Steve Pierson For Assembly

Steve Pierson is an organizer and entertainment professional running for California State Assembly District 44. Steve will bring people together to pursue a more equitable future for all Californians.

Steve Pierson for Assembly

Born

raised

married

Children

party

education

“We really can shape our Democracy if we have the will to take action!”

<h2>Steve Pierson has seen the power of people coming together to create change.</h2><img src="https://media.designedtorun.com/e0b06b43-7609-47d6-8322-8c3059fe1013/IMG_4284-gigapixel-standard-scale-2_00x_edited---runcbt::0,cbl::239,cbw::204.23046875,cbh::284.96484375,d::1676055481825,o::https:--slash----slash--media.designedtorun.com--slash--e0b06b43-7609-47d6-8322-8c3059fe1013--slash--1676055480970-IMG_4284-gigapixel-standard-scale-2_00x_edited-.jpgrun--.jpg" alt="" title="right-50" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="right" variant="framed" align="right">Growing up, he learned about public service from his father, who served as Special Counsel to President Lyndon B. Johnson and helped implement the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Great Society programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.Steve consoled his daughter the night of the 2016 election and wondered where we go from here. The experience ignited him into action, and he started organizing for change. As the Southern California Field Director and National Training Manager for Swing Left, Steve spent the next 6 years using his skills as an organizer and his background in entertainment to help engage citizens to support Democratic campaigns up and down the ballot. He was elected to represent the San Fernando Valley as a California Democratic Party delegate and leads the statewide organizing committee.<h3>Steve’s advocacy is rooted in his struggles and triumphs.</h3>As a young man, he struggled with substance use, which caused him to drop out of college and enter rehab. He finished school, earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts at Chapman University, and started pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.He rented a $700 a month, studio apartment and strung along paychecks from waiting tables, catering, temp jobs, and playing in blues-rock bands. He started working as an actor in the late 90’s and soon moved behind-the-camera composing and mixing sound. Steve built his career as a sound engineer and mixer for film, television, podcasts, and advertising, and owned and operated a boutique Post Production sound studio in Hollywood.Steve and his wife, Melinda McGraw, earned their SAG-AFTRA union cards, and their membership earned them the resources they needed to buy a home and create a family. His wife went into labor 3 and a half months early, and their daughter was born weighing just a pound and a half. The health care she needed was intensive, around the clock, and expensive. The health insurance they had through their union prevented their family from experiencing tragedy and a lifetime of medical debt. Because of support from her medical team and the regional center in her early years, their daughter is a healthy and thriving young woman.<h3><img src="https://media.designedtorun.com/e0b06b43-7609-47d6-8322-8c3059fe1013/FullSizeRender-gigapixel-standard-scale-2_00x_edited---runcbt::0,cbl::224.9375,cbw::253.125,cbh::300,d::1676060261993,o::https:--slash----slash--media.designedtorun.com--slash--e0b06b43-7609-47d6-8322-8c3059fe1013--slash--1676060257864-FullSizeRender-gigapixel-standard-scale-2_00x_edited-.jpgrun--.jpg" alt="" title="left-50" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed" align="left">Steve knows the opportunities he was afforded are too few in California today.</h3>He believes that no matter your income, race, or gender identity, every person deserves to thrive in California. That’s why he organizes, and that’s why he seeks to serve the community he’s lived in for almost 30 years. As our Assemblymember, he’ll fight for a thriving entertainment industry with on-location opportunities in California. He’ll work to pass CalCare – California’s Medicare for All Plan — so no family faces a financial crisis because of a medical emergency. He’ll take climate action so future generations can inhabit a healthy planet. He understands the spiral substance use causes and is committed to helping others recover. He’ll lock arms with Mayor Karen Bass and regional leaders to urgently address our homelessness crisis and ensure those seeking treatment get the support they need.Steve lives in Valley Village with his wife Melinda, daughter Lucy and rescue dog Jasmine. He spends his free time hiking with his family, bike riding, playing guitar, and shopping for vinyl at local record shops in the Valley and Burbank.

No matter where you come from, what's in your wallet, or who you love, everyone deserves to thrive. Too many of our families are struggling, and too many communities are overlooked. California must lead the way with progressive policies that put people first.

Our Campaign’s Top Issues

Our district is home to thousands who work in the entertainment industry and more who depend on its success. Production jobs support our families and are fundamental to our LA economy. I am committed to pursuing stronger incentives to stop runaway production and as a SAG-AFTRA member I will always put our union workers first, and fight to keep our jobs here in LA where they belong!

Write a short blurb about an issue your campaign is highlighting. Try to keep the text a similar size between the various issue blurbs.

