Senator Steven Bradford smiles for a quick photo

The Legislative Latino Caucus joins this year’s Latino Spirit Award recipients on the Senate floor

Established in 2002, The Latino Spirit Awards take place each year at the State Capitol in Sacramento to coincide with the state's celebration of Cinco de Mayo and to recognize inspirational figures within our diverse Latino community.

California Latino Legislative Caucus Vice-Chair Lena Gonzalez introduces this year's Latino Spirit Award Honorees

Latino Spirit Achievement in Law & Public Service Honoree Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero

Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero is the 29th Chief Justice of California. When she first joined the California Supreme Court as an associate justice in March 2022, Chief Justice Guerrero was also the first Latina to serve on the state's high court. In her first State of the Judiciary address, Chief Justice Guerrero highlighted her commitment to a more diverse and inclusive judicial branch, as well as technology that helped preserve access to justice for Californians during the pandemic.

Latino Spirit Achievement in Music & Entertainment honoree Miguel Angel Elizondo

Mike Elizondo is a producer, songwriter, and multi-instrument musician who has collaborated with major artists across many genres. In addition to an 11-year partnership with Dr. Dre, Elizondo has produced songs for Eminem, Carrie Underwood, NF, Fiona Apple, 50 Cent, Keith Urban, Twenty-One Pilots, Ed Sheeran, Gary Clark Jr., and Regina Spektor. In 2016, Lin-Manuel Miranda asked him to produce three songs on the Hamilton Mixtape.  

Latino Spirit Achievement in Literature honoree Miguel Ruiz

Miguel Ángel Ruiz Macías, better known as Don Miguel Ruiz, is a Mexican author of Toltec spiritual and neo-shamanistic texts. He is an internationally bestselling author whose work focuses on ancient teachings as a means to achieve spiritual enlightenment. His book, The Four Agreements, published in 1997, has been translated into 46 languages and was a New York Times bestseller for more than a decade.  Other books have followed: The Mastery of Love, The Voice of Knowledge, The Circle of Fire, The Four Agreements Companion Book, and The Fifth Agreement, a collaboration with his son Don José.

Latino Spirit Achievement in Music and Entertainment honoree Irene M. Gutierrez

Irene M. Gutierrez “DJ Irene” is an artistic sensation and “Americas Most Loved DJ.” Raised in a broken home, going through the foster care system, and experiencing homelessness taught her resilience to propel her to overcome challenges and become an icon. With 18 produced mixed albums, she is the top-selling female DJ in the USA.   

Latino Spirit Achievement in Journalism & Media honoree Graciela Moreno 

Graciela Moreno is an Emmy Award-winning journalist at KFSN-ABC30 in Fresno, California. In 1997, she was the first journalist in the central valley to cross over from a Spanish-language television station to anchor the news in the market’s number one English-language television station, ABC30. Moreno has spent the last 26 years at ABC30, anchoring and covering major stories using her bilingual skills to amplify voices within the Hispanic community.

Latino Spirit Achievement in Arts & Entertainment honoree

Yvett Merino is the Academy Award®-winning producer of “Encanto,” and the first Latina to receive the Oscar® for Animated Feature. Among her most recent credits, she served as production manager on the Oscar®-winning feature, “Big Hero 6,” as well as the Oscar®-nominated “Moana.” She launched her Disney Animation career in the Technology department and later moved into the world of Production. Merino also helped to start Voces@Disney, the Studio’s first Latinx employee resource group, where she served as co-president for two years.

Latino Spirit Achievement in Human Rights honoree Elsa Marie Collins

Elsa Marie Collins received her B.A. and Master’s Degree from Stanford University and J.D. from Columbia Law School. Collins is a first-generation Latina and college graduate whose work is centered on service to others, education, and justice. She co-founded Poderistas, to focus on Latina civic engagement and voting; and This is About Humanity, an organization raising awareness and funds for separated and reunified families at the US/Mexico border. This is About Humanity most recently opened a relief kitchen that feeds 3000 meals a day to families and children seeking asylum.

Latino Spirit Achievement in Athletics honorees Joel, Antonio, and Julio Diaz 

The Diaz Brothers are former professional boxers from a Mexican family that produced a trainer, Joel, and two world champions – Antonio and Julio – who are the first world champions from the Coachella Valley. Led by Joel, the Diaz Brothers run their own Diaz Training Camp in the Coachella Valley, training current and future champions. Their training camp also educates and trains in self-defense techniques and combat sports 

Latino Spirit Achievement in Public Service honoree David Pérez Tejada Padilla

David Pérez-Tejada Padilla has over 15 years of experience in public service, holding several positions at the local, state, and federal levels. As a Congressman representing the state of Baja California, he led economic development, climate change, and housing initiatives. In 2016, he was honored with the Order of Merit by the Republic of Poland for strengthening the bilateral relationship and cultural ties with Mexico. 

Latino Spirit Achievement in Human Rights honoree Bamby Salcedo

Bamby Salcedo is President and CEO of the TransLatin@ Coalition, a nationally recognized organization that advocates for and addresses the issues of transgender Latinas throughout the United States. Her activism brings visibility and voice to not only the trans community but to countless others whose efforts focus on critical topics that include immigration, HIV, at-risk youth, LGBTQIA+ issues, incarceration, and more.

Senators Lena Gonzalez and Lola Smallwood-Cuevas 

Senator Anna Caballero presents a resolution in support of Denim Day 2023

Denim Day takes place on the last Wednesday of April during  Sexual Assault Awareness Month. On this day of awareness, people are encouraged to wear denim to combat victim blaming and educate others about sexual violence. 

Senate President pro tem Toni Atkins, Senators Caroline Menjivar and Steve Padilla

Senator Bob Archuleta

The Los Angeles Football Club visited the State Capitol as the California Senate, Assembly and Governor Gavin Newsom commemorate the team’s 2022 MLS Cup Championship.

MLS Cup Championship Trophy held by Senator María Elena Durazo

Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones and Senator Bob Archuleta

Senators Catherine Blakespear and Aisha Wahab

Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas and Pro Tem Toni Atkins

Senator Steve Padilla convenes the first hearing of Budget Subcommitte #4 on State Administration and General Government

Budget Committee Vice Chair, Senator Roger Niello

Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, Steven Bradford and members of the Senate welcome California Legislative Black Caucus' Unsung Heroes Michele Reed, Executive Board Member of SEIU Local 2015 and Beverly White, former reporter with KNBC/NBC 4 Los Angeles.  

Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones welcomes Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians Chairman Bo Mazzetti and UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ to commemorate their partnership on returning an important tribal relic back to the tribe.   

Senator Josh Newman welcomes Dr. Juris Bunkis, Honorary Consul for Latvia in Los Angeles and Laura Ramanis, Honorary Consul for Latvia in San Francisco.

Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins welcomes the Consul General of Canada in San Francisco, Mr. Ranar Sarkar, to the Senate floor.

Visiting the Senate for the first official Canada Day in the Capitol since February 2020, General Consul Sarkar poses with Senators Blakespear, Wahab, Min, Alvarado-Gil, Dodd, Durazo, Umberg, Laird, Atkins, Padilla, Bradford, Jones, Smallwood-Cuevas, Gonzalez and Archuleta.

Brandon Tsay, who helped disarm the gunman who shot 20 people, ten fatally, during Lunar New Year was honored on the Senate floor.

Senators Dave Min and Susan Rubio greet Brandon Tsay and thank him for his bravery in disarming an active shooter. "He is a hero to our state, the nation, and all of us," said Rubio.

Senator Aisha Wahab welcomed photographer Shravan Sundaram (far right) to the Senate floor. Sundaram's hummingbird image was selected as the grand prize winner of the 2022 California Wildlife Photo of the Year Contest.

Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire honored National Champion Cal Poly Humboldt's rugby team on the Senate floor. “This pack of fierce underdogs battled every step of the way to an undefeated season and proved every pundit wrong. This is truly a historic achievement — we’re all Lumberjacks today!” said Senator McGuire.

Senator McGuire and President Tom Jackson pose for pictures with the Cal Poly Humboldt rugby team after being recognized on the Senate floor for their National Championship victory.  

Rugby team members cheered from the Senate Gallery. The Lumberjacks’ undefeated season ended with a 20-15 victory in the national title game, solidifying their status as the champion of National Collegiate Rugby’s Small College Division. 

Senators Lena Gonzalez and Janet Nguyen

Senator Steve Glazer

Senator Josh Newman recognized Jed Wyrick, Chico State Professor of Religious Studies who is leading the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement program at Chico State. 

Senators Catherine Blakespear, Aisha Wahab and Monique Limón

Senator Lena Gonzalez and Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins present a resolution to California Highway Patrol Commissioner Amanda Ray in recognition of her retirement from the Department after more than three decades of service.

Senators Susan Rubio and Josh Newman introduce three California leaders of One Love organization for their work addressing teen dating violence. 

Senators Angelique Ashby and Nancy Skinner

Senator Bob Archuleta

Senators María Elena Durazo and Shannon Grove

Senators Josh Becker and Anthony Portantino

Senators Steven Bradford and Josh Newman

Senators Angelique Ashby and Scott Wiener

Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins welcomes Noguchi Yasushi, Consul General of Japan, San Francisco, to her office.

Senator Lena Gonzalez

Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh wears badge number 5662 to honor the memory of Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Isaiah Cordero, who was killed in the line of duty. The Senate adjourned in honor of Deputy Cordero.

Senator Richard Roth adjourns the Senate in memory of Deputy Isaiah Cordero.

Senator Susan Rubio offers condolences to the family of Deputy Cordero.

Senators Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh and Richard Roth greet Bill Young, President of the Riverside Sheriff's Association following the Senate's adjournment.

Senator Dave Min

The 2023-2024 Senate session began with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.   

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and President Pro Tem Toni Atkins

Senators Josh Newman and Caroline Menjivar

Senator Scott Wiener

Senators Steve Padilla and Anna Caballero

Senator Roger Niello

Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones

Senators Ben Allen and Dave Cortese

Senators Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh and Richard Roth

Senators  Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, Steve Bradford, and Catherine Blakespear

Senators Kelly Seyarto and Janet Nguyen

Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil, Pledge of Allegiance

Senator Tom Umberg

Senator Aisha Wahab

Senate Minority Leader, Brian Jones

Senator Steve Padilla

Senator Roger Niello

Senator Caroline Menjivar introduced her first bill of the 2023-2024 Legislative session

Senator Janet Nguyen signs newly crafted legislation

The California Senate's incoming includes several new faces. Nearly half of the 20 Senators sworn into office on December 5, 2022 are newcomers to the Senate. Senator Janet Nguyen is the only newcomer who previously served in the Senate (2014-2018) and in the Assembly. Senators Roger Niello and Kelly Seyarto both served in the state Assembly before their election to the Senate. 

Senator Nancy Skinner 

Senators Henry Stern and Anthony Portantino

Senator Rosilicie Ochoa-Bough welcomed visitors observing the Senate proceedings from the gallery.  

Senators Shannon Grove and Janet Nguyen share a laugh with Minority Leader Brian Jones

Senator Brian Dahle