Valerie Rodriguez

she/her/ella

Policy Associate

Sacramento Office

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Valerie Rodriguez was raised in the San Gabriel Valley in the City of El Monte, California. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Guadalajara, Jalisco, and she is proud to be a first-generation Latina and a daughter of immigrants. Growing up, her family instilled in her the importance of obtaining a higher education degree, and though her parents could not speak English, they always strived to support and motivate her for a better tomorrow. Her background and family’s history has made her passionate about working toward the collective and individual well-being of community members, especially those of low income and people of color.

After graduating high school, she attended community college, and two years after transferred to California State University, Long Beach. In her time at CSU Long Beach, Valerie’s passion for public policy grew as she formed part different leadership and internship programs. She first participated in Hispanas Organized for Political Equality’s (HOPE) College Leadership Program where she began to develop her leadership and professional skills, and as a result enjoys volunteering with HOPE. Shortly after, Valerie was involved in the Sacramento Semester Program and the Campaign’s Student Leadership Institute. During this time, she realized her eagerness to advocate for the success of underserved communities. After applying and landing a role at the Campaign, she feels very lucky to work in a space that positively impacts racial equity and social justice high education driven policies.