Mark Anthony Paredes – Healthcare Advocate (BIO)

Mark Anthony currently serves as Central Committee Member for the Democratic Party representing the 72^nd Assembly District.   He has been a long-time healthcare advocate helping promote access to healthcare services for the underserved communities.  He has built a strong relationship with non-profit groups throughout the state to help bring needed resources to the community.   Mark Anthony also served proudly as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Garden Grove championing safe streets and responsible growth in the city.  Currently, he serves on multiple non-profit boards in the community that Include the Heritage Museum of Orange County and the Boys and Girls Club of Garden Grove.  He is an appointed committee member on the Orange County Transportation Authority Citizen Advisory Board. 

Kathia is a Labor Organizer for the United Domestic Workers of America, AFSCME Local 3930 based in Orange County that represents homecare providers helping run the strategic labor campaigns to support, uplift and empower home care workers.  Kathia was the former Communications Coordinator for the Orange County Labor Federation where she worked on various campaigns in local, state and national elections.  She was instrumental in turning Orange County Blue during the 2018 elections for the four congressional districts helping develop the strategic plan for Labor.   She also serves as the President for the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – Orange County Chapter where she is involved in voter registration and educating the community about Census 2020.   Kathia serves on the Executive Board of the Coalition Labor Union Women of Orange County. 

I am a Pragmatic Progressive.  I am proud of the work that Orange County Democrats have done to change the character of the political landscape in our county.  I will not risk those accomplishments.  I will work diligently to bring diverse grass roots voices to the fore and help elect more Democrats to public offices throughout the county.

I am originally from Vermont but went to college at The North Carolina School of the Arts after which I spent over a decade in New York City performing in off-bway and regional theater and becoming a really great waitress.  However, my life took a very different turn when my older daughter went nearly died from one taste of peanuts when she suffered a cardiact arrest.  In the two decades since that day I founded a support group for parents of kids with a lifethreatening food allergy which is now an international group with 13,000 members. I advocated for both parents and children long before there were laws in place to protect them at school.  I was diagnosed in the late 1990's with Primary Sjogren's Syndrome, which can be quite dibiliating.  I manage several online groups and communities and try to work as an actor or  writer when possible and I love teaching theater.  I believe the arts must be in schools from Kindergarten on up as it fosters creativity, compassion and self-confidence all of which are vital to teach our next generation in order for them to be creative, compassionate and resilient.  I live in Westminster with my husband, a journalist, our three rescue cats and rescue 70 pound Sulcata tortoise.  Our youngest daughter is a freshman at LBCC and my older daughter is a film major at Berkeley.  

I have always been a Democrat.  I grew up in a progressive community in Southern Vermont where I saw our community come together to respect our environment and tolerate each other's differences in harmony.  In the 1990's mother worked on Bernie Sanders campaign for the Senate.  In 1991 I spent my 30th birthday in Washington D.C. protesting the first Gulf Way in front of a White House with the first Bush in it.  

As an adult I worked in the theater and volunteerd in politics and came to see that they both serve the same purpose; which is to educate, illuminate and shed a needed spotlight onto lives and situations impacted by governmental and societal policies which are not always fair, inclusive and healthy and can be quite toxic and painful.   I feel we are here to illuminate issues and problems via  to raise awareness for things not always easily seen or understood.  I believe our life's work is to leave the place nicer than we found it, which, tragically, is increasingly harder to do.

I want my children and all the children that come after to know and love this beautiful world as I did.  I feel we are responsible for all those without a voice at the table. Including people from all walks of life, and animals and plants. This beautiful planet deserves our love and respect and I hope I can make a positive difference here before I die and that I inspire others to also caretake the world for all those without a voice, as well.

Healthcare is a human right and we are in a climate emergency. It is crucial that we have elected officials in positions that represent the will of the people; that will fight for everyday people. That's me and I hope to have your support.

I am the Chair of Feel the Bern Democratic Club Orange County, a Climate Reality Leader, a founder of the Green New Deal SoCal Coalition, and an organizer for Our Revolution OC. I am inspired by my community and appreciate being able to walk the walk when it comes to many of the progressive ideals I value.

I am a Berniecrat. I believe that we need a political revolution to transform the political landscape so that elected officials represent the people and not special interest. The only way we are going to do that is by joining together to support candidates that have the political courage to stand up for what is right.

I am the founder/director of a political organization that recruits and trains progressive democratic women to run for local elected office in Orange County, to work with local campaigns and to train activists. The focus of the organization is Women of Color and women living in underserved communities.

The results of the November 2016 election forever changed not only the country but the Democratic party. Today there are hundreds of thousands more people directly involved in the political process than ever before in the history of this country, knocking on doors, making phone calls and participating in campaigns up and down the ballot. More women and young people have become part of the process. What worked in the past to get people elected to office is not working today. We are holding our elected representatives accountable. It is critical for the Democratic Party to listen, really listen to the new voices who are now dedicating their lives to the process. Without them the party will not survive. The Change Makers who have evolved over the last 3 years are becoming the Decision Makers. I strongly believe this to be the future for Democrats.