A crowd of about 400 friends, family, dignitaries, and other supporters filled the Fine Arts Auditorium at West Los Angeles College to witness Jan. 26 the community swearing-in of Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, who represents Century City and surrounding communities in Sacramento.
The 90-minute formal program featured several speakers from academic institutions, business organizations, local and state government, and the Young Democrats.
At age 26, Sebastian Ridley-Thomas the youngest member of the State Assembly. Accordingly, a key theme of the community swearing-in was the prospective changing of the guard with new blood being infused into Sacramento politics.
Indeed, Sebastian Ridley-Thomas hopes his age will give him ample time to make valuable contributions to addressing the many needs of his District and the State.
“The promise for me is expressed through advocacy for transit, infrastructure resources, and getting our fair share of tax dollars from Sacramento,” Sebastian Ridley-Thomas told the nearly packed auditorium.
Just a few weeks into his seat as representing the 54th Assembly District, Sebastian Ridley-Thomas was already tabbed to sit on the State’s appropriations committee. The committee oversees bonds, fiscal bills, and alternatives to public financing.
“This position will have our district ready to secure … new resources that can move the ball forward [on key issues such as transportation],” Sebastian Ridley-Thomas stated.
After dignitaries from the Century City Chamber of Commerce, Culver City’s City Council, Los Angeles City Council, Morehouse College, UCLA, and West Los Angeles College spoke, the community swearing-in program was capped off with sentimental words of advice from Sebastian Ridley-Thomas’s father, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, and a poem recited by the new Assemblyman’s mother.
“Be not conscripted of causes that are unworthy of your life,” Mark Ridley-Thomas told his son. “Know who you are, be the best of who you can be.”
Following the family presentations, California Attorney General Kamala Harris – who earlier in the day received a Trumpet Award in Atlanta – formally welcomed Sebastian Ridley-Thomas was a brief speech before conduction the official oath of office.
“When this district elected Sebastian Ridley-Thomas into office, … [it demonstrated] elections matter and … we will be dedicated in supporting each generation in doing the work, of living the legacy, of being the dream,” Harris said, adding she expects the new Assemblyman to be “one of the most exciting members of leadership for the State of California.”
The oath of office was followed by a few remarks by Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, who provided a broad brushstroke of what he expects to be in store before his current term expires less than one year from now.
For example, the new Assemblyman hopes he would be able to help California maintain its “Golden Promise.”
Sebastian Ridley-Thomas also touted an internship program to engage his district’s youth in the civic process as early as possible and said he hopes both the California’s Assembly and Senate will deliver an on-time State budget for a fourth consecutive year.
Early childhood education, job creation, and strategic investments were also on the Assemblyman’s agenda.
Los Angeles City Councilman Curren Price, who also served in the State Assembly, hailed Sebastian Ridley-Thomas as a “rising star in California politics” and a representative of the new blood leading the State forward. Sebastian Ridley-Thomas was Price’s legislative analyst prior to running to fill in the remainder of Holly Mitchell’s 54th Assembly District seat.
Former Santa Monica mayor and council member Bobby Shriver, who is currently seeking to join Mark Ridley-Thomas as a County Supervisor, also attended the community swearing-in.
