Dr. Carlota del Portillo’s Life of Service Honored With Street Renaming

Carlota Texidor del Portillo spent years fighting to create a place where Mission District residents could learn English, prepare for careers and begin a path toward higher education. That work is now publicly marked beside the campus she helped build. 

City College of San Francisco students, administrators, public officials and members of del Portillo’s family gathered on Sept. 12 at Bartlett and 22nd Street  to celebrate the unveiling of Carlota Texidor del Portillo Way. The commemorative designation comprises the section of Bartlett Street between 21st and 22nd Street, next to the Mission Campus. 

“I’m surprised, pleased, and I still don’t know why they did it,” said del Portillo. “But I’m pleased they did.” 

When asked about the hardest part of creating the campus, her answer was direct: “The politics of the situation.” 

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who sponsored the resolution with Supervisors Myrna Melgar, Jackie Fielder and Chyanne Chen, said del Portillo’s persistence helped secure the campus and sustain its role in the neighborhood. 

“She was a relentless advocate for a very long time for the establishment of this campus,” Mandelman said. Former City College dean and school board member Juanita Owens initially proposed the street designation, he added. 

Mandelman said the Mission Campus represents one of City College’s central strengths bringing education into San Francisco neighborhoods. He said continuing to fund Free City College is essential to preserving that access. 

Jorge Bell, former Mission Campus Dean, said the location holds historical importance. Before the current campus existed, students entered the former educational center through 106 Bartlett St. to take English, General Education Development (GED) and vocational courses. 

“Thanks to her vision, we have the Mission Campus,” Bell said. He described del Portillo as a mentor who encouraged him to continue his own education and earn a master’s degree.

Mission Campus Dean Gregoria Cahill said del Portillo also mentored her. While Cahill was an academic counselor, del Portillo told her, “You need to take care of this place.” 

Cahill said that responsibility continues through “Friends of the Mission Campus,” which del Portillo helped establish. The organization raises money for scholarships benefiting graduating high school students, certificate earners and students transferring to four-year universities. 

Juan José Urrutia, a Mission Campus student, said del Portillo’s influence can be seen in the range of opportunities available at the campus. He said the recognition could encourage students to volunteer and participate in their neighborhoods. 

“We can all make a difference,” Urrutia said. 

For del Portillo’s daughter, Elena Asturias, the campus was more than her mother’s workplace. Del Portillo called it her “fifth daughter” and often stayed until the last student had left, Asturias said. 

Del Portillo’s granddaughter, Lucia Paniagua, said her grandmother brought the same determination home, teaching her family perseverance through her actions. 

When asked what she wants students to remember when they see the sign, del Portillo summarized the legacy behind her name in five words: “That all things are possible.”