Jacque Robinson became one of the youngest elected officials in the history of the City of Pasadena when she won her City Council race at the age of 28, and Tuesday March 10th she pushed fellow council member Terry Tornek into an April 21st runoff to become the second Black woman to serve as Mayor of Pasadena.
After all 47 precincts closed Robinson trailed Tornek who had 4,814 votes or 37.1 percent to Robinson’s 3,931 and 30.3 percent in the field of six candidates.
I’m grateful for the support,” Robinson told the Sentinel. “I remain optimistic and now starts another campaign of redoubling my efforts.”
“I LOVE PASADENA. As a Pasadena native, I am familiar with the intricacies of our great city. After eight years as Councilmember representing District 1 and two as Vice Mayor, I have the necessary experience, energy, and skills to lead our city into its next era,” said Robinson.
Tornek was born and raised in New York City and moved to Pasadena from Massachusetts in 1982, but Robinson is a Pasadena native who has been an advocate for affordable housing, decreased gun violence, career training and jobs for at-risk youth and adults, and protection of our neighborhoods and natural resources.
“I will be revisiting all of my supporters and asking them to make more phone calls, contribute more and work as hard as we can,” she added.
“I am aware of the challenges facing our public schools and will continue the work of building confidence and more support for our public school system.”
Robinson has tremendous support from Congressional member as Rep. Karen Bass, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, State Sen. Isadore Hall, former State Assembly member (Ret.) Gwen Moore, former LA County Supervisor (Ret) Yvonne Burke, Pasadena’s residents, community organizations and labor unions.
The councilwoman for District 1, representing northwest Pasadena beat out candidates Magazine publisher Jason Hardin, community development consultant Don Morgan, community activist and city commissioner Allen Shay and business owner Leo Temory to force the run off with Councilman Tornek.
It was the first time in 16 years the mayoral seat was open in 16 years, and four term incumbent Bill Bogaard did not seek reelection.
Robinson is also highly respected by a cross-section of our diverse community, including both sides of the political aisle, as well as independents.
Her positive contributions to the city and community are numerous. Robinson has a unique awareness and analysis of the needs, issues and problems that must be addressed by the next mayor. She is a politician who keeps her word!
Robinson is most proud of her collaborative work spearheading the Pasadena-Altadena 20/20 Initiative, a grassroots coalition of individuals and organizations working to stop gang and community violence by focusing on the highest risk, highest need, gang-impacted youth, young adults and their families. She also helped to secure funding for and saw through the completion of the first Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan and has worked to provide yearly emergency preparedness training for her constituents.
Raised by parents who work as a cement mason and postal clerk, Robinson has spent the majority of her professional life fighting for working families as a labor community organizer. She has worked on community, issues-based and electoral campaigns with the California Teachers Association, Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union, California Federation of Teachers, and the Los Angeles Urban League.
A contributing member of the Public Safety, Legislative Policy, and Economic Development & Technology City Council Committees, she also serves as city representative to the Foothill Workforce Investment Policy Board and the Gamble House. In 2009, Robinson was selected by her Council colleagues to serve as Chair of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Youth, Families & Neighborhoods and sits on the Transportation, Communications & Public Works Policy Committee of the California League of Cities.
Robinson is a 2006 graduate of Former Senator Barack Obama’s Hopefund – Yes We Can Training Program and a 2005 graduate of the Los Angeles African American Women’s Public Policy Institute.
Robinson credits the Pasadena Chapter of the National Women’s Political Caucus for sparking her interest in running for public office and the Los Angeles African American Public Policy Institute for preparing her path. She does her best to approach life by the reference, “Don’t talk about it. Be about it” and is honored to serve the community that raised her to be the leader she is today.
