California Legislative Black Caucus Welcomes Four New Members and Historic Firsts Heading Into Its 60th Anniversary
SACRAMENTO, CA—The California Legislative Black Caucus will welcome four new members for the 2027-28 legislative session: Jackie Elward, Dr. Ayanna Davis, and Dr. Paula Swift to the State Assembly; and Nelson Esparza to the State Board of Equalization.
The new members arrive as the Caucus prepares to mark 60 years since its founding in 1967, when Black legislators united to speak as one voice about the concerns of Black Californians. The Caucus traces its roots back even further to the 1918 election of Frederick M. Roberts, the first African American to serve in the Legislature. Since then, only a mere 1.3% of all elected lawmakers in the state’s history have been of African descent.
Meet the New Members
Jackie Elward, the first Black woman elected to the Rohnert Park city council, will now become the first Black woman to represent the 12th Assembly District and the first African-born person elected to the state Legislature. A union organizer and multilingual language educator, Elward brings emerging new perspectives to the statehouse.
Dr. Ayanna Davis is a lifelong educator, having served as a teacher, principal, and board member for the Compton Unified School District. Davis will become the first Black woman to represent the 65th Assembly District, succeeding Assemblymember Mike Gipson who will continue his lifelong public service as member-elect of the Board of Equalization.
Dr. Paula Swift, a small business owner, educator, and advocate who has worked across public, private, and nonprofit sectors to strengthen systems for all Californians, will represent the 70th Assembly District where she will be the first Black person to represent Orange County in the State Capitol.
Nelson Esparza, a Fresno City Councilmember and economics lecturer, will draw from his financial expertise to represent District 1 on the California State Board of Equalization, protecting California tax payers statewide.
"For nearly six decades, this Caucus has fought to make sure Black Californians are seen, heard, and served throughout our state. Welcoming four new members as we approach our 60th anniversary is a powerful reminder that our community's voice is growing, and that the work our founders began is far from finished," said CLBC Chair Senator Akilah Weber Pierson, M.D.
"Our new members bring experience from city halls, school boards, classrooms, and small businesses. As we look to our next 60 years, their perspectives will strengthen our work on affordability, education, health, and economic opportunity for Black families across California," said CLBC Chair-elect Assemblymember Corey A. Jackson, DSW.
This class is part of a historic moment for Black leadership across California government. Together, 14 Black lawmakers will serve in the legislature and four Black Californians will serve in constitutional offices. Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. and Controller Malia M. Cohen handily won reelection and will continue in their ever-important roles, and members-elect Mike Gipson and Nelson Esparza ascend to the State Board of Equalization, bringing the number of Black Californians in state elected office to 18—the most in state history.
The Caucus' growth comes at a moment when the decisions made in California carry real consequences for Black Americans from coast-to-coast. From the cost of housing, impacts of digital infrastructure expansion, access to health care affordability, the quality of public schools, and the strength of civil rights protections, California continues to lead on tackling the tough issues.
A larger, more geographically diverse Caucus means more Black Californians, in more regions of the state, will have advocates at the table when budgets are drafted and policies are crafted. This expansion represents a new chapter for the Caucus and underscores the continued importance of Black leadership within the state.
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