LA Forward is incredibly proud to be honoring Dr. Loraine Lundquist, EAA Union, and Cofax, all of whom are important collaborators in our work to fight for democracy locally and transform Los Angeles County into a fair, flourishing place for everyone.
Spring Into Action supports LA Forward’s work to build people power, practice democracy, and create a fair, flourishing Los Angeles for everyone.
Foundations don’t offer funding to do the type of political accountability work LA Forward carries out, which means your support is essential. Unrestricted funding from event sponsorship makes our work possible.
Join us for a celebratory afternoon of food, drinks, and time to connect with members of the LA Forward community and progressive leaders from across Los Angeles. We’ll be gathering in a beautiful backyard in Hancock Park.
HONOREES
Dr. Loraine Lundquist
Dr. Loraine Lundquist is an educator, scientist, and mom. She has served on the board of LA forward for five years and is in her third year as board chair.
She got her early career start as an astrophysicist who helped launch a solar research satellite into orbit. Concern about growing climate disruption led her towards climate and clean energy advocacy — which led inevitably into policy and politics.
She has served as a Faculty Associate at the Institute for Sustainability at Cal State Northridge, a board consultant for LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell at the Air Quality Management District, and she was a candidate for LA City Council in 2020. She also enjoys making activism an integral part of family life with her husband and three children.
EAA Union
EAA is a member-led labor union formed in 1894, which represents over 6,000 public sector professionals across more than 40 departments in the City of Los Angeles. EAA members are essential to the daily operations of City government. They plan and manage funding for affordable housing and street infrastructure, oversee the electrification of the city’s vehicle fleet, manage transit systems and community arts programs, and more.
In 2020, members elected a new Board on a platform of greater member engagement, transparency, and accountability in union governance. With strong support from its membership, the Board repositioned EAA to challenge the political status quo and became a leading voice in supporting progressive candidates committed to equity, accountability, and effective governance. Through its political engagement and partnerships with organizations such as LA Forward, EAA has helped build a growing progressive movement on the Los Angeles City Council, strengthening a labor-civic alliance dedicated to making Los Angeles more affordable, livable, sustainable, inclusive, and resilient.
Cofax Coffee
Cofax Coffee was opened in 2014 with the humble purpose of giving our customers & employees at Golden State a convenient place to get excellent coffee. But then they needed breakfast, so they launched their now iconic breakfast burrito, famed for its slow-smoked potatoes from their sister restaurant, Bludso's Bar & Que. Offerings eventually expanded to include donuts, pastries, horchata lattes, and hand-made matcha.
But Cofax’s delicious food isn’t the reason we’ve chosen to honor them. First, we’re proud that Cofax co-owner Nick Starr and his spouse, Alejandra Ponce de León, are long-time LA Forward members, going all the way back to 2018. And equally, important, we’re impressed and grateful for way that Cofax has stood up for social justice and building progressive political power time and time again. From donating food in support of Movement Voter Project to uplifting the vital work of so many local advocacy groups like Inclusive Action for the City, Cofax has been second to none.
