Our Namesake

Our school is named after Sylvia Mendez who is an American Civil Rights Activist and a retired nurse.

 Ms. Mendez was born on June 6, 1936, in Santa Ana, California.  When she was 8 years old, her family moved to Orange County, California.  Her parents tried to enroll Sylvia and her brothers in Westminster Elementary School; however, they were denied enrollment because they were Hispanic.  After conversations with the principal and the school board, her parents decided to sue the school district. 

The Mendez family hired a lawyer and filed a suit against the school district. They were joined by 4 other Hispanic families that were in the same situation.   In 1946, a judge ruled in favor of the Mendez family and ordered that racial segregation end. 

The Mendez family’s case against the school board was the foundation of Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka, which led to a Supreme Court ruling that racial segregation was  unconstitutional.  The Mendez children did attend Westminster Elementary School.  Ms. Mendez continued her education, earning an Associate’s Degree as well as a Bachelor’s Degree, both in nursing.  Sylvia worked for more than 30 years at the Los Angeles University of Southern California.

After retiring, Ms. Mendez taught others about the struggles that plagued her family and their fight for civil rights.  In 2011, President Obama awarded Sylvia with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work in civil rights.  Ms. Mendez currently lives with her 2 adopted daughters in Fullerton, CA. 

 

“We are all individuals; we are all human beings’ we are all connected together; and we all have the same rights, the same freedom.”  -Sylvia Mendez