The Signal Tribune emailed 10 identical questions to both District 7 candidates Vivian Malauulu, Dameon Gordon and Jamies Shuford and gave them one week to respond. We did not receive a response from District 7 candidate Shuford at the time of publication.
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These responses are copied verbatim from candidate Malauulu.
1. What issues do you think are most important in your district, and how do you plan to address those issues?
The biggest issues facing District 7 are public safety, homelessness, housing affordability, environmental justice, and quality of life in West Long Beach and Wrigley. Residents want clean neighborhoods, safer streets, responsive city services, and opportunities for working families to succeed.
I have spent years serving this community as an educator, union leader, trustee, and neighborhood advocate. I understand the concerns because I hear them directly from residents while walking neighborhoods, attending community meetings, and talking with families and small business owners.
My approach is practical and collaborative. We need stronger partnerships between residents, schools, labor, small businesses, neighborhood associations, and city government. We must improve public safety while also addressing root causes like housing instability, mental health challenges, and economic hardship.
District 7 deserves investment that residents can actually see and feel, including cleaner streets, stronger infrastructure, youth programs, workforce development, parks, and environmental improvements.
2. Would you rezone any areas of your district? If so, in what way?
I would support rezoning in my district if that is what the majority of the community most closely impacted by the decision want. Rezoning decisions should be handled carefully, transparently, and with meaningful community input. Every neighborhood in District 7 is different, and residents deserve a strong voice in decisions that affect traffic, housing, environmental impacts, parking, infrastructure, and neighborhood character.
I support balanced development that creates housing opportunities while protecting the quality of life of existing residents. I am especially interested in smart mixed use and transit-oriented development that supports local businesses and reduces congestion.
At the same time, I do not support projects that ignore infrastructure limitations or dismiss legitimate community concerns. Too often, West Long Beach residents feel decisions are made without enough consideration for the people who actually live there.
My priority will always be protecting the character and livability of District 7 while planning responsibly for the future. Growth should benefit the community, not happen at the community’s expense.
3. Residents in your district suffer from some of the worst air quality in the city. What would you do to improve air quality or lessen those health impacts?
West Long Beach families live near freeways, rail lines, warehouses, refineries, and port related operations. Residents should not have to sacrifice their health because of where they live.
I support stronger air quality monitoring, more urban greening, tree planting, cleaner transportation initiatives, and policies that reduce harmful emissions from freight movement and industrial activity. We also need stronger partnerships between the City, Port of Long Beach, AQMD, schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations to address long term health impacts.
As someone who has worked closely with labor and industry for years, I believe we can pursue cleaner technologies while protecting good paying jobs. We should not force working families to choose between economic opportunity and public health.
District 7 has carried a disproportionate environmental burden for decades. Residents deserve leadership that will continue pushing aggressively for cleaner air, healthier neighborhoods, and environmental justice.
4. Considering District 7 is one of two districts in which the voting age population is more than 39% Latino, how will you ensure those voters feel safe and heard, specifically with the increased aggression of ICE agents against Latinos?
As an immigrant from Honduras who arrived here with my mother when I was seven years old, public schools, community support, and opportunity shaped my life in ways I will never forget.
District 7 is home to hardworking Latino, immigrant, and multilingual families who contribute enormously to LB. Every resident deserves to feel safe accessing schools, parks, healthcare, and city services without fear.
I am a founding member of the LB Latino Cultural Center steering committee and have long supported organizations and efforts that uplift immigrant families. I also led the effort to name the LBCC Performing Arts Center after Westside icon Jenni Rivera, whose story continues to inspire so many families in our community.
I support Safe Passage programs and partnerships where neighbors, educators, faith leaders, and organizations work together to protect vulnerable families. Representation, visibility, and respect matter, and District 7 deserves leadership that understands and values our community.
5. Long Beach’s Black population has been slowly dwindling over the years, losing an essential part of its history and identity. What are some ways you would approach this issue?
The decline of Long Beach’s Black population is closely tied to affordability, displacement, and lack of economic opportunity. Preserving Black history, culture, and community requires intentional investment and long-term commitment.
This issue is personal to me. My stepfather was Black and played a pivotal role in my upbringing, shaping my values, work ethic, and understanding of community. I was raised in a multicultural household that taught me the importance of respect, representation, and opportunity for all people.
Throughout my public service career, I have worked to uplift African American leaders and contributions, especially in Westside and Wrigley. At Long Beach City College, I proudly led the effort to rename the library after longtime Wrigley resident and educator Bobbie Smith.
