follow the US Constitution.
00:19:36:14 - 00:19:55:22
MARIO TRUJILLO
Mayor for mayor keeps talking about the rule of law. Okay, well, let's talk about the rule of law. How can you say something is unconstitutional and then cross your arms and not do anything when you have the platform and the access to do that? And she won't do it, she won't organize within her party because she believes in these policies.
00:19:55:22 - 00:20:15:08
MARIO TRUJILLO
So I expect more from her. So I expect that wand to be used to, hold the federal government accountable. Let's talk about the federal government, the fact they're not doing their jobs. And let's talk about the funding that's going into this Ice department to basically become the modern day Gestapo.
00:20:15:10 - 00:20:40:19
DINO
What? Tell us about that afternoon at the city council meeting, there was a protest, off of Firestone Boulevard in Downey that made its way back to the city council, where you did have an exchange. Some critics, I asked the mayor about this, felt that, she may have silenced you when you were commenting and asked for a recess.
00:20:40:21 - 00:21:03:21
DINO
She and returned did say that, you know, she was following protocols and procedures, given to her and power to her by the rules of the city, and which clearly state that when there is a difficult conversation happening. And I'm obviously, paraphrasing here, they can take a step back so that attitudes and emotions can calm down.
00:21:03:23 - 00:21:08:05
DINO
Did she silence you at the City Council meeting when you expressed some of these concerns?
00:21:08:10 - 00:21:33:15
MARIO TRUJILLO
Absolutely. She cut me off mid-sentence to take a break because she was uncomfortable by the fact that I was calling her out in her position as our mayor, as president of La Leo, and asking her to simply do her job. And I don't think she expected that. So she made a decision to silence me in the middle of my statements, which I think was wholly improper.
00:21:33:15 - 00:21:36:02
MARIO TRUJILLO
She's never done that to anyone else.
00:21:36:04 - 00:22:01:06
DINO
Oh, wow. Okay. And so where do we go from here? Council member clearly there's some opposing views you're saying that you're going to call on, maybe some further action that, as you said, I believe you said dismisses her or removes her from her attendance at at the Leo. But what's next? What what are we looking at in terms of short and long term solutions?
00:22:01:08 - 00:22:24:16
DINO
In fact, before coming on, I was looking for some of the various social media, pages, associated with Downey. And, there was, some individual who said there is no concrete recommendations by the council member, but yet here you've already given us, I believe you called it Downey Watch. Yes, sir. What else do you have?
00:22:24:18 - 00:22:31:05
DINO
In response to those who are saying, you know, you're just complaining. You're not giving us any concrete recommendations.
00:22:31:07 - 00:22:58:15
MARIO TRUJILLO
So number one is what happens next. We do what we're supposed to do and that's to protect our community, our community that is in fear right now and asking for solutions. And one of them is they have to learn to alert themselves. And I believe that perhaps we can use the neighborhood watch infrastructure to help these groups adopt Ice activity as one of their primary concerns, and alert amongst each other.
00:22:58:15 - 00:23:26:05
MARIO TRUJILLO
You have boots on the ground, so we're going to, add the whistle as our our tool to alert each other. There's ice activity. Everybody is being kidnaped. And then we're going to feed the localized information of verified reports. We also want to be very careful on what is being posted to not create a frenzy of fear. We want to be responsible about how people are to alert each other to monitor the activity.
00:23:26:07 - 00:23:57:17
MARIO TRUJILLO
We're going to help individuals who want to document these kidnapings do it in a safe manner. So they we're going to partner with Union del barrio to provide these, education workshops to the community. So we're going to provide resources to Erika, whose husband was taken. And Erica has cerebral palsy and she has two kids. We're going to make sure that he's represented by contacting attorneys like Cynthia Santiago and Alfonso Morales to make sure that our community has the resources.
00:23:57:17 - 00:24:14:20
MARIO TRUJILLO
So that's the first thing we're going to do is continue to do the job that we were elected to do. But the next thing we need to do is continue to hold our politicians accountable to to make these demands and hold the federal government accountable as to what's going on, because they're the ones that are causing the tear in our community.
00:24:14:22 - 00:24:20:07
MARIO TRUJILLO
So we continue to protect our own, but we continue to demand for justice. Well, the justice.
00:24:20:09 - 00:24:25:22
DINO
And I believe there's also an event coming up, that, you're helping organize or have organized.
00:24:25:22 - 00:24:48:19
MARIO TRUJILLO
Yes. I've been invited to be a featured speaker. I understand that Congresswoman Linda Sanchez would be there, along with Victor Correa, who we call the hometown hero, and we're bringing the community together to help them organize amongst our five districts, if you will. We're breaking it down at the micro level, and most importantly, to implement a community led alert and monitoring system.
