Joe Gutierrez Office of Strategic Communication 909-537-5007 joeg@csusb.edu
Cal State San Bernardino alumnus James Ramos ’02, the first California-born Native American elected to the state Assembly, will hold a community swearing-in ceremony on campus on Saturday, Feb. 9 from noon-1:30 p.m. at the Santos Manuel Student Union. A reception will follow the ceremony. Ramos, who graduated with a bachelor' degree in business and public administration, represents the 40th Assembly District, which encompasses all or parts of San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Loma Linda, Highland and communities in the San Gabriel Mountains. Prior to the assembly, Ramos served as a San Bernardino County supervisor when he was elected in 2012. In 2015, he was unanimously elected by his colleagues to serve as board chairman. He was also the first Native American to be elected to the county Board of Supervisors, as well as to the San Bernardino Community College Board of Trustees, on which he served from 2005-12. Ramos is also the immediate past chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, with a deep commitment to the preservation of California Indian culture. He is co-founder of the San Manuel Band’s Cultural Awareness Program, and serves as director of the California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference held annually at CSUSB. He and Terri, his wife of 29 years, have four children and three grandchildren.