Karen Ruth Bass, was born October 3, 1953 in Los Angeles, California. A Democrat representing Southwest Los Angeles, she earned a BS in Health Sciences from California State University, Dominguez Hills. First elected to the Assembly in 2005, was the first African American woman to serve in the powerful positions of Majority Floor Leader and Assembly Majority Whip. She was the first African American woman to be elected as Speaker of the Assembly in 2008. Her legislative agenda focused on the needs of foster care children, job creation and healthcare. As vice chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, she commissioned a research report on the ‘State of Black California’. Karen Bass won the Congressional seat vacated by retiring Diane Watson in 2012. During her tenure in Congress, she has been an outspoken advocate for foster youth, healthcare, criminal justice reform, and U.S.-Africa relations. She was elected Mayor of Los Angeles in 2022 and began her current term of office on December 12, 2022.