“I’ve always sought to treat people equally, regardless of their race or gender. My purpose is to help, not to focus on how people look.” Mayor Ancona.
Whenever Jessica Ancona squatted behind home plate on the softball field, she felt in charge, the leader of the team. She could see all her teammates and opponents from her privileged position as catcher.
“I felt in charge. I felt like I had to take care of my team and be the protector, the leader. That feeling I had when playing softball from childhood through high school has served me in the roles I carry out today. In my political career, I have developed that same instinct, to be a protector of the community,” says Jessica Ancona, the mayor of El Monte.
Ancona’s life can be defined by her consistency and perseverance, her clarity in describing her goals, and her commitment to the community—especially her roots in the Latino community and her support for women, who, in her opinion, are often overlooked for political leadership positions.
Her parents are originally from Yucatán, Mexico. One of her brothers was born in that country, while she and her other brother were born in California.
“We were a happy family with a strong emphasis on education. My father started working in a residential cleaning company, and my mother was a school volunteer and a stay-at-home mom. They were strict when it came to education. When we came home from school, we would eat something, and then we had to immediately do our homework. There was no alternative,” says the mayor.
Her father always encouraged her to practice sports. Her mother took full advantage of the recreational programs in the city parks, and her children attended regularly. But Ancona’s sport was softball, where she excelled as a top-level player until she injured her shoulder playing in high school.
“I was selected as one of the most valuable players in junior high, and different colleges were already seeking to offer me a scholarship, but then the injury happened. My parents didn’t have health insurance, and I couldn’t get treatment. I felt sad; I had to say goodbye to competitive softball,” she says.
“It was during a class called Latinos in Public Service with Professor Otto Santa Ana. He told us, ‘If you want to make a change, you need to be involved.'” She said.
Her parents migrated with the goal of many immigrants: to achieve the American dream and offer their children a better life. Her father succeeded quickly, starting his own cleaning company, and over the years, along with her mother, they were able to become the owners of four houses.
“I witnessed all the effort, the sacrifices they made. They were very protective of all of us; they wanted the best for us. It’s admirable—they didn’t have degrees, they didn’t have money, but they achieved it through their hard work,” she adds.
Playing softball also instilled in her the ability to collaborate and compete.
“My relationship with my brothers helped, too. We played video games; sometimes they beat me, and other times, I think they let me win. I’m the youngest,” she says.
Around the 5th grade, she realized she was different… How? She spoke Spanish and was Latina.
“Until then, I hadn’t noticed, but one day, while at the home of some white and Asian friends, my mom came to pick me up and spoke in Spanish. My friends were surprised; they didn’t understand that I spoke it and that I was Latina,” she says.
Over the years, that feeling only grew. After getting injured and quitting softball, she became interested in being a coach. There, she continued to see the great disparity that exists. Most coaches are white men.
“I’ve always sought to treat people equally, regardless of their race or gender. My purpose is to help, not to focus on how people look. Later, I realized how exhausting and time-consuming coaching is. At UCLA, I dedicated almost 40 hours as an athletic trainer intern on top of my regular classes as a full-time student,” she adds.
For her, education is one of the pillars of the community. Her parents always reinforced this when she was a child.
The decision to dedicate her time to public service came during her time at UCLA. She had already been part of the Student Government in high school, but now a new world opened up to her.
“I took some Chicano History classes, and I got angry. I was upset when I learned about how we had been taken advantage of. I studied the case of Chavez Ravine, where dozens of Chicano, Latino families were displaced to build what is now Dodger Stadium. When I saw the history of the Zoot Suits, that was my first taste of how our community had been robbed. I was angry about the discrimination against our community. I said to myself, ‘These classes should be taught in high school,’” she says.
Then she took the class that defined her life.
“It was during a class called Latinos in Public Service with Professor Otto Santa Ana. He told us, ‘If you want to make a change, you need to be involved.’ When I heard that, it was like a door opened for me. I told myself, ‘Someday I will run for public office; I want a seat at the table,’” she says.
Later, she began a political career that has taken her to various positions. Since then, she has been a Governing Board Member for the El Monte City School District. In 2013, Jessica Ancona was first elected to the El Monte City School District Governing Board, where she served as the President in 2016 and 2017 and Vice President in 2018. Jessica also served as a Delegate Assembly Member for the California School Board Association (CSBA) in 2017 and 2018 with 300 other members from throughout the State of California. She was elected to serve on CSBA by local school boards within Region 23. CSBA’s Delegate Assembly plays a critical role in bridging local districts, county offices, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Committee.
In 2018, Mayor Ancona was elected to the El Monte City Council as the only independent candidate in the race. In 2020, Jessica took on an 11-year incumbent mayor to bring about new bold ideas to the city. She garnered over 11,000 votes, the highest for any mayoral candidate in El Monte’s history. And this year, she seeks re-election.
“We have achieved many things, but there is much more to be done. That’s why I’m seeking re-election. Many have suggested that I run for a state office, but I have to finish what I started first,” she says.
Ancona defines herself as a Latina and recognizes the struggle they have faced to earn respect in public positions and for the people. When she started her mayoral campaign, many didn’t open their doors to her—she suspects it was because she was a woman. But she doesn’t give up. “I decided to make a change in the community. I told them, ‘When November comes, I will return; I’m not going anywhere. My job is to build bridges, to continue working with the people.'”
The mayor emphasizes her leadership and commitment to protect and help the people. She has always felt that way, ever since she took the position as a catcher on her childhood teams. But she acknowledges that she needs more self-care.
“Sometimes when I go to bed, I feel tired, but immediately I start thinking about what needs to be done next. I put on my armor and I’m ready to fight,” she concludes.
Vincent ‘Chente’ Montalvo: We know well the injustices, we have lived them for generations.
