The Scoop with Tanya Flanagan

Wesley Knight 0:00
This is a Kun V studios original program. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 jazz and more the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Tanya Flanagan 0:19
Good morning, and thank you for joining me for the scoop with Tanya Flanagan, I'm so happy you decided to wake up and start your day with me here on the scoop, where we talk about life, joy, funny moments, trending topics and so much more. We promise to keep you in the know and find out what you know. So let's get started.

You Good morning Las Vegas. Good morning world. And thank you for joining me for another edition of the scoop right here on kumb 91.5 jazz and more through the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, we have arrived at Spring, and it's amazing to set. A few weeks ago, we were closing out a year excited about Christmas and the New Year, looking forward to the end of winter, and here we are. It is over and behind us. So we are on our way into the season of spring, closing out almost the month of March, gearing up for April and what comes beyond. I am excited to welcome to the show this morning, a very dynamic woman who works in the political scene, on the political scene, I should say, and in this space, she is part of the tapestry here at the 83rd section of the Nevada State Legislature. And as you know, for the last few weeks, we've been talking to key individuals who impact and influence the process here at the state legislature, and I am excited to welcome Liz Lula to the show this morning. Good morning. Liz, good morning. How are you? I am well, I'm great. I'm happy that you are here. Thank you for spending some time with me, with the listeners. I'm very excited. Well, we are too. So before we dive into deep I want to I always like to make sure my guests are well introduced and get a chance to share resumes. So please share with us your resume, who you are and what you do and what brought you into a little bit of what brought you into the space. And as we keep talking, I'll dig into your story a little bit

Liz Luna 2:16
deeper. Yes, so I'm Liz Luna. I am the daughter of two Mexican immigrants. I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and now I live in the beautiful silver state, and I'm up here in Carson City for the legislative session. But what brought me here? You know, I grew up in Arizona, a place where we've seen a lot of political action over the last 30 years, really from being a very red, polarizing state to really moving more towards a purple state, where we've seen some Democratic victories, but growing up in a mixed status household, I really was able to see that my family was just not solely one issue family. You know, we were impacted by education, by health care, by jobs, by anything in the economy, and so that really grew my passion. And when I was going to college, I wanted to be an educator, but then in the state of Arizona, I quickly learned that as an educator, I wasn't going to be able to be able to successfully provide my students with the resources that that I needed in the classroom. So I grew a love for politics. I did my my first official paid race in 2016 as a scheduler for US Senate race. And then in 2018 I dove into the legislative landscape. And ever since, I've been focused on legislative politics. I've had a career for 10 years now, which sounds like like a very long time, and I feel like I blinked an hour here, but it's always been with the focus that, you know, the state legislatures are really the ones that are determining what the shape of our states look like, and also what policies and what we're able to deliver on for our families, whether it's jobs, the economy, health care, our education. You know that is so important, and so I've been doing that really. My specialty in politics has been knocking on doors, so meaning I picked up a clipboard and helped organize what we called the field, talking to voters, calling voters, texting voters, meeting voters, where they are, bringing volunteer. Into the fold and getting them excited about our candidates, and then working on delivering in legislative districts that are competitive. So I've worked most of my career in Arizona. In 2022 I was up here with the Nevada assembly dance to help deliver a super majority. And then I went back to Arizona, did some some interesting things out there for the 2024 race, but really came back up to Northern Nevada at the end of 2024 for the presidential cycle, and was here as the Northern Nevada director, and decided that I needed to come back to Nevada for, you know, the foreseeable future. So I'm here during the legislative session as the deputy executive director for the Nevada assembly dem caucus. Your

Tanya Flanagan 5:58
story first, let me say thank you for your passion, because I in being in the space up here in Carson City, in the legislative session, every day, in and out of the different hearing meetings and listening to the things that trying, listening to what is being presented, and then also making sure to try to hear what matters to constituents, because they're not always the presenters. So you have to believe people were presenting on behalf of the best interest of the community as a whole, but within the community, some siloed populations where there's matters and topics of interest to and you said, You've been in this space for 10 years, and there are a lot of young people here who put their feet in the water and they're trying to figure out what they like and what they don't like. And I think that it is a testament to people who figure out early on, because, I mean, I don't know how old you are, you look very young to me, but who figure out early on in life where their passions lie, and then, despite the odds, because as a young woman born to, as you mentioned, Mexican immigrant parents, the likelihood of growing up going to college, and I don't know if you were first generation college for your family, but going through all of that to find yourself coming out and working in American politics, in policy, in shaping like you mentioned a lot of areas, education, healthcare, jobs, housing, all of the things that people who are elected to represent the masses are concerned with, and realizing it because of what was impacting your family as you Were growing up. How difficult has it been to be a woman of Mexican immigrant descent, to navigate and push your way into this space and then become successful and sought out? Because I know political campaigns and parties seek you out to help them strategize on how to be effective in communication and outreach and engagement and advocacy. How, what does it look like to carve out your

