As the Yolo County Board of Supervisors prepares to make its decision on June 23 regarding the appointment of the next Yolo County district attorney, I write to express my strong support for Cynthia Rodríguez.
I believe Yolo County has an opportunity to move forward with leadership that reflects accountability, transparency, effective management and a commitment to serving all residents of Yolo County.
Like many residents, I am interested in understanding the process the Board will use to evaluate candidates. Will there be a standardized set of questions and evaluation criteria? Will the public have an opportunity to review the qualifications of the candidates and understand how the final decision is made? Transparency in this process is important to maintaining public trust.
My support for Cynthia Rodríguez is based on a desire for meaningful change. For many years, residents throughout Yolo County have raised concerns about the direction, priorities and culture of the District Attorney’s Office. Numerous cases generated public controversy, community protests, and calls for greater accountability and reform. Families, students, workers, community advocates and civil rights organizations repeatedly questioned whether the criminal justice system was serving the interests of justice equally and fairly.
Whether discussing concerns about prosecutorial discretion, lengthy court proceedings, disparities affecting working-class communities, or the growing perception that punishment was prioritized over prevention and rehabilitation, many residents felt their voices were not being heard. Regardless of one’s political perspective, it is clear that confidence in the District Attorney’s Office has been challenged, and restoring public trust must be a priority.
Yolo County cannot afford a continuation of the same policies, the same priorities or the same political culture that has divided our community. The people of Yolo County deserve new leadership, new ideas and a renewed commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability. We need a district attorney who recognizes that true public safety is not measured solely by convictions and incarceration rates, but also by healthy families, stable housing, educational opportunities, mental health services, restorative justice practices and strong community partnerships.
I come from a family of migrant farmworkers and labor organizers. My parents helped organize farmworkers throughout California, including in Yolo County during the historic 1973-75 tomato strike. Working alongside farmworker families taught me that lasting change occurs when ordinary people speak out and demand better from their institutions.
Through the years, I organized alongside my father, Albert M. Rojas, and our family has spent decades advocating for workers, immigrants, youth and families seeking dignity, fairness and justice. We have stood with countless residents who felt unheard by the institutions that were supposed to serve them.
Today, Yolo County faces serious challenges. Families are struggling with rising costs of living, housing insecurity, health care concerns, mental health needs and economic uncertainty. The District Attorney’s Office must be part of the solution, not merely a system that reacts after harm has occurred. We need leadership that understands prevention, rehabilitation and restorative justice are essential components of public safety.
For these reasons, I respectfully urge the Board of Supervisors to appoint Cynthia Rodríguez as the next Yolo County district attorney. This is an opportunity to turn the page on the politics of continuity and embrace a future rooted in accountability, transparency, fairness and community trust.
The residents of Yolo County deserve change. We deserve leadership that listens. We deserve leadership that values families and communities. Most importantly, we deserve leadership that is willing to move beyond the politics of “business as usual.”
Si Se Puede.
Desirée Rojas
Yolo County resident
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