Lauren Hammond, City Political Pioneer, Passes

By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff Writer Pioneering Sacramento City Councilwoman Lauren Hammond was an active leader with the Capital Women’s Campaign, the Women Democrats of Sacramento County and the Sacramento chapter of the National Women’s Political Caucus. OBSERVER file photo Lauren Hammond, the first Black woman elected to the Sacramento City Council, died in her sleep Jan. 18 at the age of 68. She made history and, with all eyes on her, worked to represent the community and its diverse needs. But blazing a trail for those who would follow and continue the work, that was the real flex. Representing District 5, Hammond served from 1997 to 2010. She prided herself in taking up issues impacting the community such as the disproportionate number of African Americans pulled over by local law enforcement and establishing beneficial partnerships, securing funding and helming projects that led to significant change in the community. Hammond participated in the annual March for the Dream, the citywide commemoration of the life and legacy of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and was a repeat sponsor for the annual African American Family History Seminar, which focuses on genealogy and preserving Black history. While on...