La Mesa City Council celebrated a historical moment when it swore in its two new members of City Council at its Dec. 10 meeting. With council members Lauren Cazares and Genevieve Suzuki coming onboard, the council now consists of a majority of women, including women of color, with four women and one male member, who serves as mayor
“This is a proud and historic moment for La Mesa,” said Mayor Mark Arapostathis in a press release. “Our City Council reflects the strength and diversity of our community. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to continue making La Mesa a place where everyone feels represented and empowered.”
Suzuki is a family law attorney with more than a decade of legal experience, a dedicated advocate committed to community service in La Mesa. She has served on the Community Services Commission and the La Mesa Park and Recreation Foundation Board.
“I’m honored to have been elected to represent our vibrant community and work with Mayor Arapostathis, Vice Mayor Patricia Dillard, and fellow council members Laura Lothian and Lauren Cazares,” said Suzuki. “I look forward to making sure everyone feels heard and using my time on the City Council to continue the progress made by outgoing Council members Colin Parent and Jack Shu.”
Cazares is a lifelong La Mesan and currently serves as policy advisor at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and has been actively involved in various boards and committees, including the City of La Mesa Community Police Oversight Board.
“I am deeply honored to serve as a member of the La Mesa City Council and continue the work of building a safer, stronger, more affordable community for all,” said Cazares. “As a proud Latina, the youngest councilwoman in La Mesa history and first openly LGBTQ+ council member, I’m committed to ensuring that our city remains a place where everyone feels heard, valued, and empowered to thrive.”
“History, history, and more history! I’m thrilled to have made history at Tuesday’s final City Council meeting of the year,” said Vice Mayor Patricia Dillard. “I’m especially excited to welcome our two new council members, Lauren Cazares and Genevieve Suzuki, as they were sworn in helping form a super-majority female council. Together, we will continue to represent our community with dedication and excellence. Four highly qualified women, each with diverse multicultural backgrounds, are poised to lead. Congratulations to us all!”
Lothian said when she first attended La Mesa City Council meetings, the council comprised of former mayor Art Madrid and former council members Arapostathis, Ernie Ewin, Ruth Sterling, and Dave Allen.
“Since then, our City Council has always been majority male. This new council, with four women and one man, will be very different and interesting. We are a diverse council, with a Greek mayor and the four council members who are female, Black, Hispanic, and Asian. My ethnic background is half Guatemalan and half English. We are also diverse in age, with Vice Mayor Dillard and I being grandmothers, Genevieve Suzuki as a young mom, and Lauren Cazares, the youngest council member elected since the 1970s,” said Lothian.
Cazares and Suzuki replaced Colin Parent and Jack Shu on the City Council.
