Barbara Mouton
Founding Mayor of East Palo Alto
East Palo Alto, CA
Barbara Mouton has dedicated herself to public service for more than 40 years.
As the first mayor of East Palo Alto (1983-1986), a former East Palo Alto Councilmember
(1983-1990), and a member of numerous community organizations, Mouton helped
establish the Environmental Protection Agency Rent Stabilization Ordinance in
East Palo Alto and helped educate East Palo Alto residents about affordable housing
and financial literacy.
A retired educator and the mother of seven children, 11 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren, Mouton continues to enrich East Palo Alto and its surrounding communities through volunteering and membership with a number of community organizations. Mouton is an active board member with Community Legal Services, which provides free legal services to low-income and underserved individuals and families in East Palo Alto, eastern Menlo Park and the surrounding areas. In addition, she is a board member of the Community Development Institute in East Palo Alto, a nonprofit created to bring about self-determination and sustainability in many communities across the nation. Mouton also serves as treasurer for the Girls' Club of the Mid-Peninsula in East Palo Alto.
Mouton was the third vice president of the National Conference of Black Mayors in 1985 and is the recipient of numerous awards including: the Lifetime of Achievement Award from Avenidas, a private, nonprofit agency helping mid-Peninsula seniors live well, learn and maintain their independence; the Pathfinder Award from the East Palo Alto Teen Home; the Wiley Manual Pro Bono Award from the California State Bar and numerous government honors including awards from the United States House of Representatives, the State Senate, the State Assembly, the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors and the city of East Palo Alto.
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