Karen Bass

Karen Bass
Official portrait, 2022
43rd Mayor of Los Angeles
Assumed office
December 12, 2022
Preceded byEric Garcetti
26th Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus
In office
January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021
Preceded byCedric Richmond
Succeeded byJoyce Beatty
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from California
In office
January 3, 2011 – December 9, 2022
Preceded byDiane Watson
Succeeded bySydney Kamlager-Dove
Constituency33rd district (2011–2013)
37th district (2013–2022)
67th Speaker of the California State Assembly
In office
May 13, 2008 – March 1, 2010
Preceded byFabian Núñez
Succeeded byJohn Pérez
Majority Leader of the California Assembly
In office
December 4, 2006 – May 13, 2008
Preceded byDario Frommer
Succeeded byAlberto Torrico
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 47th district
In office
December 6, 2004 – November 30, 2010
Preceded byHerb Wesson
Succeeded byHolly Mitchell
Personal details
Born
Karen Ruth Bass

(1953-10-03) October 3, 1953 (age 70)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Jesus Lechuga
(m. 1980; div. 1986)
Children5, including 4 stepchildren
ResidenceGetty House
Education

Karen Ruth Bass (/ˈbæs/; born October 3, 1953) is an American politician, social worker and former physician assistant who has served as the 43rd mayor of Los Angeles since 2022.[1] A member of the Democratic Party, Bass previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2022 and in the California State Assembly from 2004 to 2010, serving as speaker during her final Assembly term.

A Los Angeles native, Bass attended college at California State University, Dominguez Hills and the University of Southern California. She spent her career as a physician assistant and community activist before seeking public office. Before her election to Congress, Bass represented the 47th district in the California State Assembly for six years. In 2008, she was elected to serve as the 67th Speaker of the California State Assembly, becoming the first African-American woman in United States history to serve as a speaker of a state legislative body.[2][3]

Bass was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010. She represented California's 33rd congressional district during her first term, though redistricting moved her to the 37th district in 2012. She chaired the Congressional Black Caucus during the 116th Congress.[4][5][6]

Bass won the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election, beginning her term on December 12.[7] She is the first woman to serve as mayor of Los Angeles[8] and the second Black person to serve in that capacity (the first was Tom Bradley).[9][10]

  1. ^ Wick, Julia; Oreskes, Benjamin; Smith, Dakota (December 11, 2022). "Karen Bass Sworn in as Los Angeles Mayor, the First Woman to Hold the Office". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  2. ^ Vogel, Nancy (February 28, 2008). "L.A. woman to follow Nunez". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  3. ^ "African American Speakers of the California". Los Angeles Sentinel. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  4. ^ "Largest-Ever Congressional Black Caucus Sworn In". Diverse. January 3, 2019.
  5. ^ "Congressional Black Caucus Chair Cedric Richmond Says Goodbye to Seat as he Prepares to Pass "Chair" to Rep. Karen Bass". January 2, 2019.
  6. ^ "The Blue Wave Of Black Politicians Gets Sworn In". January 3, 2019.
  7. ^ Wick, Julia; Oreskes, Benjamin; Smith, Dakota (December 11, 2022). "Karen Bass sworn in as Los Angeles mayor, the first woman to hold the office". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  8. ^ Karlamangla, Soumya; Rogers, Katie (December 12, 2022). "Karen Bass's First Act as L.A.'s Mayor: Declaring Homelessness an Emergency". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  9. ^ Wick, Julia (November 16, 2022). "Karen Bass elected, becoming L.A.'s first woman mayor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  10. ^ Blood, Michael R. (November 16, 2022). "LA elects US Rep Karen Bass mayor, first Black woman in post". Associated Press. Retrieved November 16, 2022.

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