Protecting Democracy and the 2025 Redistricting Battles: A Conversation with Xavier Becerra Xavier Becerra and UCLA scholars warn that the fight for fair representation is far from over.

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As our country prepares for another election cycle, questions about representation and the integrity of American democracy continue to dominate public discourse. On October 28, the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs hosted “Protecting Democracy and the 2025 Redistricting Battles,” a Luskin Lecture co-sponsored by the UCLA Voting Rights Project. The event featured former California Attorney General and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, who delivered a keynote address on the challenges and opportunities in protecting democracy ahead of the next round of redistricting. 

Becerra was joined by Chad Dunn, director of litigation for the UCLA Voting Rights Project and a lead litigator in the ongoing Texas redistricting lawsuit, and Dr. Natalie Masuoka, professor of Political Science and Asian American Studies at UCLA and an expert on voting behavior and minority representation. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Matt Barreto, professor of Political Science and Chicana/o Studies and faculty director of the UCLA Voting Rights Project. 

Drawing from his decades of public service at the state and federal level, Becerra underscored the fragility of democratic systems when power is unchecked. “As we’ve seen over the last 10 months, the federal government has a ton of power, and wields it in ways that exceed what the Constitution intends,” he said. “There are limits to federal power, but if you have someone who decides to exceed the scope of that power, you can see how damaging it can be for the states.” 

Throughout the evening, panelists emphasized the critical importance of ensuring that voters retain control over the redistricting process. Becerra contrasted California’s citizen-led commission process with state-controlled redistricting systems in Texas and Florida. “In California, voters have a say. In Texas, the people living in those voting districts have no say in how the maps are drawn,” he said. 

The conversation explored the upcoming Proposition 50 vote in California, which would temporarily establish new district boundaries based on the latest population data. Becerra and his fellow panelists examined how the proposal could affect representation, particularly for communities of color. 

Dunn, who has spent years challenging partisan gerrymandering, framed the issue as a fundamental question of voter rights. “I believe the right to vote is individual, not aggregate,” he said. “If someone is being gerrymandered on the basis of their political views, that is a violation of their right to vote, full stop. And there ought to be a redress for it in court.” 

He went on to note that the composition of Congress does not currently reflect the nation’s diversity. “This action to silence voters on the basis of their race and political views will be successful to some degree,” Dunn said. “What California does to press back on it isn’t just fighting fire with fire—it’s ensuring that Congress is as representative as it can be of this nation as a whole.” 

Dr. Masuoka emphasized the dual nature of redistricting: while it can be used to suppress certain communities, it can also be a tool for empowerment. “Redistricting can discriminate and marginalize voices of color, but the reason we passed the 1965 Voting Rights Act is that redistricting can also increase minority voting power,” she said. “As we look forward to voting on Prop 50, we can protect democracy and ensure that we have protections for voters of color.” 

Becerra urged the students in the audience to remain vigilant and engaged. “The most powerful weapon we have is truth—and the willingness to use our voices and our cameras to protect it.” 

View photos from the event on Flickr.
Protecting Democracy and the 2025 Redistricting Battles

Tilly on the Government Shutdown and Specter of Recession

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UCLA Luskin’s Chris Tilly spoke to Al Jazeera News about the consequences of the U.S. government’s extended shutdown.

About 1.4 million federal employees are furloughed or working without pay, and many government services have been suspended nationwide. Tilly spoke about the multiplier effects that could shake consumer and business confidence in the economy. And he noted that the shutdown is one crisis point in a bigger fight about the role of government, including recent moves to keep taxes low on billionaires and cut back on the social safety net.

“We economists feel like there’s a lot of reasons to be concerned because the economy is already fragile,” said Tilly, a labor economist and professor of urban planning and sociology. “The Federal Reserve and economic forecasters are saying we’re scarily close to falling into a recession. So it may not take much to push us over the edge.”

Gilens on Economic Pain and Voter Motivation

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A New Republic article on political leaders’ lopsided focus on disaffected young male voters cited Martin Gilens, UCLA Luskin professor of public policy, social welfare and political science.

The article argued that Democrats’ obsession with reaching young men is increasingly irrelevant in an economy where a diverse array of demographic groups are struggling to secure a job and pay the rent.

“The economy played a huge role with young men as it did with young women and with voters in general,” Gilens said. “But in particular, young people are going to be less tied to a political party. They have less history of politics and electoral outcomes to draw on.”

In general, presidents may have modest impacts on the economy because of factors outside their control, he said. But the Trump administration may be an exception, given the heavy hand it has placed on economic policy.

“I think it actually makes sense to attribute a lot of the sort of economic conditions, good or bad, to what the president has done, and so yes, absolutely, if the economy is perceived as being bad, then Trump and Republicans are going to be blamed,” Gilens said.

MPP 2025 Alumni Fellowship Recipient Lydia Kelley, MPP '26

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Lydia Kelley is dedicated to advancing equitable and inclusive education systems through social change. Her area of interest explores how education and workforce systems can better support marginalized communities through research-driven policy solutions.

At UCLA Luskin, Kelley serves as Co-President of the Public Policy Leadership Association (PPLA), where she leads engagements centered on leadership development and professional networking for graduate students. She has also moderated several UCLA Luskin events, including the Luskin alumni and the First-Gen, Students of Color panels, creating spaces for meaningful dialogue on access, identity, and representation in policy. Beyond campus, she is a Research Associate at Daley Strategies, a private consulting firm representing clients across California’s public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Before UCLA, Kelley earned a Master of Science in Educational Leadership and Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from California State University, Fullerton. She received a Certificate of Special Recognition from Congresswoman Norma Torres and the UCLA Graduate Opportunity Fellowship. Her experience also includes internships with Congresswoman Katie Porter and Congresswoman Norma Torres in their district offices, as well as serving as Student Body President and two-term Sigma Kappa Chapter President at CSUF, where she represented the sorority’s National Council on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. As a woman of color, Kelley is passionate about empowering the next generation of changemakers by driving social progress through policy innovation, media influence, and community impact.

From Liberia to Luskin: A Public Policy Student’s Journey of Purpose and Impact Prince L. Jarbo, MPP ’26, is using his Air Force experience and UCLA education to drive change in his home country.

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by Peaches Chung

Prince Larmie Jarbo, MPP ’26, brings a global perspective to his studies at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. Shaped by his upbringing in Liberia, his faith, and his service in the U.S. Air Force, he’s determined to use public policy to create lasting change in his home country. 

Jarbo first came to the United States at age 12 but returned to Liberia at 14. “When I came back to the U.S. again at 18, I joined the Air Force,” he recalls. Determined to pursue a debt-free education, he served while completing his bachelor’s degree online. His military experience — and his life across two continents — instilled in him resilience, adaptability, and a profound sense of duty. 

That same sense of service guides his work today as the founder of Project Change, a youth-led nonprofit dedicated to cultivating the next generation of changemakers in Liberia.  

“Project Change inspires young Liberians to take ownership of their future,” he explains. “Through personal and professional development, we’re helping them move from dependency to possibility — giving them the mindset and tools to lead. And we instill in them a responsibility not only for themselves but also for helping rebuild our country.” 

Liberia, a West African nation that endured two devastating civil wars between 1989 and 2003, continues to rebuild from years of conflict and economic instability. Growing up amid the aftermath shaped Jarbo’s belief that lasting change requires both effective policy and governance and empowered citizens. 

“Liberia has suffered a lot as a post-conflict nation,” Jarbo explains. “I feel a sense of responsibility to help bring about change. Everything I’ve learned outside my country, I’m bringing back to improve it.” 

Jarbo is already applying what he’s learning at UCLA as chairman of Project Change and as co-president of the Public Policy Leadership Association (PPLA), a student group that fosters an inclusive and equitable learning environment for his peers while advocating for their interests across campus. In the classroom, his coursework has broadened his understanding of stakeholder engagement, data-driven decision-making, and long-term economic strategy. 

“I feel a sense of responsibility to help bring about change. Everything I’ve learned outside my country, I’m bringing back to improve it.”

“The program doesn’t just teach theory,” he says. “It helps you design real solutions and put them into practice.” 

His time at Luskin has not only equipped him with the tools to lead change — it has reaffirmed something deeper — the “why” behind his work. For Jarbo, faith remains the foundation that ties it all together. “Faith gives me clarity about why I’m here and what I’m called to do,” he reflects. “It’s what connects my service, my studies, and my vision for Liberia’s future.”  

As he looks ahead to graduation in 2026, Jarbo is preparing to return to Liberia with renewed purpose. “My time at UCLA has given me more than an education,” he says. “It’s given me direction, a network, and the confidence to go back and make a difference.” 

For Jarbo, that difference begins with one simple idea: empowering others to believe that change is possible. 

MPP 2025 Alumni Fellowship Recipient Ana Guadalupe Lua Martel, MPP '26

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Ana Guadalupe Lua Martel is a second-year Master of Public Policy (MPP) candidate at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, with academic concentrations in Immigration Policy and Nonprofit Leadership. Ana’s career interests center on advancing equitable policies for immigrant and low-income communities through applied research and public service.

Ana is currently a Policy Fellow and Graduate Student Researcher with the UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute (LPPI), where she supports research and leadership initiatives focused on Latino civic and political representation. In Summer 2025, she was selected as a Monica Salinas Field Fellow and interned in the Office of California Assemblywoman Blanca E. Rubio, contributing to policy and community engagement work on issues affecting historically underserved communities throughout Los Angeles County.

