Gloria Molina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gloria Molina
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| Member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from the 1st district |
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| In office December 1, 1991 – December 1, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Peter Schabarum |
| Succeeded by | Hilda Solis |
| Chair of Los Angeles County | |
| In office December 8, 2009 – December 7, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Don Knabe |
| Succeeded by | Michael D. Antonovich (Mayor) |
| In office December 7, 2004 – December 6, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Don Knabe |
| Succeeded by | Michael D. Antonovich (Mayor) |
| In office December 7, 1999 – December 5, 2000 |
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| Preceded by | Don Knabe |
| Succeeded by | Michael D. Antonovich (Mayor) |
| In office December 6, 1994 – December 5, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Yvonne Brathwaite Burke |
| Succeeded by | Michael D. Antonovich (Mayor) |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 56th district |
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| In office December 6, 1982 – February 27, 1987 |
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| Preceded by | Art Torres |
| Succeeded by | Lucille Roybal-Allard |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 31, 1948 Montebello, California, U.S. |
| Died | May 14, 2023 (aged 74) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Ron Martinez |
| Children | Valentina Martinez |
| Alma mater | Rio Hondo College East Los Angeles College California State University, Los Angeles |
Jesús Gloria Molina (May 31, 1948 – May 14, 2023) was an important American politician. She served in several key roles in California. These included the Los Angeles City Council, the California State Assembly, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Gloria Molina was a true trailblazer. She was the first Latina woman elected to the California State Assembly. She also became the first Latina on the Los Angeles City Council. Later, she was the first Latina elected to the Board of Supervisors. She served on the Board for 23 years.
Molina helped make Los Angeles a better place. She supported projects like Grand Park and the LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. Many people say she opened doors for other women and Latina politicians. In 2023, Grand Park was renamed Gloria Molina Grand Park to honor her.
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Early Life and Activism
Gloria Molina was born on May 31, 1948, in Montebello, California. Her parents came to Los Angeles from Mexico. She grew up in Pico Rivera, California with nine brothers and sisters.
She went to El Rancho High School. Then she attended East Los Angeles College and California State University, Los Angeles. While in college, she worked full-time as a legal secretary. She also taught clerical skills to adults.
Early in her career, Molina was involved in the Chicano movement. This movement worked for the rights of Mexican Americans. She also spoke up for women's health. One of her first achievements was starting a Nurse Mentoring Program. This program helped more students become nurses.
Political Career
Before being elected, Molina worked in government. She served in the White House for President Carter. Later, she worked in San Francisco for the Department of Health and Human Services. She decided to run for office in 1982. She felt that women's contributions were often ignored.
California State Assembly
In 1982, Gloria Molina ran for the California State Assembly. She went against powerful male politicians. She won the election, becoming the first Latina woman elected to the California State Legislature. This was a big step for women in politics.
Los Angeles City Council
In 1986, a seat opened on the Los Angeles City Council. The district was moved to Eastside Los Angeles, which had many Latino residents. Molina ran for this seat. She won by a large margin. This made her the first Latina woman elected to the City Council.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
In 1990, Gloria Molina ran for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. This board helps run the county government. She won the election. This made her the first Latina woman elected to the Board of Supervisors.
She served on the Board for 23 years. She was known for watching how the county spent money. She also worked to improve public health care. She cared about the quality of life for people living in the county.
Molina worked with the Mothers of East Los Angeles. This group fought against building a prison near schools. She also helped families and children in need. She would connect vulnerable families with social services.
In 2008, Molina started the Gloria Molina Foster Youth Education Program. This program helped students in foster care graduate from high school. It raised their graduation rate from 58% to 80%. When she retired, she said she wished she could have done even more for foster youth.
Later Career
In 2014, Gloria Molina reached her term limit on the Board of Supervisors. She decided to run for the Los Angeles City Council again. She felt the current council member wasn't listening to the community. However, she was not elected in that race.
Legislation and Impact
Gloria Molina introduced important laws during her time in office. In 2008, she proposed rules for food vendors in Los Angeles County. These rules aimed to manage food trucks, which are popular in places like East L.A. The rules were later challenged and changed.
Personal Life and Death
Gloria Molina was married to Ron Martinez. They had a daughter named Valentina Martinez. She lived in the El Sereno neighborhood of Los Angeles.
In March 2023, Molina shared that she had been battling cancer for three years. She passed away on May 14, 2023, at the age of 74.
Honors and Legacy
Gloria Molina received many honors for her work. In 2006, she was named "Hispanic Business Woman of the Year." In 2014, she received an honorary degree from Whittier College. She also enjoyed quilting and founded a group called the East L.A. Stitchers.
After her cancer announcement in 2023, Grand Park was renamed Gloria Molina Grand Park. This honored her work in redeveloping the park. The Los Angeles City Council and Mayor Karen Bass supported this change. Other honors included renaming pedestrian crosswalks the "Gloria Molina Legacy Pathway." The Metro Board of Directors also dedicated the East LA Civic Center station to her.
See also
