国产传媒

Mount Saint Mary鈥檚 University recently hosted Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell at the Chalon Campus to engage in conversation with Mount students at the first academic in-person event since the start of the coronavirus pandemic more than 18 months ago. The event was part of the 2021-2022 Legislator in Residence Speaker Series, a program established by the Center for the Advancement of Women to bring timely policy conversations and mentoring opportunities to campus.

Mitchell, who serves as the Mount鈥檚 Legislator in Residence, talked about women鈥檚 leadership, California politics, and the importance of gender and racial representation at different levels of power, all topics close to her heart as a trailblazer for women鈥檚 equity in the state.

鈥淭here will be things that happen to you or that you witness that will trigger questions in you and will help you chart your path,鈥� said Mitchell. That鈥檚 what happened to her in 2008 when she was the CEO of the nonprofit Crystal Stairs, one of the largest child development agencies in the state, and the California Legislature cut $1 billion of subsidized child care from the budget. 鈥淎s a single working mom, I literally couldn鈥檛 go to work without childcare support,鈥� said Mitchell, 鈥渁nd I knew many families in my community experienced the same situation. I got mad enough to decide that I had a perspective, a skill set and a leadership capability to make a difference.鈥�

Mitchell ran for office in 2010 and was elected to the state Assembly representing California鈥檚 54th District. After a decade in the California Legislature, she was elected in November 2020 to serve the 2nd District of Los Angeles County, where she has a major decision-making role at the largest non-state level government entity in the country. With her election, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors made history with the first all-women board in its 150-plus year history.

Mitchell also talked about how her emphasis on equity and racial justice has helped advance women鈥檚 rights at different levels. She was recently honored as a 2020 Visionary by Oprah Winfrey鈥檚 O Magazine for making California the first state in the nation to ban natural hair discrimination with the CROWN (Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair) Act. 鈥淲e need to think creatively and broadly about leadership, and remember that leadership comes with responsibility,鈥� Mitchell told students.

At the end of the session, some students chatted with Mitchell, who handed out her business card. 鈥淔eel free to contact me. I鈥檒l be waiting for your email,鈥� Mitchell told one of the students who attended the session.