Antonio Villaraigosa

Date of Birth: January 23, 1953

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Biography

Antonio Villaraigosa, born Antonio Ramón Villar Jr., is an American politician who served as the 41st Mayor of Los Angeles from 2005 to 2013. Born and raised in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, Villaraigosa has been a prominent figure in Californian and national politics. He attended Theodore Roosevelt High School before studying at East Los Angeles College and earning a Bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Villaraigosa then attended the People’s College of Law. Before becoming Mayor, Villaraigosa served as a member of the California State Assembly from 1994 to 2000, where he also became the Speaker of the Assembly. He later served on the Los Angeles City Council from 2003 until his election as Mayor in 2005. During his tenure, Villaraigosa focused on issues such as public transportation, education reform, and environmental sustainability. After his mayoral terms, he remained active in politics and ran for Governor of California in 2018.

5 Interesting Facts about Antonio Villaraigosa

1. Antonio Villaraigosa changed his surname from Villar to Villaraigosa by combining his surname with that of his first wife, Corina Raigosa, when they married in 1987.

2. During his tenure as Mayor, Villaraigosa was instrumental in the expansion of Los Angeles’ public transportation network, including the extension of the Metro Gold Line.

3. He was the first Latino Mayor of Los Angeles since 1872.

4. Villaraigosa served as the President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors from 2011 to 2012.

5. He played a significant role in bringing the Los Angeles Unified School District under mayoral control, although this was later overturned by the courts.