Entertainment Jobs

Climate Change is the single most important issue facing humanity today. It is an existential crisis that hits our poorest and marginalized neighbors the hardest. We must act aggressively and act now to protect our planet and our future. I support a Green New Deal for an equitable transition to clean energy sources that creates and supports union jobs.

Environment

We must address homelessness with urgency and compassion when so many are struggling. We need more temporary, affordable and permanent supportive housing, and end street encampments. We need to invest in mental health and substance use treatment, job training and employment services. We also need to prevent homelessness by supporting renters and making homeownership more affordable and attainable.

 Housing and Homelessness

Health care is a human right and what's in your wallet shouldn't determine the care you receive. Too many families in our community are one illness away from financial ruin. Medicare for All is the solution. I’ll pass CalCare and champion increased health care funding, including to address the epidemic of opioid addiction and increase mental health services for all members of our community.

Health Care

A quality fully funded education from Pre-K through college should be a right for all . While Republicans are banning books, banning curriculum, and engaging in culture wars that are putting our kids at risk, we need to be leaders in education. That means funding our under-resourced schools, and giving teachers the pay, benefits, and training they need to succeed. I will always put kids first.

Education

Our communities are coping with structural racism in our institutions and the rise of hate and we must protect those that are under attack. I started organizing alongside LGBTQIA+, Black, Latinx, AAPI, Jewish, and Armenian activists, and I continue to support their work in solidarity with all of our shared and unique goals. I will always work to protect our freedoms and fight back against hate

Equity and Inclusion

Gun deaths are the leading cause of death for children! How is this acceptable in any society? While we have some of the strongest gun laws in the country, it is not enough. We must do everything we can to keep our communities safe, and California must lead. I have worked alongside Mom’s Demand, Giffords, March for Our Lives and others, and I will champion gun safety legislation that saves lives!

Gun Safety

We must do a better job of supporting our communities from within and providing resources for early intervention, mental health and social support. I support evidence based policing and criminal justice reforms that reduce crime, invests in rehabilitation and anti-recidivism, and addresses our communities needs with compassion and efficacy.

Criminal Justice

Headline here

Support our campaign and meet up with other members of the persistence!

Campaign Events

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

firstName

lastName

phoneNumber

zipOrPostalCode

email

Virtual Event to Support Steve

Hosted by: Bryan Tyler Cohen, Allison Gil, Jenifer Fernandez Ancona and Jessica CravenVia Zoom

Meet and Greet in La Crescenta

Steve Pierson for CA Assembly AD44

CALIFORNIA NURSES

Party

Introduce the bullets below with a short blurb.

A Lifetime of Accomplishments

Item 1

Item 2

We’re grateful for your donations!

This is a grassroots people powered campaign and we can’t do it without you! We win when we all get involved and this campaign belongs to all of us.
So sign up now to volunteer with us and join the persistence!

First Name

Last Name

Email

Phone Number

Zip Code

spacer

heading

Host a coffee

Make phone calls

Knock on doors

Write postcards

Sign me up for email updates

Get Involved

You can contact us at: <a target="_blank" href="https://campaign@piersonforca.com">campaign@piersonforca.com</a> through this form. We want to hear from you!

textarea

We’ll respond ASAP!

Dolores Huerta, Civil Rights and Labor Icon

Barbara Boxer, Former US Senator

Christy Smith, Former Assemblymember

Emiliana Guereca, Founder - Women’s March LA

Kipp Mueller, CA State Senate Candidate

Ed Begley Jr., Actor / Environmental Activist

Jason Berlin, Founder - Field Team 6

Santiago Mayer, Founder - Voters Of Tomorrow

Susie Shannon, DNC and SEIU 2015

Garry Shay, DNC Member

Derek Devermont, DNC Member

Aaron McCall, CA Environmental Voters

Sion Roy, Santa Monica College Trustee

Sarah Jakle, Founder - Democra-She

Gina Belafonte, Founder - Sankofa

Lindsay Imber, President - Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council

