Mitch O'Farrell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mitch O'Farrell
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O'Farrell in 2014
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| President of the Los Angeles City Council | |
| Acting October 10, 2022 – October 18, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Nury Martinez |
| Succeeded by | Paul Krekorian |
| President pro tempore of the Los Angeles City Council | |
| In office October 1, 2021 – October 25, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Joe Buscaino |
| Succeeded by | Curren Price |
| Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 13th district |
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| In office July 1, 2013 – December 12, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Eric Garcetti |
| Succeeded by | Hugo Soto-Martinez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1960 (age 64–65) Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
Mitch O'Farrell (born 1960) is an American politician. He was a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 2013 to 2022, representing the 13th district. For a brief time in 2022, he also served as the Acting President of the City Council.
O'Farrell is a member of the Democratic Party. He made history as the first Native American elected to the Los Angeles City Council. He was also one of its two openly gay members during his time in office.
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Early Life and Background
Mitch O'Farrell was born in Oklahoma in 1960. He grew up in a farming community near Oklahoma City. His mother worked as an administrative assistant, and his father was a truck driver.
O'Farrell is a member of the Wyandotte Nation, a Native American tribe. His election to the Los Angeles City Council was a historic moment for Native American representation in the city's government.
Career Before Politics
In 1982, O'Farrell moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the arts. For many years, he worked as a professional dancer and actor. He has lived in the Glassell Park neighborhood since 1992.
O'Farrell became very active in his community. He was elected president of the Glassell Park Improvement Association. He also helped start the Glassell Park Neighborhood Council. He volunteered for many local groups, including Project Angel Food and the Santa Cecilia Orchestra.
In 2002, he began working for Eric Garcetti, who was a City Council member at the time. O'Farrell worked in Garcetti's office for ten years in several roles, eventually becoming a senior advisor.
Los Angeles City Council (2013–2022)
O'Farrell served on the Los Angeles City Council for nearly a decade. The City Council is a group of elected officials who make laws and decisions for the city of Los Angeles.
Elections
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How He Was Elected
In 2013, O'Farrell ran for the City Council seat that his boss, Eric Garcetti, was leaving. He won the election and began his first term.
In 2017, he ran for reelection and won again, this time with a large majority of the votes. Mayor Eric Garcetti supported his campaign.
The 2022 Election
In 2022, O'Farrell ran for a third term but lost the election to a new candidate, Hugo Soto-Martinez.
During this election season, O'Farrell briefly became the Acting President of the City Council. This happened after the previous president, Nury Martinez, resigned during a major city government controversy. O'Farrell held the position for eight days until a new president was chosen.
Important Work and Controversies
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As a council member, O'Farrell worked on many different issues.
Supporting Indigenous Culture
As the first Native American on the council, O'Farrell was a strong supporter of indigenous issues. He led the effort to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day as an official holiday in Los Angeles. This change honors the history and culture of Native Americans.
Housing and Homelessness
O'Farrell supported building more housing in the city, especially affordable housing for people with lower incomes. During his time in office, thousands of new affordable homes were built in his district.
However, his approach to homelessness was sometimes controversial. He led an effort to clear a large camp of unhoused people from Echo Park Lake. The park was then closed for repairs and new security fences were installed.
His office stated that the people living in the park would be moved into permanent housing. But critics said that not enough was done to help them. Reports later showed that only a small number of the people from the park ended up in permanent homes, and many others faced continued hardship.
Animal Rights
O'Farrell also focused on improving animal rights. He helped pass a law that banned the use of coyote snare traps in Los Angeles. He has called this one of his proudest accomplishments.
Personal Life
O'Farrell is openly gay. He lived in the Glassell Park neighborhood of Los Angeles with his partner, George Brauckman. After his term on the City Council ended, he moved back to Oklahoma.
