Assemblymember Arambula Names Veronica Garibay, Co-Founder of Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, as the 31st Assembly District Woman of the Year for 2026

FRESNO – Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) has named Veronica Garibay, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, as the Woman of the Year for the 31st Assembly District for 2026.

The announcement comes as part of Women’s History Month that is celebrated each March. Since his election in 2016, Assemblymember Arambula has selected an honoree who is making a difference through her vision, perseverance, and collaborative efforts to improve her community and who inspires others to do the same.

Garibay will be recognized with other honorees today, March 16, at a ceremony at the State Capitol in Sacramento. The California Legislative Women’s Caucus presents the annual event to highlight women who are making contributions and a positive difference in their communities.

Garibay and Phoebe Seaton co-lead the nonprofit Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, which has an office in Fresno, that serves the San Joaquin Valley and East Coachella Valley. Leadership Counsel – which was the 31st District Nonprofit of the year in 2021 – is dedicated to working alongside residents in low-income and rural communities to develop grassroots leaders. The aim is to achieve sound policy and secure equal access to opportunities regardless of wealth, race, income, and place. The organization, for example, played a critical role in securing millions of dollars for the state Transformative Climate Communities program’s investment in West Fresno.

Born in Mexico, Garibay grew up in Parlier, which is a small, rural community in Fresno County. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Law and Society and Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Master of Public Administration degree at Fresno State. She has nearly two decades of experience in community organizing and policy advocacy. She has focused her work on advancing environmental justice and equitable land use – addressing environmental health inequities, unsafe drinking water, inadequate housing, and infrastructure disparities in rural and unincorporated communities throughout Inland California.

Assemblymember Arambula said: “Veronica is a tireless advocate for communities who historically have been left behind. She has engaged people in neglected communities to realize they have a voice and should be heard. She is a champion for people who have been neglected, and I’m grateful for her tenacity and grit to challenge the status quo to improve the quality of life for everyone.”

Garibay said of the honor: "I am deeply humbled and honored by this recognition. This recognition isn't just mine alone, it belongs to every woman in our community who shows up every day and does the hard work - often underestimated and overlooked. I honor the women who lead courageously, unapologetically, and refuse to be silenced. They build, nurture, and protect in big and small ways. Today and every day, I celebrate the women who raised me, the women I have the privilege to learn from, and the women organizing and fighting for communities even when the odds are stacked against them."