Aguiar-Curry embraces leadership of Legislative Women’s Caucus

Cecilia Aguiar-Curry’s rise to Assembly Majority Leader and chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus comes at a historic moment for the state.

A record 58 women are serving in the state’s 120 seats. “It’s a great time to work on legislation that reflects women’s experience,” said Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters). “It’s really exciting.”

As Majority Leader, Aguiar-Curry guides her party’s legislative strategy, coordinates with committee chairs and helps ensure the efficient progression of bills. As chair of the bipartisan Women’s Caucus, she helps promote policies and budget priorities that improve the well-being of women, children and families.

She is well equipped for both positions, said Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara), vice chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus.

“I have worked with Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry in the Assembly as well as in the Latino and Women’s caucuses and I have seen firsthand what she brings to the table,” Limón said. “Throughout her time in the legislature she has been a welcome partner in the fight to make child care more accessible and affordable for millions of Californians, helping families navigate impacts of wildfires, and taking on issues most important to local governments. I look forward to continuing our work in the new year to create a California that supports women in our communities.”

While disappointed with the results of the presidential election, Aguiar-Curry said she is more determined than ever to fight for California values like innovation, democracy and protecting rights of all people.

“Just because we have a new president, these principles shouldn’t change,” she said. “We have a bump in the road, and we have to figure out how to maneuver.”

That includes, she says, striving to work with the influx of newly-elected Republican women, mostly from the Central Valley.

“Just because we have a new president, these principles shouldn’t change….We have a bump in the road, and we have to figure out how to maneuver.”

“The women of the caucus are onboard with working together and excited to collaborate with each other,” she said. “We’re all looking forward to accomplishing some really meaningful policy goals together that are going to make peoples’ everyday lives better. Republican women and Democrat women, we’re here to get things done.”

Child care is at the top of Aguiar-Curry’s priorities because it is a responsibility that falls far more on women than men. It’s a huge challenge to find quality, affordable daycare for ages 0-3 and those who can’t find it lose out on significant economic opportunities, Aguiar-Curry said. “We leave women behind when they have to stay home,” she said.

Reproductive freedom, preventative health care and maternal health care are also very important to her. So is equal pay, family leave, workplace protections for women and preserving air quality.

“We can’t let anyone make us stop that,” she said.

Aguiar-Curry, 70, said she is the oldest woman on the Assembly floor; she hopes to use her extensive experience to better serve residents. She was the first female mayor of Winters where she oversaw improvements in the downtown area and worked to improve local schools.

She was elected in November 2016 to represent the 4th district, which includes Napa, Lake, Yolo, Colusa counties and part of Sonoma County.

She grew up surrounded by agriculture, cutting apricots in a packing shed in her youth and helping her father in walnut orchards. She is still involved in local agriculture and owns an 80-acre walnut orchard with her brother, making her keenly aware of the needs of rural residents.

“In the legislature, there’s only a handful of us from rural areas,” she said.

Policies created by urban legislators don’t often work in rural areas, she said, citing electric buses as one example. “They don’t work if you’re driving up Lake County on a winding road and there’s not enough power,” she said.

Aguiar-Curry lives in Winters with her longtime partner, Larry Harris, and has two adult daughters, who live in Nashville, and a stepson in LA. A self-described homebody, she is happiest when spending time with family and friends. When she can, she flies to Tennessee to see her grandchildren, ages 8, 5 and 3.

“I wish they were closer,” she said. “Thank God for Zoom. It makes it easier when you see a tooth fall out.”

Seeing the different laws in Tennessee makes her more grateful for the political climate in California. For instance, the voter registration process is much more difficult in Tennessee. Same-day registration is not allowed, and residents have to show their birth certificates to vote. “I never realized how lucky we were in California,” Aguiar-Curry said.

She is glad to be able to collaborate with so many powerful, smart women in the state legislature and is looking forward to continuing to serve all residents to the best of her ability.

“We will try every way possible to use every legal and legislative power we have,” she said. “We have to keep our focus on our goals and keep our eyes on the ball.”