Karen Bass

Karen Ruth Bass (born October 3, 1953) is an American politician, social worker, and former physician assistant. She is currently serving as the 43rd mayor of Los Angeles since 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, Bass previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2022 and in the California State Assembly from 2004 to 2010, where she also served as speaker during her final term. Prior to her political career, Bass worked as a physician assistant and community activist. She attended California State University, Dominguez Hills and the University of Southern California. Bass is recognized as the first African-American woman in United States history to serve as a speaker of a state legislative body and has received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.