John Vasconcellos

Biography


JOHN VASCONCELLOS
(May 11, 1932 – May 24, 2014)

This biography is in memorium. 

John was the Emeritus Dean of the California Legislature, and retired November 30, 2004, after 38 years representing the Heart of Silicon Valley in the Assembly and Senate.

His legislative career was most distinctive because of his simultaneously engaging during those 38 years in his search for becoming a person, especially as a student of humanistic psychology and its major pioneers – Carl Rogers, Rollo May, Abraham Maslow, James Bugental, Virginia Satir, Stanley Keleman, Will Schutz, Jim Fadiman and John Heider.

Among His many renowned endeavors was the founding of the California Task Force To Promote Self Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility. John was also the creator of the CAL-GRANT program (provides financial aid for every needy California university & college student), A.D.E.P.T. (the Assembly Democratic Economic Prosperity Team – deemed the most valuable California State Government effort in the past quarter century in support of the economy), California’s ‘TOUGH & SMART PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM’ and California’s cutting edge ‘BLUEPRINT FOR AGING.’


John’s final project was accomplished through enlisting his many friends to found THE JOHN VASCONCELLOS LEGACY PROJECT, whose major endeavor is generating  ‘THE POLITICS OF TRUST,’ an historic comprehensive strategy for creating a wholly new politics of healing and hope, based upon the faithful vision, ‘that we human beings are innately inclined toward becoming life-affirming, constructive, responsible and trustworthy.’