Raúl Grijalva began his career in public service as a community organizer in Tucson. Four decades later, he continues to be an advocate for those in need and a voice for the constituents of his home community. From 1974 to 1986, Raúl served on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board, including six years as Chairman. In 1988, he was elected to the Pima County Board of Supervisors, where he served for the next 15 years, chairing the Board for two of those years. Raúl resigned his seat on the Board of Supervisors in 2002 to seek office in Arizona’s newly created Seventh Congressional District. Despite a nine-candidate primary and the challenge of being outspent three-to-one by his closest competitor, Raúl was elected with a 20-point victory, thanks to a diverse coalition of supporters that led the largest volunteer-driven election effort in Arizona.
I am proud to represent such a diverse constituency in Southern Arizona, including the four tribal nations that call this region home. As the first Americans, the Indigenous people of this region have culture and traditions embedded to the land. As their representative in Congress, I am working to ensure that their rights as sovereign nations are not only respected, but emboldened through policy-making at the federal level.
We have an atrocious history of injustice towards the Indigenous people of this land that goes against the very values of our country and that we must constantly work to rectify. I will continue to be a strong voice for tribal rights in Congress whether it be fighting to Save Oak Flat from multinational mining companies, introducing legislation to address the suicide epidemic on Indian reservations, or urging Congress to codify the tribal consultation process. By acknowledging the unique tribal history, I will address the challenges facing our Native brothers and sisters with understanding and consultation.