LA Forward Institute

Godfrey Plata (he/him)

“As a queer Filipino immigrant, when I began to discover how much we could truly be in charge, the act of shifting policies and electing stronger representation changed me in a profound way. I want to bring that energy to changing how representation works in LA City.”

LA Forward Institute is committed to redefining the democratic landscape in LA. By orchestrating community-driven efforts to alter the governing policies of city elections and district representations, the Institute aims to amplify the voices of everyday Angelenos in their government. Its mission is to reshape perceptions about governance, ushering in a more equity-centric city government that truly serves its people.

Godfrey is a queer Filipino immigrant whose north star is racial justice, and whose tools of choice are political education and building people power. He unapologetically works toward a world in which Black Lives Matter. Plata was born in Marikina, Philippines, and is a teacher-turned-organizer currently living in LA's Koreatown.

Plata's career has led him to support campaigns for equity and justice in over 25 states. Plata serves as the Deputy Director at LA Forward, a non-profit supporting Angelenos to organize and mobilize toward progressive policy-change at the city-level. He also leads civic engagement work at AAPI Equity Alliance, a coalition of 40+ local organizations interested in deepening and advancing AAPI civic engagement in LA County.

Civically, Plata sits on the board of API RISE which organizes formerly incarcerated and detained members of the API community, and supports the Check the Sheriff coalition, which uplifts families surviving the violence of LA's sheriff department.