By Antonio Ray Harvey
Contributing Writer
SACRAMENTO — The California Legislative Black Caucus made history on Dec. 2. For the first time, most of its members are women. Nine out of its 12 current members are Black women, the highest number in the organization’s 57-year-history.
During the last legislative session, five out of 12 caucus members were women.
For the 2025-26 Legislative session, three women members are serving in the state Senate and six in the Assembly.
State Sens. Laura Richardson, D-Inglewood, and Akilah Weber, D-LaMesa, were sworn in on the first official day of the 2025-26 regular session in the Senate chambers by the Patricia Guerrero, chief justice of the California Supreme Court.
“Yesterday, I was sworn in as senator of the 39th Senate District. I am so honored to do this work and excited to get started,” Weber posted on Facebook Dec. 3. “I introduced my first bill on my first day, SB 32 to address maternity ward closures in the state. Let’s go Senate District 39.”
Before winning her Senate seat, Weber had served in the Assembly for three years representing the 79th District in San Diego County.
She also was sworn in as chair of the Legislative Black Caucus Dec. 2.
Weber and Richardson are joining caucus member Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, D-Los Angeles, who had previously been the only Black woman in the Senate. Smallwood-Cuevas was elected in 2022.
“This has been a long journey,” Smallwood-Cuevas said. “We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for all of you coming together and standing up and supporting this effort to ensure that Black women have a voice here in Sacramento, representing the communities we all care about. We grew our caucus but this is just the beginning of making sure that the California State Legislature is representative of California.”
New caucus members in the Assembly — Assemblywomen Sade Elhawary, D-Los Angeles; Rhodesia Ransom, D-Stockton; and LaShae Sharp-Collins, D-San Diego — also were sworn in on Dec. 2 on the Assembly floor.
Elhawary, Ransom and Sharp-Collins and are joining Richardson as the newest members of the caucus. Richardson previously served in the Assembly before being elected to Congress in 2007.
“There are some incredible people here who turned out the vote,” said Richardson at a reception held to welcome new caucus members. “Call me landslide Laura.”
Richardson paid tribute to the icons in California politics who paved the way for her and other newly elected Black women.
“When I took my portrait, I wore a white turtleneck and a red jacket like Congresswoman Maxine Waters,” Richardson said. “All of us women are here because we stood on the backs and shoulders of women who served here capably and are respected and that has translated into giving us a chance.”
Richardson also acknowledged that there would be challenges ahead.
“In times like these, we don’t need to agonize. We need to organize,” she said.
After her swearing in, Sharp-Collins said she is “honored and humbled to represent the people of the 79th Assembly District.
“I plan to continue the work I have done for many years to advance the district — especially in helping support our most vulnerable residents,” Sharp-Collins said.
Other returning caucus members in the Assembly are: immediate past caucus Chair Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, and Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor, D-Inglewood; Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, D-Alameda; Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, D-Culver City; Assemblyman Corey Jackson, D-Moreno Valley; and Assemblyman Mike Gipson, D-Gardena.
Outgoing caucus members include state Sen. Steve Bradford, D-Inglewood; who was termed out of office and is running for lieutenant governor in 2026; and Assemblymen Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento; Chris Holden, D-Pasadena; and Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles.
McCarty did not seek reelection to the Assembly to run for mayor of Sacramento, a race he won. Holden and Jones-Sawyer were termed out.
The California Legislative Black Caucus was established in 1967 by Black members of the Legislature to address the concerns of African Americans and other citizens of color. Mervyn Dymally, who represented parts of greater Los Angeles in the Assembly and State Senate, led the founding.
Dymally also was the 41st lieutenant governor of California and served in Congress before returning to the Assembly.
The state Legislature is also making history this legislative session with an unprecedented 58 women lawmakers, almost half of its 120 total members.
“We couldn’t be more excited about this outstanding group of new senators who were sworn in today,” said Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg; who led the convening session that officially began the upcoming two-year legislative session. “They’re hard-working, innovative and ready to tackle the tough challenges ahead.”
Later that evening, the caucus held a reception to welcome its new leadership and members. Weber and Bryan were elected in August to serve as its next chair and vice chair, respectively.
The new members of the caucus say there are inspired, motivated and ready to start working on behalf of their constituents.
“I’ve spent my career standing up for people, and I’m proud to represent the people of Assembly District 13,” said Ransom, who served on the Tracy City Council and held leadership roles in various community-based organizations.
“I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to continue my work to provide economic opportunity for all, reduce costs, strengthen accountability and education, and protect our neighborhoods. I’m ready to get to work and deliver results,” she added.
On her first day, Elhawary, who is the daughter of Egyptian and Guatemalan immigrants, introduced her first piece of legislation, Assembly Bill 37, which proposes solutions to improve mental health services for homeless people, especially schoolchildren and their families.
“My goal with this bill is to organize all interested parties in a discussion with a goal to aggressively research the hurdles we still face and identify policy or regulatory solutions in providing this essential service,” Elhawary said.
Sharp-Collins said: “I look forward to working with my colleagues and our Assembly leadership to better the 79th District and the state as a whole. There is so much work to be done.”
Antonio Ray Harvey is a reporter for California Black Media.
