Assemblymember Marc Berman believes diversity benefits California as it addresses challenges

Photo Courtesy of LARIAT News

Assemblymember Marc Berman believes that California’s diverse population strengthens the state’s ability to address challenges while driving the country towards a successful future.

On Oct. 5, Rep. Berman, the 24th District Assembly representative of California, attended a press conference hosted by student journalists from Summit News and The Grizzly.

“It makes us stronger when we’re talking about issues and people can speak up from different backgrounds,” Rep. Berman said.

After the 2016 election, the California Research Bureau announced that 54 percent of the California State Assembly is composed of minorities and the assembly. In addition, a mix of both Republican and Democratic representatives constitute the legislature.

“[Diversity] manifests itself in my colleagues,” Rep. Berman said. “We all represent our districts and because of that we get a rainbow coalition of people serving in the state legislature, and I love it.”

California’s economy is at a record high. According to the New York Times,“ [California’s] unemployment is at a record low. It has the most billionaires in the country. When Mr. Brown took office, he faced a $26 billion deficit; the state now has a surplus of close to $16 billion.”

Rep. Berman believes that this economic success is due to the diversity of the state and its assembly. “Our diversity makes the state so much stronger than a lot of the other states out there,” Rep. Berman said. “It shows by the fact that we have the fifth strongest economy in the world.”

According to the California Research Bureau, in the 2016 election, the number of women in the assembly dropped by five, bringing the number of women’s legislators to it’s the lowest number since 1991.

Rep. Berman recognizes that the representation in the Assembly still has room for improvement, especially regarding female representatives. “We especially need a better gender balance,” he said.

Although a gender balance has not yet been achieved in the Assembly, many of the state’s legal advancements have displayed advocacy for diversity through gender equality. It is the first state in the United States of America to require public corporations to include at least one woman on their corporate boards. According to the Washington Post, “The rule will finally bring the 26 percent of California’s 445 publicly traded companies with all-male boards out of the Dark Ages.”

“Our diversity makes the state so much stronger,” Rep. Berman said. “I think it’s a huge benefit for all of us.”