Gloria Molina

Jesús Gloria Molina (May 31, 1948 – May 14, 2023) was an American politician who served as a member of the Los Angeles City Council, the California State Assembly, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Participating in the Chicano movement as a young activist, Molina entered politics in 1982, running in opposition to the powerful male-dominated Eastside political machine for a seat in the California State Assembly, becoming the first Latina

elected to the assembly. She had a long unbeaten streak in electoral politics, becoming the first Latina elected to the Los Angeles City Council and to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and served on the Board for 23 years. After terming out on the Board, Molina ran again for the Los Angeles City Council in 2015, but was defeated by incumbent José Huizar.

Molina was considered a trailblazer and helped revitalize Los Angeles's Grand Park and supported the LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes project, and has been said to have paved the way for future female and Latina politicians. Grand Park in Los Angeles was re-named Gloria Molina Grand Park after her death in 2023.