SACRAMENTO - In a ceremony today at the State Capitol, Assemblywoman Wolk (D-Davis) honored Susan Tom as the 8th Assembly District's "Woman of the Year". The ceremony recognized an exemplary woman from each Assembly District in the state.

"Susan Tom exhibits a life of compassion and good will," Assemblywoman Wolk said. "She is an example of the ability we all have to change our world for the better. I admire and praise her actions."

Susan Tom gained local attention when a documentary based on her family, "My Flesh and Blood," was selected for the Sundance Film Festival where it won the Audience Appreciation Award and the Grand Jury Prize for documentary direction. Tom, a resident of Fairfield, has adopted 11 children with severe disabilities. Tom, now single, has two sons from her previous marriage. She and her husband wanted a daughter and began adopting children with special needs. Her children, ranging in age from grade school to adulthood, suffer from a variety of disabling diseases and handicaps. Despite the attention Tom has received from the film's success, she continues her daily routine and remains modest, insisting she should not be put on a pedestal.

"I am honored to be the recipient of this award," Tom said after the ceremony. "I hope others will see what I have done-and all the happiness and rewards these children have brought to my life-and it will encourage them to open their hearts and homes."

The floor ceremony for the "Woman of the Year" was the centerpiece of a day-long celebration that included a morning reception hosted by Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante and an afternoon tribute from First Lady Sharon Davis.

The day's events were coordinated by Assemblywoman Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), chair of the Women's Legislative Caucus. Neither state nor legislative funds were used to pay for the activities surrounding Assemblywoman Wolk's Woman of the Year celebration.