00:24:48:19 - 00:25:01:04
MARIO TRUJILLO
So I'm really glad that the community is coming together and I'm glad that I could support this. I am listening to my community and trying to find options, and I think that's what people want from us.
00:25:01:06 - 00:25:31:02
DINO
So as we as we begin to, wind down, my guess is, Mario Trujillo, the City of Downey, Council district five, district at large. Joining me today here on the signal. News, information and analysis. I'm your host, Dino, and we're talking about some proposals and recommendations and some critiques. The council member is making up his own city and colleagues with regard to, the response or lack thereof, to some of the recent, actions that have happened in Downey.
00:25:31:04 - 00:25:52:01
DINO
And Downey is one of those cities in the southeast that has been targeted multiple times, I believe well over a dozen people, or dozen actions. I don't recall exactly how many people were taken, but as we do wind down. What's the message to your other colleagues? Not just the mayor, but your other colleagues on the city council?
00:25:52:03 - 00:26:10:13
DINO
Who and our research, our, you know, energy drink field, research team that works in the back without pay and money, have told us not much has come out of some of the other council members. Do you have a special message for them that also translates over to the community at large?
00:26:10:15 - 00:26:43:04
MARIO TRUJILLO
Yes. This moment requires courage, not hedging. What side of history will you be on, and will you be able to look your children and your grandchildren in the eyes when they know you were elected to protect people and you remain silent, or you were you didn't think outside the box, or you just crossed your arms and said, there's nothing more we can do.
00:26:43:05 - 00:26:59:07
MARIO TRUJILLO
What will history say about what your legacy is as an elected official? And so that's what I would call them to do, to use the courage and use the platform that they have been given to lead, to be the leaders that the people in Downey deserve.
00:26:59:09 - 00:27:31:08
DINO
Councilmember. As we close out, I got one final question. And you know, this episode, all episodes of The Signal, are subject to a special series we call, politics tacos and beer. It's you know, our on air opportunity to talk politics, talk policy, but also, engage in those social settings, where we come together and sometimes have the difficult discussions and sometimes have the positive discussion.
00:27:31:08 - 00:27:48:12
DINO
So let me ask you the question. Right. What's your favorite policy and political issue, for you as the individual, as the council member, as the, the former lawyer or current lawyer? What is that one topic that has always stood up for you as a favorite.
00:27:48:13 - 00:27:50:04
MARIO TRUJILLO
Equality and justice for all.
00:27:50:07 - 00:27:55:12
DINO
Got it. Second part of the question, Council member. Taco, what's your favorite?
00:27:55:14 - 00:27:56:06
MARIO TRUJILLO
The lengua.
00:27:56:09 - 00:27:57:22
DINO
That pastor.
00:27:58:00 - 00:28:00:00
MARIO TRUJILLO
Yeah, I'll pastor Pro lengua.
00:28:00:02 - 00:28:02:23
DINO
Do you have a favorite spot in Downey?
00:28:03:01 - 00:28:11:23
MARIO TRUJILLO
Tacos. Gavilan. It's the closest one to my house. That tacos on Goyo is a close second. It's just a little more distant. But Taco Gavilan, I can walk there.
00:28:12:01 - 00:28:29:13
DINO
Okay. And then the last part of politics. Tacos and beer is the beer part, right? So now my producer has told me, you know, you don't always say beer. People don't always drink. Okay. And I've had I've had elected officials say I'm a whiskey girl. I'm a Scotch girl. What's your drink of choice when having a good taco?
00:28:29:13 - 00:28:30:15
DINO
I'm talking politics.
00:28:30:15 - 00:28:45:21
MARIO TRUJILLO
So I'm a diabetic. I have to be careful with alcohol. So if I'm going to drink alcohol, my doctor says tequila straight. So lately, I've been doing the shot of Blanco with, soda water on the side and lemonade, salt on the side. But if I'm going to do beer, I like it in michelada form.
00:28:45:21 - 00:29:10:22
DINO
Okay, well, you heard it here on the signal news, information and analysis. Sli. We now know what Councilmember, Mario Trujillo is, is go to spots as well as his drink. Mario Trujillo, Downey City Council district five, I want to thank you for being here with us. I know this is a a difficult topic for all of us, especially as these, environments continue to become more and more challenging.
00:29:11:00 - 00:29:15:16
DINO
We appreciate your guidance and direction. And, hope to have you again sometime soon.
00:29:15:18 - 00:29:21:20
MARIO TRUJILLO
Thank you. Dino. Come on. Okay. All right.
00:29:22:01 - 00:29:23:00
DINO
Quick, John.
00:29:23:02 - 00:29:46:18
MUSIC INTRO
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00:29:46:20 - 00:30:12:15
MUSIC INTRO
$10 makes a big impact. We combine it with contributions from your fellow listeners who rely on Kpfk as much as you do. Public radio only works with you. This is Kathie Diaz, the Monday host of the Global Village, encouraging you to contribute. Now go to kpfk.org, then click Sustain or Circle, whatever you can do, please do. Thank you.
