PROCLAMATION NO. 2025-04
WHEREAS, Valeria Cardenas Pacheco has served as a dedicated member of the Gonzales Youth Council from 2022 to 2024, and was appointed as a Youth Commissioner in the Summer of 2024 by the Gonzales City Manager and the Gonzales Unified School District Superintendent, during which time she has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, civic responsibility, and a deep commitment to community empowerment; and WHEREAS, Commissioner Valeria Cardenas Pacheco researched and co authored a study on Mental Health in collaboration with other Gonzales Youth Council Members and Dr.
Jennifer Lovell, Associate Professor of Psychology at California State University Monterey Bay, that was published in a national journal on school psychology; and WHEREAS, Commissioner Valeria Cardenas Pacheco has led multiple presentations including one titled “Take action! How to use Data and Advocacy to Improve Youth Mental Health” which was presented at the Monterey Youth Mental Health Summit in 2023 and also a Data Walk for Mental Health Awareness which was held at Gonzales High School in 2023; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Valeria Cardenas Pacheco organized and led numerous community-based initiatives, including a substance abuse prevention campaign, advocating for academic resource expansion and efforts to improve housing and tenant rights in her community; and
WHEREAS, Valeria Cardenas Pacheco is an exceptional student who demonstrates remarkable academic and extracurricular achievements. She has excelled in her studies at Gonzales High School, where she has been an active member of the Principal’s Honor Roll all 4 years and has been involved in various initiatives, including the Ivy League Project, Gonzales FFA and President of the Gonzales High Model UN & Debate Team; and WHEREAS, Valeria Cardenas Pacheco, a proud first-generation Mexican American, and is recognized as being able to engage diverse stakeholders, from local officials to community organizations and youth, and has demonstrated her strong advocacy; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, this 2nd Day of June in the year 2025, by the Gonzales City Council, that Valeria Cardenas Pacheco is proudly recognized for her outstanding leadership, unwavering service, passionate advocacy, and inspiring resilience; and with heartfelt appreciation, the City of Gonzales celebrates Valeria’s remarkable impact on our community and sends her off with the very best wishes as she graduates from Gonzales High School and embarks on an exciting new journey at California State University, Long Beach.
Jose L. Rios, The Honorable Mayor
June 2, 2025
AGENDA
ITEM
PROCLAMATION NO. 2025-05
WHEREAS, Emily Mendez has served as a dedicated member of the Gonzales Youth Council from 2022 to 2024, and was appointed as a Youth Commissioner in the Summer of 2024 by the Gonzales City Manager and the Gonzales Unified School District Superintendent, during which time she has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, civic responsibility, and a deep commitment to community empowerment; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Emily Mendez led a citywide substance use prevention initiative in collaboration with key partners—including the Gonzales Fire and Police Departments, Sun Street Centers, and The Epicenter (Friday Night Live)—by coordinating a week-long campaign that addressed systemic barriers such as gang involvement and substance abuse that impact young people in Gonzales and across South Monterey County; and WHEREAS, Commissioner Emily Mendez has contributed to numerous action projects addressing mental health resources, educational equity, and the local teacher shortage; and played a key role in youth-led planning for the development of the Gonzales Community Center Complex and Teen Innovation Center, while also conducting asset mapping research to help identify local strengths and needs; and WHEREAS, Commissioner Emily Mendez is the founder of the Music Clothing Film Club at Gonzales High School, where she organized a successful clothing drive in partnership with the GHS Career Closet; and
WHEREAS, Emily’s academic excellence is reflected in her consistent Principal's Honor Roll status, 4.3 GPA, and completion of dual enrollment courses at Hartnell College, all while remaining actively engaged in extracurricular and service activities; and WHEREAS, as Secretary of the California Scholarship Federation and a member of the Gonzales High School Marching Band, Emily has shown both organizational leadership and artistic dedication, enriching her school and community through collaboration, performance, and volunteerism; and
WHEREAS, Emily Mendez, a proud first-generation Mexican American woman, is widely recognized as a confident, competent changemaker who seeks every opportunity to grow and uplift others—an inspiration to her peers and a steadfast advocate for youth voice, educational equity, and social change.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, this 2nd Day of June in the year 2025, by the Gonzales City Council, that Emily Mendez is hereby commended for her exemplary leadership, service, advocacy, and resilience. The City extends its heartfelt gratitude for her meaningful contributions to Gonzales and offers its best wishes as she graduates from Gonzales High School and begins her next chapter at the University of California, Berkeley.
Jose L. Rios, The Honorable Mayor
June 2, 2025