Gloria Molina

File:Gloria Molina and Dolores Madrigal holding news conference announcing class action suit against hospital in Los Angeles, 1975.jpg

Molina was born on May 31, 1948, in Montebello, California, to Leonardo Castillo Molina and Concepción Molina, who immigrated to Los Angeles from Mexico. She grew up as one of ten children in the Los Angeles suburb of Pico Rivera, attending El Rancho High School before going to East Los Angeles College and California State University, Los Angeles.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-01-03-tm-1078-story.html|title=THE POLITICS OF ANGER : A Passion for Attacking the System Has Made Gloria Molina One of the Country's Most Powerful Latino Politicians. But How Long Can She Continue To 'Govern By Tantrum'?|date=January 3, 1993|author=Tobar, Hector|website=Los Angeles Times}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/21/us/woman-in-the-news-gloria-molina-hispanic-trailblazer.html|title=Woman In the News: Gloria Molina; Hispanic Trailblazer|work=The New York Times|last=Mydans|first=Seth|date=February 21, 1991|access-date=May 15, 2023}} While attending college, she worked full-time as a legal secretary.{{cite news |last=Arellano |first=Gustavo |title=Gloria Molina, Chicana who blazed paths across L.A. politics, dies |url=https://www.latimes.com/obituaries/story/2023-05-14/gloria-molina-dead |access-date=May 15, 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times | date=May 14, 2023}} Then she became certified as an adult education instructor and taught clerical skills at the East Los Angeles Skills Center.

Molina's early career was characterized by her involvement in the Chicano movement and advocating for women's health. An early accomplishment was when she started a Nurse Mentoring Program in an effort to address the country's shortage of nurses by partnering with local community colleges to encourage and help more students to pursue a nursing degree.{{cite news |last1=Flores |first1=Edwin |title=History-making Latina politician Gloria Molina announces she has terminal cancer |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/gloria-molina-announces-terminal-cancer-rcna75129 |access-date=May 15, 2023 |work=NBC News |date=March 15, 2023}}

File:Gloria Molina portrait, 1982.jpg

Before being elected to public office, Molina served in the Carter Administration as a deputy for presidential personnel.{{cite news |last1=Romero |first1=Dennis |title=Groundbreaking politician Gloria Molina dies at 74 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/groundbreaking-politician-gloria-molina-dies-74-rcna84384 |access-date=May 15, 2023 |work=NBC News |date=May 14, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Galván |first1=Astrid |title=Chicana trailblazer Gloria Molina dies at 74 |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/05/15/gloria-molina-latina-obituary |access-date=May 15, 2023 |work=Axios |date=May 15, 2023}} After leaving the White House, she served in San Francisco as a deputy director for the Department of Health and Human Services. She stated to the Los Angeles Times that she had seen that men had "kept dismissing the contributions of her and other women", which was why she ran for office in 1982.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-25/gloria-molina-farewell-message|title=Column: Gloria Molina's farewell message to L.A.: Don't be corrupt|date=March 25, 2023|website=Los Angeles Times|author=Arellano, Gustavo}}

In 1982, Art Torres vacated his seat in California's 56th State Assembly district due to redistricting, with Torres and Assemblymember Richard Alatorre making Richard Polanco run in the district. Molina had approached the two about running in the district, but was told that she could not since Polanco was running.{{cite news |last1=Castro |first1=Tony |title= Eastside Story |url= https://www.laweekly.com/eastside-story-3 |access-date=October 12, 2020 |work=LA Weekly |date=March 11, 1998}} She ran anyway,https://vimeo.com/130590360 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}} and defeated Polcano to become the first Latina woman to be elected in the California State Legislature.{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/153329970/|title=Molina Prepared to Face Challenge: First Hispanic Woman Legislator Expects Tough Going|date=February 4, 1982|author=Klunder, Jan|website=Los Angeles Times}}{{cite book| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=sb--DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA71 | title = Anything But Mexican: Chicanos in Contemporary Los Angeles | first = Rodolfo F. | last = Acuña | publisher = Verso Books | date = April 14, 2020| isbn = 9781786633804 }} Her win would set the stage for a political feud between Torres and Molina, with supporters being called the Torristas and Molinistas.{{cite news |last1=Ramos |first1=George |title= The Arguments for—and Against—a Run by Molina for Mayor |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-11-02-me-945-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=November 2, 1992}}

File:Gloria Molina and supporters celebrating after city council victory in Los Angeles, Calif., 1987.jpg in 1987]]

