New Assembly Speaker Sworn In Close to Home
Ed Fuentes
New Speaker of the California Assembly John A. Pérez at the podium during his swearing-in at the Japanese American National Museum.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Steps from where his political aspirations began, John A. Pérez was publicly sworn in as the new speaker of the California Assembly today.
The Boyle Heights raised Pérez –– now a Downtown resident –- first began political career fundraising across the street at Senor Fish. Today his ceremonial oath of office was held, across the street, on the steps of the Japanese-American National Museum.
Mayor of Maywood Ana Rosa Rizo thanked the Speaker for the way he responded to the community in pushing legislation to clean up the city's tap water. Even though it requires legislation, his effort to clean up tap water, as told by Mayor of Maywood Ana Rosa Rizo, was introduced as a grassroots effort. A member of the audience even brought a jar of water for Pérez to take back to Sacramento.
And that defined the mood of the formal ceremony that began with a welcome message from a former speaker of the house, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Bill Wantanabe, director of Little Tokyo Center, playfully referred to Boyle Heights as a suburb of Little Tokyo, before noting Pérez' commitment to his communities.
After being sworn-in by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge M.L. Villar, Pérez addressed the crowd about the need to suppport education at all levels, create jobs and cut the Assembly’s budget by 15 percent.
Pérez is the 68th Speaker of the California State Assembly, and becomes the highest ranking openly-gay official in the state. He was formally sworn-in just over a week ago in Sacramento.
Guest on March 12, 2010, at 06:46PM – #1
Who is a PROUD Gay Latino man who has worked for GLBTQ rights for years. Congratulations! Interesting deletion of an imporant Gay news item.
Guest on March 12, 2010, at 10:59PM – #2
Maybe Ed Fuentes didn't know that Perez is gay? What other reason can there be for this omission?
Other than that major blunder, this is a good story.
Guest on March 12, 2010, at 11:02PM – #3
Ed Fuentes probably did not know Perez is Gay!! That is like saying no one knows that Barack Obama is African- American...
Missed opportunity to be proud and out!
Guest on March 13, 2010, at 08:40AM – #4
Maybe he should comment on everyone's sexual orientation? Being gay isn't something to be proud of or ashamed of. Be proud of your accomplishments, not how you were born.
Guest on March 13, 2010, at 09:34AM – #5
Howie on the Hill is back, up to his old tricks....
Guest on March 13, 2010, at 09:42AM – #6
You miss the point, guest #4. Perez is the highest ranking elected official ever in the state who is openly gay. That's groundbreaking and that's news.
.....and sexual orientation shouldn't matter, but tell that to the lesbian in Mississippi whose high school prom was cancelled because she wanted to wear a tux and bring a female date!
Guest on March 13, 2010, at 09:49AM – #7
BTW, anyone who knows Ed Fuentes knows he's accepting and totally supportive of the GLBTQ community. He just somehow left out something historically important.
Ed, maybe you can insert the information into the story? You'd have a better article, especially since Perez campaigned during the election in the OBD as an openly gay man who won and then went on to be Speaker.
Guest on March 13, 2010, at 11:58AM – #8
The fact that he has been in the papers with long stories about him for weeks, and about being Gay could not have been overlooked easily. This was a very important day for the GLBTQ Community so there has been a lot of PR. You just can't delete that away. And BTW there's no "trick" about civil rights, unless you are a bigot or discriminating or just grasping at straws.
No matter how hard one might try, you can't shut up free speech.
Guest on March 13, 2010, at 12:04PM – #9
DON GARZA shows how the article could have been done. http://centralcitye.blogspot.com/ Sensitive, understanding, centered, factual and concise.
Nancy Richardson (@nanorich) on March 13, 2010, at 12:05PM – #10
Look at all those guest posts!
Guest on March 13, 2010, at 12:13PM – #11
Welcome guests.
Don Garza on March 13, 2010, at 12:34PM – #12
The first sentence at the LA TIMES blog post is the Fact that John Perz is Gay. It also mentions that the gay men's chorus sang at the beginning of the ceremony as well as mentioning that ""He's someone who sends a signal to the nation that being gay is no longer a barrier to greatness," said an Assembly colleague, Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco)."
Yet , for some reason , blogdowntown and Ed Fuentes refuse to acknowledge part of who John Perez is.. I lost 2 friends on facebook writing that article ,( gained three more) and every time I lose a facebook friend that doesn't like my gay facebook friends I always post a status update that says this: If yu don't like my gay facebook friends ,when you leave don't let the door hit yu where the good lord split yu.
Maybe Rush Limbaugh isn't the only one that should be sent to Costa Rica packing..
