LOS ANGELES — Governor Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that he will appoint Assemblymember Shirley Weber to serve as California’s next secretary of state, filling the vacancy that will occur when Alex Padilla is sworn in to the United States Senate. Dr. Weber — the current Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus — will be only the fourth woman and first Black woman to hold the position of California secretary of state.
Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, released the following statement from Executive Director Rick Chavez Zbur:
“Throughout her career, Dr. Weber has been a champion for the most marginalized communities — communities of color, women, the LGBTQ+ community and those who live at the intersections of those identities. She is a renowned civil rights leader and in many ways the moral conscience of the California Legislature — the perfect person to serve as California’s next secretary of state. The historic significance of this appointment cannot be overstated. Born to sharecroppers in the South, seven years before the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, Dr. Weber will now be charged with protecting the rights of over 30 million eligible voters in the nation’s most populous state. We are confident she will serve with honor and distinction and look forward to continuing our work together.”
In September, Equality California honored Assemblymember Shirley Weber with the Ally Leadership Award for her outstanding work in the California legislature to advance LGBTQ+ civil rights and social justice.
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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ+ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org
