From the Mayor's Desk: November 14, 2025

As your proud Mayor and a long-time Star Trek fan, I’ve celebrated the fact that Cerritos holds a special place in the Trekkie world. The U.S.S. Cerritos is the name of the ship featured in the animated television series “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” During a special event on November 3, we officially learned why the City’s name was prominently featured in the show.

The event honored the multitalented Dr. Dawnn Lewis, an accomplished actor and Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter. Lewis played the role of Captain Carol Freeman on “Lower Decks.” But her career started decades earlier and has dozens of television and film credits to her name. She’s also been a dedicated humanitarian and leads a nonprofit organization, for which she received an honorary doctorate.

Guests at “An Evening With Dawn Lewis” inside the Cerritos Library Skyline Room were treated to a discussion with Dr. Lewis and me on her accomplished career. It was truly a fascinating event and offered unique insights into the life of a Hollywood performer.

Dr. Lewis reflected on her upbringing in the New York City area, where she began performing as a singer before the age of five. She credits her mother for instilling the courage to explore a future in the arts. Dr. Lewis’ big break came when she landed the role of Jaleesa on the 1980’s sitcom “A Different World,” for which she also created the show’s theme song. Her success did not come without challenges, and she talked about the value of artist representation and ensuring fair contracts.

When asked if Star Trek was prominent in her youth, Dr. Lewis lit up. She’s followed it since the original series and took inspiration from Nichelle Nichols, who portrayed Communications Officer Nyota Uhura. Years later, Dr. Lewis landed the role of Captain Carol Freeman on the animated sitcom. However, neither she nor any cast members were informed of their exact roles, the name of the show, or that it was part of the Star Trek franchise until their first group reading. Lewis described a stunned and exuberant room when they turned over their scripts to reveal their character names on “Star Trek: Lower Decks.”

When asked during our interview, Lewis wasn’t sure why Cerritos was chosen as the name of the crew’s ship. But she knew just who to ask: “Lower Decks” Creator Mike McMahan. The two exchanged a phone call after our event while Dr. Lewis was signing autographs. On speaker phone, McMahan spoke of his early days in Hollywood as a production assistant, often traveling by car to run what he described as “lower decker” errands like getting coffee. During those trips, he fondly recalled often hearing the Cerritos Auto Square jingle. “If this is going to be a show that’s kind of based on that time in my life, what better city to honor than the one I heard about every single day when I was driving around?” said McMahan. The revelation capped off an exciting evening and one that our guests will never forget.

I’m thankful to Dr. Dawnn Lewis and all who took the time to join us at the Cerritos Library on November 3. The City is proud to offer such memorable experiences for our residents and visitors at our Civic Center venues, as well as the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, Cerritos Senior Center, our many parks, and more. I look forward to seeing you at our next event.