By Ethnic Media Services<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Jan 9, with the sound of African drumming in the background, Shirley Weber was sworn-in as the first-elected Black Secretary of State (SOS) of California and the 32nd person to hold the position. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ceremony was conducted at the SOS\u2019 auditorium in downtown Sacramento, one block south of the State Capitol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) administered the oath of office in front of Weber\u2019s grandsons Kadir and Jalil Gakunga.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI want to thank all of those who work so hard to make this position, the Secretary of State \u2014 and all of those wonderful things that come with it \u2014 possible, and for being in my life,\u201d Weber said. \u201cI have been blessed beyond imagination with all of the good things California has to give.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The daughter of a sharecropper from Hope, Ark., Weber said she is \u201cnot supposed to be here\u201d as the state\u2019s chief clerk, overseeing a department of 500-plus employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weber grew up in a two-room, \u201cclapboard house\u201d in Arkansas with her parents and five other siblings before the family relocated to Los Angeles where they lived in Pueblo Del Rio, a housing project known as the \u201cpueblos.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weber said the \u201cdata\u201d projected that she would not have a bright future. Still, she went on to graduate from UCLA with a PHD, serve on the San Diego Board of Education, teach African American studies at San Diego State University, and successfully ran for California State Assembly in November 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018My father came from Hope, Arkansas, because there was no hope in Hope,\u201d Weber said. \u201cHe came to California because he wanted his children to have a better chance and a better life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Alex Padilla the state\u2019s junior U.S. Senator in Jan. 2021, he nominated Weber as SOS. Padilla filled in for Sen. Kamala Harris, who was elected U.S Vice President. Weber was officially installed as SOS in April 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weber\u2019s plan after serving in the Legislature was to move to Ghana, Africa, and \u201cbuild a house up in the hills.\u201d That all changed when Newsom called. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was hard for me to think about becoming Secretary of State because I was so content in the Assembly,\u201d Weber said. \u201cWhen I was asked to be Secretary of State, I thought hard and long about it. I realized that everything about the Secretary of State was central to my life. I thought to myself that I am always the one taking the hard challenges. I said who better than a kid of sharecroppers, who never had a chance to vote, who could fight for the rights of voters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Secretary of State is the chief elections officer of the State, responsible for overseeing and certifying elections, as well as testing and certifying voting equipment for use in California. Weber\u2019s duties also include overseeing the state\u2019s archives division and registry of businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In her remarks, Atkins praised Weber\u2019s \u201cleadership\u201d and \u201cmorality\u201d and called her \u201ca tireless champion of democracy,\u201d adding that those characteristics are integral to performing the duties of Secretary of State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Atkins told guests that she first met Weber when she was 24 years old, and that Weber helped her run for state Assembly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the first time in its history, California has three Black constitutional officers. The others are Controller Malia M. Cohen and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou know, our constitutional officers are unique, and I give credit to our Governor (Gavin Newsom) and the people of California. There is no other list of constitutional officers like this. Where do you have a list of constitutional officers where it only has one White male in it? That is unheard of. The diversity (and) the fact that women are constitutional officers in California is historic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weber\u2019s daughter, Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) was the ceremony\u2019s emcee while Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) provided the invocation. David Bauman\u2019s African drumming and musical selections by Dr. Tecoy Porter, pastor of Genesis Church Sacramento and President of the National Action Network Sacramento Chapter and his Genesis Church choir were the entertainment. Weber\u2019s son, Akil Weber provided the closing statements. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWords cannot express how truly proud I am of what my mother has done, what she will continue to do, the door she has opened, the legacy she is creating,\u201d\u00a0Assemblymember\u00a0Akilah Weber said of her mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n