Pioneering Southern California leader Gloria Molina has died, according to her family members, who issued a statement Sunday evening, May 14.
Molina, 74, passed away at her home in Mt. Washington, surrounded by her loved ones, according to her daughter, Valentina Martinez, who spoke on behalf of the family.
“We are so proud that Gloria will be remembered in history for the impact she made on Los Angeles, the state, and country as a Chicana activist, State Assemblymember, Los Angeles City Councilmember, and Los Angeles County Supervisor,” Martinez said.
Molina, according to the obituary, is survived by her husband, Ron Martinez, daughter Valentina Martinez, son-in-law Brendan Curran, grandson Santiago, as well as nine siblings: Gracie, Irma, Domingo, Bertha, Mario, Sergio, Danny, Olga and Lisa.
“In lieu of flowers,” according to the obituary, “Gloria’s family requests that donations be made to Casa 0101 and LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in her memory to inspire and empower future generations through the arts.”
“For us, Gloria will be remembered in our hearts as our loving mom and grandmother, protective oldest sister, wise tía, and loyal friend. We will miss celebrating with her on Christmas Eve, hosted at her home decked out in a new theme for the holidays and nourished with handmade tamales and a holiday feast with all the trimmings.”
Molina announced on March 14 that she was battling terminal cancer. In a Facebook post, Molina said she had been receiving treatment for three years and her disease was “very aggressive.” She shared that she was “not sad” and was fortunate to have lived “a long, fulfilling and beautiful life.”
Molina’s record of political “firsts” was truly remarkable. In 1982, Molina was the first Latina elected to the California state Assembly; in 1987, she was the first Latina elected to the Los Angeles City Council; in 1991, she was the first Latina elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
In 2014, Molina retired from the Board of Supervisors due to term limits, ending a 32-year career in public service for the City of Angels.
An obituary was issued by LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, which described Molina as “a champion for social justice,” who “dedicated her life to public service, fighting tirelessly for those who were underrepresented.”
“She made a significant impact on Los Angeles, the state, county and the nation over her 32-year career in elected office.”
Molina’s parents, Leonardo and Concepcíon Molina, immigrated to the L.A. County suburbs from Mexico. Molina grew up in Pico Rivera and attended El Rancho High School, East Los Angeles College and Cal State L.A.
As a county supervisor she served the First District, representing Pico-Union, East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley.
She served as a county supervisor for 23 years, from 1991 to 2014, and is known for working toward improving the county’s foster care system, foster youth graduation rates, and the county’s Department of Family and Children Services.
Molina fought the city of Whittier’s plan to drill for oil in a portion of the Whittier Hills purchased with taxpayer monies from state Measure Proposition A, and fought to keep the land preserved in perpetuity as open space and for wildlife. As a member of the LA Metro board, Molina successfully pushed for the extension of the Gold Line (now L Line) light rail into East Los Angeles.
Her record included support for public health, jobs, education, parks and recreation, and the arts.
Martinez described her mother as “the strong and selfless matriarch of our family.”
“We will miss watching Gloria the artist, seeing her imagine and create beautiful quilts that tell the story of our Mexican roots, and Gloria the teacher, who shares her passion with others,” Martinez added. “… She was the first one to call when she heard that we needed help, the first to volunteer to organize a family celebration, and the first one to tell us what we needed to hear to get back on our feet.”
The Board of Supervisors earlier this year renamed Grand Park in honor of Molina, which is now called Gloria Molina Grand Park. The park was the brain child of Supervisor Molina and was a joint venture with the city and the county. It stretches from The Music Center to Los Angeles City Hall and has become a popular gathering place in recent years.
“Without Gloria Molina make no mistake, there would be no Grand Park,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
Also, the Metro Board of Directors voted unanimously on March 23, to dedicate the East Los Angeles Civic Center subway station in honor of Molina.
Molina attended public schools in Montebello, as well as East Los Angeles College and Cal State Los Angeles.
Local leaders reacted to the news of Molina’s passing.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass called Molina “a force for unapologetic good and transformational change in Los Angeles,” who “advocated for those who did not have a voice in government through her pioneering environmental justice work, her role as a fiscal watchdog, and her advocacy for public health. She shaped Los Angeles in a lasting way while paving the way for future generations of leaders.”
Cardinal Roger Mahony reflected on some of Molina’s accomplishments, saying, “She was fearless in confronting institutional injustice such as the infamous Exide battery complex in East Los Angeles. She continued to point out that companies would readily build dangerous plants and factories in the poorest neighborhoods because they thought those communities lacked the political influence to object. Gloria Molina proved them wrong over her long political career which always focused on the most underserved members of our society.”
Mahony added that Molina was influential in the ultimate location of the new cathedral.
“I am particularly grateful to her and her staff for advising me and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles that the large County parcel on Temple Street between Grand Avenue and Hill Street would be an ideal site for our new Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Without her outreach to me and her continued work with our team from 1995 forward our new Cathedral would never have become a reality.”
“It takes an enormous amount of courage to be the first woman in the room and Gloria was the first woman and first Latina in nearly every room she was in across her career,” L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement. “She didn’t just make space for herself — she opened the door to the rest of us. Women in politics, particularly in Los Angeles County, owe a great debt of gratitude to Gloria Molina. May she rest in peace.”
“Words can’t express the loss of Gloria Molina,” Supervisor Hilda Solis posted on Twitter. “She was a beacon of hope to many — including myself. Seeing her break several glass ceilings throughout her public service career inspired me to follow in her footsteps and be of service to our community.”
On Supervisor Molina:
“Gloria Molina was not only a trailblazer, but she held the door open for other Latinas in government to walk through,” said L.A. City Councilmember Tim McOsker.
“While today is a sad day, it was important that we were able to pay our respects and give Supervisor Molina flowers over the past several weeks,” he added. “Too often we honor those only after they’ve passed, but so many were able to share with her the significant impact she had on the City and County of Los Angeles.”
“Supervisor Molina continuously shattered glass ceilings, demonstrating to all Latina/o’s and generations to come that they, too, can have a seat at the table,” said Los Angeles County Democratic Party Chair Mark Gonzalez in a statement. “Tonight, on this Mother’s Day, we keep the Molina family in our prayers and thank her for her commitment and service to our golden state. May she rest in power.”
The Weingart Foundation, a private grantmaking foundation that partners with communities across Southern California to advance racial justice, released a statement saying, “Today, we join all Angelenos in mourning the loss of a tremendous pioneering leader … she not only opened doors for others to follow, she transformed lives.”
The Committee for Greater LA, a cross-sectoral group of civic leaders working to advance system changes and dismantle institutional racism, also released a statement from committee Chair Miguel A. Santana, who said they mourn “the loss of a trailblazer and community champion.”
“No matter how challenging the path, Supervisor Molina never backed down from doing what was right and most impactful for the community. Time and again, she exemplified what it means to put community first.”
The statement said she “fought for marginalized communities so that they could have their fair share of basic services after years of disinvestment and neglect.”
Even the Los Angeles County Fair posted a tribute. “The (fair) team is saddened by tonight’s news of the passing of Gloria Molina. A true trailblazer for Latinas in government, Gloria will be remembered for her impactful career. At this year’s fair, one of Gloria’s personal quilts can be seen on display as well as the introduction of the Gloria Molina Quilting Award.”
Staff Writer Steve Scauzillo and City News Service contributed to this report.