2004 AAJ Minority Caucus
Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. Soaring Eagles Award Recipient
Antonia Hernandez
Antonia Hernandez is the recipient of the American Association for Justice's (AAJ's) Minority Caucus 2004 Johnnie L. Cochran,
JR. Soaring Eagles Award.
The Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. Soaring Eagles Award was established
in 1997 and symbolizes the struggle of lawyers of color as they travel
down the road to personal and professional success. The AAJ Minority
Caucus presents this award to an attorney who, despite the challenges
of his or her own journey, pursues excellence and has made outstanding
efforts and contributions to the legal profession in paving the way
for others. Ms. Hernandez was presented with the Johnnie L. Cochran,
Jr. Soaring Eagles Award at AAJ's 2004 Annual Convention in
Boston, MA.
For eighteen years, Hernandez served as President and General Counsel
of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)
and as staff member for twenty-three years. During this time she has
made MALDEF the premier Latino civil rights organization in the United
States protecting the nation's 35 million Latinos through the
legal system, community education, research and policy initiatives.
Under her leadership, MALDEF helped win the right for undocumented
students to attend state universities for the same cost to residents,
thus opening the door for a college education.
Ms. Hernandez recently accepted the position of President and Chief
Executive Officer of the California Community Foundation (CCF), one
of the largest and most active philanthropic organizations in Southern
California. In partnership with its more than 1,000 individual, family
and corporate donors, the foundation supports nonprofit organizations
and public institutions with funds for health and human services,
affordable housing, early childhood education, community arts and
culture and other areas of need.
An expert in civil rights and immigration issues, Hernandez was born
in Mexico but moved to Los Angeles at an early age. She began her
legal career as a staff attorney with the Los Angeles Center for Law
and Justice. She worked as counsel to the United States Senate Committee
on the Judiciary before joining MALDEF in 1981, as regional counsel
in Washington, D.C. A tireless champion of educational equity, she
spearheaded the litigation in Texas of the nationally recognized case,
Edgewood vs. Kirby, which equalized the funding of public education.
Antonia Hernandez has been a defender of our nation's hard working
immigrants, who are among our most vulnerable residents. Working with
Congress, she advocated for fair immigration policy and prevention
of abuse against immigrants by INS officials. In 1985, MALDEF successfully
halted the implementation of California's Proposition 187, which
would have barred immigrants from receiving education and other services.
Ms. Hernandez is a trustee for the Rockefeller Foundation and a member
of the Board of Directors for the Automobile Club of Southern California
and Golden West Financial Corporation. She serves on various commissions,
advisory boards, committees and panels, including the Pacific Council
for International Policy.
Antonia Hernandez is a well respected leader in her community. Henry
Cisneros, former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
said, “Few members of our society have contributed what Antonia
has contributed to the Latino community. The progress that the Latino
community has made over the last 20 years has depended on a legal
and civil foundation. And more than any other person Antonia Hernandez
has been responsible for creating the conditions that are leading
to the progress that Latinos are making today. Her courageous and
farsighted leadership has paved the way for Latinos to take their
place in American society.”
Ms. Hernandez resides in Pasadena with her husband, Michael Stern,
who is a Pomona Superior court judge, and their three children.
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