Gloria Molina, trailblazing Latina politician, dies at 74
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Gloria Molina, a life-long politician and who impacted the entire state of California over the course of her career, has died at 74 years old.
"It is with heavy hearts that our family announces Gloria's passing this evening. She passed away at her home in Mt. Washington, surrounded by our family," said a post from family members on Molina's official Facebook account. "Gloria has been battling terminal cancer for the past three years. She faced this fight with the same courage and resilience she lived her life. Over the last few weeks, Gloria was uplifted by the love and support of our family, community, friends, and colleagues. Gloria expressed deep gratitude for the life she lived and the opportunity to serve our community."
Molina will be well-remembered for the strides she made as a woman in politics, become the first Latina to be elected to the California State Assembly, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles City Council. She also served on the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
In recognition of her leadership, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors earlier this year renamed Grand Park in honor of Molina, which is now called Gloria Molina Grand Park.
She announced her battle with terminal cancer in March.
Tributes began to pour in late Sunday evening after the news was announced.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn issued a statement saying: "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. 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."
Fellow Supervisor Hilda Solis took to Twitter to offer a thoughtful thread in honor of Molina.
I am grateful for her determination to meet the needs of our most vulnerable. It was her fuerza, her force, that residents often overlooked were able to benefit from our safety net. (2/4)
— Hilda Solis (@HildaSolis) May 15, 2023
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes issued an obituary for Molina, describing the activist-turned politician as "a champion for social justice" who "dedicated her life to public service, fighting tirelessly for those who were underrepresented."
Molina is survived by her husband, Ron, daughter Valentina Martinez, son-in-law Brendan Curran, grandson Santiago and nine siblings.
In lieu of flowers, the Molina family asks that donations be made to LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes and Casa 0101 "in her memory to inspire and empower future generations through the arts."
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