Nithya Raman is an urban planner, a working mother, an immigrant to America, and a member of the Los Angeles City Council representing District 4. After several years serving on the Silverlake Neighborhood Council as well as co-founding the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition, Nithya felt there was a gap between city services and the expanding homelessness crisis – a gap she was equipped to fill. She ran for City Council in 2019 and won a historic victory, becoming the first Asian-American woman and the first South Asian ever to serve on the City Council. Her race saw a fivefold increase in voter turnout in the district, and she became the first challenger in 17 years to defeat a sitting City Councilmember.