After losing both his mom, a health care worker, and stepfather to COVID-19, Robert vowed to work as hard as he could to ensure other families wouldn’t experience the same pain. He threw himself into expanding Long Beach’s mobile testing and vaccination efforts —  programs that went on to receive national recognition from health experts and praise from the White House and Governor Newsom.  Long Beach was the first city in California to vaccinate educators – allowing Long Beach Unified to reopen schools before most other districts — and the first city to vaccinate 99% of its senior population. The New York Times profiled the city’s vaccination efforts, calling it “a national model.”

As Mayor, Robert oversaw a period of unprecedented economic growth and expansion of opportunity for city residents. Robert worked to launch programs like tuition-free community college, a universal basic income pilot and a pandemic recovery package to ensure every Long Beach resident could share in the city’s success. Under his leadership, the city passed an aggressive climate action plan to end the city’s reliance on fossil fuels while protecting and expanding good-paying jobs. He was the first Mayor of Long Beach to have appointed a majority of women to city commissions and boards.  

As Donald Trump entered the White House, Robert moved aggressively to ensure Long Beach protected its immigrant, Muslim and LGBTQ residents. He believes cities like Long Beach —  where neighbors from every conceivable background live side by side and look out for each other — represent the best of America. 

Robert grew up in Southern California, and he is married to Matthew Mendez Garcia, a professor of political science at California State University, Long Beach.   Upon his election, Robert became the first immigrant and LGBTQ mayor in the city’s history, and he would be the first LGBTQ immigrant to serve in Congress.

“I’m running for Congress because every kid – and every family – deserves a real shot at opportunity. Congress should be an institution that actually helps people and improves Americans’ lives. 

I would know. An act of Congress made all the difference in my life.

My mom brought me to America not knowing English, without an education, and without the right immigration status. We came here on a temporary visa and stayed past its expiration date.  

But thanks to a progressive change in immigration law passed by Congress in the 1980s, we were able to apply for permanent legal residency. I became a U.S. citizen at 21. It was the happiest day of my life. 

Other programs also helped my family succeed. At times, my mom was able to supplement her income through government housing vouchers and Medicaid. I attended a public 4-year college and became a teacher. I was able to marry my partner because the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage.

I owe everything to this country because America afforded me the opportunity to succeed.

I know my story isn’t typical for many who grew up like me. But it should be.

Every young adult should be able to attend a tuition-free college or a skilled trade program. Every undocumented kid and their family should have the ability to earn their citizenship. Every worker should have the opportunity to pursue a meaningful career.  Every American should have healthcare and a roof over their head.

There’s no getting around it – America has big, persistent and structural problems that Congress must address: Generational cycles of poverty and the consolidation of wealth and legal power into the hands of a powerful few must end. A minority of extremists with near-complete control of the Republican Party are attacking elections and our democracy. Systemic racism is steeped in our institutions. 

As mayor of Long Beach, I have seen firsthand how people coming from different walks of life can build coalitions to enact meaningful change – even in the face of entrenched and ideological opposition. 

Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia is one of Sacramento's most effective and progressive legislators.  Cristina's landmark legislative victories span the reformist spectrum, from environmental justice (EJ) to ethics and best practices in government to the issues that affect the lives of women and families.  Cristina's roots as an activist legislator were sown as a community organizer battling corruption amid the City of Bell scandal in 2010 - one of the worst instances of small-city malfeasance in American history. In 2012, running an ethics in government platform, Cristina was elected to the State Assembly by defeating one of southeast Los Angeles County's most long-standing and powerful political dynasties.

Assemblywoman Garcia has also held true to her activist roots and distinguished herself as a good government reformer in the state capital.  Among her accomplishment are the landmark Political Conduct, Ethics and Public Trust Acts of 2014.  These laws demand increased accountability and promote transparency and trust in state and local government.  Cristina has also authored anti-corruption and good-government laws that eliminate influence peddling by lobbyists, increase the penalties for politicians who take bribes, and expand transparency in what state or local government agency must publicly disclose concerning government salaries, benefits and diems. 

As the chair of the California Legislative Women's Caucus, Cristina is widely considered one of the legislative champions of the "period equity movement".  Cristina authored several laws to address that historically dismissed and often stigmatized issue.  Those bills include the landmark AB 367, which Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law earlier this year, requiring all community colleges, public universities, high schools, and middle schools to provide free menstrual products in school bathrooms.  Cristina also introduced the first bill in the nation to eliminate the tax on menstrual products (it's now permanently eliminated in California). Cristina is responsible for the first legislation on planet Earth outlawing "stealthing" or the act of removing a condom during intercourse without a partner's consent.  She corrected a historical injustice by passing the "Spousal Rape" Act. The law modified the act of a spouse raping their married partner by making that act a felony like any other rape. 

In response to the national reckoning on criminal justice, after the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing civil rights protests, Cristina joined restorative justice reformers in reimagining criminal justice. In her first year as chair of the Budget Sub 5 on Public Safety, Cristina secured over $170 million for victim services, which included direct funds for the victims of human trafficking. 

Rev. William Moses Summerville is the youngest of three siblings and grew up in a working-class family of public-school educators in Champaign/Urbana, Illinois.  He moved to California after concluding his tour of duty as an Air Force Reserve Chaplain in Great Falls, Montana.  He has served bi-vocationally as Pastor of Kingdom Come Community Church and a Hospital/Hospice Chaplain throughout Los Angeles/Orange County for the past 15 years.

Rev. Summerville expanded his passions for service and justice by getting involved in Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential bid.  William was elected as a delegate to represent Sanders at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, PA.  As a delegate, he championed progressive values such as a $15 living wage, free education from kindergarten through college, reparations, undocumented immigrant justice, ending forever wars, and health care as a human right in the form of Medicare for All.

At the close of the 2016 primaries, Senator Sanders made the clarion call to inspire his supporters to run for public office.  At that moment, William decided to expand his advocacy beyond the confines and closed doors of one-on-one consultations in a hospice career.  He joined various political groups and served as an Assembly District Delegate for the CA State Democratic Party, with the goal to not succumb to the apathy and cynicism often perpetuated by politics as usual.  In the midterm elections of 2018, several congressional candidates sought out Rev. Summerville’s insights for their campaigns.  And now is the time for Rev. William Moses Summerville to answer the clarion call himself to run for congress to serve the people.