Fremont’s recently elected Mayor Raj Salwan is blazing a new trail as the first Indian-American to lead the East Bay city.
He was sworn in on December 10, and so he is working to get adjusted into his new role. However, this isn’t his first time in Fremont politics.
Salwan began serving the city back in 2005 as the human relations commissioner. He then took on the role as councilman, before becoming vice mayor and now the mayor. He’s also been working as a veterinarian for the past 25 years.
“It was a special moment to have my father swear me in. [It] kind of recognizes his contributions to get us to where we are now and also kind of remember where I came from,” Salwan told CBS News Bay Area.
Salwan was born in India and moved to Fremont when he was six years old. He said that he is proud of growing up in the city, which has a predominantly Asian American population.
“I’m proud of who I am. And I want everybody to feel proud of who they are. When I grew up here, you know, people felt insecure. I always had to prove myself. And I want my children, and other people’s children to not have those kinds of feelings or insecurities,” the mayor said.