We also need stronger investment in Black owned businesses, affordable housing, youth programs, and economic opportunities so families can continue building their lives and futures in District 7.
6. West Long Beach also has very little green space for its residents. What are some ways you would address this issue?
Access to parks and green space is a quality-of-life issue and a public health issue. West Long Beach has been underserved for too long, and District 7 residents deserve more trees, recreational spaces, and family friendly amenities.
I support increased investment in neighborhood parks, tree canopy expansion, community gardens, and creative ways to activate underutilized spaces. I also believe future development projects should include meaningful community benefits and green space improvements whenever possible.
Children and families in West Long Beach deserve the same opportunities to enjoy healthy outdoor spaces as residents in other parts of the city. Green space should not be treated as an afterthought.
As someone who has spent decades raising four student-athletes, working in education, and serving the community, I understand how important safe outdoor spaces are for families, seniors, and young people. District 7 deserves cleaner, greener, healthier neighborhoods.
7. Long standing equestrian communities that have called your district home for decades have voiced concerns about development impeding their way of life. Would you be in favor of developing in areas near these communities and their trails, or would you enact protections for those communities?
I strongly support protecting the equestrian community and trail systems in District 7. These neighborhoods are a unique and irreplaceable part of LB history and culture.
I have advocated for these communities for years and believe any development near these areas must carefully consider trail access, traffic, environmental impacts, and neighborhood character. The horse trails stretching through parts of Wrigley and North Long Beach are part of our city’s ranchero history and should be preserved.
When I was a journalism professor at LBCC, I led the effort to produce a documentary about the last ranchero program in partnership with our geography and film departments. That project helped bring attention to the importance of preserving this history and contributed to conversations that later helped shape the Wrigley Greenbelt project.
We can support responsible growth while also protecting the traditions, open space, and quality of life that residents have worked hard to preserve.
8. The 3701 Pacific Place project has been a contentious situation between environmental groups and a city council that has continuously approved development on this green space that was once promised to West Long Beach residents. Where do you stand on the 3701 Pacific Place project?
I am strongly opposed to the 3701 Pacific Place project. That property was promised to West Long Beach residents as green space, and I do not believe the City should walk away from that commitment.
District 7 already has some of the least green space in Long Beach while carrying a significant environmental burden from nearby industrial activity, freight movement, and freeways. Residents deserve more investment in parks and open space, not less.
I also believe additional environmental remediation should occur on that site before any future use is considered. Families in West Long Beach have dealt with environmental inequities for generations, and residents are tired of feeling like developers are prioritized over neighborhoods.
That land should be preserved and developed in a way that truly benefits the community. West Long Beach residents deserve green space, recreation, and environmental improvements that improve quality of life for future generations.
9. The Westside Promise was launched in 2023 as a 10 year community investment project. Do you think the City has done a substantial job of improving the quality of life in West Long Beach? Additionally, what aspects of the promise do you intend to address over this next term?
When the Westside Promise was introduced, I thought it was an important step because West Long Beach residents have long felt overlooked. However, I do not believe progress has moved quickly enough or deeply enough to create the level of change residents want to see.
I know this because I spend time in the community every day listening to residents, walking neighborhoods, and talking with families and small businesses. Many concerns have existed for decades.
The areas I would focus on most are environmental justice, air quality, green space, infrastructure improvements, public safety, youth investment, and stronger support for small businesses.
District 7 residents deserve visible and measurable improvements, not just promises. I want residents to actually feel the difference in their neighborhoods through cleaner streets, safer parks, healthier environments, and stronger economic opportunities for local families.
10. The Equity and Human Rights Commission has recommended the City adopt a Civil and Human Rights Investment Screening Policy. Do you support the adoption and implementation of this policy?
I support policies that promote equity, civil rights, transparency, and accountability in how public funds are invested and managed. Residents deserve confidence that city investments align with Long Beach values and do not contribute to discrimination or human rights abuses.
At the same time, any policy adopted by the City should be carefully reviewed to ensure it is legally sound, clearly defined, enforceable, and implemented fairly.
Throughout my career in education, labor, and public service, I have worked to advocate for fairness, inclusion, and opportunity for working families and underserved communities. Those values will continue guiding my decision making on the City Council.
District 7 is one of the most diverse and hardworking communities in Long Beach. Residents deserve leadership that listens carefully, treats people with dignity, and approaches policy decisions thoughtfully and responsibly.
