Dr. Steve Gibson Announces Candidacy for Pasadena City College Board of Trustees

Dr. Steve Gibson, Pasadena City College alumnus, education scholar, and 20-year Pasadena-Altadena community leader, announced on Thursday he is running for the Pasadena Community College Board of Trustees member for District 3, which includes Northwest Pasadena, Garfield Heights, Orange Heights, Normandie Heights, Washington Square, Olive Heights, Lincoln-Villa, southwest Altadena, and parts of Bungalow Heaven and the North Arroyo.

Gibson said he is supported by Mark Whitworth, President of the Pasadena City College Faculty Association.

Gibson also said he is endorsed by Pasadena City Councilmember Jess Rivas, Chair of Pasadena Human Relations Commission Brandon Lamar, Pasadena Northwest Commissioner Ryan Bell, and Pasadena Planning Commissioner Tim Wendler. Dr. Gibson is also endorsed by Progressive Asian Network for Action (PANA) and other political groups.

Gibson earned his PhD in Education in 2019 after starting off at PCC in 2010. Raised by a domestic worker mother and a gardener father, he was the first in his family to pursue a four-year university degree.

According to a statement released on Thursday, Gibson said as an African-American and Korean-American, and board officer of a Latino voter outreach group in Los Angeles, he has a track record for reaching, engaging, and working with diverse communities, including the young Hispanic/Latino population.

“There has been a 40% drop in PCC enrollment from the pre-pandemic level of about 29,000 students to about 17,500 students. As their partner in education, I will work to increase the enrollment of and support for local and diverse students from the community, so they can improve their educational and economic prospects.”

Gibson said he will build long-standing relationships with career counselors at the local public high schools and partnerships with both public and private sectors to retain and expand vocational programs to meet the current and future demand of the job market.

“With the increasing commodification of education, PCC needs a fiscally responsible board member to prioritize student needs over corporate profit.”

Gibson said in his statement he is running as a grassroots, corporate-free candidate not accepting campaign contributions from corporations or other business interests.

Gibson pointed to a decade of  lawsuits and protests, a near loss of accreditation, past and pending no-confidence votes from the faculty and students against the Board of Trustees and college president as creating a need for change.

The college has also recently experienced cutbacks of career tech graphics and ESL programs.

Gibson plans to build trust and cooperation among the Board, faculty and other stakeholders; improve the transparency and accountability of both the administration and Board of Trustees; strengthen the role of faculty and staff as equal partners in the leadership of the college; increase equity for part-time professors, and expand certificate programs and vocational education for students.

For more information about Dr. Steve Gibson for PCC Trustee District 3, go to www.stevegibson4pcc.com