52 Facts About Karen Bass

Karen Ruth Bass is an American politician who has served as the 43rd mayor of Los Angeles since 2022.

Karen Bass was first elected to the US House of Representatives in 2010.

Karen Bass represented California's 33rd congressional district during her first term; redistricting moved her to the 37th district in 2012.

Karen Bass chaired the Congressional Black Caucus during the 116th Congress.

Karen Bass was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Wilhelmina and DeWitt Talmadge Karen Bass.

Karen Bass's father was a postal letter carrier and her mother was a homemaker.

Karen Bass was raised in the Venice and Fairfax neighborhoods of Los Angeles and graduated from Alexander Hamilton High School in 1971.

Karen Bass studied philosophy at San Diego State University from 1971 to 1973 and graduated from the Keck School of Medicine of USC Physician Assistant Program in 1982.

Karen Bass then earned a Bachelor of Science in health sciences from California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 1990.

Karen Bass received her master's degree in social work from the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work in 2015.

In 2004, Karen Bass was elected to represent California's 47th Assembly district.

Karen Bass was reelected in 2006 and 2008 before her term limit expired.

Karen Bass served the cities and communities of Culver City, West Los Angeles, Westwood, Cheviot Hills, Leimert Park, Baldwin Hills, View Park-Windsor Hills, Ladera Heights, the Crenshaw District, Little Ethiopia and portions of Koreatown and South Los Angeles.

Karen Bass secured more than $2.3 million to help revitalize the historic Vision Theater in Los Angeles and more than $600 million for Los Angeles Unified School District.

Karen Bass worked with the governor and initiated the California Commission on the 21st-Century Economy to reform California's tax code.

Karen Bass fought to repeal the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Karen Bass became speaker during a period of severe economic turmoil.

Negotiations over a spending plan to address a multi-billion dollar budget shortfall began the day Karen Bass was sworn in.

Karen Bass was part of the negotiations that resulted in a comprehensive deal to close most of a $42 billion shortfall.

In June 2009, Karen Bass drew criticism from conservative commentators for statements she made during an interview with Los Angeles Times reporter Patt Morrison in response to a question about how conservative talk radio affected the Assembly's efforts to pass a state budget.

In 2010, Representative Diane Watson retired from Congress and encouraged Karen Bass to run for her seat.

Karen Bass was ineligible to run for reelection to the State Assembly in 2010 due to California's term limits, so on February 18,2010, Karen Bass confirmed her candidacy to represent California's 33rd congressional district.

Karen Bass raised $692,988.53 and spent $803,966.15, leaving $52,384.92 on hand and a debt of $3,297.59.

Karen Bass played a leadership role in the California African Americans for Obama organization and served on Obama's national African American Leadership Council.

Karen Bass had served as a co-chair of African Americans for Obama in California during the 2008 presidential campaign.

Karen Bass did not attend President Trump's inauguration after conducting a poll on Twitter.

Karen Bass was their first choice for leader, but she rejected the offer, supporting Pelosi for speaker.

Karen Bass served as the second vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus during the 115th Congress.

Karen Bass was elected chair of the Congressional Black Caucus on November 28,2018, and served in that capacity from 2019 to 2021.

In July 2020, Karen Bass was discussed as a potential running mate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Biden reportedly narrowed the field of possible vice presidential selections to a few women, and Karen Bass "gained real traction in the late stage of the search".

Politico called Karen Bass "a bridge-building politician who can draw accolades and concessions from both sides of the aisle".

Karen Bass was criticized for a statement she had made in 2016 on the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, which she called a "great loss to the people of Cuba".

Karen Bass said she had been trying to express her condolences to the Cuban population, but added that "it's certainly something that I would not say again".

On September 27,2021, Karen Bass announced her candidacy for mayor of Los Angeles in the 2022 election.

Karen Bass's campaign focused on addressing causes of Los Angeles's homelessness problem and ending homeless encampments around elementary schools and public parks and beaches.

Karen Bass was officially sworn in by the Los Angeles City Clerk on December 10,2022, succeeding Eric Garcetti.

In June 2023, Karen Bass signed an order to speed up processing for affordable housing developments in Los Angeles.

In September 2023, Karen Bass expressed support for tearing down the Marina Freeway and replacing it with housing, but she had reversed her support by October 2023 and expressed opposition to tearing down the freeway.

The housing advocates faulted Karen Bass for allowing local officials to block the housing rather than direct city officials to advance the project.

At the start of the January 2025 Southern California wildfires, Karen Bass was attending the inauguration of John Mahama as president in Ghana, despite promising not to travel abroad during her term as mayor.

Karen Bass returned to Los Angeles by United States military transport.

Karen Bass's trip led to substantial criticism from across the political spectrum as a sign that she underestimated the risk of wildfires.

On February 21,2025, Karen Bass fired Crowley as Fire Chief, claiming that Crowley had left the department unprepared in advance of the outbreak of the Palisades Fire.

Karen Bass claimed that she was only in Ghana because Crowley failed to warn her about the fire danger, something Crowley has pushed back on.

Karen Bass voted for the first and second impeachments of Donald Trump.

Karen Bass has long called for criminal justice reform and to pay special attention to the way the criminal justice system treats women: how they originally entered the system, how they are treated in prison, and what happens to them after they are released.

Karen Bass previously served as Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Karen Bass's contribution to the bill was a section addressing what she considers the inhumane practice of shackling women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

Karen Bass has expressed support for defense aid to Israel throughout her career.

In 2019, Karen Bass introduced two pieces of legislation to address student loan debt.

From 1980 to 1986, Karen Bass was married to Jesus Lechuga.