Majority Leader Karen Bass Selects Meron Ahadu as the 47th Assembly District’s Woman Of The Year

SACRAMENTO – In a ceremony at the State Capitol, Majority Leader Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) honored community activist Meron Ahadu as the 47th Assembly District’s Woman of the Year in celebration of Women’s History Month.

Ahadu, an Ethiopian-American who immigrated to the United States in 1981, has been a community activist for the Ethiopian community for more than 20 years. As one of the founders of the Ethiopian-American Advocacy Group, she has served as a pillar in the community and has garnered statewide attention for the issues affecting Ethiopian Americans throughout Los Angeles. She also led the efforts to securing formal recognition of Little Ethiopia, a vibrant, diverse business community located in the 47th Assembly District.

“I am proud to honor Meron Ahadu as Woman of the Year,” states Majority Leader Bass. “She has been a great inspiration to me and the community and has made a significant contribution to the District as well as the state.”

Each year, the California State Assembly honors women who have demonstrated leadership and extraordinary community service within their districts. Along with her organization, Ahadu has educated the Ethiopian-American community about the importance of getting involved in the American political system through voter registration drives and get-out the-vote campaigns. She has a Masters Degree in Management and serves as the chair of the 47th Assembly District’s Small Business Commission.

Karen Bass has been a State Assembly Member representing Los Angeles’ 47th District since 2005. Speaker Fabian Núñez selected Bass as the Majority Leader for the California State Assembly during the 2007-2008 legislative session, making her the first African American and the first woman to hold this leadership position. As the Assemblymember for the 47th District, Karen Bass serves the cities and communities of Culver City, West Los Angeles, Westwood, Cheviot Hills, Leimert Park, Baldwin Hills, Windsor Hills, Ladera Heights, the Crenshaw District, Little Ethiopia and portions of Korea Town and South Los Angeles.

[Press Release issued by Majority Leader Karen Bass]
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