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Sierra Club North County Group (NCG) Celebrates Herminia Ledesma
First Latina Appointed to the Escondido Planning Commission
This week the Escondido City Council made history by appointing the first ever Latina to the Escondido Planning Commission. On a 3-2 vote (Morasco, Garcia opposed), Herminia Ledesma, a 27-year resident of Escondido and graduate of San Pasqual High School and Cal State San Marcos was appointed to the Escondido Planning Commission.
“This appointment is exciting and a welcome change to the past practice. For the first 10 years I served on the City Council not a single woman was ever appointed. Now, there are four, and our first Latina,” stated Sierra Club NCG Executive Committee member Olga Diaz, “It’s a new day for Escondido.”
Ms. Ledesma has worked for the Vista Community Clinic since 2013 and holds a master’s degree in Public Heath from Cal State University, San Marcos. She serves as a Board Member for Community Health Improvement Partners, is Vice-Chair of the Farmworkers CARE Coalition, and facilitates the Health Vista Coalition.
John Conley, Director of Community Development and Engineering for the City of Vista, offered a strong statement at the meeting in support of her candidacy stating, “I have worked with Herminia Ledesma through her position at the Vista Community Clinic for the past five years on the Healthy Cities, Healthy Residents program. She has great communication and organizational skills and has an excellent perspective on community health and its connection to urban planning, I endorse her recommendation 100%.”
NCG Conservation Chair Laura Hunter stated, “Commissioner Ledesma is uniquely qualified and her expertise in the intersection between land use and human health, especially in urban areas, will be essential as the Planning Commission takes up more urban infill projects. We are looking forward to working with her.”
Chair of the NCG Pam Heatherington stated, “As a community with a significant and important Latino community it is important that, finally, a Latina is serving on the Planning Commission. We are so lucky to have such a talented and highly qualified young woman appointed. It is about time.”
Commissioner Ledesma will join three other women Commissioners currently serving on the Commission. Escondido is 52% Latino residents. Escondido Planning Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor and ratified by the City Council.
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