Liz Luna 8:06
space? Yes, so I am actually a first generation college student and the first graduate from a four year institution in my family. I went to ASU, and I had a full ride. And so that was, in it of itself, me getting into college, you know, getting a full ride. And then I not only got a full ride, I finished my degree in three years, and I graduated with honors. Was, you know, something I don't think that my family as being me, the first grandchild born into my family, first niece, but also the first child born in this in America, like that, they thought that that would be the trajectory. My grandmother picked the desert. She's a desert person, even in Mexico. She comes from Oaxaca, but she she picked Phoenix to settle our roots. And was always the one really in our family, who was always telling us, like, you know, Democrats, they believe in helping families and making sure that we we can have a good economic future, that you have good schools. And she, it was something that she ingrained in us from a very, very early age. And so that's why I started believing in the democratic process, right? And really in Democrats, it was my grandma who who always talked about Democrats will show up and fight for you, and they will advocate for you, and they're not going to back down. And I think you know, over the career that I, that I've had, I've seen that right, especially here in the state of Nevada, like here you have a democratic female majority, and you're able to see that there is tangible change happening because Democrats are delayed. Delivering and so, you know, it for me, I think taking that into context, and seeing that my grandmother was like, these are the values that this party holds has really helped me, like, continue day in, day out, to keep pushing through. You know, I've like everyone has lost some races and they've hurt a lot, but I've also learned and grown a lot over the last 10 years. I think one of the things that I've learned to do, as my specialty is really talking to people where they are about what they care about, right? There's a lot of issues in the political spectrum that will be polarizing, but at the end of the day, every day, people want to take care of their families. They want to be able to to feel like they're getting ahead and not falling behind. And so I've, you know, been at it sometimes, whether it's knocking on doors or raising money or just picking up the phone and doing communications and talking, you know, to different type of constituencies, I've been able to get ahead one of the things that I always pride myself on, and you know, it's I'm always the person in the background, and I'm always having conversations to be able to learn more about what it is that others care about, right? Whether it's a candidate, whether it's an elect, current elected, or it's a constituent, and also young voters, and so I've been able to just take those lessons and apply them. And I think, as a woman, it's been it's been different, especially I say I grew up in the in the Trump era, right? I was pretty young, and now I'm 30, so you know, I'm not, I am not as experienced as others in the sense of, like, I'm not that old, but I've been doing basically almost 12 years of dealing with like a Trump on the ballot consistently, consistently, and just living through those experiences. And I think a lot of it has also been learning to work with others, but listening right? And sometimes one of the things that I think when you're younger, you're able to learn some of these political dynamics by observing. So I think that's one of the things that I've, you know, been able to work through over the last 10 years, is, how do I observe? How do I absorb, and how do I learn? And like, sometimes, yes, it means you have to push, push your way into some meetings, some conversations. Because, you know, I'm four nine. I'm might not be the most intimidating person when you see me, but I will give feedback to be able to, you know, create a plan and execute on it.

