Colin Hernandez

Colin Hernandez earned a high school diploma from Notre Dame High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2014.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Colin Hernandez. I’m a 9th generation Californian who was born and raised in Los Angeles, and I have lived here nearly all my life.

Growing up, I met so many people from all walks of life who had to fight against systemic inequality and injustice daily, which pushed me to get involved in politics so I could make a difference. After graduating with a degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder, I committed myself to advocating for others. I’m proud to have worked at organizations like Equality California, Americans for Tax Fairness, and Vera Institute of Justice to advance LGBTQ+ rights, create equitable tax policies, promote criminal justice and immigration reform, and reduce and end homelessness.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Implementing Medicare for All/CalCare: I fully support establishing free healthcare across the country, and that starts with pushing for the same thing here in the state of California. Healthcare should never be a for-profit industry. It has left hundreds of thousands of Americans with medical debt while pharmaceutical and insurance companies get richer and richer. As a State Assemblymember, I would aggressively fight to institute CalCare –– universal healthcare guaranteed to all Californians. Under this system, Californians would be able to freely seek healthcare without worrying if an unexpected hospital bill will prevent them from paying next month’s rent.Universal Childcare: Childcare is a necessity, yet it’s becoming so expensive that it like a luxury. Those who already have families to care for are feeling the stress and economic pressures of meeting basic needs, and these very costs are preventing others –– especially emerging generations of adults –– from starting a family altogether. Single parents face an even tougher battle, given that a full-time salary is barely enough to cover the cost of living for one person. That’s why I plan on proposing legislation that makes childcare a universal right for all Californians, ensuring that everyone has the freedom to choose whether or not they want to start a family.Housing for All: I believe that housing is a human right, and I will work tirelessly in the State Assembly to make that a reality for all Californians. First and foremost, we need to invest in more public housing that remains affordable for low-income families –– especially given our steep cost of living crisis. I also support getting private equity out of our housing market to end price gouging, and repealing the Costa-Hawkins and Ellis Acts so that local governments can implement rent control measures to stabilize the housing market. Finally, I would push to fully fund permanent supportive housing for our unhoused population to help them get back on their feet.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Alongside my top three issues of Medicare for All, universal childcare, and Housing for All, I’m passionate about making sure our cities and towns are walkable, strengthening our public school system to set students up for success, making the top 1% and biggest corporations pay their fair share of taxes, supporting our LGBTQ+ community, protecting immigrants from unlawful deportations, furthering environmental justice priorities, and ending California’s complicity in imperialism and colonialism.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, CAIR Action, PALAD, Burbank City Councilmember Konstantine Anthony, JVP-LA founder Estee Chandler, Oliver Ma, Maebe Pudlo, and UCLA's YDSA