On an electronic board at the Georgia House of Representatives, a new name recently appeared on the list of state representatives — one that is a first for the state.
With her left hand on the Bible and her right hand raised, Brenda López officially became the first Latina woman in the Georgia General Assembly.
For the 33-year-old Mexican native, the day marked more than just a culmination of hard work and goals, it was the beginning of a new chapter in her life.
“It’s an honor having received so much support, in particular the support of those people who voted for me, and that always comes with the responsibility to do the best job possible under the circumstances that we have here in the General Assembly,” said López, upon being sworn in.
In the community
When López was campaigning for the State House District 99 seat, Mundo Hispánico accompanied the lawyer on the campaign trail. Those who answered the knock on their door were not surprised to see López, as she is a familiar face for many in the community. For almost a year, López and her team visited her district where, in addition to seeking votes, they made an effort to educate Latinos about the importance of civic participation.
On March 1, when López won the primary, the celebration reflected the reward of months of hard work and dedication. In November, López’s victory was made official, as she ran without an opponent.
Last week, she sat for the first time in the chair that she will occupy during the next 40 days of the legislative session, a space where decisions will affect the residents of Georgia, for good or for bad.
“One of the things we are interested in doing, especially this first year, is to unite our communities and our government, doing things within the district and in Gwinnett, above all regarding development and education with the people who live within and outside of my district,” explained López.
Historic celebration
State Representative Pedro Marín, who, together with State Representative David Casas, made history in 2003, by becoming the first Hispanics elected to the House of Representatives joined in López’s swearing in celebration. That same year, Sam Zamarripa was sworn in as the first Latino senator in Georgia.
“It’s a tremendous honor having Brenda López in the Georgia General Assembly, marking a historic moment as the first Latina on our team. Brenda knows that she has my complete cooperation on the different bills that, in one way or another, affect our community,” assured Marín.
Aníbal Torres, executive director of the Latin American Association, was also part of the celebration. “We are very proud of having in Brenda López, the first Latina to represent us in the Georgia legislature. It’s definitely a historic moment, and I trust that her candidacy will inspire more Latinos to enter the political field,” said Torres.
Jerry González, executive director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, hopes López’s victory will motivate other women to fill public office positions. “We need more women to consider serving our community. We have many men who have been elected, but few women,” said González.
González emphasized that López, who forms part of GALEO’s board of directors, accomplished unique work in her community, and that is why she was able to triumph. “The victory did not happen just because she was Latina but rather because she did the necessary work of being in the community, and she took into account the opinions of the people in her district,” said González.