Tanya Flanagan 13:13
That is funny that you said you're four nine, you are. I never thought about it like that. You are, but you are powerful and mighty, and you do punch, pack a serious punch, because just realizing, if you've been doing it for a decade, you were 20 when you started in this space. So it speaks to your tenacity and your dedication to impacting and working in a field that is an area of passion for you, and I love, your superpower being the connection that you build between people, meeting them where they are. And that's a crucial point, because a lot of times people just don't feel like they're being heard. They feel like people are elected and they're doing what they want to do, but they're not listening to us about the problem. And if you can learn to connect and listen, you might not be able to solve it in that moment, but you're hearing that there's a concern in this space, and when you hear that concern, you start to figure out, well, how is there even a small piece of it that can be resolved to create some relief for the individuals that feel weighed down underneath This particular burden? And I think it's that listening capability that elevates us to the next level, to being the better person and to working more effectively in the space. If you can either come in head with an idea, you can come in with a listening ear, open minded, to receiving perspective that brings about change and effective policy. And so I just want to congratulate you and tip my hat to you on what you identified as your superpower. So thank you for that. I also, I'm gonna, I would love to walk past that ASU comment, but I went to the University of Arizona, so as a Wildcat and your alma mater being. My rival, I just have to say something about those Sun Devils. But my niece is ASU Sun Devil saying so, or sun devil alum. So we have a split family in this space. My next question for you, though, is about women in your life, as a strong woman working in this space, who are some of the women are even men who influenced you. And do you take some of that influence from your original, your your your culture, and then also from American spaces, as it was in the American spaces and Mexican American women, who? Who do you lean in on and to really admire this person for whatever reason. Yes, obviously,

Liz Luna 15:45
you know, as a Mexicana, we, we, I grew up in a matriarchal household, so grandma was really the one who set the tone. My mom was, or is this woman who I've always admired because she was the one who was the one who, you know, this is how we're going to do our finances. This is what I expect of you in school, and how I want you to carry yourself in the world. And so my mom was always that, that nuclear person who was always, you know, helping us, really guide us and in the the person and the humans we were going to become. And I say that we because I have a a brother who is now, I for from the 2000 2001 so now 23 going to be 2024 this year, and then I have a sister who is 19, and she's actually going to college as well. And my mom has always pushed us to to excel in life, not only professionally, but also as human beings. And so I've taken a lot of admiration and dedication from her, but also, I think learning how to be a kind, caring human being that you know when you're in politics, sometimes this job can be very exhausting, right? And we do this whether you're working on campaigns as a staffer, but also as putting your name on the ballot and being the one who's running and being elected. You do this because you want to serve, and not necessarily because you're looking for some type of thank you or gratification, right? You're doing it because you know that you will go and represent a lot of other folks. And so I think a person who has really inspired me to dedicate my life to politics, to dedicate my life to electing people, is one of my mentors, and the first person who really got me involved in politics. And his name is Luis herred. Yeah, he actually is the state director, district director for Senator Mark Kelly in Arizona. And, you know, I've known him for, oh, since, for now, I guess, 12 years or 13 years since 2012 he was a board member, board president for a the scholarship I had for right at ASU at the time when I met him, and he brought me along when I was really thinking about either making the transition from an educator into politics or seeing what I could do to advocate for those who you know seemed to feel disenfranchised at the time In the process of policy and politics, and so he he's been a reminder that sometimes you you have to serve your community and you have to be the one who's there day in and day out, even if policy, it can be from sometimes complex and really it is for the benefit of those who you want to see get ahead economically and educationally as well. And then I think you know from other folks here that I've learned to admire and just like see is looking at the Nevada assembly, you have a female majority. And actually, in 2019 it was the first, first female majority in the country. And so I, I look to all of these strong, um. Some women, you included, and just see the resilience, see the ability to take very complex problems and policies and be able to work with stakeholders and make decisions that are going to improve and benefit the lives of those who they represent, and you know, they're making the decisions, not saying it's only about my district, specifically, it's about the whole state of Nevada. And so I think for me, that that's been what's been so inspiring, but also may has made me want to be here, is you see these women and what they have accomplished in a personal realm, but also what they are aspiring to accomplish for the state of Nevada. And it really makes me inspired to, like, get up in the morning, be here in this building, sometimes 1215, hours, because the days are getting longer and longer, and know that it is for the greater benefit of our communities. You

