Guest Opinion | Assembly Candidate Phlunté Riddle: Our Grandchildren Should Not Have Fewer Rights and Opportunities Than We Did

When I think of the Foothill Communities, I think of family. I was blessed to grow up in Pasadena and Altadena. I was educated in our public schools and am a proud John Muir High School alum. My husband and I bought our home and raised three beautiful sons in this community. As a public safety officer, businesswoman, educator, and District Director to Assemblymember Chris Holden, I have proudly served and protected our neighborhoods.

I care deeply about our future. I am running for State Assembly because I refuse to pass on a world where my grandchildren have fewer rights and opportunities.

As the Supreme Court chips away at our civil liberties and reproductive rights, we need public servants who are committed to protecting access to contraception, fertility treatments, and abortion health care.

When we have seniors and veterans who are struggling with housing stability, we need public servants who have direct experience responding to homelessness.

In the face of rising crime, we need public servants who understand that law enforcement is only part of the answer. Access to quality education, health care, after-school programs, jobs, and housing stability contribute to the overall safety of our region.

That’s the expertise I will bring to the State Assembly. I will bring decision-makers together to deliver solutions that improve neighborhood safety and increase educational and economic opportunities.

For nearly 30 years, I broke barriers, rising through the ranks and honing my leadership skills in the Pasadena Police Department. There were few female officers then, and no African-American woman had ever served in leadership positions. I made history when I became the first African American female sergeant, lieutenant, and then sworn Adjutant to the Chief of Police in the history of the Pasadena Police Department. I was even prouder when women succeeded me in those roles.

I often say that my time as an officer was like being a social worker in uniform. I connected families in need with food banks, helped people experiencing homelessness find housing, and ensured students could access after-school programs. I worked with survivors of sexual assault and helped them access reproductive and mental health services with Planned Parenthood.

I brought these problem-solving skills to a new role, serving as Assemblymember Chris Holden’s District Director. I had the opportunity to advocate for solutions to challenges facing the Foothill communities. We worked to extend the Metro Gold Line by securing $290 million for six new stations and introducing a plan to connect the Burbank and Ontario airports. I also helped him expand the College and Career Access Pathways program that allows high school students to take college and vocational training courses. We fought for investment in mental health services, improving public safety, and advancing cleaner energy. Our office also tackled homelessness by creating more housing opportunities for seniors.  

We still have more work to do. We can’t let these hard-earned gains fall out of reach for working families.  

Now more than ever, we need leaders who have the courage to fight for what is right. I have never backed down from a challenge, and I won’t start now. As your Assemblymember, I will protect access to reproductive health care, tackle our homelessness crisis, and ensure first responders have the resources they need to keep us safe.  

If one word sums up my public service, it’s trust. As a Public Safety Officer and District Director, I built relationships with schools, businesses, churches, and non-profits in service to our community and earned their trust. As your representative in our State Capitol, I will get up every day to fight for opportunities for you and your family. That is my commitment to you.  

I humbly ask for your vote.  

Phlunté Riddle is running for the 41st District seat.  Assembly District 41 includes Pasadena, Altadena, La Cañada Flintridge, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont, and Inland Empire communities. The seat is currently occupied by Assemblymember Chris Holden, who is term-limited in 2024.