In 1986, the 1st district of the Los Angeles City Council was vacant due to incumbent Howard Finn's death, and the City Council decided that the district would be moved from the San Fernando Valley to Eastside Los Angeles. Now in a largely Latino district, Molina announced her candidacy for the special election.{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/154870054|title=Molina Says She Will Run for Council in New L.A. District: MOLINA: She'll Seek New Seat on Council|author=Clayton, Janet|date=November 7, 1986|website=Los Angeles Times|id={{ProQuest|154870054}} }} She was mainly challenged by Larry Gonzalez, a member of the Los Angeles Board of Education.{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/154870852|title=Gonzalez to Fight Molina for Seat on L.A. Council: GONZALEZ: City Council Race|date=November 11, 1986|author=Clayton, Janet|website=Los Angeles Times|id={{ProQuest|154870852}} }} In the election, she defeated Gonzalez and two others by a landslide, making her the first Latina woman to be elected to the City Council.{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/814503693|title=Molina Wins 4-Way Race for 1st District Council Seat: Incomplete Source|date=February 4, 1987|author=Clayton, Janet|website=Los Angeles Times|id={{ProQuest|814503693}} }} She was succeeded in the State Assembly by Lucille Roybal-Allard.{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/810554837/|title=Molina, Ex-Rivals Agree on Candidate for Assembly Seat|author=Clayton, Janet|date=February 26, 1987|website=Los Angeles Times}}

While on the council, Molina feuded with Richard Alatorre, who had been elected to the council in 1985.

In 1990, Peter F. Schabarum decided not to run for re-election for the 1st district of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, but served an extra three months while the board redistricted under court orders to create a majority-Latino district.{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1638591948/|title=Supervisors in Transition to New Districts, Constituents: Politics: Gloria Molina's election and new boundaries have forced board members to get acquainted with new communities|date=March 10, 1991|author=Simon, Richard|website=Los Angeles Times}} That year, Molina announced that she would be running for the seat, being challenged by U.S. Representative Matthew G. Martínez and Art Torres.{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1467312305/|title=1st District Race Comes Into Focus: Supervisors: Rep. Martinez and state Sen. Torres prepare to join Gloria Molina and Sarah Flores as candidates. Alatorre bows out|date=November 14, 1990|author=Simon, Richard|website=Los Angeles Times}} The runoff election was between Molina and Torres, with Torres having a lead in fundraising for his campaign.{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1639749669/|title=Torres Takes Big Lead in Fund Raising: Election: Labor contributes heavily to his bid for a county supervisorial post. Gloria Molina has collected about half as much|date=February 14, 1991|website=Los Angeles Times}} Although Molina was at a disadvantage financially, she still defeated Torres to become the first Latina to be elected to the Board of Supervisors.{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/189866839/|title=GLORIA MOLINA BECOMES NEW LA SUPERVISOR|date=February 20, 1991|author=Edwards, Bob|website=National Public Radio}}

At her first meeting, she was described as "[giving] hints of the in-your-face approach that sometimes characterized her years on the City Council."{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1639702487|title=A Noteworthy Day of Decisions for L.A. Supervisors: Latinos: Gloria Molina's first meeting as a board member gives hints of things to come|date=March 13, 1991|author=Rainey, James|website=Los Angeles Times|id={{ProQuest|1639702487}} }} During her 23 years serving the Los Angeles County board of supervisors, she became known as a fiscal watchdog committed to overseeing good government reforms, maintenance of the county's public health care system, and also quality-of-life issues for the millions of county residents living in the unincorporated areas.{{cite news |last1=Clayton |first1=Abené |title=Gloria Molina, groundbreaking Chicana California leader, dies aged 74 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/gloria-molina-los-angeles-california-politics-leader-dead |access-date=May 15, 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=May 15, 2023}}

One of Molina's significant achievements was her involvement with the Mothers of East Los Angeles, a group formed to organize against a proposed plan to build a prison in East LA. As city councilwoman, she found government unresponsive to her concerns of yet another proposal to build a prison near schools in the predominantly Chicano and Mexican neighborhood. In the mid-2000s she drove through skid row looking for families with children and would call the Department of Family and Children Services, to help families and remove children from unsafe conditions.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-gloria-molina-exit-20141201-story.html|title=Outgoing L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina opts for new challenge|last=Sewell|first=Abby Sewell, By Abby|website=Los Angeles Times|date=December 2014 |access-date=March 28, 2018}}{{cite web |title=Gloria Molina |url=https://www.mexamcef.org/gloria-molina/ |website=Mexican-American Cultural Education Foundation |date=January 27, 2020 |access-date=May 15, 2023}}

