Democratic Rep. Karen Bass formally stepped into the 2022 contest Monday, hoping to become the first female and the second Black mayor. Tom Bradley, the first Black mayor, held the post from 1973 to 1993.
Bass represents a district in Congress that is anchored to some of the city’s traditional Black neighborhoods, where she also grew up. She promised to prioritize the city’s unchecked homeless crisis, which has seen trash-strewn encampments spread into virtually every corner of the city.
“I’ve spent my entire life bringing groups of people together in coalitions to solve complex problems and produce concrete change, especially in times of crisis,” Bass said in a statement. “With my whole heart, I’m ready,” she tweeted.
