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Nithya Raman: Political Journey and Fight Against Homelessness in Los Angeles

Tuesday, June 9, 2026
5 min read
Nithya Raman: Political Journey and Fight Against Homelessness in Los Angeles

Nithya Raman, an Indian-origin Democrat, managed to pull ahead of television star Spencer Pratt in that June primary for Los Angeles mayor. That’s what CNN projected.

She ended up with 28.5% of the vote, compared to Pratt’s 25.8%. A tight race, you know? Right there in the run-off crowd. She'll be facing incumbent Karen Bass in November. Everyone is watching this unfold.

The Associated Press said something similar. They figured Raman had enough support to force a runoff against Bass. It felt like things shifted fast on election night. She was behind Pratt initially, but by Sunday, she actually gained votes. Forty-three thousand votes, on Pratt alone. Her overall share of the vote bumped up by about five points. A real swing there.

She spoke about it, kind of reflective. “I’m incredibly honoured that voters have given us the opportunity to advance to the general election for Mayor of Los Angeles,” she said. Then she talked about the effort involved. The thousands who knocked doors. Made calls. Donated money. Opened their homes for events across the city. She just thanked everyone who made this moment happen. From the bottom of her heart.

Raman has a background that’s pretty deep, too. She’s an urban planner, 44 years old. She’s represented the City Council’s fourth district since 2020. And she’s the first Asian-American woman to serve there. The first South Asian ever on that council seat.

She grew up in a Tamil Iyer family in Kerala. Moved to Louisiana when she was just six. Education wise, she got her political theory deGree from Harvard. Then an urban planning master's from MIT. A mix of worlds, you see.

Before landing in Los Angeles back in 2014, she spent time in India. There, she started Transparent Chennai. It was a nonprofit research firm. They used data and community organizing to fight for people who weren’t getting enough. Underserved communities there. After LA, she worked for the city administrative officer.

Later on, in 2017, she set up the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition. That was all about outreach. Fighting homelessness right there. She ran for that City Council spot in 2020, focusing everything on housing insecurity. She managed to defeat a candidate who had backing from Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton. A tough fight, definitely.

She really dug into the issue of homelessness during her run. Raman has made it clear she wants action. She vowed to reduce how many people are sleeping in tents or encampments before LA hosts those big 2028 Olympics. She pointed out that the city was at a breaking point. Unable to manage basic needs. Couldn't adequately handle homelessness and the housing shortage. That’s what The Guardian put out there.

She lives in Silver Lake now. With her husband, Vali Chandrasekaran. And they have young twins, Karna and Kaveri. A family life happening alongside all this political noise.

Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board

Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.

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