Thousands of people gathered at Woodrow Wilson High School in East Los Angeles to hear Bernie Sanders, one of the leading Democratic candidates for the 2020 presidency, speak.
LA-based punk funk band Ozomatli opened for the rally. Ozomatli has advocated for causes such as immigration reform and inclusiveness within their music and via community organizing.
Sanders and his wife, Jane O'Meara Sanders, walk to the stage. The two visited East Los Angeles as part of a three-day campaign tour through California.
The senator from Vermont holds a large support base among younger voters. He is the only candidate of any party to have the support of a majority of voters under the age of 34, according to a Monmouth University poll.
A supporter holding a Green New Deal placard takes a photograph of Sanders onstage. Sanders is a staunch supporter of the Green New Deal, a comprehensive socioenvironmental reform package proposed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey.
Sanders spoke about California-specific issues, such as rent affordability and the propagation of wildfires because of climate change. He told the crowd that one of his campaign goals is to transform the energy system away from the fossil fuel industry to more sustainable energy sources.
A sign language interpreter signs Sanders’ speech to the audience.
A two-year-old rides on top of her father Eric Beard’s shoulders to get a better view of the rally. The child's mother, Sayra Moran, and Beard both voted for Sanders in 2016, and the family traveled from Westwood to support him again for his 2020 run.
United Teachers Los Angeles Elementary Vice President Gloria Martinez speaks on the union’s endorsement of Sanders on Thursday. UTLA is the first educators’ union in the country to endorse a candidate for the primary election.
Attendees cheer as Sanders addresses the gender wage gap in his speech, championing the phrase, ‘’Equal pay for equal work.’’
Supporters of Sanders hold up signs that say ‘’Unidos con Bernie’’ in the predominantly Latino East LA community. ‘’Unidos con Bernie’’ events are held nationally as part of the Sanders campaign’s dedicated Latino outreach.
Sanders crosses the buffer surrounding the stage to speak with the attendees of the rally.
Sanders interacted with members of the crowd after his speech, shaking hands and taking selfies.