America’s First Sikh Woman Mayor

(NBC NEWS) Preet Didbal made history Tuesday night as the first Sikh woman in the county to be sworn in as mayor.

Didbal was appointed as the Yuba City, California mayor by city council.

The standing room-only crowd overflowed to extra rooms and an outdoor big screen was also used to view the ceremony.

“I’m feeling overwhelmed but very excited,” Didbal said. “This community has just shown me an outpouring of community support and I’m so grateful.”

As the daughter of parents who immigrated from India to Yuba City in 1968, Didbal is a first-generation American citizen, the first member of her family to attend college and get her master’s degree and the first to serve in, and now lead, a local government.