Biography
Biography
Cynthia Ann Sterling was born at St. Agnes Hospital in Fresno, California. Her parents are the late Elma P. Sterling and the late Feltus Leroy Sterling, Sr. Always a curious child, Cynthia was a memorable student throughout her school years. She attended Columbia Elementary School and Irwin Jr. High School in the West Fresno area. Her high school years were spent at San Joaquin Memorial High School (SJM) where she was active in school politics and multiple social activities. She graduated from SJM in 1969 and went to New Orleans, Louisiana to study at Xavier University, a historically African-American college. She graduated in 1973, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science. During her college years, Cynthia was active in learning about urban development, city planning, and political processes. She traveled broadly representing Xavier on the debate team.
After her return to California, Cynthia began an active life in making communities a better place to live for all people. She lived and worked in the Oakland, California area for several years and began Master level studies in public planning at CSU, Hayward. She returned to Fresno, California in the early 1980's to join the family business, Sterling Funeral Home.
Cynthia has been active in multiple diverse social and political organizations. She was the Governor of District 6 for the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association (NFD&MA) serving the six western states of California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and New Mexico. She served as the President of Jack and Jill of America, and as a member of the Board of Directors of Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and the Golden Valley Girl Scouts. She became the founder and organizer of the Emerald Debutante Ball for the Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, an event that continues to encourage young women from the San Joaquin Valley to pursue their higher education studies and to train to become leaders of the future. Cynthia is a member of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church. She is the past President of the Black Catholics Association and has represented the organization at local, state and national meetings.
In 2003, Cynthia Ann Sterling made history in Fresno, California by becoming the first African American woman to be elected to the Fresno City Council-the same seat her mother, Elma P. Sterling was appointed to in 1969. She was re-elected in 2006 to a second four year-term. Cynthia was Redevelopment Agency Chair in 2006 and 2007 and is currently Acting Council President. She has one adult son, Felix Marcus Sterling-Hawkins.