If politics makes strange bedfellows, then some Black folks must be real comfortable snuggling up with betrayal because supporting Kevin de León feels like spooning with a snake.
Oh, so this is where we’re at now? After everything Black folks in Los Angeles have endured—centuries of exploitation, systemic racism, and being constantly pushed to (and out of) the margins of the city—the move is to support Kevin de León? Seriously? Kevin de León, the same man who sat silently while a room full of racists spewed hate about Black people like it was just another day at the office? The same Kevin de León who had the audacity to sit there and let Nury Martinez degrade Black children and didn’t utter a single word in defense? That’s who some of us are throwing our weight behind?
Make it make sense, because I’m over here stunned, wondering how anyone with an ounce of self-respect as a Black person could possibly justify standing behind this man. The audacity to support someone who was complicit in such blatant anti-Blackness—it’s beyond comprehension. What happened to demanding better for ourselves? When did we decide it was okay to endorse someone who couldn’t even muster the decency to stand up for our community in a private setting, let alone in public?
I get it—our options in L.A. politics can sometimes feel like we’re choosing between a slap in the face and a kick in the gut. But Kevin de León, really? Look, silence in moments like that isn’t just complicit—it’s a loud statement. And yet, here we are, watching some of our folks nod along and give this man a pass as if what he did was just an off-day at the office.
This is one time that I’m happy that most of the Black people endorsing KDL are either irrelevant, opportunists chasing political clout, or so out of touch with our community that their endorsement is more of a liability than a boost. That and the fact that outside of downtown Los Angeles and Skid Row, Council District 14’s Black population is almost nonexistent–so there aren’t that many Black people to influence with this nonsense.
Black people supporting KDL isn’t just a political misstep, it’s downright disrespectful to our community. It’s not like we haven’t been used as political pawns before, but it stings when we do it to ourselves. Supporting KDL sends a message: that our trauma is something you can dust off and conveniently forget when election season rolls around.
If you listened to the audio then you’ll understand the irony in Kevin de León now wanting to be “with the Blacks.”
Look–I’m all for redemption—everyone deserves a shot to make things right. But when did Kevin de León do that? Did I miss the meaningful work to build bridges with Black communities or literally any sign that he’s done the soul-searching and atonement necessary to even begin to earn our trust again? I must have blinked and missed it, because all I see is him slinking back into the political arena like he didn’t just play a starring role in one of the most disgusting political scandals this city’s seen in years.
Let’s be real–supporting someone like KDL doesn’t come from a place of principle, it comes from a place of self-interest, political favors, or just not paying attention. And for Black folks to be standing behind him, it’s an even bigger slap in the face. What happened to holding people accountable? What happened to demanding better, not just for ourselves, but for the next generation of Black Angelenos?
We should be lifting up leaders who stand with us unequivocally, not ones who stand by when they think no one’s watching and then scramble for damage control when they get caught. I don’t care how contrite he appears when the cameras are on—he’s shown us who he is when the mics are off and the cameras aren’t rolling. Maya Angelou told us, believe people the first time they show you their true colors.
So, to the Black folks out here supporting KDL: ask yourselves, is this really the best we can do? Is this the bar we’re setting for leadership in our communities? If we’re willing to forget and forgive this quickly, we’re telling people like KDL—and every other politician watching—that Black voices and Black pain don’t really matter. That our pain is negotiable. And that, my friends, is something I just can’t co-sign.
We need to stop letting so-called Black leaders play us and we need to stop playing ourselves and start demanding leaders who actually show up for us, not just when they need our votes but when we need them the most. Kevin de León? He already showed us who he is—and I, for one, believe him.
If I still lived in Council District 14, I’d be voting for Ysabel Jurado.
Photos courtesy of Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles.
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If politics makes strange bedfellows, then some Black folks must be real comfortable snuggling up with betrayal because supporting Kevin de León feels like spooning with a snake. 🐍
