Metro honors former Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard

by LA Metro , July 10, 2023

Rep. Roybal-Allard at the event in Union Station in late June.

Metro last month brought together elected officials and many others to salute and honor the legacy of Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, whose service in the U.S. Congress has spanned two-plus decades and who advocated for better mobility for her constituents and our region.

Rep. Roybal-Allard, who retired earlier this year, was one of driving forces behind Metro’s successful effort to build the Gold Line (now the E Line) to the Eastside. The line was later named in honor of her father – the late Rep. Edward R. Roybal.

Many current and former officials praised Rep. Roybal-Allard, including:

•Los Angeles Mayor and incoming Metro Board Chair Karen Bass saluted Congresswoman Roybal-Allard for her smart and strong leadership on Capitol Hill.

•Rep. Tony Cardenas focused his remarks on Rep. Roybal-Allard’s support for efforts to expand the number of members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and to support new members of the L.A. County Congressional Delegation.

•Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro Board Member Hilda Solis expressed her pride in serving alongside Rep. Roybal-Allard in Congress — and having someone to look up to as she began her own career in public service.

•Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who once worked as a field deputy during Congresswoman Roybal-Allard’s early foray into politics, praised the Congresswoman for always delivering for her constituents and for standing true to her principles while in Congress.

•Former Metro CEO Roger Snoble emphasized the critical role that Rep. Roybal-Allard played in securing support across Capitol Hill – from Republicans and Democrats alike — to expand our system to the Eastside.

•Rep. Royball-Allard’s son Rick Oliveras and her grandson Santiago offered poignant remarks as they introduced their mother and grandmother respectively at the event.

Congresswoman Roybal-Allard offered her remarks – which focused on the strength she drew from her family to serve her community in public office – first in the California State Assembly and later in Congress. The Congresswoman emphasized her gratitude and appreciation for all those who attended Metro’s tribute – including her friends and family, elected officials, and her former professional staff members.

In her remarks, Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins focused on the pivotal role Congresswoman Roybal-Allard played in securing a $491-million federal grant in 2004 that allowed Metro to build the Gold Line (now the E Line) to East Los Angeles in late 2009. “The Congresswoman gave….hope to hundreds of thousands of people across East LA – who can now use the rail line that bears her father’s name to use a mass transit system to make their lives better,” said CEO Wiggins.

The gathering concluded with remarks delivered by the Congresswoman’s longtime Chief of Staff Victor Castillo and her former Senior Field Deputy Kimberly Tachiki-Chin. Both praised Rep. Roybal-Allard for her ability to improve the lives of her constituents.

Metro is proud of the decades-long partnership with Rep. Roybal-Allard that delivered billions of dollars in federal funding for Metro projects and programs and got our rail system to East L.A. On that front, we’re not done. One of Metro’s projects in the planning phase is to extend the E Line from East L.A. to Whittier to serve the cities of Commerce, Montebello, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, Whittier and the unincorporated area of East LA and Los Nietos-Whittier. More about that project here.

More photos from the event: