Long Beach residents will have the chance to ask questions to candidates for state offices at a town hall hosted by the McBride High School chapter of March for Our Lives on Thursday night.
Expected candidates are Assemblyman Patrick O’Donnell, D-Long Beach; State Assembly candidate Honor “Mimi” Robson, a representative for Sen. Dianne Feinstein and California State Board of Equalization candidate G. Rick Marshall.
“We want the community to get to know the candidates so they know who they’re voting for,” said Jolie Reeder, the high school senior who organized the event, along with the March for Our Lives club.
Former councilwoman Gerrie Schipske and Long Beach Unified School District board member Megan Kerr will also be at the town hall.
Attendees will be able to submit question cards to Dianne Craighead, the president of the LBUSD board, who will moderate.
Reeder said they will be discussing topics around voting, different propositions and possibly gun violence and gun control.
This is the group’s first big event since thousands marched for stricter gun laws in March and students participated in a school walkout in April.
“After the march, I knew that nothing was going to happen if we were to just stop,” Reeder said.
While the 17-year-old hasn’t had any personal experience with gun violence, she said she’s always been the cautious one in her family. She looks over her shoulder, surveys the places she walks into and keeps an eye on her younger brother at school.
“This is my way of saying: ‘I’ve had enough,’ and taking initiative because who else will?” Reeder said.
The town hall is at McBride High School, 7025 E. Parkcrest St., Long Beach from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to correct the names of the LBUSD board president and a boardmember.