Bruins show political involvement in mayoral campaigns

For some students, this week’s runoff vote for the next mayor of Los Angeles is the culmination of months of eager phone banking and campaigning on and off the UCLA campus.

The L.A. mayoral elections will come to a climactic conclusion Tuesday in a hotly contested vote that will elect either Eric Garcetti or Wendy Greuel as the next mayor of L.A.

Both candidates have groups on campus, which are created and run by students dedicated to local politics and their respective candidates.

Aurelia Friedman, the founder of Bruins for Wendy, has been campaigning for Greuel since before she even started taking classes at UCLA.

The first-year political science and psychology student got to know the candidate’s positions and platforms while working for her local councilman while she was in high school in the Pacific Palisades.

Her work surveying local land, looking for potholes and areas where the streets could be improved, and doing small tasks around the office gave her a passion for local politics. Local support for Greuel influenced her decision to start campaigning for the mayoral race even while the national elections were overtaking the news.

“There was so much hype with the presidential election but your mayor matters even more, I think,” she said. “Mayors are the ones who can change things in your neighborhood.”

The leaders of the Bruins for Garcetti campaign got started after they finished campaigning for President Barack Obama in the national election.

For Eryk Waligora, the leader of Bruins for Garcetti and third-year history student, the itch for political activism did not go away after Obama was reelected last year. With the mayoral elections reaching their peak, getting involved felt like a natural step, he said.

Waligora spent time between classes organizing phone banks, attending rallies and making signs for the Garcetti campaign.

Another leader of Bruins for Garcetti, Chloe Corbin, also joined the campaign after working for Obama’s presidential campaign last year.

“You just learn so much about yourself and local politics (by campaigning),” said Corbin, a third-year Italian and special fields student. “It’s fun to be part of something bigger than yourself.”

While Friedman, Waligora and Corbin had different responsibilities in the different campaigns, all pointed to phone banking as one of their more memorable experiences.

“It is really exciting when you are on the phone with someone who is undecided, and you can explain to them the issues,” Corbin said.

But Friedman, who has been working on the Greuel campaign since last summer, said the best part of the experience was the sense of community it created with her fellow campaigners.

During the summer she helped set up the foundation for the campaign, seeking out endorsements and getting ready for the months of debates and rallies ahead.

“It was a lot like USAC elections,” said Friedman, who campaigned for Bruins United earlier this month. “Except your opponent isn’t on the other side of Bruin Walk.”

She said that her favorite part of the entire process was watching the first mayoral debate back in September.

“It was great being there with all of the other (campaigners) who cared so much,” she said. “It was when we knew that the real work was going to start.”

After Tuesday’s election results are announced, all three students said they plan to stay involved in the community.

“But right now, it is hard to think past Tuesday night,” Corbin said, laughing.