Pasadena, CA – Assemblymember Chris Holden is celebrating 30 consecutive years of public service as he was first sworn in as a Pasadena City Council Member in May of 1989. He served more than 23 years on the Pasadena City Council, including mayor for two years, and is serving his 6th year as the Assemblymember for the 41st Assembly District.
“It is a unique pleasure to grow up in a town like Pasadena, attend the public schools, win two state championships with Pasadena High School, serve on the City Council and now serve in Sacramento as an Assemblymember,” said Assemblymember Holden. “All I can say is, I am a blessed man.”
Holden became the second African American to represent Pasadena as Mayor and the first African American to be elected to the State Legislature representing the San Gabriel Valley. He followed in the footsteps of his father, the Honorable Nate Holden who served in the California State Senate and Los Angeles City Council.
During Assemblymember Holden’s tenure as a Pasadena City Councilmember between 1989 and 2012, He provided leadership on efforts to form ChapCare, revitalize Northwest Pasadena, and renovate Old Town Pasadena. He also supported Congressman Adam Schiff’s efforts to establish the Gold Line and served as a member of the Glendale Burbank Pasadena Airport Authority for 20 years, including eight years as President.
“From the beginning, Chris practiced the hallmarks of his dedication to serving the community: hard work, patience, perseverance, warmth, and a fierce dedication to doing the right thing,” said Rick Cole, former Pasadena City Councilmember and current City Manager for the City of Santa Monica. “Chris has always wanted to make government work for people. In all my years of public service, I don’t know anyone who better combined the human instincts of the heart with the practical clarity of the brain. I hope young people follow in his footsteps to emulate a life of genuine public service.”
He was first elected to the California State Assembly in 2012, and was appointed to Majority Whip in 2013 and Majority Floor Leader in 2015.
As an Assemblymember he successfully passed legislation to close the achievement gap, protect public health, and preserve civil rights. Through the State Budget, he secured $40 million dollars for development disability service providers, and one million for the Pasadena Playhouse.
“Assemblymember Holden’s demeanor and dedication to his constituents have made him an effective leader in a mold rarely seen today,” said Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. “His decades of service deserve both congratulations and thanks.”
Holden currently chairs the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy where he leads efforts to set forward thinking energy policy to our state’s efforts to greenhouse gas emissions, maintain affordable utility rates, and to prepare for and address our state’s wildfire issues.
“I consider it a high honor to come back every year to represent my constituents and fight for them on the issues that matter,” said Holden.
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