Jessica Caloza
Jessica Caloza | |
---|---|
Member of the California State Assembly from the 52nd district | |
Assumed office December 2, 2024 | |
Preceded by | Wendy Carrillo |
Personal details | |
Residence(s) | Los Angeles, California |
Education | University of California, San Diego |
Jessica Caloza is an American politician who is a member of the California State Assembly for the 52nd District. Assembly District 52 includes South Glendale, East Los Angeles, Eagle Rock, Mt. Washington, Highland Park, Glassell Park, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Atwater Village, Lincoln Heights, Los Feliz, East Hollywood, Cypress Park, Elysian Valley, Monterey Hills, Hermon, Montecito Heights, El Sereno, Garvanza, and City Terrace. Assembly District 52 also includes the Dodger Stadium, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Occidental College, California State University, Los Angeles, and a number of parks.
A Democrat, she is the first Filipina elected to the California State Legislature.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Caloza was born in Quezon City, Philippines, and immigrated to the United States as a child. She is the daughter of working-class parents and is a product of the public school system. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego and earned dual degrees in Political Science: International Relations and Ethnic Studies. Caloza was the first person in her family to graduate from college in the United States.[1]
Career
[edit]Caloza is a longtime public servant and started her career working as a community organizer for President Barack Obama's campaign in Virginia. She went on to work as a policy advisor in the Obama Administration at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C.[1] After serving at the federal level, Caloza worked for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti[2] in the Office of Immigrant Affairs. In 2019, she was appointed by Mayor Garcetti to serve as a Commissioner on the Board of Public Works, which is the only full-time commission in the City of Los Angeles. She oversaw the Bureau of Engineering and the Bureau of Contract Administration and led critical infrastructure projects and neighborhood beautification initiatives like the Sixth Street Bridge and Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway. She also led initiatives to support small businesses and critical policies that expanded language access to make city services more accessible. After working at the local level, Caloza joined the California Department of Justice and served as the deputy chief of staff to California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
California State Assembly
[edit]In July 2023, Caloza announced her campaign for the California State Assembly in the 52nd District to replace incumbent Wendy Carrillo, who ran for the Los Angeles City Council. In March 2024, in a crowded primary field of ten candidates, Caloza and Franky Carrillo advanced to the general election.[2][3] In November 2024, Caloza won the general election, beating Carrillo—108,882 votes (66.92%) to her opponent's 53,820 (33.08%).[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Rueda, Nimfa (March 3, 2024). "Fil-Am's bid for California Assembly offers hope for more representation". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
- ^ a b Sosa, Anabel (October 3, 2024). "Your guide to California's Assembly District 52 race: Caloza vs. Carrillo". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
- ^ Nelson, Elgin (October 8, 2024). "Tracking Assembly District 52 race: Jessica Caloza and Franky Carrillo". Boyle Heights Beat. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
- ^ "General Election - Statement of Vote, November 5, 2024". California Secretary of State. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
External links
[edit]- Living people
- 21st-century members of the California State Legislature
- Asian American and Pacific Islander state legislators in California
- California politicians of Filipino descent
- Democratic Party members of the California State Assembly
- Filipino emigrants to the United States
- Obama administration personnel
- Politicians from Los Angeles
- Politicians from Quezon City
- United States Department of Education officials
- University of California, San Diego alumni
- Women state legislators in California
- 21st-century American women politicians