Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin presents the 2024 Women of the Year Award to these six women trailblazers who have made important impacts and achievements throughout the community.
Lola Forbes-Black
Lola Forbes-Black is a high school student at Royal High School. Since entering high school Lola has become extremely motivated to help educate her peers and local community on LGBTQ+ issues and how to be a more inclusive and understanding society. She is the President of her school's Pride Club and volunteers for LGBTQ+ and social justice organizations such as the Diversity Collective and The Human Rights Campaign. Lola is a Girl Scout and recently received her Gold Award, which less than 5% of eligible Girl Scouts achieve, by creating an educational program for educators and groups on the correct use of pronouns and gender terminology. She has also received her Bronze and Silver Congressional Medals and is currently working towards her Gold Medal. She was awarded the 2023 Ventura County Diversity Collective Youth Hero Award for her work in helping to organize a "Pride Prom" for LGBTQ+ youth in Ventura County. Most recently she has been rewarded for her efforts by receiving the 2024 California Council for the Social Studies, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice Student Award. And if that wasn’t enough, Lola is also one of my 2024 Summer interns.
Nan Young
Nan Young has a life-long history of the arts and philanthropy. As a youth Nan went to camp, played folk guitar and flute, drew, and painted. In her teen and early adult years, she established high school and college clubs on her school campuses. Throughout college at UC Santa Cruz, Nan wrote and directed plays. Upon graduation, she taught high school English and Drama for ten years at Chadwick School in Palos Verdes and created new arts and humanities programs for the school’s Juniors and Seniors. In 1990, Nan moved her family to the Conejo Valley in Ventura County, California. Instead of returning to the classroom full time, she focused on her then 6- and 4-year-old children and volunteered in the school and community. Nan wanted her then 4-year-old daughter, who has cerebral palsy, to attend the same regular elementary school as her son. In exchange for the school to be modified for a walker, Nan promised to create an arts program at his school. The school received appropriate adaptations and Art Trek, a visual, literary, and performing arts program was created.
Kellyn King
Detective Kellyn King's unwavering commitment to protecting children, combating sex crimes, addressing domestic violence, and fighting against human trafficking is truly incredible. Inspired by a survivor trafficking, she embarked on a journey to educate herself and others about the intricacies of human trafficking, demonstrating a rare passion for justice and community welfare. Detective King actively engages with at-risk youth in the community, recognizing the importance of prevention. She firmly believes that collaboration with anti-trafficking organizations is essential for successful investigations, disseminating knowledge throughout communities, and providing support to victims on their path to recovery. By nurturing relationships with youth who have experienced prior trauma and are at risk of being commercially sexually exploited, she demonstrates a compassionate approach to preventing further victimization. Her dedication to building trust and offering support to vulnerable individuals is both inspiring and impactful.
Dr. Ranjini Kaushik, Ph.D.
Dr. Ranjini Kaushik, Ph.D. is a biochemist and holds a Ph.D. from UCLA. Ranjini was formerly a process development group leader at Amgen where she spent 15 years in various roles and served on numerous conference panels. She is the founder and President of non-profit SciArtsRUs, where she has made significant strides globally in bringing in diversity and inclusion in the sciences, visual and performing arts and accessible design. She has helped create a global movement in the area of accessibility, disability inclusion in the arts, cross-culture art forms, and initiatives at the interface of arts and sciences. She has been recognized for her work on including underrepresented communities of artists in the mainstream. She also has a regulatory certification from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Dr. Kaushik brings years of expertise serving on conference panels, speaking at international venues, and leading cross functional groups and initiatives. She is the recipient of several awards from her company for her technical and leadership skills.
Lisa Stevens
Lisa Stevens has dedicated her career to serving and growing the business community across Los Angeles. As a Certified Business Mentor with JPMorgan Chase's Minority Entrepreneur and Racial Equity Commitment Team, she supports small businesses in underserved communities through personalized mentorship. Lisa's guidance encompasses crucial aspects of business development, operational management, cash flow, and access to capital, ensuring that entrepreneurs receive the necessary guidance to thrive in their respective industries. She is passionate about advocating for minority entrepreneurs, recognizing their critical role in driving our economy's success. With more than two decades of experience in business growth and wealth creation, Lisa specializes in business development, cash management, and credit solutions. Having grown up in an underserved community in Brooklyn, NY, Lisa is intimately familiar with the challenges and hardships that minority business owners face. Her life's work is dedicated to serving the community, advancing racial equity, and increasing generational wealth, education, and career development.
Jessica Kronstadt
The Honorable Jessica Kronstadt received her B.A. from Yale University, where she was a member of the Varsity Women’s Volleyball Team. She received her J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. After graduating from law school, Judge Kronstadt worked as a litigation associate at Latham & Watkins and as a staff attorney at Bet Tzedek Legal Services. Judge Kronstadt then served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office. She was assigned to the Sex Crimes Division where she prosecuted child sexual abuse matters. Judge Kronstadt became a Superior Court judge in March of 2023. She is currently assigned to the Family Law Division of the Los Angeles Superior Court. In June 2023, Judge Kronstadt was recognized by the Anti-Defamation League and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for her efforts to combat Antisemitism.