City of Eastvale photo
25-year old Jocelyn Yow made California history Wednesday, becoming the youngest women of color to serve as mayor in the history of the state, reports CBSLA.
A current graduate student, the child of a Vietnamese refugee and Malaysian immigrant moved to Eastvale in 2011.
“Our government, all levels of government should be reflecting what the community looks like, and here at Eastvale, we have over 50% people of color,” she told ABC 7. “Your perspectives, our perspectives, our stories matter, and that’s why we deserve a seat at the table to make sure that our voices are being heard.”
Yow also made history in 2018 when she won election to the Eastvale City Council, becoming the first Malaysian American elected to public office in the US.
Happy #APAHM! I‘m the proud daughter of a Vietnamese refugee & a Malaysian immigrant. Everyday I‘m grateful for my family who came before me, paving the way for me to become the first #MalaysianAmerican elected to public office in the US #AAPI #AAPIHeritageMonth #AAPIHM pic.twitter.com/IPI5hx8mgX
— Jocelyn Yow (@Jocelyn_Yow) May 3, 2020
Despite her young age, Yow has also served as a district representative for the California State Senate and as an aide in the House of Representatives.
Currently, Yow is the policy manager of IGNITE, a nonprofit organization that seeks to help elect more women into positions of power.
Yow also recently became a new mother to her now 6-month-old son. She hopes that her election as not only a woman of color, but also a young mother will encourage other women like her to run for office.
“It is crucial that we include the perspectives of young women and mothers while making important decisions that impact the families we serve,” she said. “While I will be the youngest woman of color and one of the very few young mothers to serve as a mayor in the state of California, I am hopeful that more young women and mothers will follow suit.”
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