How does the son of a bracero and a labor organizer become one of the most influential figures in California politics?

Fabian Núñez is the former Speaker of the California State Assembly and was a driving force in the rise of Latino political power in California — helping turn what was once the exception into today’s expectation of Latino representation at the highest levels of government.

In this episode, Fabian reflects on his early days as one of 13 children, why he moved from San Diego to Los Angeles, and his unlikely ascent to Speaker after just one term in the Assembly. We talk about the cohort he came up with — Antonio Villaraigosa, Kevin de León, Gil Cedillo — and how their work reshaped California’s political map.

We recorded this conversation at the L.A. County Federation of Labor, where Fabian got his start under the late Miguel Contreras, forging the labor-Latino alliance that continues to shape the state today.

Oh, and you’ll hear a pretty solid Arnold Schwarzenegger impression.