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May 15 (UPI) -- Gloria Molina, a trailblazing California politician who was the first Latina elected to the Los Angeles City Council as well as to the state's assembly, has died following a lengthy battle with cancer, her family said. She was 74. Molina died Sunday evening surrounded by her family at her home in Mount Washington, Calif., her family said in a statement.
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"We will miss Gloria, the strong and selfless matriarch of our family," the statement said. "We miss Gloria and take comfort in knowing that she is now at peace and in the loving embrace of our parents, Leonardo and Concepcion Molina."
Molina died following a three-year battle with terminal cancer that she first announced in March, saying in a statement on Facebook that while she has been receiving treatment, her disease is "very aggressive."
"You should know that I'm not sad," she said. "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."
Born to farmworkers in Montebello, Calif., on May 31, 1948, Molina, a Democrat, defied the odds and blazed a trail during her decadeslong career in politics while making history along the way.
In 1982, she was elected the first Latina to the California State Assembly. In 1987, she was elected the first Latina to the Los Angeles City Council. And in 1991, she was elected the first Latina to the powerful Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
"It takes courage to be the 1st woman in the room and Gloria is the 1st woman and 1st Latina in nearly every room she was in," Janice Hahn, a Los Angeles County supervisor, said in a statement marking Molina's passing. "She didn't just make space for herself -- she opened the door to the rest of us.
"Women in politics in LA County owe a debt of gratitude to Gloria Molina."
Hilda Solis, a Los Angeles County supervisor, called Molina "a beacon of hope."
"Seeing her break several glass ceilings throughout her public service career inspired me to follow in her footsteps and be of service to our community," Solis tweeted. "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."
Shortly after Molina announced her battle with cancer in March, the city of Los Angeles said a motion had been approved to rename Eastside's Grand Park the Gloria Molina Grand Park in her honor.
According to the park's website, Molina had for years fought for the creation of the park to increase green spaces and recreational opportunities to improve the lives of Los Angeles residents. The park became a reality in 2012.
"I am heartbroken to lose a champion for Latinos, for mujeres and for the Eastside," Solis, who introduced the bill to rename the park after Molina, continued. "While she may no longer be physically with us, we will forever feel her impact."
Molina is survived by her husband, Ron Martinez; daughter, Valentina Martinez; and her nine siblings.
