ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE — Decades of work with local and national organizations mean I have the commitment to tackle the issues that cut our life expectancy by years.

HOUSING and HOMELESSNESS — Decades of work on affordable housing and homeless shelters means I have the commitment and expertise to address housing and homelessness.

REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY — Decades of advocacy on civil and human rights means I have the tools to address rising crime and ineffective policing because clearly our system isn’t working.

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY — Cofounder of People of Long Beach & Long Beach Reform Coalition demonstrates a commitment to transparency and accountability.

GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN — committed to representing ONLY the residents of my district and my city. Not funded by corporations, oil companies, luxury housing developers, or the police.

About Carlos

From the Press Release by Carlos Ovalle’s campaign:

Long Beach, CA – Carlos Ovalle, a long-time resident of the Wrigley neighborhood, is moving forward with his challenge to well-funded incumbent Roberto Uranga.

Ovalle is a first-generation immigrant from Guatemala. His parents settled in western Long Beach in the early 1970s, and he has remained in the city ever since. “I am committed to this community, I am staying to fight for all of us,” he said.

Well-known for his decades of advocacy on environmental issues, Ovalle is focused on the effects of the industrial pollution emerging from the port and the refineries along the 710. “Our lifespans on this side of Long Beach are about 10 years shorter than the eastern side,” he said.

Ovalle has a strong history with environmental organizations. He is a founding member of the Riverpark Coalition, which advocates for more parks and open space in western Long Beach. “West Long Beach residents deserve the joy and health that comes with more green space,” he said.

Another key priority for Ovalle is the housing crisis. As an architect, his focus since the late 1970s has been affordable housing, including homeless shelters, and affordable housing. “We have the resources, but now we need the political willpower,” he said.

He has also shown a commitment to the principles of open, responsive government. He is a founding member of People of Long Beach and the Long Beach Reform Coalition, which advocates for transparency and accountability in local government.

Ovalle is committed to supporting the most vulnerable. During the height of the pandemic, he used his skills to invent and produce 1,000 free masks and face shields for The Children’s Clinic, Clinica Romero, Chinatown Service Center, and the Navajo Nation.

He notes with pride that his campaign is not funded by any corporations, oil companies, luxury housing developers, or police associations. “I am of, by, and for the people,” he said.

Ovalle and his wife have raised three children: an engineer, a teacher, and an accountant. “Every Long Beach family deserves a government that can help all of our children to thrive,” he said.