Suzanne Lewis, Valley Village Neighborhood Council

Dorothy Apple, Valley Village Neighborhood Council

Daryl Baskin, Valley Village Neighborhood Council

James Askew, VP - NoHo Neighborhood Council

Andrew Taban, Chair - Santa Clarita Valley Democrats

Cindy Kalman, VP - Valley Grassroots for Democracy

Michelle Finocchi, Co-Founder &amp; CMO - Swing Left

Ethan Todras-Whitehill, Co-Founder - Swing Left

Scott Forman, Founder - Vote Forward

Naomi Goldman, CA Dem Party Delegate

Becky Hartman Edwards, Civic Sundays

Rebecca Ninburg, Swing Left Los Feliz

Tamara Melzer Levenson, ED - Grassroots Dem HQ

Melissa Grant, President - Grassroots Dem HQ

Brian Colker, CFO - Grassroots Dem HQ

Susan Sheu, CA Dem Party Delegate

Carolyn Chriss, Founder - East Valley Indivisible

Suju Vijayan, Co-Leader - East Valley Indivisible

Tiffany Countryman, CA Dem Party Delegate / Indivisible AV

Michelle Manire Fowle, CA Dem Party Delegate / Northridge Indivisible

Colleen Toumayan, CA Dem Party Delegate / Northridge Indivisible

Torie Osborn, Progressive Activist

Sandra Cordero, ED - Women's Democracy Lab

Jane Wishon, Chair - Westside Democrats HQ

Cheryl Auger, President -&nbsp;Ban SUP

Jessica Craven, CA Dem Party Delegate and Activist

Steven Roy Martin, CA Dem Party Delegate

Domi Pituro, CA Dem Party Delegate

Chad Kampbell, CA Dem Party Delegate

Andrew Truman Kim, Chair - Innovation &amp; Sustainability PAC

Michael Swords, Board Member - Climate Resolve

Jennifer Fernandez Ancona, Founder - Way to Win

Sarah Ellenberg, Co-ED LAW Project of LA

John Casselberry, Trustee - Stanislaus Union School District

Carmen Chang, Commissioner - El Pueblo de Los Angeles

Wayne Liebman, Founder - SoCal Blue

Michele Reed, SEIU Local 2015 Organizer

*Titles are for identification purposes

Individuals

Women’s March Los Angeles

Ban SUP (Ban Single Use Plastics)

Organizations

<h2>Taking Action for California</h2>
Since 2016, we’ve been organizing together and building the Blue Wave. We built the resistance and now we are the Persistence!
I am running for Assembly because everyone, no matter their background, should have the same access to the opportunities I did. We must act now to create a future where good jobs, stable housing, universal health care, and a clean environment are available to all California’s children.
We need to fight for the values we hold dear. Let’s ensure California continues to be a state where we protect reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ equality, gender equity, and racial justice.
The Persistence is coming to Sacramento!

“As Democrats, we’ve built strong coalitions with our great diverse communities, and I’ve been so proud to work with all of you as we powered the blue wave.”

I’ll take action to create a future where everyone thrives.

Fighting for Our Progressive Values

Since 2016, we’ve been organizing together and building the Blue Wave. We built the resistance and now we are the Persistence! I’m running to represent my community in the California State Assembly because everyone, no matter their background, should have the same access to opportunities that I did. We must act now to create a future where good jobs, stable housing, universal health care and a clean environment are available to all Californians.

Assembly District 44 includes North Glendale, Montrose, La Crescenta, Sunland-Tujunga, Shadow Hills, North Hollywood, Burbank, Toluca Lake, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, and Valley Village.

California Assembly District 44

There’s a lot of excitement and buzz about our campaign! Here’s the latest news and Steve’s latest interviews.

Latest Campaign Developments

On his weekly podcast, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.howwewinpod.com">“How We Win”</a> Steve Pierson talks about what we can all do to make an impact on our Democracy. He interviews politicians, organizers and activists, promotes weekly action items, and shares reasons for hope.

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has b

How We Win

On the popular progressive news podcast <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily-beans/id1473747182?i=1000598972525">“The Daily Beans”</a> Steve Pierson joins host Allison Gill to announce his campaign for CA State Assembly.

Campaign Launches on “The Daily Beans” Podcast

Steve Pierson joins <a target="_blank" href="https://freespeech.org/show/63eadd16587bfc0001673d3a/category/?per_page=100&amp;category=The+Stephanie+Miller+Show">“The Stephanie Miller Show”</a> on Progress XM Radio to talk about our campaign for Assembly and his priorities in the legislature.

The Stephanie Miller Show

Steve Pierson joins the podcast, <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-me-up-steve-pierson-ca-state-assembly-candidate/id1160491947?i=1000600052397">“Start Me Up with Kimberly Johnson”,</a> to talk about how he decided to run for office and why his entertainment industry background gives him unique skills to be successful in Sacramento. text here.

Steve Pierson joins the podcast, <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-me-up-steve-pierson-ca-state-assembly-candidate/id1160491947?i=1000600052397">“Start Me Up with Kimberly Johnson”,</a> to talk about how he decided to run for office and why his entertainment industry background gives him unique skills to be successful in Sacramento.

Start Me Up with Kimberly Johnson

Steve Pierson joins, <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-lie-with-brian-tyler-cohen/id1515399733?i=1000600387982">“No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen”</a><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-lie-with-brian-tyler-cohen/id1515399733?i=1000600387982"> </a>to talk about our campaign and how being a political podcast host himself has informed his approach to the issues that matter most.

No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen

Steve Pierson joins the Voice of Labor, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIn4Z_OZMJU">“The Rick Smith Show”</a> to talk about his Union background and the importance of supporting the Labor movement all over the country.