Tanya Flanagan 21:09
know, you touched on something that is very humbling, when put in perspective, the female majority representation in the State Assembly and state legislature. And I think in that sense, coming from a time when, historically, the other one of the days this week, the other day, we went over to the old chamber for the assembly side meeting. Because every day there can be a four session where the members come together on the floor, all of the assembly representatives. And so the other day this week, a couple days ago, we went over to the old chamber built in 1871 where the Legislative Assembly body and Senate bodies met for 100 years until new a new building was directed open, and they moved everyone to the new building and on the way, and they had sort of a stage play with the women of suffragists who were demonstrating to say that women should have the right to vote. Women should have representation. And so when you walk in here, you realize that she's sitting in this room. There was a time when the only person persons sitting in this room were men. And not only were they men, they were white men from around the state of Nevada. And so I think many times it's been said this week that this is one of the most diverse states in the union, culturally diverse states in the union. And so your comment just made me really think about how far we've come in terms of women being represented, and then what that type of representation does to policy that's brought forward in a time where we're seeing quite a bit of gains on the part of women, and we're very concerned about our young girls as much as we are about our young men, but it just is the evolution of where we are and how far We've come for women to have a voice for. I remember reading a book by Joe Sandberg calling in, and one of the points she made she was a CEO for, I think the company was Facebook at the time, which is now meta, but she talked about just not thinking of things women may need simply because it wasn't a consideration, and women not having them because they never paused to ask for consideration of this need. Therefore, there was never a policy created to address the concern, be it parking to accommodate expectant mothers. So coming to work seven, eight months pregnant, before delivery, until you deliver, and take maternity leave and maybe parking in your regular parking and walking the full distance when maybe only two women out of all the women on staff were pregnant at the time, and these two women making this long journey and just simply asking for a small consideration, like, Hey, can we create parking and designate the stalls that are closest to the entrance of the building for pregnant women. And it's having that, that growth that creates small things like that, that that's the kind of policy and inclusion that comes from having variety and representation and having a female majority to think about health care from a perspective of women, a family of seniors and just everything. But I think having the blended minds of men and women make a huge difference. Of men and women and of people of various backgrounds and cultures, makes a huge difference in the strides that are made in the law making space, the legislative space. So your comment just made me really think of that we're getting toward the end of the show. We have a few more minutes. Any major highlights that are areas of interest for you and this particular legislative session that you want to mention?

Liz Luna 24:57
Yes, I think you know. So I encourage everyone to follow along the legislative session, get involved if you can, by test testifying for bills that you support. One thing that that I would like to highlight is, you know, this session, you you can see that, and like many of the past legislative sessions, but that Democrats are working hard in the assembly to make sure that we are delivering for our families, for this economy, making sure that, you know, there is economic growth, and also that our education system, our public education system, is continued to be funded, especially as we see some of the attacks from the federal government towards our Department of Education, and also making sure that there is housing available and accessible to Nevada. And so one of the things that I would encourage and healthcare obviously critically important for Democrats, but to follow along and support what your assembly members are doing. Or maybe if you have an assembly member who or a senator who you don't agree with on legislation, because then you know the policies might not align with your values, and also encourage you to have conversations with them and reach out. Because part of what I've seen here is that you know there is representation, and they do listen to constituents, and they try to make the best decisions for the state of Nevada to make sure that our families are getting ahead. Thank

Tanya Flanagan 26:51
you for that, Liz, and that's a really important point. Yeah, there are many ways to participate online, through the state legislative website, listening to meeting, calling in when you're concerned about something, sending letters or making phone calls to the offices of the representatives for your assembly district or senate district. So engagement and advocacy, a lot of different groups come up here every day to focus on their areas of interest and points that they feel need to be made and heard. So everyone in the state is encouraged and invited to participate in this process, because this process is for everyone in the state. So with that, it has been a pleasure to have Liz Luna on the show today. I want to thank you who woke up this morning, and those of you who, if you didn't wake up, you just decided to catch it on your favorite podcast platform. Thank you for tuning in to the scoop with me. Tanya Flanagan right here on kumd 91.5 jazz and more on the beautiful campus of UNLV University of Nevada, Las Vegas, I look forward to talking to you again next week as the 83rd session of the Nevada State legislature continues. Hope you will tune in, meet someone new, learn something more about the state, and sustain engaged. As spring kicks in, enjoy the beautiful weather down in Southern Nevada, things are beginning to thaw out up in Carson City as well. I wish you a great week. Let's thank you once again. Thank you all. Have a good one. Thank you, and we will talk to you next week, same time, same station. I want to thank you for tuning into the scoop with me. Tonya Flanagan, and I want to invite you to get social with me. I'm on Facebook and Twitter. My name is my handle, T, a n, y, A F, l, a n, a G, A N. You can also find me on Instagram at Tanya almond eyes Flanagan, and if you have a thought, an opinion or a suggestion, don't hesitate to shoot me an email to tanya.flanagan@unlv.edu Thanks again for joining in. Stay safe and have a great week. You.