SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles) is recognized as the recipient of the Legacy Award, presented by the California State Parks Foundation. The recognition, given out each year, focuses on leaders and lawmakers who develop, expand and protect California’s state parks.
According to L.A.’s Park Score, 41 percent of lower-income households in Los Angeles do not have immediate access to a park. While many California families often live minutes away from California’s State Parks and beaches, many cannot reach them.
“So many young people from disadvantaged communities, in both urban and rural areas, never experience the natural wonders of California,” said Assemblymember Carrillo. “Whether it is just a few miles away to the beach like in my district, or a few hours to Yosemite, California youth deserve the opportunity to experience all that our state has to offer.”
Assemblymember Carrillo is committed to ensuring all Californians have the resources needed to cultivate healthier lifestyles, enjoy improved mental wellbeing and foster an interest in natural resource management and stewardship. These spaces provide young people freedom from the constraints of rural and urban life and offer experiences in nature to enhance their education of the world around them.
“Each year, California State Parks Foundation recognizes remarkable leaders with the Legacy Award for their extraordinary commitment to champion California’s state parks. We were pleased to honor Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo and celebrate her leadership to ensure a California for all includes parks for all,” said the California State Parks Foundation. We applaud Assemblymember Carrillo for her dedication to addressing social, economic and cultural barriers preventing many Californians, especially youth, from accessing and experiencing all the benefits of our incredible state park system.”
During her first year in the State Legislature, Assemblymember Carrillo tackled this disparity by authoring Assembly Bill 2614 to facilitate improved access to outdoor experiences for disadvantaged youth to improve their overall health and well-being. While AB 2614 was not signed into law, Assemblymember Carrillo continued her work to ensure all Californians can benefit from improved access to our state’s natural parks and spaces by reintroducing AB 2614 as Assembly Bill 556 in 2019. The bill is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo was elected as the representative of the 51st Assembly District in December of 2017. She is a member of the Health, Appropriations, Utilities & Energy, Labor and Rules Committees. Carrillo represents the people of East Los Angeles, Northeast Los Angeles, and the neighborhoods of El Sereno, Echo Park, Lincoln Heights, Chinatown and parts of Silver Lake.
CONTACT: Dorian Almaraz - (916) 319-2051- dorian.almaraz@asm.ca.gov