In 2008, Molina piloted a program that became known as the Gloria Molina Foster Youth Education Program.{{cite news |last1=Rojas |first1=Leslie Berestein |title=Former LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina, A Trailblazer Among Latina Politicians, Has Terminal Cancer |url=https://laist.com/news/politics/former-la-county-supervisor-gloria-molina-has-terminal-cancer |access-date=May 15, 2023 |work=LAist |date=March 14, 2023}} This program attempted to improve the high school graduation rates of students in the foster care system. By committing social workers to aid in helping manage and track these students' academic success the program was able to raise the graduation rate from the national average of 58% to 80%. When Molina retired from her supervisor position in 2014 because of term limits, she stated that one of her biggest regrets was that she was not able to do more to improve the high school graduation rates amongst fostered youth.{{cite news |title=Foster kids get help to graduate |url=https://www.dailybulletin.com/2011/02/21/foster-kids-get-help-to-graduate/ |access-date=May 15, 2023 |work=The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin |date=February 21, 2011}}

In 2014, facing a term limit on the Board of Supervisors, Molina announced that she was challenging 14th district incumbent José Huizar for his seat on the City Council.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2014/09/05/la-county-supervisor-gloria-molina-to-challenge-la-councilman-jose-huizar/|title=L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina to challenge L.A. Councilman Jose Huizar|date= September 5, 2014 |author=Smith, Dakota|website=Los Angeles Daily News}} She had stated that she had considered retirement before being asked to run from various people, and criticized Huizar for not heeding his constituents.{{cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/will-trailblazer-gloria-molina-topple-powerful-incumbent-jose-huizar/|title=WILL TRAILBLAZER GLORIA MOLINA TOPPLE POWERFUL INCUMBENT JOSE HUIZAR?|date=February 19, 2015|author=Maddaus, Gene|website=LA Weekly}}{{cite web|url=https://boyleheightsbeat.com/cd14-candidates-gloria-molina/|title=CD14 Candidates: Gloria Molina|author=Mejias, Antonio|date=February 6, 2015|website=Boyle Heights Beat}} In the 2015 election, Huizar defeated Molina and other competitors by a landslide, avoiding the need for a runoff.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/incumbent-councilman-jose-huizar-leads-early-in-race-for-council-seat/|title=Incumbent Councilman Jose Huizar Leads Race For Council Seat|date=March 3, 2015|website=CBS News}}{{cite web|url=http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2015/03/councilman_huizar_reelect.php|title=Councilman Huizar reelected without a fight|date=March 3, 2015|author=Roderick, Kevin|website=LA Observed}}

In April 2008, Molina introduced legislation to the board of supervisors which would severely increase penalties on food vendors in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, including East L.A. The new rules would punish parking of a food truck for more than one hour with a $1000 fine and/or six months in jail. This move was specifically targeted at vendors operating taco trucks, a cultural institution in East L.A. as well as the county as a whole. Newspaper editorials decried the move, and a petition was quickly set up to attempt to force a repeal of the legislation. The taco vendors also hired a lawyer to fight their cause. The ordinance was ultimately struck down by a judge.{{cite magazine |last1=Keegan |first1=Rebecca Winters |title=The Great Taco Truck War |url=https://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1735104,00.html |access-date=May 15, 2023 |magazine=Time |date=April 25, 2008}}

In June 2010, Molina voted yes with two other Los Angeles County supervisors to boycott Arizona because of SB 1070. Molina said in her statement that the law "simply goes too far" and that "a lot of people have pointed out that I am sworn as an L.A. County supervisor to uphold the Constitution. All I can say is that I believe that Arizona's law is unconstitutional."{{cite web|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/06/la-county-boycott-of-arizona-approved-by-divided-board-of-supervisors.html|title=L.A. County boycott of Arizona approved by divided Board of Supervisors|date=June 1, 2010}}

Molina was married to Ron Martinez, a businessman, with the two having a daughter, Valentina Martinez. She lived in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Mount Washington.

In March 2023, Molina announced that she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer three years prior, and that she had been battling it with treatments but it had become very aggressive.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/politics/la-los-angeles-county-politics-gloria-molina-cancer/3115278/|title=Trailblazing LA Politician Gloria Molina Says She Has Terminal Cancer|date=March 15, 2023|author=Lloyd, Jonathan|website=KNBC}} She died on May 14, 2023, seventeen days before her 75th birthday.

