Corey Jackson (born 1982) is an American politician currently serving in the

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature (the upper house being the California State Senate). The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Califor ...

. A member of the Democratic Party, he represents

California's 60th State Assembly district California's 60th State Assembly district is one of 80 California State Assembly districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Corey Jackson of Moreno Valley. District profile The district encompasses the northwestern corner of Ri ...

, which includes the northwestern corner of

Riverside County Riverside County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, its population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most populous county in California and the 10th-most populous in the Unit ...

and is anchored by the city of

Moreno Valley Moreno Valley is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and is part of the Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Riverside County by population and one of the Inland Empire's pop ...

. He is the first openly gay black man in the history of the

California Legislature The California State Legislature is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of California, consisting of the California State Assembly (lower house with 80 members) and the California State Senate (upper house with 40 members). ...

, and the first black person to represent Riverside County.

Education

Jackson was a student member of the California State University Board of Trustees. He received his Master and Doctor of Social Work degrees from

California Baptist University California Baptist University (Cal Baptist or CBU) is a private Baptist Christian university in Riverside, California. Founded in 1950 as California Baptist College, it is affiliated with the California Southern Baptist Convention, an organiz ...

Political career

In 2020, Corey Jackson was elected to the Riverside County School Board. In the

2022 California State Assembly election The 2022 California State Assembly election was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, with the primary election being held on June 7, 2022. All of the seats of the California State Assembly were elected as part of the 2022 California elections. ...

, Jackson defeated Republican restaurant owner Hector Diaz-Nava. Jackson is a member of the

California Legislative Progressive Caucus The California Legislative Progressive Caucus is a California political organization composed of progressive members of the California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature (the ...

Controversy over 2025 Remarks on Asian Americans

In April 2025, during a California Assembly Higher Education Committee hearing on Assembly Bill 7 (AB 7), Assemblymember Jackson made remarks that drew criticism from Asian American advocacy groups and civil rights commentators. Addressing Bruce Lou, a Chinese American activist opposed to the bill, Jackson stated: “Some people who have come to this country in different ways unfortunately believe that they’re on the same standing as us.” The comment was criticized by Asian American organizations and members of the public as racially divisive, with many interpreting it as questioning the equal civic standing of Asian Americans. Bruce Lou, the target of the remark, described it as “racist” and “divisive,” while others noted that the statement echoed exclusionary rhetoric historically used to marginalize Asian Americans. As of May 2025, Jackson has not issued a public clarification or apology. The incident prompted discussions on racial dynamics, coalition-building among minority communities, and the scope of historical redress in education policy.

Electoral history

2022

References

External links

*
Campaign website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Corey Living people Democratic Party members of the California State Assembly LGBTQ state legislators in California African-American state legislators in California 21st-century African-American politicians California Baptist University alumni 1982 births 21st-century members of the California State Legislature