Abigail Medina

Abigail Medina is the eldest daughter of working-class immigrant parents and a mother of five. In her youth, Abigail was a part of the foster care system and she understands the need to combat poverty. While being a mother, she worked in fields picking tomatoes in California to help support her family and she knows firsthand some of the concern’s laborers have. As a mother Abigail knows the many concerns parents have regarding quality education and access to higher education, vocational pathways and the surrounding environment affecting the health of their children. Her mission is to give a voice to underserved and underrepresented communities.

Prior to serving on the school board, Abigail worked with numerous community organizations including the Congregation Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE), Health Advocates, and the California Association for the Gifted and the District African American Advisory Council.

Abigail is a San Bernardino City Unified School board member. Since being elected to the SBCUSD in 2013, Abigail has taken the lead on the board’s budget and strategic planning. Under her leadership, high school graduation rates have exceeded state and county standards for the first time in over 40 years. Abigail has also spearheaded efforts to increase parent engagement, expand AVID programs into elementary schools, align graduation requirements to meet CSU/UC A-G requirements, and has passed resolutions such as Safe Zones, and Census 2020 Complete Count.

Abigail is also the Executive Director of Inland Region Equality Network (IREN). Abigail has championed environmental protections, educational improvement, equality and fair treatment of LGBT+ individuals in San Bernardino and throughout the Inland Empire.

In 2016, she ran a grassroots campaign that was centered on delivering environmental, social, and economic justice, which invigorated activists in the local community in CA’s State Assembly’s 40th District against a Republican incumbent. She defied the odds by coming in first in the primary. Ultimately, she finished 1,948 votes behind the incumbent and has since then been determined to represent that area’s most disadvantaged residents.
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Abigail has a proven track record as a community advocate. She has been a powerful voice in the community working to improve the lives of everyone, particularly when it comes to environmental protection, expanding educational access and equality and fair treatment. Abigail has also worked tirelessly to expand opportunities for at-risk-youth and families from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.