Why Gov. Newsom should support ‘The Lowrider’ specialized license plate

Capitol Weekly welcomes Opinions on California public policy or politics. Please read our guidelines for opinion pieces before submitting an Op-Ed. Submissions that do not adhere to our guidelines will not be considered for publication. 

OPINION — I grew up in South Sacramento, long before I ever represented Fortune 500 companies, homebuilders or local governments in the Capitol. My story started on Florin Road washing dishes after school at Luther Burbank High, helping my family make ends meet and watching the lowriders glide through the neighborhood on Friday nights.

Those cars weren’t just cars. They were pride. They were art. They were a reminder that even when life was tough, our community could create something beautiful with our own hands. That pride and creativity shaped how I understood the strength and identity of the community I came from.

That is why Assembly Bill 2541, authored by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, is personal to me. And it’s why I am urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign it into law.  

AB 2541 creates a specialty lowrider license plate that honors one of California’s most iconic cultural traditions while generating funding for youth programs, community arts and cultural organizations. It is a simple idea with the powerful impact on celebrating a tradition that has uplifted communities for generations and reinvest the proceeds back into those same communities.

Lowriding has always been misunderstood by people who only saw the custom paint, chrome and the hydraulics. But anyone who grew up in neighborhoods like mine knows the truth. Lowriding is all about creativity and craftsmanship and, especially, cultural pride. Lowriding is not relegated to one ethnic or racial group; it’s about Black, Latino, Asian, Indigenous and white Californians building something together. When families are part of lowriding, they are passing down cars, skills and stories from one generation to the next.

AB 2541 recognizes that legacy and honors the people who built this tradition and the communities that kept it alive.

Through AB 2541, Californians can make a clear statement that we are strongest when we celebrate and invest in the cultures that built our state.

As someone who grew up in the lowrider community and now works every day in the Capitol, I know the strong statement it sends when the state chooses to recognize a tradition rather than dismiss it. We have an opportunity to treat culture as an asset instead of an afterthought.

AB 2541 is smart, community-centered and fiscally responsible policy. It strengthens neighborhoods, supports youth, uplifts cultural heritage and celebrates a tradition that has defined California for generations.

It is time to sign this bill. Because this isn’t just a lowrider story. It’s a California story. And it deserves to be honored.

Steve Cruz is a partner at Cruz Strategies with more than 30 years of legislative and political experience representing public- and private-sector clients before the California State Legislature and state agencies.