The girl who opened schoolhouse doors for Latinos: A legacy of educational access
Honoring National Hispanic Heritage Month
This is published in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month.
In the 1920s, Mexican laborers moved to California to work in the citrus groves. At that time, it was not unusual to see signs in restaurant windows that said, “No dogs or Mexicans.” This sentiment influenced how public schools were run.
The Mendez family's fight for school integration
Westminster School District turns away Sylvia Mendez
Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez had moved to Westminster, California, and sought to enroll their daughter Sylvia into the closest school. While no law mandated school segregation, the Mendezes were turned away and referred to a school for Hispanics.
Mendez v. Westminster School District lawsuit
Instead, they joined with other families and filed a lawsuit: Mendez v. Westminster School District.
Their attorney, David Marcus, argued that segregating children based on ethnicity was a violation of the 14th Amendment, the amendment that grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States. The attorney argued this point for Hispanics, but also for Asian American and Native American students, who were segregated legally.
Legal victory and the 14th Amendment
The judge ruled in the Mendezes favor, writing, “A paramount requisite in the American system of public education is social equality. It must be open to all children by unified school association regardless of lineage."
Today, women throughout Southwest Washington—including Latina women in Vancouver, Longview, and across Clark County—benefit from the doors Sylvia Mendez helped open. At Woman of Wonder, we honor this legacy by ensuring our scholarships remain accessible to all women regardless of background, celebrating the diversity that strengthens our communities.
The school district appealed, and for the second time, the Mendezes prevailed, but it was more of a semi-victory. The court ruled in favor of families, but not due to the 14th amendment, but because there was no law allowing segregation, meaning, there COULD be a law – just like the law segregating Asian American and Native American students.
Governor Earl Warren ends California school segregation
In a bold move, California’s governor, Earl Warren, chose to end school segregation.
Connection to Brown v. Board of Education
Seven years later, Earl Warren (does that name sound familiar?) was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and ruled on Brown v. Board of Education.
Educational access then and now: Woman of Wonder's mission
Continuing the fight for educational equity in southwest Washington
Southwest Washington's Hispanic community continues to grow, particularly in Vancouver, Longview, and agricultural areas throughout our region. Hispanic women face unique challenges when pursuing higher education: balancing family responsibilities, overcoming language barriers, and managing financial constraints. Like the Mendez family's determination to access quality education, today's Hispanic women in SW Washington demonstrate remarkable courage in pursuing college degrees that will change their families' trajectories for generations.
Today in Southwest Washington, we continue fighting for educational access—not against legal segregation, but against financial barriers that prevent women from attending college. While Hispanic women in Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties face no legal restrictions to higher education, economic challenges create real obstacles. Woman of Wonder carries forward Sylvia Mendez's legacy by ensuring that all women in our region, regardless of ethnicity or financial status, can pursue college degrees.
Support Hispanic women in SW Washington through scholarships
When you donate to Woman of Wonder, you honor Sylvia Mendez's legacy by supporting educational access for Hispanic women and all women in Southwest Washington. Your contribution helps break down the financial walls that replace the legal barriers of the past. A scholarship funded by your tax-deductible donation could help a first-generation Hispanic college student in Vancouver or Longview achieve dreams that mirror Sylvia's determination to access quality education.
Scholarships open to Southwest Washington women
Are you a Hispanic woman in Southwest Washington who dreams of being the first in your family to attend college? Woman of Wonder provides scholarships to women throughout Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties. We understand the unique challenges Hispanic women face and celebrate the strength you bring to higher education.
Just as Sylvia Mendez opened doors for future generations, your college degree will create opportunities for your family and community. Learn how to apply for a Woman of Wonder scholarship and carry forward this legacy of educational courage.
Eight-year-old Sylvia Mendez in 1954. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Sylvia Mendez in March 2018. US Department of Agriculture, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons