Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson was proudly born and raised in the Watts community of Los Angeles. Assemblymember Gipson always knew that he wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of those he encountered. He understands that his "why" is to serve. It was his upbringing and the foundation provided by his parents that inspired Assemblymember Gipson's dedication to leading and serving others. His father, a truck driver and union President, and mother, who cleaned the homes of wealthy families, provided lessons early in Gipson's life that led him to believe that "I am my brothers'/sisters' keeper." His parents taught him to trust and believe in God and that hard work will always pay off; this led him to become the first person in his family to graduate from college.
Assemblymember Gipson's undeniable passion for public service propelled him to run and get elected to the Carson City Council in 2005. He served as Mayor Pro Tempore before running for the California State Assembly in 2014, where he has served since. Today, Assemblymember Gipson represents the new 65th Assembly District which includes the areas of Watts, Willowbrook, Compton, Carson, North Long Beach, Harbor Gateway North & South, Harbor City, Wilmington, and San Pedro.
Since joining the Legislature, Assemblymember Gipson has been a true leader for his community and among his peers. In 2015, Assembly Speaker Emeritus Anthony Rendon appointed Assemblymember Gipson to serve as his right hand in the role of Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair. He served until July 2023, making him the longest-serving Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair in California State history. Assemblymember Gipson was responsible for setting the agenda for the largest Democratic Caucus in the history of the California State Assembly. Assemblymember Gipson has now been appointed to Chair the Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism committee by Speaker Robert Rivas. Assemblymember Gipson also Chairs the Select Committees on Police Reform and Ports and Goods Movement. He also serves on the select Committees on Domestic Violence; Automation and Workforce Development; Califronia-Mexico Bi-National Affairs; Los Angeles County Homlessness; Nonprofit Sector; Restorative Justice; Social Determinents of Health; State Parks; Status of Boys and Men of Color; and the California Creative Economy Workgroup. Assemblymember Gipson is also an active member of the California Legislative Black Caucus as well as Chair of the 76th Council of State Governments West (CSG West) which currently represents 13 states. Assemblymember Gipson, is now serving as Vice-Chair for the Council of State Government National (CSG).
Assemblymember Gipson also serves on the Standing Committees of Governmental Organizations; Insurance; Revenue and Taxation; and Human Services. He has championed groundbreaking legislation to ban "ghost guns" in the state of California, expand access to mobile stroke units, reduce barriers to employment, significant police reform bills that now prohibit chokeholds, ban restraints that lead to "positional asphyxiation" and eradicate "police gangs."
Assemblymember Gipson is a diligent champion for his district in providing resources and funding for important programs in communities that have been historically underserved. In 2022, Assemblymember Gipson secured nearly $4 billion in state funding. Services for youth and culture were prioritized in Watts as Assemblymember Gipson secured $5.5 million for the community in the form of increased recreational opportunities and a 4-acre arts and culture campus. A new Pathways in Technology Early College High School educational institution in Compton will serve as a place for the community to get Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics jobs and skills that were only made possible by a $3.5 million budget allocation which Assemblymember Gipson also secured. An additional $1 million was awarded to the Wilmington Boys & Girls Club to help this essential community asset continue to run and make improvements to safety and transportation. Assemblymember Gipson also championed $110 million to fund a state-of-the-art art Goods Movement Workforce Training Campus in the Los Angeles Harbor Region, which will deliver an increased supply of well-paid, trained workers to the industry. To address the pressing mental health issues faced by many young adults, Assemblymember Gipson also successfully spearheaded $10 million to fund peer-to-peer mental health services in K-12 schools throughout California.
Most notably, Assemblymember Gipson's work in the areas of police reform, education, social justice, health, and housing has resulted in several awards that include "Legislator of the Year" by the California Association of Black Lawyers; the "2021 Champions for Adults with Sickle Cell Disease" by the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation; the "Outstanding Legislator" award by the Community College League of California; and "Legislator of the Year" again by the Children's Law Center, among many others.
Assemblymember Gipson currently resides in Carson with his wife, LeCresha Gipson. They have three sons, Devon and Jordan, as well as 5 beautiful grandchildren: Faafetai Ole Alofa, Cataleya Acevedo, Amore, and two twins Kaaleo & Kayhlanii. Their third son, D'Ancee, was killed at 3 years old as a victim of a hit-and-run motorist that has never been captured.