I have been living in Pasadena for almost 50 years. During this time, I was a teacher, worked for a financial services company and have been involved at the school and city levels. At the city level, I was a Commissioner on the Commission on the Status of Women and the Northwest Commission.
At the district level, I was fully elected as the District Bilingual Advisory Counsel Chairperson for the Pasadena Unified School District, where I participated in numerous committees, including the District Liaison Committee for Superintendent Search, Summit Committee, Budget Committee, School Site Committee, Volunteerism Committee, Gate Committee, and a bilingual task force which made recommendations on how the district can better serve the LEP students.
At the community level, I founded PICA (Parents in Community Action), to help youth stay away from drugs and to give them hope in their futures. I introduced them to community leaders to inspire them to become their best selves. The youth participated in many positive activities, including planting gardens and trees, cleaning up schools, helping seniors do repairs in their homes and creating health fairs, etc. I used my own money to fund this program.
I was on the board of Directors for the Pasadena Neighborhood Housing Services. Also for the POWR (People Organized for Women's Rights Coalition). I was a member of the committee that organized the very first Women at Work conference, which is a conference held in Pasadena that educates women about women's issues.
I was in the executive committee of the AHA (Affordable Housing Action Committee).
I received the parent of the year award from the California Association for Bilingual Education.
I have been a panelist for various issues, including housing rights, affordable housing, women's issues. I have participated in plans to reduce homelessness in Pasadena and supported the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance in 2001.
