Gilbert Cedillo ’79

"Public education is the great equalizer of American society,” says Gilbert Cedillo ’79. “It is the life blood of our democracy. It is the reason that you can come from a modest, working class family and become one of 40 California state senators in one generation. I know this to be true because it is my story and I want it to be the future story of this current generation of fellow Bruins."

Despite his schedule as one of California’s busiest state legislators, Cedillo has made time to serve as Honorary Chair of the UCLA Latino Alumni Network’s 20th Annual Fiesta de Inspiracion Scholarship Fundraiser and Awards Dinner. Cedillo will be on hand on Oct. 27 to celebrate with fellow Bruins and raise funds for some of UCLA’s most deserving students.

Elected to California’s Assembly in November 2010, Cedillo has championed the issues of the working class and immigrant community in the district he represents and across California. In a special election in 1998, Cedillo won a seat representing the 46th California State Assembly district, which encompasses downtown Los Angeles, Boyle Heights and Huntington Park. He quickly emerged as a leader in state government, becoming chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services and serving as assistant majority leader.

In 2002, Cedillo was elected to the 22nd California State Senate district, which encompasses the diverse cities of Los Angeles, Alhambra, Maywood, San Marino, Vernon and South Pasadena.

Cedillo grew up in Boyle Heights. His father worked at American Can in Vernon and was a member of the United Steelworkers of America, and his mother was a garment worker. Cedillo attended Roosevelt High School before heading to UCLA and then earning his juris doctorate degree from the People’s College of Law.

Long before his first political campaign, Cedillo advocated on behalf of the immigrant community and the working class. Through his ties with labor unions and community organizations, he actively organized an opposition campaign to Proposition 187, California’s 1994 initiative to ban public benefits such as health care and education to undocumented immigrants. His efforts helped create a 150,000-person march, one of the largest mass marches in the history of Los Angeles.

Cedillo is known for his tireless commitment to passing legislation to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. He says he is proud of his determination and commitment to the issue, which has garnered him significant respect from his colleagues and from individuals throughout the nation. As an assemblymember, Cedillo’s passions extended to issues of homelessness, transportation, access to health care, veterans’ issues and financial aid for undocumented immigrant students, among many others.

His commitment to the working class grew out of his experiences in the labor movement where he served as general manager of the Service Employees International Union, Local 660, from 1991 to 1996, Los Angeles County’s largest union representing nearly 50,000 workers. As general manager, he led the “Rolling Thunder” campaign, a series of one-day strikes throughout Los Angeles County, in a monumental struggle to preserve jobs and benefits, and prevent the dismantling of the county’s public health system. Cedillo was credited for saving thousands of jobs and keeping the county’s public health system afloat by securing $364 million in federal assistance.

A lifelong resident of Los Angeles, Cedillo continues to reside in Los Angeles.