00:30:12:17 - 00:30:40:02
MARIO TRUJILLO
You're listening to fiercely independent Kpfk, 90.7 FM Los Angeles, and on the web@kpfk.org.
00:30:40:04 - 00:31:04:23
DINO
Welcome back. You caught us chit chatting between guests. Welcome to the signal. News, information and analysis. I'm your host, Tino. And thank you, Sly. You know, sometimes, as we do these transitions, we're saying goodbye to the previous guests. Which, by the way, I want to thank again my previous guest, Mario Trujillo, council member for, district five at the city of Downey.
00:31:05:01 - 00:31:31:14
DINO
And the difficult and sometimes delicate discussion around, this, this ice enforcement that continues. But joining me now, is Wendy Carillo, former, state assemblywoman, which, by the way, I was talking to my producer, nella. Who who we're missing today. Nella. But she's out working on another project. But I was able to get my life together without her.
00:31:31:14 - 00:31:52:14
DINO
Surprisingly, thanks to Sly and and even, our dear friend Maite. There. Who's here visiting us as well. A friend and colleague of, of Wendy. But, you know, Wendy, as we were looking to create a bio for you, right. Because we have seconds, man. Oh, look. What the hell, man. There's too much stuff here. So I'm going to ask you.
00:31:52:16 - 00:31:53:16
DINO
Welcome to the signal by.
00:31:53:17 - 00:31:54:21
WENDY CARRILLO
All right.
00:31:54:23 - 00:32:04:05
DINO
I'm going to ask you to give me the, The what? The what do they call it? The sports. Real, right. Slide the sports reel of your history in government.
00:32:04:11 - 00:32:06:02
WENDY CARRILLO
Okay.
00:32:06:04 - 00:32:07:07
DINO
Go for it.
00:32:07:08 - 00:32:49:20
WENDY CARRILLO
All right. So it's like my little my short little bio. Yeah. Chicana, first and foremost, from, Boyle Heights, East L.A.. Proud Rough rider got elected to the state assembly in 2017. Served until 2024. And, now running for state Senate. Includes, 100% overlap with my previous district. So all of East L.A., northeast L.A., Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Montecito Heights, Glassell Park, Cypress Park, all the cool neighborhoods, right, a Dodger Stadium, surrounding communities, Echo Park, Silver Lake, and now the Senate district includes all of that, plus Boyle Heights, the Arts District, 30% of downtown East Hollywood, Larchmont, Westlake, Pico Union, Hancock Park, Koreatown.
00:32:49:22 - 00:32:54:03
WENDY CARRILLO
So. Yeah. And everything. Yeah. I'm home, I'm at home. Yeah. You know.
00:32:54:05 - 00:33:29:21
DINO
So one of the questions I always enjoy asking, and sometimes it doesn't really fit some people tell me, especially folks have been in office before. But I'm always curious because I love to say around here that politicians are people too. Now, this comes from, a slogan and a drug policy project that I worked on years ago, that said that nice people take drugs, and sometimes people misinterpreted that as some sort of glorification of the drug user experience, when indeed what it was was a reminder that even those that have problematic drug use, are people.
00:33:29:21 - 00:33:37:22
DINO
They need help, they need support. And, you know, in my trajectory in journalism, a you come from a radio background yourself as a journalist, as a broadcaster, I feel.
00:33:37:22 - 00:33:40:07
WENDY CARRILLO
Like I'm right at home. This is where I started Kpfk.
00:33:40:08 - 00:33:42:06
DINO
And you went on to eventually do power.
00:33:42:06 - 00:33:45:08
WENDY CARRILLO
Power when I was Knowledge is Power for ten years.
00:33:45:10 - 00:33:47:04
DINO
Yeah. I didn't know you started here.
00:33:47:07 - 00:33:57:18
WENDY CARRILLO
I started at Kpfk and, a little, like, a show called Soul Rebel Radio. It was, a group of us, and, Yeah, that's that's how I started.
00:33:57:18 - 00:33:58:21
DINO
I did not know that.
00:33:58:21 - 00:34:00:13
WENDY CARRILLO
And do you know I can oh five.
00:34:00:15 - 00:34:03:02
DINO
You know who approves Soul Rebel radio?
00:34:03:04 - 00:34:07:17
WENDY CARRILLO
It must have been a genius. I think somebody that really knows how to spot talent.
00:34:07:17 - 00:34:14:14
DINO
At the time, I think it was some guy named Dino as well. Oh, it's shameless plug. Shameless plug.
00:34:14:16 - 00:34:17:11
WENDY CARRILLO
That was you. You did that. This is. I blame you.
