CITY OF FRESNO
___________________________________________ __________________________________________ JERRY P. DYER, Honorable Mayor TYLER MAXWELL, Councilmember, District 4
____________________________________________ __________________________________________ MIGUEL ARIAS, Council Vice President MIKE KARBASSI, Council President
____________________________________________ __________________________________________ ANNALISA PEREA, Councilmember, District 1 BRANDON VANG, Councilmember, District 5
____________________________________________ __________________________________________ NICK RICHARDSON, Councilmember, District 6 NELSON ESPARZA, Councilmember, District 7
Offices of Councilmember Tyler Maxwell & Council Vice President Miguel Arias
Hereby Recognizes:
Laura Garcia
WHEREAS, Laura Garcia was born and raised in southeast Fresno’s Calwa neighborhood and is the proud daughter of immigrant farmworkers —Martha De La O of Jalisco, Mexico , and Jose Juan Garcia of Colima, Mexico —who came to Fresno in search of a better future for their children . Despite having limited access to formal education, her parents instilled in her the enduring values of hard work, the importance of education, and a deep commitment to community; and
WHEREAS, Laura became the first in her family to graduate from college , earning a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Sociology and Philanthropic and Community -Based Leadership from California State University, Fresno; and
WHEREAS, Laura began her public service career as an intern for Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula and went on to serve as Council Assistant for Councilmember Miguel Arias in 2019. In that role , she led community outreach events, communications, and special projects. She was recognized with the “Employee of the Quarter” award and played a critical role during the COVID -19 pandemic—leading outreach efforts, organizing Spanish-language town halls, and coordinating rapid -response efforts to distribute testing and personal protective equipment to families and businesses in need; and
WHEREAS, in 2021, Laura became Chief of Staff to Councilmember Tyler Maxwell, where she led high -impact initiatives, built strategic partnerships, and advanced transformative programs. She was instrumental in launching Fresno’s Zero Fare Program, securing nearly $1 million in grant funding to eliminate transportation costs for over 4 million riders, including seniors, students, veterans, and children. She also championed tenant and worker rights through the Eviction Protection a nd Wage Protection Programs .
Additionally, she helped expand early childhood literacy by bringing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Fresno County and creating over 20 Little Libraries in District 4 through the “On the Same Page” initiative; and
WHEREAS, beyond her work at City Hall, Laura serves as an elected board member of the Calwa Recreation and Park District and as part of the Young Professionals Network of Latinas Lead, advocating for Latina political leadership across California. In her personal time, she enjoys traveling internationally, dancing, reading, and running. After seven years of dedicated service, she leaves a lasting legacy at Fresno City Hall and in the community she has long called home.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we, Mayor Jerry P. Dyer and the Fresno City Council, do hereby proclaim June 19, 2025 as:
“Laura Garcia Day”
in the City of Fresno
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hands and affixed the Great Seal of the City of Fresno, California, this Nineteenth Day of June of the Year Two Thousand and Twenty-Five.