Ritu Jha-
The city of Martinez District 3, in California, appointed Satinder S Malhi as its first Indian American Sikh Councilmember. Malhi told indica that in his new capacity, he plans to build more affordable and mixed-use housing, and enhance the quality of life by improving public safety.
Malhi, a Martinez resident, served as the Chair of the City’s Anti-Racism & Discrimination and Pro-Inclusion & Equity Task Force. He was a member of the City’s Parks, Recreation, Marina, and Cultural Commission and the Measure D Citizens Oversight Committee.
He was sworn in by former U.S. Representative George Miller (D-Martinez)on January 18. and during the acceptance speech, Malhi spoke both in Punjabi and English. The ceremony was attended by several members of the Sikh community members and his family.
A seasoned government and community relations professional with nearly 20 years of experience in the public sector, Malhi currently works as a legislative advocate in the Office of the Chancellor for California State University, the nation’s largest public four-year university system.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in politics and legal studies from the University of California Santa Cruz and a master’s degree in public administration from California State University, East Bay
Malhi whose term ends in November 2024, told indica, “We are very fortunate to have such beautiful open spaces, parks, and neighborhoods throughout our city. I look forward to working with my colleagues to enhance the quality of life for our residents by improving public safety, building more affordable and mixed-use housing using a balanced approach, revitalizing our waterfront, and marina, and supporting our small businesses throughout our entire city.”
He said he looks forward to swiftly implementing the recommendations of the Anti-Racism & Discrimination and Pro-Inclusion & Equity (ARDPIE) task force so that he can make Martinez a more safe and inclusive place for all residents.
He said that similar to a lot of municipalities throughout the East Bay, the city of Martinez too adopted and moved to district-based elections.
“Given that I was just appointed, I plan to take some time in the coming weeks and months ahead to meet with my constituents and other community stakeholders to introduce myself and learn more about their needs and priorities,” Malhi said.
He said he prides himself as a good listener and bringing people together. “So that’s where my focus will initially be.”
Malhi came to the US when he was just six months old. His family came from the UK and since then Martinez has been their home.
“My parents are both originally from Punjab, but we’ve been proud to call Martinez our home for the past four decades.”
On joining the council he said, “This is the first time I sought out a position on the Martinez City Council. I previously ran for State Assembly in 2015 but decided to bow out after a few months once others decided to join the race and our path to victory became less certain.”
Public service motivation, he said, was infused in him by his parents. “From an early age, my parents stressed the importance of public service and the need to serve one’s community.”
“Over the past several years, I’ve volunteered hundreds of hours of my time by serving on a number of city commissions, including as Chair of ARDPIE Task Force. So, when the opportunity to fill the vacancy on the Council presented itself, I immediately jumped at the chance to take my civic and professional work experience to better serve our residents,” Malhi said.
Indian American Sikh Satinder Malhi is first to be appointed Councilmember in Martinez, California
