Cyndi Louise Falcon was born on January 22, 1961, in Santa Barbara, California. Her roots are of Chumash and the historic Cota family, blended with Mexican and quarter-Irish ancestry. Despite growing up with a loving mother, she felt disconnected from her Mexican heritage due to her father being an “American-Mexican” military type.
Fortunately, during her tweens, she was inducted into being Chicana with makeup by her best friends, who found her style too hippie-like at the time.
While at Santa Barbara High School, she was a founding member of the Ladies United, an all-female car club, during her pregnancy in 1977. She first owned a 1978 Monte Carlo that her father gifted her and later bought a 1964 Impala.
Cyndi was elected club president in 1980. During her presidency, with her firstborn, she held high standards in car and member presentation. She believed in inclusivity to all women and championed that mujeres (women) can do lowriding, too. The club organized carwash fundraisers, epic lowrider shows at Ortega Park, and community cleanups at places like the Cabrillo Pavilion until the 1980s.
Reflecting on her childhood, her daughter Jackie Carrillo fondly recalled, “I remember as a child going to meetings and the Ladies being like tias [aunties] to me.”
Cyndi’s legacy reached a broader audience when she was featured in the “Chicana Cultura” article in the Winter 2021 issue of Santa Barbara Magazine. As the issue was prepped, first-generation college grad Valerie Jaimes was photographed in an immaculate 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible. Speaking about the experience, Cyndi said, “Meeting Valerie Jaimes during the photoshoot was a moment of immense pride. Seeing her embrace the same pursuits and beliefs I held at her age felt like coming full circle.”
Sadly, Cyndi passed away in July. Her memorial services were held at the Cabrillo Center with friends and family who celebrated her life. In her honor, they held a final, nostalgic lowrider cruise, symbolizing her enduring legacy.
Cyndi Falcon is remembered as a devoted mother and grandmother to her four children and four grandchildren, a beloved sister, a cherished friend, and a nurturing nurse. Cyndi Falcon’s kindness and lasting contributions to the lowriding community will forever be remembered.