If you look around Gloria Molina’s home, you wouldn’t know that she was one of the most influential politicians in Los Angeles history.

The outside is

ta

chic: purple hearts by the teal front gate, figurines of baby angels by the pool, flower pots in the front yard.

A giant glass case filled with quilts that Molina has, well, quilted, takes up most of one wall of her tiny living room. A black-and-white photo of a 1991 swearing-in ceremony when she made history by becoming the first Latina on the LA County Board of Supervisors is lost in a sea of ​​family portraits and Chicano art.

What caught my eye when I passed by recently was a painting of Molina and her daughter Valentina propped up on the floor.

It was from one of those booths over there at Self-Help [Graphics], said Molina when I asked about it. Was ready in 10 minutes.

That’s very accurate! replied her old chief of staff, Alma Martinez, reclining on a couch as Molina huddled in a wheelchair, a wisp of dyed purple hair peeking out of a purple flapper-style chemo hat.

Molina continued, and Valentina goes, man, we’re ugly.'”

Valentina rolled her eyes. Martinez’s mouth fell open. I chuckled. Molina never missed a beat.

I said, I think we’re real.

Molina, 74, held a court hearing here

mountain mt

Washington with some of the most powerful people in the city since her announcement a week and a half ago that she was dying of cancer.

Mayor Karen Bass called. Former mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former state

a

edit

S

Peaker Fabian

Nuez Nez

stopped by.

So did

current

current s

supervisor Kathryn Barger. Zev Yaroslavsky, who with Molina on the

C

ity

C

Council and Supervisory Board almost a quarter

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century, gave her a bottle of kosher vodka. Friends for life travel from all over the country to spend one last afternoon with her.

First of all, they apologize for not knowing, and I said, “Oh, you don’t have to,” Molina said when I asked what her visitors wanted to talk about. I’m quite happy [with] where i am and what i did. And you know that part is over. And then I thanked them for what our relationship was.

Even former rivals have paid their respects, including Lou Moret, a member of the Eastside machine who has long clashed with Molina for always running against and beating their favorite candidates.

He always told me that I was independent and strong and no one else could have done it but me, Molina said. And now, of course, he says, it’s a good thing [you ran]. You served with the kind of dignity we needed. And he was no longer intimidated by anything I said or did.

Molina accepted my interview request after I wrote a column praising her as a chingona, a tough woman. I had helped out an hour before our chat, with a hard out: when her grandson, Santiago, showed up.

The Molina I spoke to is the Molina you remember: feisty, untamable, funny. Her voice and spirit remain strong. Her memory is impeccable. Well, she even threw a joke at our coverage, as she did with every Times reporter in her line of sight this past quarter.

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century.

I told Molina that I knew the details of her career as the first Latina in the state

L

legislature, the LA City Council and the Board of Supervisors, staunch defender of her constituents, a champion of women in politics. There was one thing I still didn’t understand:

W

Hi?

Because I had to, she answered flatly. If you were a Chicana in the Chicano movement, things had to change. And the boys were still very sexist. So, quite honestly, we had to push and push.”

She told how, whether she was a student activist in the late 1960s and 1970s, a legislative assistant in Sacramento, or for the Carter administration in

Washington,

DC, men continued to reject her and other women’s contributions.

“We did everything from stenciling to walking door to door,” Molina said. “So I thought it would be respected, and unfortunately it wasn’t. The guys don’t go looking for a woman [to enter politics]. And that’s it

okay okay

because the women are looking for women.

I mentioned her first campaign, a campaign for the Assembly in 1982

where in which

she defined two Eastside gatherings

men members

: her former boss, Art Torres, and her ally, Richard Alatorre. She competed against their chosen candidate, Richard Polanco, and won.

One of the first people she approached was Rep. Maxine Waters

(D-Los Angeles),

who what so

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ember then and had worked with Molina in the 1970s in their effort to empower more women of color. Waters gave Molina her first big donation of $5,000.

And she said, “You have to be sure to get tough,” Molina said. And I was sure. I had to open the door. That was my responsibility. That was my duty.

So what does she think about LA politics right now?

Uk, she said.

Correct, indeed.

