Smith, 54, is a roofer and union community organizer. He served as a member of the South Central Neighborhood Council, led the request for the Los Angeles Police Department to release Ezell Ford's autopsy report, and was president of the South Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Alliance. He has been elected to his third term as his manager of business at Roofers Local 36 in Los Angeles. He attended Rutgers University and studied history and political science. He was born in Chicago and lives in South LA with his wife and his three children.

Epps, 40, is a business owner and real estate agent. He graduated from West LA College, where he discovered his interest in real estate, and transferred to California State University LA to study chemistry. He volunteers with youth organizations and programs.He was born and raised in the city and lives in South LA.

Harris Dawson (54) is an incumbent City Council member running for re-election. He chairs the city's Planning and Land Use Control Commission and is a past president and CEO of the nonprofit Community Coalition. He graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in mathematics and political science and earned a certificate in nonprofit management from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He was born and raised in South Los Angeles and still lives there with his wife.