Karen Ruth Bass is the U.S. Representative for California's 33rd congressional district. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to her election to Congress in 2010, she had served as a member of the California State Assembly representing the 47th district since 2004. From 2008 to 2010, she served as Speaker of the California State Assembly, becoming the second woman and third African American to serve in that post. Bass was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Wilhelmina and DeWitt Talmadge Bass. She was raised in the Venice/Fairfax neighborhood and went to Hamilton High... School. She attended San Diego State University from 1971 to 1973 majoring in philosophy and graduated from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 1990 with a B.S. in health sciences. Bass worked as a physician assistant and as a clinical instructor at the USC Keck School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program. Bass founded the Community Coalition, an organization in South Los Angeles.
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