As LBREPORT.com reported in February 2019, Ms. Saro, served as a field representative for immediate-past state Senator Ricardo Lara. Her online bio indicates she was born in Thailand refugee camp, is the daughter of parents who fled the Cambodian genocide, resettled in Los Angeles and later moved to Long Beach. Her bio states in pertinent part:

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[Suely Saro campaign Facebook text] Suely grew up in low socio-economic neighborhoods and in a community where many suffered from the effects of war and genocide such as post-traumatic stress disorder and resettlement challenges such a language and cultural barriers. Through passion, drive, and persistence Suely fought her way through the public school system to be placed in academic programs that led her on a pathway to college and a future of organizing and advocacy. Suely graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a bachelor’s degree in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology. She earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from California State University, Long Beach and a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D) in Organizational Leadership from the University of La Verne.

Suely has been dedicated to fighting for equity for working families, youth, immigrants, and women. She began her career as a labor organizer working alongside janitors and healthcare workers in their fight for fair wages and better working conditions. She went on to become the first Cambodian American Executive Director of Khmer Girls in Action developing the leadership skills of young women and men to improve their school and community. Subsequently, she joined the Health Access Project at Asians Americans Advancing Justice Los Angeles to provide education, build coalitions, and conduct advocacy on the Affordable Care Act...

Ms. Saro has endorsed 1st dist. LB Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez to advance to the state Senate and is endorsed by Charles Song, an active political presence in LB's Cambodian-American community.

Sponsor

Sponsor

Ms. Saro will face 6th dist. Council incumbent/Vice Mayor Dee Andrews, first elected in a March 2007 special election to fill a Council vacancy created when Laura Richardson was elected to Sacramento. In mid-July 2018, Councilmembers chose Andrews as their Vice Mayor, and in May 2019, he announced he'll seek re-election in March 2020. Andrews was most recently re-elected with a 2016 write-in but his name will appear on the March 2020 ballot as a result of LB voter approval (Nov. 2018) of Charter Amendment BBB, which included a provision not counting write-in terms or special election terms among three allowed terms. Andrews' re-election bid has been endorsed by LB's Police and Firefighter unions, Council incumbents Austin, Mungo, Price and Supernaw and former Mayor Foster among others.

Sponsor

Sponsor

Our conversation with Ms. Saro, recorded May 21, began by seeking specifics on what she'd change and how she'd change it and discussed her priorities. By way of context, as of May 21, LB had twelve shooting crime scenes (includes fatal, non-fatal and no-persons-hit) since May 7, the most recent on May 20 (a day before our phone conversation) when someone shot at a woman driving on MLK Ave. near 11th St. in the 6th Council district. Since then, LB has had (as of June 2) six more shooting crime scenes, including a fatal shooting in the 2300 block of Elm Ave. on May 30 in the 6th Council district.

To hear our conversation with Ms. Saro, click here.

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