Longtime Los Angeles County supervisor Gloria Molina, a ground-breaking Latina politician who also served in Sacramento and at City Hall, announced that she has terminal cancer.
Molina, 74, said in a Facebook post she has been receiving treatment for three years and described the cancer as very aggressive. The former state Assembly and LA City Council addressed the message to "dearest friends and beloved community."
"I've lived a long, fulfilling and beautiful life," Molina said. "You should know that I'm not sad. I enter this transition in life feeling so fortunate. I have an amazing and caring family, wonderful friends, and worked with committed colleagues and a loyal team. Throughout my life I've had the support of many people."
Molina grew up in Pico Rivera and became the first Latina elected to the state Assembly, the Los Angeles City Council and the county Board of Supervisors.
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She was part of the early days of the Chicano movement, becoming an advocate for women's health issues for which she continued to advocate in state and local political offices. Molina founded a Nurse Mentoring Program through local community colleges to address a nurse shortage.
"I'm really grateful for everyone in my life and proud of my family, career, mi gente, and the work we did on behalf of our community. I have a great daughter, son-in-law, a precious grandchild and another one on the way. I'm so excited! I am very appreciative of the doctors, nurses and health care professionals at City of Hope. They have taken good care of me.
"Most of all, I am fortunate to have this time to spend with family, friends and those who are special to me. Thank you all for your love and support."
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She closed the post with a heart emoji. Hundreds of comments offering support followed.
She was first elected to public office in 1982, when she won the 56th Assembly District seat. She led a fight to quash a proposed prison in East Los Angeles.
Molina won the City Council's First District seat in 1987.
She was elected to the Board of Supervisors from the county's First District in 1991, becoming the first woman elected to the board. The body was once known as the "Five Little Kings." Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, who was appointed to fill a vacancy, was the first woman to serve on the board.
Known as a sharp fiscal watchdog, Molina served as a supervisor until 2014, forced out by term limits enacted in 2002.
Molina also worked as a deputy for presidential personnel in the Jimmy Carter White House.
News of Molina's illness drew words of support from her political colleagues. Eunisses Hernandez, currently representing the Los Angeles City Council First District provided a statement to City News Service.
"We stand on the shoulders of the giants who came before us and Supervisor Molina is one of a kind," Hernandez said. "She blazed the trail for women -- and especially for Latinas -- in local government and we owe her a debt of gratitude for her decades of service to our City and our County. I join all Angelenos in offering her my prayers and support during this time."
Supervisor Hilda Solis, who succeeded Molina in the county's First District seat, called Molina a personal inspiration and role model -- and said she would introduce a motion at the next board meeting to name Grand Park after Molina.
