When Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón announced leadership and committee appointments for the remainder of the 2025-26 legislative session, three African American senators were elevated to roles that reflect years of legislative work, professional expertise, and earned respect at the Capitol. The appointments of Laura Richardson, Akilah Weber Pierson, and Lola Smallwood-Cuevas followed sustained records of service, subject-matter mastery, and coalition-building across caucuses.
In The News
California Senate Bill (SB) 648, authored by Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D–Los Angeles), takes effect on Jan. 1. The law strengthens legal protections for workers against employee tip theft.
South Los Angeles has achieved an extraordinary milestone with the California Arts Council’s unanimous vote to officially designate the area as the state’s first ever Black Cultural District. The decision was announced Dec. 12 by Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) while flanked by civic and community leaders during a celebratory press conference and community reception held at the California African American Museum.
Historic South Los Angeles has been officially designated California’s first-ever Black Cultural District, marking a major milestone in the recognition and preservation of Black history, culture, and economic contributions in the United States.
California designated Historic South Los Angeles as the state’s first Black Cultural District on Dec. 12, a milestone supporters say formally recognizes generations of Black cultural influence — and one that arrives amid intensifying concerns about displacement, rising property values, and the preservation of community institutions that have long anchored Black life in the area.
Representing the 28th Senate District, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) brings a lifelong commitment to working families, shaped by her upbringing as the daughter of a single mother who was a military veteran and a registered nurse.
South Los Angeles has achieved an extraordinary milestone with the California Arts Council’s unanimous vote to officially designate the area as the state’s first ever Black Cultural District. The decision was announced on Friday, December 12, 2026, by Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) while flanked by civic and community leaders during a celebratory press conference and community reception held at the California African American Museum.
South Los Angeles is the state's first-ever Black Cultural District, following Friday's vote of approval by the California Arts Council. Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, who represents the South Los Angeles area, led the effort for the state to designate Historic South Los Angeles as a Black Cultural District.