Palencia is a founding member of various community-based organizations and has been appointed by local elected officials to a number of task forces and commissions. Most recently, he was appointed to the Quality and Productivity Commission by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and previous to that by Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina to the Los Angeles County Hospitals and Healthcare Delivery Commission, with an advisory role to the multi-billion dollar Los Angeles County’s Department of Health Services.
In 2001, he was named a “Local Hero” by KCET (a PBS-Public Broadcasting Service affiliate) and Union Bank of California.
Mr. Palencia’s community-based involvement ranges from providing resources to marginalized populations such as undocumented immigrants, LGBT communities and the uninsured. His direct community involvement has included:
- Chair, Community Clinic Association’s Public Partnership Program (PPP) Committee
- Founder, Gay and Lesbian Latinos Unidos
- Founder, VIVA, a community project focusing on gay and lesbian Latino artists
- Co-Chair, Fiscal and Fundraising Committee, Alianza HIV/AIDS Latino Caucus
- Founding Member, AGUA (American Guatemalan Association)
- Advisory Board Member, HONOR PAC (LGBT Latino Political Action Committee)
Mr. Palencia has been the recipient of a number of awards acknowledging his community activism and service:
- Community Clinic Week Award, Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina
- Community Service Award, James Hahn, former Mayor of Los Angeles
- Outstanding Contributions to the Community Award, Gil Cedillo, State Senator and Chair of the California State Assembly Committee on Health Access
- Community Activist Award, Latin Pride
- Community Service Award, Guatemalan Embassy and Los Angeles Consulate
- Community Service Award, California Latino Civil Rights Network
- Community Service Award, Founder, LG PLAN Network, Victor M. Gordo, former Pasadena City Council Member
- Organization of the Year, during tenure at Clinica Msr. Romero, by MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund)
- Solidarity Award, KIWA (Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates)
- Outstanding Citizen (Ciudadano Distinguido), Central American Festivities Committee
nice last name, have any relatives in san antonio,tx. ?
im in brooklyn
Five Interesting Things About Equality California’s Brand New Just-Announced Executive Director / Queerty // May 17, 2011 at 11:05 am
[…] was the chief of operations and vice president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which has a budget of over $100 million; and Executive Director at Clinica Monseñor Oscar A. Romero, which primarily serves Central […]
Five Interesting Things About Equality California’s Brand New Just-Announced Executive Director | Gay News from Gay Agenda - GayAgenda.com // May 17, 2011 at 11:13 am
[…] was the chief of operations and vice president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which has a budget of over $100 million; and Executive Director at Clinica Monseñor Oscar A. Romero, which primarily serves Central […]