Before he was the leader of the fifth largest economy in the world, Governor Gavin Newsom was a Redwood student, just like us, and the Bark was lucky enough to get a one-on-one interview with him to learn more about his journey from Redwood to the governorship.

 Although he wasn’t class president, as one might expect, he was a stellar athlete, specifically at baseball. Newsom was a Bark Prep of the Year in 1985, and his coach, Phil Roark (of Phil Roark Gym), described him as “reliable and trustworthy.” Despite his leadership skills and interest in politics, Newsom did not envision that he would grow up to be one of the most influential people in our state. 

“I never saw myself as governor. I never saw myself as mayor. I never saw myself in political office. But, I always saw myself involved in politics. It was the pathway to academic interest because I was able to [use it to find] a major in college. School was horrible because it was what everyone [wanted me to do],” Newsom said. 

 A lot of the issues that Newsom faced at Redwood were due to his dyslexia, which made it harder for him to focus in an academic setting. Instead of letting this obstacle thwart him, Newsom used it as a unique way to look at things and it has deeply influenced his political thinking, as well as taught him valuable life lessons. 

“I’ve always felt I had to be more creative. I had to think outside the lines [and] look at things a little bit differently,” Newsom said. “I applied myself differently because I overcompensated. I always thought I was a little bit different in terms of having a visual capacity. I am more creative.”

While having a unique way of seeing the world had a positive impact on his life, school was not easy for him due to his learning disability. Newsom was frequently self-conscious when he had to read in front of his class which helped him grow a thick skin. 

“I worked harder than anybody. I’m not smarter than you. But I’m going to work, with grit and resilience. I know how to fail, and I know [how to] get back up. I was embarrassed all my life. Every time I opened my mouth [and] started reading, people laughed. [But] I’m gonna get back up, [with] resilience and grit, [and] outwork you,” Newsom said.

Given his strong work ethic, Newsom knew he would be able to succeed as long as he found something that appealed to his interests and unique thought process. Politics was always an option for Newsom, given his father’s relationships and interests, which Newsom wanted to emulate. 

Newsom’s parents were divorced, and he was raised by his single mother. He found his own way to achieve success by working many jobs to support his family. He persevered through adversity and focused on overcoming his academic struggles. Meanwhile, his father was a judge with various political connections. This is what made Newsom first learn he was interested in politics, as it was a way to relate with his father. 

“Politics is in my family. My relationship to politics was my father in that respect, and my desire, to sort of connect with him in a deeper way,” Newsom said.  “I don’t need a therapist to tell me I wanted to connect to my dad.” 

Although politics was a way to have something in common with his dad, his interest in reading and fiction was a fork in the road for them and represented the differences in their philosophies. 

“My dad, before he was a judge, was an English professor at Stanford. He was the exact opposite [of me]. I mean, he would never read a nonfiction book, what would be the point? And so it was a great irony. He had a son, his exact opposite in terms of reading for pleasure, or even experiencing great prose,” Newsom said. 

Newsom has had his life shaped by California politics and has shaped California politics back. He hopes to continue his work, bettering both his state and the U.S. at large. He feels that California is responsible for leading the way toward progressive policies on key issues.

“[The U.S. should follow] our leadership on LGBTQ rights, they have to take our leadership on climate, they have to take our leadership in terms of advancing and celebrating backward majority minority stake. They have to take our leadership on equal pay, on every issue. We, [California], set precedents for our country,” Newsom said.