MILLENNIUM MOMENT

When Frances Munoz was going to UCLA and South West Law School, she

had to work full-time as the manager and buyer for a furniture store. It

took her 10 years to put herself through school, but she graduated in the

top 20% of her class and was on the Law Review.

After graduation, Munoz took a job with the Orange County Public

Defender’s Office and eventually became the first Latino woman appointed

to the bench in Southern California in 1978. In 1990, she was named

Outstanding Judge of the Year.

Munoz also co-founded the Hispanic Education Endowment Fund. She was

honored in 1992 by Soroptimist International of the Newport Harbor Area

for her contributions to children’s education.

* MILLENNIUM MOMENT celebrates the people who have made a major

contribution to the Newport-Mesa community during this century.