Lloyd Monserratt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lloyd Monserratt
|
|
|---|---|
Lloyd Monserratt circa 1999
|
|
| Born | December 2, 1966 |
| Died | January 9, 2003 (aged 36) |
| Education | BA, UCLA |
| Employer | Los Angeles City Council |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Partner(s) | Michelle Ramos |
Lloyd Monserratt (December 2, 1966 – January 9, 2003) was an American activist who helped many people get involved in politics. He was known for training future Latino politicians as a director at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. While studying at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), he was elected student council president. This led to a big campus event that made national news. At the time of his death, Monserratt was a top assistant for Los Angeles City Councilmember Nick Pacheco.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Lloyd Monserratt was born in Los Angeles, California. He was the oldest son of Carlos and Olga Monserratt, who came from Ecuador. His father, an architect, named him after the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Lloyd graduated with honors from Saint Francis High School in La Cañada. He was also an Eagle Scout, which is the highest rank in Boy Scouts.
Student Leadership at UCLA
During his time at UCLA, Lloyd Monserratt was very active in student government. He was part of the Undergraduate Student Association Council (USAC). In 1988, he led a group of minority students called the Third World Coalition. This group ran against candidates from the Greek system (fraternities and sororities). Lloyd was elected president of USAC.
Election Controversy
After the election, Lloyd was told he couldn't hold office. This was because of a disagreement about his school qualifications. Before the election, the student Election Board had checked and approved all candidates, saying they met the school rules. But days after Lloyd won, other USAC members who supported his opponents voted to change the rules. They applied new rules that made Lloyd ineligible. Many people felt this was unfair and went against student democracy. They believed it was a way to stop him from taking office after he won the vote.
The Third World Coalition tried to suggest a new candidate after Lloyd was declared ineligible. However, this was not allowed by the USAC. So, the election to replace Lloyd was between two other candidates, with one of them eventually winning.
Protests and Racial Tensions
Some students thought the decision to disqualify Lloyd was racially motivated. About 200 students, mostly from minority groups, marched to the polling places. They held a strong rally to protest Lloyd's disqualification. A large protest happened when students from Lloyd's group spoke out against the decision. The election results were challenged through the school's appeal system, but Lloyd's disqualification was upheld.
Lloyd said he didn't support the violence that happened during the protests. He explained that the event was a way for students to show their frustration about racial problems at the university. He felt the university wasn't doing enough to have more diverse teachers, programs, and staff.
California State Senator Art Torres also spoke about the issue. He said UCLA's leaders were partly to blame because they didn't make minority students feel welcome. He believed the election problems were just a spark for bigger racial tensions already present. Senator Torres held a meeting in 1988 to discuss these tensions and the university's plans to fix them.
Legacy at UCLA
Two years later, after a change in student government, Lloyd Monserratt's election victory was officially recognized. Even though he never served as president, he is remembered as one of the few Latino undergraduate presidents in UCLA's history. His picture is now displayed in the student body president's office alongside other elected presidents.
Political Career
Lloyd Monserratt used the political organizing skills he learned at UCLA to work on many political campaigns in California. He trained future Latino politicians as the Director of Constituent Services for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. He was known as a skilled campaign manager.
House minority leader Richard Gephardt once asked Lloyd to help with several close congressional elections in California and Nevada. With Lloyd's help, all six of the Democratic candidates won. Lloyd preferred to work behind the scenes, supporting and influencing candidates and important issues. He also worked on the Texas Senate campaign for Victor Morales. Even though Morales lost, his campaign was a big moment for the Hispanic community. Lloyd said the campaign "rejuvenated the community, paving the way for future candidates."
After helping Vickie Castro win a seat on the Los Angeles Board of Education in 1993, Lloyd became her chief of staff. He was very involved in local Los Angeles politics. He advised many candidates running for office, including Art Chacon, Lucia Rivera, Jocelyn Yap, Janice Hahn, and Xavier Becerra when he ran for mayor. In 1999, Lloyd successfully managed the Los Angeles City Council campaign for Nick Pacheco.
In 2001, while working on the campaign for Ed Reyes for a city council seat, Lloyd was involved in a campaign issue. His team was running phone calls for Xavier Becerra's mayoral campaign. During these calls, a recording was played that sounded like Gloria Molina speaking negatively about mayoral candidate Antonio Villaraigosa. This action caused problems for everyone involved.
Community Action
Lloyd Monserratt strongly believed in taking direct action to help his community. He was known for working very hard as a community builder. While working for LAUSD Board Member Vicki Castro, he created the Parents Institute. He also helped create Los Angeles' "Bulky Item drop off centers," which made it easier for people to get rid of large trash items. He once said, "I believe in public service. It helps ground my principles and organize how I live my life."
He had already become a legend, at the age of 36, throughout the greater Eastside of the city of Los Angeles and throughout the Latino community statewide," said Council President Alex Padilla. "I don't think he had an equal."
David Hoffman, who was USAC president during the 1988 election and a close friend of Lloyd, said, "He was a tremendous leader and motivator of people." When Hispanic students were criticized for waving Mexican flags during demonstrations in Los Angeles in 1994, Lloyd responded by saying it was "a symbolic clinging to self-pride."
Death
Lloyd Monserratt was working as chief of staff for Los Angeles City Councilmember Nick Pacheco when he passed away on January 9, 2003, at the age of 36. His death was a shock to many in California Democratic political circles. His fiancée stated that he died after an elective surgery.
Memorials
- El Sereno Branch Library (in memory of Lloyd Monserratt)
- Lloyd Monserratt Pleasant House, Jovenes, Inc. - Providing emergency shelter to homeless, immigrant youth.
- Lloyd Monserratt Young Leaders Memorial Fund
See also
- List of notable UCLA alumni
- List of notable Eagle Scouts
