#BlackStories: Meet Vonya an Inspirational UCLA Frontline Hero

When Vonya is in the building, management knows she’s in and they will not try to pull any funny business. Vonya Bradley is powerful. She’s one of our strongest MAT leaders at UCLA’s Ronald Regan Hospital where she’s worked for twenty-two years as a Administrative Clinical Care Partner.

Vonya comes from a long line of union workers who have always fought for a better life. Growing up in a union household hearing about the union, the meetings, the strikes, and the bus rides to downtown to protest, were not unheard of at the dinner table. Vonya’s mom, a Los Angeles County worker and very proud union member, made sure the fire in her to fight for a decent living was passed down to her daughter and to those around her. “My mom always said, it’s about the future and getting the younger workers to also show up and fight. It can’t just always be us, we’re going to eventually retire. It’s about inspiring others to protect and fight for our rights, benefits, and retirement.”

And oh boy has the fire been passed down. Vonya has led several department fights, she’s quick to cite contract articles to stop management from taking advantage of workers and has been at every picket line.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Vonya is dedicated to her community and caring for it.  Currently, she’s one of the many frontline heroes who are caring for COVID patients.

When asked about it, she took one of the deepest weary sighs full of jumbled emotions and said “it’s so hard to put into words.”

But if there’s one thing about Vonya is that her patients, coworkers, and family members can always count her to be there to care for them and inspire them to fight.