Activist Brandon Lamar Announces Plans to Run For City Council’s District 3 Seat

Brandon Lamar, chair of the city’s Human Relations Commission, turned to social media venues Tuesday to announce his plans to run for the City Council’s District 3 seat currently held by two-term Councilmember John Kennedy.

Along with his position with the Human Relations Commission, Lamar is also a board member with the nonprofit Pasadenans Organizing for Progress, an executive board member with the Pasadena NAACP, and a member of Leadership Pasadena and Black Los Angeles Young Democrats.

“So many people have been asking me, ‘When are you going to run?’ Well, today’s the day,” Lamar said Tuesday in a message posted on YouTube. “I feel there is no better time than now. I feel it is time for a new perspective, new ideas for our city.”

On Facebook, the Pasadena native wrote, “Officially announcing my run for Pasadena City Council District 3! I’m excited and engaging more in community efforts … and solutions to advance our district. We are bridging generational gaps.”

District 3, according to the city website, is an area in Northwest Pasadena bounded by the 210 Freeway, Colorado Boulevard, Lake Avenue, El Molino Avenue, Orange Grove Boulevard, Los Robles Avenue, Fair Oaks Avenue, Marengo Avenue, Mountain Street, Jackson Street, El Molino Avenue, Ladera Avenue, and Washington Boulevard.

The official nomination period for the June 7 election opens on Feb. 14.

Seats in Districts 5 and 7 will also be open to challenge. Lamar is the only person so far to express a desire to replace Kennedy.

District 5 Councilmember Jessica Rivas, who was chosen by the council to replace Victor Gordo after he was elected mayor, has said she will seek a full term, and District 7 Councilmember Andy Wilson has said he does not plan to run again.

Since his youth, Lamar has been involved in such programs as Pasadena Youth Ambassadors, the Pasadena Youth Council, the Pasadena Alpha Phi Alpha Mentoring Program, the Pasadena Vision 20/20 Initiative, and Day One Pasadena. He also assisted in starting the La Pintoresca Teen Center Program and the Pasadena Parks After Dark Program.

“I think it’s time to bridge the gap between the old and the new, to see new perspectives, new ideas, so we can bring new ideas into our district,” Lamar said on his YouTube post.

For more on Lamar, visit www.brandonforpasadena.com.