Luis Chávez: “I represent the zip codes 93727, 93702 and 93725 that were the hardest hit during the pandemic.”

Editor’s note: This is based on a transcript of Councilmember Luis Chávez’s comments from his Jan. 5, 2023 swearing-in ceremony.

When I started this job, I wasn’t bifocal, but I’m bilingual and bifocal now, so just bear with me a little bit. First of all, I want to thank the constituents of District 5.

Southeast Fresno has been my home for over 30 years. I grew up there. I’ve now taken four oaths. I have been very lucky to have served at Fresno Unified, and we have Fresno Unified personally representing here today with trustee Valerie Davis. Thank you for what you do.

It’s been a blessing. And we don’t do this work in silos. We do it working together.

I also want to thank my family, my family at home, my parents, wife. I now have a rescue dog and two cats to include in that.

But I also want to thank my labor family. And that’s why I wanted to ask the ironworkers to come and swear me in this morning. This is the first time that a union has sworn in a councilmember in the city of Fresno. And I wanted to do that, to send the message that those are the constituents that we represent.

You know, this past couple of years have been very challenging for the city of Fresno. But as the residents have seen, we’ve stepped up. I represent the zip codes 93727, 93702 and 93725 that were the hardest hit during the pandemic. We had the highest infection rates. We had the highest death toll here in the county.

And the reason for that is because the people that live there are the most vulnerable populations that oftentimes work the hardest and have the least amount to do with those are the folks that work in our packing houses.

Those are the folks that work in our fields or farmworkers that work hard every single day, the folks that work in the distribution centers.

So I take this oath in service to them. That’s been my motto for the last 25 years.

I’m looking forward to working with the mayor. We’re looking forward to working with my colleagues, our new colleague, Councilmember Perea. She’s the flavor of the month, whereas I am the semi flavor of the month. I’m the old reliable man here.

I’ve been very lucky to have served here and this will be my 13th year now in this building as a staffer and then as a councilmember. And I know that happened because of the responsibility that I was entrusted with by the constituents of South Fresno.

So I’m looking forward to serving the next couple of years in this capacity. And you can expect that from this council. We’ve proven that whenever tragedy, whenever emergency strikes the city, this council, this mayor steps up and delivers and that’s what we intend to do.

So for those of you that came to see the swearing in, please don’t leave. We’re actually going to elect our president and vice president. And don’t worry, we won’t have to go through six ballots like they do in Congress. I think we’ll get it right the first time.