I was born here, I am the oldest of five children. I grew up in a working class household. We didn’t have much money, but my parents valued good schools and raising us in a safe community above all else. The values they instilled in us are shared by the many Sunnyvale families and individuals who sacrifice and make hard decisions to do what is best for themselves and their kids every day.

I was raised here, attending Cupertino Middle and Homestead High School as part of the generation to experience first hand the historic early days of the tech boom. I witnessed our Sunnyvale community embrace change and transform. I have always been proud to call this city home. I also feel deeply connected to our rich cultural diversity. My family immigrated to the South Bay Area from Mexico by way of Texas rancheros because this land’s legacy is a beacon of opportunity. It always has been. My daughters are the fourth generation to call the Silicon Valley home.

I have been a working mom for my entire adult life. I raised my eldest daughter as a single mother after having her when I was nineteen years old. The experience of overcoming systemic barriers to economic stability and stigma for having taken on such a heavy responsibility so young drove my early interest in politics and public policy. I made a solemn vow nearly 20 years ago to dedicate my life to breaking down the barriers that unjustly stand in the way of dignity and upward mobility for far too many people.

I found my calling in creating change. In 2007, someone took a chance on me. I was hired to work on a campaign for a long shot candidate with no name recognition. That candidate was Barack Obama. One campaign led to another. And another. I learned more every single day about what issues deeply impact peoples lives. It clicked for me that the only way to address problems is to lead with empathy and a commitment to taking action. I found my center, and nothing was going to stop me from making this my life’s work in this way. But to advance in a competitive and highly analytical field to make the change I seek, I needed more than just on the ground job experience.

Higher Education changed my live forever and gave me the opportunity to grow my family. Like many people with high goals but little money, I attended De Anza College where I completed my first two years of college. Like millions of other students, higher education would not have been an option for me without community college. The world class education I received at De Anza prepared me for Mills College, where I earned a Bachelors Degree in Political, Legal, and Economic Analysis (magna cum laude), and also a Masters of Public Policy. While in graduate school, I worked with the ACLU of Northern California to craft policy addressing data security and student privacy rights in public schools.

I am the only formally trained and educated public policy professional to serve on the Sunnyvale City Council.

My personal story and professional experiences built a diverse skillset and established connections with leaders across the public/private industry spectrum to drive collective action for our community. I specialize in working across all levels of government, but I found my true passion on the municipal level.

I have worked professionally as a campaign staffer, community organizer, education policy analyst, nonprofit program coordinator, research consultant, philanthropic program evaluator and as a professor of Political Science. And, of course, as an elected official. I was honored to have also served as Vice Mayor in 2022.

Like most women in elected office, I never saw myself here. On average, women need to be asked at least seven times to run for office. I am grateful to the people in my life that saw something in me I hadn’t yet seen in myself. I ran for Sunnyvale City Council because our world, our country, and our city faces challenges never before seen in human history. This moment needs tough people to do be willing to do tough work. My campaign presented a people-centered and deeply principled policy agenda. From the housing crisis to safe crosswalks, no issue is too big or too “small” to matter. I am most proud of the support I earned and continue to earn from people who disagree with me on many things. Emphasizing the importance honesty and empathy allowed me to build a strong coalition of support spanning traditional political divides without compromising my progressive values.

When I became Sunnyvale District 2’s first directly elected representative, I also became the first Latina and the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected in Sunnyvale history. Being the “first” is to accept responsibility for making sure that you are not the last. Since taking office, I have had the privilege of mentoring many young, smart, and qualified individuals starting out in public service. We now have the most diverse council in Sunnyvale history and more “firsts” are getting involved and running for office than ever before. I am proud to have been part of that change.

As your representative I am a fierce housing advocate. I work across all levels of government to find solutions to our housing crisis to end displacement and make Sunnyvale an affordable place to live. I push policies to make our streets safer and more walkable/bikeable for people to live and travel on. I understand the urgency of our climate crisis and advance critical infrastructure investments and green initiatives.

In a region with one of the world’s starkest economic divides, I never make a decision without taking equity into consideration. All that means is that the best decisions have the best outcomes for the most people irrespective of race, income, country of origin, employment status, housing situation, ability, gender/sexual orientation, or background. Equity can sometimes be a buzzword. How I put that concept into action is not.

On occasion, I enjoy activities and hobbies that have NOTHING to do with politics! My eldest daughter is the most hilarious and fun person I know, so I spend as much time with her as I can before she heads off to college and forges her own path. I take time to be present and treasure every moment of my youngest daughter’s babyhood and am so excited to experience the joys and challenges of early childhood again. I love to take weekend trips to visit as much of California as possible. Art, particularly fiber arts, have always been part of my life - primarily knitting, embroidery and quilting. My partner and I enjoy wine tasting on occasion and keep a modest collection of our favorite bottles to share with friends and family. I am somewhat of an amateur chef and enjoy experimenting with challenging recipes and cooking meals big and small for the people I love. I must admit that I am a huge fan of the CBS reality show Survivor. Yes, the show from the early 2000s. Yes, it’s still on. Yes, the same guy is still hosting it almost 50 seasons in. I never turn down an opportunity to discuss and analyze that show with anyone.