00:34:17:13 - 00:34:42:04
DINO
So here's my question, because I've always been curious about this, and we're definitely going to get into the district, 26 and your campaign, and. But I want to take you back to 2000. I don't know, 16, maybe before you went into office and that moment where you said to yourself, you know what? I'm going to run for office.
00:34:42:06 - 00:34:54:21
DINO
You know, I always have this idea that, you know, my, the clouds part and the light comes through like, you see it on TV or, you know, some I don't know, I like to think that that's if I ever get that, which I would never run for office. But if I ever.
00:34:54:21 - 00:34:56:14
WENDY CARRILLO
Get that, ever say no. Oh, gosh.
00:34:56:16 - 00:34:58:22
DINO
But what was that moment like for you?
00:34:59:02 - 00:34:59:19
MUSIC INTRO
So.
00:34:59:21 - 00:35:25:08
WENDY CARRILLO
Sure. It was not my plan in fact, in 2016, I had a few years before that, I had been a part of a group that started a new, online news initiative, which was covering protest culture around the world. It was called reportedly, and it was looking at protest culture, what people were doing online, sharing the stories from a bottom up perspective.
00:35:25:09 - 00:35:53:06
WENDY CARRILLO
And unfortunately, after a few years, we had to shut that operation down and I had an opportunity to travel the country with my dog. We rented a car, traveled the country, went from LA to New Orleans. I felt like I was in Texas forever, and then went up to standing Rock, North Dakota, where I had been covering the water protectors, I remember, and the protest against the North Dakota Access Pipeline and tribal sovereignty and, Trump got elected.
00:35:53:08 - 00:36:18:00
WENDY CARRILLO
And at that point, also, Kamala Harris, who was California's district attorney at the time, became the U.S. senator. And I was leaving. It was -40 degrees already at camp. And so we all needed to evacuate and leave. Standing Rock and I made my way to, the the oh, my gosh, I'm forgetting at the moment, the mountain with the four, presidents.
00:36:18:00 - 00:36:21:08
DINO
Sure. Mount, Mount Rushmore.
00:36:21:09 - 00:36:52:11
WENDY CARRILLO
Well, Mount Rushmore at that time, Harvey was my Congress member, and he, got appointed to become U.S.. I'm sorry, the California attorney general. And it opened up a congressional seat, and I didn't have any reception at standing Rock. We had very minimal access to anything, you know, online. And so I make my way. I wanted to visit Mount Rushmore and at the very top of Mount Rushmore, which, by the way, are also known as the grandfathers to the Lakota people.
00:36:52:11 - 00:37:18:16
WENDY CARRILLO
And it's just devastating that in this very, blessed space, these, four images of the presidents were carved very intentional. Right. And that's when my phone started blowing up that I was being, many ways recruited to run for that congressional seat. And so I did. So I'm standing there in many ways, the, the the clouds did pass.
00:37:18:18 - 00:37:45:01
WENDY CARRILLO
And I'm standing at this space that at one point was a place where Native American people, the Lakota people, would go to find the purpose of their life in the Black Hills. And, I decided to run, and I had this amazing job set up at CNN. I was going to move to Atlanta with everything I had worked for like 17 years in media, and I decided I was gonna go and I decided to go a completely different direction.
00:37:45:03 - 00:38:06:13
WENDY CARRILLO
Ran for office, very small, short special election, I lost. Okay, devastating. But it really set me up to potentially run for the Assembly. And, it wasn't really my, my, the thing that I was going to do, but I was told by multiple people. It's not your turn. Wait your turn. We have other people in mine. Run for something smaller.
00:38:06:14 - 00:38:32:10
WENDY CARRILLO
As if democracy is not an option by people like there are people that just kind of select who gets to run and who gets to do what and when. And that really pissed me off. And, I was told, don't run, don't do it. And I said, watch me, until I did. And so I ran in 2017 at that point, against 11 other dudes and won and then served my community for close to eight years to.
00:38:32:10 - 00:38:58:12
DINO
Kind of salvage power in physical for you. You know, that brings me to this question that we recently had, you know, since late last year, we've had many, many, folks looking to run for office, elected officials. And one of the things that came up recently, I think it was actually in December, there was one candidate, I forget for what office.
00:38:58:12 - 00:39:12:21
DINO
It said, you know, we're tired of of recycled politicians who go from one office to the other. And, you know, my thought immediately was, well, but there's also something to be said about experience.
00:39:12:23 - 00:39:32:00
DINO
Right. Even if it is in a different setting, Senate, Assembly, Congress, there is something to be said about experience. And we've seen many examples where someone young, passionate, goes into office and quickly learns, oh my, there is a system behind it.
00:39:32:02 - 00:39:33:08
MUSIC INTRO
Right?
