Yessenia Echevarria, founder of Mujeres de Accion, says she never imagined that informing Latino women about breast cancer after her mother’s diagnosis in 2014 would bring her to Washington, D.C.
A week ago, she attended the State of the Union address after she was invited by Congressman Jimmy Panetta, who represents District 19.
"It definitely felt surreal and unexpected in the sense that it's such a big, monumental event happening," said Echevarria. "Regardless of how you feel about the current administration, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
In a statement, Rep. Panetta explained why he chose Echevarria, stating, “In times like these, community leaders and immigration advocates like Yesenia are critical to making sure that vulnerable members who contribute so much to our economy and community receive support. I’m glad that Yesenia will be at the State of the Union so that the President has the opportunity to see that there are local partners on the ground who are in the fight for our values and service for the people of California’s 19th Congressional District.”
The COVID-19 pandemic was a big turning point for Mujeres de Accion. It pushed them into a more civic engagement role outside of Paso Robles, covering all of San Luis Obispo County.
Claudia Olson joined Mujeres de Accion in 2022 after her own cancer diagnosis and said she was not surprised by the invitation.
“She is a force; the commitment she has is above and beyond," Olson said of Echevarria.
