Taking her movement to a new level, Bondar was one of three people in the Russian-language community to file as a candidate for a suburban school board.
On Sept. 5, the day after the Sacramento Rainbow Festival, several hundred sign-wielding demonstrators appeared at the Capitol to oppose a state Senate bill, SB 1437, that would have banned negative references based on sexual orientation from state textbooks and classes.
In the crowd were Bondar's mother, father and grandmother.
The next day, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill, stating that protection against discrimination already existed in state law.
"We may not have gotten the veto without them," said Thomasson, who spearheaded the lobbying effort against the bill.
To Bondar, the veto was a clear victory.
"Very satisfying," she said. "It shows people who participated in the civic process that their hard work was not in vain."
rone.tempest@latimes.com
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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
A tale of two enclaves
As look at the Russian communities in Sacramento and West Hollywood, based on the 2000 Census*:
Sacramento
Citizenship status
Native: 51.2%
Naturalized citizen: 12.4%
Not a citizen: 36.4%
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West Hollywood
Citizenship status
Native: 40.5%
Naturalized citizen: 34.2%
Not a citizen: 25.3%
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Sacramento
Housing
Owner-occupied: 48.9%
Renter-occupied: 51.1%
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West Hollywood
Housing
Owner-occupied: 19.8%
Renter-occupied: 80.2%
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Sacramento
Language
Speak only English at home: 45%
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West Hollywood
Language
Speak only English at home: 39%
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Sacramento
Income
Households with incomes over $75,000 per year: 19.6%
Receiving public assistance: 14.5%
People living below the poverty level: 28.9%
Median family income: $39,728
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West Hollywood
Income
Households with incomes over $75,000 per year: 15.7%
Receiving public assistance: 4.1%
People living below the poverty level: 13.6%
Median family income: $33,929
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*Based on 2000 Census Bureau samples of people who claim Russian ancestry. Income data are for 1999. Language data for ages 5 and older.
Source: Census Bureau. Graphics reporting by John Jackson