00:39:33:09 - 00:39:47:07
DINO
What do you say to those who say, well, wait a minute, you're just jumping from one type of politics to another. You're part of that system that recycles politics. Indeed. What prompted me to ask you this? There were those who said, it's not your turn.
00:39:47:09 - 00:39:48:07
WENDY CARRILLO
Right? Right.
00:39:48:08 - 00:39:50:04
DINO
What do you say to those critics?
00:39:50:06 - 00:40:20:02
WENDY CARRILLO
I think, I think there's a general sentiment by voters that government isn't working. And so when you have when you can't afford your rent, when you can't afford food, when $100 is not the same anymore at the grocery store, when you're struggling to feed your family, when you're going into debt because of health care cost, you're going to feel a certain kind of way, and you're going to look at elected officials, like politicians, like they're not doing their job and they're not doing their job and supporting you to have the best quality, dignified life.
00:40:20:04 - 00:40:42:13
WENDY CARRILLO
That's why I ran, because I felt that voices like mine, formerly undocumented, coming from a war torn country, we were on Medicare when we were kids, were food stamps like, and my parents were incredibly hard working and fell upon hard times. And we know struggle. And I said it before, it's like, I don't need a poll to tell me what the issues of my community are because I've lived them.
00:40:42:19 - 00:40:43:07
DINO
Hey.
00:40:43:09 - 00:41:08:07
WENDY CARRILLO
And that's the difference, I think, with some Electeds and others who just simply want to hold office. And I would say that some of the challenges that I've seen now that I've served in the legislature is that there's term limits right in the legislature, where you're only allowed to serve 12 years, it takes about 4 to 5 to really learn the system, to really understand how government in the state side works.
00:41:08:09 - 00:41:35:09
WENDY CARRILLO
And what I see happen is that eventually lobbyists for whatever interests actually know more. And when you are termed out of office, the lobbyists stay and those interests stay. And so they actually have such incredible power, not only locally or the state, but federally, to continue to advocate for whatever issue or whatever issue they're advocating for. And so when you have term limits and people think term limits, it's a good thing.
00:41:35:09 - 00:41:57:02
WENDY CARRILLO
I think term limits are actual elections, okay. When you show up to vote, that's when people can say yes or no to you. Vote you in or vote you out. That's the term limit. But when you put it into a system that doesn't have that same kind of structure towards special interest, then it's the people that lose because you're constantly having to learn.
00:41:57:04 - 00:42:25:01
DINO
Let's go back to your time, your tenure at the Assembly. And I know that again, in doing our research, countless examples that we can point to, but give us one, one particular piece of legislation, one particular project that you were a part of that defines your not only experience. And I know it's an unfair question, but defines not only what you did in the Assembly, but how that will define what you will do in the Senate.
00:42:25:03 - 00:42:57:01
WENDY CARRILLO
I think having political courage in a state where it's a full Democratic majority is interesting, because not all Democrats are created equal. And there are some of us that actually fight for working people and our most vulnerable communities. For two sessions in a row, I carried a bill called the Vision Act, which would have closed loopholes and SB 54, which was the sanctuary state law that allows all 58 counties to have their own policy when collaborating with Ice.
00:42:57:03 - 00:43:17:00
WENDY CARRILLO
This was done. I try to do this back in 22, 23, and it failed in the Senate by three votes, despite having eight Democrats that could have voted for it. A second version of the bill was vetoed by the governor, and at that time, we weren't seeing Ice the way that we're seeing now, and it was under a Democratic president.
00:43:17:01 - 00:43:31:01
WENDY CARRILLO
And so when we are critical, we need to be critical, not only against an opposing party, but within our own party as well. Now the legislature is trying to figure out how do we protect communities against Ice, right? We had the bill.
00:43:31:03 - 00:43:31:11
DINO
Yes.
00:43:31:14 - 00:43:37:03
WENDY CARRILLO
That would have ended all collaboration a few years ago and the state didn't pass it.
00:43:37:05 - 00:43:38:00
DINO
That's right.
00:43:38:02 - 00:43:49:08
WENDY CARRILLO
And so I think thinking ahead and protecting communities and being able to see the political wave turn, the current turn and thinking ahead is what's missing.
00:43:49:10 - 00:44:17:16
DINO
You know, I'm glad it's a great Segway, because of course, the million dollar question that we're all having. And I opened up our first segment with, Council member Mario Trujillo, you know, just as we went to air, we got the horrific news that yet another person, as my, as my mother would say, Cristiano, has been murdered in Minneapolis, a minnesotan, individual white male.
00:44:17:18 - 00:44:34:01
DINO
I've heard some accounts describe him as a 30 something, others as a 50 something. Who was shot? I saw one video that it's just horrific to describe.
