One of three siblings born to an Italian father and a Mexican mother, Laura spent most of her life in the Barrio. Orphaned at age 12, she was befriended by the Marston family who became her legal guardian. At 16 she married gardener David Rodriguez and returned to the Barrio, where they raised four children. Laura became a catalyst in the founding of Chicano Park, planting herself in front of a bulldozer and helping organize round-the-clock demonstrations to make San Diego officials honor their commitment to keep the property near the east end of the Coronado Bridge a community park. She then turned her focus to what became the Logan Heights Family Health Center, created in 1970 on National Avenue. Through Laura's powers of persuasion and the homemade tamales she offered civic leaders, she brought in financial pledges of support and many volunteer hours. She herself worked many 12-hour days at the clinic. In 1987, a pediatric clinic was added in Laura Rodriguez's name.
Her trademark tamales helped launch the "Spirit of the Barrio" luncheons which inspire supporters to continue to make the Logan Heights Family Health Center the pride of the community. The clinic covers dentistry, social services, eye clinic, family planning, speech correction, podiatry, gynecology, dermatology and cardiology and partners with the UC San Diego School of Medicine and Mercy Hospital.