On the recordApril 24, 2013
This month, the San Gabriel Valley lost a wonderful leader, the Native American community lost a true champion, and I lost a dear friend. Helen Doherty wore many hats throughout her years of public service, but one thing remained constant among them all: she fought to make life better for those around her. All people were her family; all children were her children. Helen's actions were always guided by the needs of younger generations. An educator at heart, she spent four decades in public school classrooms. She taught where she was needed most--where the value of a lesson learned would have the greatest impact--places like the Bridges Community Day School, where she worked with young people who had worn out their welcome in the traditional school system through expulsion, drug use, or family problems. None of that mattered to Helen. What mattered was helping kids build a brighter future for themselves, one new lesson at a time. But being an educator meant more to Helen than teaching in schools. It meant being a good colleague as well. She was a devoted member of the California Teachers Association and won their California Teacher in Politics award. Helen's compassion for others led her to speak out and fight for those in need. Much of her activism was rooted in who she was as a member of the Cherokee Nation. She had personal insights into the needs of Native American communities, and she fought tirelessly to have them addressed.…
