Karen Bass | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2022 | |
| 43rd Mayor of Los Angeles | |
| Assumed office December 12, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Eric Garcetti |
| 26th Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Cedric Richmond |
| Succeeded by | Joyce Beatty |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California | |
| In office January 3, 2011 – December 9, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Diane Watson |
| Succeeded by | Sydney Kamlager-Dove |
| Constituency | 33rd district (2011–2013) 37th district (2013–2022) |
| 67th Speaker of the California State Assembly | |
| In office May 13, 2008 – March 1, 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Fabian Núñez |
| Succeeded by | John Pérez |
| Majority Leader of the California Assembly | |
| In office December 4, 2006 – May 13, 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Dario Frommer |
| Succeeded by | Alberto Torrico |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 47th district | |
| In office December 6, 2004 – November 30, 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Herb Wesson |
| Succeeded by | Holly Mitchell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Karen Ruth Bass October 3, 1953 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Jesus Lechuga
(m. 1980; div. 1986) |
| Children | 5, including 4 stepchildren |
| Residence | Getty 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 after Tom Bradley.[9][10] During her early tenure as mayor, she made major announcements about facilitating affordable housing construction to alleviate the Los Angeles housing crisis, but ultimately reversed herself and imposed restrictions on affordable housing construction in the city.[11][12]
- ^ 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.
- ^ Vogel, Nancy (February 28, 2008). "L.A. woman to follow Nunez". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
- ^ "African American Speakers of the California". Los Angeles Sentinel. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
- ^ "Largest-Ever Congressional Black Caucus Sworn In". Diverse. January 3, 2019.
- ^ "Congressional Black Caucus Chair Cedric Richmond Says Goodbye to Seat as he Prepares to Pass "Chair" to Rep. Karen Bass". January 2, 2019.
- ^ "The Blue Wave Of Black Politicians Gets Sworn In". January 3, 2019.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Wick, Julia (November 16, 2022). "Karen Bass elected, becoming L.A.'s first woman mayor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
- ^ Blood, Michael R. (November 16, 2022). "LA elects US Rep Karen Bass mayor, first Black woman in post". Associated Press. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:5was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Mayor Karen Bass further restricts where affordable housing can be streamlined in LA". LAist. July 3, 2024.