The idea was to prevent kids from seeing pictures glorifying tobacco when they were at school. At the time, Marqueece Harris-Dawson was only just learning about the nuances of community organizing when his bosses told him to go to then assembly-member Herb Wesson’s office, and make the case to remove tobacco advertisements from public-buses that are routed past schools.

He entered Wesson’s office and gave his testimony. Wesson thought it was a great idea, and soon a motion proposing all ads for tobacco products be banned from all public buses was delivered to the Metro Board for a vote. It passed.

That was years ago. But now Harris-Dawson hopes to bring his talents to the L.A. City Council, announcing his candidacy on Saturday morning to a packed church in Baldwin Hills.

“Marqueece! Marqueece! Who’s gonna take the eighth next year? Marqueece! Marqueece!” chanted the standing crowd as Harris-Dawson entered the church and walked up to the reserved front row in the room.

Harris-Dawson is running to represent Los Angeles’ Council District Eight, replacing the now-termed out Bernard Parks, and representing one of the most strife-filled parts of Los Angeles.

Not to say that Harris-Dawson isn’t up to the challenge of combating human-trafficking along Western Avenue, or a fighting a disproportionately high poverty rate when compared to the rest of the city. Since his time getting tobacco ads off buses, Harris-Dawson has risen to become the President and CEO of the Community Coalition, among the most important grassroots nonprofit organizations working to improve the quality of life for South Los Angeles residents.

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Community Coalition was originally founded by now Congresswoman Karen Bass in 1990, specifically to form a non-profit seeking community based solutions to the crack epidemic that devastated South L.A. families throughout the 1980s.

Since then, it’s grown into an organizing powerhouse for the region, establishing programs to promote neighborhood health and safety, aiding schools to prevent them from turning into ‘drop-out factories’, and closing down thousands of blighted liquor stores that attracted crime and did little to promote healthy living.

Harris-Dawson was involved the entire way. Supporters understand it as key reason for his election.

“We want to elect people who have an agenda on day one. Those who can tell what they’ve done, not what they’re going to do,” explained Congresswoman Bass. “Marqueece is a trusted friend, and I know he can do justice for CD-8 because he already has.”

Bass continued, giving both personal anecdotes about Harris-Dawson as the colorfully diverse audience listened and applauded whenever prompted.

Before the event, Harris-Dawson explained many of the same things, including his personal frustration with those currently elected to city council.

"We have an illogical decline in city services. The parts that need them the least got most of the help," Harris-Dawson vented before the event. "There is lots of focus on big projects—football stadiums—and not much support for our small businesses or making sure our streets are kept clean."

During the event, City Council President Herb Wesson Jr. argued that the city needs people like Harris-Dawson, particularly with the upcoming fight to raise the minimum wage across Los Angeles to $13.25

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Little things, not flashy development, make the biggest difference to Harris-Dawson.

“To the people who live here, it’s small things like being able to use their neighborhood park without fear that make the biggest difference.” said Harris-Dawson. “And if we do all those little things to make our city a nice place, the football stadiums will want to come to us. We won’t have to bait them.”

Tené Green, a volunteer with Community Coalition and nurse at the VA Hospital in West Los Angeles, agrees with the candidate, and thinks that Harris-Dawson’s election would be a tremendous boost to the residents of CD-8.

“He’s been involved with the community from the get-go. His work with Community Coalition is proof of that. He knows education in South L.A. He knows health in South L.A. He knows the streets and what they’re like for the people who live here.” explained Green before the campaign kickoff.

She continued, saying that he marks a difference from the politicians she’s used to seeing represent the area.

“We need people like Marqueece who actively work with people and actively make a difference with the people they represent. They give through their experiences,” explained Green. “It can’t be about money or power to them.”

And Harris-Dawson does represent a difference. Unlike other officeholders throughout South Los Angeles, Harris-Dawson is somewhat of an outsider. Incumbent Bernard Parks worked for years as chief of LAPD. Curren Price has spent more than a decade as Inglewood city controller, in addition to time spent as a state legislator. Mark-Ridley Thomas dominates the region through several decades of elected tenure.

The constituents of CD-8 understand this, and hope that he’ll be able to bring a change from the often corrupted and slow politics of South Los Angeles.

“He knows the political process but he isn’t a politician” explained long time Vermont Knolls resident Oscar Cervantes, at the church because he remembers some of Harris-Dawson’s work closing liquor stores in his neighborhood. “I have to hope he’ll be immune to the draw of power though. Lots of guys aren’t once they’re elected.”

Time will tell, but for now the Harris-Dawson campaign leads the fundraising race in CD-8. Statistics from the L.A. City Ethics Commission reveal that, as of July 1st, Harris-Dawson has raised about $111,000. The runner up is County Commissioner Robert Cole, who has amassed about $62,000.

Reach Senior Reporter Matthew Tinoco here, and follow him on Twitter here.