Antioch mayor changes legal name to honor foster parents
ANTIOCH – Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe is now Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe.
Hernandez-Thorpe said in a press release Thursday he was born in 1981 in prison to a mother addicted to heroin.
He said he was two days old when he was placed in foster care and raised by Mexican immigrants in East Los Angeles. As a result, his first language is Spanish. His parents gave birth to two biological children and, as foster parents, adopted several others, all sharing their last name, "Hernandez."
Hernandez-Thorpe said his parents fought to adopt him legally, but failed because his biological mother retained her parental rights.
Hernandez-Thorpe said in a statement that he is proud of his African American family and heritage, but he's equally proud of his Mexican heritage instilled by his parents, the Hernandezes.
In March 2023, the mayor said he would petition to change his name to "Hernandez-Thorpe." Two days later, his father, Guillermo Hernandez, passed away from prostate cancer.
On Monday, Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Virginia George granted his petition to change his name to "Lamar Anthony Hernandez-Thorpe."