Newly elected Fremont Mayor Raj Salwan is breaking new ground as the first Indian-American to lead the East Bay city.
He was sworn in on December 10, so he is working to adapt to his new role. However, this isn’t his first time in Fremont politics.
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Salwan began serving the city in 2005 as human relations commissioner. He then fulfilled the role of councilor, after which he became vice mayor and now mayor. He has also been working as a veterinarian for 25 years.
“It was a special moment when my father swore me in. [It] In a way, he recognizes his contributions in getting us to where we are today and also kind of reminds us of where I came from,” Salwan told CBS News Bay Area.
Salwan was born in India and moved to Fremont at the age of six. He said he is proud of growing up in the city, which has a predominantly Asian American population.
“I’m proud of who I am. And I want everyone to be proud of who they are. Growing up here, people felt insecure. I always had to prove myself. And I want my children and other people’s children to not to have those kinds of feelings or insecurities,” the mayor said.
As mayor, he added he wants to tackle many issues, including improving public safety and cracking down on homelessness. He said the city has reduced homelessness by 21% in the past two years.
“We actively manage encampments. We have people going out with our medical team, a social worker, a mental health worker and a police officer. And so we are constantly monitoring them to see how we can help them,” Salwan said.
The mayor also added that he wants to put Fremont on a bigger map.
‘Making Fremont part of the big four. You know, we often hear about San Francisco, we hear about San Jose, Oakland. But I think Fremont is right there,” he said.
Community members also said they are proud and grateful for Salwan’s leadership in Fremont.
“We are very proud that he is a trailblazer for the entire Indian-American community,” said Vijaya Aasuri, a Fremont resident for 35 years. “He understands the rich culture of Fremont.”
The Indian American community makes up approximately 37% of the city’s population. Salwan also added that he wants to revitalize the downtown area.
“It used to end here. It used to be a shopping center and it just stopped. And so we created this new street that connects all the way to Fremont Boulevard. And connects to Fremont Hub on the other side,” Salwan explains.
“The vision is to transform from a suburban community into a strategic urban community. So that requires adding more nightlife and entertainment,” he added.
The mayor said the city’s plan is to build commercial buildings, with retail at the bottom and apartments at the top.
“People often say, ‘There’s not enough to do. I need more excitement.’ For example, my son has to go to San Francisco on the weekend, so that shouldn’t be necessary.
He said that in this next chapter of his life, it is important to stay true to himself.
“We have this festival, it’s called Rakhi. And actually your sister ties the Rakhi around you. So it’s a symbolism of the bond between brother and sister,” the mayor said, showing off his bracelet.
Salwan vows to stay true to his heritage and identity as he pave the way for the next generation of leaders.
