Q & A with the L.A. District Attorney Candidates

Dear those at SACNAS,

My name is Yuki Hebner, and I am a Molecular Biology Ph.D. student. I am writing on behalf of the Science Policy Group at UCLA to invite your club to participate in an event next Wednesday (February 12 at 6 pm)! We are hosting two candidates for the Los Angeles District Attorney race for a Question and Answer session with the UCLA students, faculty, and staff.

This event is an incredible opportunity to meet and converse with the upcoming leader of the nation’s largest prosecutorial agency, and this race has been dubbed “America’s next most important election” by the Los Angeles Times: (https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2019-10-21/lacey-gascon-district-attorney-election).

The Los Angeles District Attorney holds tremendous power to seek diversion and rehabilitation practices in lieu of incarceration, and set an example for progressive prison reform across the nation. Every crime charged (or not charged) in L.A. is determined by the D.A.’s office, and the principles of the District Attorney dictate justice for:

• Victims of racially motivated mass incarceration
• Victims of sexual violence
• Incarcerated children
• Immigrants facing deportation by conviction  
• The homeless demographic
• Those in need of treatment for mental illnesses
• Corporate exploitation of the environment
• Accountability of law enforcement officials
• etc

If you would prefer to hear John Legend or John Oliver convince you of the importance of the D.A.’s role and that person’s implication for justice, here are some resources :)
John Legend: https://meetyourda.org/
John Oliver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET_b78GSBUs

​Please pass on this message to your fellow group members, and communicate to me whether you are interested in asking a question to the D.A. candidates on behalf of your club and its interests! The flyer for the event is attached below.

Sincerely,
Yuki Hebner