In 2010 there is still a bigotry associated even with being gay friendly. Many publications acknowledge this and just deal with it and publish the truth and the facts. Even the LA Times. But it is 2010 , the days of fear from bigpotry should be over. As for me I won't fear the bigots and will publish the objective factual truth. The truth always comes out in the end and the cowards always fade into the background.
Dixon on March 13, 2010, at 12:40PM – #13
C'mon, Ed. Your standards are at stake here. Add the missing information and tell the whole story.
Guest on March 13, 2010, at 12:41PM – #14
Mr Perez is gay?! It would have been more astonishing to learn his politics are not that of a Democrat, of a liberal!
Diversity in race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality is old news next to diversity in thought and opinion.
Don Garza on March 13, 2010, at 12:45PM – #15
the article I speak of at the LA TIMES was posted on March 1 , not from Yesterday's local swearing in...
Dixon on March 13, 2010, at 12:54PM – #16
it may not be "astonishing", guest #15, but it's news. It's especially newsworthy because John Perez is the highest serving elected public official ever in the state.
Besides, the purpose of a good news article is not to "astonish" the readers. Try TMZ for that, guest.
C'mon, Ed, fix it up!!
Dixon on March 13, 2010, at 12:59PM – #17
........er, that's highest-serving elected GAY public official in the state.
I don't want Ed to go to Costa Rica. I just want him to live up to his usual excellent standards by fixing his article.
Don Garza on March 13, 2010, at 01:05PM – #18
Maybe they just omitted this to stir up controversy to get readership!! Sounds like the same tactics as the demagoguery over at the Garment and Citizen!! Sounds like desperation...
Guest on March 13, 2010, at 01:20PM – #19
Would it be bigger news if Perez were bisexual?
Dixon on March 13, 2010, at 01:21PM – #20
Don Garza, this kind of controversy could cause them to LOSE readership!
Maybe Ed doesn't have the ability/authority to edit a story once it's been posted. That means that publisher Eric Richardson should do it.
.....or maybe Don Garza is right and this milestone for the GLBTQ community isn't worth beans to blogdowntown. Eric, what's the word?
Don Garza on March 13, 2010, at 01:29PM – #21
Supposedly Blogdowntown is a non-profit community centered media source.. so whatever that means by community ,Ciscustop.
So it just interesting to note that there is the possibility that the big milestone of Gays finally holding one of the biggest and seen as one of most powerful posts in the Country , not just California , because it is the speakership of the State Assembly of California , just sends one reeling as to why this was not newsworthy to note that John Perez is Gay it just makes one wonder if the Gay Community in Downtown Los Angeles is part of the blogdowntown "community".. I am sure in order to do damage control , they are planning a whole series of blog posts after this article on Gays in Downtown. But the damage is done.
Guest on March 13, 2010, at 01:34PM – #22
There is nothing newsworthy in a story that only tells part of the story and leaves out the part that they don't like perhaps? Whatever it is, this should be changed. Update the story Boyz and be the goodguys for a change.
Don Garza on March 13, 2010, at 01:39PM – #23
BY the way.. many downtowners love John Perez regardless of being gay,, he is awesome!
Ken Hall on March 13, 2010, at 04:14PM – #24
I think there is a rush to judgment here, I have never known Ed or Eric to not be supportive of the GLBT Community, I don't think there was any intent to leave anything out of his story.
I say ease up....and to all of the "guests" who have had so many passionate things to say, if you would register on this site, it would make your comments much more creditable.
Dixon on March 13, 2010, at 04:29PM – #25
Ken, check my earlier comments. I know Ed personally and he is totally comfortable with and supportive of the GLBTQ community. That's not what is in question.
What's so puzzling--and even insulting--is that these legitimate concerns about this non-coverage of this milestone for the GLBTQ have not been addressed.
I'm hoping both Ed and Eric are out and about running errands today. Surely they'll either address the above concerns or will promptly add the missing information and focus to this article.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on March 13, 2010, at 04:57PM – #26
So I go out of town overnight and come back to find that I've missed out on quite the lively conversation...
We were putting together a short story about John Perez' swearing in and I thought Ed had hit on a fun local angle with the Senor Fish mention, so we ran with it. The fact that he is gay has been very well covered elsewhere, so I thought it more our role to add a little Downtown color.
But you want it in there, so I'll add a mention.
Don Garza on March 13, 2010, at 05:17PM – #27
So I guess the facebook page dedicated to sending Eric and Ed to Costa Rica with Rush Limbaugh is not needed!!!
Good for yu Eric!
