ADVOCATING FOR THE INDUSTRY


California Senate Democrats’ monumental decision to elevate Monique Limón makes her the first Latina and only the second woman to ever hold the office of Pro Tem in California history.


Introducing Monique Limón, 53rd President Pro Tempore of the California Senate


BY FELIPE FUENTES O


n Monday June 9, California Senate Democrats chose Monique Limón of the 21st


district to be their next President Pro Tempore (Pro Tem). This monumental decision makes Limón the first Latina and second woman ever to hold the office of Pro Tem in California history. Limón represents the 21st Senate


District, encompassing Santa Barbara and a significant stretch of the central coast; the district extends from Oxnard and Camarillo on the southeastern border to Santa Maria in the north. Prior to her term as Senator, Limón was an elected Assemblymember and spent six years as a member of the Santa Barbara Unified School Board. She received her bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and her master’s in education from Columbia. Currently she serves as Chair of the


Senate Democratic Caucus and the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee.


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CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2025


She is also Vice Chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus and the Central Coast Caucus.


Born and raised in the 21st district,


Limón attributes her political success to her community. A daughter of immi- grants and the first in her family to go to college, Limón found the nonprofits of her district — such as afterschool clubs, scholarship foundations, and the YMCA — integral to the development of her career and worldview. She sees nonprofits for what they are:


the fourth largest sector of employment in the state and key support systems that uplift and fund communities. Teir pivotal role in her district spurred her to found the first-ever Select Committee on the Nonprofit Sector. Today, Limón’s community and family inspire her to keep going; she considers her involvement in the 21st district a great boon when advocating for them.


Starting out, Limón never thought she would go into politics, but 14 years of experience in education inspired her to pursue public office. As an educator, she worked directly with students and families, familiarizing herself with their diverse perspectives and the different things each needed to thrive. Tis bond led her to run for the Santa Barbara Uni- fied School Board, where she then spent six years continuing to improve life in the classroom for students. However, the longer she worked in


education, the more she became aware of how outside issues could affect students inside the classroom, which put her on the path to the legislature. Since then, she remarks, all that’s changed in tran- sitioning from school board member to Senator is the magnitude of the problems faced: instead of being responsible for one family at a time, she now advocates for nearly a million people.


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