SACRAMENTO, Calif. — When Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo ran for office to represent the Santa Clarita Valley and the Northwest San Fernando Valley, her 10-year-old daughter, Sofia, was with her every step of the way.
After winning the race for California’s 40th Assembly District, Schiavo’s daughter made the move to Sacramento with her mom.
“There’s definitely been some challenges and bumps in the road — getting her settled with a school that did not work out at all so I had to pull her out after three weeks and then scramble, and I could not find another option for in-person school. So now she’s in Zoom school in the corner of my office while I’m having meetings right here,” explained Schiavo.
Completing fifth grade in the corner of her mom’s office was no easy task, but Sofia says she’s grateful for the extra time she got to spend with her mom this year.
“You just have to be ready for whatever comes — you just have to be ready if something not great is going to happen or something amazing is going to happen — you just never know,” Sofia said when asked how she dealt with the transition from living in Chatsworth to going to work with her mom at the State Capitol Monday through Thursday.
Schiavo notes her experience as a single mom helped inspire a lot of the legislation she introduced during her first year in office.
“I have a bill around child care to help get more child care for women and people working in construction and help get women in construction work — areas where it’s always a challenge to get child care and the support that you need to be able to do your job,” she explained.
The freshman lawmaker is one of the 50 women in the California Legislative Women’s Caucus. Among the group’s legislative priorities are securing economic opportunities for all women, closing the gender pay gap, expanding quality child care access and ensuring family-friendly workplaces.
“Having 50 women in the legislature makes a huge difference. I have to give thanks to the women who have come before me, single moms who have come before me and done things to make it easier, which I appreciate so much. Holly Mitchell, Blanco Rubio is still here, Autumn Burke also before me,” adds Schiavo.
While sharing her office with Sofia as she did with Zoom school and Schiavo took meetings wasn’t ideal, Schiavo sees the glass half full of getting to spend more time with daughter her versus only seeing her on the weekends like a lot of her colleagues.
“I’m very fortunate I get to see my kid every day and I don’t have to leave her for four days out of the week. Which brings me a lot of joy and I think makes both of us happy,” said Schiavo.
Sofia adds she’s learned a lot from her unique situation.
“Probably things that kids do not learn very early, but it’s been a fun learning experience,” Sofia adds.
The art enthusiast spends a lot of her free time drawing and sketching in her mom’s office and even got to showcase some of her art with Gov. Gavin Newsom during an event she attended with Schiavo.
“Everyone’s been really understanding and supportive. It’s been really heartwarming to have that,” Schiavo said.
Schiavo didn’t anticipate taking Sofia to work every day during her first legislative session, but says she couldn’t be prouder of how she embraced the big life change.
“I know it’s been hard for her missing home and missing friends with this big transition, but she’s an amazing trooper and has made it through the hard parts and luckily it seems to be settling and we’re kind of getting our groove now,” added Schiavo.
Sofia, who recently finished fifth grade, won’t be around the Capitol as much when she starts sixth grade. Schiavo says she got a spot at an art-based public school in the Sacramento area.
Let Inside the Issues know your thoughts and watch Monday through Friday at 8 and 11 p.m. on Spectrum News 1.