Congratulations to City of Artesia Pro Tem Melissa Ramosa, City of Carson Mayor Jim Dear, and Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragan

I have known newly appointed City of Artesia Pro Tem Melissa Ramosa for over 20 years. The City of Artesia City Council appointed Councilmember Melissa Ramosa as the City of Artesia Mayor Pro Tem, marking her as the first Asian American, Pacific Island and firist Filipina American woman to be elected as Pro Tem. Prior to being elected as City of Artesia Pro Tem, she served in the council for years beginning in 2018. She was the youngest councilmember. She was the only woman serving on the council at the time until Monica Manalo was elected to a vacant seat. Born in City Downey, CA., Pro Tem Melissa has been a long time resident and received her education from the ABC Unified School District of Richard Gahr High School before going to the University of California in Irvine.

Carson Mayor Jim Dear and I have known each other for over 25 years. Born and raised in the City of Harbor Area of Los Angeles County, he was elected City of Carson Mayor in 2004. He was reelected to serve a full four year term in the March 2005 General election. And again in 2009 and in 2013. Growing up, Mayor Jim Dear attended local schools including Gardena High School, Los Angeles Harbor Community College and obtained a BA Degree in Political Science at UCLA in 1977. He also attended graduate school at CSUDH in Carson. He is a retired History and English public school teacher with the L.A. Unified School District. He has attended the Kingdom Light Colony in Hollywood and the Light Colony of Carson and Orange County.

2nd term Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragan is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for California’s 44th congressional district since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, she was a City of Hermosa Beach City Councilmember from 2013 to 2015.