Before graduate school, Ana worked at Jive Live Entertainment, where she supported more than 20 projects in collaboration with organizations such as Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) and the Latina Lawyers Bar Association (LLBA). She also played a key role in organizing LPPI’s inaugural Latina Futures: Transforming the Nation Through Law & Policy symposium.

Ana is a double Bruin and earned her B.A. in Political Science and Chicanx Studies with a minor in Labor Studies from UCLA.

Please see Ana’s LinkedIn for more information.

Sending a Pointed Message Through Real Estate

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“Spite houses” — structures built or modified specifically to annoy someone — are flourishing in the United States, where private-property culture, individualism and the country’s fragmented zoning laws create ideal conditions for satisfying personal grudges through real estate.

A CNN article about the phenomenon cited Boston’s four-story Skinny House, built by a returning Civil War soldier to block his brother’s view, and more recently, the Equality House, one of two properties bought across the street from Topeka, Kansas’ Westboro Baptist Church, known for its anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and for picketing at soldiers’ funerals. The owner painted the homes in rainbow colors of the Pride Movement.

“Hostile architecture is very American,” said Paavo Monkkonen, UCLA Luskin professor of urban planning and public policy. “Your house represents more here than it does in other countries. It’s a more personal symbol because it’s a homeownership society. There’s more neighbor-to-neighbor conflict.”

Spite houses are a local, highly personal kind of hostile architecture, which more broadly includes things like uncomfortable park benches meant to keep homeless people from sleeping on them.

“The U.S. approach to urban design is often not people-centric, in the sense that in certain parts of the city you want to build things that no one will go to, plazas that will be empty, because you want to protect your own peace and quiet,” Monkkonen said.

Mullin on the Political Fight Over AI Data Centers

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The construction of AI data centers, enormous complexes that can draw enough electricity to power a medium-sized city and consume millions of gallons of water, have become a potent political flashpoint in the coming election season.

Needed to meet the massive computing demands of the generative AI boom, these data centers are welcomed by those who tout their potential to spur economic growth. But a populist backlash has pointed to sweetheart deals for Big Tech that are raising energy costs for ordinary citizens while delivering relatively few long-term jobs.

A Fortune article on nationwide campaign battles over AI and the future of energy called on Megan Mullin, faculty director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, for perspective.

“Candidates are lining up the coalition that they want to bring them into office,” said Mullin, a professor of public policy at UCLA Luskin. Staying on the good side of deep-pocketed tech companies with big AI ambitions could lead to campaign funding and endorsements down the line.

Repercussions From the U.S.’ Plummeting Birth Rate

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UCLA Luskin’s Michael Lens spoke to KCBS News’ “Ask the Expert” program about repercussions from the plummeting birth rate in the United States.

The trend is caused by several factors. Many women are more financially independent than in past generations and may choose to delay childbearing. Others, however, are deterred from starting a family due to the high cost of living.

“It’s a much more financially daunting landscape for today’s 18- to 30-year-olds starting out in the world than it was 30 years ago,” said Lens, a professor of urban planning and public policy. “It’s a really damaging thing if young people who want to have children feel financially unable to make that work.”

Advanced economies in the modern era often see declining birth rates, and the consequences include fewer people of working age who are able to hold up the social safety net for those who are retired, Lens said.

UCLA Housing Voice Podcast Celebrates 100 Episodes Hosted by Shane Phillips, the podcast continues to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world housing solutions.

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The UCLA Housing Voice Podcast, produced by the Randall Lewis Housing Initiative at the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, will release its 100th episode on October 22. The podcast, a biweekly program managed by Shane Phillips and joined by UCLA Luskin professors Michael Lens, Paavo Monkkonen, and Mike Manville as occasional co-hosts, aims to translate emerging housing research into practical insights for practitioners, policymakers, and the broader public.

Each episode features conversations with housing researchers on topics such as affordability, displacement, land-use policy, and tenant protections. The Randall Lewis Housing Initiative supports this work by producing research and public programming to shape public discourse. 

As a recent review from HousingForward Virginia put it, “What makes this podcast particularly valuable is how Phillips and his co-hosts translate academic jargon into practical insights. They don’t just present findings—they dig into what the research means for practitioners, policymakers, and communities.” 

Since its debut, the podcast has explored a wide range of topics, from California’s Senate Bill 9 duplex law and inclusionary zoning policies to comparative housing laws in countries such as Japan and New Zealand. Across its first 99 episodes, the series has traced the evolving global conversation on housing equity and policy innovation. 

The 100th episode will be available October 22 on all major podcast platforms.