Jan Goodman

Jan Goodman’s radical roots set the stage for a lifetime of activism. She is an indispensable part of LA’s Left. When Jan was 5, her Jewish mother married Oneil Cannon, the first Black Person to integrate the

Printers Union. Becoming part of an activist bi-racial household in Watts, Jan became “aware of race” & “looking at the world through both insider & outsider lenses, noting racism as few other white folks do.”

Jan became part of the Angela Davis Defense Committee, various antiwar and civil rights organizations, and was heavily involved with the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

She earned her law degree at UC Berkeley in 1975 & served as San Bernardino’s Legal Aid Society Executive Director, then co-founded LA’s Working Peoples Law Center & the Paul

Robeson Community Center.

Other leadership roles include in the National Lawyers Guild-NLG & Americans for Democratic Action-ADA.

In the courtroom, she primarily represented little people vs insurance companies.

Jan married Jerry Manpearl, in Havana, during an NLG Cuba trip. Together they bought their house in Santa Monica & immediately opened it to countless events to benefit & highlight progressive causes, starting the week they moved in. They moved in on a Wednesday--their first fundraiser took place on Sunday for Tom Hayden. This was an auspicious start for what has been a cavalcade of lefty luminaries & convocation of progressive tribes for more than two decades. 

Jan’s parties with purpose have featured or supported: Mayor Karen Bass, Gore Vidal, U.S. Reps Dennis Kucinich & Maxine Waters, Ed Asner, Helen Caldicott; Martin Sheen & Amy Goodman, Juan Gonzales & Greg Palast & in Dec. 2022--U.S. Reps Cori Bush, Sydney Kamlager & Jimmy Gomez, with Hon. Nina Turner & Hon. Ben Allen. Socially-conscious entertainers such as Paula Poundstone, Lili Haydn & Jackson Browne have been part of the programs.

Jan’s current Pro Bono effort is Saving Pacifica Radio & KPFK.

The names of the organizations and causes she’s supported and often been part of, include a political alphabet soup: of ADA, PDA, SMRR, PSR, CaPA, PNHP, SMDem Club, WLADems, KPFK, The Progressive Magazine, etc.

Jan walks the talk by being a non-stop volunteer; organizer, making calls; walking to support many important causes.

Contact—JanGoodman.Dem@gmail.com

Jan is part of the PROGRESSIVE SLATE-please vote for her & her teammates.