Hispanic Mayor of Los Angeles

Antonio Ramon Villaraigosa was born in 1953 in Los Angeles. He graduated UCLA in 1977. He then went to the Peoples College of Law where he received a law degree. He became involved in the ACLU. In 1994 he was elected to the California State Assembly. In 1998 he became the speaker of the Assembly.

In 2001 Villaraigosa ran for Mayor of Los Angeles but lost. In 2003 he won a seat on the City Council. He ran again in 2005 coming in first in the Democratic primary. On May 17, 2005, he won the runoff with 58.7% of the vote. On July 1 he was sworn in as the 41st mayor of Los Angeles. He became the first Hispanic mayor since 1872.

Villaraigosa remained mayor until July of 2013. His legacy includes improving some of LA failing schools and extending LA’s mass transit network.