Fresh off her reelection, the District 1 councilmember outlined an ambitious agenda on housing, mental health, and city services for MacArthur Park and the surrounding communities she represents.
“We are still working. There is so much to do. We have to honor the mandate the people gave us and deliver on the promises we made during the campaign. There will be time to rest later,” says the city’s youngest councilmember.
Hernández’s political career has been marked by battles, but not defeats. Four years ago, she led a frustrated community against then Councilmember Gil Cedillo, who ultimately lost his seat and saw his political career collapse after being recorded as part of a group of politicians making racist remarks about the Oaxacan and Black communities.
Comparing her two campaigns, Hernández says, “Four years ago, people were afraid to follow me. They did not know who I was, and I had to prove I could do the job. Fortunately, people believed in me and we were able to win. This time, people already knew me. I had a proven record and a track record of results. So many people supported me. In a way, this election was an evaluation of my work.”
The councilmember faced four challengers who openly declared, “Anyone but Eunisses.” Lou Calanche, Nelson Grande, Raúl Claros, and Sylvia Robledo built their campaigns around that premise. On several occasions, the criticism went beyond policy disagreements and turned into personal attacks that often resembled outright insults.
I tell Hernández that in previous interviews, she never appeared nervous. She always seemed confident and calm.
She reflects and laughs. “I was 100 percent nervous. I knew I would make it to the general election, but honestly, I did not expect everything to be decided in the primary, especially by that margin. I knew it would be a fight. Everything changed when I realized all four of my opponents had based their campaigns on attacks rather than public policy. They kept repeating the same message over and over. That is when I thought, ‘That is all they have. They do not have any other arguments.’ At that point, I knew I was going to win. When the results started coming in, I was happy and surprised by how decisive the victory was. I did not expect such a huge difference. I was beyond happy.”
She had defeated four candidates, all of whom shared one thing in common: they found it difficult to imagine that she would win reelection.
Now that the chapter is behind her.
During our interview, Hernández was far more interested in discussing what comes next. She wants to focus on her district and the work ahead at City Hall.
“I have to fulfill the mandate my voters gave me and continue building on our work. There is still so much to do in MacArthur Park. You know, that is why I enjoy these World Cup watch parties we are organizing. Seeing the community happy, enjoying a public space that belongs to them, reminds us that things are moving in the right direction. We are making progress, but we need to do more. We have to address issues like street lighting, improve city services, and develop a multi-year budget that allows us to plan. We need additional tax revenue. One of my biggest challenges is securing the resources necessary to fully implement response teams that can address the enormous mental health crisis we face. I want that in place by 2028. We also have a growing number of robot taxis that are not paying taxes, and we need to find ways to generate revenue from them. Four years go by very quickly.”
For Hernández, the demands of voters are clear, and she embraces the challenge.
“They want a city where they can truly live and thrive in every sense of the word. They want public safety. I know what my role is. We need more affordable housing, and we need to fix a city that is broken.”
The agenda she has set for herself is ambitious, and she knows she cannot accomplish it alone.
“I have to be a voice at City Hall pushing for change. Some colleagues will support me, others will not. It depends on their priorities. What is clear to me is that I have to be honest about what is happening and do everything I can to help the city. We cannot leave people behind. That is why I do not think this is a time for celebration. The work does not stop.”
