Mayor John M. Erickson’s installation speech

John M. Erickson’s remarks after his installation as Mayor on Tuesday:

Good evening, everyone. Whether you are in the council chambers or watching online, having you join me tonight fills me with immense joy. I am especially honored by those that weathered the SoCal traffic during rush hour. It’s not easy to get to West Hollywood at 6 PM, or the Midwest blizzards that might have brought you in a few days early.

I’ve been thinking about what I wanted to say tonight for quite some time, and I keep coming back to the angst and the dreams of a little boy who rode his bike everywhere in Ripon, Wisconsin. From the library to his grandmother’s house, to Ben Franklin, our local pharmacy, where he usually charged upwards to $20 of candy to his grandmother’s account. Always dreaming of someplace else and always scared that people in Ripon would realize he was different.

But in thinking of that little boy, I want to acknowledge some people who are responsible for him becoming and sitting in this seat tonight, and not just another young statistic that we might read about. I want to begin by thanking my lifelong friend. No matter what, no matter when, no matter where, you’re always there for me. Chasing away bullies, staying up late watching movies, and little did you know it, even though you probably regret it now, you showed that scared little gay boy from Ripon that a safe place like West Hollywood existed. And in doing so, I’m here tonight. I love you. I see you.

Please bear with me while I acknowledge some of the others who helped that different kid become mayor tonight. My sisters, Allison and Melinda, were the first people in my family I came out to when I secretly told them I was going on a date with a boy. Alison, you may not remember this, but way back then, after a young LGBTQ person you knew committed suicide because of hate and bigotry, you asked me if I ever contemplated killing myself, too. I answered with a resounding no because I had you. And true to form, the next week, Melinda gave a presentation in our class on how to be an LGBTQ ally to her peers. These simple acts of love showed me that LGBTQ people are worthy of living, even though we may be different.

Of course, my social justice activism was shaped by my grandma Gladys, the woman I still find myself talking to and asking for advice today when I need it the most. She may no longer be physically with me, but she always manages to point me in the right direction.

I owe a big thank you to the people who helped make West Hollywood what it is and shape my passion for this city and public service. Former Mayor Abbey Land, you changed my life the day you asked me to be your Council Deputy, and you’ve always been my calm voice in the storm. Assessor Jeffrey Prang, you taught me to listen more and talk less. I’m still working on that one. Former Councilmember John D’Amico, you made me feel more comfortable in my skin as a gay man, and especially as an elected official when I first took my oath. You made me a better person sitting up there and outside in the public. And Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, you are an amazing friend and my North Star in my chosen family. You believed in that crazy kid from Wisconsin when he told you he was a feminist, and you’ve been alongside me for this journey ever since. Thank you for loving West Hollywood, for inspiring countless others with that same love and passion.

Councilmember Sepi Shyne, I appreciate your steadfast leadership this past year as Mayor. It’s a privilege to serve alongside you on the first and third Monday of every month, working together to help people of all walks of life and our businesses in our community. You help make us all better. It’s an honor to call you my friend. You’ve shown me grace when I might not have deserved it and pushed me to always do better and be better, and for that, I say thank you.

To Councilmember John Heilman, my friend and mentor, you’ve taught me so much about West Hollywood. My love for this city stems from your deep commitment to our communities, and by doing right by our residents and businesses. I was your intern, after all, and for that, I say thank you.

To Councilmember Lauren Meister, your friendship and commitment to our neighborhood streets, trees, sidewalks, and our four-legged friends are invaluable. You were there the very first weekend I got Winnie. You inspire me to be a better elected official up here, and I want to thank you for what you teach me every day, and I want to thank you for being my friend as well.

Last but certainly not least, I want to thank Vice Mayor Chelsea Byers. I’ve known you for more years than I can remember. From our first interaction in the West Hollywood Auditorium at the West Hollywood Women’s Leadership Conference to The Vagina Monologues and so many more, I know your heart. I see your passion, and I’m in awe of your constant strength. Thank you, Chelsea, for being a supportive and passionate colleague, and most importantly, thank you for being my friend as well.

To our incredible city staff, words cannot express how much love I have for each of you, and it’s not just because I used to be one of you – first as an intern, then as a temp, then as an admin assistant level three, then as a council deputy, and then as a Community Services Special Events Technician. I see you, Megan and Cleo. But it’s because you make it your mission to improve the lives of our residents and businesses every day. You all help make the West Hollywood we all love such a special place. And I would be remiss if I didn’t say I owe a debt of gratitude to Larissa Fuchs for interviewing me and crazily giving me the job as an intern many years ago.

There are way too many friends out there to thank, but when I look out into this room, I come back to that little boy who rode his bike to the library to read of great friendships, great adventures, and great risks. You have all brought those books to life for me – from dancing at High Tops to the countless text message conversations ranging from the current state of our national politics to the latest queen being eliminated in RuPaul’s Drag Race. Or most importantly, why, even though we tell Nick an event starts half an hour early, he still manages to show up 30 minutes late. I love you, my chosen family. You are part of my greatest adventures. You are my community and the backbone when I’m weakest, the strength when I need it, and the family that that little boy feared he’d never find when he thought there was no one else like him.

Emma, Brady, Drew, and Bailey, your Uncle John is really sorry he has to miss every soccer, basketball, football, volleyball, and gymnastics meet. But I want each and every one of you to know that no matter who you are or how small of a town you may come from, you too can one day be the Mayor and find a place like West Hollywood to call home. Dream big.

All of this work would be so much more difficult if I didn’t have my partner, Brian, to share it all with. Brian, you fill my life with love, fun, and creativity. You’re the person at the end of the day who makes everything feel like it’s going to be okay, from a simple act of a kiss on the forehead or a squeeze of my hand. Brian, thank you for loving this crazy kid from Ripon and putting up with the phone calls from worried residents and the hours I spend combing through the council packets. You make me better, and you are my favorite person in the entire world. I love you.

All right, when I think about my hopes for my time as Mayor, I’m reminded of the parable of the pearl of great price, where a merchant searching for heaven finds one pearl of great price and sells all that he has to buy it. West Hollywood, for me, has always been that pearl, a diamond in the rough that we all search for, to be in a city where so many LGBTQ people feel as close to heaven as we can imagine because we’re protected by rent-controlled laws, enjoy beautiful parks and well-manicured streets and trees, and know, at least within the confines of the city, we’re all accepted and loved. My hope and my dream for this pearl is that we stay true to the dream of cityhood, so in the future, all kids riding their bikes to their grandmas’ houses will keep pedaling, knowing there is a place for them where they can be free and have a bright future.

It’s an honor and a privilege to serve as your Mayor, and it’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly. I look forward to running efficient Council meetings, as well as tackling the issues before us every day. You will always have a champion in me. Thank you very much.