Victorville City Council candidate Lizet Angulo's 'big vision'

Mar. 14--VICTORVILLE -- After Lizet Angulo's parents died of Alzheimer's disease within months of each other in 2015, she started a nonprofit in their honor.

Through Ladies Taking Key Opportunities, or Ladies TKO, Angulo said she's been able to help battered women, the homeless and veterans. Angulo comes from a family of military service members, including her father, a Korean War veteran; and her son, a Marine Corps vet.

Every year since 2016, Angulo and husband, chef and Army veteran, Basil Kimbrew, have held a Thanksgiving dinner for people in need. Last year, the couple, along with several other organizations, fed residents in Trona, which was still reeling from the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes.

In November, Angulo said she hopes to influence an even larger population with ambitious proposals if elected to the Victorville City Council.

"I have a big vision in my head," she told the Daily Press during an interview Friday.

Part of the vision is aimed at the groups she assists through her charity. A community of tiny homes for the elderly and veterans is one of the ideas. She showed floor plans of models she's researched so far.

"When I talk about a community, I'm thinking of getting them a garden to work in, putting a mini-park in there," Angulo said. "Just so they can feel more secure."

Angulo would also like to see something similarly built for the unsheltered in the way of small transitional units. She said the occupants could take advantage of supportive services at the city's proposed homeless shelter, plans which were unveiled by officials last week, and have a place to stay while working toward finding permanent housing.

"Give them a start. When they say transitional, people think, 'Oh, 60 days. 90 days.' Well, that's not enough time for them. I think at least a year, just so they can get out of the fact that they're not living in the streets," Angulo said.

Such proposals require more revenue, though, which Angulo thinks can be tackled through transportation and tourism-minded improvements.

She said she would push to expand Southern California Logistics Airport by allowing commercial passenger flights, taking the workload off of Ontario's terminal and Los Angeles International Airport, ranked the fourth busiest in the world last year, according to Airports Council International.

Angulo predicts the increased air traffic would lead to more jobs and attract more companies and manufacturers to set up operations in the area.

The nonprofit founder said she would seek more options for commuters at the local Amtrak station by adding a possible substation. With public safety in mind, Angulo would suggest increasing law enforcement presence there, as well.

"Social development" is one of the priorities Angulo spoke heavily on. The tiny homes community was part of that, but another facet was her desire to offer more choices for city residents, such as the disabled.

Increasing the number of playground features for the disabled is one of the ideas she hopes to advance.

"We don't have to make a new park. Let's just enhance the parks that we do have," Angulo said.

In addition to running for the City Council in 2018, Angulo is a former board trustee and personnel commissioner for the Bassett Unified School District in La Puente Valley. This year, she will likely win election to the Democratic Central Committee for State Assembly District 33, according to unofficial results from the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters.

She also runs a company that provides marketing and media-related services for clients, including candidates for elected office.

According to a list she provided, Angulo has received endorsements from several politicians, including California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, whose campaign Angulo worked on; Rep. Norma Torres; and State Treasurer Fiona Ma.

Martin Estacio may be reached at MEstacio@VVDailyPress.com or at 760-955-5358. Follow him on Twitter @DP_mestacio.

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