*“It’s time for us to make a change.”
With those words, long-time Compton, California resident Andre Spicer announced his candidacy for the Second District Councilmember seat in an exclusive interview and candidate profile with Reel Urban News.
“I have been in District 2 my entire life,” said Spicer. “I have a business here, raising a family here and we have not seen the representation that we need—it’s time for us to make a change.”
In addition to calling for new political representation for District 2, Spicer wants to change the brand and image of Compton on a global level.
Spicer explains that when people learn he’s from Compton, the response is often: “You don’t look like, walk like or talk like you’re from Compton.’ And that’s because of how Compton has been represented. It’s kind of disheartening to the community and it’s kind of disheartening to the youth.”
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Spicer, who is a first-time political candidate, has in recent years been very outspoken. He has confronted former Compton city council members when he felt the challenge was warranted.
“I had to look at the demographics. We have 100,000 people here—but the average age is 25 years old. However, the average voter is 55. A group of people is not being represented.”
As creator and host of The Hub Radio, Spicer harnessed his digital imprint to inform and empower a new voting block. “I used my platform, I used my influence to bring awareness to politics, to the community, to infrastructure, to the blight, and to the prostitution. To all these different things we’ve had issues with. And that wasn’t always to the benefit of our politicians. And I’m OK with that.”
A veteran media personality, Spicer is clearly comfortable speaking truth to power when it comes to the City of Compton and its residents.
“There are a lot of constituents here that are not being represented—my job was to let them know you’re not being represented. Two, here are some of our issues. Three, how do you want this issue addressed? I simply gave them the microphone and said, ‘Let’s talk about it!’ And they responded. In the last election, in 2019, we increased the voter turnout by 60 percent. That 60 percent was strictly from the youth. A lot of first-time voters.”
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In recent months the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which patrols the City of Compton, has dominated local news headlines with allegations ranging from excessive force to wrongful death police-involved shooting.
Spicer is keenly aware that if elected, building trust while working with the Sheriff’s Department will need to be paramount if he is to achieve any level of success representing the city’s Second District.
“Our relationship with the Sheriff’s department in Compton or in our Black and Brown community has not been the best relationship. I don’t believe the police are here to protect and serve. I believe they’re here to oversee and control what we do. Those are some of the things I want to change. You change that by having oversight committees come in. My opponent Issac Galvan voted against Sheriff oversight.”
Family remains at the very center of Spicer’s heart as he strives for positive opportunities not only for his family but for families throughout the City of Compton.
Andre and his wife Shantavia Spicer began dating when they were 17 years old. Fast forward 20 years later, the couple now co-parent a total of three children; the Spicers’ pre-teenage daughter and Andre’s two younger children born outside of their seven-year marriage.
“All marriages and all relationships have ups and downs,” said Shantavia. “We were off and on for 20 years. Everybody makes mistakes. I understood the dynamics of the situation and I decided he was worth it. He’s now a package deal and I’m OK with that. And I treat those babies just as if they were my very own.”
Along with the exclusive announcement of his candidacy to represent the city’s Second District, Spicer shared with Michael Reel of Reel Urban News his vision and hope for the City of Compton.
“I hope we get to a place where we can truly represent ourselves, that we have businesses that represent us, that we have an oversight committee to oversee law enforcement and just give us the best representation we can have. I want to change the whole way the Second District looks.”
This story was first published on ReelUrbanNews.com
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