Public Service Award 2007
Antonio Villiaragosa—Mayor of Los Angeles

The Honorable Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles, will be honored as the Public Service Award recipient, in honor of his mother, Natalia Delgado, and for his career long dedication to violence prevention.

Antonio R. Villaraigosa is the 41st mayor of Los Angeles. He was elected on May 17, 2005 and sworn in to office on July 1, 2005. Villaraigosa is known for his exceptional skill at building broad bi-partisan coalitions and is considered one of the leading progressive voices in the country. His mayoral platform emphasizes finding solutions to the major issues facing Los Angeles including education, transportation, public safety, economic development and ethics.

Born Antonio Villar on January 23, 1953, in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of East Los Angeles, he is the oldest of four children raised by a single mother, Natalia Delgado. At the age of 15, Villaraigosa began his lifelong involvement with the labor movement as a volunteer with the farm workers movement, later he served as a field representative/organizer with the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA). He also is a past President of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and the American Federation of Government Employees.

In 1994, Villaraigosa was elected to the California State Assembly; four years later, his colleagues elected him the first Assembly Speaker from Los Angeles in 25 years.

In 2003, he won the 14th District Los Angeles City Council Seat. During his tenure on the City Council, he championed many of the issues he is addressing today as Mayor and is widely credited with resolving the MTA transit strike, creating the largest passive park on the Eastside and Los Angeles, and protecting funding for the Arts.

Mayor Villaragosa is a continued supporter of Peace Over Violence and participates frequently in our events, particularly Denim Day. He credits his mother with his drive and dedication, has spoken out as a witness of domestic violence in his own childhood household. He says of his mother, “she overcame unspeakable violence in a home plagued by alcoholism. Through her strength, she gave her children the opportunities to enjoy the greatest success America has to offer. Her abuser will never be able to take that away.” Friends of Peace Over Violence who knew Natalia Delgado remember her as a smart, loving and gentle woman who had a large vision for her community and the world. Mayor Villaraigosa’s support of domestic violence programming and attention to reducing gang violence and improving public school education are all part of the mosaic of violence prevention. Mayor Villaraigosa is a prime example of how male leaders can and should play an active role in ending violence against women in our communities and we are proud to present him with the Public Service Humanitarian Award.