Advocacy defines Rodriguez's work

Gary Rodriguez joined the Shafter Recreation and Park District board in 2008 and considers one of his greatest accomplishments to be overseeing the process of acquiring state grant funding for the new Wonderful Sports Complex.

"A big thank you to the other board members who played a significant part in making that process a success, including Phillip Jimenez and his staff, as well as our grant writer and consultant, Gilbert Garcia," he said in an interview last week.

Rodriguez is enthusiastic about the complex, officially the Shafter Recreation and Community Sports Complex in Conjunction with the Wonderful Corporation, emphasizing its potential to level the playing field for disadvantaged youth in the community who lack access to the amenities necessary for advanced training and development in their hometown. "We'll be able to assist travel teams playing basketball or baseball whose coaches seek a place to practice. We can collaborate with boxing teams, martial arts groups, Folklorico dancers, and Tejano dance groups, host chess tournaments and bring in all kinds of events. The possibilities are endless with the complex."

He takes pride in his work as a board member representing District 2. According to him, it takes a village to raise a child, and the Shafter Rec is a central part of that. He explained that children benefit greatly from being surrounded by positive role models, with coaches acting as second parents who ensure their safety. Through recreational activities for all, a strong, tight-knit community is built, he says.

Rodriguez has lived in Shafter his entire life. He taught at Richland Elementary School for 33 years, was a citizen preparation classes instructor for 20 years and has served on the board of Self-Help Enterprises for 25 years. Recently, he and his partners launched the nonprofit organization Unidos Contra la Injusticia.

His roots in the community date back to the 1930s. "My family came from Texas and landed in the Mexican Colony circa 1935. My dad, Lionel, was born in the Colony in 1938, and my mother, Katie, was born on a ranch in Buttonwillow in 1940. My grandparents came to Buttonwillow from Guanajuato and Chihuahua [Mexico] around 1933," he shared.

Rodriguez has decades of experience in social justice advocacy and was influenced by the Chicano movement, beginning with his involvement in Shafter High MEChA. One of his earliest victories was assembling a team that secured a $2 million federal grant to extend the city's water line to South Shafter. "Now, instead of drinking water contaminated with pesticides, residents can access clean city water," he said.

He admitted he isn't sure what inspires him other than the motivation to address the injustices he observes in the community. "I know a little about government, and I'm the kind of person who brings people together to put pressure on elected officials to ensure they're doing what needs to be done. In South Shafter, there are residents without adequate lighting, curbs and gutters, or a proper drainage system. These are the injustices I see that need to be remedied, and I've been fortunate to have the drive to work on these projects," he explained.

These values are at the heart of everything he does, whether in his role on the board of the Shafter Rec, through his work with his nonprofit or in addressing the needs of the disadvantaged. For Rodriguez, it is all about making things accessible and fair for e