Episode 56: Pasadena City Councilmember for District 1 Tyron Hampton joins the podcast for an engaging conversation about his experiences as a fifth-generation Pasadena resident, small business owner, and elected official.

Councilmember Hampton shares personal stories about his background, offering listeners a glimpse into his deep-rooted connections with the city. He recounts his upbringing, schooling, and loyalty to his alma mater, John Muir High School. He discusses his mentors and significant influences, notably his father, and how these figures shaped his commitment to community and civic engagement. Councilmember Hampton shares insights from his time in public service, beginning with the Pasadena Unified School District Board and leading to his eventual role on the Pasadena City Council.

The conversation delves into Pasadena’s sense of community, touching on the city’s challenges and Councilmember Hampton’s efforts to address them, such as reducing bureaucracy for small businesses, improving infrastructure, and tackling housing affordability and homelessness. Councilmember Hampton emphasizes the significance of maintaining Pasadena’s interconnectedness and small-town feel while navigating national and international issues that impact local governance.

Episode 36: Councilmember-Elect Jason Lyon joins the show to discuss his life in public service and how he went from growing up in North Carolina and wanting to make documentary films to pursuing a law career in California.

Since moving to Pasadena with his family, Jason has served on several critically important city commissions and boards, including the Historic Preservation and Planning Commissions and the Board of Zoning Appeals. These experiences, along with his non-profit work, provided Jason with invaluable knowledge and reinforced his passion for public service. In June of 2022, Jason was elected to the Pasadena City Council for District 7 and will take office in December. Jason shares why he choose to run for public office, his views on creating a unified city, his priorities on the City Council, and we close our conversation with his perfect day in District 7.

Councilmember Jessica Rivas joins the show to talk about growing up in a family of public servants, her early legal career, and why her family was drawn to Pasadena.

In February of 2021, Councilmember Rivas was appointed to the City Council to fill the vacant seat of now Mayor Victor Gordo. While having only been on the Council for a little over a year, she has a long record of public service. Councilmember Rivas was on Pasadena’s Commission on the Status of Women and the Northwest Commission all the while working as Deputy County Counsel with Los Angeles County and serving our country with the US Army Reserve.

In this thoughtful discussion, Councilmember Rivas shares her vision of serving the greater good, some of the critical issues facing Pasadena, running for public office, and several of her favorite places to visit in District 5.

Brandon Lamar joins the podcast for a great conversation about youth engagement, serving the community and his decision to run for Pasadena City Council.

We also talk about the most important issues impacting his neighborhood, his service as Chair of Pasadena’s Human Relations Commission and his vision for one Pasadena.

For more information and to support Brandon, please visit him at www.BrandonforPasadena.com or www.bdlamar.org and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.