00:44:34:03 - 00:44:54:03
DINO
And as I think about this, because I'm visualizing this video, it's difficult to think that this is where we are. Our audience wants to know. I think they're asking this question of all elected officials and those that want to run for office, how will you defend us here on the home front against the tyranny that is the Trump administration?
00:44:54:05 - 00:45:24:19
WENDY CARRILLO
Well, first and foremost, we have to abolish Ice. I did not, support the increase of funding. And I stirring a Democratic president. And I certainly don't support it now. And I think what we're seeing in Minneapolis is just incredibly hard to see, but also incredibly inspiring to see people standing together from all walks of life. And I want to take a moment to just thank all of the allies that are showing up for our community, and putting their lives on the line.
00:45:24:21 - 00:45:35:01
WENDY CARRILLO
This young man's name was, Alex. Jeffrey Peretti. He was 37. He was a nurse. He was he was carrying a weapon, which is his legal Second Amendment right.
00:45:35:01 - 00:45:36:23
DINO
Where he was licensed for it. Right.
00:45:37:01 - 00:45:59:18
WENDY CARRILLO
I'm sorry. He was licensed. He was licensed for it. So what I think about is the party of don't Tread on me, the party of Stand Your Ground, the party of, Second Amendment rights doesn't know how to respect or respond to Americans who are exercising that right and are assassinating them on the street, which is what actually happened to this young person he was recording, which is his legal right.
00:46:00:00 - 00:46:02:01
WENDY CARRILLO
He I've seen the video. It's horrific.
00:46:02:03 - 00:46:04:19
DINO
Pepper sprayed him before they shot him, thrown to the floor and then.
00:46:04:21 - 00:46:15:21
WENDY CARRILLO
Pinned them multiple ice agents, multiple ice thugs, actually, and then shot him, assassinated him on the streets of his hometown.
00:46:15:23 - 00:46:43:03
DINO
You know, you touched on it already. And and I appreciate the framing in this prior to this question around just that, not all Democrats are made the same or, you know, and I think there's the challenge that I think is still forthcoming is how do we navigate this world where moderate Democrats are saying, listen, we got to toe the line, otherwise we're not going to win the House when the Senate.
00:46:43:03 - 00:46:57:03
DINO
Regardless, I think we've seen this over the years where sometimes those that say I'm with abolishing Ice, I'm taking a lot more stronger progressive values to heart here, say, well, no. We also got to appease the middle. What do you say to them?
00:46:57:08 - 00:47:24:05
WENDY CARRILLO
There is no middle that anymore. There is no middle. When you have federal paid federal Ice agents that are targeting community and assassinating and killing people on the street, shooting a woman in her car in the face, a mom, shooting this young person on the street. The countless, examples of people that have died. More than 30 people have died under Ice custody to date.
00:47:24:07 - 00:47:44:18
WENDY CARRILLO
Since this all started. Countless harms. A child, Liam, who's five years old, taken by ice, a two year old taken by ice. There is no middle ground anymore. Those. Those are the the same whack ass examples. Sorry. It is. So you have people that would say we can't abolish slavery because it's going to mess up our economy.
00:47:44:20 - 00:48:08:12
WENDY CARRILLO
We can't, you know, treat Japanese people the same because we don't know who they are during World War Two. Oh, let's continue the Chinese exclusionary act because we don't. It's a lot of othering in protecting the status quo. I get really upset about it because we are living in a moment where we have no more excuses like people are dying and families are being separated.
00:48:08:15 - 00:48:28:07
WENDY CARRILLO
The constitution of our country is being completely disregarded. And if you can't stand for the Constitution of the United States, then what do you stand for? That is the first. When you take an oath, when you're elected, you take an oath to protect the Constitution against those, you know, terrorist, foreign and domestic.
00:48:28:07 - 00:48:28:16
DINO
Sure.
00:48:28:22 - 00:48:31:13
WENDY CARRILLO
And that's what we're experiencing now, domestic terrorism.
00:48:31:16 - 00:49:02:16
DINO
My guess is when the career candidate for California State Senate, district 26, when they, served as the California State Assembly member from 2017 to 24, representing parts of Los Angeles, the East Side. Born in El Salvador and raised in East Los Angeles. I love when she says I'm a Chicano Salvi. I use this for not protecting waiting assured, a long time, a history, local girl, member of the state Assembly and now running for the district.
00:49:02:19 - 00:49:19:10
DINO
So give it to us. Right. Why should our audience, or better yet, not, why should they? What is the platform? What is the primary objective here, for you as a Senate candidate? And ultimately, if you win as a senator, unapologetically.
00:49:19:12 - 00:49:45:22
WENDY CARRILLO
Always in supportive community and in touch with community, and I think government needs people who are unafraid to push the envelope, knowing that government has been built on institutions that are not meant to serve everyday people. The institution works and that it's it's supposed to keep you in your place. And so my job and my role in the past eight years have been to dismantle systems that don't work for everyday working people.
