TITLE
Recommendation to request City Attorney to prepare a resolution in support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 115, which affirms our city's profound respect and admiration for the accomplishments of Senator Oropeza and guarantees that her legacy in this city will be remembered for years to come.
DISCUSSION
On April 21, Senator Ricardo Lara introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 115. This Resolution would designate the Long Beach portion of the 1-710 as the Senator Jenny Oropeza Memorial Freeway. I would like to request the City Council adopt a resolution supporting this measure.
Senator Oropeza began her career in public service during her time as the student body president at California State University, Long Beach. In 1988 she became the first Latina member of the Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education and held that office until 1994. In 1994 she was elected (again as the first ever Latina) to the Long Beach City Council. In 2000 she successfully ran for a seat in the California State Assembly. During her time in the Assembly from 2000 to 2006, Oropeza chaired the Budget Committee and then the Transportation Committee. In 2006 voters elected Oropeza to State Senate, where she chaired the Committee on Revenue and Taxation and the Senate Majority Caucus and served until 2010.
Since her passing in 2010 numerous organizations throughout Long Beach and California have put forth posthumous recognitions. Groups ranging from the Long Beach Democratic Women's Study Club, Centro CHA, and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure have awards or programs named in her honor. Additionally the City of Long Beach named the community center in Cesar E. Chavez Park after Jenny Oropeza, and in 2011 the Los Angeles Unified School District dedicated the Jenny Oropeza Global Studies Academy.
Renaming a portion of 1-710 after Jenny Oropeza is a fitting tribute to this remarkable public servant. It is appropriate that we recognize our own former City Council member fo...
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