Guest on March 13, 2010, at 05:26PM – #28
Good for Richard. It was like reporting the first "Black" at some important govenment post but never mentioning the struggle, discrimination, and difficilty to get someplace in the political machine, much less a Gay Latino in ELA, he won the most important position the stateehouse. Since Eric is reportably not Gay I suppose he has had a little sensitivity training to the GLBTQ community. We all learn. That's what life is about. Thanks Richard.
Dixon on March 13, 2010, at 05:28PM – #29
Yes, Eric, I figured you were busy and would deal with this when you could!
What you failed to consider is that the GLBTQ community is still grieving over the loss of our constitutional right to marry. John Perez's swearing in was a sweet victory, a day in the sun for us all.
Plus, choosing Senor Fish over the Gay Men's Chorus? Oh, Eric, how straight of you!
Thanks for setting the record, well, straight!
Kevin Lynn on March 14, 2010, at 08:37AM – #30
Perhaps what should be the focus is not John Perez per se, but that someone who was elected just a couple years ago to the Assembly is now the Speaker. I don't care how smart and capable you are, that is too little experience for such a role. We need to have a discussion on term limits and allowing our representatives to serve longer (should that be the will of the people) so that when the next candidate for the Speaker position comes up, they will be someone who has served a lengthy tenure. Perhaps, if things change, John will have the opportunity to serve more than just a term and half as Speaker. Perhaps, 10 years from now he will still be Speaker and steering the state to a better and more prosperous future.
Guest on March 14, 2010, at 12:57PM – #31
John Perez having little experience and already receiving a big assignment in Sacramento? Considering California's current reputation as a state being run into the ground, and now a high-unemployment laughingstock, everything makes sense.
Perez also makes sense as representative of the downtown community. A place where vacant office space has remained a problem for over 20 years and employment opportunities have stagnated, even declined.
Vero Queero on March 14, 2010, at 02:02PM – #32
Sounds like Guest #31 takes Meg Whitman's tv commercials too seriously. Kudos to John. Ed's ommission--not that big of a deal to me, I think most everybody knows John's orientation: 10 lashes with a wet noodle.
Nancy Richardson (@nanorich) on March 14, 2010, at 05:24PM – #33
Little experience?
Ever heard of.....term limits?
Just as someone gets good at their job, they have to run for something else.
Ed Fuentes on March 14, 2010, at 09:03PM – #34
Well, seems that I missed a full day of comments. Frankly, after Guest comment number 2, I almost added this as my own response.
Guest: Adding the detail that John A. Pérez is Gay is as much of a statement as not including it. Newsworthy? I suppose so if you haven't read any other coverage. Yet, at some point being Gay should not be an issue for entrusting in qualified leadership. That, in itself, may be interpreted as a statement: It shouldn't matter.
The little firestorm here now has made it clear many feel it should be in. So be it.
For the record, The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles sang prior to the oath in Sacramento, not the public ceremony in Little Tokyo.
Musical performances this past Friday were by the Mariachi Conservatory and Japanese Festival Sounds. The National Anthem was sung by 52nd District Assemblyman Isadore Hall.
A special performance in the middle of the program was by Los Angeles High School #9 for the Visual and Performing Women's Chorus.
The concluding musical performance was by The Franklin High School Marching Band.
Now I have to answer an angry e-mail from a AFL-CIO member who is furious that I did not include the major talking points of Maria Elena Durazo's testimonial.
Guest on March 15, 2010, at 12:01AM – #35
Having left out the fact that John Perez is Gay , after such a firestorm , is also a statement in itself. Many also feel the same way; that being Gay shouldn't matter. But leaving it out of the article in the first place tells a whole other truth!!
Dixon on March 15, 2010, at 09:37AM – #36
Ed, it's who, what, why, when, where and how. The first gay assembly speaker ever is what.
Stick to the basics and you'll be fine. Assume anything and you'll make an........well, you know the rest!
Ginny Brideau (@ginnycase) on March 15, 2010, at 10:18AM – #37
I still <3 Ed.
Robyn on March 15, 2010, at 12:27PM – #38
Thanks for posting that the new assembly speaker has been sworn. It was a beautiful day in Little Tokyo.
Pan American Bank (@PanAmericanBank) on April 02, 2010, at 07:14PM – #39
On behalf of Pan American Bank and the local community, I thank Speaker Perez for sponsoring with Assemblymember Charles M. Calderon and California Controller John Chiang, a Free Tax Preparation Workshop at Pan American Bank in East Los Angeles. The event, which takes place on Saturday, April 3, 2010, will provide local residents with an opportunity to file their taxes timely and professionally. This free event will also provide participants with a free bank account (no monthly fee, no minimum balance) that can be used for direct deposit, ensuring quick and safe tax refunds.
Jesse Torres President and CEO Pan American Bank East Los Angeles, CA 90063 "California's Oldest Latino-Owned Bank"