Joel Lava

Joel Lava earned a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University in 1994. Lava's career experience includes working as a director.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am one of the first activists to protest Elon Musk and DOGE, and am a national spokesperson for Tesla Takedown. I also organize ICE OUT protests and other rallies in the Valley. As a result, I’ve been interviewed by NPR, CNN, Forbes, The Guardian, and The Majority Report, and Channel 5’s 5CAST.

However, my activism and organizing started much earlier. I created political videos on a variety of national issues, and have worked with the California Clean Money Campaign for publicly-financed elections. After the 2022 Uvalde shooting tragedy, I launched NameThemToShameThem.com, an anti-gun violence campaign designed to go around the NRA and directly at the Gun and Ammunition manufacturers. This led to collaboration with hopeandhealfund.org and outreach with Giffords.org.

As a member of Director’s Guild of America and an Emmy Award winner, I support the talented creative workers in my district and share their concerns about AI, streaming, and global competition.

I’m a Burbank, California resident and have happily raised two children there.

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?

Fight like our country depends on it. Impeach Trump. Fight to hold all the lawbreakers accountable. Fight for Affordability - which includes healthcare, childcare, education, and housing.Fight to stop Gun Violence - there are other actions we can take. 30 years of trying has yielded few results. We must repeal the Tiarht Amendments. We must go after and engage the Gun & Ammunition manufacturers directly. namethemtoshamethem.comFight to bring filmmaking back to LA. I will help the creative working class of our district and LA to navigate the perils of global competition, consolidating markets, and AI.

At the federal level, we must pass tax incentives that stack with local and state incentives - which together will make LA financially competitive with other states and countries.

Then, with my bullhorn as a Congressman, I will work closely with state and local leaders, like Stay In LA, to help facilitate more changes that happen at the state and local levels.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As a father of 2 children, stopping gun violence has become a passion. I am doing everything in my power to make sure we don't become another ignored statistic.

As a renter, I am acutely aware of all cost of living issues. This is an issue staring us all in the face, and I am excited to enact policies which will immediately bring relief.

And while it may not be the most attractive issue, I believe Publicly Financed Elections are vital to a fair and transparent democracy. Overturning Citizens United is a great start, but changing our system of elections will allow all citizens to run for office, and greatly remove the influence of outside money.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

John Lewis was a great politician because he continued his activist philosophy inside of Congress. He never stopped fighting for the people, literally with the people, even if it led to his arrest. He understood being a Congressman provides an outsized voice, and he used it to mobilize the people for leverage.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A newly elected officer must understand these are not unique times for our democracy. We must be willing to stick our neck out and speak truth, whether or not our party leadership or polling will like it. We must do the right thing, without hesitation.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Climate crisis, healthcare, housing, AI

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Compromise is a common feature of a well running democracy. It is not mandatory, but it is not binary.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Citizens Impeachment, Courage For Democracy

Note: Lava submitted the above survey responses to [the profile publisher] on April 7, 2026.

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March 10 submission

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m Joel Lava — a lifelong Democrat, activist, father, and union member.

I’ve been organizing in the streets:

Protests. Community actions. Spreading the word and turning frustration into collective action. That’s mobilization.

Our country has been turned upside down, and too many leaders have gone missing.

We need Impeachment. Accountability. Consequences.

And a Congress that fights.

Income inequality has soared, while affordable housing has become as unreachable as a livable climate. Our economy and jobs are being steered by 8 tech billionaires with a God Complex!

We live in a country besieged by gun violence, that also fails to provide affordable health care to all its people.

Here’s the truth:

We already have workable solutions. What’s missing isn’t policy. It’s courage.

It simply requires leaders willing to stand on principle and not focus groups.

TAKE A STAND, AND TAKE THE PUNCHES!

Leaders who harness the power of their constituents and mobilize for change.

I’ve been doing that work on the ground.

Now I’m bringing it to Congress.

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?

Fight like our country depends on it. Impeach Trump. Hold all lawbreakers accountable.Gun Violence - there is a way to get at this. 30 years of trying has yielded few results. We must go after and engage the Gun & Ammo manufacturers directly. namethemtoshamethem.comFight to bring filmmaking back to LA. Help the creative working class of our district and LA to navigate the perils of global competition, consolidating markets, and AI.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Publicly Financed Elections, Housing, Ending Gun Violence

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Citizens Impeachment, Courage For Democracy