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EAPD - Cheered by dozens of supporters, Ceci Domínguez stepped forward confidently Saturday afternoon, Dec. 6, in Highland Park to accept the highest honor of the East Area Progressive Democrats (EAPD), the Heart and Soul Award.
Among those applauding Dominguez, a longtime Eastside and Northeast L.A. activist for environmental justice, public health, and affordable housing, was her fellow honoree and former L.A. school board president Jackie Goldberg.
When Dominguez noted in her heartfelt acceptance speech that her path to leadership in the Democratic Party and many victorious campaigns started as “just a volunteer,” Goldberg affectionately challenged Dominguez. “Don’t say ‘just.’”
Dominguez lost her spouse of more than 30 years, Reymundo, a bicyclist, in 2012 to respiratory disease, likely attributable to air pollutants that burden their Elysian Valley neighborhood. Her son, a scientist who shares his father’s name, attended the award ceremony and cheered for his mom.
The EAPD award fittingly pays tribute to Dominguez for “leading by example to protect the environment, fight bullying and intimidation, and bring democracy to life.” Dominguez has joined in efforts in her neighborhood to challenge bullying and abusive behavior by the chair of the local Neighborhood Council.
In November, unprofessional behavior and repeated rule violations by that Council Member escalated to a vile public threat against another Council Member, award-winning public high-school teacher Dr. Dave Metz. The flagrant act of intimidation and the resulting public outcry over the pattern of abuse by the Council Member were so serious that the City of L.A. suspended the offending Council chair indefinitely amid further investigation.
Dominguez and Goldberg are among more than 100 signers of an open letter to L.A. City condemning such bullying as a misuse of the role of Neighborhood Council Member and oddly reminiscent of the thuggery and intimidation tactics used by ICE in its assault on L.A. residents and communities since June 2025.
“Lashing out at ANYONE for serving their community,” such as Dr. Metz in his role as an Eastside teacher and volunteer local Council Member, “has more in common with ICE than with basic decency and respect for democracy.”
As Dominguez was receiving her Heart & Soul Award, residents of her neighborhood were becoming aware of the latest act of vandalism in Elysian Valley. The glass that encases the community message board used by the local Neighborhood Council at the corner of Newell and Blake streets had been shattered by a rock-thrower, probably overnight on Friday.
This attack may be aimed at intimidating the Neighborhood Council from further action to hold accountable the suspended member for violations of the Code of Conduct that all Council Members are duty-bound to follow. If so, it is likely to backfire, just like previous bullying. With Dominguez as a role model of courage, such intimidation only served to showcase wrongdoing and bring out the best in community stakeholders, determined to defeat and overcome it.
(Hans Johnson is a longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, environmental justice, and public education. His columns have appeared in USA Today and leading newspapers across more than 20 states. Based in Eagle Rock, he serves as president of East Area Progressive Democrats (EAPD), California’s largest grassroots Democratic club with over 1,100 members. Hans brings decades of organizing and policy experience to his work, advancing equity and accountability in local and national politics.)
