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Helen Tran (politician)

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Helen Tran
Official portrait, 2023
35th Mayor of San Bernardino
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 21, 2022
Preceded byJohn Valdivia
Personal details
BornHelen Nguyen
(1982-04-16) April 16, 1982 (age 44)
San Diego, California, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
Alma materUniversity of California, Santa Cruz

Helen Tran (born April 16, 1982)[1] is an American politician who has served as the mayor of San Bernardino, California, since 2022.[2][3] She is the city's first Asian American mayor,[4] and the first Vietnamese American woman to be elected mayor of any U.S. city.[5]

Early life and education

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Tran was born in San Diego, California to Kim Lam and Victor Nguyen.[3][6][7] Her parents had fled Vietnam for Thailand, from where they were relocated to the United States[8] in 1981.[9] At age six, she moved to San Bernardino,[9] where Tran attended Cajon High School. She became the first in her family to earn a college degree when she graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz with a bachelor's degree in American studies in 2004.[10]

Career

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Tran worked for the City of San Bernardino for nearly fourteen years within human resources and served as the Director of that department for four years. In 2019 she worked for the City of West Covina as the Director of Human Resources and Risk Management. She has stated that she will resign from this role once her term in office begins.[11]

In a special city council meeting called on February 2, Tran vetoed an amendment to San Bernardino's city charter which would have eliminated her position while setting term limits on the council members. The amendment was passed 4–3, which the charter allowed Tran as the mayor at-large to veto.[12]

Personal life

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Tran is married to Kong Tran.[3] The couple have four children.[13]

References

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  1. ↑ "Helen Nguyen born 1982 in the California Birth Index, 1905–1995" (Document). California Birth Index.
  2. ↑ Toohey, Grace (November 10, 2022). "Daughter of Vietnamese refugees to become San Bernardino's first Asian American mayor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "Helen Tran poised to become first Asian American mayor of San Bernardino". San Bernardino Sun. November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  4. ↑ "These Southern California candidates will make history with election wins". Orange County Register. November 23, 2022. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  5. ↑ Shin • •, Tony (May 1, 2023). "City of San Bernardino Elects First Asian American Mayor Helen Tran".
  6. ↑ Shin, Tony (May 1, 2023). "City of San Bernardino Elects First Asian American Mayor Helen Tran". NBC Los Angeles.
  7. ↑ "Helen Trần, phụ nữ gốc Việt đầu tiên được bầu làm thị trưởng ở Mỹ". Nguoi Viet Daily News. November 12, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Helen Tran: A term of firsts". UC Santa Cruz Magazine. March 10, 2023.
  9. 1 2 "Helen Tran becomes first Asian American mayor of San Bernardino". The San Bernardino Sun. December 21, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Helen Tran announces campaign for San Bernardino mayor". Inland Empire Community News. January 26, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Helen Tran leads Jim Penman in San Bernardino mayor's race". San Bernardino Sun. November 8, 2022. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Outpouring of support for San Bernardino mayor kills ballot idea". San Bernardino Sun. February 3, 2026. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
  13. ↑ "San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran Welcomes New Baby on Christmas Day". IE Community News. December 29, 2023.
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