Celebrating Cipriana Martínez Gonzales

The community is invited to a special event on Wednesday, July 16th at 4:00 PM at La Colonia Park to unveil a new plaque celebrating Cipriana Martínez Gonzales, a beloved Eden Gardens resident and respected community leader.
Cipriana was instrumental in the creation of La Colonia Park in the 1970s and spent her life advocating for equity, education, and community spaces in Solana Beach. Mayor and City Council will say a few words in her honor, followed by light refreshments.This special event is an opportunity to come together and celebrate our La Colonia de Eden Gardens neighborhood and the families who were so instrumental in the vision and creation of Solana Beach’s La Colonia Park.
All are welcome!
About Cipriana Martínez Gonzales
Cipriana Martinez Gonzales was a lifelong Eden Gardens resident and a powerful advocate for her community. Born in 1906 in Redlands, California, she married Salvador Gonzales, and together they raised their five children in La Colonia de Eden Gardens, where they lived for the rest of their lives. In the 1940s, Cipriana and the community helped raise funds to build a new St. Leo’s Church in La Colonia. When the San Diego Catholic Diocese later attempted to close it, she famously wrote a letter to the Vatican, and under Pope Paul VI, the church was preserved and became St. Leo’s Mission. A passionate community organizer, Cipriana fought against school segregation in the 1940s, addressed the San Diego County School Board, and founded the Mothers Club of La Colonia. She was also active in the Soroptimist Club and led many other community projects. In the 1970s, she played a key role in getting La Colonia Park established through the County of San Diego, ensuring the neighborhood had a safe and welcoming space for families to gather.