South Pasadena Will Have Its First Female AAPI Mayor

Letter to the Editor

Evelyn Zneimer (Photo – southpasadenaca.gov)

As much as 2020 was wrapped in fear, it also offered hope.  As a member of the Asian American Pacific Islander group, I feared my family would become targets of violence and hate. What gave me hope was my solidarity with social justice activists, and an election.

By Elizabeth Anne Bagasao

On November 1, 2020, the serene streets of South Pas were overwhelmed by supporters of the then President. Unmasked and unchecked, they descended slinging verbal and physical attacks at those who opposed them. At the corner of Fair Oaks and Hope a group of mostly AAPI women and youth, counter protested. One local official showed up to observe. That was our then City Clerk, Evelyn Zneimer. In her signature style, she made her presence quietly known and stood watch.

Evelyn has always been an outlier. When she announced her run for Council against longtime incumbent, Bob Joe, people said she had no chance. That did not discourage her. Despite a lack of status quo support and unfair treatment at a local debate, Evelyn won her race, becoming South Pasadena’s first AAPI female councilmember. She also became the city’s first Jewish American councilmember.

Evelyn’s win was part of the hope I had in 2020. South Pasadena renters in her district were the first constituency to publicly support her. During her campaign, renters felt included and heard. We still do.

Evelyn, now Mayor Pro-Tem, is next in line to become Mayor of South Pasadena. Although the violence and despair of 2020 is behind us, a November Associated Press poll shows that 1 in 3 Asian Americans experiences a form of Asian hate. The fear remains, but for me, there is hope that in my small part of the world I will see the first female AAPI Mayor of South Pasadena by year’s end.