This event is part of the Luskin Lecture Series and co-hosted by the UCLA Voting Rights Project.
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Check-in and
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Lecture and Panel
RSVP required for admittance. Admission is free, but registration is required for each attendee.
Description
Former California Attorney General and Secretary of HHS, Xavier Becerra will deliver remarks about protecting and expanding democracy in 2025. In particular, Becerra will discuss what is at stake for Californians ahead of the Prop. 50 vote on temporary new district boundaries and compare and contrast to other efforts in Texas, Missouri, Florida and more. Beyond democracy, Becerra will outline his views on the importance of expanding access to quality health care, protecting immigrant rights, and more. Following the keynote address Becerra will be joined by Chad Dunn (School of Law and Luskin Public Affairs) who is currently leading a lawsuit against Texas redistricting on behalf of Black and Latino plaintiffs in Texas, and Dr. Natalie Masuoka (Political Science and Asian American Studies) an expert in redistricting and voting behavior to discuss the importance of voting rights and representation for Americans of all backgrounds. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Matt Barreto (Political Science and Chicana/o Studies) who is Faculty Director of the UCLA Voting Rights Project.
About the Lecturer
Xavier Becerra was born in Sacramento, California to immigrant parents, and was the first in his family to graduate from a university and become a lawyer. He started his career as a legal advocate for individuals with mental illness, then served 12 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives where he championed key healthcare reforms, including the Affordable Care Act, lowered Medicare costs for seniors, and protected Americans’ Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) from painful cuts.
In 2017, Congressman Becerra became California’s Attorney General, where he led efforts to protect Californians’ privacy and consumer rights and hold large corporations and the opioid industry accountable. He defended both the Affordable Care Act and the DACA program for Dreamers all the way to the Supreme Court and won.
In 2021, AG Becerra became the 25th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he oversaw the operations of Medicare, the ACA, Medicaid, the FDA, CDC, and NIH. As HHS Secretary, Xavier Becerra was in charge of a budget twice as large as the Department of Defense. Under his leadership, America achieved the highest level of healthcare coverage in history — with more than 300 million Americans possessing their own health insurance. He successfully led the first ever negotiations to lower prescription drug prices that pharmaceutical companies charge millions of Medicare beneficiaries, reducing prices up to 80%. And he successfully executed the Biden Administration’s campaign to end the COVID pandemic.
Xavier is married to Dr. Carolina Reyes, a maternal fetal medicine specialist and professor of medicine at UC Davis Medical Center. Together they have ushered into adulthood three accomplished daughters, Clarisa, Olivia and Natalia.
Moderator
- Dr. Matt Barreto, Professor of Political Science & Chicano Studies and UCLA Luskin School Faculty Director of UCLA Voting Rights Project.
Panelists
- Xavier Becerra, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and former CA Attorney General
- Chad Dunn, Director of Litigation, UCLA Voting Rights Project
- Dr. Natalie Masuoka, Professor of Political Science & Asian American Studies, UCLA
Public Transportation
- Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
- Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines – “Big Blue Bus”
- Culver City Municipal Bus Lines
- LADOT Commuter Express
- Antelope Valley Transit Authority
- Santa Clarita Transit
- Metrolink (Commuter Trains)
- LAX Transportation Services
Map, Direction & Parking
Direction: From the 405 freeway, exit on Wilshire Boulevard East. Turn left on Westwood. Proceed north onto the UCLA campus.
Parking: The nearest parking lots to the venue are Parking Structure 8, and Parking Structure 9. You may purchase a parking permit through the Bruin ePermit system and at self-service pay stations. An all day pass currently costs $16 per vehicle and $5 per vehicles with handicapped placard.
For more information, please visit UCLA Parking Rates and Fees.
The UCLA Luskin Lecture Series enhances public discourse on topics relevant to the betterment of society. The Series features renowned public intellectuals, bringing together scholars as well as national and local leaders to address society’s most pressing problems. Lectures encourage interactive, lively discourse across traditional divides between the worlds of research, policy and practice. The Series demonstrates UCLA Luskin’s commitment to encouraging innovative breakthroughs and creative solutions to formidable public policy challenges.
Photo Release: By attending this event, you will be entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur. With your presence, you authorize UCLA Luskin and its licensees to photograph you, make sound and/or video recordings of you, and use the recordings for marketing, publicity and promotion of this event and UCLA Luskin generally. Please click on the link for the full UCLA Luskin Notice of Filming Release.
Attendance by a public official will constitute acceptance of a reportable gift.
The Luskin School of Public Affairs at UCLA acknowledges the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles basin and So. Channel Islands). As a land grant institution, we pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders) and ‘Eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and emerging.
