Local leaders back Manacmul for DUSD board

DOWNEY — Downey Unified school board Trustee Joseph “Joe” Manacmul announced endorsements from county and state officials, all five Downey City Council members and district employee organizations Tuesday ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Manacmul, who represents Trustee Area 7, said his supporters include Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, state Sen. Bob Archuleta and Assemblywoman Blanca Pacheco.

His campaign also announced endorsements from Mayor Claudia Frometa and council members Dorothy Pemberton, Hector Sosa, Horacio Ortiz and Mario Trujillo, along with former Downey mayors Kirk Cartozian, Mario Guerra and Fernando Vasquez.

On the school board, Manacmul listed support from fellow trustees Linda Salomon-Saldana, Giggy Perez-Saab, Tyrone Conde, Mark Morris and Nancy Swenson.

The Downey Education Association and CSEA Units 1 and 2 also endorsed him, according to the announcement.

“When people who don't always agree on everything still show up for the same thing, that tells you where this community really stands,” Manacmul said.

A lifelong Downey resident, Manacmul attended Ward Elementary, South Middle and Downey High schools. He graduated from UCLA and earned a master’s degree in public policy from Pepperdine University, focusing on state and local governance.

His community work has included helping build Stay Arts, a nonprofit that offered arts and public programming, according to his campaign. He and his wife, a Downey educator, are raising their children in the district.