Above image: David Ryu celebrates his May 19 victory.
by JAMES S. KIM | @james_s_kim
editor@charactermedia.com
Accompanied by his parents and civic leaders, David Ryu was officially sworn in on Sunday in front of Los Angeles City Hall. The oath of office was administered by former L.A. County Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke, who Ryu once worked for as an aide years ago.
“I am humbled to be the first Korean American City Council member and the first Asian American to stand here in a generation,” Ryu, 39, said to hundreds of supporters and civic leaders gathered on the south lawn. “I am proud to lead my community through these doors to take our rightful place sharing in the leadership of Los Angeles.”
Ryu also thanked his family members who had flown in from Korea to attend the ceremony. In particular, he called his grandmother, the first from his family to immigrate to the U.S. and become a citizen, his “hero and inspiration.”
So proud to be sworn in yesterday as your new Council member. Now time to get to work! pic.twitter.com/bX23RJzlMn
— David E. Ryu (@davideryu) June 29, 2015
On May 19, Ryu beat opponent Carolyn Ramsay, who had been supported by Mayor Eric Garcetti and the 14 other councilmembers, by 8 percentage points in the general election to win the seat for District 4. The lobster-shaped area stretches from Sherman Oaks into Silverlake and portions of Hollywood and Koreatown—all in all, about 7.4 percent Asian American. In his speech, Ryu did note that he didn’t ride on the backs of just Asian American voters.
“I was not chosen because of my ethnic heritage,” he said. “I was chosen because I made the commitment to the people of the 4th [District] to put our neighborhoods first.”
Ryu ran against Ramsay emphasizing his non-establishment ties and status as an “outsider” to city council politics, promising to be more transparent with his policies. Ramsay formerly served as chief of staff to the outgoing 14-year incumbent, Tommy LaBonge, who had termed out.
See Also
David Ryu Makes History with Decisive L.A. City Council Win
David Ryu Sets Sights on City Council Seat
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Featured image via David Ryu/Twitter
