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NATIONAL- Civil rights activist and journalist Ashlee Marie Preston announced her bid to run for district 54 of the California state assembly on December 30 after the resignation of Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas.
Preston plans on taking her activism to the next level by fighting for those who need it the most as an assemblywoman.
Many people became familiar with Preston when she confronted and criticized trans celebrity Caitlyn Jenner at Trans Chorus of Los Angeles event in August for supporting President Donald Trump.
Jenner has been a longtime Republican whose support for Trump was not surprising but she quickly backtracked when his administration rescinded legislation protecting transgender kids using public school restrooms and issued a trans ban in the armed forces. The heated moment was captured on video and seen 530,000 times. Preston’s criticism echoed the sentiments of other Jenner critics who view her as a powerful person who could be a strong voice for the trans community but has squandered that by cuddling up to Republicans.
If she wins the seat, she will be the voice Jenner could not be. She will represent Century City, Westwood and a number of other Los Angeles neighborhoods, according to HuffPost.
“As someone directly impacted by the issues that often diminish the quality of life, I have an acute understanding of which policies must be put into play in order to move progress forward for the constituents of the 54th district and beyond. I believe in prioritizing people over politics,” Preston, who previously served as the editor-in-chief of Wear Your Voice magazine, said in a press release cited by The Advocate. “We are more than poll percentage points; we are real people with real stories.”
The new platform will also give her the chance to fight against rampant police brutality and stand up for the rights of trans people and immigrants looking for hope in America.
