Monique Limón never forgot where she came from.
And on Friday, in front of more than 500 people, Limón reminded everyone where her journey began.
“Decades ago I stood on this stage as a student in this school,” Limón said. “And today I stand with you here as the new leader of the California state senate.”
Limón ushered in her era as Senate pro Tempore with a grand ceremony at the Marjorie Luke Theatre at Santa Barbara Junior High School. Limón, who grew up on both the Eastside and Westside of Santa Barbara, thanked every person who helped her as an English-language learner growing up.
“This is what happens when we invest in communities, when California invests in communities, when we invest in students, when we invest in one another,” Limón said, to a loud ovation from the audience.
And when Limón gives thanks, she goes big.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris appeared at the event and swore-in Limon. The presence of the first female vice president electrified the audience. Although members of the media were told that Harris would appear, not everyone in the crowd knew until the moment she was announced on stage.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to have Vice President Kamala Harris here with me today administering the oath of office,” Limon said. “As our first woman vice president of this country, she knows a lot about shattering glass ceilings and what it takes to be the first in this country.”
Limón is the first woman and Latina to lead the state senate. A graduate of UC Berkeley, she is a former member of the Santa Barbara Unified School District Board of Trustees, and prior to serving as a state senator she was a state assemblymember.
“Being the first is important, and ensuring that we are not the last is even more important,” Limón said.
Limón was joined on stage by her husband Mike Medel, their 5-year-old daughter Gianna, family members, Harris, and other elected officials. Dozens of elected officials from Goleta, Santa Barbara, Buellton, Santa Barbara County, school boards and community activists packed the theater, with dozens glimpsing the show from the balcony.
The event also featured dance performances.
Limón was formally sworn-in at a ceremony in Sacramento earlier in the week. Friday’s event was a way to celebrate with her hometown crowd. Dozens of Limón’s family members were on stage and in the crowd, sharing in the glory of the moment.
Amid the joy, Limón called for a moment of silence for Renee Nicole Good, who was shot dead by ICE officers in Minnesota. She also acknowledged the anniversary of the Montecito debris flow on Jan. 9, which killed 23 people in 2018.
Limón addressed the actions of the federal government and President Trump.
“Across California and in this country, we are witnessing renewed attacks on immigrants, on women, on workers, on students, on individuals with disabilities, on families,” Limón said. “These moments test us, but they also remind us about who we are.”
She said “we never back away from trying times. We lean in and we get to work, and that is exactly what California is doing.”
Limón praised many of the people in the room who supported her over the years, including teachers and mentors who held the door open for her. And although she shared the stage with the former Vice President Harris, she reserved her highest compliments for her husband and daughter.
“To my husband Mike, and to my daughter Gianna, without you, none of this would be possible,” Limón said. “Mike, you have been by my side since the day I took the first leap into office. I couldn’t do this without you, your constant support, for the hours you put into our family to make sure that I can do this work.”
Limón then looked at her daughter, sitting on her husband’s lap, and said to her:
“Every day, the work I do, I do with keeping you in mind,” Limón said. “You are the reason that I work as hard as I do, that I fight as hard as I do, and push as hard as I do. Like my parents, I want to create a world where you can achieve the dreams that you can never imagine.”