00:49:46:00 - 00:50:14:06
WENDY CARRILLO
And as we face an affordability crisis, as we face issues related to wages, as we continue to see ice harass and threaten our communities, as we see the destruction of our Constitution. And, a president who tore down the East wing and is building a ballroom that tells me that he's not planning on leaving anytime soon as a Salvadoran and also seen locally, be in cahoots with Trump and building prisons and sending people to El Salvador for an unknown amount of time.
00:50:14:08 - 00:50:31:16
WENDY CARRILLO
It's all connected. And the way in which California responds is critical. Experience does matter. If, God willing, I'm elected and I get to serve my community again, I know what I'm doing on day one. I know where the bathrooms are. Right? Like that's the joke that everybody always makes. And I think we need to be unapologetic and bold.
00:50:31:22 - 00:50:51:08
WENDY CARRILLO
I don't see any reason why the governor or the legislature at this point has not said or have an initiative with taxes coming up. I don't want to pay my federal taxes. I don't want my federal dollars to go into Ice that continues to threaten our communities. I don't want my federal dollars to continue to escalate wars and other countries.
00:50:51:10 - 00:51:23:18
WENDY CARRILLO
I don't want my federal tax dollars to go into the dismantling of Venezuela and its government. Regardless of your politics, we are meddling in in ways that the United States hasn't done before. But it is not a new history to this nation. And so when I think about getting elected into office, I think about the type of country type of society that we wish to see, one that is meant for everyone, regardless of where you come from or what language you speak or what your legal status is, we get to build the type of society, the state and country that we want to see for our future.
00:51:23:20 - 00:51:57:15
DINO
What's the balance? We know you've been in broadcasting. You know, I oftentimes remind folks, we don't always we can't always cover every angle of a topic on this show. You know, I've worked on documentaries. You always hear somebody say, well, you didn't bring up this issue. Well, yeah. We can't cover every angle. And you all. I've always had this like, wow moment with elected officials because I know that you're never, ever going to make everybody happy.
00:51:57:17 - 00:52:22:00
DINO
You're never, ever going to cover every direction, every angle. How do you create balance, especially when you have a constituent who says, pull out, hey, f AFI's no other position. Is this considered? And yet the reality is that while you can take those positions, as my previous guest said, I'm not there yet and a lot of people aren't there yet.
00:52:22:02 - 00:52:27:16
DINO
How do you create balance for yourself and for your constituents and those environments?
00:52:27:18 - 00:52:49:20
WENDY CARRILLO
The most important thing that we can do, I think, as elected officials, is listen and try to understand where folks are coming from. You know, everybody comes out in a different space, and my goal is to bring more people to where I want them to be coalesced, build coalition. I'm going to respectfully disagree with your previous guests in terms of not being there.
00:52:49:20 - 00:53:16:19
WENDY CARRILLO
What more do you need to be there? But I can also, as a friend and colleague, try to bring him to that side or him or anybody else. Right. And so that having conversations with people that disagree with you is harder and more challenging than being in a room with people that completely agree with you. And, you know, if you find yourself in a room where you are the smartest person in the room or everybody in that room agrees with you, you're in the wrong room because you're not changing any minds, right?
00:53:16:19 - 00:53:24:11
WENDY CARRILLO
You're just hearing the echo chamber. And so part of the challenge is putting yourself in different spaces and hopefully build coalition and get to where you need to be.
00:53:24:13 - 00:53:32:08
DINO
On day one. What's your first, what's your first memo or your first press release? Your first statement going to be.
00:53:32:10 - 00:53:39:14
WENDY CARRILLO
It's the reintroduction of the Vision Act to close all those loopholes across the state of California, and all collaboration between law enforcement and Ice.
00:53:39:14 - 00:53:42:11
DINO
So hitting the ground running, I already have a bill ready.
00:53:42:13 - 00:54:04:23
WENDY CARRILLO
I've had the bill. I've done the work. The coalition is there, in addition to, I think, our California Foster care system could do a better job in tracking young, young kids and children that have been taken away from parents that have been detained or deported so that they're not lost in the foster care system and that they can potentially eventually one day be reunited with their families.
00:54:04:23 - 00:54:11:01
WENDY CARRILLO
And currently, that's not happening across the country. And so we are losing children to a system, and they have parents and they have families.
00:54:11:03 - 00:54:29:04
DINO
So before we go to the final and most important trio question, my favorite, the, after all, this is our special series politics stuck with them beer. Where can people find out more about your about your segment and my they see what you're doing or you're not helping me out here.
00:54:29:06 - 00:54:31:09
WENDY CARRILLO
Yes. My segment. You can find it on.
00:54:31:11 - 00:54:39:16
DINO
Your, your website. Where can people go? And, you know, your other fellow campaign candidates go and get intimidated.
