Melissa Goodman

My name is Melissa Goodman and I’m running for Assembly District 51 Delegate on the Progressive Slate, because I want California to make even greater strides to protect rights and expand equity, wellbeing, and economic security for all Californians. In the face of the  devastation our district and city have experienced, I also want to make sure we recover intelligently and equitably, address the climate crisis in all the ways we can, and keep Los Angeles strong and healthy. 

I am a civil rights lawyer, a working single mom to a public school 5th grader, a renter, and LGBTQ person who has lived in Santa Monica since 2012. I have devoted my professional life to social justice. I currently direct a nationwide think tank and research center on  reproductive health, law, and policy at UCLA. I have served as the Advocacy and Legal  Director of the ACLU of Southern California where I led the organization’s 60 attorneys, policy advocates, organizers, and support staff in Los Angeles, Riverside, Santa Ana, and Bakersfield doing regional, statewide, and national civil rights and civil liberties work in the  areas of economic justice, criminal legal system and policing change, education equity, voting rights, free expression rights, LGBTQ rights, gender equity, and reproductive justice. Before that, for a decade I led lawsuits, policy, and ballot measure campaigns for the ACLU  in California and New York on reproductive rights, transgender rights, marriage equality,  paid sick and family leave, and to reduce mass incarceration and address inhumane prison and jail conditions. 

I have also served my community in various ways. I have served as member and then Vice Chair of the Santa Monica Commission on the Status of Women. I have served as VP of Programs for the Santa Monica Democratic Club, and as a Steering Committee member of  Community for Excellent Public Schools. I have also been an active volunteer in my son’s elementary school and parent community. 

I’m committed to systemic change and bold policy and narrative change solutions that actually improve the lives of every Californian. I’d be honored to have your vote to serve the AD51 community.