Candidate for
Council Member; City of Bell Gardens

Cristina Garcia is a product of the City of Bell Gardens. From an early age, her parents, teachers, and community imparted the values of education, community, and service to her. Throughout her life she has continuously put these values to practice as they have informed all her decisions and choices and continue to be a part of her daily life.

Cristina attended Garfield Elementary, Bell Gardens Intermediate, and Bell Gardens High School (BGHS), where she was an active participant in various student groups and graduated BGHS as class Salutatorian. She then continued to complete her bachelors from Pomona College, Masters from Claremont Graduate School, and PhD from the University of Southern California (USC). During this time she continued her involvement in the community championing causes that promote education and access in underprivileged and underserved communities.

While pursing her own education, Cristina has constantly worked with youth to impart the value of education. She has been a math teacher at Huntington Park High School and with the Jaime Escalante Program, a math advocate in South LA, a tutor for elementary kids in Cudahy, and she works with the CAHSEE to College program at the East Los Angeles College.

Bell Gardens has always been close to her heart, which is why she now wants to serve it. Not only is she a product of Bell Gardens, but her PhD has prepared her to identify problems and formulate solutions for them. While at USC Cristina studied how government works and how solutions are formulated and implemented. Cristina's education along with her belief that empowerment begins at the local level makes her an ideal candidate for City Council.