Thread by @mikebonin

Today I announced I've decided not to seek reelection to the LA City Council.

This is a difficult, deeply personal decision, and I’ve wrestled with it for several days, but I’m confident it is the right choice for the right reasons. (thread)

I've struggled for years with depression. It's a constant companion, and often a heavy one.

There are times when this job has made that easier, and times when it has made it more challenging.

Instead of seeking another term, it's time for me to focus on health and wellness.

It is hard for me to speak publicly about mental health, but I’ve always been forthcoming about my addiction and recovery, and about my struggles with housing insecurity. I want to be honest here, too.

I believe that sharing about our fragility is how we build common strength.

This position allows me to make positive, progressive change. It is a great privilege.

But in the past few years, the job has forced me to focus much more of my time and energy on battling the negative instead of creating the positive.

I need to reverse that dynamic.

To those who are disappointed by my decision, I am sorry.

It is very difficult to walk away from a third term, and the work we have been doing together, but I need to listen to my heart. This is the best decision for me and my family.

It’s not the end of my fight for a better LA, just a pivot point.

When my term ends, I'll find new ways to make a difference. I'll stay focused on homelessness, racial & economic justice and the climate crisis.

There are too many things wrong to not fight to make them right.

During the remainder of my term, I'm not going to mellow out or shut up.

I’ll keep fighting for low-wage workers, renters, seniors, students, bus riders, and the unhoused – who are being demonized and scapegoated by politicians, media figures and some in our neighborhoods.

I am going to keep fighting for the housing and services we know end homelessness.

I am going to keep fighting against the false promise that pushing people from neighborhood to neighborhood will somehow end homelessness or make any of us safer.

There's still a lot of work to do on the City Council in the next 10 months, and I look forward to doing it with you.

And after that, I look forward to what comes next. I hope it will be something we can do together, to make Los Angeles better.

THANK YOU to each of you who has voted for me, endorsed me, donated, volunteered or supported me. I am grateful to you.

Thank you to everyone who has partnered with me, and everyone who has pushed me to do better. I have learned and grown from you.

My full video message making the announcement is here: