Cindy Villegas

Women of Impact: Cindy Villegas

  Photo by Cindy VillegasPhoto by Cindy Villegas

Resilient.  Driven.  Leader.  Community builder.  These words don’t even begin to describe the powerhouse that is Cindy Villegas.

Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Cindy was the first to graduate college in her family.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, graduating in three years, even with a semester spent abroad.  At 23, her list of accomplishments include: three internships with elected officials representing the San Fernando Valley, working as a field representative at the California State Assembly, and becoming a Community Organizer for Elizabeth Warren’s Presidential Campaign in 2020.  

“Through my work in politics, I’ve had the opportunity to work with amazing teams that believe in me and my mission to influence positive changes in the communities we serve. I am an advocate for the communities that made me; the Latino & underserved communities, women of color, and my age group.,” shares Cindy about her experience working within the political arena. In 2019, she was unanimously voted as the President of the Board of Directors for the Latino Coalition of Los Angeles, one of the biggest Latino non-profit organizations in Los Angeles, founded in 2009 by Raul A. Claros.  She continues to serve as President Emeritus for the LACL, mentoring and sharing her knowledge and experience with incoming board members and the general membership.
“In my leadership role with the Latino Coalition of Los Angeles, I empower Latino folks to participate in the political process to have their voices heard. I identify underserved communities and work with local leaders to allocate resources for those communities. I encourage women of color to pursue leadership roles in every industry, and I am constantly working with youth to provide them a platform to advocate for the issues that matter to them. All the work is to give back to my community for the lessons and opportunities it taught me.”
Photo by Cindy VillegasPhoto by Cindy Villegas

She continues to work for her community through her role as San Fernando Valley Community Organizer for Tree People, the largest non-profit environmental movement based in Southern California with the mission to “inspire, engage and support people to take personal responsibility for the urban environment, making it safe, healthy, fun, and sustainable and to share our process as a model for the world.”  She educates the community about urban heat, fire resilience, and water quality issues.

For the past three years, she’s been on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross Northern Valley Chapter, educating the community on emergency preparedness, safety, and the importance of blood donors. As for the future, Cindy plans to continue her work with the community, lead through mentorship, and be a voice for both women of color, the youth, and the underserved communities.  

You can follow her on Instagram @cindysss_ .

Photo by Cindy Villegas Photo by Cindy Villegas