It is my honor to recognize Lisa Montes as my Senate District 38 Community Champion as we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. 

For over 20 years‚ Lisa has tirelessly advocated for the youth and families in La Colonia de Eden Gardens. Lisa’s commitment to service is rooted in her own experiences growing up with Indigenous and Mexican heritage in La Colonia‚ the oldest neighborhood in Solana Beach‚ which was settled by Mexican American and Indigenous families in the 1920s. 

Lisa’s father was born in Encinitas in 1926‚ after the family fled the Mexican Revolution in 1918‚ and her grandfather Jose Montes served as a foreman on Santa Fe Railroad tracks in Encinitas‚ Del Mar and San Diego. Her mother‚ Celia Scott‚ was also born in La Colonia in 1929. The Tot Lot at La Colonia is named after her mother’s beloved aunt‚ Cipriana Gonzales‚ who fought to desegregate local schools in the 1940s and later battled to save St. Leo’s Church now known as St. Leo’s Mission.

Lisa has been instrumental in preserving and highlighting the rich Latino heritage of the historic La Colonia neighborhood. She helped start both La Colonia de Eden Gardens and La Colonia Community Foundations. For over seven years‚ she shared local history with schoolchildren and visitors as curator of the Solana Beach Heritage Museum. 

Lisa has also partnered with local organizations on initiatives focused on health‚ education‚ economic opportunity‚ and food security. In January‚ she co-founded Somos T.I.A.S. (Take Inspired Action Siempre) which provides food and Know Your Rights information to vulnerable immigrant families. 

Lisa has been instrumental in preserving and highlighting the rich Latino heritage of the historic La Colonia neighborhood.

In addition‚ she is a regular Sunday morning volunteer with Backpacks for Kids‚ a local Solana Beach non-profit organization‚ offering free fresh produce and other food items to the community.

“Growing up here‚ throughout my life I’ve seen people who are marginalized and vulnerable‚” Lisa said‚ “and I let them know that their voice needs to be heard.”

Inspired by the strength and resilience of her community‚ Lisa has dedicated her life to empowering others. Her voice and vision have made a lasting impact beyond the borders of Solana Beach‚ building bridges between diverse communities across the district. She exemplifies the spirit of Hispanic Heritage Month‚ honoring cultural traditions while forging pathways for future generations.