In April 2006, Molina was honored as the "Hispanic Business Woman of the Year" by Hispanic Business magazine. In 2014, she was awarded an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) from Whittier College.{{Cite web|url=https://www.whittier.edu/alumni/poetnation/honorary|title=Honorary Degrees {{!}} Whittier College|website=www.whittier.edu|access-date=December 6, 2019}} Molina also quilted, founding the East L.A. Stitchers and frequently knitting with the group until her announcement of terminal cancer.{{cite web|url=https://ktla.com/news/local-news/labor-of-love-quilters-work-to-finish-quilts-started-by-former-l-a-county-supervisor-gloria-molina/|title=Labor of Love: Group works to finish quilts started by former L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina|author=Saucedo, Carlos|date=April 6, 2023|website=KTLA}}

In 2023, after Molina's announcement of terminal cancer, Hilda Solis, Molina's successor on the Board of Supervisors, introduced a motion to rename Grand Park to Gloria Molina Grand Park, honoring her contributions to the park's redevelopment.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-21/downtown-l-a-s-grand-park-renamed-in-honor-of-longtime-supervisor-gloria-molina|title=Downtown L.A.'s Grand Park to be renamed in honor of longtime Supervisor Gloria Molina|author=Ellis, Rebeca|date=March 21, 2023|website=Los Angeles Times}} It was approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors the day it was introduced.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxla.com/news/dtlas-grand-park-to-be-renamed-in-honor-of-gloria-molina|title=DTLA's Grand Park to be renamed in honor of Gloria Molina|date= March 21, 2023 |website=KTTV}} A motion to endorse the renaming passing in the Los Angeles City Council, with Mayor Karen Bass also endorsing it. Another motion by councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Kevin de León renamed the pedestrian crosswalks "Gloria Molina Legacy Pathway". A couple of days after, the Metro Board of Directors voted to dedicate the East LA Civic Center station to Molina.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/local-2/metro-votes-to-dedicate-east-la-civic-center-station-to-honor-gloria-molina/3121190/|date=March 23, 2023|website=KNBC|title=Metro Votes to Dedicate East LA Civic Center Station to Honor Gloria Molina}}

• National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials
• Torristas and Molinistas

{{Reflist}}

{{commonscat}}

• {{C-SPAN|2510}}
• [http://www.oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=hb8b69p65d&query=&brand=calisphere Oral history interview with Molina]
• [http://www.joincalifornia.com/candidate/2947 Join California Gloria Molina]

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{{s-bef|before=Art Torres}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the California Assembly
from the 56th district|years=December 6, 1982 – February 27, 1987 }}

{{s-aft|after=Lucille Roybal-Allard}}

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{{s-bef|before=Howard Finn}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Los Angeles City Council
from the 1st district|years=1987–1991}}

{{s-aft|after=Mike Hernandez}}

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{{s-bef|before=Peter Schabarum}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
from the 1st district|years=1991–2014}}

{{s-aft|after=Hilda Solis}}

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{{s-bef|before=Don Knabe}}

{{s-ttl|rows=2|title=Chair of Los Angeles County|years=2009–2010
2004–2005
1999–2000
1994–1995}}

{{s-aft|rows=2|after=Michael D. Antonovich (Mayor)}}

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{{s-bef|before=Yvonne Brathwaite Burke}}

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{{s-bef|before=Don Knabe}}

{{s-ttl|rows=2|title=Chair Pro Tem of Los Angeles County|years=2008–2009
2003–2004
1998–1999
1993–1994}}

{{s-aft|rows=2|after=Michael D. Antonovich (Mayor Pro Tem)}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Molina, Gloria}}

Category:1948 births

Category:2023 deaths

Category:20th-century American women politicians

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:21st-century California politicians

Category:American politicians of Mexican descent

Category:California State University, Los Angeles alumni

Category:Deaths from cancer in California

Category:Democratic Party members of the California State Assembly

Category:East Los Angeles College alumni

Category:Hispanic and Latino American city council members

Category:Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in California

Category:Hispanic and Latino American women in politics

Category:Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

Category:Los Angeles City Council members

Category:People from Montebello, California

Category:People from Pico Rivera, California

Category:Women city councillors in California

Category:Women state legislators in California

Category:20th-century members of the California State Legislature