Mary Pardo is Professor of Chicano Studies at California State University, Northridge (CSU Northridge). She received her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1990 and has authored several articles on the influence of women in populist movements. Her work Mexican American Woman Activists, which focuses on East Los Angeles, emphasizes the important role played by females and the powerful influence of cultural symbols like motherhood and the Church, and suggests how such activism has innervated cultural identity and protected the Mexican American community. In addition to her scholarly publications, Dr. Pardo has been actively involved with the Mothers of East Los Angeles (MELA) and interviewed members such as Erlinda Robles and Juana Gutierrez. Her close ties to the community have allowed her to capture the reactions of MELA to deleterious state projects. Through her community activism and insightful scholarly work, Mrs. Pardo has contributed to the growing presence of Chicana studies programs at schools like CSU Northridge.