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Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina spoke at a Chicano/a Studies class yesterday.

About 200 Introduction to Chicano/a Studies students gathered in class Thursday afternoon to hear Los Angeles County Supervisor of the First District Gloria Molina present her experiences as a Chicana political activist.

Molina became the first Chicana supervisor in Los Angeles County in 1991. She has played a critical part in forming minorities into coalitions within the 1st District region of Los Angeles County that includes East Los Angeles, Pomona, Walnut, Monterey Park and Eagle Rock.

Introduction to Chicano/a Studies takes a multidisciplinary look at the representation, ideologies and material conditions of Chicana/os.

Professor Otto Santa Ana, who teaches the class, brought Molina into lecture because he feels it is “important to see Chicano/a officials speaking to the next generation of Chicano leaders coming out of UCLA and from classes out of Cesar Chavez Center for Chicana and Chicano Studies.”

Molina outlined her successes as an underrepresented female Mexican American who has helped defend the barrios. For example, she has cracked down on “massage parlors” fronting as businesses for prostitution.

In discussing her political involvement, Molina wanted to encourage students to become active in their communities.

“I came here hoping to motivate them and to challenge them,” Molina said. “They need to be a part of the political process.”

After discussing her personal achievements, students asked Molina about her political stances. Molina described herself as “very liberal on social issues, but very conservative on fiscal issues and crime and punishment.”

Molina supports capital punishment and gay marriage and said she is the only person on the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors who spoke against Proposition 56 because she believes California needs to “raise revenues and not just cut spending.”

Proposition 56, which will be on the March 2 ballot, would provide incentives for the state legislature to pass a balanced budget on time.

She also wants to tighten the accountability of parents in cases of juvenile crime. Molina’s views sparked much discussion between herself and the students, as many spoke up to debate Molina’s views.

Third-year Japanese student Erika Tanigaki said Molina’s presentation changed her views because she had “always thought someone who was liberal only had one way of thinking.”

“It’s a way to push people in communities that are underrepresented,” Tanigaki said.