Gloria Molina |
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Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Gloria Molina was elected to represent the First District in 1991-the first Latina ever to do so. She quickly developed a reputation as a fiscal guardian committed to achieving good government reforms, maintaining the county's public health care system, and addressing quality of life issues-particularly for the one million residents residing in unincorporated areas. Molina concurrently served as one of four Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice chairs from 1996 to 2004, where she focused on expanding the party's Latino membership. Molina got her political start as a ground level participant in the 1970s Chicano Power Movement, during which time she co-founded Comisión Femeníl Mexicana Nacional-a service and referral center for East Los Angeles Chicanas. Subsequently, Molina served in the Carter White House and the San Francisco Department of Health and Human Services. But she made history in 1982 when voters of the 56th State Assembly District elected her to represent them in the California State Legislature. She was the first Latina to do so. Although Molina lent her political muscle to many issues, her lengthy but successful fight against building a state prison in the Boyle Heights neighborhood made her a local legend. Voters rewarded her in 1987 by electing her to represent the First District on the Los Angeles City Council-again, the first Latina to do so. There, Molina's "back to basics" approach ensured high-quality municipal services for her constituents, a civic philosophy Molina follows to this day. |
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