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PHOTOS: Culver City Officials Celebrate Women of Impact

Vice Mayor Freddy Puza, Councilmember Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, and School Board President Triston Ezidore recognized three women for Women's History Month.

Culver City Elected Officials came together on Monday to celebrate Women of Impact working to improve the Culver City community. From left to right is councilmember Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, Dr. Ashley Wiley Johnson, Vice Mayor Freddy Puza, Brittany Wilson, and CCUSD School Board President Triston Ezidore. || Photo by Christian May-Suzuki

In a ceremony held separately from normal City Council recognitions, Vice Mayor Freddy Puza, councilmember Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, and Culver City Unified School District Board of Education President Triston Ezidore celebrated Women of Impact Monday afternoon at Fox Hills Park.

Each of the three elected officials selected a woman to honor for Women's History Month. Each was presented with an individualized certificate from the officials present, who felt the need to celebrate 2025's Women's History Month on its final day.

"We thought it was important to honor Women's History Month in any way that we could," Ezidore said at the informal ceremony.

The first honoree is Brittany Wilson, director of West Los Angeles College's Upward Bound Program. It is a federally funded program which focuses on helping first generation students and low income in local high schools get into college. Ezidore, who nominated Wilson, said that her work related to dual enrollment and "traditionally left behind communities" lead him to recognize her Monday.

Mount Saint Mary University's Vice President of Student Affairs Linda McMurdock was the honoree chosen by Vice Mayor Puza. Mount Saint Mary University is a private Catholic university and seminary with 89% of its student base being women. It has its main campus in the Santa Monica Mountains north of the Getty Center.

Dr. Ashley Wiley Johnson is the preschool director at The Wiley Center for Speech and Language Development. The center assists families of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and help close the gap in services for those families that are also low-income.

McMorrin selected Johnson as her nominee, noting that her work is particularly critical during a time where inclusion programs are being cut nationwide.

"Particularly in this time where you can't even say words like Diversity, Equity and Inclusion," McMorrin started, "Johnson continues to make sure that all students and adults with developmental disabilities have an opportunity in our community."