In 2020, during the early stages of the pandemic, Mariela Salgado organized volunteers to deliver more than 23,000 individually packaged, fresh meals to seniors and neighbors. She has led efforts to ensure our most vulnerable, including our children, are our highest priority. Over the past few years, Mariela has worked to change the administration and add enrichment programs for students at one of the worst performing schools in our district. She has a proven record of leadership and public service. 

Mariela Salgado started her career by working for a community-based non-profit organization. She developed and managed business assistance programs to help small businesses. In this capacity, she implemented new initiatives and increased consultative services for local businesses and entrepreneurs by 150%.  In 2012, she earned her Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance at Pepperdine’s Graziadio School of Business. She went on to lead nationwide projects and programs for a Fortune 500 company. 

Today, Salgado runs her family-operated floor care company serving Long Beach. As a small business owner, she understands the importance of serving the community. She currently serves as Vice Chair of Parks & Recreation Commission. She is a Signal Hill Chamber of Commerce Member, Long Beach Unified School District School Site Representative, Long Beach Education Connection coalition stakeholder, Long Beach Early Childhood Education committee member, Scouts of America leader and school site volunteer. 

In 2011, Salgado was also awarded a Certificate of Recognition for her non-profit work by Los Angeles Councilmember Tony Cardenas. Her business has been awarded Best of Long Beach and Best Small Business 2018. Her floor care company has been nationally recognized and awarded in 2020 for its Community Impact and recently awarded 2021 Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite. U.S. Congressman Alan Lowenthal, State Senator Ricardo Lara, Mayor Robert Garcia, and Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez have recognized her business for its service and commitment to Long Beach. Her broad network and experience provide a unique perspective to move Long Beach forward.  Mariela Salgado is an independent leader who is focused on stabilization and recovery in a post-pandemic economy.

Mariela Salgado was born in Mexico and raised in a Mexican immigrant enclave in Los Angeles. She grew up in a working-class family – her father was a machinist and her mother worked as a hotel housekeeper. Her parents understood that a quality education would help secure a better future for their children. 

After spending three years applying to magnet programs in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Salgado was accepted to one of the district’s best and most affluent schools. Her life changed forever. She saw the stark inequities between zip codes and learned first-hand the differences in health outcomes and economic opportunities. Today, we see the same problems in our council district.

After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Management, Salgado earned her Master of Business Administration degree. She runs her family business with her husband Isaac.  They live in Willmore’s historic neighborhood where they are raising their two daughters. 

Her parents now reside in Long Beach.  After twenty years of service, her father lost her job after the company relocated out of state and found it difficult to compete in new job market.  After a lengthy search he was able to join California State Long Beach – one of Long Beach biggest employers – and is now a proud CSUEU member. 

However, her mother and dad – like many seniors – struggle to maintain a household with a fixed income and rising costs. Due to Salgado’s personal experiences and those of her family, she has developed a deep understanding of the challenges facing working families in District 1. She is firmly committed to the basics – examine where our dollars are being spent and how they are benefitting residents in their everyday challenges. 

Steven Estrada’s personal story is a testament to the resilience and strength commonly found among working class people across the world.  As the oldest of 6, raised by a single mother, Steven experienced first hand the crippling effects of capitalism on working families. Due to increasing rent costs and decreasing wages, Steven’s family (like many in Southern California) often found themselves housing insecure and increasingly reliant on shrinking public assistance programs like food stamps. Their economic troubles unfortunately worsened when Steven’s mother was sentenced to a stint in federal prison. At an extremely young age, it was clear that Steven would need to develop as a role model and leader for his siblings if they were to break from this cycle of poverty.

Despite those early obstacles to success, Steven would go on to graduate from high school with honors and was admitted to San Diego State University, the first in his family to attend college. However, like many in the US, he found that a college education in California is extremely unaffordable and was forced to withdraw from classes. Yet never one to accept failure, he enlisted in the US army as a way of paying for education. During this enlistment in the Army, he rose to the level of Sergeant, qualified as a paratrooper and deployed twice to the Middle East. While he was proud to serve alongside his fellow soldiers, it was this experience that enlightened him to the exploitative nature of US imperialism, a system that manipulates American youth from poor working class families to fight wars that profit only the wealthy. 

Now, Steven, a father, veteran, Long Beach State graduate and community organizer seeks to use his newfound skills and experiences to build worker power. Since moving to Long Beach in 2018 he has helped found the development of mutual aid networks that feed the homeless population in Long Beach, has aided in the organization of anti-war protests and been a vocal critic against police violence. As the representative of District 1 in City Council, Steven Estrada believes it is only through the organization and unity of working people that we can solve poverty, inaffordable housing and make Long Beach home again.

istrict 1 needs leadership with a bold vision for change. For too long, the City of Long Beach has served the interest of big business, who rake in millions while our working-class communities go largely ignored. As a community leader, I advocate for everyday working people and families by demanding police accountability, housing security and poverty eradication. My candidacy means lower rents, it means free public transportation, it means an end to the violent crime plaguing our neighborhoods, it means job creation, clean air, community health and family wealth.  It won’t be easy, it will take hard work and organization but a new future is possible, so long as we put people before profit because it is people who make the city run.

We believe that all should have a guaranteed right to housing, to healthcare and high quality job. A vote for me isnt a vote for me at all. It is a vote for your families, your community, your neighbors. it is a vote for you.

Lee Richmond Charley is a 48-year-old openly gay, US Navy Veteran who has a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Tennessee Technological University and two-year Paralegal Degree from Louisiana State University.  Mr. Charley began working at the age of 16 bagging groceries, dishwashing, housekeeping, managing the front desk at numerous Hotels, server, bartender, General Manager, Corporate Task Force even owning his own Restaurant. Mr. Charley has always been a leader and active volunteer for numerous non-profits, political campaigns and organizations spanning over 30 years.

Lee R. Charley has a lot of energy, passion, determination and a can-do spirit. Mr. Charley’s life experiences have him prepared to lead Long Beach at the next District One City Councilman. He has seen first-hand the rise in crime, lack of parking yet fees increase, increase in homelessness, and need for more businesses in Downtown. Mr. Charley will not be a rubber-stamp rather a solution based elected official who listens and responds to his constituents.  Charley has been a “present and active” Community Leader which has him ready to bring a new and exciting voice who will represent everyone in his District.

Lee R Charley political philosophy is that  Governemnet and/or elected officials are there to represent them. A great City Council person knows and understands their constituents. A great City Council person has a can do attitude. A great City Council person should have empathy and a skill set thatbest reflects their Distrcit. A City council person must have great negoitiating skills to four other councilmembers to pass your legislation. Long Beach is non-partisian, so you must understands both sides of the political spectrum. I think politicains say anything to get elected and then never follow though withthe promises that got them elected. I was formerly chronically homeless and know what needs to be to lead our State. I belive a Politician should be active and tries their best everyday. I am running my campaign as I will lead District One in Long Beach.