Community Leaders Join Zonta Burbank in Celebrating 90 Years of Making a Difference
On September 26, 2026, the Zonta Club of Burbank Area celebrated a remarkable milestone: 90 years of advocacy, community leadership and service. The celebration brought together Zontians from throughout Southern California, civic and community leaders, and friends and family of the club’s honoree, longtime Zontian and community advocate Past District 9 Governor Gloria Salas.
Among those joining the celebration were U.S. Congresswoman Laura Friedman and Burbank Mayor Tamala Takahashi, who is also a member of the Zonta Club of Burbank Area. Both helped celebrate the club’s 90-year history and recognize Gloria for the many ways she has served Zonta and the Burbank community.
“Human trafficking awareness, self-defense classes, scholarships for local women going on to higher education—that's all Zonta,” said U.S. Representative Laura Friedman. “…And this work is still ongoing. Zonta is turning 90 years old here in Burbank, and that doesn't happen by itself, and I'm not sure it would have happened without Gloria.”
For Zonta Burbank, the afternoon was as much about connection as it was celebration. Members reflected on the generations of Zontians who have shaped the club through advocacy, service, scholarships, community partnerships and a commitment to developing future leaders. It was a wonderful reminder that while the people and projects may change over the decades, the spirit behind the work continues.
The celebration also highlighted one of the club’s favorite connections to Zonta history: the first Z Club was established in Burbank in 1948. Nearly eight decades later, seeing Z and Golden Z Clubs thriving around the world makes that piece of our local history especially meaningful and reminds us that something started in one community can grow far beyond what its founders imagined.
Gloria’s Zonta impact has reached far beyond Burbank, including her term as District 9 Governor, but those who know her also know the personal relationships, encouragement and quiet leadership behind those titles. Honoring Gloria alongside the club’s 90th anniversary felt especially fitting: both are reminders of what becomes possible when Zontians remain committed to their communities and to one another over time.
Most of all, the celebration connected Zonta Burbank’s past with its future. Commemorating nine decades of impact gave us the opportunity to celebrate those who built the foundation we inherited—and to think about what the next generation of Zontians will build upon it.
As Zonta Burbank enters its tenth decade, we are proud of where we have been, excited about where we are going, and grateful to everyone who has been part of the journey. We look forward to continuing to bring people together in our shared commitment to building a better world for women and girls, locally and globally.
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