Calif. lawmaker names Alameda community advocate Woman of the Year

California Assembly Member Rob Bonta with 18th District Woman of the Year Rose Padilla Johnson (middle). CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

ALAMEDA, California – California Assembly Member Rob Bonta named Rose Padilla Johnson, an advocate for low-incom families, as the 2015 Woman of the Year in the 18th Assembly District.

“Rose Padilla Johnson is an inspirational leader with a long history of accomplishments, and I am pleased to pay tribute to such a talented and dedicated constituent,” Bonta explained.

Padilla Johnson began her career working with low-income, immigrant families in Alameda County, eventually establishing the Davis Street Family Resource Center, one of the first comprehensive family resource centers in California.

Each year, the Legislature passes a resolution declaring March “Women’s History Month” and recognizes outstanding women among the constituencies.

The Woman of the Year ceremony is the centerpiece of a daylong celebration that includes a morning reception and luncheon with all the legislators, some statewide elected officials, and each of the Woman of the Year selections.

During the annual Woman of the Year celebration, a woman from each Assembly District is honored at the State Capitol. Each honoree is introduced on the Assembly Floor and receives a resolution lauding her accomplishments.

“Rose Padilla Johnson has devoted her career to protecting and uplifting the underserved in Alameda County, and her longstanding commitment to the District will benefit our community for many years to come,” said Bonta in a press statement.