Mikey Hothi was sworn in as the first Sikh mayor of Lodi, California, last week, Lodi News reports.
On Wednesday night, Dec. 21, Hothi was unanimously selected as Lodi’s next mayor.
Hothi was elected to the Lodi city council in 2020 and for the past year has served as vice mayor under mayor Mark Chandler. According to the Indian Express, Hothi was nominated by newly-elected councilwoman Lisa Craig.
Hothi grew up in Lodi to Indian immigrant parents. He said it was a challenge to grew up Sikh in a rural area post-9/11. He graduated from Tokay High School in 2008.
According to Lodi News, Hothi was instrumental in founding the Sikh Temple on Armstrong Road.
“Our experience is similar to that of the Hispanic community that came before us, the Greek community, the Germans,” he told Lodi News. “Everyone came to Lodi because they realized it was a safe family town. (It has) great education, great people, great culture, great values, and just hard-working people in this town. I’m just proud to represent this community as its next mayor.”
Hothi will be the 117th Mayor of Lodi. He tweeted that he was “honored to be sworn in.”
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