PLANNED PARENTHOOD

Jake is a former patient, former employee, and three-term Boardmember for the Planned Parenthood affiliate serving Northeast Los Angeles. Jake supported PPFA President Cecile Richards at the organization’s national headquarters in New York City and contributed to the opening of a PPFA Health Center in his neighborhood of Highland Park. Jake actively works to defend the reproductive rights and bodily autonomy of all people.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Jake is a proud Democrat and is a two-term member of the California Democratic Party State Central Committee. He is an Associate Member of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and belongs to the Northeast Los Angeles Democratic Club, the Stonewall Democratic Club, the Avance Democratic Club and is a former Executive Boardmember of the West Hollywood/Beverly Hills Democratic Club.

The Los Angeles County Democratic Party recognized Jake as the 2022 Democrat of the Year for Assembly District 52.

LGBTQ+ EQUITY

Jake is a longtime LGBTQ+ activist. As a member of the Uptown Gay and Lesbian Alliance, he started an annual college scholarships program for local LGBTQ+ youth. He also served six years as a Boardmember of the Wall Las Memorias Project in Highland Park, fighting the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS on the Latinx community.

Jake was a member of the Equality California Leadership Institute 2016 inaugural class and was recognized as the LGBTQ+ Heritage Month Person of the Year for Los Angeles City Council District 14 in 2019.

OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE

Jake has a lifetime connection to Occidental College and is a first generation college student. He studied on the Northeast LA campus as the school’s 2004 Centennial Scholar, received the 2022 Erica J. Murray Young Alumnus of the Year Award and is the 73rd President of the Occidental College Board of Governors. Jake is also the Co-Founder of the College’s official LGBTQAI+ Alumni Association: OUT@OXY.

LITERACY FOR ALL

Jake’s love of reading began at his local public library in Eagle Rock. Today he serves as Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Library Foundation. Founded in 1982, Jake and the Foundation Board work to fund and support free programs, services and resources across a system of 86 libraries for 3.4 million LA residents. Jake was honored to help recognize the LA County Library System as the 2023 National Medal for Museum and Library Service Winner.

SMALL BUSINESS

Jake is a Co-Founder of the award-winning Retail Cannabis Dispensary CALMA in the City of West Hollywood. Described by LA Cannabis News as “The 2021 Dispensary Redefining the Industry,” CALMA was created as an intentional social and economic justice-oriented business.

As California reinvents the cannabis industry after more than a century of unjust and inequitable prohibition, Jake founded America’s first Municipal Cannabis Tourism Association, now known as Emerald Village West Hollywood.

As founding President of the groundbreaking trade association, Jake led responsible commercial cannabis retailers in efforts to address the social justice, civil rights and healthcare impacts of the war on drugs and cannabis decriminalization.