00:54:39:19 - 00:54:57:01
WENDY CARRILLO
You can you can find information, get involved with our campaign, which is all people powered and very progressive for our district at Wendy's. Viacom, you can find me on, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. I don't use as much for obvious reasons, but at Wendy's, Mario double double double double.
00:54:57:01 - 00:54:59:12
DINO
Now when the ad. Okay, see it in one more.
00:54:59:12 - 00:55:02:22
WENDY CARRILLO
Time at Wendy Carrillo Wendy carrillo.com.
00:55:03:00 - 00:55:33:02
DINO
Wonderful. So now brings us to the closing. This is a program after all, that we call the Signal news, Information and Analysis our political series which by the way is running through pretty much the rest of the year. We launched it late last year. We have had, oh gosh, how many a lot of elected officials and people running for office, from grassroots campaign who say, hey, you, we have no chance of winning, but we appreciate you putting us on the air, because I do believe that they're able to add to the discourse.
00:55:33:02 - 00:55:53:12
DINO
They might ask a question or make a comment that says, that's a good question that I might ask for the one that has all the votes coming. So anyway, we call it politics tacos and beer, right? Because, you know, for me, as a political scientist, by training, you know, politics has always been something you clearly more than us.
00:55:53:14 - 00:56:00:10
DINO
Who are the pundits in the back room reading and analyzing stuff. What has always been your favorite political topic?
00:56:00:12 - 00:56:07:03
WENDY CARRILLO
Favorite political topic? You've, I've, I mean, I love foreign policy.
00:56:07:05 - 00:56:09:15
DINO
My fun, my kind of politics.
00:56:09:17 - 00:56:19:18
WENDY CARRILLO
Foreign policy. Just the impact of the United States has all over the world, primarily in Latin America. And the impact that it's had for, for decades.
00:56:19:20 - 00:56:24:12
DINO
Some say this is the most important part of the entire show. What's your favorite taco?
00:56:24:14 - 00:56:32:16
WENDY CARRILLO
So I have two. I have two, one. Our tacos dorados that my mom makes. That's like my that's like my go to comfort food.
00:56:32:16 - 00:56:33:19
DINO
What's your mother's name?
00:56:33:21 - 00:56:37:06
WENDY CARRILLO
My mom, my mommy, Rosa. Maria. She. I'm also.
00:56:37:06 - 00:56:40:05
DINO
Maria. I'm signing up. Tacos around there.
00:56:40:05 - 00:57:01:12
WENDY CARRILLO
Papa. The boy. Oh, God, that sounds good. And then when I'm out and about on the street, actually, it might be. And I. And I've known like this since high school. We were driving around literally last night searching for a home I got from South Pass to northeast L.A to East L.A. find trying to find, tacos el pastor, but with a pina.
00:57:01:14 - 00:57:04:19
WENDY CARRILLO
Right. And being, the Pina, that's my favorite.
00:57:04:22 - 00:57:05:09
DINO
Okay.
00:57:05:13 - 00:57:08:01
WENDY CARRILLO
And then I. I've only 26 tacos. Give them a plug.
00:57:08:05 - 00:57:14:18
DINO
I plug to have a 26, which I'm glad when they moved over. Also, they have the second spot in over in Alameda, which I go to.
00:57:14:19 - 00:57:18:01
WENDY CARRILLO
They're l.a. They rebranded. So they're L.A 26 tacos.
00:57:18:01 - 00:57:37:22
DINO
Now and a 26 plug. And then the final one and I've had, you know, my producer says, Gino, you can't go around asking people what they drink. Hell, yeah, I can, but sometimes people say water. Sometimes people say, yeah, I had a mayor once tell me that she was a stellar girl. I was like, all right, mayor, what's the drink of choice?
00:57:38:00 - 00:57:43:08
WENDY CARRILLO
I think it would have to be like a a cold Mexican Coca-Cola with my tacos. Yeah.
00:57:43:09 - 00:57:48:14
DINO
What else? So you heard it here. Pastor with Pina.
00:57:48:16 - 00:57:49:21
WENDY CARRILLO
For a Mexican Coke.
00:57:50:01 - 00:58:14:09
DINO
Mexican coke. My guest has been Wendy Carrillo Kennedy for, California State Senate seat 26. Former Assembly member, I want to thank you very much for being here with us. We appreciate your time and effort. And in closing, I just want to remind everybody that whether it is sitting, whether it's a sitting council member responding to community concern or a state level candidate explaining how she with your power in Sacramento.
00:58:14:12 - 00:58:30:02
DINO
These discussions shape how we trust and build in our broken government of today. I want to thank all my guests, my producer Nala. Come on back girl, Sly rivers and please stay tuned for our friends, my homies at the car show, and I'd like.
