Senator Monique Limón returned to her childhood stage Friday afternoon, taking the oath of office as California’s new Senate president pro tempore in the auditorium of Santa Barbara Junior High School, where she once sat as a student. The ceremony, led by former Vice President Kamala Harris, marked a historic first: Limón is the first Latina and the first mother to hold the chamber’s top post.
The Marjorie Luke Theatre was packed with students, educators, family members, and state leaders who gathered for an event that blended formal swearing-in tradition with the warmth of a hometown celebration. The program opened with folklórico and flamenco performances that spotlighted the cultural fabric of Santa Barbara and Limón’s own roots. Then came an unannounced but electric moment: Harris stepped onstage.
“I had to be here,” Harris told the crowd, praising Limón’s dedication and calling her ascent “emblematic of California itself.” She recalled personal ties to Santa Barbara and framed Limón’s leadership as reflective of a state that embraces openness and possibility.
Limón, 46, wearing a vivid pink suit that several speakers later teased her about affectionately, spoke with equal parts gratitude and grit. She thanked her family, emphasized the responsibility of being a “first,” and underscored her commitment to ensuring she would not be the last. “What it takes to be the first in this country is important,” she said. “Ensuring we are not the last is even more so.”
She acknowledged the national tension surrounding her swearing-in, pausing to honor Reneé Nicole Good, the woman fatally shot by a masked ICE agent in Minnesota earlier this week. Limón contrasted that climate with California’s identity as “the land where hard work meets opportunity” and urged continued progress.
Speakers including State Senator Angelique V. Ashby and Assemblymember Gregg Hart traced Limón’s trajectory from Santa Barbara public school student to school board member, Assembly member, and finally state senator. They credited the community that raised her and the educators who shaped her path.
Limón steps into leadership as California faces major budget challenges, with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $348.9 billion proposal launching tough negotiations over funding priorities. But standing on the same stage where she once performed as a student, Limón said she was ready.
“Decades ago, I stood on this stage as a student,” she said. “Today, I stand with you as the new leader of the California State Senate.”
