Biography

Cynthia Ann Sterling was born at the old St. Agnes Hospital in Fresno, California. Her parents are the late Elma P. Sterling and the late Feltus Leroy Sterling, Sr. She attended school in West Fresno and high school at San Joaquin Memorial High School (SJM) where she was active in school politics and multiple social activities. Her college years were spent in New Orleans, Louisiana where she studied at Xavier University, a historically African-American college. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science. Cynthia was active in urban development, city planning, and the political process. She traveled broadly representing Xavier on the debate team.

After returning to California, Cynthia lived in Oakland, Ca, working in San Francisco for Bechtel Corporation as a professional recruiter and began Master level studies in public planning at CSU, Hayward. Cynthia joined Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) while in the Bay. She returned to Fresno, California in the early 1980's to join the family business, Sterling Funeral Home and still holds a California Funeral Directors License.

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 a higher education to train to become leaders of the future. She’s most recently been accepted as an Honorary Rotarian with the Fresno Rotary.

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 has once again made history becoming the first African American woman to become Council President for 2009. She has one adult son, Felix Marcus Sterling-Hawkins.