Ronstadt. Rapinoe. Los Tigres. See California Hall of Fame inductees honored in Sacramento
The latest batch of luminaries to join the California Hall of Fame gathered at Archives Plaza in Sacramento on Tuesday to walk the red carpet and participate in the induction ceremony at the California Museum.
The 15th class to receive the honor included Grammy-winning vocalist Linda Ronstadt, soccer star and former Elk Grove youth player Megan Rapinoe and Grammy-winning norteño band Los Tigres del Norte.
The rest of the honored attendees were chef Roy Choi, physicist Steven Chu, ice skater Peggy Fleming, sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild, choreographer Alonzo King, teacher and former astronaut Barbara Morgan and artist Ed Ruscha. Actor and singer-songwriter Lynda Carter was unable to attend Tuesday’s event.
The 2022 induction marked the first in-person ceremony since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s class of the California Hall of Fame Class was announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom in November.
“The folks that are here truly do represent the best of this state, but they represent the diversity of this state,” said Newsom, speaking at the ceremony Tuesday. “And in that diversity comes our strength.”
The California Hall of Fame debuted in 2006 “to honor trailblazing Californians who embody the state’s spirit of innovation and have made history.” Since then, governors have honored 138 people for achievements in arts, business and labor, entertainment, food and wine, literature, music, public service, science and sports.
“Hold up a minute — I’m in the same museum as Lucille Ball and Bruce Lee?” said chef Roy Choi, a key figure in the modern food truck movement and host of two TV shows. “My seven-year-old self is tripping out right now. This is the story of immigrants coming to this country and this state with no money in their pockets.”
This story was originally published December 14, 2022 at 10:56 AM.