Her co-former supervisor

,

Mark Ridley Thomas

,

awaits a jury verdict in a corruption trial. Ex-

C

Councilor Jose Huizar,

in return for

which Molina led in vain

in return for

in 2015, just pleaded guilty to bribery

. in January.

City Hall is still dealing with the aftermath of a leaked tape

where in which

some of the most powerful politicians in Los Angeles made all sorts of nasty and racist remarks to just about everyone.

Frankly, I’m still disappointed with the corruption, Molina continued. I’m still disappointed in the lobbyists. I am still disappointed in politicians. It’s not that hard to say no, but I’m a good example of someone who said no.

Why does she think more politicians aren’t saying no?

Because! They get money! snapped Molina. Election time: Call up a few people and you’ll get what your budget is!

LA politics reminded her of how her grandmother described politics in Mexico.

“She could hardly wait for an election, because she got a bag of beans and a bag of rice. And I said: But

abuelita

, you shouldn’t take it. And she says, ‘Why not? Everyone takes it.’

So when I walked around I found the same thing, Molina continued, now referring to her campaign against Huizar. Oh, he gives our seniors a television every year so we can raffle it off and make some money. Oh, he gives us this every year

.

O

Oh,

le di mijo un trabajo

[he gave my son a job].'”

She might as well have been referring to Huizar’s successor, Kevin de Len, who keeps posting videos of himself on Instagram handing out goodies to voters. He was one of the people who spoke about the leaked town hall and has ignored calls to resign.

So it’s hard to fight that stuff, Molina concluded. Unfortunately, corruption works.

Is there anything that gives her political hope?

I would certainly like to involve more women in the process, she replied. There’s something about women. They’re just a little more honest

.

… But there are no easy solutions. Everyone has to roll up their sleeves.

What about the new generation of Latino politicians, such as city councilors Eunisses Hernandez and Hugo Soto-Martinez, who are pursuing the same populist policies that Molina has advocated for so long, albeit with a more progressive bent?

Great, she replied. But when they get the same age

,

the same old, who needs them?

Martinez gave her a drink of water.

So I’d like to challenge them to be more ethical, Molina continued. I would like to challenge them to care more about what is going on in the community. We are told things that are not true, and there is so much power available that they have to tap into it and challenge it.

I asked her what she thought of a political world where LA County supervisors are all women and Latinas represent the Eastside as Supervisor (Hilda Solis), a

a

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ember (Wendy Carrillo) and a senator (

Mary Mara

Elena Durazo).

I’m followed by incredible women, Molina said. Some of them are not my first choice, but at the same time they are powerful. And hopefully they get the message that they can do things and they don’t have to accept what lobbyists say, and they don’t have to accept what the guys say, but move forward.

I could tell Molina was tired, so I concluded by asking if she had made a difference.

Oh, I think so, she said. And I don’t want to bow to the fact that it isn’t necessary.

Hold on, Martinez interrupted. What about your family?

Molina beamed. Am I out of luck? She was delighted with her grandson, then looked at Valentina, who was one

baby girl.

I am so proud of my daughter. Thank you,

mia

.

“Yes,” said Valentina softly.

I’m one of the happiest women alive,” Molina continued. “Even with this cancer, it’s kind of an opportunity. It was sort of, I don’t know, planned that I could talk to people

.

… it’s great, isn’t it?

A lot of what people tell me, Gloria, is that you brought grace to the end of life, Martinez told her.

Real?

Yes That you could just give dignity to something that is very difficult for people.

Yes

You were many firsts in everything, even to the end.

Suddenly the front door squeaked open and a squeaky little boy entered. Hey,

mio

! Molina said. Say hello!

Valentina put Santiago on Molina’s lap, but he got fussy.

Por qu vas allorar

? Molina chided, as only a grandma can. Why are you going to cry? I had flashbacks of the Molina whose swear words of political incompetents made her feared and hated. Then she repeated herself, this time in a softer tone.

It’ll take a while to warm up, Molina said apologetically. He had to have a lot of people around him. Lots of strangers lately.

She hopes to make one last quilt for Valentina, filled with quotes from Frida Kahlo. She records messages for Santiago and his future sister. She took painting lessons, but her hands are starting to slacken.

Molina asked if I had children of my own. Not me.

They are so beautiful. And they are so great.

She paused.

We have one more. Hopefully I’m here for that.